Devancier's heart swelled with love for her. She was so much like her mother, so strong, so full of grace.
He kissed the top of her head, feeling a pang of longing for the woman who had once held them together as a family.
"I know you will," he whispered.
They walked together to the royal chambers, where the ashes of Alishiera were placed in a memorial.
Devancier made sure the swords, Arthivian and Elsienflora, were placed beside it.
They were the last remaining link to her, the last physical remnants of the woman who had once been so full of life, of love, and of hope.
As the days passed, Devancier threw himself into the work of ruling the empire.
But even in the quiet moments, when he stood alone, looking out over the lands he had fought to protect, he couldn't escape the emptiness that consumed him.
