Finale

“Close your eyes.”
Her voice was soothing

The child was too tired to see the strain in her tone, or the hazy dampness of her eyes. Not that he would have understood.

He snuggled close, and she held him in her arms for a moment. She quickly pressed her lips to the downy, fair head and was gone. 

He did not even notice—asleep in an instant.

She suddenly felt the years creeping up her spine. How she wished she could stay and hold her child through the night. 

Draw strength from warm innocence.

But she could not. She would allow herself no comfort this night. 

The one from whom she had received her strength and comfort was gone, spirited away from her by the wind and fire and death. She could not even weep. 

Her heart had gone with the fire, the wind. 

With him.

___________________
To Sioned
From Melanie Rawn's Stronghold
And for every Wife who has lost her love. 

Knellswake

three times thrice
did the knell toll my death
it sang my name
with a mournful, dark wail

and I wept one last time
in joy that I’d soon be gone
to hear no longer the bell for anyone

there was joy and there were tears
but nothing so heart-wrenching
was there as another like me
gone forever in the wake of the knell