Epilogue

They sat and stared at the two graves, side by side.

“I can’t believe she’s gone.” Sara spoke softly. She wasn’t crying, not any more. The sharp pain of sudden loss had faded, leaving behind a dull ache.

Serbal’s parents had asked that her body be buried in Dall, next to Dorn’s. Whenever Alex had dreamt of his return to Dall, he’d never imagined that he’d be bringing the elf’s body back with him. He’d assumed Serbal would outlive him easily, outlive the friends they had made, like she’d outlived her Chosen.

“I know.” Alex replied automatically, rereading the inscription on the gravestone.

‘Here rests the shell of

Serbal, Slayer of Heart Wood,

Recalled to the Mother

And her Chosen,

Dorn Ironsmith.’

“But she’ll be happy.” Sara blinked.

“Really, Alex?” He smiled briefly.

“She tried to die before, Rembar told me, the first day in Heart Wood. She wanted to be with Dorn, but the Mother wouldn’t have her. Now the Mother’s called her. She’s happy, wherever she is, because she’ll be with him.” He stood, and held out a hand to help her up. “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” she was surprised.

“I don’t know. Anywhere, I guess. Up to you. ”

“I haven’t seen my aunt in ages…she lives down on the coast, past Pai” She laughed, for the first time since Serbal’s death. “Won’t she be surprised when I turn up with you! Father will have told her all about the bad company I’ve fallen into, but she’ll be pleased to see us, I think. She doesn’t like him much.”

Alex looked back over the graveyard once more before leaving. After visiting Sara’s aunt, he wondered where they’d go. To the Dwarf Mountains, perhaps, or the Plains, maybe even Diffra, to show Sara’s father what she’d become. And one day, when the wounds were healed, maybe they’d wade through a river of sorrow and return to Heart Wood, to a clearing where three friends had been given a path to walk, where this had all begun, and again see the crossed swords of Serbal the Slayer driven deep into the alter, a reminder of the Shadows and the Mother’s light.

Well, that's it from Alex, Sara and Serbal! Tacky ending, i know. Sorry!

On to the next!

......when i figure out the characters, storyline, chapters and get around to writing it......it could take a while......