Blood and Thunder

Neither near nor far
Fever and fear at heart
Following me and not far behind

A disconsolate, desolate, decadent mess
I lounge around in my fortresses
And every evening the tea leaves have shown
My destiny waits like a knife on a whetstone

Well it happened one night
The moon in the sky fat, placid and bright
In my tower of granite
Surveying the scene and gauging the best way down
Don't falter, one false step and in the beckoning moat I'll drown

Oh delayed thought I may be
You better wait for me
Patiently

Run down avenues where the trees are clutching their branches
And knit their fingers into arches
(Legion made of mechanisms the devil will unwind)

You see I forsee enemies in every quarter
Special division on alert to departure
Following me and not far behind

And at the edge of the thicket
Scan the open ground, is it time to risk it?
Head straight to the river
My only chance is to cross the water
Or death with no ceremony
Behind me only enemies steadily gaining ground

As despair took a hold of me
I raised up my head to see
A stranger, a messenger
To carry a passenger

Carry me safe, a horse to carry me safe, to carry me safe to sanctuary and kinsmen
Leave this barren thankless land for a distant leafy kingdom
Thudding over sodden turf
The things I have gathered
Carry me, Oh glory
Blood and thunder I have felt
Sweat flies off of my trusty stead
If I was ever riddled with doubt then spells
Fell away from me instantly

[instrumental interlude]

I've been to a place
Where in desperate gain
All was lost in the plunder
And what single thing
That's so eager to win
Slipped, through clutching fingers

No face on the clock
And no lines on the palm
And the long time locked in the tower
Now a binding charm
Against those who choose to do harm
And the sweetest spell to slip under
And soon you will see, with such simplicity
Strange and marvellous wonders

And dream of the place
And this slackening pace
And the grace that kisses the landing
Seek you out
The ones you love best
And lay down in slumber