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“By the way, Ysayle.” Asked the Warrior of Light, looking at the Elezen curiously. “What was that song you were singing earlier?”
The peaceful, cordial silence around the campfire was suddenly ringing with surprise from the other members of the party.
“Lady Iceheart? Singing?” Estinien repeated in disbelief. Alphinaud looked at her with an equal measure of surprise and curiosity, and Moghan was out cold, sleeping so soundly not even a trumpet would be able to wake him, and thus was unable to comment on this surprising moment of character development.
A light blush colored her cheeks, and Ysayle hoped that the orange light of the campfire would obscure it enough not to be noticeable. “What’s so odd about that?” She protested. “I may be cold, but I am still a person.” As everybody had already discovered earlier upon seeing her sudden infatuation with moogles. “Also, I am not aware of any singing…”
“Perhaps not.” The Hero shrugged. “But you definitely were humming something while preparing our meal. The song went something like…” They hummed the melody they heard.
Both Ysalye and Estinien looked at them, recognizing the melody.
“Oh. That.” Ysayle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear shyly. “It’s an old Coerthan folk song. One of the few that mentions Saint Shiva by name.”
“It does?” Estinien sounded genuinely surprised. Everybody looked at him. “What? I know that melody. It was often sung to me… by…” He fell silent, not wanting to stir up painful memories of his family and his childhood home, and shook his head. “Anyroad, I know the song, but not the lyrics or the meaning. It’s in Old Elezen, and I never bothered to learn what it was about, aside from obviously being one of the many tales of Ser Haldrath.”
“I always knew.” Ysayle shrugged. “The power of the Echo allowed me to understand the meaning. Most of the song is from Shiva’s perspective, actually.” She looked at the night sky wistfully. “She’s even portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic light. Still a heathen and a monster, of course.”
“Fascinating… Do you think you could sing it for us, maybe?” The Warrior of Light suggested.
Ysayle shook her head. “I used to know it by heart, but it’s been so long… I don’t think I can recall the full lyrics anymore.”
“A shame…” The Champion of Eorzea sighed and leaned back, putting both hands behind their head. “I should like to hear it. Seems like a wonderful bit of folklore…”
“Wait…” Alphinaud, who had been silent thus far, looked up at the two adult Elezen, his eyes wide with realization. “You wouldn’t happen to be talking about ‘The Ballad of Ser Haldrath and the Deceiver’, would you?”
Now it was Alphinaud’s turn to face everybody’s surprised gaze. “How did you know?” Ysayle asked.
“I came across a book of folk tales while doing research.” The teen explained. “The ballad was there in the book. And I think…” He took a notebook from his satchel and started leafing through the pages. “Ah! There it is.” The white-haired boy smiled triumphantly and looked back up. “I didn’t copy the lyrics in Old Elezen, but I do have this translation to modern Hyuran. Take a look.”
Lady Iceheart took the notebook from his outstretched hand and studied the lyrics. “This… is a good translation, actually.” She said, raising an eyebrow. “I could work with that.”
“Really? You’ll sing for us?” There were stars in Alphinaud’s eyes as he unconsciously folded his hands together in front of his chest.
Ysayle shrugged. “Well, why not? The night is fair, the fire is warm, and we’ve already established that I’m a person…” She glared at Estinien briefly, then turned to the Warrior of Light. “Could you give me a rhythm, perhaps? The length of some lines is different from the original, and I do have the trouble of singing too fast when on my own.”
“Of course.” They nodded. A flash of light - and now the Warrior was clad in light clothes befitting a Bard, a drum placed in front of them. “Can you give me an example? Hum or sing the lyrics you do remember.”
Ysalye obliged them, singing the first verse and the chorus in Old Elezen. Estinien felt a pang of pain as the familiar notes and sounds stirred memories of home long lost. Alphinaud closed his eyes, a dreamy smile on his face. She was clearly no Bard, her voice quiet and some notes unsteady, but it was nonetheless pleasant to listen to, and the lyrics seemed beautiful.
The Warrior of Light began a simple and steady rhythm on their drum. Ysayle nodded in approval, this was perfect. Taking a deep breath, she started the song:
Early in the morning, before the Sun did rise
The fair maiden proposed
Deceiver, vile heathen, the consort of Hraesvelgr
Tried to lure Haldrath into her fold
[Chorus]
Ser Haldrath, Ser
O Haldrath, Ser
Please take me as your wife
I shall grant you great boons in return
Become my husband faithful,
And do not keep me waiting
Give your answer: yes or no.
The first gift I bestow you shall be black chocobos
From the heart of Dravanian groves
Free-roaming, never saddled, the finest steeds of all
Say the word - twelve of them shall be yours
[Chorus]
The second gift I give you shall be a castle tall
Built of whitest marble and stone
No fortress can compare, save for the mighty Ishgard
Say the word, and the castle shall be yours
[Chorus]
The third gift I bestow you shall be a mighty spear
Of which people have sung many songs
The Gae Bolg of legend, to slay the dreaded Nidhogg
Say the word, and the spear shall be yours
[Chorus]
The last gift I shall give you, of Iridescent Silk
A shirt fit for Kings and for Lords
No arrow, knife or poison can harm the one who wears it
Say the word, and the shirt shall be yours
[Chorus]
Those are fine gifts you offer, and yet I must decline them
So answered the Azure Dragoon
For I know you are Shiva, the one who lay with Dragons
And no man of Halone shall be yours
[Chorus]
The heathen, the deceiver, let out a dreadful wail
Sprouted wings and then took to the skies
The Fury granted mercy by Haldrath’s faithful spear
And she fell, she fell never to rise
[Chorus]
And in her dying moments, she cried out to Hraesvelgr:
Why have you forsaken me so?
If only I could marry one of Halone’s faithful
I’d be free from your curse once and for all
[Chorus]
Lovingly, the Warrior of Light smoothed out the notebook sheet with Alphinaud’s handwriting, and prepared their lyre. It was time to give this song a proper rendition, in memory of their friend.