2017.03.25. 12:25, Laerthel
Happened on the shorelines, the last time I met her
the skies were a dirty, blood-befouled red
‘twas a lightness about me: my spirits were high up
on the wings of a nameless cold dread
And as time was approaching, the Captain moved over
the Hangman stepped in, and followed all who had
and if there were tears ‘neath our dense veils of darkness
they were not the Lady’s to shed
And swallowing our pride
we did ride, we did ride
I have never seen a young maiden fairer
with grace did she move like a swan in the sea
when the Captain was away, the Minstrel was ‘round her
his deep voice makin’ her dance with glee
Yet time was approaching: and the skies grew all wider
and if I knew the Sun I would have surely deemed
that it must have stopped in the process of setting
since blood seemed to paint all the Sea;
Yet swallowing my thought
I said naught; I said naught
For days I had waited, all voiceless around her
my hands wandering through soft carvings on her neck
and through all those hours I had no chance to tell her
that she would be never coming back
‘Cause time was approaching; and the Captain grew bolder
and the Hunter was tired of pulling the oars
the stars were a-waning like candles in the distance
and we were all slowly bent to the Cause
And denying my might
Along I did ride, I did ride
And I saw in the distance the far shores approaching
I nodded to ‘self; and my throat went all dry
barely I had heard all the pitiful cheering
of those who were ready to die -
when all I could think of was the touch of her fine skirts
as slowly they poured between fingers held tight
I turned to empty skies and cried out in disgust
for the One above who could stop the tide
Yet denying her plea
I did flee, I did flee
And as time was approaching, the Captain pulled over
as our oars were pushed through to the ends of the World
she withstood the thunder raising her head proudly
as winds carried our doom to be heard
And no stars were seen as time was growing nearer
together we moved like eight corpse’ within one
(some people were hither and some people left thither
with us had come less than the half…)
And as time was approaching, we all came to see clearer
that she was never meant to be let safely home
far across black seas red torches were burning
and suddenly I felt alone;
but the Hangman spoke up; and a might was about him
“my Captain,” he said, “what of our fair young mistress?
how shall we drive her home through waves now so stormy
to have her see our folk safely here?”
And across hollow shores rang the Captain’s laughter
an unearthly sound devoid all sort of warmth:
“Dimwits” he snorted, “we’ll have no use of her
our burden she shall be no more!”
Steel rang in his hands and he laid hands upon her
and my tortured soul sank to black depths of hell
at first it was no more than a slash ‘cross her forehead
yet I knew her life came to its end
The Hangman stood aside, in his eyes the reflection
of the wild fire’s light we set to ease the cold
for a moment I shuddered and stood out beside him
and there was nothing that could be told -
At the Captain’s stern command a gathering commenced
and to deep wells of sin carelessly we fell
the Minstrel, the Hunter, the Captain, the Craftsman
and there were the Twins and myself…
(And all save the Hangman
together we were damned, we were damned)
And we pulled out her cables and hacked off her hatches
too damned to be wasteful with pity or time
We swarmed on her carcass with torches and axes
like a whale on a bloody shoreline
And we stripped off her pillars, her stays and her stanchions;
when ‘twas only her bones on the wet poison land
with ropes we would drag her and set her on fire
‘till she was only a stain on the sand.