Valdemar 12
"That was beautiful." Firesong said.
"That was just a warmup song. You're pretty odd."
"Is there something wrong with being odd?"
"Nope."
"Can you play me a song then?"
"Sure." I say and start singing.
"Shadow-Lover, never seen by day,
Only deep in dreams do you appear
Wisdom tells me I should turn away,
Love of mist and shadows, all unclear--
Nothing can I hold of you but thought
Shadow-Lover mist and twilight wrought."
"Wow." I hear him whisper.
"Shadow-Lover, comfort me in pain.
Love, although I never see your face,
All who'd have me fear you speak in vain--
Never would I shrink from your embrace
Shadow-Lover, gentle is your hand
Never could another understand."
"How can a person even sound this good?" Still whispering.
"Shadow-Lover, soothe me when I mourn
Mourn for all who left me here alone,
When my grief is too much to be borne,
When my burdens crushing-great have grown,
Shadow-Lover, I cannot forget--
Help me bear the burdens I have yet."
Now he's humming along with the tune.
"Shadow-Lover, you alone can know
How I long to reach a point of peace
How I fade with weariness and woe
How I long for you to bring release.
Shadow-Lover, court me in my dreams
Bring the peace that suffering redeems."
"No way." He says.
Shadow-Lover, from the Shadows made,
Lead me into Shadows once again.
Where you lead I cannot be afraid,
For with you I shall come home again--
In your arms I shall not fear the night.
"Shadow-Lover, lead me into light."
"That- that was wonderful." He says smiling.
"That would be why Stefan calls me Songbird." I mutter.
"Stefan? Vanyel's Stefan?" He asks.
"Uh... Yes?"
"Then it is you!"
"What?"
"Never mind."
"Ok..." I say and put away my gittern.
"No!" He says and grabs my arm. "Don't put it away yet. You should play for everyone."
"Everyone who?"
"Everyone. There's a party tonight. Play there and I will owe you one."
"Huh. A party?" I say thinking and absently playing a tune. "Why not?"
"Yes!" He says grinning. "You won't regret it!"
"Bye then."
"Yeah bye!" He says and runs off.
"He's a very strange guy. Hmm. Oh well. A party sure sounds like fun." I say getting up and wandering the halls.
"Who's there?" A voice called out. The person who appeared following the voice had brown hair.
"Me." I say smiling. "I am Lizzy. Who are you?"
"I am Skif. Where are you headed?"
"No place in particular. I'm waiting until it's time for that party I was told about."
"The party is starting at any point now."
"What? Seriously?" I half-shouted.
"Yep. You should get going then."
"I will! Thanks!" I say then turn around and pause, realizing I don't know where I'm going. "Uh.... Where is the party?"
"Follow me!" Skif laughed.
"Thank you!" I say and follow behind him.
"Here you are." He says after a while.
"Thanks again!" I say and shift the gittern I was carrying. "Alright." I ready the instrument in my hands.
"Took you long enough!" I hear Firesong say.
"Where should I go?"
"Follow me!" He says and leads me to a stage. "Now wait until I give you the signal."
"What will it be?"
"Complete silence."
"Alright." It took a little while but it was silent and I started the song.
"Shadow-Lover, never seen by day,
Only deep in dreams do you appear
Wisdom tells me I should turn away,
Love of mist and shadows, all unclear--
Nothing can I hold of you but thought
Shadow-Lover mist and twilight wrought."
The silence deepened as everyone listened.
"Shadow-Lover, comfort me in pain.
Love, although I never see your face,
All who'd have me fear you speak in vain--
Never would I shrink from your embrace
Shadow-Lover, gentle is your hand
Never could another understand."
I could hear every breath because of how quiet it was.
"Shadow-Lover, soothe me when I mourn
Mourn for all who left me here alone,
When my grief is too much to be borne,
When my burdens crushing-great have grown,
Shadow-Lover, I cannot forget--
Help me bear the burdens I have yet."
Everyone was staring at me now. I was felling slightly embarrassed.
"Shadow-Lover, you alone can know
How I long to reach a point of peace
How I fade with weariness and woe
How I long for you to bring release.
Shadow-Lover, court me in my dreams
Bring the peace that suffering redeems."
I saw people start dancing now.
"Shadow-Lover, from the Shadows made,
Lead me into Shadows once again.
Where you lead I cannot be afraid,
For with you I shall come home again--
In your arms I shall not fear the night.
Shadow-Lover, lead me into light."
Everyone looked to me as I began the next song.
"A lovely young man comes prancing and dancing.
A lovely young man with a voice like the sun.
A test I shall give, is his heart pure or blackened?
Then shall we see if he is a worthy one.
Will he rise to the challenge or be undone?"
They began to dance.
"Young man can you help a wizened old woman?
A crust of bread is all that I need.
Young man can you show this old one some kindness?
Open your heart, do a good deed."
Someone joined me playing the song.
"This lovely young man has no compassion,
He thinks of himself and no one but he.
This lovely young man needs some instruction,
Needs to be humbled before he can see."
People were gasping at the emotion they hear in my voice.
"Young man I had hoped you'd prove to be worthy,
I'd hoped that your heart was as big as your voice.
You can show kindness or walk on ignoring,
This simple act is your own choice."
Everyone realized something about these songs made me feel sadness.
"This lovely young man, he laughs at my sorrow,
He thinks it a joke, his banter is cruel.
This lovely young man has no understanding,
How shall I teach him contempt is only for fools."
Little did they know I was remembering the people that helped me get to this point in my musical abilities.
"Then lovely young man, go prancing and dancing.
Away from the light of the moon you ever shall run.
A test was conferred, but your heart did not merit,
Then sing if you shall only to the sun.
This curse I lay upon you may ne'er be undone."
These songs are getting increasingly harder to sing without crying.
"What has touched me reaching deep?
Piercing my ensorcelled sleep
Darkling lady do you weep?
What is the cause of your grieving"
I remembered that this was a duet only after I started and hoped for the best.
"Why do tears of balm and bane
Bathe my heart in bitter rain
What is this longing? Why this pain?
What is this spell you are weaving"
I heard another voice join in and almost sighed with relief. I definitely couldn't sing this by myself.
"Sunlight singer, morning's peer
How I long for what I fear
Not by my will are you here
How I wish I could free you"
The voice was perfect for this part of the song and I had stopped singing.
"Gladly in your arms I'd lie
But I dare not come you nigh
For if you touch me I shall die
If I were wise I would flee you"
I began to sing again.
"Shadow dancer, dark and fell
Lady that I love too well
Won't you free me from the spell
That you have cast around me"
The audience seems to love our duet.
"Star-eyed maid beyond compare
Mists of twilight in your hair
Why must you be so sweet and fair
How is it that you have bound me"
I stopped singing and the other began again.
"In your eyes your soul lies bare
Hope is mingled with despair
Sun-filled lover do I dare
Trust my heart to your keeping"
After this part well sing together.
"Sunrise means that I must flee
Moonrise steals your soul from me
Nothing behind us but agony
Nothing before us but weeping"
I began once again to sing this time with the other.
"Sun and Shadow, dark and light
Child of day and child of night
Who can set our tale aright?
Is there no future but sorrow..."
My eyes have been closed so I couldn't see the other but I sensed a presence next to me.
"Will some power hear our plea
Take the curse from you and me
Grant us death or set us free
Dare we to hope for tomorrow?"
I decided to stop here before I truly cry. I opened my eyes and saw Skif next to me eyes also closed. I took a bow and left the room. I start heading to my room. "I-I can't." I say crying. "I-I just miss them."
"Miss who?" I hear someone ask. I spun around and came face to face with Darkwind.
"Um... Hey?" I say backing up a little. "It's a bit of a long story. Are you sure you wanna hear it?"
Darkwind just nods. "Yes I would like to hear your story."
"Well follow me." When we got back to my room I sat on my bed leaving the single chair I had in the room for him. I proceeded to tell him all about my life from the time I lost Landon up til now. "And now that I sung those songs they taught me I miss them all the more. So much so that I almost cried at that party."
"That's a really odd life you have there Lizzy. How do you handle it?"
"No clue. But I do. Oh no!" I say having taken my head off of his shoulder. I was crying on his shoulder. "Now your shirt is soaked! I'm so sorry!"
"You're fine. You needed a shoulder to cry on. I'm just glad you trusted me enough to tell me your whole life story."
"I just needed to tell someone that all. I never got the chance to tell Vanyel."
"Well I'm sorry about your life."
And then we heard loud knocking on my door. "Hello?"
"Selenay? Why are you out there?"
"Since you can't exactly be a Herald a couple Bards offered to be your mentor. So I would like to know if you wish to accept."
"Why not." I say and open the door. "Take me to them."
"Follow me. And here," She says handing me a handkerchief. "You might need this."
"Oh! Thanks!" I say and dry my face.
"These are the Bards who wish to be your mentor." There were several different kinds of people in front of me. But they all had one thing in common; they were hoping I'd pick them.
I looked them over and finally decided. "You." I pointed at a Bard with long blond hair. She had pretty blue eyes and was pretty overall.
"Thanks very much Lizzy! I will not disappoint you! My name is Malesa. I hope we have a great time together!"
Suddenly with a loud shriek a firebird whose feathers were the same color as my hair flew in and gently landed on my unprotected shoulder. Firesong who was passing by said, "I knew it! You're Lizzy Clearsword k'Treva! This is absolute proof!"
I just looked at him confused. "Still no clue what you're talking about."
"Oh well. You still are though."
"Why are you so intent on this? You are quite strange Firesong."
"Hello Teardrop!" He says smiling.
What I believe is my bird responds with a click of its beak. :I female.: I hear in my head.
:Teardrop? Is that your name?:
:Yes.:
:Why can I hear you two?: I hear a new voice.
:Firesong? Is that you?:
:Yes. You should know. You included me in this.:
:Odd. Well sorry.: