As a kind of follow-up to AquaTurquoise's Small Favors, I thought it would be nice if Tarrant and Timothy took Cedric and Sofia up on their offer to visit and reconnect with their sister Erine, who is now known as Nana. During their visit, they start singing one of her favorite songs, and Cedric and Sofia even copy it for her. Tarrant, Timothy, Nana, Tanya, Alamea, Corban, the Tenebrous Cult, and the Never Realm are the characters and ideas of AquaTurquoise and MarionetteJX2 and are used with permission. Thanks to theblindwriter95 for helping with the story. Thanks also to Niagara14301 for helping with some ideas. Celtic Thunder is not mine.
"It was nice of Cedric and Sofia to let us come to the castle every now and then so we could visit with Erine," Timothy said as they followed Violet, the castle stewardess, to the sitting room. "I know, she goes by the name Nana now, but she'll always be Erine to us."
"That's right, and Cedric said that his sister Miss Cordelia probably told everyone about how we met up with him and Sofia," Tarrant agreed. "And you're right; she's still our sister no matter what her name is now."
Timothy nodded. He and Tarrant had recently learned that their sister Erine had been sacrificed by the Tenebrous Cult in the Never Realm, and had been turned into the strawberry girl Nana, who was now under the guardianship of Cedric and Sofia. They were both happy that their sister had a second chance at life, and they had been encouraged to come to the castle to visit her whenever they wanted.
Violet smiled as she led them down the hall. Nana was such a sweet little girl, and she liked seeing her around the castle playing with Corban and Tanya. They approached the sitting room, she announced them, and Cedric and Sofia waved them in.
"Tarrant! Timothy!" Sofia smiled as they sat down on the chairs provided. "It's so nice to see you again!"
"It's good to see you too," Timothy said as Cedric offered them each a chair. He smiled over at Nana, who gave him a shy wave. "Hello, Nana."
"It's very nice to see you," Tanya said as she came over to them. While it was true that Sofia had led her and Nana away so Cedric could explain what happened to Nana without scaring the girls or traumatizing Sofia all over again, Cedric and Sofia had waited until they were out of Nana's earshot before they gave Tanya the gist of the conversation with Tarrant and Timothy later that same evening, so she knew what was going on.
"It's nice to see you as well," Tarrant smiled.
Nana looked up at them upon hearing his voice. True, she was getting used to him and Timothy again, but was still a little shy, hiding behind Sofia's skirt.
"It's all right, Nana, you're among friends," Timothy smiled. He saw the little strawberry-patterned plush jaquin she was holding. "And you've got a nice friend with you too."
"Yes," Sofia smiled. "Queen Elena sent that to Nana when Cedric and I told her about her. She even sent one to Tanya when she became part of the family."
"Yes," Tanya smiled, holding up her own little black and purple plush jaquin. "He came at the same time as the one sent to Princess Amber's daughter Alamea."
"And we'll have to write her a letter and have her send one to the two of you," Cedric chuckled.
"We'll have to decline, as we're unfamiliar with Nana's little friend," Tarrant joked.
Nana gave him what Cedric called her 'Sofia face', crossing her arms.
"On second thought, we accept the offer," Timothy grinned, Tarrant nodding and chuckling beside him.
Nana smiled, handing Sofia a piece of paper, as if asking her to write the letter that very instant.
"Good idea; we'll write the idea down so we don't forget," Sofia smiled as she wrote it down. "We'll write the letter later, Nana. But don't worry; Tarrant and Timothy will have their own little friends before you know it!"
As the group talked, Cedric kept thinking that he heard Tarrant humming something. "That's a nice tune," he commented.
"This?" Tarrant smiled. "That's something Tim and I always sang to our sister when she was younger."
"That's right," Timothy smiled when he recognized the tune. "She always loved that song."
"Really?" Sofia smiled. "Would you sing it for us?"
Tarrant smiled as he and Timothy nodded. "If one of you could supply the music, we'd love to!"
"I think that can be arranged," Cedric grinned.
Nana grinned, seeing Cedric pull out his wand. Like Sofia, she enjoyed his magic, even if she couldn't express her feelings of excitement with sound.
When Cedric waved his wand and the music began, Tarrant smiled as he started, How green are your valleys, how blue your great skies
Your mountains stand tall in their glory
Timothy smiled as he joined him, Your rivers run free, the bright stars are your eyes
Your beauty is endless before me.
Nana smiled as she hugged her plush jaquin. She didn't know why, but this song sounded familiar to her.
Tarrant took Nana in his arms as he sang to her, You are the song ever singing in me
And you are the heart ever true
Timothy joined him as he took Nana for his own dance, For you are my land and you always will be
The voice ever calling me home to you.
"This song is quite lovely," Tanya smiled, "Am I correct in thinking that Prince James could sing this as well, or play it, since you tell me that he's gifted in music and is called...what was it again...the castle song box?"
"It's 'jukebox', but that would be correct, Tanya," Sofia smiled.
"Why do you think we're taping it?" Cedric smirked, holding up a small tape recorder.
Nana clapped at the tone of Tarrant and Timothy's voices. While she couldn't remember the last time she heard it, that song always put a smile on her face whenever she heard it. And when James had first played songs by this group, she had danced and silently giggled until she was exhausted.
At the same time, Timothy started the next verse, When times we are far from your forests and streams
When sailing from your shining waters
When Nana looked up at him, Tarrant took her in his arms as he joined in, We carry your hopes, your spirit, your dreams
In the hearts of your sons and your daughters.
They gently danced Nana around as they sang together, You are the song ever singing in me
And you are the heart ever true
For you are my land and you always will be
The voice ever calling me home to you.
Even Cedric got into the act when he took Tanya and danced with her. He extended a hand to Sofia so she could join them too.
Sofia took it, laughing as the sorcerer twirled her. True, Cedric wasn't much of a dancer, but he sure could lead.
Tarrant smiled as he started the last verse, When to your green valleys someday I return
When you lay your mantle around me
Timothy continued the verse, At rest I will be where the heart will not yearn
With my land to ever surround me.
"Why am I feeling tired all of a sudden?" Tanya murmured as she relaxed against Cedric's shoulder.
"That's what a lullaby does, Tanya," Sofia smiled, seeing that Nana was also starting to fall asleep. "Remember, you'd always fall asleep when James sang songs like this to you."
By now, since they had the hang of the chorus, Sofia and Cedric joined them, You are the song ever singing in me
And you are the heart ever true
For you are my land and you always will be
The voice ever calling me home to you.
Tarrant and Timothy joined them as they danced the girls around, You are the song ever singing in me,
And you are the heart ever true
For you are my land and you always will be
The voice ever calling me home to you.
As Tanya fell asleep in Sofia's arms, Tarrant and Timothy finished the song, The voice ever calling me home to you.
As the song ended, Nana also smiled as she nodded off in Cedric's arms.
"Now that's one way to get them to sleep quickly," Cedric smirked.
Sofia laughed, carefully holding Tanya in her arms. "Oh Cedric!"
"Well, we'll let sleeping little girls lie, and come visit you again soon," Tarrant smiled as he and Timothy rose.
"Okay, and maybe by then we'll have your little jaquin friends ready for you!" Sofia smiled.
