A/N: Final chapter. Short and sweet, this story is. Sorry, guys. =(

"Where… where am I?" Kiala whispered, staring around her. All around was whiteness, bright white light, and she was standing on nothing, the whiteness stretching down as far as she could see. A figure was coming towards her. His face broke into a smile when he was close enough.

"Hello, Kiala," he said. The girl's lip began to quiver.

"…Alex?" she whispered fearfully. He smiled and nodded. "But… that means…" He sighed.

"I'm dead. I know it. And I guess that means you're dead, too." A smile trembling on Kiala's lips, she stretched out a hand to touch his. He was cold, but solid enough. He was almost exactly as she remembered him.

"Death isn't so bad," he told her gently. "It's a bit cold, and a bit dark, but it could be a lot worse."

"I don't mind," she said, almost crying. "I wanted it. I don't want to live any more."

Purple light began to pulse in the whiteness. Both of them looked around, Kiala afraid, Alex worried.

"What is it?" she asked, frightened.

"I… I don't know," he admitted, staring at it. Kiala felt something pulling on her, dragging her away. He chewed his lip.

"Alex? You… you know, don't you? What it is?" She struggled to stay where she was. He sighed and nodded.

"Alanna," he told her. "Her magic is purple. She's bringing you back- you're not dead."

"No!" she cried. "I want… I want to be! I want to stay here, with you… Alex!" Now the pulling sensation was stronger, dragging her backwards. She reached out to him, and he grabbed her hand, but he felt un-solid, unreal.

He let go.

"Kiala, go," he said, his voice neutral but his eyes sad. "You've got so much life ahead of you." Now Kiala took a step backwards as the pulling became almost too strong to fight.

"I haven't," she whispered. "Not without you… I love you, Alex, please don't make me go…"

"I'm not making you," he said, his voice betraying his sadness. "She is. I'll wait for you, Kiala. It won't be long. When you come here, I'll be waiting."

The tugging made Kiala make another step backwards. Alex stepped forward and tried to take her hand, but he passed right through her; she felt a cold, damp sensation, but nothing more.

"Promise?" she whispered. He nodded- his features were beginning to fade.

"I promise."

The purple light grew brighter and Kiala was swept off her feet, yanked away from Alex and into pitch darkness, alone and frightened.

She opened her eyes. Alanna slumped back into her chair, her breathing heavy and ragged. Raoul grabbed Kiala's hand.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" he gasped. "You almost scared me to death! I thought… I thought I was going to lose you, Kiala…" His fingers squeezed hers. She smiled shakily.

"Sorry…" she whispered. "I couldn't help it…" He smiled weakly.

"Don't do it again," he commanded gently.

"I make no promises," was her miserable reply.

~*~

It was only two days later when her brother found her in her rooms, lying on the bed, a neat cut on her left wrist and her small Tirragen dagger in her right hand. She had taken the only way out she knew; she had bled to death in her room alone.

The funeral was short, and very simple. Kiala never liked big displays. She was buried next to Alex, who had previously had only a rotting wooden cross to tell of his place of rest. The cross was removed, and a proper headstone added. Kiala lay next to him, peaceful in the still, pale sleep she would not wake from.

"Kiala wanted to go," Raoul said, his voice choked. "She's gone to be with Alex, like she wanted." He said no more.

Kiala's father said a few words, as did King Jonathan.

"She wanted Alex's name cleared. That was what she wanted, right to the end, and she fought for it, as best she knew how. Alexander of Tirragen's name shall be cleared. He was innocent of what happened. My cousin was controlling him; bending him to his will."

Alanna the Lioness also spoke.

"Kiala hated me. I was the one who killed Alex. I… I caused this."

"Kiala's death was nobody's fault," Myles of Olau told her gently. "She chose this. This is what she wanted."

Here Lies

Alexander of Tirragen

Died Year 1 of the Reign of King Jonathan III

His Name Was Cleared By The Sacrifice of Another.

Here Lies

Kiala of Goldenlake

Died Year 1 of the Reign of King Jonathan III

She Fought and Was Victorious For the Man She Loved.