Mercedes Lackey: Magic's Price

And a very keen-eared listener might have heard laughter among the trees; young male laughter, tenor and baritone, making a joyful music of their own.

To this day, that gittern is grown into the tree it leaned against then, the goldenoak's roots entwined around its strings in a gentle embrace, and there are bright days, when the winds whispers through the trees, that the Forest of Sorrows seems the most inappropriate name possible.

APPENDIX

Songs of Vanyel's Time

NIGHTBLADES

They come creeping out of darkness, and to darkness they

return. In their wake they leave destruction; where they go, no one

can learn For they leave no trace in passing, as if all who watched were

blind

Like a dream of evil sending, Nightblades passing, nightblades rending, Into darkness once more blending Leaving only dead behind.

First a threat-and then a death comes in the darkness of the

night

And a dozen would-be allies have begun to show their fright. When the nightblades strike unhindered, and can take a life

at will,

There's no safety in alliance And much peril in defiance It is best to show compliance And the Karsite ranks to fill.

The chief envoy summons Vanyel, for one ally still seems

brave

And the treaty may be salvaged if Vanyel this life can save. Herald Vanyel feigns refusal, senses one would play him

fool;

Thinks of treachery in hiding, Lets his instincts be his guiding. His own counsel he is biding He'll be no unwitting tool.

Garbed in black slips Herald Vanyel to their last lone ally's

keep; Over wall and into window, past all gates and guards to

creep. Past all gates and guards-no magic has them wrapped in

deadly spell -

They are drugged, and they are dreaming.' Some foe strikes in friendly seeming - See-a metal dart there gleaming! Vanyel knows the symptoms well.

Now he hears another's footstep soft before him in the dark And he hastes to lay an ambush while the nightblade seeks

his mark.

Now he waits beside the doorway of the ally's very room And the nightblade, all unknowing, With a single lamp-beam showing To a confrontation going Not to fill another tomb.

Out of shadow Vanyel rises and he bars the nightblade's way. He has only that slim warning-Vanyel has him soon at bay. When the guards have all awakened, then he bares the night-blade's face -

And all minds but his are reeling When he tears off the concealing - And the envoy's face revealing - Brings the traitor to disgrace.

MY LADY'S EYES

(This is drivel. It's supposed to be. It's Vanyel's mother's favorite song. Van puts up with it because he can show off his fingering.)

My Lady's eyes are like the skies

A soft and sunlit blue

No other fair could half compare

In sweet midsummer hue

My Lady's eyes cannot disguise

Her tender, gentle heart

She cannot feign, she feels my pain

Whenever we must part.

(Instrumental)

Now while I live I needs must give Her all my love and more That she may know I worship so This one that I adore. And while away, I long and pray The days may speed, and then, I heartward hie, I flee, I fly, To see her eyes again.

(Instrumental)

My Lady's eyes, each glance I prize, As gentle as a dove, And would that I could tell her why I dare not speak my love. Too high, as far as any star Her station is to mine, Too wide that space to e'er embrace, Beneath her I repine. (Instrumental)

SHADOW STALKER

It was just a week till Sovven, and the nights were turning

chill And the battle turned to stalemate, double-bluff, and feint

and drill When a shadow drifted northward, just a shadow, nothing

more. No one noticed that the shadows all grew darker than

before. No one noticed, while the shadows seemed to creep into the

heart, But from then the fight for freedom seemed a fool's quest

from the start. All the hopes that they had cherished seemed unreasoned and

naive Nothing worth the strength to pray for, or to strive for, or

believe.

And the shadows stole the sunlight from the brightest autumn

day, As they sang a song of bleakness that touched every heart

that heard As they whispered words of hopelessness, all courage fled

away, And they wove a smothering blanket over all that lived and

stirred.

Herald Vanyel came upon them, and he sensed a subtle

wrong, And there was some magic working; deeply hidden, yes, but

strong.

And it moved and worked in secret, like a poison in the vein Like a poison meant to weaken, this was magic meant to

drain. Herald Vanyel saw the Shadows, and they turned their wiles

on him

For one moment even he began to feel his spirit dim - But he saw their secret evil, and he swore e'er he was done He would stalk and slay these Shadows, and destroy them,

one by one.

Herald Vanyel, Shadow Stalker, hunted Shadows to their

doom They turned all their powers upon him, turned away from

other men And although they strove to take him, he unwove their web

of gloom. So the Shadows fled his anger, their creator sought again.

Herald Vanyel faced the Singer who had sung them into life And she sang to him of grief and loss that cut him like a

knife.

And she sang to him of self-hate, and she wove a net of pain With her songs of woe and hopelessness bent to be Vanyel's

bane. “So now what is there to strive for?” was the song she sang

to him. And the shadow came upon his heart, the world grew gray

and dim. But the Singer Of The Shadow did not know the foe she

fought, Nor how dear he held his duty, nor by what pain power was

bought.

Herald Vanyel looked upon her, and he saw through her

disguise And she strove then to seduce him into death or madness

sweet. Herald Vanyel looked within him, and he saw her songs were

lies, And he gathered up his magic then, her powers to defeat.

Herald Vanyel raised his golden voice and sang of life and

light,

Of the first cry of a baby, of the silver stars of night. Herald Vanyel sang of wisdom, sang of courage, sang of

love, Of the earth's sweet soil beneath him, of the vaulting sky

above, Sang of healing, sang of growing, sang of joy and hope and

dreams, And the Singer Of The Shadows felt the death of all her

schemes.

It was then she tried to flee him, but his song and magic spell Struck her down and held her pinioned and she faltered, and she fell.

Then the Singer Of the Shadows saw her Shadows shatter

there, Saw her lies unmade before her, saw her darkness turned to

day

And how empty and how petty was the spirit then laid bare - Like her Shadows then she shattered, and in silence passed

away.

WINDRIDER UNCHAINED

Windrider, fettered, imprisoned, and pinioned Wing-clipped by magic, his power full drained, Valdemar's Heir is defeated and captive, With his Companion by Darklord enchained.