“Willingly—gladly. We can play duets—like—”
“Like you and Kris used to play,” she finished for him when he could not. “Love—I think it’s time for one last gift—” and she touched his mind, sharing with him the incredulous joy that had marked Kris’ passing.
“Gods—oh, gods, that helps ... you must know how much that helps,” he managed after a moment. “Now if only—I wish I could know for certain that he knows about us—about now.”
He lifted her from the couch to move to the bedroom.
“If I were to have one wish granted, that would be mine, too,” she replied, her cheek resting against the velvet of his tunic. “He told me once that it was his own dearest wish to see the two people he loved most find happiness with each other—”
She would have said more, but a familiar perfume wreathed around her, and she gasped.
“What’s wrong? Did you hurt something?” Dirk asked anxiously.
“There—on the bed—”
Lying on the coverlet, in the middle and heart-high, was a spray of the little flowers known as Maiden’s Hope. Dirk set her down on the bed and she picked it up with trembling hands.
“Did you put this here?” she asked in a voice that shook.
“No.”
“And no one else has been here since we left—” In hushed tones she continued: “When Kris gave me this ring, it was around a Midsummer bouquet of those flowers. I’d never smelled anything like them before—and he promised he’d find some for my wedding garland if he had to grow them himself—but I’ve never seen them anywhere around here—”
“There’s more to it than that, little bird,” Dirk said, taking the flowers from her and regarding them with wondering eyes. “This flower only blooms for the week before and after Midsummer. We’re well into fall. They can’t be grown in hothouses. People have tried. To find even one bloom, much less as many as this, would take a miracle. No human could do it.”
They looked from the flowers to each other—and slowly began to smile; smiles that, for the first time in weeks, held no underlying hint of sadness.
Dirk took her into his arms, with the flowers held between them. “We’ve had our wish—shall we give him his?”
She carefully reached behind her, and inserted the blossoms into the vase on her night stand.
“Yes,” she breathed, turning back to him, and beginning to touch him with her rapport even as she touched her lips to his, “I think we should.”
Appendix: Songs of Valdemar
Her Father’s Eyes
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Kristoph Klover
(Selenay: Arrows of the Queen)
How tenuous the boundary between love and hate—
How easy to mistake the first, and learn the truth too late—
How hard to bear what brings to mind mistakes that we despise—
And when I look into her face, I see her father’s eyes.
He tried to steal away my throne—he tried to rule my life—
And I am not made to forgive, a cowed and coward wife!
My love became my enemy who sought his Queen’s demise—
And when I look into her face, I see her father’s eyes.
Poor child, we battled over her as two dogs with a bone—
I should not see his treachery in temper-tantrums thrown—
I should not see betrayal where there’s naught but childish lies—
But when I look into her face, I see her father’s eyes.
Now how am I to deal with this rebellion in my soul?
I cannot treat her fairly when my own heart is not whole.
I truly wish to love her—but I’m not so strong, nor wise—
For when I look into her face, I see her father’s eyes—
Only—her father’s eyes.
First Love
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Frank Hayes
(Jadus: Arrows of the Queen)
Was it so long ago now that we met, you and I?
Both held fast in a passion that we could not deny?
If my hands gave you life, then your voice woke my heart—
From such simple beginnings, how such wonder may start!
Chorus:
Through my long, empty nights, through my cold, lonely days,
How you comfort and cheer me, delight and amaze—
And your soft silver voice could charm life into stone—
My sweet mistress of music, My Lady, my own.
With your sweet song to guide me you have taught me to care
How to open my soul to both love and despair
Though you’re wood and bright silver, and not warm flesh and bone
I think no one here doubts you’ve a soul of your own.
And I know my own journey will too soon reach its end—
I must leave you with one I am proud to call friend.
How she opened my life when she opened my door!
Give her comfort, my dear one, when I am no more.
Holderkin Sheep-Song
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Ernie Mansfield
(Talia: Arrows of the Queen)
Silly sheep
Go to sleep
We will watch around you keep
Though the night be dark and deep
Nothing past us dares to creep
Go to sleep.
Have no dreads
Though we’d rather seek out beds
And our eyes are dull as leads
And we long for hearths and steads
Have no dreads.
Do not fear
We are here
Though this watch is lone and drear
Lacking in all warmth and cheer
Till the morn again draws near
We are here.
In the night
Stars shine bright
And the moon is at her height
Lending us her little light
Nothing comes to give you fright
Stars shine bright.
With the day
We’ll away
Leaving you to greet the day
Other shepherds watch you play
Keep you safe from all that prey
We’ll away.
Silly sheep
Go to sleep.
We will watch around you keep
Go to sleep.
Go to sleep.
It Was A Dark And Stormy Night
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Leslie Fish
(Talia: Arrows of the Queen)
It was a dark and stormy night—or so the Heralds say—
And lightning striking constantly transformed the night to day
The thunder roared the castle round—or thusly runs the tale—
And rising from the Northeast Tower there came a fearful wail.
It was no beast nor banshee that, the castle folk knew well,
Nor prisoner in agony, nor demon trapped by spell,
No ghost that moaned in penance, nor a soul in mortal fright—
‘Twas just the Countess “singing”—for she practiced every night.
The Countess was convinced that she should have been born a Bard
And thus she made the lives of those within her power hard.
For they must listen to her sing, and smile at what they heard,
And swear she had a golden voice that rivaled any bird.
The Countess was convinced that she had wedded ‘neath her state
And so the worst lot fell upon her meek and mild mate.
Not only must the Count each night endure her every song
But suffer silent her abuse, be blamed for every wrong.
It was a dark and stormy night—or so the Bards aver—
And so perhaps that was the reason why there was no stir
When suddenly the “music” ceased; so when dawn raised his head
Within the Tower servants found the
Countess stiff and dead.
The Heralds came at once to judge if there had been foul play.
The questioned all most carefully to hear what they would say.
And one fact most astounding to them quickly came to light—
That every moment of the Count was vouched for on that night.
The castle folk by ones and twos came forward on their own
To swear the Count had never once that night been all alone.
So though the Tower had been locked tight, with two keys to the door,
One his, one hers; the Count of guilt was plain absolved for sure.
At length the Heralds then pronounced her death as
“suicide.”
And all within the district voiced themselves quite satisfied.
It was a verdict, after all, that none wished to refute—
Though no one could imagine why she’d try to eat her lute.
Musings
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey;
Music: Mercedes Lackey
(Selenay: Arrows of the Queen)
How did you grow so wise, so young?
Tell me Herald, tell me.
How did you grow so wise, so young, Queen’s Own?
Where did you learn the words to say
That take my pain and guilt away
And give me strength again today
To sit upon my throne?
How could you be so brave, so young?
Tell me, Herald, tell me.
How could you be so brave, so young, Queen’s Own?
How do you overcome your fear?
To know my path was never clear
While knowing Death walks ever near
Would chill me to the bone.
How can you be so kind, so young?
Tell me, Herald, tell me.
How can you be so kind, so young, Queen’s Own?
To see the best, and not the worst—
To soothe an anger, pain, or thirst—
To always think of others first
And never self alone.
Where did you learn to love so young?
Tell me Herald, tell me.
Where did you learn to love so young, Queen’s Own?
How did you teach your heart to care—
To touch in ways I would not dare?
Oh, where did you find the courage? Where?
Ah, Herald—how you’ve grown!
Philosophy
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Kristoph Klover
(Skif: Arrows of the Queen)
What’s the use of living if you never learn to laugh?
Look at me, I grew up down among the riff and raff
But you won’t catch me glooming ‘round without a hint of smile
And when I have to do a thing, I do it right, with style!
Chorus;
‘Cause if you’re gonna be the one to take that tightrope walk,
And if you’re gonna be the one to make the gossips talk,
If it’s your job to be the one who always takes the chance,
And if you have to cross thin ice—then cross it in a dance!
Now take the time when I was “borrowing” a thing or two—
The owner of the house walked in—well, what was I to do?
I bowed and said, “Don’t stir yourself,” before he raised a shout,
“Thanks for your hospitality, I’ll find my own way out!”
I’d just come up a chimney, I was black from head to toe—
Climbed to the yard to find a watchman—wouldn’t you just know!
But in the dark he took me for a demon, I would bet,
‘Cause when I howled and went for him—I think he’s running yet!
Take my Companion—did you know I thought to steal her too?
This pretty horse out in the street, no owner in my view—
I grabbed her reins and hopped aboard, 1 thought I was home free,
Until I looked into her eyes—and now the joke’s on me!
’Cause now I’ve got to be the one to take that tightrope walk
And now I’ve got to be the one who’ll make the gossips talk,
And it’s my job to be the one who always takes the chance—
But when I have to cross thin ice, I’ll cross it in a dance!
Laws
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Leslie Fish
(Skif: Arrows of the Queen)
The Law of the Streetwise is “grab all you can
For there’s nothing that’s true—nothing lasts.”
The Law of the Dodger is “learn all the dirt—
The most pious of priests have their pasts.”
The Law of the Grifter is “cheat the fool first
Or the one who’ll be cheated is you.”
But the Law of the Herald is “give all you can
For some day you will need a gift too.”
The Law of the Liar is “there is no truth
It is all shades of meaning and greed.”
The Law of the Hopeless is “never believe
For all faith is a hollowed-out reed.”
The Law of the Empty is “there’s nothing more,
Life is nothing but shadow and air.”
But the Law of the Herald is “Seek out and find.”
And the Law of the Heralds is “Care.”
The Law of the Hunted is “guard your own back,
For the enemy strikes from behind.”
The Law of the Greedy is “trust no one else,
Hide and hoard anything that you find.”
The Law of the Hater is “crush and destroy,”
And the Law of the Bigot is “kill.”
But the Law of the Herald is “faith, hope and trust,”
And the strength of the Herald is will.
All these Laws I have learned from the first to the last
From the ones who would teach me they’re true—
And full many the ones who taught anger and fear,
But the ones who taught hope—they were few.
And I ask myself, “Which is the Law I must take,
Fitting truth as a hand fits a glove?”
Then I chose, and I never looked back from that day,
For the Law of the Heralds is “Love.”
The Face Within
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Kristoph Klover and Larry Warner
(Dirk and Kris: Arrow’s Flight)
The Weaponsmaster has no heart; his hide is iron-cold
His soul within that hide is steel; or so I have been told.
His only care is for your skill, his only love, his own.
And where another has a heart, he has a marble stone.
That’s what the common wisdom holds, but common is not true.
For there is often truth behind what’s in the common view.
And so it is the Herald’s task that hidden truth to win
To see behind the face without and find the face within.
He goads his students into rage, he drives them into pain;
He mocks them and he does not care that tears may fall like rain.
He works them when they’re weary, and rebukes them when they fail—
Cuts them to ribbons with his tongue, as they stand meek and pale—
And will our enemies be fair, or come on us behind?
And will they stay their tongues or in their words a weapon find?
Or wait till we are rested before making their attacks?
Or will they rather beat us down and then go for our backs?
But he has no compassion, does not care for man nor beast—
And when a student’s gone, he does not notice in the least—
And no one calls this man their love, and no one calls him friend
And none can judge him by his face, or what he may intend.
But I have seen him speak the word that brings hope from despair—
Or dr
op the one-word compliment that makes a student care—
And I have seen his sorrow when he hears the Death Bell cry—
His soul-deep agony of doubt that nothing can deny—
For on his shoulders rests the job of fitting us for war
With nothing to give him the clue of what to train us for.
And if he foils it is not he that pays, but you and I—
And so he dies a little when he hears the Death Bell cry.
And now you know the face within hid by the face without
The pain that he must harbor, all the guilt and all the doubt.
The Weaponsmaster has a heart; so grant his stony mask
For you and I aren’t strong enough to bear that kind of task.
Finding Your Center??
Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey
Music: Paul Espinoza
(Talia: Arrow’s Flight)
Finding your center—not hard for a child—
But I am a woman now, patterned and grown.
Thrown out of balance, my Gift has run wild;
Never have I felt so lost and alone.
Now all the questions that I did not ask
Come back to haunt me by day and by night.
Finding your center—so simple a task—
And one that I fear I shall never set right.
Chorus:
Where has my balance gone, what did I know
That I have forgotten in Time’s ebb and flow?
Wrong or right, dark or light, I cannot see—
For I’ve lost the heart of the creature called “me.”
Valdemar Books Page 533