Maggie Weaver was not a great rabbit. She knew that. She knew it well. Yet here she was – calling on all Natalia to be faithful to the cause. With each bomming affirmation and approval of her words, she fell more in love with these people. They wanted to be unified. It was clear. With each new reply, another chill ran through her, a new lump entered her throat, another tear came into her eye.
It hurt to speak of Edward, but it felt good to know that all would know who she was. That didn't ease the grief, though. And, despite her brave words, though she meant them with all her heart, she was barely holding in the tears that threatened to overcome her.
When the song began it was impossible to hold them back. A tear rolled down her cheek at the first note. She knew every chord, every beat of this song. It was Edward's favorite. He used to ask her to sing it almost nightly. Not he might never again.
She broke down and wept. For Edward, for these soldiers, for the whole broken world, she wept.
Wilfred had a tear in his eye before the song even started. He knew what it would be. Didn't they play the same thing at each Cloud Mountain gathering? Yet it was no less powerful with each repetition.
He glanced around for Smalls, less for protection reasons and more for the sake of putting his arm around him. But he wasn't around. Perhaps he was with one of the lords. He'd have to find him later.
For now he put his arm on Picket's shoulders instead. Picket didn't pull away at the first moment, like he'd expected him to. Instead, he reached up and gave Wilfred's hand a squeeze before standing by himself again.
Wilfred swallowed hard as the chorus played. If only the heir would reign. But there was no certainty even of that these days.
Sorry this is so short. I had to rush to leave this morning. In case you didn't catch it, it's Wilfred and Maggie's thoughts during the song in TGE inspired the the song The Mended Wood from the album.
