Arrows Are Always Faster Than Jinxes

"Today, we are gathered to honor Lady Fiona Bayer. Several of you may not have known her, and most of you only from a distance, but for me, this loss was personal. That fated day, I lost not only my father, but my sister. Perhaps my father deserved his death, for he did many horrible deeds in life, but for Fiona, her death was sudden and unexpected. She and I always looked out for each other, always had each other's backs. That day, I lost a friend, my family, a sister. May the Maker welcome you. Rest in peace, Fiona."

Micah stepped off the speaking platform and took a ragged breath, not even bothering to conceal the tears streaming down his face. His mother was weeping in the front row, covering her face with a handkerchief not only to conceal her tears, he suspected, but to also hide the fact that she was totally drunk.

He sat down next to her and stared ahead in a stupor, grief clouding his senses. Several more speakers came up, but Micah heard none of them. Finally, the ceremony was over, and Micah was all alone.

Or so he thought.

"You know, Lord Bayer had ample time to save Fiona. I did give him a chance."

Micah stopped laying flowers around Fiona. "You." He breathed. "Why are you here?"

Hanson Alister's voice rang out behind him again. "Fiona helped me when no one else would. I thought I might as well pay her some respect."

Micah whirled around, fury suddenly burning away the pain. "You. Cared. NOTHING. For. Her! Why should I believe you? You lead my sister to an early death. If you had just stayed a street thief, none of this would have happened! Fiona wouldn't be dead. I wouldn't be alone. Hanalea's bloody bones, all I have left for a family is a drunkard for a mother and a half-brother who despises me!" Micah stifled a sob. "So much loss. I don't even have Raisa anymore." He glared into Han's glittering blue eyes through a veil of tears. "I loved Rai. Really, I did. And Fiona, for reasons unknown, loved you." He barked a laugh. "And see where love got us? Nowhere. Nowhere at all. Love left us with Fiona dead and me with nothing. Do you know how painful that is, Hanson "Cuffs" Alister? How much it hurts to lose everyone you love? At least you have friends and family and someone who loves you. And what do I have?" He screamed. "NOTHING!"

Han snarled and grabbed Micah's shoulders, the burn of his magic singeing the fabric. "I lost a sister, too." He growled. "And she was only a child, pure and innocent. Don't tell me I don't know what it is like to lose a loved one." He released Micah, eyes hard with remembered pain and anger. "And, if I recall correctly, it was a Bayer who killed her." He glanced at Fiona's face, unexpectedly serene in death, and softened. "At least Fiona had a proper funeral."

He gazed at Micah. "We are even now, Micah. Take care not to ruin it."

Both wizards bowed their heads, their anger gone. Han Alister brought forth a blood-red rose, the petals glimmering with some sort of magic, and placed it carefully between Fiona Bayer's hands. It contrasted with the white roses scattered over her chest, and seemed to almost glow with vitality.

A cruel joke, considering.

Han bowed his head in respect, murmuring a prayer. Micah watched him from between his eyelashes, but didn't interrupt.

After a short silence, Han spoke up again. "I closed her eyes and felt pity, if it's any help." He said in a low voice. "I didn't wish her to the Breaker, like I did your father." He paused. "In fact, I wished the opposite."

"I was aware that Fiona was sweet on me," he continued. "But I never spurned her. Not really. And perhaps, under different circumstances, I maybe would have even started to love her back." He turned and walked to the exit. "Until next time, Lord Micah Bayer."

He left Micah with the corpse of his sister and the ashes of forgotten dreams.

A/N: Blergh, I messed up on this. But I wanted to honor Fiona Bayer, because, well she was my favorite character, and when I read about her death I was all like, "NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! You can't die! DX" I mean, we all have our flaws, right? Fiona didn't deserve to die :'(

Oh, and I ship her and Han. Haters beware.