A/n: This chapter actually shows an insite to more characters than initially intended...but I decided to dedicate it to Akkarin and Lorlen. It is considerably longer than the other two...


Akkarin & Lorlen – Together we fall.

By Puff the magic dragon567

K


Summary: A true friendship will always survive, no matter what threatens it.


It had been nearly three years since she'd first visited this cemetery for the first time. Remembering those times made the edge of her lip curl upwards into something that resembled a smile.

Five new graves now lay here; each one had been given special permission by the higher magicians.

One by one she addressed them, the mere sight of them bringing back unwanted memories, but she let them. She regarded individually the polished white marble that had been chosen to form the ominous looking headstones.

Lord Makin. His courageous attempts at the North fort had not been forgotten. Despite his fear, he'd acted bravely and calmly in a battle no one could have expected him to win. There was no body beneath the mound of fresh earth, they hadn't been able to retrieve it. It was decided that he deserved remembering as much as any, and so here lay a collection of his prized possessions.

Next to him lay Lord Yikmo. The bold vin, respected by all and admired for his ability to manage even the most troublesome novices. His death had been valiant, refusing to leave the world before completing his mission as effectively as possible.

Sonea winced her eyes together tightly to stop the tears. He'd willing ridden to his death a long with many others that day. She would always remember the kindness with which he treated her, and could never forget the smile he gave her when she emerged from her challenge with Regin victorious.

To his left lay Lord Sarrin. She had never really met the head of alchemist, but on learning of his task she felt yet more sympathy for this man. To be elected unwillingly into learning something he strongly disagreed with must have been horrible, but worse, the weight and expectation put on him by the entire guild. They'd announced him as the only hope for the allied lands. What a burden to give him.

How he must have felt on the dawn of battle, watching the seven strongest magicians he had ever seen stride confidently towards the city as he realised he'd failed his task, and perhaps allowed the death of thousands of innocents.

A pang of guilt dwelled in Sonea's chest. If she had obeyed Akkarin and stayed…She pushed the thought aside before it could develop into one of the many arguments she now had in her own head.

Lorlen was next. Ever since the truth read he'd looked out for her. She regretted not being able to tell him Akkarin's secrets; but that was something that the pair had to resolve for themselves.

She remembered how Lorlen had wished that he hadn't seen the secret, and how he'd regretted knowing something so damning about his friend. Even through hatred and anger, Lorlen had always remained hopeful of Akkarin's innocence.

The brilliant black marble of Akkarin's headstone made him stand out from the rest, understandably so. It lay less than a metre from Lorlen's. Despite falling apart over the last few years of their life, they lay together now. She was sure that they regretted the things that had happened between them, and she knew that they had remained looking out for each other.

Here they lay together; united.

"Master?" A pair of hands outstretched, wrists upwards, holding a bouquet of freshly picked flowers. The broad sachakan features of Takan were understandably sullen.

She grasped the flowers and gently laid them across her love's grave before turning to Takan, "I am not your master. Akkarin wanted you to be free. I cannot take that from you."

Still Sonea fought to hold in her tears, crying was for the weak. She had promised herself she wouldn't.

"But who will look after you?" Takan pressed, "And the young master?"

Finally, Sonea burst, torrents of warm liquid streaming continuously down her cheeks. It relieved her to finally let her bottled up emotions out, but she knew her composure would be near impossible to regain.