[Intro — Soft Piano, Distant Strings] Oh, Berdwick, dear old Berdwick, How many years have passed? I kept the candles burning, And prayed the light would last. [Verse 1 — Melancholic, Gentle Male Vocals] I've seen the towers crumble, I've watched the banners fall. I've heard the cries of battle Still echo through the hall. The dust became our neighbour, The rain became our friend. And every broken window Reminded us of the end. A hundred years and more have passed, Since living children's laughter rang. We had our songs, we had our dances, Yet something in the silence sang. [Verse 2 — Harpsichord, Gentle Strings] Our little princess, Camille, Still brought us joy and light. Her laughter warmed the corridors, Her smile made darkness bright. Each month we held our celebrations, The court would dance till dawn. But when the final notes had faded, The emptiness returned. The walls grew old, the stones grew cold, The ivy claimed the throne. And though a thousand souls lived here, The castle felt alone. [Pre-Chorus — Low Choir, Slowly Rising] And then the Order came one day, To claim what war had left behind. Their banners rose, their banners fell, Their conquest scattered in the wind. They learned to fear these ancient halls, And dared not cross our gates again. But even they could never bring The warmth of living hearts within. [Chorus — Gentle, Bittersweet] Oh, how the years went by, Beneath the silent sky. We learned to smile, we learned to stay, And watched the colours fade away. We had our king, we had our home, We had a thousand tales to tell. But every room was waiting still, For someone new to break the spell. [Instrumental Interlude — Oboe, Harpsichord, Soft Horn] [Verse 3 — Gradually Brighter] And then, one night, the doors were opened, Two living strangers stepped inside. One saw adventure in the shadows, The other wished to run and hide. One laughed at every little wonder, One rolled her eyes and shook her head. And suddenly, our ancient castle Remembered all the things we'd said. The portraits watched with new excitement, The candles danced a little higher. The halls were filled with playful teasing, With laughter, kindness and desire. No rehearsed smiles, no grand performance, No royal duties to obey. Just two dear girls who brought us something We thought had long since gone away. [Bridge — Warm Strings, Flute, Gentle Choir] Dear Ginny, with your endless wonder, Dear Veronica, with your patient smile, You made these ancient halls feel younger, If only for a little while. And I have served a thousand banquets, And witnessed countless royal balls. But nothing quite compares to hearing Your laughter ringing through these halls. [Final Chorus — Full Orchestra, Warm and Uplifting] The walls were gray until you came! The candles never shone the same! You brought the colours back to life, And chased the silence from the night! A hundred years of endless waiting, A hundred years of yesterday. And all it took was two dear strangers To make the darkness fade away! Our princess laughs, our king is smiling, The court has found a brighter day. And though our hearts have long stopped beating, We feel their warmth in every way! [Outro — Soft Piano, Solo Oboe] Oh, Berdwick, dear old Berdwick, Your stones may crumble, fade and fall. But now I know that life can blossom Within the oldest, coldest walls. And should you ever leave these halls, Remember what you've helped us find. The walls were gray until you came... And now the light is here to stay. [End — Harpsichord, Gentle Triangle]
