Songs From the Leatherbound Book

[Katebush]

((Carrying now a simple leather bound book with a simple wave tooled into the cover Ocean starts her second collection of songs and poems, this time they are written in Common unless notations indicate otherwise))

Eternal Hero ((Music for Harp))

And on he fought and on he fought,
and through it all some peace he sought,
yet none was there to e'er be found,
until he lay within the ground.

The blood ran thick from blade and shield,
yet never would the good knight yield,
as through the swathes of the evil horde,
he cut and thrust with shining sword.

He fought through days and nights uncounted,
attack upon attack he mounted,
His aim the castle on the hill,
and for all I know he fights on still.

A battle fought not for vainglory,
a simple tale, an age old story,
good fights on in face of foe,
to keep the common folk from woe.

And though his arms and muscles ache,
no rest will our white hero take,
for if he did the day he'd lose,
and that the knight could never choose.

Into eternity he heads,
and because of him we face less dreads,
less evil stalks the world we stride,
because he stands against the tide.

And when at last the world doth end,
into his final rest we'll send,
the hero of a thousand days,
a thousand songs, a thousand plays.

[Katebush]

((Music for Harp played with metallic fingerstrips and two drums. Each drum maintains a heartbeat that speeds it’s pace alternately with the other between each verse representing the heartbeats of the two ‘beasts’))

Heat in the Frozen Wastes

From Ice and Snow and Frozen wastes
The wolf lifts up her snout and tastes
The scent of something on the air
Something special, something rare
Deep breath in to lock the scent
Crouching low, her hind legs bent
Kicking snow in a dazzling spray
A dark grey blur is on it’s way.

To the south the great cat creeps
White fur on snow, it stalks then leaps
Bears foe to ground with tooth and claw
Rends it’s throat with red-lined maw
Then pauses…
…scanning all around
he feels vibration through the ground
With his one good eye he sees it not
But he feels the threat, his blood is hot.

Across the snow the grey form lopes
Sprints down valleys, runs up slopes
Blood smell mixes, but scent is stronger
Crests a ridge, her stride gets longer
Down below she sees the dead
On field of white, a slash of red
But she was not called here for blood or meat
A deeper instinct, twice as sweet.

White on white a shadows ghost
he sees the thing he yearns for most
From rest to run in merest blur
Glittering snow and shimmering fur
He charges towards his final fate
An end for which he cannot wait
Turning, twisting, tense then…
…pounce
He hits her foursquare with every ounce.

He hits her high and from the side
She turns and both begin to slide
Down the slope, they twine, a blur
Dark grey and white, a ball of fur
Snow slide stops…
…she has him pinned
And with a laugh the woman grinned
The fur is gone, was never there
Just golden blonde and silver hair.

Bare limbs twined upon the snow
Their skin agleam with loves sweet glow
They are both warm, feel not the cold
No sound disturbs the lovers bold
A world apart, within they dwell
As with pure love their hearts do swell
And there we leave them, Wolf and Cat
No story older…
…nor sweeter than that.

–---------

For Ragnhild and Zoma, on their marriage.

[Katebush]

My graduation piece.

Freedom’s Price ((Music for harp. Music of Despair and loss))

There she lies, her heart is breaking, limbs coiled around his form.
A sob escapes and echoes back, stone walls mocking what once was warm.

Chains of fire, chains of ice, chains of words had bound her.
He had searched through realms and planes, and in the end had found her.
A woman he had never met, just that her tale had touched his heart.
A loner, no-one at home to mourn him and so he chose to play his part.

There she lies, her heart is aching, blood seeps from his limbs.
She lifts her head, regards strewn corpses, amid the slaughter her head swims.

Beauty unbound by mortal limits, skin so pale it almost glowed.
Hair as black as raven’s wing and in her eyes two sapphire’s showed.
Loved by mortal’s through the realm, but such was not to be her end.
For as she danced upon the meadow, Gaugath, The Watcher, did descend.

There she lies, her chest is shaking, despair coiled around her soul.
Her saviours death has sealed her fate, he held the words to make her whole.

He heard the tale by the fire one evening, his wandering spirit yearned,
To leave the fire and walk the road, to see what else was to be learned.
Shaundakhul his patron always, lead him to the scrolls and books
And through them he learnt all he needed, to free her from the Outcasts hooks.

There she lies, her hand is snaking, reaching for her heroes knife.
For only now, freed from her chains, could she make the choice to end her life.

Enslaved, imprisoned, held by coils, magic forged of riddles three.
Mystra felt such pity for her fate, she seeded the truths to set her free.
Through might of arms the warrior came into the chamber she was held.
But only with the clues unravelling could those chains forever be dispelled.

There she lies, her heart is quaking, listening for Gargauth’s return
She could not, would not spend eternity, feeling chains of ice and fire burn.

He slew the watchers, fought the beasts, spilled their blood with sword and lance.
He’d come so far to see this maiden, been through to much to lose this chance.
He spoke the words that parted Fire, Spoke the words that parted Ice,
The words to part the Riddles three, he died having only spoken twice.

There she lies, her last breaths taking, knowing this the final test.
Tears are rolling from those eyes, she prays her soul will find it’s rest.

The fates are cruel, they know no limits, anyone is fairest game.
He stood and blood spilled from his mouth, his last gasped word the woman’s name.
She stepped from bonds, her arms catching him, lowering him to the stone floor.
The beast that killed him falling, dead, with this last act, it would kill no more.

There she lies, still and silent, her final act of defiance done.
Entwined in death, their tale told. Farmer’s Daughter and Gypsy’s son.

–----

[Katebush]

((Written out meticulously in flowing Sharrian, the musical notations for harp as is usual, The caligraphy in this instance is ornate though and a great deal of time has been spent making this by far the most beautiful page in the book))

A Moment Out of Time

Eyes of softly glowing blue
Meet eyes of purest green
Silence
Stillness
Enfolding both
The peaceful shroud of dream.

Those eyes of green
Those eyes of blue
They lock and all else
Ceases
Fades
But the softly chiming notes
No-one but they can hear.

Their beating hearts
Give steady pulse
To feelings out of time
Eternal
Universal
Without, their arms
Within, their hearts
Their lives they intertwine.

And so time stops
But slowly starts
Reality joins the dream
The dream that
Holds
Enfolds
When eyes of softly glowing blue
Meet eyes of purest green.

–-------------------------------------------------

[Katebush]

((Written in Sharrian, no musical accompaniament noted))

Divided We Fall

Trust.
A must.
I’m thrust
Aside.
Denied.
I have my pride.
And yet I hide.
Bruised.
Abused.
My strength refused.
Out my mind.
Again I find
I bind
My heart and soul,
My whole
Without control
In second place.
A losing chase
I face
The truth I know.
Not slow.
I knew
It’s true
Yet me for you
I give
I live
Never fail to forgive
It’s not mystical
Not about the physical
It’s strength
Held at arm’s length
The other told.
She has that hold.
I’m not so bold
To withhold
Out in the cold
I will wait
Bypass this state.
Damn straight!
Not berate,
Agitate,
Debate.
Internal monologue
Not dialogue.
Love
Deaf, blind and dumb
Never numb
The stings will come
I will withstand
Heart in hand.
An offering.
No tiny thing.
No strings.
I will return.
Never spurn.
For you I yearn.
Just need to cleanse this burn.
In rhyme and song
Pain belongs.
Then I’ll be strong
Let’s not be coy
The joy
Of me with you
True
Worth the blues
Momentary
Temporary
The plan is us together
Forever
So I will bide
Bury pride
Not stay blue
Will stay true
For I trust
I must
For I love you.

–-----------------------------------

[Katebush]

**Spitfire Heart ((fast paced dance tune))

A gentle man, a soft kind soul
and stuck where he's rather not be.
A spiteful lass with a razor tongue,
a devilish harridan she.

They travelled a road, rough-shod and long,
with only each others company,
They'd be happier alone if only they could
but then dead they'd both soon be.

A mountain, a forest, a plains and two streams,
then a river blocked both of their rest.
They sighed and she glared, blaming him for the sight,
for she'd told him to turn further west.

He sighed and she cried, fake tears though of course,
and he set to, to making a raft.
She grinned to herself as she sat and he worked
telling herself all men were daft.

The raft it was done, and they set it afloat,
into the gravel bottom it slammed,
She glared and he sighed, then she shouted and cried out
the uselessness of him and his plan.

He glared at her then, saying that hardly all men,
were useless and better off dead.
She grinned at the words, seeing backbone at last
and dragged him off into her bed!

And there we must stop, for the river stayed them,
they turned back and headed to town,
They hated and loved with a passion and pride,
and they were happier wedded than drowned.

–------------------------**

[Katebush]

Written for Raryldor, though he doesn't know it yet. A three song cycle in the pattern of an elven epic.

**The Calm Before… (((Drifting elven harp music with underlying tension)))

He stands, head bowed,
Eyes half-closed.
Ears pricked,
Listening for it.
For the call to battle,
He knows comes.

White armour gleams
As the sun strikes
The ridge he stands upon.
Shield bearer,
Sword wielder,
Warrior priest.

Elven lord. Calmly standing,
Waiting. Still.
Arrayed below
The enemy prepares.
Chaos to his Order,
Blood-lusting.

They see him there.
They want his head.
Yet his calm
Unnerves them.
They hesitate now
Awaiting the order.

Elven-ears pricked
For the change in rhythm
That will signal the charge.
It is not
That he does not fear.
Everyone does.

His Lord is strong.
His faith is strong.
To die
Pure in faith and deed
Is all he asks.
For all must die.

And there!
A subtle shift.
An order barked in harsh tongue.
And with that roar
he sets his shield
to stand against the storm.

**…the Storm (((Drum, hard marshal beat with chaotic interludes)))

Parry, cut
Block, thrust
To live! To live!
So kill he must!

An arc of blood,
A spray of gore.
They fall! They fall!
Though his arm is sore.

Slash, weave
Fist and head.
He kills! He kills!
Or he’d be dead

Screams, cries.
A battle shout.
To arms! To arms!
We must not rout.

An elf alone,
Holds back the foe.
In truth! In truth!
He would not go.

Hero. Priest.
With patron Lord.
For right! For right!
He wields his sword.

First white,
Now drenched in red.
The blood! The blood!
It soaks his head.

He slows, pauses,
Prays for health.
Granted! Granted!
Faiths true wealth.

Then turns to meet
The next onslaught.
The foe! The foe!
It must be fought.

Tired muscles,
Aching limbs.
But never! Never!
To give in.

And then at last
E’en though he aches.
The storm! The storm!
The storm ,it breaks!

…Breaks (((Harp again. A drifting elven tune with echoes of the drum music)))

He stands upon the victory field.
And calm returns. He did not yield.
He had thought his fate was sealed.
Yet Corellon stood again his shield.
And through Him all his wounds were healed.
Though his white armours red, with blood congealed.

Around him strewn with blood and gore,
A hundred dead, a hundred more,
And crows and ravens by the score.
An eyeball plucked, a ravens caw.
His arms hang down now, stiff and sore.
He prays now for an end to war.

In elven lilt he speaks his prayers
And every corvid stops and stares
And suddenly a silence blares.
Around him light of a god now flares.
The faithful elf, communion shares.
And to his Lord, his soul he bares.

And then it stops, and time returns.
And with his faith, the white elf burns,
Takes up his arms and away he turns.
He seeks no glory, fame he spurns.
Enough for him that evil learns
That every heart, for Goodness yearns.

–-----------------------------------****