Alanna choked as they rose through veils of wreathing smoke, tendrils of it catching around her arms and her neck until she felt she would be strangled. She coughed, and her companion laughed. "Begone, you pestilences! Stop troubling my guest." The smoke split and flowed around him. He made a curious picture, she thought, half-laughing, framed by swirling smoke, and softly radiating pale violet light. "Raelmysts," he explained. "Sprites of a sort. They're not used to mortals." He appeared to listen, then told her, "They say they like your hair."

Alanna laughed, but looked around, curious. They were in a small courtyard that seemed to be set in a forest clearing. Roses twined gently up the walls and a few of the tree trunks visible above the stone. With a puzzled expression, she turned to the god. "I thought you said-"

"I lied," he said with a grin, all intentions of telling her his thoughts suddenly fading. "I wanted to talk."

And far away, in a country called Tortall, two tears splashed onto a stone.

The stone was of a different kind than that of the rest of the floor-stones: dark gray, smooth but for the carvings on it. Its surface was free of dust, for it had been set there only a day ago. A shaft of sunlight fell across it momentarily, lanced through by a tall black shape. The shape made its way over, knelt, and trailed a hand over the words neatly engraved in its surface.

Lady Knight Alanna of Trebond and Olau

Beloved wife, sister, mother, and friend

DATES H.E. to DATES H.E.

Tortall remembers you, Lioness

Around the edge of the stone was carved a decorative pattern of rampant lionesses.

Alanna put a hand to her cheek and shuddered, breaking off in the middle of a sentence. "What was that?" she asked. "It felt so…I don't know…"

"Have you ever heard the expression 'a goose just walked over my grave'?" She nodded, and he continued. "That was something of the sort, though I can't assure you that it was a goose. You'll still be able to feel it so early."

The shadow stood, feeling someone enter the building behind him and come to stand next to him. "It doesn't do her justice," he said quietly.

"I know," replied the other.

The god once known as Faithful looked into Alanna's face and saw all the impossibilities of what he felt there. Gently, he eased the last traces of his magic off her so gradually that she didn't feel it at first. A look of dismay flitted over her face. "Something's wrong." She bit her lip as her disconnected feelings came back to her, and he knew she was thinking about her friends. "It's hard…I know I'll see them again, but not for a long time, and it's…" She shut her eyes and he watched as a tear squeezed out, then reached over and took her in his arms. After a while, the noises ceased, and she remarked, "I got your shirt wet."

"It'll dry." And indeed, it did. He moved back and looked down at her. "You have to leave."

She startled. "What-"

"Not like that…even mortals who are already dead can't stay here very long. The Black God calls."

She sniffed. "Right. So I guess this is goodbye?"

"Not forever, I hope." He turned her gently. "Through there."

She turned and hugged him, then went to the door, but paused, her hand upon the wrought-iron handle, and looked back. He nodded, and she was gone. Just like that. Something died then…he couldn't name the feeling, but remembered something he'd once said…it's like losing a bit of yourself, and each time, a bit more, until you feel there's nothing left, and you just let yourself drift until you're called upon again…

"I lied," he repeated in a whisper. "I am different. And Alanna, oh, Alanna, I love you…"

-- fin --

Ahem, yes…Did I forget to mention that I would be in the horde of pitchfork-wielding and torch-carrying reviewers?

Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed!

lbqoc - kitty-moogles – NealsChick - music nerd – spinnerofdark - Pink Squishy Llama - summerbluez – tortallanrider - shangmistress - Aani Hiwatari 12

I'm kind of frazzled that I actually finished a story and that it has a sequel-what, I didn't mention the sequel? Well, watch for it-it's called Fate's Wind and should be up tomorrow if I get time to finish it, and if not, within the week. Till then!