(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/75/Matigroves125square.jpg)<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Mati Groves</span></span><br/>Location: The Galaxy<br/>With: Paulette Lisette saint-Simon; and an audience including (now NPC) Okello Okanjo, Kaelyn Richelieu; Kaelyn's slave, Tillie; Kaelyn's friend, Marie-Clare Lisson; Marie-Clare's slave and mother, Annalie Rachel Lisson.<br/><br/>Mati wondered if he'd underestimated Paulette.  In the first song he'd thought Paulette's voice almost too pure, too lyrical for what she sang.<br/><br/>But n the second, there were such dark ironies that he heard when she almost spoke 'I would be your slave'...and the sorrow of 'I bet you laugh out loud at me'...and a sort of terrible hopelessness behind 'I would give you all my love'...<br/><br/>He could see that even her owner Okanjo was surprised.  Although he was only tepidly joining in the applause, the man's eyes were wide with possibilities.  Maybe he was thinking of the value of his 'cunt' now he'd heard her sing.  His value to Mati, perhaps?<br/><br/>Mati didn't give her direct praise.  But he smiled, and squeezed her hand, and said, 'Hey, I think I said two songs, but they like us, so let's give 'em an encore.  'Everybody hurts'...Give me space to croak the first verse, then join me on 'Don't let yourself go'.  After that I'll leave the song to you.'<br/><br/>He saw a few of the slaves and free folk near them quieten as they recognised the opening chords...<br/><br/><em><em>When your day is long<br/>And the night, the night is yours alone<br/>When you're sure you've had enough<br/>Of this life, well hang on<br/><br/>Don't let yourself go<br/>'Cause everybody cries<br/>And everybody hurts sometime</em>s </em>