Dancer of the Shadows

Rothas Sunsinger and Lythe Shadowdancer were two would-be lovers in early day Valdemar. Both bore terrible curses. Sunsinger had a beautiful voice, and his curse was one placed on all in his line; he must sleep like death until the night faded. He wakes at dawn and sleeps just as twilight ends. Which is when Lythe Shadowdancer makes the scene. The poor Lass has been cursed to never ending eve. If sunlight touches her she will perish. She passes her evenings by dancing in time to the birdsong. How did they meet then, you ask? They met at twilight for only the briefest of moments... Shadowdancer was dancing by her lake when she heard the voice of Sunsinger. She saw him and she loved him, and he saw her and he loved her, for they were tragically lifebonded. After that they met only briefly every twilight, although they never dared touch. Thier curses were eventually broken when they saved Heir Windrider and his Companion Darshay. They had finally gotten the power to break thier curses, but instead they freed Windrider, who was held captive by a dark lord. Due to this selfless act they both were Chosen and became two of the very first Heralds of Valdemar. Thier curses were also broken, in part, because they were Chosen.

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Sun and Shadow: Meeting

She dances in the shadows, like a shadow is her hair

Her eyes hold midnight captured, she is periliously fair

A woodlark sings the measures that her flying feet retrace

She dances in the shadows like a dream of darkling grace

He sings in summer sunlight, to the cloudless summer skies

His head is crowned with sunlight and the heaven's match his eyes

The wild wood seems to listen to the Singer's gladsome voice

He sings in summer sunlight and all who hear rejoice

She dances in the shadows for a doom upon her lies

If the sunlight shines upon her the Shadowdancer dies

And on his line is this curse laid, that once the day is sped

in sleep like death he lies until once again the night has fled

One evening in the twilight that is neither day nor night

the time part bred of shadow and partly born of light

A trembling Shadowdancer heard the voice of love and doom

That sang a song of sunlight through the gathering evening gloom

A spell it cast upon her and she followed in it's wake

To where Sunsinger sang it all unheeding by her lake

She saw the one that she must love until the day she died

And bitter tears for bitter love the Shadowdancer cried

He saw her and he loved her and he knew his love was vain

For he was born of sunlight and must be the shadow's bane

So 'fore the curse could claim him then he shed one bitter tear

To know his only love must also be his greatest fear.

So now they meet at twilight, though they only meet to part

Sad meetings, sadder partings and the breaking of each heart

What blame then if they pray for time or death to bring a cure

For the sake of bitter loving none the less they will endure.

poem