The Eagle Princess

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"There exists inside every person good, and evil. It is our only hope that, by the end of our lives, our soul can be measured on the divine scale and found to be in perfect harmony. As is the world. As is the cosmos. As are all things."

Turning, Bacchus began walking down the line of bodies, all of them wrapped in black shrouds. Over the sound of the temple keeper's voice, the steady but distant rushing of the waterfall echoed up from the base of the cliff.

As Bacchus brought individual blessings to each man, Larissa let out a long breath of sorrow.

In total, seven Ale Santeri had died on the now desolate garden terrace when Stasia had released the witch's noxious miasma. A great many people had fallen ill as winds dispersed the poisonous cloud, but the concentration had faded enough that they were able to live through the gaseous poison exposure.

As though seven bodies weren't enough for the witch. She wanted to claim as many lives as she could.

The seven men had been wrapped in black and placed upon a pyre built at the top of the waterfall. They would all be burned this afternoon. Their ashes would spread to the four winds to be gathered by the death goddess' helpers and placed upon the god of justice's scales to measure their lives.

On either side of her, both Kaz and Indigo were carrying the torches they would use to send their brothers on their final journey. Bacchus, who had arrived only this morning, had agreed to perform their funeral rites. The king had also put in an appearance, allowing Zoe to hold onto his arm so that they could be there to pay respects to Larissa's guard. Some of the men had family here in the city, and they had gathered around their individual pyres. The sounds of mothers and wives letting out long wails of sorrow pierced Larissa's heart like sharpened blades.

Two more figures had come to the funeral as well. However, they were hanging far back away from the other mourners, holding onto each other for support.

As Bacchus finished individual prayers, he returned to the head of the pyres and faced out over the crowd with a heavy expression on his wizened face. He motioned to Indigo and Kaz with a simple gesture.

"The goddess of death welcomes all into her kingdom and treats everyone with equal respect and kindness. These warriors join her land with high honors. Their names shall forever be inscribed in the mountain range the Santeri call home as those who lost their lives in the line of duty."

Indigo began on one end, Kaz on the other. They worked their way inward, setting fire to the pyres and alighting their fallen brethren in the purifying light. Larissa took in a deep breath and held it, watching as they were all consumed, one at a time.

It would take hours for their bodies to completely raze to ash. Some of the families might stay up that long, but Larissa knew that she wouldn't. She couldn't bear to stand around and watch the men that had died for her sake disappear. The guilt was already eating her alive.

Indigo had reassured her, twice already, that she needn't feel any blame for what happened. This was something they knew could be a possibility when they volunteered to join the Ale Santeri, then again when they volunteered to train to be part of her personal guard. It was a sacrifice that any of them would be willing to make at a moment's notice.

Shockingly, that knowledge did nothing to ease her guilt.

Kaz and Indigo lit the last flame together then stepped back, frowning at the black smoke as it started rising upwards towards the sky. Bacchus was saying a traditional prayer over the fires now. One of the men's wives had collapsed onto her knees in tears.