Heartsong

Sorrow, thought Daniel. That's what this is about.

He sat in the circle with the others watching the performer continue her plaintive song. The dark violet blossoms in her hair seemed to accentuate the mournful tones of her voice. The wind blew softly and the petals stirred in time with the chorus. Her voice was pure and vibrant, seeming to pierce him to his very soul. Although some of the language still escaped him, he recognized the tale of lost love and tragic heartbreak. The very same sorrow he he had felt when he had lost his own love. The clear notes seemed to trigger his own memories, his own sorrows. Remembered losses threatened to overwhelm him--the loss of his parents, the tragedy of growing up feeling lost and unprotected, the loss of his soulmate Sha're, and the irony of finding her again only to watch her die. The frustration of seeking his wife's child, only to find that he had to let him go once more. So many losses, so many sorrows, all brought back to mind by one mournful song. He felt this eyes fill with tears and tried vainly to suppress the rising emotion.

The slowly, the music changed. the singer's tone lightened and the words of the song started to talk of hope. The strength to release the hurt and pain, the courage to forgive those responsible for the sorrow, the faith to go on. The resolve to hang on to the memories of true happiness, knowing that one day joy could be complete again. His own thoughts began to transform with the song. he thought back on moments he had spent discovering the past with his parents, the silly games they used to play on Egyptian dunes, the quiet moments encircled by his mother's arms. He thought back to idyllic times on Abydos, discovering the fascinating culture of his adopted people. Those wonderful months spent with Sha're, finding out what made her eyes sparkle with interest, what made her smile or laugh out loud. He remembered savoring the exotic foods at joyous feasts, dancing until the moon was high in the sky, making love under the stars. he suddenly felt very possessive of these memories; these were his and no one could take them away. Nothing could diminish the love he had felt, the wonder and kindness, the beautiful times spent with those closest to him. no matter what tragedies befell him, no matter what forces tried to rip apart his life, they couldn't touch the marvelous events that had already happened.

The surrounding silence interrupted Daniel's thoughts as he realized the song had ended. Hastily, he swiped his eyes clear and looked over at his teammates. Sam was unabashedly drying her own tears, and even Teal'c and Jack looked a bit misty. Daniel felt a surge of comradery with this group. They knew. They each had their own sorrows and their own memories to cherish. They had each gone through tragedies that had threatened to crush their spirits. But in the end, they had all found a way to go on, to hope again. As he watched, Jack turned toward him and for a moment they locked eyes. The strength of their unspoken bond washed over him and Daniel knew that Jack was feeling the same way. Then, as if cued by a silent conductor, the moment passed and Jack nodded as Daniel rose to give the extraordinary performer their thanks.

This was written in response to a 5 minute challenge posted on the sgfic list. Authors were challenged to write a fic based upon three words and the first word listed had to be the first word of the fic. The words were: sorrow, blossom, song.

Feedback welcome.

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