Ballads and Performances
-- composed by
Vistie Be'Jei
Shadow Dancing
--- performed Elanthian Rose Workshop
--- --- Challenge no talking, singing or reciting using a candle, a rose and a dagger as props.
Vistie smiles sweetly, gracefully slips to the front of the room, turns about and curtsies to the crowd. Her wispy pale rose spidersilk skirt flutters gently as she moves and the golden red of her hair reflects the soft light.
Vistie removes a delicate rose from in her green velvet cloak.
(Vistie holds the delicate fragrant rose lightly in her small hand. She begins turning, slowly at first, spinning on her tiptoes, then faster and holds the rose aloft as her skirt billows out around her legs. The claret slippers pitter pat against the floor as Vistie pirouettes around the room. Spinning slow, then fast, the pale rose spidersilk skirt glints and shimmers.)
Vistie giggles.
(Vistie stops spinning in the front of the room, her cheeks flush from the dance. The pale rose skirt shimmers as it drifts and settles, lightly clinging to her legs. She inhales the heady scent from the rose and throws her head back, her blue eyes gleaming. Brushing the soft petals across her lips, she breathes in the intoxicating scent. The delicate petals quiver at her touch. She clutches the rose bud and lifts to her toes and spins around sending her skirt and hair flying out about her.)
Vistie smiles demurely as her spinning slows then stops. The pale rose skirt shimmers in the light.
Vistie removes some delicate rose petals from in her green velvet cloak.
Vistie begins to giggle, then bursts out in a silly laugh.
Vistie smiles with glee as she tosses the rose petals into the air and watches them with wide blue eyes. The petals seem to hover in the air before slowly floating to the ground. She lifts to her tiptoes, and with a pitter pat begins spinning in dance crushing the petals and releasing a deep, rich, sleep inducing scent.
Vistie drops some delicate rose petals.
Vistie smiles with a final pirouette. The pitter pat of her dancing slippers slowly stops and her eyes begin to droop and her arms fall languidly to her side as the heady scent drifts about her.
Vistie yawns.
Vistie lies down.(Vistie slides to the floor and rests her head in the soft curve of her arms. She pulls her green velvet cloak about her snugly. Her eyes flutter closed. Her slow even breathing sends a few of the crushed petals drifting about on the floor. A brisk draft rustles the petals, lifting them lightly. The petals slowly drift back to the floor.)
Vistie smiles serenely in a deep sleep. The petals on the floor drift about her golden red hair rustling in the chill breeze. She winces slightly at a loud *creak*.
(Vistie trembles at a *thump* and her eyelids flutter as a loud CLANG resounds about the room. The rose petals flutter and swirl about her as she shivers in her sleep. A loud *clunk* startles her awake and she glances around as her eyes open wide in fear.)
Vistie moves to a kneeling position.
Vistie trembles.
Vistie removes a golden beeswax candle from in her green velvet cloak.
Vistie carefully places her beeswax candle on the ground.
(Vistie peers about the dark room as the rose petals drift about her, fluttering in the breeze. With trembling fingers she fumbles with the matches.)
Vistie lights the beeswax candle, which flickers and begins to burn.
Vistie glares.
(Vistie cautiously looks about the room. The shadows waver in the candlelight. The light reflects the fear gleaming from her deep blue eyes. The candle blazes wildly in the brisk breeze.)
Vistie removes a dagger from in her claret velvet bodice.
(Vistie wields her dagger and slowly turns her head, her fair skin paler and whiter in the flickering candlelight. With a startled gasp and a wave of the dagger she jumps up.)
Vistie stands up.
Vistie looks at the dagger in her hand and trembles.
(Vistie takes a slow step back as the candle flickers and flares to reveal the dark shape approaching from the depths of the room. She shivers and retreats cautiously as the menacing shape approaches. )
Vistie shakes her head no in a silent plea, cowering slightly.
(Vistie parries with the threatening creature. She gasps in terror at the horrifying sight, the dark shape wavering ever closer. Vistie retreats as her dagger blade gleams in the flickering candlelight.)
A small draft catches the flame of a golden beeswax candle and it flickers brightly.
Vistie tightens her grip on her dagger.
(Vistie lunges toward the menacing shape and pierces it with the tip of her dagger. The blade slips past the dark mesmerizing mist. Quickly darting forward again, Vistie swings the dagger wildly as the freakish shape evades the dagger.)
Vistie tilts her dagger side to side, making the light play off it.
(Vistie steps back and spins on her toes only to have the dark shape transfigure and transform into a grotesque menace. With her blue eyes wide in fear, her mouth firmly set, she plunges the dagger with a quick thrust deep into the sinister shape.)
Vistie swears in a fluid mixture of common and elven that would make a spike-thorn take pause.
(Vistie lunges forward as the ominous shape grows wider and higher. The blade slices through the threatening form. With one final thrust, she pierces the dark vile form. The blade slides through the ominous shape, finding no substance to strike.)
Vistie suddenly stumbles for no apparent reason.
Vistie kicks the beeswax candle. It splutters and goes out.
Vistie's whole body trembles with fear.
Vistie looks around with pleading eyes, wondering what's going on!
(Vistie peers into the darkness, scattering the rose petals about as she glances to her left and then to her right. Her long braid swinging from one shoulder to the other as her head whips about in search of the grotesque shape.)
Vistie takes a few steps to her right.
Vistie glowers.
Vistie walks to stand behind a golden beeswax candle.
Vistie narrows her eyes.
(Vistie gasps as the brisk wind SLAMS the door shut. The rose petals swirl and rustle about her feet. She cautiously peers around the dark room, her slippers crushing the petals as they slowly settle to the floor in the now still room. She slowly lowers her dagger till it rests slack in her hand and takes one last tentative look around the room.)
Vistie slowly empties her lungs.
Vistie looks thoughtful for a moment, then shrugs.
Vistie put a dagger in her claret velvet bodice.
Vistie sighs sleepily.
Vistie lies down.
Vistie smiles quietly with a soft whimper born of fear and exhaustion, she falls in a heap among the crushed fragrant petals and succumbs to the sleep inducing scent. The petals lay limp on the floor scattered about the folds of her green velvet cloak. Her eyelids flutter and close as she falls into a deep, deep sleep with the single rose still clutched in her fist.
Emissary
--- Vistie Be'Jei
I am but an emissary, under orders of the empress,
Honor bound to my dying breath to carry out this crucial quest.
I plead and beg of you this day; you must listen as I confess
And take upon your fair sweet self to hold this sacred in your breast.
The mission is daunting and dangerous, you must seek and destroy
The evil hidden deeply within the cave, where I do not know.
Guarded by the prowling fire cats Andelas set the cunning ploy,
I beg of you to seek the orb buried deep in the eerie glow.
The ruler of the empire demands the mission be strictly kept
Held by just the one who searches until death for the magic orb.
The tragic power of the orb pulses dimly, confined, --trapped
Deeply within the nefarious black pit hidden in the gore.
Dangerous shall be your grim search, harmony and peace you shall yearn.
The magic orb of mystical power, the tool of massive death.
Lords of Lornon search for the orb buried deeply in the cavern,
Beware the fierce stalking cats that you must fear with every breath.
I plead to you and beg to you for if I am to seek eternal peace,
The fate of those that reside in the Turamzzyrian Empire
Depends upon destroying the orb, the mystical pulse must cease.
Before I rest you must pledge to my dying soul to quench the fire.
You must find and eliminate the mystical orb, --before
Sheru and Andelas uncover it. I place my trust in you.
I sense your tender soul, take up the quest, I beg and I implore
The ruler shall reward you and now I bid a final adieu.
Ballad of the Ne'Din
--- Vistie Be'Jei
Stand tall and cheer with no pause,
Noble and just is the cause.
Lift your heart and dry your tear,
We shall plant hope in place of fear.
So that all may live without regret,
And those among us shall not forget.
And if any dare to question you,
Just tell them, the cause is true.
Honor and strength, courage and loyalty,
With no doubts we pledge our fealty.
Faith with wisdom and kindness to all,
Those of the Ne'Din follow the call.
For freedom's sake, raise the cry,
Break the chains, the time is nigh.
Justice shall reign on our shields,
Sow the word far across the fields.
Flesh from sale marked with appall,
For the bonds of slavery shall fall.
Never forget the dark of night,
As we strive to spread the light.
The Ne'Din soar high up in the sky,
Honor and justice is the battle cry.
Stoically we hold our stance with pride,
As the battle reigns against our side.
Come and sit around the tavern fire,
Heed and listen to those that aspire.
Of feats that lure and dreams that entrall,
The truth be told as we stand tall.
Forget the sorrow and pain of death,
Revel with laughter in every breath.
The Ne'Din -- shall raise the cry,
Soaring spirits of the sky.
The Ne'Din -- shall not stand still,
Pure of heart and strong of will.
The Ne'Din -- the cause is true,
Stand as one in faith anew.
Return to Ballads and Performances
