The night before she was due to escape, Ozorne summoned Farrah to his
chambers. When she entered, she stood near the door, waiting.
"I desire entertainment," the emperor drawled. "Can you play the lute?"
"Of course," Farrah scoffed. She may have lived in a small village, but she certainly was not ill taught.
"Good." He pulled the stringed instrument from a table and handed it to her. He then sat in a large chair and leaned back, closing his eyes. Belatedly, he pointed to a wooden stool on which Farrah was to sit. Cradling the precious instrument to her chest, she sat down on the stool, and proceeded to pluck the strings, checking the tune. Then a melody began to emerge from the careful plucking of Farrah's delicate fingers.
"I've lost my battle before it starts,
My first breath wasn't done,
My spirit's sunken deep into the ground
Why am I alone?
I can hear my heartbeat
Silence's all around
"See hate will rise,
So don't come closer
Fear your child.
Born with a queen's heart
But fate fooled me
And changed my cards
None asked if I want it
If I like it
"Pain inside is rising,
I am the fallen one,
A figure in an old game,
No joker's on my side,
I've plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light,
And murder the dawn
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn.
"Nothing else
But laughter is around me,
Forevermore
No one can heal me,
Nothing can save me,
No one can heal me
I've gone beyond the truth
It's just another lie
Wash away the blood on my hands
My father's blood
In agony, we're unified
"I never wanted to be
What thy told me to be,
Fulfill me fate than I'll be free
Gods know how long,
I tried to change fate"
She stopped singing to perform a beautiful solo, strumming the chords with light, skilled fingers.
"Pain inside is rising,
I am the fallen one,
A figure in an old game,
No joker's on my side,
I've plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light,
And murder the dawn
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn."
Her voice rose and fell with the chords, singing a lone incoherent word.
"I plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light
And murder the dawn,
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn!!"
She plucked the last few chords, closing her eyes in the relish of music. Since she was very small, she had enjoyed the gift of music. Opening her eyes, she glanced at Ozorne. He, for all appearances, seemed to have gone to sleep, but Farrah knew better. There was a subtle stiffness in his limbs, giving away his readiness to jump up in any case. She knew better to try to sneak away. Besides, she didn't want to; it had been years since she had been able to touch or play a lute. Glancing again at the emperor, she scowled. If that had put him asleep, then maybe this would awaken him. Her fingers struck a harsh chord. It started off quietly, but grew into a beautiful crescendo.
"The seas have parted,
Then ending's started,
The sky has turned to black.
A killing spree through eternity, The devil stabs you in the back,
It's midnight now, you must escape somehow,
Torture is his leisure,
Don't try to hide he'll make you subside,
As he exchanges pain for pleasure.
"Pain for pleasure, he's the hunter you're the game,
Pain for pleasure, Satan is his name!"
She had been right. His head snapped up, and he looked at her, an odd expression on his face. She glared at him as she struck the last notes of the song. The song had come from far away, someplace past Saran. Still, she thought it was appropriate for the moment.
Ozorne stood quickly, and took Farrah by the shoulders. A strange look played across his face.
"Why do you hate me so?"
Farrah's eyes widened and her mouth dropped in disgust.
"Bright Mithros above!" she exclaimed. "Have you no sense? You had my family slaughtered! All of them! And then you took me as a slave! I hate you! I pray to the Great Ones above that someday, someone you underestimate will finally bring you to the end! I-" He shook her. Farrah's head snapped backward and forward, and she felt nauseous. Her neck felt limp, and she closed her eyes to stop the spinning room.
"You will not speak to me so," he told her sternly. "I did not have them murdered. We are at war with Tortall-"
"No you aren't," she spat at him. "It isn't a war until you declare it. And you haven't. What you did is called a raid."
"It matters not. I am your master. You will obey me until you die or-" he laughed a bit. "-I release you."
She glared at him. "Release me! Let go of me! Now!"
"How dare you spout orders to me! I will not tolerate insubordination!" He shook her, and tapped the lute in her hands.
"I summoned you here for entertainment. Sing me another song, then leave immediately."
She stared at him. One song. One more song, and then she could leave. And she knew just the song.
"To this world I'm unimportant just
Because I have nothing to give
So you call this your free country
Tell me why it costs so much to live
Tell me why
"This world can turn me down
But I won't turn away, oh no
I won't turn around.
"All my work and endless measures
Never seem to get me very far
Walk a mile just to move an inch
Now even though I'm trying so
Damn hard
I'm trying so hard
"This world can turn me down but I
Won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause
I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there is
Nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here, oh no!
"I'm already here, down
On my knees
I am already here, oh no, I am
Already here
I must have told you a thousand
Times I'm not running away
"I won't duck and run
I won't duck and run
I won't duck and run
No pass away
"This world can turn me down but
I won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there
Is nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here
"This world can turn me down but
I won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there
Is nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here!"
She finished the last chords with a flourish of her fingers. Then she stood, placed the lute on the stool, and turned her back on the emperor, slamming the door shut behind her.
"I desire entertainment," the emperor drawled. "Can you play the lute?"
"Of course," Farrah scoffed. She may have lived in a small village, but she certainly was not ill taught.
"Good." He pulled the stringed instrument from a table and handed it to her. He then sat in a large chair and leaned back, closing his eyes. Belatedly, he pointed to a wooden stool on which Farrah was to sit. Cradling the precious instrument to her chest, she sat down on the stool, and proceeded to pluck the strings, checking the tune. Then a melody began to emerge from the careful plucking of Farrah's delicate fingers.
"I've lost my battle before it starts,
My first breath wasn't done,
My spirit's sunken deep into the ground
Why am I alone?
I can hear my heartbeat
Silence's all around
"See hate will rise,
So don't come closer
Fear your child.
Born with a queen's heart
But fate fooled me
And changed my cards
None asked if I want it
If I like it
"Pain inside is rising,
I am the fallen one,
A figure in an old game,
No joker's on my side,
I've plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light,
And murder the dawn
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn.
"Nothing else
But laughter is around me,
Forevermore
No one can heal me,
Nothing can save me,
No one can heal me
I've gone beyond the truth
It's just another lie
Wash away the blood on my hands
My father's blood
In agony, we're unified
"I never wanted to be
What thy told me to be,
Fulfill me fate than I'll be free
Gods know how long,
I tried to change fate"
She stopped singing to perform a beautiful solo, strumming the chords with light, skilled fingers.
"Pain inside is rising,
I am the fallen one,
A figure in an old game,
No joker's on my side,
I've plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light,
And murder the dawn
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn."
Her voice rose and fell with the chords, singing a lone incoherent word.
"I plunged into misery,
I'll turn off the light
And murder the dawn,
Turn off the light,
And murder the dawn!!"
She plucked the last few chords, closing her eyes in the relish of music. Since she was very small, she had enjoyed the gift of music. Opening her eyes, she glanced at Ozorne. He, for all appearances, seemed to have gone to sleep, but Farrah knew better. There was a subtle stiffness in his limbs, giving away his readiness to jump up in any case. She knew better to try to sneak away. Besides, she didn't want to; it had been years since she had been able to touch or play a lute. Glancing again at the emperor, she scowled. If that had put him asleep, then maybe this would awaken him. Her fingers struck a harsh chord. It started off quietly, but grew into a beautiful crescendo.
"The seas have parted,
Then ending's started,
The sky has turned to black.
A killing spree through eternity, The devil stabs you in the back,
It's midnight now, you must escape somehow,
Torture is his leisure,
Don't try to hide he'll make you subside,
As he exchanges pain for pleasure.
"Pain for pleasure, he's the hunter you're the game,
Pain for pleasure, Satan is his name!"
She had been right. His head snapped up, and he looked at her, an odd expression on his face. She glared at him as she struck the last notes of the song. The song had come from far away, someplace past Saran. Still, she thought it was appropriate for the moment.
Ozorne stood quickly, and took Farrah by the shoulders. A strange look played across his face.
"Why do you hate me so?"
Farrah's eyes widened and her mouth dropped in disgust.
"Bright Mithros above!" she exclaimed. "Have you no sense? You had my family slaughtered! All of them! And then you took me as a slave! I hate you! I pray to the Great Ones above that someday, someone you underestimate will finally bring you to the end! I-" He shook her. Farrah's head snapped backward and forward, and she felt nauseous. Her neck felt limp, and she closed her eyes to stop the spinning room.
"You will not speak to me so," he told her sternly. "I did not have them murdered. We are at war with Tortall-"
"No you aren't," she spat at him. "It isn't a war until you declare it. And you haven't. What you did is called a raid."
"It matters not. I am your master. You will obey me until you die or-" he laughed a bit. "-I release you."
She glared at him. "Release me! Let go of me! Now!"
"How dare you spout orders to me! I will not tolerate insubordination!" He shook her, and tapped the lute in her hands.
"I summoned you here for entertainment. Sing me another song, then leave immediately."
She stared at him. One song. One more song, and then she could leave. And she knew just the song.
"To this world I'm unimportant just
Because I have nothing to give
So you call this your free country
Tell me why it costs so much to live
Tell me why
"This world can turn me down
But I won't turn away, oh no
I won't turn around.
"All my work and endless measures
Never seem to get me very far
Walk a mile just to move an inch
Now even though I'm trying so
Damn hard
I'm trying so hard
"This world can turn me down but I
Won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause
I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there is
Nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here, oh no!
"I'm already here, down
On my knees
I am already here, oh no, I am
Already here
I must have told you a thousand
Times I'm not running away
"I won't duck and run
I won't duck and run
I won't duck and run
No pass away
"This world can turn me down but
I won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there
Is nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here
"This world can turn me down but
I won't turn away
And I won't duck and run, cause I'm not built that way
When everything is gone there
Is nothing there to fear
This world cannot bring me down
No cause I'm already here!"
She finished the last chords with a flourish of her fingers. Then she stood, placed the lute on the stool, and turned her back on the emperor, slamming the door shut behind her.