Song:The Silver Dawn
The Silver Dawn
by Wentworth Ponsonby-Smythe
Frostmaw's Queen had quit her throne,
And Hildegarde lay ice-entombed--
The city mourned,
While Balgruuf, called "the Bloody Beard",
Announced his claim for all to hear--
The Giants cheered,
And under Balgruuf's cruel command
Purged the Elven refuge camps--
On snow, blood rained.
And all this while, the holy smith
Vowed the Knight would once more live--
Though few believed,
In faith she forged a pure, steel heart
To save the nation, torn apart--
And Hildegarde,
Who from the crypt into exile ran,
To formulate her battle-plan--
But she'd return...again...
And as she elsewhere gathered strength,
Balgruuf hosted tournaments--
To quell dissent.
He'd won the right to rule, it seemed,
With iron fists and cunning schemes--
A tyrant's dream...
Among the plots that Balgruuf hatched,
a traveling carnival dispatched--
But met his match,
For many friends had Hildegarde made,
And while the mocking Giants played--
Tempers frayed...
And tempers flared! Ensued a brawl,
With flying stew and fireballs--
Abruptly stalled,
When the Silver threw her gauntlet down:
She'd battle Balgruuf, one on one--
For Frostmaw's crown.
So it was, that on the stipulated date,
Her allies gathered at the gate--
Not a foe in sight....
At last one child, alone and scared,
Emerged from an alley, to deliver word--
Balgruuf, well-prepared,
Was waiting in that narrow lane
For Hildegarde! The trap was plain--
But all the same,
She told her troops to stand, and wait
Upon that silent market-street--
And went to her fate...
But, camouflaged as stone and brick,
The Giants launched a sneak attack--
The troops pushed back,
Vampire, Naga, Elf and Human,
Pixie and Orc, all battled in unison--
For Frostmaw's freedom!
A wall that blocked the Gualon horde
Was dragon-breached, and in they poured--
A sea of swords...
Steel rang loud and buildings crashed;
Arrows rained as healers dashed---
Through rubble and ash,
Combatants skirmished left and right,
But the throne's fate rested on just one fght--
Balgruuf and the Knight.
Flesh was torn and armors rent,
The two fought on, 'til all but spent--
Neither would relent...
Until, with one calamitous clout
The Steward ripped his eyeball out--
And won the bout!
Her allies cheered! Battle ceased!
The vanquished Giants-- on their knees--
Hailed the Queen!
Most oft, these tales are not complete
'Til one head lies at the other's feet--
Revenge is sweet..
But mercy's song lifts heavy hearts,
The wisest leaders know its art---
As does Hildegarde,
So Balgruuf went home to son and wife
With a solemn vow he'd cause no strife--
Or lose his life.
To every story an end must come,
And a final verse to every song--
But the tale goes ever on,
So let's now lift a cup to friends,
present or fallen, and cheer as one--
Long live the Queen!