Damaris' Kiss

silver-edged dark song scroll

You begin to sing "Damaris' Kiss" by the famed bard Silvyrfrost.

 "Clever Meraud in his tall tower
    Kept Hodierna locked in flower-strewn bower
  Weeping she was, alone and ashamed
    Wound up in twisting,
      and twisting
    Stone chains."

 "Kertigen stalked the halls of his home
    Empty of laughter, lightless and alone
  In siege were his men, his creatures, his ravens
    Besieging the tower,
      the tower,
    With all his creations."

 "For two years they'd fought on trampled ground
    For two years Meraud had beaten them down
  His prisoner kept as his magic met the attack
    With only Kertigen's words
      his word
    Sending them back."

 "And rapidly the war was closing too tight
    And Kertigen it seemed must lose the fight
  But now in the absence of the day's brilliant light
    The Lord of Smiths called
      he called
    The bleak Lord of Night."

 "Nightclad he enters, and draws very near
    Softly he speaks, saying, 'You called me here.
  'To partake in a war that is not worth the fight.
    'Yet you are in right,
      'Our brother is not.
    'And yes I will end it, for the right price.'"

 "Kertigen glowers, but agrees for his woes
    But the price he requires, Damaris does not disclose
  Nodding he slips from the raven Lord's home
    And turning he ventures
      He ventures
    Alone."

 "Through Kertigen's men he passes like a breeze
    And approaches the tower with a swift, silent ease
  Spreading his hands he melds with the stars
    And drops sands of sleep
      of dreams
    On Meraud's creatures of war."

 "Now the tower is silent, for the golems have stopped
    The warfield is empty, for his elementals have dropped
  The engines that spewed fire, trouble no more
    And now Damaris slips
      he slips
    Through Meraud's study door."

 "Meraud frowns in anger when he sees his brother's form
    His rage gathers round him like a winter's chill storm
  And brings down the lightning on Damaris' smiling face
    Only to find
      To scream at!
    An illusion in the bleak god's place."

 "Damaris crept to the bower whilst his brother fought a shadow
    And released Hodierna from her chains amidst the storm's glow
  With a cry of joy she leapt from that place
    Changing
      and Changing
    To a unicorn, home swiftly raced."

 "And back with her husband who drew her in his arms
    And promised her no more would she come to harm
  Till Damaris approached and reminded in voice soft
    Of the bargain
      that freed
    Hodierna from Meraud's loft."

 "Damaris smiled as Kertigen clenched his fists
    As the dark-eyed god took Hodierna by the wrist
  'Do not take her!' said the raven Lord wise
    But Damaris just laughed
      And laughed
    At his cries."

 "'This I must tell you.' (Damaris closer draws.)
    'Your war I thought useless till your lady I saw.'
  And kneeling he gazed at the lady many wished to command
    And smiling he took her
      by the wrist..."

    "And merely kissed
      the back of her hand."

 "Then like shadows he vanished, with a laugh and a smile
    Leaving Kertigen and Hodierna bemused for a while
  And when night's cloak is drawn down by Damaris' fist
    Hodierna lifts her hand
      gazing on it
        and smiles...."

  "As if it were kissed."

The song closes.

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