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Language:
English
Series:
Part 3 of Songs of Skyrim, Part 2 of Ties that Bind , Part 6 of A Dream of Dragons
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Published:
2017-09-05
Words:
314
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
1
Kudos:
9
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1
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160

Valenwood's Leaves (Erigoth's song)

Summary:

The Great War came to Valenwood in the form of Altmer searching for fresh blood for the front. Faroldras was one of the ones taken, but unlike most of the other Bosmer, he left to protect his son.

While in Cyrodiil he wrote a song and sang it everywhere he went, hoping that it would reach his son back in Valenwood if he couldn't.

Notes:

This whole thing took me about 3 years to finish. For the longest time, I just had it that 'oh, Fallon doesn't remember all the words to Erigoth's song so he only remembers parts of it' because I didn't have those parts written. (I mean Fallon still doesn't remember the lyrics, but that's more a taken opportunity for angst than laziness.)

And now I have it showing up in White-Gold too! Faroldras' arc currently deals with him struggling to write the lyrics to it (along with everything else) but he still sings it every chance he gets hoping it will reach the boys.

This is an original song and it's really tailored to my characters and my plotlines so it's not free to use. I know I have other lyrics in Songs of Skyrim that are, but this is one of the few that aren't.

Work Text:

Greenwood, sing of a father's love
Deeper than any sea
Remember him when autumn falls
Red on Valenwood's leaves

Tarlin searched Falinesti fair
For sign of young Aras
Then wind grew cold, and autumn leaves
Whispered of Winter's frost

His youngest son, beloved child
Of wife lost giving birth
Tarlin feared that her namesake lost
Had joined her in the earth

He heard the voice of Altmer guards
And arrows flying true
His heart stopped as the barrack's range
And Aras came in view

Aras, shaking, held up a bow
And fired at the hay
The guards raised hands to strike the boy
As the bolt went astray

Tarlin raced in and held his son
To shield him from the blow
‘What cause have you’ he asked of them
‘To strike him as a foe?’

'We need mer for Cyrodiil's front
Your son is young, he'll do
So step aside- or better: leave
We've no quarrel with you

‘In fourteen summers’ Tarlin cried
He’s never hit a mark
If he goes off to war for you
He’ll die more like than not’

They grabbed them both and dragged him off
He pleaded wasting breath
Till Y’ffre showed his only chance
To save his son from death

For his love ran far deeper than
The Abecean Sea
He loved his youngest son far more
Than all Valenwood's leaves

Tarlin took up a fallen bow
Before the mer could speak
He shot six bolts into the hay
All sunk an arm’s length deep

'You'll never find a better shot
Through thirty leagues or more
Let my son go and live in peace
And I'll fight in your war'

The Altmer ceded Tarlin's proof
To his and Aras' dread
Aras walked Falinesti, free
His father took his stead

Aras, sing of your father's love
Deeper than any sea
Remember me when autumn falls
Red on Valenwood's leaves