Exton

After dessert Stoney and Ob played a couple of songs that had the children laughing uproariously and the rest of the family laughing with them.

Star leans towards Rowan and says, “That song that you used to sing to me... the one when I was...  mean when I stayed with you... sing that one for the little ones.”

All eyes in the group turned to Rowan and she starts to laugh. “All right... let me see if Stoney or Ob know it...”

When Rowan started to sing a hush fell on the entire room. Her voice was pure, untrained and perfectly suited to the 'old songs'. The children listened intently, the girls especially enjoying the song “Faeirie Queen”.

Over on the hill
There grows a flower
Growing quicker still
More perfect by the hour
Deep within that flower
Is a tiny chair
All a-fringed with gold
The fairy queen sits there…

It is in her breath
That the wind does blow
It is in her heart
As pure as winter snow
It is in her tears
Crystal raindrops fall
And within her years
That she is in us all…

Tori sighs, her thoughts flying over the ocean and cliffs of her homeland. She doesnt object when Tannr pulls her into his lap, holding her close.

When the song ends Gracie starts to clap. “More pease...”

With a smile Rowan scoops her up and carries her on a hip. “All right. One more.” She kisses a soft cheek then looks around the room. “This is for all of you. Then enough! Its time to celebrate...”

As Rowan starts to sing, she moves around the room, touching a face here, a hand there...

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never meet here again

So here’s a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never meet here again

Our ship lies at harbour she’s ready to dock
I wish her safe landing without any shock
And if we should meet again by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

Toris mind reaches for Tannrs and he feels like he is flying over the cliffs with her. The waves hitting the rocky shore glowing softly in the moonlight. He can feel the spray, smell the saltiness in the air and feel the loving acceptance of the woman in his arms.

So here’s a health to my company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never meet here again

My footsteps may falter my wit it may fail
My course may be challenged by November gale
Ere fortune shall prove to be friend or be foe
You will always be with me wherever I go

So here’s a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never meet here again

Rowan bows at the thunderous applause. Traeger stands and pulls her close. “That was beautiful... perfect...”

Shaking her head Rowan hands Gracie to her father, “Hardly... but it seemed somehow appropriate...  Now...” Monty hands her a glass of whiskey, “Cheers!”