verse four is audio

[allsongs]

[a little night music, Exsilium?

this feed comes within the midst of some, with Simmaeri idly grazing her fingers across the face of the tablet. she's taken to song while she waits for some sound – more fresh voices from the machine. but it's rather late (say, 2am? shush i can forward date if i want), so there's few stirring.

those who do have the network open can hear, though. some foreign song with foreign words, somehow conveying something about silver ladies and faraway cages...sleeping kings and a girl on fire (who isn't alicia keys). slow and soft, rather sad.

it tapers now and then to a humming refrain, the last of which ebbing to quiet with the end of the song.]

Comments

[allsongs]

You are a kind girl.

Will you listen to my story now?

[motioned]

Yes! I would love to listen.

[allsongs]

[there's a pause as Simmaeri prepares.

it's the same song as before, started anew, with those same foreign words, but twisted by that spell to mean more:]

The world is the gift given to Seriko and Sarra:
The lord of the land and his wife.
For ages they wandered and wondered this gift,
For it was bare and dry.
They molded the mountains and valleys,
And Seriko filled the bare land with the plants and trees.
Sarra sang and her voice nourished them.

The lord of the land and his wife had a son and a daughter.
Seun's breath shook the trees and dust,
And Shurris kissed the sun without fear.

Evil came and whispered to Seun and Shurris
And set their hearts against each other,
Fearing one of was more favored by their parents than the other.
Shurris, with fire on her lips and hate in her heart,
Bore down upon her father's work and scorched the land.
Seun breathed across the flames, but only made them grow.

Seriko grieved and was embraced by the land.
He sleeps below the places we walk.
Sarra drew away into the sky, her tears became the rain.
They reach to her in the night to make the sea churn.

[motioned]

[A pause.]

That's really sad.

[allsongs]

Yes.

[her tone turns a shade more tender, reflecting a voice she'd known before:] But it is not the end of the story. Seriko and Sarra, their children...they all still live. Their ends are not decided yet.

[motioned]

So there's still hope that things will turn out alright in the end?

[allsongs]

Hope, yes. Always. For all things, yes?

[motioned]

I like that. Is that the end of the story? You don't quite know what happens to them, but there's hope they're okay after all?

[allsongs]

As much hope as for any who have yet to meet their end.