Sunset sat there, mouth agape, staring at Adagio, all while the latter remained silent. The lack of sound in that room, at that very moment, was as uncomfortable as one could imagine. Shock and disappointment fought for control in Sunset's mind, and her host knew it perfectly well. But, she never tried defending herself, never spoke up some pre-emptive counter-argument. Instead, she simply sat back in her sofa, watching her guest, and waiting for the inevitable comments. In the end, her predictions came true, and Sunset, after taking a while to get her thoughts in order, finally spoke up.

"You...you left him?"

Adagio nodded.

"I did."

Sunset fell into silence once more, but this time, it was short-lived.

"But...Adagio...he was your son."

Here, Adagio narrowed her eyes.

"Yes...he was my son. And that is why I had to leave."

Leaning forward, Adagio frowned at her guest.

"Let me tell you something that I have learned well over the many centuries, Sunset. Happily ever afters? For most people, they don't exist. There's no fairy tale ending where we ride triumphant into the sunset. No perfect moments where everything's alright at the end of it all."

A grimace crossed her face as she continued.

"Sometimes...for things to be good for someone...other people have to make hard choices. Choices they may come to regret for the rest of their lives...but necessary all the same."

She sighed briefly, her expression softening a little before she carried on.

"And that's what I did. I would have wanted to be near my son for as long as he lived...but I already told you why that could not be. So...I made a choice. My happiness...or his."

Again, her eyes became steely as she regarded the former unicorn.

"You and your friends have had many happy endings, Sunset. Pray you have the strength to make the right choices...when those happy endings stop."

For a moment, Sunset looked, for lack of a better word, ashamed of herself, as if she regretted ever bringing the matter up in the first place. But, she had, and Adagio had told her what, perhaps, she should have always expected from her. The air in the room had become icy with this confrontational mood that now persisted, but Sunset, in a desperate bid to make things at least marginally better, looked to Adagio with a soft look in her eyes.

"And...you never saw him again?"

Hearing that, Adagio took a deep breath, after which she exhaled and shook her head slowly.

"Yes...I did see him, on occasion."

Sunset gained a curious expression, prompting Adagio to explain herself.

"My sisters and I knew how to go about unnoticed. Every once in a while...we'd return. I'd always make the excuse what we needed supplies and the like. But, when I was by myself...I made sure to look out for him."

A small smile crept onto her face.

"He grew into such a handsome man. Strong...admired by the city. His marriage to the princess went off without a hitch. He...he was happy."

Sunset stayed silent for the time being, enraptured by this story, but, her face became one of concern, as did Adagio's, as the latter finally broke that silence.

"But...eventually, the day came. The day. The day I knew was going to happen. A day that, perhaps, I had fooled myself into thinking might not occur. But I knew...it was inevitable."

Sunset tilted her head in a clear display of confusion, causing Adagio to look up at her, narrowing her eyes yet again.

"The last time I saw my son...was the last day of his life."

Darkness had fallen over the great city, and all around there could be seen light after light dimming in the homes of the many people who lived there. But, in the grand palace at it's centre, there were torches and braziers abound, lighting the castle up for all to see. On the western walls of the place, in one of the highest towers, there was but one candle, it's dim glow lighting only what needed to be seen. Within this room, ornate and well furnished, there was a large and very comfortable-looking bed. Upon it, an old man, once mighty and strong, now frail and tired. Though bed-ridden, she still sought to be clad in his armour, though it had faded with the passing of many years. As his old eyes opened, her turned, looking to the maiden sitting beside his bed.

"Dear girl...what hour is it?"

She offered a sweet smile to her charge, though there was clearly sadness in her eyes.

"It is deep into night, Sir Forte."

The old man nodded, putting on a smile of his own.

"Ah...then perhaps it is time for you to get some rest, my lady. You have tended to me enough for one night."

The maiden nodded, getting up from her chair, but nevertheless keeping her eyes upon him.

"Are...are you certain there is nothing else I can get you? Some water perhaps?"

But Forte shook his head. With his answer given, the maiden bowed her head respectfully, taking a few steps back before turning, heading straight for the door out of the room. With a loud creak, it closed behind her, leaving the man alone here. He stared around him for a moment, regarding all of the trappings of his chamber, from the tapestries hanging on the walls, to the ornate robes of state that were elegantly draped over nearby dressers. However, this soon ended when, all of a sudden, there was a gentle breeze through the window, causing the curtains to flap slowly. He looked to them, cracking another smile, before speaking up.

"Please...come forth from the shadows. I...I wish to see you."

For a time, silence was his only answer. But, after a few moments of this, movement could be sensed. His eyes turned, looking upon a particularly dark corner of his room, and from it, emerged a figure. Clad in a dark cloak and hood, this mysterious stranger's face was obscured from his sight, but, even in spite of this, he had nothing but a warm smile to offer them.

"It...has been too long...Mother."

The figure raised her hands, lowering her hood. As he said, it was indeed Adagio, looking to her son with a mix of both curiosity and longing.

"You knew it was me?"

Forte chuckled a little.

"I always know it is you, Mother."

Shock crossed her face, but Forte raised a hand.

"You needn't say anything. I always knew it was you, all those times you watched me from afar. It...it is something I could just feel."

Adagio cracked a smile as she took a step forward.

"Seems you were more Siren than I gave you credit for then."

Together, the two laughed, but, it was, sadly, short-lived, as a silence fell between them when that laughter died down. Adagio took to sitting in the chair the young girl had left vacant some time ago, and here, she truly started to regard her son. His grey hair, the wrinkles upon his face. He was old, though she did not admit to this. And while a less perceptive person might not have known that this was what she was doing, Forte knew her all too well, and so let out a sigh before speaking up again.

"Mortality, Mother. Blessing and curse at once. We both knew this day would come."

Adagio shut her eyes tightly, and when she opened them again, she leaned forward, gently taking his withered hand into her own.

"No...I can stop this!"

But Forte shook his head.

"You know you cannot, Mother. There are many things in the world we cannot change, that we cannot control...and this is one of them."

Now, anyone who knew Adagio, truly knew her, would know that defeat and surrender were not in her nature. Not one bit. But here, despite very much looking like she wanted nothing more than to protest her son's declaration, she simply let out a sigh, leaning back into her chair, frustrated and enraged over this cruel joke the world had pulled on her. Silence passed between them yet again, and they merely stared at one another, Forte with a look of happiness over seeing her again. But Adagio was different. Instead of joy, hers was a look of concern, and even a degree of fear. And when she spoke, that fear was prevalent in her tone.

"Did you ever hate me for it?"

Forte did not ask what she meant by that, for he already knew.

"When it first happened...when I realised you had left...I will confess...it hurt."

Adagio looked away, a grimace upon her face. But, when her son spoke up again, his voice gentle and soft, she looked upon him once more.

"But...in time...I understood. You did it for me. To protect me. And...no matter how much I might have wanted you in my life...I cannot fault you for that."

Here, Adagio frowned, holding on even tighter to her son's hand.

"No, Forte! I left you! Shout at me! Scream at me! Call me a terrible Mother, just...please...don't forgive me!"

Forte looked to her, her expression one of both sadness and anger, and he simply smiled.

"Mother...you did what you did because you loved me. And though you clearly bear much pain over that choice...know that I never...ever...stopped loving you."

Adagio stared at him, disbelief plastered all over her face, and before long, she got off the chair, getting down to her knees, her eyes welling up.

"Forte...please...don't go."

The old man continued smiling, and, in perhaps the only real bout of strength he had left in him, he raised a hand, right to Adagio's face, and gently placed it upon her cheek. The elder Siren felt the warmth of her son's hand, and placed her own upon it, looking down to him just as the first of her tears finally started flowing. After yet another long silence between them, Forte finally spoke.

"I have had a good life, Mother. You saw to that. If nothing else...take comfort, knowing that I pass on in peace."

Adagio did her best to fight back the tears, even as they continued to fall, and not once did she ever take her eyes off her son's.

"Forte...when you pass...I will sing for you."

She frowned, angry at the whole world, her voice wobbling as she spoke further.

"By all the sea...I will sing for you!"

Here, Forte chuckled, and soon after, he started coughing, causing Adagio to look with him with alarm. But, the coughs stopped, and instead, her son looked to her with that same smile of his, speaking softly.

"Better you than I, Mother. After all..."

Slowly, his eyes started to shut.

"...I always was...a terrible singer."

At long last, his eyes closed, and Adagio stared at him. Moment after moment passed, and her son's eyes did not open again. His hand was still at her cheek, but now, it was only because she was holding it there. Silence persisted, and her tears falling to the ground was the only real sound that could be heard. Slowly, she finally released her son's hand, placing it carefully upon his chest, and soon afterwards, she leaned closer, caressing his own cheek, much like he had done with her. Though she still did her best to keep herself from looking pained, it was a lost battle at this point, and as her tears flowed in earnest, she brought her face to his, gently kissing his forehead. When she pulled back, she at last got to her feet, before turning to a nearby bedside table.

There, upon a golden pedestal, was Forte's trusted sword. The sword that had done so much good in his hands, now cold and unused. Adagio said nothing, merely reaching forward and picking up the weapon, feeling it in her hands and staring at it for some time. And when she finally looked up again, at the lifeless form of her boy, she spoke what she knew would be the last words she would ever say to him.

"Goodbye...my little...Forte."