The Church bells tolled heavily. Fog surrounded the outside of the building and inside moroi and dhampirs alike stood to mourn their lost children. Over 200 were slaughtered and still no one knew why.
Queen Vasilisa Dragomir stood at the front clutching the hand of her boyfriend, Christian. They'd snuck off when it got rowdy. Her guilt at being alive was nothing compared to the grief she felt over those who had died. She'd lost many new friends along with her fellow spirit user, Adrian.
It was almost unthinkable to see his name alongside the others. Adrian, so full of life. Reckless, drunken, ridiculous Adrian. And now he was gone.
She looked sideways to see her friend, Rose, standing with her mother. Tears poured down her still face, her eyes staring straight forward. Rose had lost Dimitri. Again. And this time there was no going back.
The choir began to sing and Lissa turned her attention back to the front. The song carried her on its haunting tune and the Church wept for its lost ones. After it had finished, a list was read out of those who had died. Everyone knew someone. When the priest finished reading, we filed out and nodded to each other in acknowledgement of our collective suffering. Tomorrow we would fight, but today was a day of rememberance.