Of Elvia and the Steam | Part 7

Table of Contents : Prt 1; Prt 2; Prt 3; Prt 4; Prt 5; Prt 6; Prt 7; Prt 8; Prt 9; Prt 10

After a few days journey they saw fire
Shimmering on the river bank like starlight.
They slowly crept toward the barge-crew in the night.
They had talked of this time and their desires.

Elvia wished to understand the music.
She wanted justice for the friends she had lost,
Remuneration at the heaviest cost,
To wield the harp-song, and, for revenge, use it.

Sherah too, was hungry for retribution,
But wanted answers to questions that arose
From Elvia’s story and the scene of woes
To gain a full and filling resolution.

So, they listened to the crew while they consumed
A surprisingly lavish three course dinner, 
Telling tales as if there could be a winner,
And drinking to predictions of others’ doom.

Before the two bring consequences to bear
They both want answers for their curious minds,
But the stories they heard did not satisfy.
They were brute brags about fights far off somewhere.

A pale centaur told of how hard he could kick. 
A minotaur spoke of head-butting conflicts.
But, the musical faun did silently sit
Harp on lap, more like weapon than instrument.

Elvia crept quietly into the light
Shadows from flame light dancing across her form
Appearing like a spirit from the earth’s core,
Her body like a flickering flame at night.

The crew jumped to their feet shouting in terror 
Except for the faun who’s eyes sparked with delight
Situating the harp on his knee upright.
Elvia made no sound nor move, just stood there.

Elvia stood, staring silently waiting
While the frenzied crew trampled one another,
Scrambling for weapons and fighting each other.
Then Jubal Cain with his harp began playing.

With the sound of the harp Elvia whistled
A melody of mockingbirds and screech owls
Mixed with the occasional coyote howl
Blending the harp song with minors and naturals.

The crew’s confusion was exacerbated 
To such extent as they turned on their captain
Who ended the song suddenly to stab them.
Showing the truth of the harp he created.

At the foot of the harp was a long sharp spike
Which the faun used to impale two of the crew
Spinning the harp around in order to use
It as a bow letting a strange arrow fly

With a low thwanging note of finality
Followed by the collapse of the third barger,
And resonating vibration from the harp
Ringing out with murderous brutality.  

Still Elvia stood staring at the cruel faun.
Jubal Cain’s devious smirking smile was gone.
For several long, tense moments silence drew on.
Flames of the campfire dancing to their own song.

Table of Contents : Prt 1; Prt 2; Prt 3; Prt 4; Prt 5; Prt 6; Prt 7; Prt 8; Prt 9; Prt 10