Shadowfell

She went on because there was no going back.

Every man or woman who makes a stand helps keep the flame of freedom burning.

You don't like it that I am the one you need to keep the wolf from the door; that comes as no surprise. But I am the one you have. At some point we'll both have to risk telling the truth.

Become my friend and you embrace a nightmare.

It seemed to me it would be better to die standing up to a tyrant than to survive as a tool of his will.

There is no place here for softness. Let folk in too close and you offer them up as weapons for your own destruction.

I thought of betrayal and how it came so easily - in a word, a glance, a gesture.

Because if I see you defeated, then I think I will see Alban defeated, and if that happens, none of us can go on. To guard you is to guard the heart of this land of ours.

All the same, our eyes spoke of something good, something deep, something that could grow and flower if the world we lived in would allow it. Something too precious to put into words. Something I would not dare let out into the light of day, not yet.

I am a child of Alban’s earth Her ancient bones brought me to birth Her crags and islands built me strong My heart beats to her deep wild song. I am the wife with bairn on knee I am the fisherman at sea I am the piper on the strand I am the warrior, sword in hand. White Lady shield me with your fire Lord of the North my heart inspire Hag of the Isles my secrets keep Master of Shadows guard my sleep. I am the mountain, I am the sky I am the song that will not die I am the heather, I am the sea My spirit is forever free.

But if you remove a tyrant in anything other than an open and visible way, another tyrant soon stands up to replace him.

At some point, we'll both have to risk telling the truth.