*~*~*in Rohan*~*~*
Drira sat numbly at the wall outside her home, her eyes red from tears. Garron knelt down beside her, saying nothing.
"I could do nothing, Garron," she whispered to her brother. He shook his head.
"It is not your fault, Drira. You must understand this-"
"I should have done something!" she shouted, her voice breaking. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks and she closed her eyes, covering her face. He pulled her to him and held her, crying with her. Bryn came to them and looked down, waiting for Garron to look up. The two boys then left Drira at the wall and walked a distance away.
"Mother said to explain everything to her, Garron," Bryn said. "When would be…when should we?"
"Not now. We should wait until the grieving has passed. How she would take news like that at this time is beyond me. This is a tender time and we should wait until some of her strength has returned."
Bryn nodded and they looked back to Drira, but she was gone. Garron looked at Bryn, then they looked to the house.
Drira sat on her knees staring at the bed. Her mother lay there, eyes closed, heart stopped, arms folded neatly in a look of peace. Drira took a breath before gingerly touching her mother's hand, then she fell onto her in a heap of sorrow.
"I love you, Mother! Please don't…please don't leave me…" She wept silently as she hugged her mother's body, then stroked the woman's hair and kissed her brow before standing. She turned and walked away from the bed then, the other mourners parting respectfully. She walked again to the wall and stared up at the sky. The night was cloudy and she felt it would start to rain, as though the clouds shared in her sorrow. She gazed to them until her vision blurred and she blinked, then studied the sky more closely. The clouds parted and a single star winked down at her. She smiled through the tears and wrapped her arms about her, then closed her eyes and breathed in relief.