The Ones Left Behind

"It's time sis. The moon is coming up and people are starting to gather," 
Trap hated when he was about to do. He hated to see his lovely sister so
sad... and angry. 

Not that he didn't think she had the right to be angry.. but if anyone 
was the cause it was Ga'brin.. not Ash`chenon. But he wasn't about to bring
that up now. they had agreed to disagree over the total extent of Ash's
involvement in the Dragonriders death, and Trap knew she wasn't ready yet 
to hear anything more from him now.

"Where is Sarrine and Gabben?" she asked as she allowed him to slip a 
sweater over her shoulders. She didn't care if it was cold. Wouldn't even 
feel it, so lost in her own pain as she was. 

Only two things held her interest now a days. Her love for her son, and her
hate for the man who had taken her sons father away from him. Away from them.

Ash`chenon. 

She was glad he had died the day of the battle. 

Glad but with one regret. 

That she hadn't been allowed to face him and tell him just what she thought
about him. Tell him to his face how much she hated him for what he had done. 

For the murder of Ga'brin.

They weren't the first to arrive. But soon joined Sarrine and Gabben near 
the front of the group. Tera allowed then to give her hugs for in truth 
she couldn't have handled being there without their support. 

She couldn't have gotten through the last few days if it hadn't been for
Ga'brin's family. They'd been great. Even her own father had stood by her 
and made sure she had eaten. 

Even now Bastine moved to join them and gave his daughter a long hug before
stepping back as others began to arrive and fill up the space around them. 

Soon enough someone was there handing Tera the touch. 

She took it and stood there looking at it as if frozen in place. It scared
her. For it was the instrument that would make this all real to her. 
Something she had been trying to deny since H'nry had brought her the news 
of her mates death. 

"Tera..." Trap said softly and she turned to stare at him for a second 
before nodding her head and taking a deep breath. Then she forced herself 
to take the first of many steps that would lead her to the spot where 
Ga'brin laid in waiting. 

She stood there saying nothing that could be heard by others. She spoke her
good-byes in her mind from her heart, where they would remain private and
between just the two of them. 

Then as she finished, she wanted to cry, for she was being denied one last
look of his handsome face. One last kiss upon his lips. Just as she had been
denied the chance to see his body after he'd been brought home. 

Something else she blamed Ash`chenon for. 

Damn him!! Her heart finally broke and her tears fell. She had wanted to 
be brave. Wanted to face his death with dignity, but now that the time was
here, she knew she couldn't. 

Why Ga'brin!! Why did you have to go and get yourself killed! How could 
you leave me and Treb this way!!' her heart cried and the arm holding the
torch fell limply to her side as her knees began to give way. But then 
someone was there holding her arm, and she heard Traps gentle voice telling
her he loved her and to be strong. 

Slowly she allowed him to lead her away, back into the comforting arms of 
her family, where the rest of the night past by like a bad dream she 
couldn't wake up from. 

She stood there listening as one by one the others, friends all got up and
made their final good-byes. 

C'rispin and Dicey stopped by to give her hugs and let her know she was in
their hearts. The big man was all choked up and Tera came out of her shock
long enough to remember that this big man had been Ga'brin's partner for a
long number of years. 

"I'm sorry Tera...I should have..." she stopped his words by putting her 
hand over his lips.

"No my friend. Don't blame yourself. I know you couldn't have stopped him.
They all said he had his mind made up before the two of them ever met up," 
she assured him, then her tone hardened. "If the blame lays with anyone 
then place it where it truly belongs. With the man who's sword killed 
Ga'brin that day. May Ash'chenon rot in hell!"

--------------  -------------------
nrpg:

Not the best funeral post... but I wanted to get something out to get it
started....

I don't think Tera's a happy girl right now.... 
Somehow I don't think *Tomorrow will be a better day* will work for her in
this case.... 

Katrina.... *This* is a short post :)


*****Submitted by: ******

Tera & Sundellath
Traplin & Diemis
C'rispin