The clamor was almost deafening as they sang at the top of their voices and danced around. We had hired a private room at a nearby inn. The table was filled with dishes and several bottles. Inian, Wyn and Cesla drummed their tankards together and finished their song with an long sweep of the beer. Inian gestured to Leaf and Storm.

"You should join us", he said. "Sing, drink and eat. That's hoing alright!"

"Yes, if you can walk a straight line home afterwards, you clearly not drunk enough!" said Wyn and took another long sweep. With those words the three of them began singing again. This time Deyla and Cheasna joined in, drumming their tankards in rhythm:

May we dance to sun goes down and day become night.

Our home is the wide fields of the glorious haven

were the grass rise high. Golden is the lakes we see.

May we travel far and near, our faith is strong,

our hearts never lost will be. Over fields of green

the horses run. With them we will travel till day become night.

With them we will travel to the end of time.

Dance and sing to remember, we still live.

Dance and sing to remember, we still love.

Dance and sing, you will see, our home is the field.

They sang the last lines so loudly their voices lost all the usual melody. A tankard was put in front of me. I looked to my side. Elisila was still pale but smiled encouragingly, gesturing to the pint. I waited for him to say anything but he still sat quiet and listen to the singing. The five of them had already begun singing on another tune.

"For someone who is supposed to be quiet, he sure is noisy", Earth glared at Deyla and the other four. A pint smacked in to the table in front of him. Deyla's straw blonde hair was disheveled and his face was red.

"A hoing without singing or dancing is like a wedding missing the bride or the groom", he said. "Just because I'm upholding the virtue of Silence doesn't mean I'm oath bound to never say anything."

Cesla sat down heavily. "I dare say that you may be the worst upholder of Silence ever!"

"Oh? So not always keeping quiet and appreciate silence is one and the same thing?"

"You should at least uphold some kind of decorum. That's all I'm saying."

"Enough!" Sylvance dark voice cut through the noise. "I know that you all are jumpy. But we are guests in this country and we having a hoing. At least try!"

The other two men looked at each other, muttered something and then throw themselves over the food. Soon the other three joined and began eating.

"So how is living in The Forgotten Sound Light?" Inian asked over his mouthful.

"The Kingdom of Forgotten Sound!" Wyn corrected pointedly.

"Yeah, yeah. So?"

"Oh, I think it's very nice", said Leaf. "Very peaceful!"

"That do sound nice!" said Inian. "So you've had no problems at all?"

"Well…"

"We didn't mean to snoop around. Mere curiosity", said Wyn. "Cesla said he sensed there had been some troubled recently but didn't mention what. Didn't you Cesla?"

The Knight met the eyes of his follow Knight. "Yes, I did but I also said it been dealt with and that I couldn't read what kind of problems", he said. "Though for some reason I could read something to do with graveyard…"

"Graveyard…"

"What comes from a graveyard but death and mourning?" Deyla raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Undead?"

I chocked on my beer and began coughing soundly. Blaze laughed and smiled wildly.

"You got it!" he roared. "There is nothing more Sun hates that the undead!"

"You mean the dead actually rises from their rest?" Wyn locked aghast. "Why?"

"Prayers over their poor souls, may they find piece and silence once more", Deyla murmured.

"You don't have any troubles with the undead?" Storm asked.

"None, actually", said Sylvance. "I have heard that many different kinds of races reside in this part of the world. None of them reside in our part of the world."

"Who takes care of the undead here?" asked Cesla.

"It's the Sun Knight of course!" said Blaze loudly. "He hates them more than anything."

"What!" Inian exclaimed. "He hates them even more than being stuck on a muddy road in rain and just lost a boot?"

I guess I would hate that…

A hoarse laughter was suddenly heard through the clamoring of voices. One after one became quiet, seeking the source of the sound. I looked at Elisila again. His shoulder's was shaking slightly and the rasping sound of his laughter filled the silence.

It was late in the night, all the food was gone but the drinks were still flowing. I was beginning to feel slightly tipsy and hade since long lost count on how much I had drunk. The Knights of Khadaz was still singing songs from their home country. Many of them were catchy and joyful. Some were playful. All of them had the word 'Horse' in them, or 'Horses'.

"You certainly love your horses", I said to a very drunk Inian. He smiled musingly.

"Of course we do! Horses are the best!" he hiccupped and spilled the content of his pint on the floor. "Horses are our life after all!" Soon he had joined in with another song. Wyn was also singing happily. The two joined in a duet which turned to a duel when Deyla and Cesla began singing the answering verses. At last Sylvance spoke to them, the words were unfamiliar. They settled down around the table, suddenly serious. This time everyone except Elisila joined in the song. The song was soft and slow:

So the night has come and the fires have died.

Silent is the night in which the stars shone tonight.

The moon is all above, watching us still.

May the darkness be a friend to which in rest

until the sun rises in blue sky comes once again.

Let the friends we may find their way home,

so that we may meet them once more for sure.

Soon the day is done and we will find rest,

to be strong and wise when the times so tell.

Our fire has died but we still stand tall,

in our hearts is a glow that never goes.

In the silence of the night rest will come.

So that we may rise again and face the day

without fears in our hearts and will so strong.

May we never forget the love that we got,

when the days come to rest and night is upon.

The song ebbed out. They slowly rose from their seats, placing coins on the table in front of them. The innkeeper greeted us briefly when we left the inn. While getting mounting the horses I approached Sylvance cautiously.

"You said you don't have different races in your home country?"

"You have good memory", he answered in a low voice. "That is indeed so."

"No elves or undead?"

"None. The elves live in forests, yes? Well, we don't have many forests and our dead stays in their graves!"

Changing the subject I glanced at Elisila and said: "He was quiet tonight."

"He is tired. The Virtues knows he's always tired but tonight more than usual." Sylvance looked at me with his deep blue eyes. "We are all human; life is tedious even when not being chosen. The life we wish for is not the life we in the end will live. Sometimes that life becomes heavy and we will grow weary and tired. Those who endure will either find strength to go on; while others will lose strength or find themselves broken.

"You are surrounded by people who care for you as you care for them. Still you turn a blind eye to them. If you can't trust that they will endure with you, you may one day find yourself broken.