Kel's eyes filled with tears. Her aging hands brushed them away into her graying hair. Fighting to control her trembling hands, she set the funeral pyre on fire. Now that he's gone, I have no one left. Her tears began to spill over. I am stone, she thought, but not even her Yamani training kept her wrinkled face from emotion. The fire consumed the pyre as Kel walked painfully to her room. I have no one left she thought as she sat on the edge of her bed. No one. Kel lay down and closed her eyes as a flood of memories returned to her.
She was young again. It was Neal's wedding. Kel knew that nothing could have happened between them, but she still hoped. Dom must have seen the despaired look in her eyes; he slid his hand into her grasp. Lovingly, she looked at him. How could she be unhappy when she had Dom?
I don't have him anymore, she though bitterly. The pain of his passing was still an open wound; he had only been taken from her last week.
Now Kel was in her twenties, visiting the famed Lioness and her husband, George. Passing Alanna a practice glaive, she said, "You're getting better, Lioness. I've never taught such an adept student." Smiling, Alanna moved into a guard position. The two infamous Lady Knights gathered a crowd as they began. Both glaives blurred as they sped up. A quick turn, a thrust, and her glaive lay at Alanna's throat. Kel, startled, looked around as cheers filled the practice yards.
But Alanna had left also. Not of old age, or foolishness in a fight, but of a broken heart. George had died, Alanna the next week. Even so, Kel was not the only female knight in Tortall. They were still a minority, but there were more than two.
Kel was now in her mid-thirties. She gently held the tiny pink bundle to her, pride in her face. Dom sighed with happiness, "She's ours, Kel. She's ours." Kel smiled up at him, too astonished for words. Instead, she handed him the baby. "What shall we name her?"
Kel opened her eyes. Dom brushed a hand against hers. "It's time," he whispered, "Come." A slight nod from the Black God was all she needed. She smiled at Dom, placed her hand in his, and followed him to find her friends.
AN: I don't own any of these chara...though I wish I did, they belong to Tamora Pierce. Also to clear up some questions, this is written as Kel is dying, she lost her husband, Dom, who had died earlier (that's whose funeral pyre she was lighting) and she's reflecting on her life. The Black God is there to tell he it's time to pass to the Realms of the Dead. Since Dom is already dead, he's there to help guide her...hope that clears it all up....And I know Alanna would probably not have died from a broken heart, but I couldn't think of another way for her to die that Kel would not have died also....