Ironworks Gaming Forum - Viconia (A Poem)

Viconia

In the City of Coin, on a summer's eve, stood a woman bound to a stake.
Her fate seemed sure, her tormenters thought, with no one to speak for her sake.
Her eye was undimmed, as she scanned the crowd, defiance was all she felt.
As a drow, as a woman, she stood unbowed and glared at the faces she met.

But among the jeering and hostile folk, she met a blue eye that was mild.
Not minding her, he intently strode elsewhere. Her heart went wild.
"Wait there! Attalus! I know you well. It is I, your comrade of old.
Remember Sarevok! And Naskell's Mines! We were there, as has been told.

"It is Viconia! Save me now, from this fate I do not deserve.
I will be yours, until my death. Any cause that is yours I will serve."
His face came round, recognition shocked, and he lept to her side by the stake.
His knife ripped cord. "You are free, sweet drow. I would spend my life for your sake."

The crowd went wild. "Who is he?" they cried, "to take from us our prey?
At him and rend them, they cannot stand, for we are too many for they."
His sword swept out, and darted forth. The foremost collapsed in their blood.
"Stand back, you fools!" he quickly roared, "or your lives will end in the bud."

"My sword is sharp, my hand is quick, and my cause is for the right.
So run, racist scum, flee quick away, or I will have your lives, tonight."
A few then tried, they died just so, and the others ran away.
Viconia smiled, then felt a chill. How could she trust this way?

She had been betrayed, and betrayed again, by any she lent her trust.
She dared not trust. Was this a plot? Discover this, she must.
Stranger to guile, he grinned at her. "They seemed to have run away,
So, come along, unto my inn, and there tonight we'll stay."

"I'll come," she said, "but you must know, I'm not anyone's leman.
I've tried at that, and hated it. But I'll serve you, if I can."
"Why, who asked that?" he quickly said, "I saved you for yourself.
You may stay or go, do as you will, I'll let you, pretty elf."

"But, your help I need, I'll not deny, I'm pent by unknown foes.
My childhood friend, fair Imoen, is taken. Where? Who knows?
But, I'll have her back, on that I swear, she shall not prisoner be
While I have hands to hold a sword, I'll seek to set her free."

This set her back. "If he loves her, there's no room for me," she thought.
"Now how comes this? Am I glamoured? All love is sold and bought.
I'll never love, for trust is death, but yet I'll follow him.
And free this slut, for this I owe, but, after, all seems dim."

And, so beguiled, she followed him, and set his sister free.
They came to love, surprising him, for that he didn't forsee.
But as for her, she was rare torn, she had never loved before.
She had to test, to be full sure, before his love she bore.

So, she told him tales, tales wild and lewd, of things that she had done.
Evil things, too, she said to him, and told him they were fun.
He merely laughed, "Viconia, I don't believe you, dear.
I've known you long, and loved you well, for oft and many a year."

"Your talk is free, you love to shock and tell me evil things,
Of torture, death, and adulteries, and demons with leather wings.
But I love you still, for it's you I know, and I don't believe that you've done,
One tithe those things, so tell me dear, is it true that your heart I've won?"

She clasped him then, and murmured sweet, "I fly my flag to you.
I surrender, dear, my heart's fortress, for, sure, I love you, too."
So they were wed, and so they live, no matter how Lloth doth froth.
She'll never win, the Spider God, so Helm defend them both.

EDIT: To add another stanza, and change some things.

[ 08-21-2002, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: Attalus ]