I DO NOT OWN THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES. I ALSO DO NOT OWN THE LUCY GREY POEM. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO WILLIAM WADSWORTH. SHOUTOUT TO ALL WHO GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THIS STORY.
Howell Home. Logan, West Virginia. A week later.
After a few days, Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Grey Baird settled into a routine with the Howell family. Joshua and Coriolanus would head off to the auto shop; Samuel would accompany them on weekends and would head over their after school. Meanwhile, Lucy Grey would stay home with Ruth and tend to the house; as if she was a live in maid. It wasn't anything new to her; back in the Covey, everyone had taken their turns doing chores.
Lucy Grey had often taken charge of the cooking and cleaning around the Covey camp. Maude Ivory was too young to take chores too seriously, Barb Azure wasn't a particularly skilled cook, Tam Amber had an issue with cleaning the ladies undergarments and flat out refused to do so, and Clerk Carmine was honestly a hopeless case. He would always say that he would get to his share of the chores later, but later never came. Clerk Carmine could always find some lame excuse to get of cooking and cleaning and keeping up their home.
Lucy Grey on the other hand, didn't mind going all domestic. Ruth taught her how to use a washing and drying machine. The songbird fell deeply in love with these mechanical marvels as it definitely made washing clothes easier; plus, the soap that Mrs. Howell used always had the clothes smelling more pleasant coming out of the washer and dryer than they had going in.
In exchange for teaching her how to use the washer and dryer machines, Lucy Grey had taught Ruth Howell some Covey recipes. Maude Ivory had always had a knack for finding food; especially when there was none to be had. Mama Baird had always been a damn good cook and had schooled her daughter in her culinary secrets. Ruth had taken Lucy Grey to the market had bought her the necessary ingredients to make the covey dishes. It was far easier now than food was abundant in West Virginia. Her recipes had definitely earned her points with the Howells; Joshua had even taken her into his confidence and told the songbird that her cooking far surpassed that of his wife.
The Howell that was closest to Lucy Grey by far, was young Esther. She saw Lucy Grey has the big sister that she had always wanted instead of her brother Samuel that she got. In turn, Esther reminded Lucy Grey so much of her cousin Maude Ivory that it made her heart heart a little bit. Ruth was often busy with chores around the house so when Esther would come home from school, Lucy Grey basically acted as her nanny.
Esther showed off her Barbie dolls and the doll house that Joshua had built for her. She also showed Lucy Grey how to make snow angles and the 2 built a fine snowman together before sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace. But the best part was that at night, Lucy Grey would go in her room to sing her a lullaby.
After helping Joshua chop up some firewood, a cold and tires Coryo had come back inside to see Lucy Grey in Esther's room. They were in her bed with the small girl curled up next to his songbird as she sang her namesake song.
Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray; And, when I crossed the wild,
I chanced to see at break of day, The solitary child.
No mate, no comrade Lucy knew; She dwelt where none abide.
The sweetest thing that ever grew Upon the mountainside!
You yet may spy the fawn at play; The hare among the green;
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray, Will never more be seen
The storm came on before its time: She wandered up and down;
And many a hill did Lucy climb: But never reached the town.
They wept — and, turning homeward, cried, "In Heaven we all shall meet!";
When in the snow the mother spied, The print of Lucy's feet.
Then downwards from the steep hill's edge, They tracked the footmarks small;
And through the broken hawthorn hedge, And by the long stone-wall;
And then an open field they crossed: The marks were still the same;
They tracked them on, not ever lost; And to the bridge they came.
They followed from the snowy bank Those footmarks, one by one,
Into the middle of the plank; And further there were none!
Yet some maintain that to this day; She is a living child;
That you may see sweet Lucy Gray, Upon the lonesome wild...
"Sweet dreams, precious." Lucy Grey whispered as she kissed Esther on the forehead before rising from the bed and being startled by her capitol boy; leaning against the door frame with small smile on his face. "You didn't tell me you were there."
"I love your singing, I didn't want to interrupt." Coryo whispered back as they quietly left Esther's room.
"Esther's so sweet, she reminds me of Maude Ivory." Lucy Grey said as she and Coryo began dressing down for bed.
"You're so good with children, you'll be a splendid mother when the day comes." He insisted as his eyes drank in her beauty.
"Are you already planning on putting a baby in my belly?" She teased as they climbed into the guest bed they shared.
"Not without putting a ring on your finger first, I won't have my child be called a bastard." Coryo declared as he ran his fingers on her shoulder.
"Are you asking me to marry you, Coriolanus Snow?" Lucy Grey asked gently as their eyes locked. Coryo wanted so badly to make her his permanently, but he knew it wasn't the time.
"I can't yet. I won't marry you until I know that I can provide for you and for our family." Coryo promised her with urgency in his voice. "I'm going to get a home for us and a real job, not wasting my time at the lousy car shop. I refuse to let my wife and children starve like the people in 12."
"Ok Coryo, you get me that house and the job you think is good enough for you...then, when you ask me to marry you; maybe, I'll say yes." Lucy Grey said mischievously as she put his arms around her and kissed her golden capital boy. Coryo vowed then and there that he would make Lucy Grey Baird his wife; or die trying.
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