25
edits
Line 68: | Line 68: | ||
You can oil your swords with blood. You can drink from fertile ground." | You can oil your swords with blood. You can drink from fertile ground." | ||
"Fill pillows with fine feathers!" Now the trapper had the gist. | "Fill pillows with fine feathers!" Now the trapper had the gist. | ||
"And the snakes can't taste too bad. Help ourselves, if ye insist." | "And the snakes can't taste too bad. Help ourselves, if ye insist." | ||
"One long night here can ply your trades, | "One long night here can ply your trades, | ||
so you needn't want for much. | so you needn't want for much. | ||
You pile your wagon with the spoils, | You pile your wagon with the spoils, | ||
and I will lift it from the muck." | and I will lift it from the muck." | ||
Together they doused the fire, and the moors did light provide, | Together they doused the fire, and the moors did light provide, | ||
like the wisps that haunt the fog to ask travellers inside. | like the wisps that haunt the fog to ask travellers inside. | ||
Shadows prowled on the edges, but the cut-throat waved his blade. | Shadows prowled on the edges, but the cut-throat waved his blade. | ||
"You can line your den with pelts," said the woman, unafraid. | "You can line your den with pelts," said the woman, unafraid. | ||
"Warm your children with the black furs, | "Warm your children with the black furs, | ||
string a necklace with the teeth. | string a necklace with the teeth. | ||
Look no further than the Moor, | Look no further than the Moor, | ||
and what it chooses to bequeath." | and what it chooses to bequeath." | ||
As the morning mist shimmered, it was easy to succumb. | As the morning mist shimmered, it was easy to succumb. | ||
Cold hunger in their bellies, and already counting sums. | Cold hunger in their bellies, and already counting sums. | ||
The three friends thanked their fortunes, and not one had stopped to think | The three friends thanked their fortunes, and not one had stopped to think | ||
how a frail old woman would lift their wagon from the brink. | how a frail old woman would lift their wagon from the brink. | ||
Opportunity had smiled when | Opportunity had smiled when | ||
they were tired of their poor frowns. | they were tired of their poor frowns. | ||
They would return to Loramere | They would return to Loramere | ||
to earn a living in the town. | to earn a living in the town. | ||
What would they each buy first? A pretty necklace for the wife? | What would they each buy first? A pretty necklace for the wife? | ||
A faster herd of horses? A sharper hunting knife? | A faster herd of horses? A sharper hunting knife? | ||
Deeper in the foggy curtain, their breath began to mist. | Deeper in the foggy curtain, their breath began to mist. | ||
The old guide stopped their journey at the bottom of the cliffs. | The old guide stopped their journey at the bottom of the cliffs. | ||
There she raised her fists to the sky, | There she raised her fists to the sky, | ||
spoke in a soft and unknown tongue, | spoke in a soft and unknown tongue, | ||
beseeched something they had not seen, | beseeched something they had not seen, | ||
that once sung could not be unsung. | that once sung could not be unsung. | ||
At the top of the climb, an obelisk of mirrored white | At the top of the climb, an obelisk of mirrored white | ||
yawned above their heads and into the thin clouds, out of sight. | yawned above their heads and into the thin clouds, out of sight. | ||
"Yelest," she called aloud. The obelisk began to howl. | "Yelest," she called aloud. The obelisk began to howl. | ||
A ghastly moaning from the spectres in their ragged cowls. | A ghastly moaning from the spectres in their ragged cowls. | ||
The first man looked to the second. | The first man looked to the second. | ||
The second looked to the third. | The second looked to the third. | ||
The third ran back across the moors, | The third ran back across the moors, | ||
having lost, like sovereigns, his words. | having lost, like sovereigns, his words. | ||
"Yelest! Yelest! Come divest me of the rest! Shed my form | "Yelest! Yelest! Come divest me of the rest! Shed my form | ||
and rend my breast! Take my skin and steal my breath! In the storm | and rend my breast! Take my skin and steal my breath! In the storm | ||
of your unrest! In the fury | of your unrest! In the fury | ||
of undeath! Take these men that luck | of undeath! Take these men that luck | ||
has left! Every coin they could have kept! | has left! Every coin they could have kept! | ||
Free them from the weighty flesh! And | Free them from the weighty flesh! And | ||
raise them up as soaring spirits in the safety of your sept! | raise them up as soaring spirits in the safety of your sept! | ||
For this chance, we have wept. A chance to serve you, sweet Yelest." | For this chance, we have wept. A chance to serve you, sweet Yelest." | ||
[[Category:Bardic Winners]][[Category:2020 Bardics]] | [[Category:Bardic Winners]][[Category:2020 Bardics]] |
edits