The Faerfolk's Edda - The Lay of Thlaylûn
The Lord of Apathy and Vigilance; of Duty, Judgment, Old Age and the Eight Phases of the Moon
The Lay of Thlaylûn
A watchman born was Prince Thlaylûn,
E’er clad in silver mail,
His subjects named him thus; the moon,
With great round shield and silver scale.
And with both tools, plus ceaseless sight,
Thlaylûn he weighed all hearts come night.
*
His eyes e’er wide espied fell deeds,
Wherever they might dwell,
“In every heart corruption breeds,
To drag us down to hel.
To hel!” He’d warn, his fervour bright,
For Thlaylûn weighs all hearts come night.
*
He judged the Prince of Fire’s fell greed,
He judged the Queen’s foul woe,
He judged the Sea’s deceitful creed,
And judged the Stars’ most envious glow,
And when his heart was cursed with fright,
Thlayûn he bade all souls come night.
*
He gathered all his kinsmen there,
And spoke with words most humble,
“You’ve chance to change, take care, beware
Of how your hearts might stumble,”
But his brethren laughed, and made they light,
As Thlaylûn weighed their hearts come night.
*
His mother of the frozen North,
His hand in her safe keeping,
Had urged his judgements ne’er come forth,
Until the world was sound and sleeping.
For she wept to see her children fight,
So Thlaylûn only weighed come night.
*
His sisters three of Wilds and wood,
Whose bond was forged with trust,
They loved not as three sisters should,
Corrupting all to slake their lust,
But trust alone ne’er cleansed their sight,
So Thlaylûn weighed their hearts come night.
*
His brother of the Mountain’s peak,
As hard as Thlaylûn tried,
Would ne’er accept, and ne’er would seek,
Fair temperance to stanch his pride,
Besotted so with his own might.
So Thlayûn weighed his heart come night.
*
His twin sister of the Starlit skies
Just thought him overzealous,
She envied him his watchful eyes.
Resentful, cold and jealous.
She shunned his words and silver light,
So Thlaylûn weighed her heart come night.
*
His brother of the moving tide,
He ne’er had chance to meet,
The Moon would search, the Sea would hide,
And mask his tracks with foul deceit.
The Sea would shift, and soon take flight,
When Thlaylûn came his way come night.
*
His sibling of the Stormy gales,
That raged out east and west,
Was irked by all his dire tales,
And named him an unwelcome guest,
And bid him go, and leave her sight,
So Thlaylûn weighed her soul come night.
*
So Thlaylûn sought his father’s seat,
To shed much needed light upon,
His heavy heart and aching feet,
So weary now his will had gone.
His father’s fire did shine so bright,
That Thlaylûn’s light was dwarfed come night.
*
And on his knees, he placed a kiss
Upon his father’s hand,
“Your soul is wrought with avarice,
I pray, dear father, understand.
I’ll help you through your greed and plight,
You charged me; weigh all hearts come night.”
*
His father rose and stood he tall,
And gazed with eyes afire,
“You dare to judge me in my hall?
You dare try temper my desire?”
Then you shall do so out of sight,
From there you’ll weigh all hearts come night.”
*
And in his hands he took the shield,
And scales of silver beauty,
And cast them high and far afield,
And seethed he; “There, go do your duty.”
So Thlaylûn climbed to highest height,
And there he weighed all hearts come night.
*
And all alone, for countless age,
He watched his kin’s fell dealings,
Till numbed he was to joy and rage,
And all such fervent feelings.
He watched the world by ghostly light,
And weighed all mortal hearts come night.
*
“My father’s greed just goes ignored,
My mother’s woe ne’er dies,
My sisters’ sins are ne’er deplored
My brothers’ wrought with prideful lies.”
Uncaring eyes watched endless plight,
As Thlaylûn weighed their hearts come night.
*
For moonlight renders all shades grey,
And silver, cold and dismal.
And if e’er such colour came his way,
He’d think the hue abysmal.
No love to bear, nor cause to fight,
Thlaylûn still weighed all hearts come night.
*
He wore the ages as they passed
as lines upon his skin,
He withered there, his light outcast,
And victim to his own fell sin.
By faithless prayer and listless light,
Thlaylûn still weighed all hearts come night.
*
Through apathy his judgement strayed,
Until his weary eyes,
Saw foul as fair. And light as shade,
Saw lust as love. And truth as lies.
For all looked grey. And pale. And trite.
Still Thlaylûn weighs all hearts come night.