The fog moves slowly inward, like sand in an hourglass, Measuring the time until midnight. Twining breathy fingers through blades of frosted grass, It signals the coming of the twilight. Again the balance comes between the light and shadow As smoke from Mabon fires scents the breeze. One look into the evening fog and you cannot help but know Tonight there's more within than just the trees. There's a sense of something nebulous As once more the Wheel turns 'round When the last of summer fades away And we're left with the waiting—with the waiting, And the cold September ground. As we whirl closer to winter, there is frisson in the air, An alien vibration on our skin. It's a feeling other seasons of the year can never share— And it only ever starts when fall begins. It's anticipating something, though what it is is never clear, Yet from this suspense we're never freed. Waiting is never so poignant as when you know a change draws near. And the change that looms ahead is great indeed. (chorus) We all can mark the time of year by this feeling in our bones, Though most don't know what it means. Yet it stalks us in the daytime and seeps into our homes As the sun sets alight the changing leaves. Those of us who walk the path on which the ancients trod before Sense the season's change with eager hearts. We know what the feeling means: It means the veil grows thin once more, And tonight the air is charged as autumn starts. (chorus) This evening as the season shifts and the sabbat fires burn, The shadows in the fog seem half alive. Not only those of mortal flesh can feel the Year Wheel turn, Or wait for something yearned for to arrive. As the veil is growing thinner and more diaphanous by day, The bridge between the worlds is clear to pass. So the spirits wait for Samhain, the Mischief Night, to play, As the fog marks the time like an hourglass. There's a sense of something nebulous As once more the Wheel turns round When the last of summer fades away And we're left with the waiting—with the waiting...

When I was but a young girl of three, The Spirit of Winter first came to me. Hair like a fall of starless night sky, Flesh white as snow and lapis in his eyes. He took me down pathways of ice, cold, and snow, On winds of the winter to see mountain streams flow. Such times that we had, I could never forget The spirit of winter that I had once met. Kiss me Jak Frost, you who I knew in my youth, Who showed me the depths of cold snow crystals' truth. Take my hand like you used to do, And I will willingly go with you. One Midsummer's Eve, as I danced 'round the flames, And sang all the sun songs and joined in the games, I saw a blue eye that captured my own, Filled with wintry cold that chilled to my bone. It was my dear friend, although in a strange form Of tanned skin and red blood, mortal and warm. My childhood friend turned to lover that night, Far away from the glow of the bonfire's light. (chorus) Now those days of my youth are lost on the wind, And only now I remember my friend. The lover I've missed for so many a year Has come back once more for his lady dear. He gives me his hand and I give him mine, Amidst the snowflakes' and icicles' shine. He says I can join him if I just let go, And follow him into the ice, wind and snow. (chorus) Yes, I will willingly go with you.

Mistress, I've come—what is it you ask? Have you for me a duty or task? No? ...well then why don't you come with me, For I've got something I want you to see. Come and visit my garden. Your eyes tell me volumes you'd rather they not— The young don't remember the slave time forgot. Did never your granddam tell tales of the sidhe? Well, I've got something that you have to see. Come and walk through my garden. I am your tool to reshape the world. My powers can make you more than "some girl". Confess your dearest kept dreams to me, Together we'll make them what they ought to be— But first, take a stroll through my garden. Name the one talent you'd love to possess, And try hard to nurture with little success. I'll make you a master if you trust in me, But first there is something I think you should see. You'd love to lay eyes on my garden. Your grandmother's left me forgotten for years. She's no use for magic now, so it appears. Let's keep this a secret between you and me, And hey, while we're at it won't you come and see What wonders there are in my garden. Your foremothers thought that I was their slave, But guess who escorted them all to the grave? I've kept them as trophies of sweet victory, Strong were my captors, but stronger the sidhe, And now they all grow in my garden. I've kept them to grow in my garden. I'll keep you to grow in my garden.

Fall from grace Fall from grace Let evil and selfishness take the place Of honor and virtue. Turn away Turn away Cast yourself into my arms and fall Into the darkness. You struggle each day with your fetters, Hoping your goal is in sight, That something out there is better Than your eternal fight. But if you let go of your moorings Your life would be nothing but bliss. Come take my hand, embrace what you are, Succumb to my sanguine... Fall from grace Fall from grace Let evil and selfishness take the place Of honor and virtue. Call my name Call my name And I'll help you to free yourself From your struggles. I know what you hide within; You bury it deeper each day. But let yourself slip into sin And to heaven you'll fly away. You know that you like it this way— You can't live without the pain. Every scream and moan is your anthem Though you sneer and call it... Fall from grace Fall from grace Let evil and selfishness take the place Of honor and virtue. Take my hand Take my hand Give me control and you'll never regret your Fall from grace.

I see it shining in your eyes, that look that means goodbye. Your white wings, spreading inch by inch, yearn to touch the sky. Feathers gleam like ivory; your departure now begins. I know what made you turn from me—and is love such a sin? Runaway Leave my heart behind, Forget the things you promised me And all the vows that bind. Run away, Don't look back, my love, For I will never understand The magic you're made of. You said you'd stay forever and that you loved me too, But now it ends, and now you leave, and I've done all I could do. I never meant to scare you or to keep you from the sky; You say you have to leave me now, but you cannot tell me why. (chorus) You graced me briefly with a joy whose like I'll no more know, But I bear you no malice, love, as I watch you go. As long as you are happy, then that's enough for me. I'd not be worthy of your love if I didn't set you free. (chorus)

The lady dressed in azure now lets down her long red hair, Sighing at the soft caress of the salty seaside air. Beyond the pillars lies the sea, its whitecaps rising high, Shooting frothy foam into the fiery evening sky. She gazes outside listlessly, her mind completely blank, Tracing o'er the roiling waves and up the sandy bank. She wishes for excitement, to be free from all she knows, So guiltily her mind trails back to the stallion and the rose. Many are the noble knights who call her father Lord, They serve him truly with their deeds, their honor and their swords. One among them boasts the right to claim the lady's hand— But this knight is not the one that her love can command. There is another in the court that she would wish to wed. The lovers hide their romance and share a secret bed. Every chance the lady finds, to her lover's side she goes, And dreams in ecstasy's embrace of the stallion and the rose. Today the breeze is ominous and warns of darker days. The fishers work to stow their gear down on the city's quays. The lady fidgets nervously, sensing troubles near, When on the ramparts of the keep the warning horn sounds clear. The lady tears her gaze away from the ocean and the sky, For far below, upon the bridge, a messenger she spies. The standard snapping smartly in the ocean wind that blows Bears the symbols of his house: The stallion and the rose. She fears the worst, and runs to see what news the herald brings, Urging speed to feet she wish would suddenly grow wings. Her kirtle flying wildly, she heeds her worry's call, And stops abruptly in the doorway to her father's hall. All eyes fall upon her where she stands inside the door— The anxious glimmer in their stares concerns her all the more. She can scarcely breathe—it's as if her blood just froze As she worries for the safety of the stallion and the rose. "What news?" she asks her father, who heads the somber court, And as she hears his answer, she feels her breath fall short— "Sir Adwain's been abducted by some baleful foe, And unless we send you in his stead, they will not let him go. This note is from the House of Rowan, within the land of sidhe, And says my daughter is the price if Adwain should go free. And so we have a choice to make—who stays and who goes, My own beloved daughter, or the stallion and the rose?"

Gather your crystals and spells as you will, Ready your phrases, practice your skill. Keep telling yourself that you're too bold to hide, But you know in your heart—by blood you'll be my bride! You can feel it pumping through you, Hear its rhythm in your sleep. It tints your guilty pleasures, And the secrets that you keep. There is power in its pulsing, And when spilled, it yields great gain— But I see you are no stranger To the spells of blood and pain. (chorus) Your magic invited me up here It compelled me to answer your call, But the language of demons is tricky at best, And you are no master at all. So sweetly you stood in the darkness, In madness and mist you were clothed. A slip of the tongue was all that it took, And now you and I are betrothed! (chorus) You had not expected a suitor, You can try to flee or to fight, But you've not the power to banish me back, And by your words your hand is my right! I don't know what you were thinking, But somehow you captured my heart, So now that you're weakest, come hither, my dear, And pledge till death do us part! Gather the fabrics and lace for your gown, Ready your servants and practice your vows, I keep telling you, love, that you've nowhere to hide, So now in the rite...by blood you'll be my bride!

Most people in the country know That night's the time for play. It shrouds the fun you'd rather Never see the light of day. But nighttime brings more perils Than a risqué fling or thrill— It's also when some hapless souls Are robbed of all their will. She says she doesn't walk the night, For some unknown place to go, But the stained and muddy velvet, Yes, the tattered, wet velvet Tells him all he needs to know. Far high up in the mountains, Where grow more rocks than trees, A newly-wedded husband Finds his bride a mystery. For each night of the new moon, He alone in bed will lie, And his lover cannot stop herself, Or even tell him why. (chorus) She doesn't know she leaves the keep, Where she goes, or why she's there. She only knows, come morning, That leaves are tangled in her hair. He locked her up at dusk once, And she was there at morning's light, But her clothing, wet and muddy, Showed she'd walked the woods all night. (chorus) One night he tried to follow her Down the mountain steep, Convinced she couldn't go that way If she were walking in her sleep. For all his careful footing, He was tripped by roots and more, And his lady swiftly slipped away, Down to the valley floor. (chorus) She comes into the chamber now, As the new sun lifts its head— He watches her undressing Behind the curtains on the bed. His heart is racing quickly As he stares at the leaves and mud, For now the grey, wet velvet Is dark and soaked with blood. (chorus) Tells him all he needs to know— Tells him when his lady goes.

Deep in the oily shadows Where even rats won't go Lies the last shred of my reason That I lost some time ago. It's there I like to shelter And pick and choose at will, Where I wait to find the lady That next I'd like to kill. They come to me all smiles, So glad to take my arm. They preen at my affections, Hinting at their charms. But the rules are very different When we reach the bedroom door Than they've been with any Johnny They've ever served before. I hunger not for pleasures That a normal lover would, And I cannot find them in the ways Society thinks I should. So near the rushing river On a foggy autumn night, Another helpless woman Finds her pain is my delight. A flash of sharpened steel In the candle's ruddy light. In, up once, and down again, To the left and to the right. Now the blood flows freely, A bath of sweet release. A final exhalation, And then they all find peace. The papers hound my footsteps While the Yard hunts night and day. The world may be disgusted, But they cannot look away. They guess at my true nature, But none will ever know The consuming motivation That drives each fatal blow.

You call me crazy for daring to dream You say I've lost my grip on reality But crazy is quitting before you even begin And I won't be kept down by your fatality. There's too much glory inside me to hide, And it'll claw its way out as it wants to. I can't keep it in, and should never have tried, Especially not for someone like you. I won't stop Till I achieve the dreams I'm meant to. I will fly Just to see how high I'll get to. I'll lay out the stepping stones As I make my way, And being called crazy Is a small price to pay. You laugh when I fumble and claim you were right, But mistakes aren't the end of the story, Through your disbelieving, I'll continue to fight To properly honor my glory. It only appears like I've lost my direction But that part of the tale is but half. Every wrong turn is a chance for reflection, Another reminder that I make the path. (chorus) I used to wonder why you couldn't just let me be happy... Then I realized that I don't need you to let me do anything anymore. (chorus) Is a small price to pay... Is a small price to pay...

When last we left the lady, she had a choice to make. The life of her beloved and her own soul were at stake. Will she sacrifice herself to save the one she loves, Or will she yet prove selfish now that push has come to shove? She stands and thinks—and hesitates—can this all be real? It's so bizarre she isn't sure in what way she should feel. Better that her lover had been caught with her and killed Than that he should have to face the ire of the folk below the hill. The room spins about her as the knights begin to quarrel. Which has better value: The fighter or the girl? And she longed for adventure with her love, not endless woes— Now should she save herself or save the stallion and the rose? It snaps together in an instant—she knows what she would do, She speaks and draws the notice of all men in the room. "The safety of my father's lands is paramount to my own, So I will go to Adwain's aid and they'll swiftly send him home." "But I need you to curry favor in the house of pine and boar—" "Your favored knight, or marriage contracts—which one matters more? I know my value to you, father, is more than you'd propose, And you're better off not surrendering the stallion and the rose." There is no more arguing—she has said her piece. She will go to save her love, and suit the sidhe's caprice. With no lack of trepidation, she oversees the maids Who pack up her necessities to send her on her way. The day comes all too quickly when she sets out with her guard To spend a fortnight on the highway, pushing, pushing hard. And finally the night arrives when she must pay the debt she owes, And enter lands unknown to save the stallion and the rose. The world of mortals fades away beneath the twilight sky. Reluctantly the lady bids her former life goodbye. Although she fantasized of leaving her sheltered life behind, She never dreamed she'd one day be the captive of the faerie kind. She looks to see what master now claims her for his own, And hopes her lover makes it safely back to his fair home. But there is no cruel elven lord to threaten or impose— Instead there stands Sir Adwain of the stallion and the rose. His face is free of worry and his raiment very fine. He looks more like a noble lord than a prisoner confined To dungeons of some alien lord for the last four weeks or so, And his eyes allude to secrets she is not prepared to know. "I welcome you to Faerie now, my love from the world of men, And hope that you will stay with me and never leave again. I'll share with you a confidence no other mortal knows— 'Twas the elven lords who begat the house of the stallion and the rose. "I have lived among your kin for decades this time around, And while I watched and studied them, your gentle love I found. Since we could never marry there, I organized this ruse, And hope a life with me is the one that you would rather choose." Through his confident façade, she sees his worry plain, But there's no doubt within her mind with whom she'd rather stay. She smiles at her lover, and her youthful visage glows As she falls into the loving arms of the stallion and the rose.

As children we all heard the stories Of creatures that died long ago, Of dinosaurs of land, sea, and air, And their likenesses we've come to know. But my favorite stories are stranger— They have valor, and fire, and gold. But those tales are just make-believe, They aren't real—or so we're told. But I've heard the singing of dragons, Calling to me from the deep. Soothing my worry-filled slumbers, Flying with me in my sleep. I know my brothers are out there, I know my sisters still soar, For I've heard the singing of dragons, And know they will sing evermore. Dragons were once feared and worshipped— Dragons were loved and adored. They lived in the forests, they swam in the seas, And wherever we hadn't explored. Now we think of them only as fiction, But I for one can't help but feel That for all of the stories we have from yore, That those dragons of legend are real. (chorus) Yet never today do we see them Except in our artwork and dreams. And scholars still ponder the meaning behind Their appearance in literary themes. Few folk believe they existed, Or if they did, were much more mundane, Yet I can't shake the feeling they're out there somewhere, For reasons I cannot explain, Except to say (chorus) And if you're like me you'll agree that We feel their presence each day, And celebrate their mythology In many of thousands of ways. And some people feel they're amongst us— This indeed is a truth that I see, For I've felt them near in the dark of the night, And the spirit of Fire glows in me! (chorus)

There is a place that I like to go whenever I'm feeling down When I need to release my anger or stress, or I just want a night on the town I don't take the highway, I leave the car in the driveway, Instead, I pick up my control, Turn on the TV and then the explosions Are the music that soothes my soul. For I am a warrior, I am a cyborg, I am a bard—but with knives! I am a pirate, I am a ninja, And I've many more than nine lives. Life's pretty taxing and dull when you spend your day working nine to five, And there in that setting you'll soon go insane if you don't find a way to survive. We all need to play, and at the end of the day When the real world has gotten me down, I enter the realm of missions and spells And I no longer feel like I'll drown. For first I'm a zombie, Then maybe a vampire, And sometimes the peasants survive. Next I'm an outlaw, And then a commander, And I've many more than nine lives. Some call me odd for finding escape in worlds that could never exist, But we've all got our methods for coping with life and all of its myriad twists. I must have my fantasy to survive my reality, And it's never once failed me yet. And besides, you know sometimes Those pixels deserve what they get! Sometimes I'm a plumber, Sometimes I'm a princess, Sometimes I'm a healer who revives. I might be a hero, I might be a villain, But I've many more than nine lives. And I'll need every one of those lives...

She sells you pretty promises With wonders, treats, and games galore, Knowing no matter how she gives, That you’ll al-ways want more. A treat my father thought he found Turned out to be a spy, And they only know I disappeared— But they’ll never know why. I admit that I was foolish, But the journey West was hard— My mother and two brothers Didn’t make it quite this far. I yearned to find a perfect world, But didn’t factor in the cost, Then I took the chance to reunite With loved ones I had lost. Hush and shush Or the Beldam will hear you— You’re a fly in her web, Don’t let her come near you With her needle and thread, Don’t believe what she’s said, And don’t let her sew the buttons Like we did. Between the pines and firs And the redwoods grown for centuries, I played at war with other boys, And pushed against my boundaries. It wasn’t quite refusal To follow given rules, It was more of an escape route From a father cold and cruel. Then I found myself revealing An escape that was quite different, And to my great joy and delight, She said it could be permanent. I don’t recall my name, But here, behind the mirrored glass, I remember my true mommy And wonder how she is. (chorus) I grew up in misty mountains Where the rain is filled with mystery, With my parents and my sister— And an odd, malignant misery. I had imagination, And not a whole lot more, Until I found the world of wonder Through that tiny, wooden door. I was trapped just like the others, And like them, I yearn to run, But we cannot leave this prison world Until our favor’s done. Oh, find us, girl, and free us fast, And we’ll help get you home, And be smart, for even if you win, She’ll never let you go. (chorus) Hush and shush, Mistress, Hush and shush, Mistress, Hush and shu-u-u-ush...shhh...

I am the flame in the lantern On the boat that ferries you across The woeful river. I light the way into the true Great Unknown. I glow in the darkness as you all Huddle on the deck together, And the currents draw you Farther from home. I illuminate the gateway That prevents your passage backward Through the veil. I am the note you leave your loved ones Who follow after, The only glimmer of hope you can give That you know will never fail, That where they find themselves next Will be filled with light and laughter. But don't seek my compassion, It doesn't work that way. I'm only what you make of me. That's just the part I play. I am witness to your uncertainty, And all of your reluctant shuffling off, Your lacking of choice. This is one thing you can't control And have no say in, And your shock isn't that it's over, But that you suddenly have no voice. You're used to having power, But now you can't weigh in. No matter your status in life, You find that you're all equals On The River. And even I won't remember you Once you disembark. Does the thought that you're so forgettable Make your skin crawl, make you shiver? Well only those with reason to be Are fearful of the dark. (chorus) That life you knew—did it fulfill you? You look like a fortunate one accustomed To never doing without. O ye child of fortune, what did You use your assets for? You could have given a noble use To all your power and clout, Instead you used it to take Your fair share and more. Now on the doorstep of the next world, You find that for the first time You must learn What it feels like to tell something that's precious To you goodbye. So you seek to warm hands that aren't cold Over fire that doesn't burn, To assuage your terror now that you find What it's like to be forced to comply. (chorus) That's just the part I play.

Truer words were never written than the ones on Cauldron Lake. I know now that coming here was a terrible mistake. We stepped into a game that we had no intent to play, Now it’s up to you, my love, to try to find the way. It began with a dream, but now nightmare holds us fast— She’ll trap us in the story until the very last. Never stop running, don’t believe what’s before your eyes When evil masquerades behind the most unsuspected guise... Wake up, wake up There’s still time left to find me. Wake up, wake up, Break the darkness that binds me. There’s terror in the night that only you can burn away, And a path for us to both get back into the light of day, But only if you wake Wake up. It swirls in vague uncertainty, the world beyond the deep, Like shadows in the twilight, like a song you hear in sleep. Yet somewhere in the rhythm of the play ‘twixt dark and light, I sense you’re out there searching, and you won’t give up the fight. You’re in the company of madmen, the ingenious, and deranged, Chasing down the talent from which you feel estranged, Yet everything that’s happened has come from words that are your own, And your self-appointed editor won’t leave well enough alone. (chorus) The threads that bind we two into the story as it flows Are dark with ink and blood, both, and the further that it goes, You’ll learn the truth and find the scars even Zane could not erase, And somehow, one way or another, it’ll all click into place. It’s a puzzle you must solve to win and make the ending yours, Wherein lies the key to lock or unlock certain doors. Then when everything is said and done and day surpasses night, Find the balance in the darkness so that I can find the light. Wake up, wake up Down the rabbit hole you’ll find me Wake up, wake up Don’t walk the road so blindly Beset upon by nightmare, you’re the man of my dreams, And I need you to fight for me, despite how hard it seems, So please, Wake... Wake up.

Ancient magic stirs that should never be released— There’s a quiet, subtle sabotage to bring about the fall. He bound us to his bidding with one and two apiece, Now we all haunt the footsteps of the one who broke the Wall. The Gray One calls me…but I won’t answer, For I’m no pawn and I know my rightful track. The Gray One calls me—I hear him louder, Held in thrall by these arrows in my back. He thinks me bound in servitude, but underestimates The will of one determined to see a quest succeed. He thinks he can control me, but ever more he waits, For I must guide the footsteps of the one who’ll do the deed. (chorus) It shouldn’t be her burden—but life is seldom fair, Now she’s as much a part of this as I had ever been. Torments lie ahead of her worse than I had had to bear, For danger stalks the footsteps of the ones who wear the green. (chorus) Somewhere down the road when the evil is revealed, This girl will do my duty in my place. And in her desperate hour will her magic be unsealed, And the dead will speed the footsteps of the rider who must race. (chorus) Break the arrows... Break the arrows...

It’s a long walk down that hallway, Even longer to find the key. It’s a long fall into numbness— But who knows what the end of the story may be? I can tell from your scars your entry was painful— A suicide, I’m guessing? You know me—but not her? Don’t remember what you were— And you run from what you’re repressing. You think I’ve an army to cover my back, But I swear I’m completely alone. No one’s coming for me—there is no trap, For you see, I came to find you on my own. (chorus) This girl is your ticket to beauty and bliss— Yet I see what you still deny. You insist and pretend She’s just a means to an end— But why do I see guilt in your eyes? She means nothing to you, you say now and said then, She’s just a tool in this selfish endeavor... You can cover your face with your hood once again— But you can’t fight the truth forever. (chorus) We will meet the Assembly in their hall of shadow, Where innocence goes to drown. You’re damned either way— At least’s that’s what you say— But this isn’t how it has to go down. Take one last look as time flows from my veins, Tell me you don't feel something's wrong. You thought I was here for the lioness in chains... But I was here for you both all along. (chorus) This is what you will choose to be, But there’s still time to write an alternate ending. Look at that girl—tell me who you see— And know there is no more time for pretending. It’s a long walk into memory, Made harder when shame won’t allow. It’s a long climb up to redemption, But you see now—yes...you...see...now...

There was magic, once, in everything, from the sunset to the trees. She watched it fall as snowflakes, heard it whisper on the breeze. She knew that she belonged outside, to dream in rain or shine, To make warfare over wild berries, and peace among the pines. There was a dragon in the car port, and gremlins in the car, A werewolf in the forest, and gnomes beneath the yard. She dreamed them real, and many more, every night and day, But of all the friends she played with, her favorite were the fey. And she built castles of moss and of stone, Decked with acorn caps and borrowed bones. And she peered through reality’s seams As she dreamed her faerie dreams. She would lay out tiny clothes for them on their beds of cottonseed, Elegant gowns of flower petals, walking sticks of reed. Their feast ware was made of tiny shells she found around the creek, Their statues, empty cicada hulls from summer’s burning peak. But summer shortly faded, as all things pass with time. She got caught up in the reason, but forgot about the rhyme. Adulthood slowly stripped away the wonder from her eyes, And she forgot that in dreaming, her inner peace resides. Now she builds credit and lives on her own, And works two jobs just to pay her student loans. But she must peer through maturity’s seams To reclaim her fairy dreams. There was never time for daydreams for far too many years, For she had obligations to fulfill, and far too many fears. She had to scramble just to keep up, but it was never quite enough. She tried to keep on pushing, she struggled to be tough. Then one day her mother sent her a piece of artwork she had drawn. There were fairies dancing ‘round in a ring upon the lawn. It had been in her childhood that she had drawn the scene, But it came from the past and rescued her like a long-forgotten key. Now she draws castles of moss and of stone That give her freedom and hope for tomorrow. And she remakes her reality’s seams With the help of her fairy dreams.