AN: These are all Tamora Pierce's characters. I didn't make them up. And, don't get me wrong, I love Alanna, I was just very depressed when I wrote this.
Alanna stood in the rain, ropes tight around her, the rain washing away all her pain for a few minutes. With the few minutes before the inevitable, she remembered. She remembered Jonathan's love, and the forever love of her husband, George. She remembered Thayet, with her beauty and disregard for certain rules. She remembered Buri, and her love of command. She remembered Keladry, with pain in her heart. How she wanted to help Kel. She remembered Daine, with her love of animals. She remembered Raoul, with his dancing black eyes and quick humor. She remembered Gary, always there to help. She remembered Liam, even though he was long gone. She remembered Coram, who had taught her the basics. She remembered Neal, her quick-tongued one-time Squire. She remembered Myles, and how much fatherly love he had given her. She remembered them all, and for the first time in years, tears streamed down her face. She had failed them all. She hadn't stopped the Sancrans. Now it was time for Mithros and the Black God to decide their fate. She tried to dry her tears, but her bonds were too tight. She screamed her pain as they set the twigs on fire. What a way to go.