A Day Without Rain
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Alanna the Lioness
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A/N: I like this fic. It's to the tune of Enya's "A Day Without Rain". There are no lyrics to it, because it's a piano/soft chorus song, but it's beautiful. For the full effect, you'll have to listen to it while you read this. Song/lyric bit at the end—both Enya's, and only the plot is mine. Rest is Tamora Pierce's.
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I just realized this. Today, March 30, 2002, marks the first year anniversary of my joining FanFiction.Net. On March 30, 2001, I decided I'd waited in the shadows too long to post fan fics of my own, and I joined on the pen name ~*Our Lady of the Flame*~. So, I tried to make this fic extra good…because it's my anniversary fic. Hope you like it as much as I liked writing it.
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Enjoy.`*
Alanna followed the line of mourners, which was ironically short. Thom had been powerful; everyone had known that. There had been a large number of people that respected Thom, but the number of people that had actually liked him was less than one-fourth that group. Raoul, Jon, and most of her childhood friends were present, as well as some new companions. George, however, was away at Trebond, helping Coram and Maude to fix the family records. He'd insisted, although he'd given his condolences and held her for hours while she grieved.
The Lioness noticed that a few commoners and townspeople had decided to follow the company, and that they were peering at her curiously. She knew they were wondering how she, the sister of perhaps the greatest sorcerer in the Eastern Lands, was taking the Master's death. She'd always hated staring, and now was the worst possible time to get it. Tugging the hood of her cloak down, she huddled even further into the garment, her eyes lowered.
A hand touched her shoulder gently, and Alanna saw, out of the corner of her eye, the seal of the Tortallan royalty on a ring. It shimmered once in the milky sunlight that filtered from the clouds. She winced and turned away, fighting tears.
"Alanna…" It was Jon. He tried to see her face, but she wouldn't let him. Finally, he pulled the hood back gently and took a good look at her. Her violet eyes were brimming with unshed tears.
"Are you afraid to let people see you cry?" He inquired, removing a handkerchief from his pocket and attempting to blot the tears that were now falling. Alanna turned away, closing her eyes.
"Don't, Jon," she whispered, wounded.
They had reached the burial site. Alanna watched, silent as the coffin was removed from the funeral carriage and loaded onto three men's shoulders. The group began to walk towards the tomb that was lying in wait for Thom.
Jon put an arm around her shoulders. "You're allowed to cry, Alanna. He was your brother."
Was. Alanna bit her tongue and closed her eyes again, forcing down the ever-growing lump in her throat.
Jon realized his mistake. Looking guiltily at his weeping Champion, he hesitated for a moment, then gathered her into a hug. He felt Alanna stiffen in his arms for a moment. It had been a long time since he had last shown her the slightest trace of affection...not counting their encounter in George's drawing room. "I'm sorry." He murmured.
Alanna's shoulders were now shaking in silent sobs. The men carrying the coffin had unloaded it onto the ground, and were opening the casket lid, talking in low voices.
"He wasn't a bad person, Jon," she sobbed. "He was a prig…but it's only human…"
Jon bit his lip and hugged her closer. "I know."
"Why do the gods hate him?" she demanded, hot rivulets streaming down her face. "It's so cruel. No rain, even…as if he didn't matter…"
The sky was dark gray in rain clouds, but no rain had fallen. Jon didn't answer; only stroked her hair with one hand while holding her to him with the other in silence.
Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak stood nearby, watching as the men conferred over something. He frowned inwardly. What were they saying? …tomb caved in…have to burn the body…
Alanna stiffened at these words, and broke from Jon's grasp as one of the men lit a torch and lowered it to the casket. "No! Please," she snatched the torch from the man's grip, gasping.
The commoner stared at her. "But Lady…the tomb's caved in…what else are we to do with the body?"
"You could have ASKED me first!" Alanna was angry, even in her grief. "Do you have no respect for the dead?"
The man quailed under her vengeful purple stare and turned away. Alanna looked at the torch, the fire slowly consuming the wood upon which it was perched.
"What about the Trebond burial grounds?" Raoul wanted to know. "He is a Trebond…he deserves to be buried among his family, at the very least."
This time, it was Jon who spoke. "Trebond is at least a two days ride from here. The body would be destroyed in the time it would take to get from Corus to Trebond."
Thayet looked worriedly at Alanna. "Is there no other way?" She asked gently.
The three commoners shook their heads. An uncomfortable silence hung over the small crowd. Then Alanna spoke.
"If he has to be cremated, then let me do it. I have the Gift….and I'm his sister. If anyone sets fire to his body, it should be me. The gods know, I did it often enough when he was alive."
A dry chuckle arose from the onlookers. Alanna looked at the torch for a moment before putting it out with a spoken word.
"Leave…please." A single tear dropped from her eye to roll down her cheek. "I want to be with my brother alone."
One by one, each member of the mourners left until only Jon remained. He looked at the body for a moment, then at his Champion. He went to her and hugged her again.
"You know I'm here if you need me."
Alanna smiled through her tears. "I do. Good-bye, Jon."
He nodded and gave her shoulder a last squeeze before exiting the burial grounds, which adjoined a large lake. There were very strange stories about the lake. Alanna waited until he was completely out of sight to kneel beside the coffin. There he was….her brother, her twin, her other half. His expression, even in death, was haughty and dignified. But there was something else, too……she remembered his last words well.
Love you….always have, always will.
She touched his face gently. She didn't want to burn him. He deserved more than that.
A gentle wind stirred the trees, sending white blossoms from the branches dancing in little trails. They circled Alanna and the casket, some landing in her hair, where they remained. She watched, fascinated, as the rest went on to blow towards a nearby lake. The blossoms landed upon the glassy surface, where they rested. Alanna stared at them for a moment before looking back at Thom. A single petal drifted from her hair to rest on Thom's forehead.
Alanna unhooked the jeweled fastening at her throat and removed her cloak. She spread it over Thom's body and tucked it neatly around him. Leaning forward, she planted a kiss on his forehead for the last time.
She grabbed onto the coffin and tugged it past the burial grounds, away from the tombs. When she had gone about 25 feet, she stopped to rest, placing a hand on her back. By attempting to drag her brother's heavy pine coffin to the lake, she'd done permanent damage to her back, although it wouldn't start to ache occasionally for two decades. She inhaled deeply and dragged it eight more feet to the banks of the lake.
Love you….always have, always will.
Rest in peace, Thom.
She shoved the coffin into the lake, then stood back, watching it drift. She'd left the coffin lid open; Thom would have wanted the fresh air on his face before he want underground. She straightened, hugging herself, the breeze rustling her mourning gown.
The coffin drifted out towards the middle of the lake, where the depth was about 35 feet. It floated there for a moment, as if Thom were giving his last goodbye to the world, before disappearing beneath the waters of the lake.
The sun broke through the clouds, giving forth a single ray as a clap of thunder issued and rain poured down, glimmering in the sunlight.
Once, in the care of morning
In the air was all belonging.
Once when that day was dawning
I was with you…
A/N: Yeah, I switched over to some lyrics from Enya's "Fallen Embers" at the end. Let's see some reviews.