A/N: On with Far From The Dawn! Thanks for waiting! You'll love it!
Far from The Dawn
Chapter 1. Santhy's Lament
( Also titled, The Cry in the Dark )
"Oh Warrior Lad, the pipes, the pipes are calling.
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side,
The summer's gone and all the roses falling,
It's you, it's you must go, and I must bide.
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Oh Warrior Lad, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side,
The summer's gone and all the roses falling.
It's you, it's you must go, and I must bide.
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But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,
Oh Warrior Lad, oh Warrior Lad, I love you so.
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But when ye come and all the flow'rs are dying,
If I am dead, as dead I well may be.
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
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And I shall hear though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!
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Oh Warrior Lad, please come home safe to me!
Oh Warrior Lad, I love you so!
Oh Warrior Lad, I love you so!
I love you so!"
Santhy sighed, "I love you Shasta the Warrior, oh please be alright! Please come back to me! Please!"
It had been a week since Bloodrose had taken Shasta back to Fort Caladeer. Santhy had never been so sad, ever since Bloodrose recaptured Shasta, she had stayed in her favorite singing spot. Soon after Bloodrose had left with Shasta in chains, Santhy had gone back, picked up Shasta's sword, and took it back to Noonvale with her, to remember her true love. Santhy clutched Shasta's sword to her, and cried.
Meanwhile, Bloodrose had Shasta stretched up on her torture-rack. Shasta knew he could not take much more torture. He had already taken so much! I can't go on, I just can't! Martin, what am I suppose to do to get out of here? He thought, then realized, I'm never going to get out of here again. I am going to die here under Bloodrose's whip. I will because I sacrificed myself to keep Bloodrose and all the rest of them away from Noonvale. Away from my mother, Coati, Luna, all the innocent creatures there, especially Santhy.
Iron claws tore at Shasta's heart when he thought of Santhy, his first, one and only, love. I will never love another. My heart will always belong to Chrysanthemum, the Flower of Noonvale. Oh Santhy, I love you, I love you with all my heart!
Soon after, Shasta fell asleep, and dreamed...
"Shasta! Shasta!" Shasta heard Martin call.
Shasta opened his eyes and saw Martin and Rose standing there, smiling. It was Rose who spoke first.
"Oh Shasta, we're so proud of you!" her voice was as clear as honey.
"But I'll never see Santhy again." Shasta said, his voice was thick with sobs of grief.
"There now lad." Martin said softly, "I felt the very same when I thought Rose died in the Battle of Marshank."
"You did?" Shasta asked, tears were streaming from his eyes.
"Yes, I went south trying to escape the pain I felt." Martin replied.
"Weep not Shasta," Rose said, "I have a feeling that you and Santhy will see each other again, before this is over."
"You mean it's not over yet?" Shasta asked curiously.
"No, it isn't. Don't loose hope Shasta, it'll all turn out right in the end. You'll see, you'll see" Rose said as she and Martin faded into the mist.
Shasta awoke, and as he did...
Crack!!!
The door almost broke as Bloodrose entered the room. Oh no! Not yet! Shasta thought.
Bloodrose chuckled cruelly as she looked at the pitiful mouse stretched up on her torture-rack. She smiled cruelly...
Swish, Crack!
Shasta yelped as Bloodrose snapped her whip over his back.
Swish, Crack! Swish, Crack! Swish, Crack!
Shasta didn't know if he could take much more torture, Martin! Rose! Help me...
Shasta fell unconscious...
Santhy continued to sing...
"You will find me at Noonvale, on the side of a hill,
When the summer is peaceful and high,
Where streamlets meander the valley is still,
'Neath the blue of a calm cloudless sky.
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Look for me at dawning, when the earth is asleep,
Till each dewdrop is kissed by the day,
'Neath the rowan and alder, a vigil I'll keep,
Ev'ry moment that you are away.
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The old earth gently turns as the seasons change slowly,
All the flowers and leaves born to wane,
Hear my song o'er the lea like the wind soft and lowly,
Oh please come back to Noonvale again.
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By yon bonnie glades, and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Noonvale,
Where me an' my true love were ever want to gae,
On the bonnie, bonnie glades o' Noonvale.
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Oh ye'll tak' the high road an' I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Noonvale afore ye,
But me an' my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie glades o' Noonvale.
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'Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side o' Snow Feather's Mountain,
Where in purple hue the Highland hills we view,
An' the moon risin' out frae the gloamin'.
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Oh ye'll tak' the high road an' I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Noonvale afore ye,
But me an' my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie glades o' Noonvale.
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The wee bird may sing an' the wildflowers spring,
An' in sunshine the waters are sleepin',
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring,
Tho' the waefu' mae cease frae their greetin'.
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Oh ye'll tak' the high road an' I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Noonvale afore ye,
But me an' my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie glades o' Noonvale.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day,
Over the sea to Skye.
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Give me again all that was there,
Give me the sun that shone,
Give me the eyes give me the soul,
Give me the lad that's gone.
______________________________
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day,
Over the sea to Skye.
_____________________________
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day,
Over the sea, to Skye.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Far over yon hill o' the heather sae green,
An' down by the corrie that by sings by the sea,
The bonnie young flower sat sighing her lane,
The dew on her frock an' the tear in her eye.
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She looked at a boat wi' the breezes that swung,
Away on the waves like a bird on the main,
An' aye as it lessened she sighed as she sung,
'Fare well to the lad I shall never see again!'
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'Fare well to my hero, the gallant and young,
Fare well to the lad I shall never see again,
Fare well to my true love, so gallant and young,
Fare well to my true love whom I shall never see again!'
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The moorcock that crows on the brows o' Snow Feather's Mount,
He kens o' his bed in a sweet mossy hame,
The eagle that soars on the cliffs o' Noonvale,
Awed and unhunted his eerie can claim.
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The solan can sleep on the shelf of the shores,
The cormorant roost on his rock by the sea,
But ah! There is one whose hard fate I deplore,
Nor house ha, nor hame in his country has he.
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The conflict is past and our name is no more,
There's naught left but sorrow for Noonvale and me!
'Fare well to my true love so gallant and young,
Fare well to my true love who loves me for me!'
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The target is torn from the arm of the just,
The helmet is cleft on the brow of the brave,
The sword forever in darkness must rust,
But red is the sword of stranger and slave.
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The hoof of the horse and the footpaw of the proud,
Have trode o'er the plumes on the bonnet of blue,
Why slept the red bolt in breast of the cloud,
When tyranny reveled in blood of the true?
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'Fare well my young hero, the gallant and good,
The sword of thy father's is torn from thy paw,
Fare well to my true love the gallant and brave,
Fare well to my true love who loves me for me!'"
Santhy's voice shook as she sang the last line of her song, she was still clutching the flat of Shasta's sword to her breast, she let herself fall on the ground, she sobbed long and loud.
"Shasta! Please come back to me Shasta! Please, come back to me!" she cried in agony.
Vanar had summoned all in his fortress for an announcement.
"Cat-fighters! Fox-fighters! Weasel-fighters! Stoat-fighters! And Ferret-fighters!" Vanar shouted, "I, Lord Vanar Greeneyes the Terrible, Lord of Fort Caladeer and the Eastern Coast, Grandnephew of Lord Verdauga Greeneyes, hereby name Madam Bloodrose, Second-in-command! And Panthalasa, thee will fill Bloodrose's former position as slaver!"
Vanar had liked Panthalasa from the start. Vanar made absolutely sure that Panthalasa and his band were well accommodated, and granted Panthalasa's request.
"Thee are all dismissed." Vanar shouted.
As the fighters of Fort Caladeer returned to there usual occupations, Bloodrose and Panthalasa went to her chambers...
Shasta heard everything. Oh this is great, just great. Bloodrose is second-in-command! Oh the absolute pure joy! He thought sarcastically.
Bloodrose and Panthalasa came in, the door nearly coming off it's hinges.
"Now how do you suppose we get rid of the old tom-cat Bloodrose?" Panthalasa asked Bloodrose.
A cruel smile appeared on Bloodrose's face.
"The proper way." She replied going over to her cupboard.
"What do you mean, 'the proper way'?" Panthalasa asked, confused.
"We poison him of coarse." Bloodrose replied as she pulled out a medium sized flask of liquid.
"I love the way you think Bloodrose." Panthalasa said.
Bloodrose smiled saying, "If you want to see me at my fullest, then go and get me a flagon of damson wine."
"Why 'damson' wine?" Panthalasa asked.
"Because it is Vanar's favorite drink, and the fool will not see it coming! It will be like picking a bunch of wildflowers." Bloodrose replied.
"Ah alright I'm beginning to see how this will work!" Panthalasa said.
"Yes thee sees, now go get the wine! We have no time to waist if this is going to work!" Bloodrose said.
"Yes of coarse my love." Panthalasa said as he left to go get the wine.
Bloodrose turned to Shasta and chuckled cruelly. "There is no way that thee will get out of there without somebeast to help you. Hahahahaha."
"I figured that one out on my own Bloodrose." Shasta replied smartly.
Crack!
"YAHOW!!!" Shasta yelped as Bloodrose struck him with her whip.
"Ha ha ha!" Bloodrose laughed striking Shasta again.
Shasta was panting. Bloodrose was just about to strike him again when Panthalasa came back with the wine.
"Ah good, just what he likes." Bloodrose said. "Put it on the table Pann."
She walked over to the table where Panthalasa had put the flagon of damson wine, opened the flask of poison, and began to pour the poison into the wine.
"Great seasons Bloodrose! There's enough poison in there to lay an army out!" Panthalasa said, shocked.
"It is crushed yew and nightshade berries. There's not a creature that can drink that and live to tell the tale!" Bloodrose replied as she poured every drop of what was in the flask of poison into the damson wine. "Now Pann, take this and tell Vanar that thee and I had a special flagon of his favorite wine made to thank him."
"Of coarse Bloodrose." Panthalasa said as he ran to give the wine to Vanar.
Bloodrose picked up her whip...
Crack!
"Ahha!!!" Shasta yelped as she struck him.
Swish, CRACK! Swish, CRACK!
Shasta had taken all the torture he could possibly take.
"Stop! Please, Stop! I can't take anymore!" Shasta begged, tears were streaming out of his eyes.
"Oh did I hurt thee?" Bloodrose said, in mock pity.
Swish, CRACK! Swish, CRACK!
"AHHOW! Please! Stop! Please!" Shasta screamed.
"I do not think so, thee belongs to me. I can do whatever I want to thee, the second-best part, thee can do nothing about it, and the best part is hearing thee scream." Bloodrose said, cackling.
Shasta felt fear well up inside him.
Swish, CRACK!
Shasta screamed in agony. Bloodrose laughed at his pain and terror.
"Thee will ne'er see thy friends, relations, or thy lovely maid, again!" Bloodrose laughed.
Bloodrose had gone to far.
"You just wait and see Bloodrose, you don't know how it will turn out in the end. No living creature does." Shasta replied. I know how it will turn out. You will die Bloodrose. I will kill you.
Swish, CRACK!
The next day Vanar was in his privet chambers looking at the flagon of damson wine that Bloodrose and Panthalasa had brought him. He took the cork out, unaware of any danger, poured some into a nearby goblet, and drank. Lord Vanar Greeneyes, the Lord of Fort Caladeer and the Eastern Coast, was dead before he drank the goblet dry.
The next day his body was found. Paranda was coming to find him.
"My Lord, is thee alright?!" the she-cat exclaimed.
She felt Vanar's wrist looking for a pulse, but could feel none. She put her ear to his chest to see if she could hear his heartbeat, she couldn't hear any.
"Lord Vanar is dead!" she shouted.
A dozen fighters came at once, they were the ones who heard Paranda.
"How could this happen?" asked a tom-cat named Trojano.
"I no not Trojano, but whoe'er it was will be killed." Paranda answered.
"Slowly and painfully they will die." said Tinamenso.
"Yes, they will. Let us find them now." Kaldar said.
So the dozen fighters went to find Vanar's murderer.
A/N: I hope you liked the first chapter of Far From The Dawn! I'll update soon! The songs in order are Danny Boy, with the words Danny Boy changed to Warrior Lad, then we have the classic song of Laterose of Noonvale, Loch Lomond, with some of the words altered to fit the story, then we have The Skye Boat Song, then we have Far O'er Yon Hills with some of the words ajusted to Far From The Dawn. I hope you liked it! :D P.S. The black lines that run the legnth of the first line of the text when Santhy is singing, are separating the coruses and the virses. And the long black lines are separating the songs. Just a little FYI for ya.
~From,~
~Moonstar of RedwallXNightClan~