“Five wounded, one greatly and twenty two mad killed.” Aloisa informed. She herself had a bandaged shoulder and her mahogany hair had been tussled into a mess but she stood up steady without a waver in her voice.

Sirih nodded and bend down to one of the creatures, now identified as boulder ox, and moved one of its heavy legs to the side as much as she could. Underneath, a dagger had been abandoned and she nestled it out.

“A large hoard than we thought.” Sirih stated gravely.

She flipped the dagger around and followed the detailed engravings along the hilt with her thumb.

“You know who’s it is?”

“No.”

Sirih nodded again and inched closer to the ox’s head, poking at the growths. While not affecting the blade the tumors were still burning to the touch. She picked at the hardened shell and felt a sickening feeling in her gut realising how deep they went into the flesh. Along the side of the head were large spots of skin and scratches from what could only have been the ox desperate attempt to scrape the growths off. Sirih glanced down at the animals glazy dark eyes and reached out carefully to close the lid. Death was better than the pain they had suffered.

She straightened up in the dim glade. The four alchemists worked individually on different ox, taking samples and draining the blood from them in vast glass containers. The blood was to be shipped back and handled in the city.

“Who is it that has fallen worst?”

“Dieter.” Aloisa answered, weak for the first time

Fastening the dagger in her belt, Sirih moved without hesitation towards the crook which had been designated for the hurt. It gnawed at her that she had miscalculated and to have so many hurt to bring back to Embern would taint them in the end.

Three of the Sparrows most competent at medicine had helped the wounded best they could. Sirih saw with relief that almost all of them were sitting up and taking their injuries well but as Aloisa’s voice had portrayed, Dieter looked ghastly. He was in a state of both torment and sleep, making him squirm and winch. His skin was pale and sweaty, bandage was wrapped around his upper body and down his arms and a purple bruise had swelled his right eye shut. In his vulnerable state he looked younger than ever and it pained her to see.

“How is he fairing” She asked, settling down on her knees next to him.

“Hard to say. Those scales burnt through the skin, the worst might still be coming.” Erhard did not met her eyes, keeping his attention on the bandages.

“I see.” She turned to face the others. “I’m grateful to have you in my service, you are all brave and have exceeded my expectations. There will be nothing but rest when we arrive back home.”

They nodded with half smiles of appreciation and one of them waved off the compliment.

“When will we be able move them?”

“We have to move them soon.” He answered darkly. “Dieter needs real medicine”

Sirih looked at him with a newfound coldness. It did not seem he was focused on the task but defiant. Standing up she turned away from him, remembering to handle the situation after they had come home. She did not dare to scold him after such important work.

“Sparrows!” She called. “You have all fought with vigor and valiance. Embern is safer because of what we have done tonight. Our journey now leads us home so please, help the alchemist and pack your belongings.”

Morning sun had begun to poor in over the scene of the battle, casting the bodies of the animals and her resting Sparrows into light. Sirih was proud, they had handled themselves well despite her neglect. She bit back frustration and moved to aid her chief alchemist Martin with one of their blood filled vessels. Then suddenly remembered:

“Hey!” She called out again “Anyone knows who’s knife this is?”

(Full image - Link in comments.)

Darkness pressed down on the Sparrows as they cowered beneath large roots and shrubbery. The only light was scattered around them on mushroom tops and in the crevices of the tree trunks and branches, casting a blue fluorescent shine. Above them the night sky was partly covered by dark twisting arms of trees leaving only a few stars to poke through.

Sirih could hear her closest lieutenant breathe behind her and a piece of light fabric stuck out, belonging to one of her crew's breeches but other than that signs of life were nonexistent. They were all listening and watching the same spot in the distance.

Her eyes flickered down to the hourglass clutched in her hand. It had gone on for fifteen paces and she moved it once more upside down, feeling a small itch of impatience. Her ears twitched in an attempt to hear the crew's signals or a whisper of their target but none came. The silence became ever more pressing.

Watching the sand trickle down became her passtime and she only occasionally glanced at her surroundings, making sure no Sparrows were slipping in their position. After more tedious moments she tilted her head backwards, taking a long calming breath to release some of the tension in her body. The stars which were visible before had shifted position in their wait and she smiled to herself knowing the lights had moved more than them.

A dove called out in the night and Sirih heard all of the Sparrows shift in their place, no doves lives in the forest. A series of noises followed in the distance. Roots and twigs snapped and hooves thundered against the forest floor. Sirih turned to her lieutenant, whose ears were round and deafened, nodded and unleashed her rapier. Lieutenant Aloisa smiled and tightened her grip around her sword’s hilt.

“Crossbows, alchemists ready?” Sirih called in a half whisper.

“Ready.” Came a chorus back.

“First command steady, target closing in. Alchemist, prepare sun shells.” She strained her ears further to locate the horde and waited only a few more moments.

“Now!” She shouted and the forest erupted in light.

The alchemists reloaded as the horde of horned beasts thrashed in panic. Sparrows dashed from their hidings, attacking their foes in smaller teams. Sirih threw herself into the fight with them, sticking her rapier quickly into the side of one of the confused creatures. It grunted and shook its great head in surprise. Along the horns purple scales and growths had built on each other, red irritation marked the skin surrounding the base and as the beast moved great chunks of the lumps came flying, sizzling as they hit the ground. She swiftly ended its life and dodged as the large body fell to the ground.

Behind her the fight was in a wild blur. She counted twenty beasts against her sixteen and she was forced to act instead worry. Aloisa had put down her own opponent and together they silenced yet another. A howl of pain swept through the battle and Sirih winched to see one of the swordsmen quickly being hauled away from one of the stampeding creatures.

“FALL DOWN, MARKSMEN FIRE!” Sirih bellowed through the glade and threw herself down on the ground. An array of grunts and cries from the beasts following the effective volley and Sirih dragged her lieutenant up with her the next moment.

A particularly large creature threw itself up on its hind legs in anger and stress. Its eyes and nostrils were clogged by the growths covering its face; as it thrashed upwards, scales cascaded down on the Sparrows, sizzling through their armor and fabric. More cries came. Sirih sprinted across the quickly darkening glade, darting past allies and beast alike. As she came closer she danced around the growths still scorching the dirt and then finally struck out against the panicking creature. It fell with a loud thud. Adrenaline rushed through her and she redirected her focus once more.

Sleep stares back at me, refusing to take my hand. Every word that leaves their lips are meant to entice me and damp, dark clouds smothers my mind as the lullaby rings on.

However, the night persists, and weary fills every crevice of my sky. Familiarity is for the first time the enemy. Every old rhythm sends chills and ticks down my back and a thick layer of dullness' dust covers every furniture of my home. The echo of my steps are particularly loud and I stare bewildered at the sight. 

Something rips through me, as if someone fired a gun. Countless rules and methods rain through my senses as the stress crashes through me. 

"It's just another bombing of the calm, we've done this before."

Blood filled with every worry of the bone and a mind high on the sudden rush I fold my mind into myself, waiting for the collapse. 

Then an arm wraps itself around my waist and the storm changes to a dance. A gasp escapes my lips as the sky opens up before my eyes. Blossoming vines of rest swirls slowly around my limbs, lulling me. As I breathe in the thought of you Sleep squints at me from the dark corner, wondering for a moment why their words had been so futile. They move finally, taking my hand and settling somewhere in my chest. 

Dear flower girl what intrigues you about the fair? The way they dance? The goods they sell?

Dear flower girl do they know about your flame? Do they know that at the end of the night the birds, they sing just for you?

Remember, flower girl, the way the sun danced on your golden skin and the times when the wind brushed the warmth off. There in the times of new, where dusks were as close as dawn, where darkness didn’t hurt as much.

Wither not flower girl, even when you see death repeat itself around you. The blossom of you is a rarity. Steal every glimpse of light that finds your hand. Bottle the joy and store it in the sky. For every star that appears is a reason to smile.

Rain trickled down your nose and found it’s way to your lips. An embrace harsh, hurting, heard from far away. I wish my mouth could finds it’s way to yours, maybe if the sun stopped chasing the night for a while. Years dawn and die, I wish them to continue flickering. I hope more rain runs down your cheeks so I can carry on sharing my clouds.

Spring sprints in spirits

Tearing and touching terrain

Bloom, blossoms beneath

Sprouting souls

Unlocking unknowns

Darkness disappears

Concealed in crooks

Exhaling ending energy

But winter

She waits in wrath

Unravels, undisclosed desires

Dreams distantly of damnation

Takes tears turning them

Coldly caressed

Falls fire

Withdrawing his vindication of vigor

War is her victory

Her throne, thorny with ice

Crown clinging on

All while forgetting her own failing flame

Spring's sincerity

Sustains summer's

Autumnal anticipation as

Winter withstands

Hello everyone!

When I saw all the support I received for “Through Your Eyes” I wanted to write another song immediately but, unfortunately, I fell sick. For three days it felt as if I had been shot in the face and the days after that my voice failed me.

And because our dearest Harlequin Grim is such a lovely person he decided to, without my knowledge, record my terrible voice while I was in the midst of ranting about a video game. So trying to make the best of my sickness here are 40 seconds uncut noise of me getting unnecessarily angry at League of Legends - plus Harlequin laughing at me

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwhkZ5o7T3LET1ZTa3RPbklXM0U/view?usp=sharing

(I swear my voice isn’t this annoying normally.)

-

Now, the idea for this song is something I’ve been mulling over for a while. I love spring more than any other season and I have always wanted to write a sort of tribute for her. It took a while and several scraped projects but now, finally I have something worth sharing, I hope you all enjoy this more lighthearted song!

https://soundcloud.com/astridcrow/spring

Lyrics:

The sun doesn’t hide above the clouds anymore

Light has prevailed at last

Winter she left me with a cold heart

Maybe springs dance can thaw it apart

Waking from slumber

I hope that she slips

Makes this world bloom

from under her tips

She turns the earth up side down

Creatures are sprouting from the ground

I wish I could see her in all of her pride

Fly overhead and watch her stride

Waking from slumber

I hope that she slips

Makes this world bloom

from under her tips

I feel like a child when she’s around

Picking flowers, making a crown

The world doesn’t get much more then this

Wont she stay and lend another kiss

Who is that who I see in the distance?

It’s not spring’s usual waltz

Alike other seasons she refuse goodbyes

I guess it’s time for another dance

Waking from slumber

She took her time

Made this world bloom

from under her shine

There were legends told about the Children's Priestess. A woman untouched of time who roamed the Waste of the city Engoria. The story had been told many times around the group of young beggars I belonged too. They said that the lucky few who found her gets taken to her sanctuary, that she saves you from the poverty and distraught we experience here in the Wasteland. Some said they have seen her walk along the harbor at night, shrouded in a golden glow. But whether it was the need for attention or the want to tell the truth that made the youth tell of such stories was unknown. When I was younger I had myself tried to find her. That along with tens of other remedies to escape this place, all of them were, of course, unsuccessful.

     From time to time people claim to have seen the Priestess but lately she had been sighted more frequently. People bursted into our chaos of a home to spill what they had just seen. More had also started to go missing which only fueled the rumors of her. Some in our small pack had formed groups and go out searching for her. They even bonded briefly with a rivaling group of beggars across the city in their haunt for her.

     “Do you think we should go looking for her?” Taliyah said besides me, she was three years younger than me and I felt she was as close to me as a sister but I shook my head at her question.

     “She’s not real.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Our common room was loud with whispers as another one of us had vanished in the night and once more I felt like I didn’t fit in. But it was the only life I’d ever known, I had no idea how to survive on my own.

     “Then where are all of them going, Luna?” She pushed.

     “People go missing all over the Waste.” I turned to look at her, she rested her chin on her knees, her face darkened in disappointed.

     “Taliyah, you have a better chance of winning at Mr. Huckleberry’s ballgame.” I sighed.

     “Which one is that?” She asked.

     “The one by the market, with the cans stacked on top of each other, you need to hit them down to win”

     “But doesn’t he glues his targets to the table?” She frowned.

     “Exactly.” I turned to look out over the room again.

     “Oh.” She breathed and we fell silent. I watched the others, I wished badly that they would not to go looking for the Priestess. We had already lost three this spring and it seemed I was the only one who cared or gave it a second thought. I guess they really did believed that the missing people were going somewhere better but I felt this glorification of disappearances where going a little too far. I bit my lip.

     “I’m sorry,” I began, breaking the silence. “I’ve just been let down too many times to believe in this bullshit. We all want to get out of here but I think it’s better to just accept our cast and work for it to become better.”

She didn’t respond at first. Thinking over her words before speaking.

     “I understand, I just wish there was something out there for us.” She gazed up at me.

     “We can only keep looking.” I stood up on my feet and reached my hand out towards her. “Come on, we should get some rest.”

     “Yeah.” She grabbed my hand and rose up alongside me. I hoped as we walked to what we called the Sleeping Halls that I had laid her thoughts about the Priestess to rest. There was a very selfish part of me that didn’t want Taliyah to find her even if the stories were true. I would be completely alone without her.

     People were already sleeping when we reached the room. We found a good spot on the floor and laid down next to each other. She inched closer for warmth and soon she was fast asleep.

     I slept restlessly through the night. I kept dreaming of a woman coming into the sleeping hall. She dragged me out of my bed multiple times but I never wanted to go. There was something wrong with her smile and her eyes. I knew I had to keep away from her. I fought her over and over, but every time I did the dream started over. I wanted it to end, I was twisting under my blanket unable to make it stop.

     Angrily I pushed the woman away, as she for hundredth time ushered me to come with her. I screamed at her to stop and then finally the dream changed. Instead of starting from the beginning she stared at me perplexed before disappearing through the wall and the dream came to a halt. I sat up, suddenly feeling awake. Rubbing my eyes I reached out for Taliyah but found the space next to me empty. I looked around me. The room was now filled with the others from our group. It was the dead of night and Taliyah wasn’t here.

     I stood up on slightly weak legs, dragged on my boots and stumbled towards the door. Stepping over the other children I noticed one of the younger ones squirming in his sleep. Quietly I walked over to him and observed his face. His eyes were moving rapidly under shut lids and his small hands were curled into fists. I touched his arm, waking him from the dream. His eyes flew open and I met them. He breathed franticly and I moved my hand to his cheek trying to calm him down.

     “What did you dream?” I asked in a whisper.

     “There was a lady, she took me, but I didn’t want too.” I was taken aback by the answer. His eyes were large with worry and I quickly tried to find my ground again.

     “Just a nightmare, try to go back to sleep.” I straightened up and felt my confidence take a hit. It must have just been a coincidence I tried to argue with myself but my eyes flashed towards Taliyah’s empty bed and I moved quicker out of the room. Feeling fear stirr in my chest I rushed down the stairs to the entrance and pushed the door open. I turned in the street and saw a frail silhouette on the horizon. I dashed forward.

     “Taliyah!” I shouted, she turned around and waved me towards her. I called again, hoping she would stop but she turned a corner and disappeared from my sight. Adrenaline pumped and I pressed myself to run faster. I dashed into the alleyway after her. Taliyah, stood still only a few feet away.

     “Taliyah?” I took another step forward.

     “Luna.” She turned around, smiling “You were wrong, I found her.” She shifted and pointed towards the darkness of the alleyway. A tall woman approached us from the shadows. Her skin was fair and her short hair aglow. She wore white robes and for a moment my heart jumped out of relief. But it was short-lived, for the woman changed before our eyes. Her eyes shifted from light grey to harsh crimson. Her hair grew like black vines down the side of her face and her beautiful robes withered around her as ash, leaving her in grey rags. Her face were as if stuck in between youth and old age, her skin stretched too tight while her eyes portrayed something much older. Taliyah backed and I wanted to grab her hand and run but my legs wouldn’t move. The Priestess smiled, her gaze crazed and she stepped towards us. She held a necklace in her hand which dangled as she moved, at the end hung small cranium.

     “You brought with you another one?” Her voice was unusually clear and directed towards Taliyah “How lovely, a little old maybe, but it will do.”

     “Leave her.” I stammered.

     She shook her head smiling even more now.

     “You reek of life.” She stepped forward one more and then recognition flashed over her eyes. “You are the one who fought me in the dream before.” I stared at her, feeling my heart beat in my chest.

     “What are you?” The question suddenly escaped my lips.

     “Oh?” She grinned and turned to Taliyah once again. “I’m glad you brought her, I’ve never heard so many words leave someone while being in the presence of me.”

Taliyah shook where she stood, her breathing uneven.

     “Don’t be scared.” She unveiled the knife from her clothes and as she moved I did too. I leaped in front of them, shielding Taliyah. But the Priestess wasn’t impressed, her face only shifted slightly.

     “You first then?” She hissed and before I could respond she buried the small dagger into my stomach. I screamed but she had her hand on my mouth before the sound could be uttered.

     “No!” Taliyah shouted but as I hit the ground the Priestess was already next to her, I heard her muffled howl before her body too, fell with a thud. The pain was deafening throughout my body, I clutched my wound and tried to shift to see Taliyah. I caught a glimpse of her auburn hair before a stale foot pressed against my back and pushed me down.

     “I will answer your question.” She dropped to her knees next to me. “You’ll just have to lay still and be quiet.” With a snap of her fingers, I felt my own tongue crawl to the back of my mouth and my body stiffened. As Taliyah’s sobs faded I assumed the same had happened to her.

     “What am I?” She repeated as she dragged her knife down from my shoulder to my hand. I needed to scream, my body was exploding with the want to squirm and trash at the pain. “Who do you think I am? The Priestess, isn’t that what you call me?”

She leaned forward to look me in the eyes as she drew another equally painful line down my other arm. I wished I could see Taliyah and block out the Priestess deplorable voice.

     “The legend of the beautiful priest who saves the poor from suffering. How lovely, what wonderful lies” Quickly her knife went across my cheeks, creating wounds from my eyes down to my chin. “Well I guess I am a priest of sorts. The only difference being that I worship at my own temple and I am my only god.” Another terrible smile spread across her face.

     “Would you believe me if I told you I was older than the Waste itself? That I was here long before you’re grandfathers and their parents too? Of course not, but you don’t have many more moments of questioning left, so it doesn’t matter?” I felt the tip of the blade run across my stomach. “You are only a vessel of time, a source of life and you will share that with me tonight. I have to feed on youth, you see, to stay how I am in front of you now.” She lifted one of my hands and dragged the blood covered limb over her mouth and nose covering herself in my blood while inhaling the smell. She smirked seeing my terrified eyes, but soon dropped my arm.

     “By any means,” She returned to her monolog ”it’s tricky. I don’t want to get caught, what are hundreds of more years if I cannot spend them. That is why I lure you here.” She continued to draw endless lines across the skin of my legs.

     “You’re dull friend here was too easy to fool, but many children are, they very seldom question fairytales. You however, you fought.” She smiled as she followed one the lines with her finger. “But again, does it matter? Look where you ended up. Now you get the pleasure of dying at my hand.”

     She fell silent, leaning back from me finally and observed my body as if admiring her own work. There was a shift in the air and her eye glowed. I knew I was dying, I felt how my life was slowly slipping out of all the wounds she had created. Now the blood under my skin shimmer, her hands were on my chest and my heart beat chaotically at her touch.

     Darkness rose around me. It was soft and warm almost like an embrace. My head swam in the pain unable to think straight and I welcomed the shadows, they numbed me. I thought of the times in my life when I had struggled. All of those memories, surrounded by death. It seemed horrible then, I always wanted to drag those I’d lost back the the harshness of living. Taliyah sparked in my mind and I wished I could protect her. That I could reach out and drag her with me into this dark light. The pain had left me now and I mused. There was after all, something beautiful waiting for us but not as either of us had imagined. In the somber stillness of my mind I rested easily, knowing she would soon join me.

I have decided to put my voice out here on Prose, but maybe in a slightly different way than expected. I am constantly writing songs by myself and I thought it was finally time to record and share one of them. I hope you enjoy!

Before you listen:

I am by no means a guitarist or music student! I have attended a total of zero lessons, I mostly just fiddle around at home until I find something I like. 

Thank you!

https://soundcloud.com/astridcrow/through-your-eyes-1

This song is dedicated to my own Harlequin Grim.

Lyrics:

Undo your fists

Show me your senseless secrets

Lend me the key

I want to see you bleed

Recite cruel affairs

I seek what brings you tears

Hum me the songs

That makes you belong

There is a deep curiosity

That calls me to pick you apart

I need to understand the reasons

For the seasons

Through your eyes


Through your eyes

Unstitch your scars

Let me hear the stories they hold

Enact what you endured

I need to savour the cure

Take me through a night

What is your most vivid fright

Fade from my life

I have to feel what it is like

There is a deep curiosity

That calls me to pick you apart

I need to understand the reasons

For the seasons

Through your eyes


Through your eyes

I’ll unzip my skin and show you my bones

I'll recount the times chaos made me bleed

I’ll unlock the secrets to my own mind

Through your eyes

Through your eyes

Ashes anticipate ability

Behind bands of burden

They thrust tolerance to the tension

That those tired, tangled, thinkers

Will with wit, vindication, wrestle ways

Filling further formulation from

Inner imagination

Poisoning peril push

Previous, past, present,

Artist allay agony

Allowing all affliction

Venom widening within

Blood bending beneath breath

Calm, collected, conclusion

Circumvent courage

Live listless

Endurance enhances execution

Ignore indication to intoxication

Remain ruthless, relentless, rigorous

Tearing, tedious tasks to threads

Continue contesting conflict

Withdraw, wild, vivacious

An artist allowing all affliction

Allows ascending abilities to array

Following fortnights forge forward

Flourish for fatality