Singer of the.. fires

I gathered up what I had on hand and brought them with me to the main fires. I was brimming with excitement and nervousness but the good kind, the butterflies in my belly kind. Lei and I handed out the small noisemakers we had made and even Magda had come to the Ubars fires to hear me sing for the first time. It was late and dark and I stayed close to the fire so I could not see everyone’s faces, the gathering was mostly in shadow.

It fit how I had been feeling lately.

I began slowly, beating a small drum against my thigh as I circled the fire with slightly exaggerated steps, the tiny bells I had sewn to long strips of cloth and wrapped about my hips and in my hair, they made pretty music along with the drum and the children’s toys. My voice, with much practice, was high and sweet.. Aamon said once it was slightly haunting, it echoed when there was nothing for it to echo from.

Rogar, he had six sons and at least one lovely daughter
The youngest of the strapping youth was not so fond of water.
He was small and he was swift
His mind was never set adrift.
His loyalty it knew no bounds and much he loved his father.

So when one fine bright day, he found a bit of trouble...
He knew exactly what to do to burst that bad boys bubble.
Armed with nothing but his wily wits
He began to plot against those twits
A group of friends he gathered, working on the double.

They were small but they were full of might
And well prepared to end this fight.
They hid among the wagons, swallowing their giggles
They shushed and hushed and waited and wiggled
They were prepared to wait all night!

The bigger boys came by and they were looking for a tousle.
They had no idea about the boys and all there little muscle!
There was a shout, a scream, a cry
Those mean guys were gonna fry.
Next thing they knew those guys were leaving in a hustle!

So take heed about the little ones, too small to fight you back
You might be getting into something you really cannot hack!
Sixth son of Ragnar is a fighter
And his fists are getting tighter!
This little guy, this Cutie pie.. there is not much that he will lack!

When I finished, the children were laughing and giggling. Lei most of all, her big dark eyes shining with pride. Magda was holding First Son, nearly a year old now and clapping his fat little hands and grinning. Fonce was there, I saw a flicker of him in the firelight. He did not smile, exactly, but he nodded and I reconized the glimmer in his eyes. Fonce approved. I wanted to run to hug him, like I would have my father or a brother or Aamon. Despite the silly things people think about Fonce and I, he is first and foremost my family. The things I sometimes feel for him? They are not entirely what a person looking in from the outside might think. They are tangled and confused and all my own. I was remiss that I had not been able to sing for the Ubar but I sang for the tribe.. even if no one heard at all.. I still sang for the tribe.

I had no idea what was coming.. My son was so happy in this moment, so full of life and bright. I could see Trayu in him, in all his features. If I had known then what was going to happen in the fire.. I would have taken him from Magda right then and there.. I would have been a better mother.

Hindsight is always 20/20.