The return of Meagan the Valkyrie. Honestly, this is where the story REALLY begins, when poor Meagan leaves behind the kingdom of Regnum to pay a call to the elfin kingdom...

Embarkation

Meagan kicked a pebble. It bounced along the ground and off Ayana's shoe. “Hey!” Ayana cried.
“Oh, please. That couldn't have bothered you.” Meagan was irritable. She hadn't slept at all last night.  After Carmen had warned her, she hadn't dared, though she was sorely tempted to.
“Don't fight,” Noah said. He groaned a few seconds later. “Here comes that orange-curled sorcerer. I still can't believe they chose a new Chief Sorcerer that fast!”
“What does Linius want?” Meagan asked.
“Dunno,” Ayana replied. “Maybe he found out I was the one who pulled that prank on Jayna.”
“What 'prank?'” demanded Noah.
“Shh! He'll hear you!” retorted Ayana. She put on a completely fake smile Meagan was sure would fool nobody as Linius came closer.
“How's my apprentice doing?” he asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“Fine!” replied Ayana, trying too hard to sound perky. Apparently, Ayana disliked her new apprenticeship very much.
“I have a favor to ask you three. You see, we sent a party to Dryadales to ask about Bella.”
That fast? Meagan thought. Normally it takes days to approve just a minor matter. The Circle sure is getting on top of things lately... why?
“The party is to speak to a certain soothesayer by the name of Lynn. She's a bit testy, and normally you'd bring gifts to this sort of thing, but they forgot theirs. Could you run along and deliver it? I know it's a long way, but Ayana, think of this as an apprenticeship test: how well you can survive a long trip, and Noah... I don't think your parents would object.”
The last line was rather inconsiderate. Noah's parents were actually still in Mgypt, along with his brother. It was a bit of a sore subject, and no one really brought it up. Noah scowled, but said, “I'll do it.”
“I have to,” Ayana said.
“I don't think I could go without asking my mom,” Meagan replied. “Sorry.”
At that moment, a harsh voice asked, “What do you want with those children, Linius?”
Linius' smile fell as he heard the voice. He scowled for a moment, then his lips curved upward into an arrogant smirk. “Carmen.”
“Answer the question, Wizard,” she said.
“What are you going to do if I don't?” Linius mocked. “Need I remind you that you must answer to me, not the other way around? It seems you've forgotten, Sheriff.”
Carmen scowled.
Linius continued, “Remember also that you're completely at my mercy. When you came here some previous Chief Sorcerer let you stay, but I can reverse that order with one word.”
Carmen sighed. “Wizards like leashes,” she muttered. “I came to deliver something.” She dug into her pocket and pulled out an ornate, gold necklace with a green jewel that matched the color of her eyes. “Here, Meagan. This is to help you sleep.”
Meagan understood her meaning at once and put the necklace on. Carmen helped her put the clasps together. When it was safely around her neck, Meagan felt as if some door inside of her shut close. She didn't like the feeling and reached to pull the necklace off, but Carmen grabbed her hand. “Careful,” she whispered. “I know it feels like part of you is gone, but you can't take it off under any circumstances.”
Meagan smiled. “Thank you!” she said. She really was glad. Sleep was welcome, and she didn't fancy having any more nightmares.
“Is that all, sheriff?” inquired Linius.
“You wish,” she countered.  “Meagan, you need to come home. Now.”
“What's going on? Is something wrong?”
“Jenni's gone missing. Your mother is going to look for her.”
Meagan let the words process for a moment, then took off sprinting. Carmen ran after her, Linius staring at the two. “They're awfully chummy lately,” he muttered.

Meagan felt sick to her stomach. Carmen had filled her in on the details as they ran. Why would Jenni have jumped out of the window? Didn't she know the hospital was the best place for her? Wasn't she concerned at all about how this affected her family? Meagan couldn't stand the thought of losing someone dear to her again. Maybe Jenni was hungry, or still sick. Why would she have done something like that?
Meagan reached her home just as her mother was about to leave it. “Mom!” she cried. “Let me come with you!”
“Meagan, no,” she replied. “I'll be faster alone.” Meagan felt a familiar surge of anger wash over her. She knew it was her mother's polite way of saying, “You're too slow because you can't fly.” Well, Meagan wouldn't take it without a fight. There had to be something she could do to help!
“Wait!” she exclaimed. “There's a wisewoman in Dryadales. Please, let me go and ask her about Jenni!”
“You can't possibly go all the way to Dryadales!”
“Mom, please!” Meagan pleaded. “I have to do something!”
“Alone?” she asked dubiously.
“I'll take her,” Carmen offered.
“That's nice of you, but you're so busy, what with the investigation...”
“Isn't that where the investigation is going?” Carmen quipped. “I was going there anyway.”
Mrs. Pronozuk narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Carmen sighed. Finally, Mrs. Pronozuk gave in. “Fine. You can go.”
“Thank you so much!” Meagan hugged her mother, then turned to Carmen. “Do you think they got far?”
“No, but we'll have to run if we want to catch up.”
Meagan nodded. Finally, for once, she would be able to do something instead of standing there and doing nothing. “Just a second,” she said, dashed inside, and grabbed her sword. She was out a few minutes later. “Let's go.”

They caught up to Noah and Ayana just outside of the city. The two had been walking and taking frequent rests, while Meagan and Carmen ran like escaped convicts and hadn't stopped or talked at all. Now, the four of them traveled at a brisk pace, Noah carrying the gift- two choice wedges of cheese and a beautiful gold pendant studded with clear diamonds- in a pack on his back, courtesy of Nathaniel Linius.
“How far are we from the border?” asked Ayana.
“Far,” said Carmen.
“So, this doesn't make much sense to me,” Ayana continued. “No one has seen an elf for hundreds of years, right?”
“Exactly 500,” Carmen replied.
“So this soothesayer is very old? She must be, if people know of her.”
“She's 695.”
“Do you think they'll let us through the border?”
Carmen laughed. “Now we come to the flaw in the Circle's plan. Honestly, no, I don't think they will.”
The sun was shining brightly, and wildflowers lined the path. It was a beautiful day, but Meagan wasn't enjoying it at all. The others may have seen a clear blue sky, but she saw one speckled with dark clouds. All she could think about was the possibility that she'd never see Jenni again.
They went on, barely talking, for what seemed like hours. The silence suited Meagan. She wasn't sure what to say anyway. The sun climbed the sky, then lethargically fell. Darkness was slow in coming, but it hung on heavily once it arrived. Meagan could scarcely breathe, she was so exhausted and tired- when was the last time she slept anyway? 48 hours ago?- but she didn't want to ask for a rest. Walking with a purpose sure beat the wandering she had occupied herself with, and resting, when each step could bring her closer to Jenni, would have tortuous.
“Let's stop,” Carmen declared, abruptly stopping and looking up at the clear, starry sky. “We'll spend the night here.”
Meagan opened her mouth to protest, but Carmen spoke again before she could get a single word out. “You too. Night is for sleeping, not killing oneself on hikes and treks.” Meagan groaned, then nodded.
Ayana and Noah plopped themselves down onto the grass by the road while Carmen sat down. The night was warm, so no fire was needed, but Meagan would have liked one, even if all it did was give off light. She sat too, twiddling her thumbs. “Stop that,” ordered Carmen, not even looking at Meagan, but she stopped.
Meagan was hungry, but she tried not to think about it. Carmen reached into her coat and pulled out a black pouch, which was clearly empty, from which she produced a loaf of bread. She split it into four and distributed one part to each traveler. “Eat up,” she said. She bit into hers, and the teens followed suit. The crust wasn't too soft, nor too hard, and the bread seemed almost hot, as if it just came out of the oven. Magic, thought Meagan, but she didn't say so aloud, nor did she ask about the bread's origins.
Carmen finished first, sighed, and announced she would be resting. Calmly, she lay with her back against a tree trunk and closed her eyes. Her left hand clutched her rifle.
Meagan sighed and lay down by a patch of dirt, on some grass that didn't look too uncomfortable. She whispered to Ayana, “I've never slept in the outdoors like this.”
“Tell me about it,” muttered Ayana, crushing a spider with her shoe. “Give me my chambers any day.” Being an apprentice to two important political leaders, Ayana was no stranger to luxury. “I can't sleep on the ground!” she complained.
“There are perfectly good trees with supple branches, you know,” Carmen said, her eyes closed still. Ayana growled and kicked the dirt, sending earth and pebbles flying.
“This is stupid!” Ayana growled. “They're not going to let us in anyway!”
“Go to sleep,” Carmen ordered.
“Or?”
“There are multiple ways to get someone... sleeping, shall we say?” Carmen opened one eye and grinned. “Want to try one out?”
“Err... no, well... actually...” Ayana bit her lip. “Oh, that grass pile looks so soft!” she exclaimed with false enthusiasm. “I'll just sleep there.”
“Good,” said Carmen. “Get to it.”
The next morning, Meagan felt a little better, but the depression still hung about her. It wasn't healthy, she knew, but she couldn't get over it just like that. She reached her hand into her pockets and pulled out a box of Peppy Melts. “I forgot about these,” she said.
Carmen raised an eyebrow. “That stuff's potent,” she said, then dropped the subject. Later, she said, “In about an hour's time we'll get to the town of Dietum. They sell horses there. It'll cut our travel time significantly.”
“We have no money,” Ayana grumbled, rubbing her back. She was sore from having spent the night on the ground. Noah and Meagan were in a similar state, though Carmen showed no signs of it whatsoever- as if she’d done it millions of times.
“YOU have no money,” Carmen corrected. “I always carry plenty of gold.”
“But...” Noah stopped. He was about to say that she'd get robbed, but then realized the odds of someone pulling that off was very slim.
Ayana fanned herself with her hands, her face red. “It's really hot out,” she said. “Carmen, how do your hands not roast in those gloves?”
“I'd wager,” Carmen said, “that Meagan's leather gauntlets are a bigger problem.”
“That's odd,” Carmen mumbled as they entered the town. Twilight had descended among the ramshackle buildings, stillness permeating the golden half-light. “There's no one here. Normally, Friday is market day.”
“It's Friday already?” Meagan exclaimed. “Wow, Ayana, you and I are never going to make up that test, are we?”
Ignoring the question, Noah asked, “How many horses?”
“Two.”
“But there's four of us,” Ayana argued. She shivered. “Seems like a ghost town.”
“Still,” Carmen said, “we only need two.” She sighed. “I don't like the quiet. Wait here.”
“Where are you going?” demanded Ayana.
“To investigate. I'm a sheriff, aren't I?” She winked and tossed Noah a pistol. “For defense.” She strode down the main street, stopped, then called out, “Don't die.” Then she continued on her way.
“Don't die, eh?” Noah muttered. “A real bundle of joy, Carmen is.” He eyed the gun he held. “When do you think she'll be back?”
“I don't know,” Meagan said. “Hopefully before dark.” A chill wind blew, rattling window shutters and the few leaves left on the sparse, scraggly trees. The whole place seemed dead, or dying. Meagan placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. Since she had entered Dietum, she had the feeling that someone was watching her. Not just one, but many, huddled close and scrutinizing every movement, every blink of the eye or nod of the head.
Sweat trickled down her forehead and onto her cheek. She didn't like this constant feeling of eyes on her. Meagan thought she heard someone laugh.
All at once, she was fed up. With herself, for paranoia and the depression she had been in, and the unseen watchers. Meagan drew her sword and planted it at her feet, the tip pointing down. She glared at her invisible watchers, then felt immensely better. They knew she meant business, imaginary people or not. Noah cocked his gun. Ayana was tense and rigid. Did they feel it too, those thousands of angry, cold eyes? What seemed like hours passed, and none of them moved, not even to twitch. Again, Meagan thought she heard laughter.
So much for intimidating the watchers.
“We should look for Carmen,” Ayana whispered. “Some stars are already peeking out.”
Noah looked up, at the sky, and scowled. “We can't,” he said. “She told us to wait.”
“I have a bad feeling,” Ayana muttered.
“So do I,” Meagan agreed. “Something's not right about this village.” She let go of her sword and shook her aching hand- she had been clenching it so tightly, it was painful. Sighing, Meagan relaxed slightly, though she kept her hand near her sword.
Something touched her. Meagan screamed and whirled around, swinging her blade. There was a strange sound, like the clashing of metal, and Meagan's sword stopped halfway through its deadly arc.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Carmen cried, sounding sharp, angry, and, somehow, relieved. She was holding the blade with her left hand, seemingly unconcerned about the sharp edges. The glove was torn, but there was no blood. Meagan shook her head, saying no, she was not, and lowered her weapon.
“You're back,” stated Noah curtly. He held out the gun.
“Keep it,” Carmen replied. “Anyway, there are no horses here. We'll have to move on. I'd prefer that we skirted the village instead of going through it.”
“Why?” asked Ayana. “What's wrong with the village?”
“Dead,” she answered, replacing her torn glove with a spare in her pocket. Meagan wasn't sure, but she thought she saw silver- maybe some jewelry, though she hadn’t thought Carmen the type- but then the new glove was on and there was no way to tell. “Everybody's dead,” Carmen repeated.
“How?”
“I'm not exactly sure,” Carmen said bitterly, but Meagan had a feeling she knew exactly what happened.
“We've had this feeling...” Meagan protested. “Like we're being watched. How could everyone be dead?” Ayana and Noah nodded in agreement.
“I've had it too,” Carmen sighed. “I have an idea about what went on, but like I said, I'm not sure.” Her eyes darted to the side, and she said, “Let's go. We're not safe here. I'll tell you more on the road.”
They nodded, and broke into sprints. Meagan sheathed her sword. She tripped, skinning her knee. Shakily, she stood again and glanced back. A rock. She'd tripped over a rock. Good job, idiot, she thought sourly. Then she froze as she caught sight of something.
Ayana tugged at her; she must have realized Meagan had stopped and had come back for her. Meagan muttered an apology and started running again. She couldn't get the image out of her head: a shadow, walking around, with no solid body attached to it. A free-willed shadow...
About three miles from Dietum, Carmen brought them to a halt. “I think that's far enough,” she said. Meagan noticed that Carmen was beginning to get tired, and she herself felt about ten times worse. Ayana clutched her side, where a massive stitch had rudely invaded, and drew in long, ragged breaths.
“Are we walking the rest of the way?” gasped Noah. He also seemed drained from the long sprint.
“Probably,” Carmen answered. “I don't know where else to buy horses.”
“What happened back there? In the village?” Ayana asked.
“Shadow-people. I shouldn't have left you alone, but I didn't know. They kill silently, and swiftly. We were lucky they didn't come after us.”
So that's what I saw, Meagan mused. “Why would they attack a village?” Meagan asked aloud. “I thought they were banished centuries ago.”
“That's what I thought,” Carmen said. “Hmm... I guess I'll need to hurry back after I get you to the border. I'm sorry, but this is urgent and as the sheriff, I have to deal with this.”
“So you'll leave us at the border?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“What if they don't let us in?”
Carmen shrugged. “Then you come back with me.”
“Still,” Ayana said, “what would the shadow-people want?”
“How should I know?” Carmen exclaimed. “Now, are you guys done panting and wheezing? I'd like to get more ground covered.”
“But it's dark out!” protested Ayana.
“So? Start walking.”
Meagan, Noah, and Ayana groaned.
“Well, here we are,” Carmen said with relief. “The Singing Birds. Dryadale's border.” Birds flitted about the edge of a forest, singing in shrill, soprano voices and trills. Meagan squinted; the very air seemed to shimmer.
“This is their border?” Ayana asked dubiously. “A couple of birds flying around? There isn't even a border patrol! Anyone could just waltz right in, easy as pie, and say, 'Hey, elves, howdy!'”
“Well, some. The Singing Birds produce an anti-magic barrier, so none can pass through. Also, it sends an alarm every time someone crossed in or out. Have you seen an elf run? You wouldn't last five seconds before they kicked you back out.” Carmen replied.
“I'm just glad to be here!” Noah exclaimed. “We've been traveling for days.”
Ayana stared at the magic barrier, worry evident on her face. “I can't do it,” she whispered, and turned to them. “I'm sorry, but I can't go through that barrier. Magic flows through my veins. Without it, I'm a mor- I just can't,” she finished lamely. There was a pause, then she burst into tears.
Carmen nodded sympathetically. “Few wizards ever crossed the Singing Birds.” She drew Ayana close and hugged her. “It's okay. You can come back with me.”
Ayana sniffed, “Am I weak?”
Carmen smiled. “Fear is not weakness. It's common sense.”
Ayana nodded, but it didn't seem like she believed Carmen.
“So... how do we get in?” Noah asked.
“Honestly,” Carmen sighed, “I don't know.”
Meagan frowned. No entrance, no soothesayer. No soothesayer, no Jenni. No Jenni, then... Meagan shook her head, to keep from crying. “I'm going in anyway!” Meagan declared, “And they'd have to bring their whole army to drag me away before I speak with Lynn!”
Someone chuckled, his voice sounding like bells. “I admire your resolve, but that won't be necessary.” An elf dropped from a tree, just behind the Singing Birds. He had long, shoulder-length black hair and wore a yellow tunic. His eyes were green like moss, and his ears long and pointy. “No border patrol, eh?” He winked at Ayana. She stared impassively at him, then wiped the tears from her eyes.
The elf noticed Carmen and began, “Greetings to a messenger of the Cir-” but Carmen glared at him and he fell short. “Oh, I see. I'm sorry. Hi. Oh, and... Meagan, Noah, and Ayana.” He smiled smugly. “Lynn said you were coming.”
“Do we have permission to enter?” Noah asked.
“Oh, yes, quite,” the elf smiled. “I'm Vesper. I'll be your guide in Dryadales. Lynn is in our imperial city Tykehaven and awaits your arrival.”
“So I just step through?” Meagan asked.
“Yeah, that sums it up,” Vesper answered.
“Does it hurt?”
“No, but you may feel funny afterward,” Vesper assuaged. Meagan took a deep breath and walked through. A sensation of rather pleasant tingling overtook her body, and her sword glowed brightly. Then she was through, the sword's light subsided, and she was in Dryadales. The smell of damp earth and rotting wood, along with the fresh fragrance of crushed pine needles and blooming flowers greeted her. Trees grew in haphazard clumps, and no variety was left out. Eucalyptus, tamarisk, pine, sequoia, redwood, aspen, yew, poplar... every known species. How can such varieties survive? Meagan wondered. Vines of all sorts also littered the ground and crept up logs and tree trunks, and strange fruits dotted the trees.
Beautiful black berries were by Meagan's foot. She stared at them, so perfectly spherical and looking oh-so-delicious. She reached out to pick one, and cried out as something pricked her fingers. Irritated, she drew her hand away and examined the tips of her fingers. Blood trickled down them. Meagan paled. Blood... She stared at it for a moment, transfixed, then looked back at the berries. A wall of thorny vines had crept around them, making them hard to pick- nearly impossible- without shredding skin in the process. She was sure it wasn't there before.
“Belladonna,” said Vesper, coming up behind her. “It could easily kill you. Lucky for you, the raspberries decided to come to the rescue.” He picked one of the red berries and popped it into his mouth. “Eat one. They're much better for you than belladonna.” He smiled. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I must help the midget cross.”
Meagan plucked a raspberry, eyed it, then ate it. The skin burst and sweet juice flooded her mouth. It tasted very... delicate, or full, she thought, complete, and more so than any other berry she had ever tasted. Then Noah was next to her and she snapped out of her thoughts. “Ayana?” she said.
Noah frowned. “She's not coming.”
Meagan ran to just the edge of the border, smiling to Ayana. “Hey!” she called out.
Ayana and Carmen turned. It seemed they were just leaving.
“Don't die!” Meagan said. She winked.
Carmen laughed and winked back. Ayana waved. “Come back soon,” she called out. “I'll take you out to a movie. Now you've got something to look forward to.”
“Why a movie?” Meagan asked.
“Oh, we wizards just like movies,” Ayana shrugged.
Meagan grinned and shouted goodbye, then whirled to face Vesper. “Take me to Lynn,” she commanded. “Take me to the soothesayer.”
Noah showed the gifts he had stored in his pack. “For her,” he explained.
Vesper nodded. “Let's go, then,” he announced. “Oh, and Meagan...” he frowned. “Don't eat anything. Belladonna has her friends.”
How strange, thought Meagan as they began walking. Bella is a fairy queen, and she's so innocent, but Belladonna, queen of poisons, is utterly ruthless. She shivered. Utterly ruthless... but can't it be used for other purposes as well? There's a little good in every evil queen. Does that apply to other things as well? Does it work opposite? Good things have a lot of bad in them too; it's our fallen nature.
After they had gone a little ways, Vesper stopped and faced them. “We are nearing the city,” he explained, his green eyes twinkling. “Although our queen has agreed to allow you into the city, she has not agreed to let you see the way into it. I'm afraid I'll have to blindfold you.”
Meagan stood straighter. “No one is covering my eyes,” she snapped. Going blind was actually one of her fears.
“I'm sorry. If you don't comply, you won't be given entrance to the city.”
“Meagan, don't be stubborn,” Noah said.
“I'm not being stubborn!” Meagan replied stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest. “Sight is a lot to Valkyries.” She had told a partial truth; although many Valkyries would grow pale at the thought of going blind, she didn't want to tell Noah and Vesper how scared she was of a simple blindfold.
“Why? Because you're all warriors? I've never seen a blind warrior, and it seems your race fought in every war imaginable.” Noah shrugged. “Mercenaries, you lot.”
“We're not all warriors,” Meagan sighed. “That'd be our cousins, the veela. We're...”
“Winged messengers of the sky,” Vesper continued. “Some believe you can contact the gods.”
Meagan blushed. “Um, no,” she said. “And there's only one.”
“How would you know?” Vesper mused. He shrugged. “Ah, whatever. Back to the original subject. Blindfold.”
“If I go first,” Noah offered, “will you be okay with it?”
Meagan shook her head. “I'll never be okay with this, so I might as well get this over with.”
Vesper smiled. “What made you change your mind?”
Meagan shrugged. “I came to ask Lynn about my sister. If I can't... I'm worried about her.”
“How noble of you,” Vesper praised, and pulled a bright, white strip of cloth out of his pocket and held it up. “Now, hold still. It's linen, so it shouldn't be too uncomfortable.”
Meagan closed her eyes, felt the material being placed across her face. It made her nose itch unbearably and tickled her closed eyelids. She felt it tighten as Vesper's strong, lean hands tied a knot behind her head. “Is it all right?”
“Yeah, it's fine. It didn't hurt.”
Vesper laughed. Meagan was struck by how alien his laugh sounded, like tinkling bells and trees covered in delicate, petaled blossoms. “Did you expect it to hurt?”
“No,” she replied sheepishly. In truth, she had.
“Well, good.” He laughed again. “Your turn, Noah.” In moments, the two of them were blind as newborn pups.
Meagan heard a twig snap and the soft crunch of leaves being crushed underfoot. Then a soft, lilting, dulcet voice whispered, “Vesper? Have you got them?”
“Ah, Requiem. What are you doing here?”
The newcomer, a female elf by the sound of her voice, sighed. “I have to fetch you from the woods.”
“Ouch!” Vesper said.
Requiem laughed. “What, can’t stand a playful punch?”
Vesper shrugged. “Take the girl. I assume you brought your flute.”
Requiem snorted. “I'm not stupid.” She sounded as if she was about to break into song, but not a happy one. Requiem seemed mournful and sad. Meagan wondered if her own voice also had depressing pangs to it. The elf slipped her slender hand over Meagan's and held it. “Come on, Winged One.” she said. “We've a little ways to cover.” If she noticed how limply Meagan's left wing hung, she didn't say anything, and started leading her forward.
Vesper guided Noah by the arm, informing Requiem of what had occurred, then badgered her with questions. “The queen sent you?”
“Yes. She didn't need a minstrel at the moment and no one else would get you.”
“You're a minstrel?” Noah inquired.
Requiem smiled, even though the effect was lost and Noah had no clue she had done it. “Yes. I perform for Queen Arya herself. When she's in the mood, that is. Which is almost never.”
“Could you sing us a song?” Meagan pleaded.
“No, I couldn't,” Requiem denied.
“Come on, little lark!” Vesper said cheerfully. “Sing something.”
Requiem slapped him. He yelped in pain. “What was that for?!” he exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.
“I told you not to call me that. I won't sing anything for you, you pompous little woodrat, but...” Her tone of voice changed and became gentler. “I think I'll sing for the guests.”
“Did you bring a harp?”
“I play the lyre,” Requiem answered, “and no, I didn't. Besides, I need one hand with the girl.”
Vesper groaned. “A capella? But you're terrible at that!”
Requiem scowled. “Then plug your ears.”
Vesper chuckled. “Joking.”
“I wasn't. Now, let me see... what song should I sing?”
“How about the song played at the yearly requiem festival? It kind of fits you,” Vesper suggested.
“Why don't you sing the prayer for Vespers?” Requiem shot back. “It's not in the Common Tongue. It's in Old Speech. I don't even know what it means.”
“No one knows what it means, li- er, Requiem. That's why it's a lost language. Just go ahead and sing it,” said Vesper.
For a moment, no reply came. Then, quietly, phrases of archaic words drifted everywhere, a sweet soprano voice giving them form. The melody seemed grieving, yet hopeful, and awash in it the four traveled between the trees, feeling like young souls in an ancient wood.

Dragonlord Stephi : Ok . Goood work . Nice dialogue . Excellent descriptions of mood and settings . I wonder what happened to Meagan's lil sis . Guess I'll have to read and find out . Thanks for the link . I'll be reading the next chapter before the clock strikes 12 : 00 midnight . Great job writing this

A user of this : I honestly did not write that with humorous intention, but once you pointed it out...

I'm glad you like it. It always brings a smile to my face when people tell me so.