Once Sabriel
The autumn leaves rustle under feet that have walked many roads
The sun beats on shoulders that have carried many loads
These hands have carried a title and blade
This will has begun to slowly fade
With an open palm I offer you my glove
An invisible glove that so often carried my love
The ground is scarred rough from battle
So like my voice, once an intimidating shout, now only a feeble rattle
I see the friends and family of my past in my mind
Only the memories now last for me to find
Love had me out on the edge
To the king, my mate, I made a pledge
To my mate, the king, I gave my word
To never leave him, this I heard
I swore I would not love another man
I do not think I can
Not after steel took both my mate and the land's king
Melted in half now, is my wedding ring
I feel I must live
For the new Abhorsen, my life, I will give
But why longer must I stay?
My dues have been paid; I only now wait for my dying day
For my children, the heirs, have all grown
Living now on their own
My friends have died
For all of them, I cried
What more must life throw at me?
How many more sunsets and sunrises must I see?
Perhaps only one
Or maybe none
I have seen many suns fall
Stared blankly at them all
Wishing that it was my very last
Wanting this day to be a thing of the past
I know this day will be long
I know this is my last song
But since when is wanting death so wrong?
This era is done
Sprits are free, out on the run
I cannot join them, yet I am not warm here in the sun
I bring Astarael, the Sorrowful Weeper in my hand and let it ring
Sweet clanging peals ring out and sing
Dark and fearing is the sound
Here in the dirt I am to be found
I lay here now on this scarred land
This has all been planned
Not the deaths, not the pain
Not the night when he was slain
But my own passage into a final Death
Floating beyond the Ninth Gate, I know I have breathed my last breath
I was once Sabriel, the queen and Abhorsen, thought to be of much worth
Now I pass the sword and bells to Lireal, the fifty-fourth.