The Cost of the Crown - Mercedes Lackey & Shandeen

✦Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey

✦Vocals: Shandeen

✦Art: Wang Ling (wlop)

✦Track: The Cost of the Crown

✦Album: Lovers, Lore & Loss: Songs From the "Heralds of Valdemar" Trilogy

✦Lyrics:
The stars are very beautiful above the palace walls
They shine with equal splendor still above far humbler halls
I watch them from my window, but their bright, entrancing glow
Reminds me of the freedom I gave up so long ago

The royal circlet of bright gold rests lightly on my brow
I once thought only of the rights this circlet would endow
But once I took the crown to which I had been schooled and bred
I found it heavy on the heart, though light upon the head

Although I am the head of state, in truth I am the least
The true Queen knows her people fed, before she sits to feast
The good Queen knows her people safe, before she takes her rest
Thinks twice and thrice and yet again, before she makes request

For they are all my children, all that I swore to defend
It is my duty to become both Queen and trusted friend—
And of my children high and low, from beggar to above
The dearest are my Heralds, who return my care with love

The dearest are my Heralds, swift to spring to my command
Who give me aid and fellowship, who always understand
That land and people first have needs that I may not deny—
So I must send my dearest friends to danger—and to die

A friend, a love, a child—it matters not. I know indeed
That I must sacrifice them all if there should be the need
They know, and they forgive me—doing more than I require
With willing minds and loving hearts go straight to grasp the fire

These tears that burn my eyes are all the tears the Queen can't shed
The tears I weep in silence as I mourn my Heralds dead
O Gods that dwell beyond the stars, if you can hear my cry—
And if you have compassion—let me send no more to die!

[dereksampson]

The vocals are by Shandeen, not Margie Butler. She has quite a bit of her other music on YouTube. It’s fantastic. I should know, because she’s my wife, and she’s spectacular.

[titanama]

I also listened to the Nightcore version, this one sounds like an aged queen looking back on her past mistakes. The Nightcore version sounds like a young queen who has begun to realize the burden that comes with such a position.

[littledikkins]

Absolutely beautiful. As Shakespeare put it, ''uneasy lies the head that wears the Crown''.

[xqiuvmah]

For those curious, this was written by Mercedes lackey. This song is for one of her characters from the "arrows of the queen" trilogy. Specifically it is queen selenay of valdemar. "Heralds" are magical servants of the crown that ride white spirit horses called companions. They are tasked with patrolling the kingdom, informing the populace of any new laws, serving as judges for rural areas without a judge of their own, fighting bandits if the guards are not enough, and passing messages since companions are faster and have better endurance then any other horse. It is a good series and I have enjoyed all of her books so far

[hestiaporras]

I heard this song, and my writers block was flooded with eagerness

[dragon_fury]

The video is very lovely. This song is hard to find, most of the time, so it's wonderful to find this. Thank you for making it.

[cetrzne]

I am twenty-two years old, and my mother named me Kethry in honor of another trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. When I was old enough to read them, I did, and I'm glad that people still love the world she's created because I love them as well!

[clancy]

The chosen hero of fate

There he sat, the wanderer, a prince who had forsaken his claim to the throne to save all lives of nine kingdoms. He is the promised hero, but what happens when the one who is supposed to protect doesn't want the burden of a million lives? He looked into cracking and embers of the fire in front of him with contemplation. The wanderer had the memory of his beloved in his head and the son he'll never see grow from boy to man.

[estelle]

I can't find it on Spotify... This song is everything I wish I could add it to my playlist

[Leo-hpub]

The stars are very beautiful, above the palace walls,
They shine with equal splendour, still above far humbler halls.
I watch them from my window, but their bright entrancing glow,
Reminds me of the freedom I gave up so long ago.
The royal circlet of bright gold rests lightly on my brow,
I once thought only of the rights this circlet would endow.
But once I took the crown to which I had been schooled and bred,
I found it heavy on the heart, though light upon the head.
Although I am the head of state, in truth I am the least,
The true Queen knows her people fed, before she sits to feast.
The good Queen knows her people safe, before she takes her rest,
Thinks twice and thrice and yet again, before she makes request.
For they are all my children, all, that I swore to defend,
It is my duty to become both Queen and trusted friend—
And of my children high and low, from beggar to above,
The dearest are my Heralds, who return my care with love.
The dearest are my Heralds, swift to spring to my command.
Who give me aid and fellowship, who always understand
That land and people first have needs that I may not deny—
So I must send my dearest friends to danger—and to die.
A friend, a love, a child—it matters not, I know indeed,
That I must sacrifice them all if there should be the need.
They know, and they forgive me—doing more than I require,
With willing minds and loving hearts go straight to grasp the fire.
These tears that burn my eyes are all the tears the Queen can't shed,
The tears I weep in silence as I mourn my Heralds dead.
Oh gods that dwell beyond the stars, if you can hear my cry—
And if you have compassion—let me send no more to die!




Just thought I'd stick here so I can sing along lol

[uyennhi]

Thank you for this pretty video ^^ But I advice you should increase the size of the lyrics next time since it's too hard to see them clearly.

[voidstarq]

The *repetition* of "The dearest are my Heralds..." invokes the double meaning of "dear" -- it means both "loved" and "expensive".

[starshine]

Oh that is gorgeous.

I adore Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series (as well as the 500 Kingdoms and Elemental Masters series). I haven't heard too much of her Filk stuff though.

[f.megawati]

Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors and now I know she writes songs, my life is complete

[DpDepresso]

Ive always loved songs like this, it makes me miss a home I've never seen. I hope some day I'll find it, I hope the same for anyone that shares my feelings.

[marshmallow]

I’m literally covered in goosebumps...

[justincarawan-carawanco.pu]

1:19-1:26 "[...] thinks twice and thrice and yet again before she makes requests."

There's something about the line "thinks twice and thrice and yet again", in particular, that I find especially beautifully written.

[elvearryn]

I am known as the evil leader in the other world. But they know not the struggles and the chains that bind me to my destiny, one that I regret....

[stalwartteakettlepotato]

"Oh gods that dwell beyond the stars if you can hear my cry, and if you have compassion let me send no more to die"
What the queen didn't know is that the eldrich gods that dewllet beyond the stars were waiting for just such a bargain. She had just made a deal with lovcraftina beings.

Just as she had pleaded, none of them would die, although in time all of them begged for it.

[RCBlooming]

Does anyone have recommendations for songs that have a similar style? I feel like this reminds of some song I heard before but I can't put my finger on it.