Oriehn

Chapter 45-Alice

Chapter 45- Alice

We gathered as a united people to mourn for our dead. The Oriehns paid their respects to the two pyres in spiraling lines of people, touching the wood as they passed. The ground was far too frozen to bury coffins as I had on Earth, so we defaulted to burning them instead.

I clenched my jaw to prevent more tears from flowing down my face, but turned and sighed in relief when I saw Ian's stricken face.

"Are you going to pay your respects?" He asked, drawing me into him. I wanted to hide in the dark with his arms around me, go anywhere but here, do anything but confront the fact that the love of my life and the leader of my people died in a single day.

"I should," I sniffed. "But I do not think that I can and address the rest of the Oriehns like Commander Graile wanted."

He nodded, and we stood in silence as he held me. "I understand," He muttered into my hair. "Stay composed for now, and after, you and I will approach the pyre."

"Together?" I tightened my arms around him, afraid of confronting it on my own.

"Together," He pulled back slightly. "And know that whatever the council decides— whether you are bonded to me, or ascend to be the oracle— I would like to think that is how we will go through things from now on."

"Together," I nodded and looked to the side. The lines were dwindling and the procession was coming to a close. The people accumulated around the sides, making room for those finishing their goodbyes and the eyes started to turn up to watch the council on an elevated pedestal.

In a row, the new commander of the combatants and Taliesin's father stood erect, waiting for the murmurs to silence.

"Today," Laius started, "We parted with our kin. My own son, Taliesin was among the dead, our own oracle and advisor to the masses accompanied him not long after," He opened his mouth, then shut it quickly, emotion overcoming his features and he looked to the other commander for assistance.

"It may seem repetitive," The Combatant spoke. "Saying goodbye, parting with our people, paying our respects to the dead." He cleared his throat and stared intently at the piles of wood and the one silk-wrapped body.

"But," He furrowed his brows, then turned back to the populace. "But it ends today. No more of our blood will be shed, no longer will we have to tolerate the hatred and the violence the humans posed."

Taliesin's father nodded and clapped his hands, initiating a round of applause that scattered about the crowds in waves. "'We," he added, "We have them to thank for that. My son, a war hero who single-handedly ended the human resistance."

"And the oracle," The commander emphasized. "Who's sage guidance allowed many of us to lead happier, healthier lives," He gestured to where Ian and I were standing off to the side. "Who bonded many of us, who emphasized the importance of love and connection even in the direst of circumstances for our people, often at the expense of her own peace and livelihood."

The commanders lifted a torch to the burning ring of fire around the elevated pedestal and touched it to the wooden pyres. As they erupted into flames, the ring extinguished. "We can not take advantage of their sacrifice," Commander Graile stated and murmurs of agreement and impassioned nationalists shouted their concurrence.

"We can not let the blood that has spilled endlessly since obtaining Earth to fade in our history as we move forward," He hesitated, letting the silence stretch before ending it once more, "The blood, our blue blood, marks our history. We can not fight that anymore than we can erase time. And we should not resist the marking, but rather carry it upon our shoulders as a reminder," He looked to his side, and gestured us over.