Aftermath, Part Four: Tavros

Tavros stepped into the Chapel of Farewell alone, just as the sun was slipping below the horizon and painting the clouds with the last of its light. He noted with surprise that there were five tables now, though after a moment's reflection it made sense. He moved closer, looking them over. The bodies had not been allowed to decay yet; they would remain preserved until they were interred.

Anica lay cold and still, the fire gone out of her. He would never hear her laugh again, never see that challenging look on her face or the fierce grin as she drew her sword. Rune was on the table beside hers, no longer getting into everything, his endless stream of questions silenced. Vendril lay on the table beyond, as much a mystery to Tavros in death as he'd been in life, no longer there to support Aesa or protect Rose; someone had put the fox mask back over his face, which seemed fitting. Geddy was next, the irrepressibly animated bard now blank and expressionless. Would he be amused to know that that damned song of his had spread through the kingdom? Probably. And beyond him, a small gold statue of a dragon to mark the death of Rita. Tavros had no idea what Eva had done for her sister, but she'd disappeared for several days and then returned with that statue, saying only that it had belonged to their mother.

I failed you. Tavros knew that Anica -- probably all of them -- would have argued that he hadn't failed, that he'd done what was right and necessary. He wished he could believe it. That was why he had come alone; he could barely carry the weight of his own sorrow and guilt and regret; seeing it in anyone else would have broken him apart entirely. And there was also Vigo's exasperated voice in the back of his mind, reminding him that his future subjects should never see such weakness from him. 

He knew now how Martini must have felt when Azrael died, and wished that he'd taken more time to be kind to her then. Not that any of them had been given much of a chance for that; they'd been separated and fighting for their survival almost immediately afterwards. Still... 

He looked at Anica again and let the tears come. She and Tarric were his oldest friends, and the world wouldn't be the same without her. But he had to carry on, to defeat Behemoth and close the portals, to find some way to deal with the warbear queen and take back the throne. So he would do his weeping here, now, alone. And then he would go and become the King once again.