Between the Storms

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The magic fades starting with the tiger and the animals slowly fade from existence, making her chuckle at the children's whines, "I believe Mahoney here is going to tell us a story," Mart says the children quiet down as he looks at them, "What story have you decided on?"

"Have anyone heard the story of Beren and Luthien?" she asks expecting the adults to have but no one had which surprises her, she glances at Mart who smiles at her. Making her wonder if he had foresight but she shook her head of the thoughts, "Leander why don't you go sit with the children since you haven't heard this one either."

Leon leaves the stage area and sits next to Mart, some of the kids getting closer to him one even daring to sit on his lap. The mother went to could but Leon assured her it was fine, making Magdelena smile at him softly, "Beren was a mortal man who was cast from his home sent to travel the world looking for work and shelter after a battle raged his town forcing them to scatter. He wondered this world following the rivers, climbing mountains and following the wind."

"Luthien was said to be immortal, meaning she would live forever and never die unless in battle or illness. Not only was she the daughter of a long-forgotten King but she was the fairest in the world, with silken black hair and glowing skin of porcelain," Magdelena says, "One day while Beren walked through the forest he saw her dancing among the hemlock. She was beautiful dancing around to music he couldn't hear. He gave her the name of Tiinuviel meaning Nightengale in some forgotten language."

"They were parted for some time as the King did not want his immortal daughter to marry a mortal man. But when news reached her of him being taken hostage by an evil lord she jumped on her horse and raced to him," Magdelena says watching the people's reactions all seemed to be on edge, "She saved him but as they left with a prized jewel of the Lord something came from the dark, some say a wolf others say a shadow, others believe it was the dark lord himself, but he died in her arms and she gave up her immortality to be with him."

"Some say she was reunited with him after her death," she says leaning in to whisper, "Some say if you are quiet enough you can hear him call out her name while she dances across the night sky on a wind."

"There is a song to go with this story is there not?" Mart asks Leon looks at her as she nods her head looking down at the ground, "Will you sing it for me? I haven't heard it sung in so long."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," she says looking at the crowd who looked at her excited she took a deep breath and the wind gusted through her as she began to sing.

"The leaves were long, the grass was green, The hemlock-umbels tall and fair, And in the glade a light was seen Of stars in shadow shimmering. Tinúviel was dancing there To music of a pipe unseen, And light of stars was in her hair, And in her raiment glimmering."

The townspeople were taken back by the gypsies voice, Leon smiled at the sound of it once more. It surprised him every time as if he had convinced himself it was a dream the last time he heard it.

"There Beren came from mountains cold, And lost he wandered under leaves, And where the Elven-river rolled He walked alone and sorrowing. He peered between the hemlock-leaves And saw in wonder flowers of gold Upon her mantle and her sleeves, And her hair like shadow following."

Mart smiled at her from his seat between the children and next to Leon, everything he had seen was beginning to come true, and he knew that while it was a good thing it was also a fearful thing knowing what was coming.

"Enchantment healed his weary feet That over hills were doomed to roam; And forth he hastened, strong and fleet, And grasped at moonbeams glistening. Through woven woods in Elvenhome She lightly fled on dancing feet And left him lonely still to roam In the silent forest listening."

The animals in the forest seemed to step out listening to the ethereal voice coming from the woman, who had begun to glow a bit the more she sang which confused the townsfolk but also Leon who was a bit worried about her.

"He heard there oft the flying sound Of feet as light as linden-leaves, Or music welling underground, In hidden hollows quavering. Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves, And one by one with sighing sound Whispering fell the beechen leaves In the wintry woodland wavering."

Her hair turned silken black and her skin turned pale like porcelain shining in the full moon and stars from the night sky. Her gypsie clothes changed into a white dress with no sleeves or straps, with black tree silhouettes curving up around her body. Around her neck was a shimmering cape seethrough with the night sky embedded into the fabric.

"He sought her ever, wandering far Where leaves of years were thickly strewn, By light of moon and ray of star In frosty heavens shivering. Her mantle glinted in the moon, As on a hilltop high and far She danced, and at her feet was strewn A mist of silver quivering."

Magdelena looked down shocked to find herself no longer dress in her gypsie clothes but she didn't miss a beat as she continued to sing looking between Mart and Leon.

"When winter passed, she came again, And her song released the sudden spring, Like rising lark, and falling rain, And melting water bubbling. He saw the elven-flowers spring About her feet, and healed again He longed by her to dance and sing Upon the grass untroubling."

The wind once more swept through her and she could almost hear Beren calling out Luthien's name as she danced on the wind across the night sky. Her black hair seemed to dance with her as the wind moved her clothes, her cloak turning into a night sky on a river.

"Again she fled, but swift he came. Tinúviel! Tinúviel! He called her by her elvish name, And there she halted listening. One moment stood she, and a spell His voice laid on her: Beren came, And doom fell on Tinúviel That in his arms lay glistening."

Magdelena thought of Prince Arthur thinking of the future they had been destined to have, one she pushed so hard to keep at arms reach and not let any closer. 

"As Beren looked into her eyes Within the shadows of her hair, The trembling starlight of the skies He saw there mirrored shimmering. Tinúviel the elven-fair, Immortal maiden elven-wise, About him cast her shadowy hair And arms like silver glimmering. Long was the way that fate them bore, O'er stony mountains cold and grey, Through halls of iron and darkling door, And woods of nightshade morrowless. The Sundering Seas between them lay, And yet at last they met once more, And long ago they passed away In the forest singing sorrowless."

The crowd burst into applause as the wind died down and Magdelena smiled at the crowd she then turned to Mart about to ask him about his show when a battlecry sounded and from the trees came knights clad in armor with the golden dragon on their red tunics and capes, "Damn Uther," she growls helping the people get into their homes safely as she blocked the knights who were confused as the recognized her as their King servant.

Suddenly everything went in slow motion as she watched an arrow fly hitting Mart in the stomach as he fell. She screams running to him as her magic sent out waves knocking the soldiers out and away from her.