Araman

~ 30 ~

   Kassen sat on the bank of the river. His knees pulled up and his head in his hands, tears falling between them and joining the evening dew on the grass.

Dergen was dead.

After Raliena had fallen, the only one quick enough to recover from the shock was Princess Sherin, who had launched herself at Dergen and stabbed him through the heart while he was still in disbelief at what had happened.

Sitnen had carefully taken her hands from the sword once Dergen had fallen to his knees and they watched the light fade from his eyes, his mouth opened as if to say something, then his body crumpled on the bridge.

Sherin had turned her face away and sobbed into Sitnen's chest, while Derio placed a hand on Kassen's shoulder. The weight of it and everything else, seemed to make him fall to his knees in anguish, but here by the river, where he sat now, was the first time he had cried.

They had been looking for Raliena's body for days. Kassen had long accepted that not even she would have survived a fall like that, though he wanted desperately to be wrong.

He needed closure and the opportunity to put her to rest.

It was peaceful here, listening to the sound of the river. The full moon was just appearing on the horizon, the departing sun still warming his back.

Kassen had paid very little attention to the commotion of what happened after Raliena fell. Attashar's army defeated the army from Namare. They had been on the move to Verxia when they received the letter from the messenger.

Verxia was now without a ruler or even some semblance of one. The leaders of the Lagania explained everything to the King of Attashar about what Dergen had been planning and the extent of his manipulation over the King. They even revealed Raliena's gift to him, now that she had gone.

They said it was time for them to come out of hiding and rebuild their Kingdom once more. They were searching for Raliena almost as much as Kassen was.

Kassen finally dragged his body from the floor and washed his unshaven, tearstained face in the river. He barely noticed a silver mane head, drink from the river next to him.

When he did he patted its neck, unperturbed by it being a Unisayan. He had become numb to unexpected things of nature.

When he stood the Unisayan nuzzled his shoulder. Kassen stroked its elegant neck.

"I can see why she could not do it..." He choked and fought the tears that threatened to surface again.

He began walking the length of the river once more. He had lost count of how many times he had done so already, but it was nice having the Unisayan for company this time. It stayed by his side as the sun disappeared and the stars were the only light.

He travelled in a haze much further down the river than he had before. The full moon lit up the route almost as well as the sun, making the ripples of the river dance downstream, as if joining him on the journey.

Eventually, his tired feet could take him no further, and he just stood staring at nothing. He had had very little sleep and it was catching up with him.

The Unisayan paused in front of him and Kassen held onto it for support. A light caught his eye and he looked into the creature's horn. The crystal reflected the light and he almost thought he could see through it. He briefly remembered what Raliena had told him about how the King had seen his departed wife through the crystal on the Unisayan statue and found himself staring harder at the horn, willing it to show him something, but it did not reveal its secrets to him.