Ashes to ashes
Lord Dathedr stepped forward.
"We gather to farewell an honored queen. One who led us bravely through the misrule of The Evil one and who ultimately gave her life to bring peace to the people of Alagaesia"
Arya looked down upon her mother's cold, dead face and fought back tears.
"Queen Islanzadi, may her memory live on in our hearts" Arya mouthed the ritual words and watched as Lord Dathedr set the lit torch to the wood of the funeral pyre. As the flames consumed her mothers' body all she could think was why? Why must one man destroy everything I hold dear? Well nearly everything, she corrected.
Through the flames Arya could see Eragon as he moved to join her on this side of the pyre.
The crowds were disbursing. The humans would go back to rebuilding their homes, the dwarves to integrate into the new order of Alagaesia. The order with humans, elves, dwarves and dragons living side by side. Meanwhile the elves would go into a 10 day mourning period, after which she would either ascend the Knotted Thrown or choose to whom she would abdicate.
"Arya" Eragon had joined her.
"Eragon, why have you not left?"
"You are in pain and not thinking straight" Eragon answered simply and truthfully.
Arya felt a stab of anger. Had he still to learn that she was not one of his helpless human women?
"Eragon, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I do not want nor need you taking care of me!"
"You may not need or want me taking care of you but I still will."
By then they were the only ones left by the cooling ashes.
Suddenly it hit her. Her parents were dead, Faolin was dead and she had killed hundreds to get here. She swayed as the shock of realization hit her.
Arya suddenly became aware that Eragon was holding her elbow and leading her away from the pyre into the cool of the forest. She numbly went with him.