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The smell of ammonia and ethanol brought him back to his senses. The good thing about smelling salts was that they wiped away the smell of smoke and blood still lingering in his nose. Rohan sighed and opened his eyes.
He lay on the floor of the great hall, under a gaping opening in the ceiling. He could see a dragon looking down from up above, and guessed it would be Frugyss-rak perched on what was left of the terrace of the keep.
The great hall was in complete disarray. The boulders and bodies might have been removed, but the azure rug was still dirty and bloodied, most banners torn and a couple of narrow braziers in pieces.
It was still day, so plenty of light came in from the broken ceiling more than the windows, and some of the impressively carved benches were broken like everything else.
Rohan himself felt broken as he slowly sat with the help of Kassandra. Her hood had fallen off her shoulders, revealing long white hair that contrasted with her youthful looks. Her pale blue eyes and fair skin showed she was albino, which was surprising.
Waltrand sat on a nearby bench and stared at him, thoughtful. The blind eye seemed to shine in the sunlight, and again Rohan wondered about the leader of the Teeth's true nature. He and Kassandra looked so different from his mother!
"We have chased the mercenaries away," Kassandra said. "We are ready for your mother's funeral. Then you can decide what to do with yourself."
"My mother, my wife, my daughter." He hung his head and closed his eyes. He'd have to bury them all. He never expected to have to build three funeral pyres at the same time, so soon after his father's funeral.
"Your wife was a brave little woman," Kassandra said soothingly. "I wish I could have saved her. I saw how she convinced your people to side with you."
Rohan looked at the destruction around him. Thiebaud had succeeded in his aim. He wouldn't have the castle, therefore nobody would have it. But it was Rohan's duty to tell the survivors to go looking for another lord.
"The servants can move to the closest town," Waltrand said as if he were reading his mind. "The peasants and fishermen will go back to their homes. Unless you want to rebuild, that is."
Rohan slowly shook his head.
"Do members of the Teeth get married?" he asked Kassandra.
She scoffed. "Not really. Although sometimes there are romantic relationships between members. And usually if a woman gets pregnant, she leaves, like your mother did."
"Did she ever tell you who my actual father is?" He frowned, noticing how she glanced at Waltrand before shrugging.
"No, she kept the name to herself," she replied.
"Let's get done with this," Waltrand snapped. "Your people have prepared the funeral pyres, then you can tell them your decision."
Rohan stood and looked at Kassandra, then at Waltrand. They weren't going to answer his questions, clearly. But his mother had asked Waltrand to look after him. She obviously wanted him to join the Teeth, hence she had introduced him to Frugyss-rak.
"Fine," he muttered, heading out of the great hall. "Let's bury my past and start over!"
He found two funeral pyres in the courtyard, since Eleonore had been positioned against Sybil's body. His mother still looked asleep, and he took her golden medallion from her forehead, kissing it and hiding it under his tunic and armor.
Frugyss-rak landed in the courtyard as the survivors gave him a wide berth.
I waited for you to come to, but allow me to light Jasmine's pyre. She was my friend and we worked together for a number of years before she had you.
Rohan frowned but nodded. The dragon could burn his wife too, if he wished so.
"Everybody, stay back!" Waltrand ordered, grabbing Rohan's arm and pulling him back against the keep's wall.
Frugyss-rak's breath was a very controlled flame that barely touched the two pyres. Soon flames consumed the bodies and Rohan found he had no more tears. As the pyres crumbled and the flames slowly died down, he turned to look at the servants and guards who had stayed at the castle. Farmers and fishermen had gone back to their homes now that the army was gone.
"Rebuilding this castle would cost more than I can afford right now," Rohan said. "I thank you for your service throughout the years. Please take anything you need and go to Saltmire, where I'm sure you'll be able to thrive."
"Where will you go, my lord?" one of Sybil's ladies-in-waiting asked. She had long brown-black hair and very attractive features. Her stocky build was hidden by the elegant gown that matched Sybil's.
"To the Temple of the Rainbow, I guess," he answered, looking away. "I will have someone escort you back to Sybil's family castle, if you want, Lady Marian."
"I'd rather join my family in town, thank you my lord." The woman curtsied and stepped back.
"When we saw the dragons, we lost hope." Guibert's son stepped forward. He had a lanky build and dimples. He wore the guards uniform, but it was tattered and torn. "Lady Jasmine was already incapacitated and we feared our only hope was to let Lord Thiebaud have the castle. My father didn't betray you, my lord, he was hoping to salvage some of Lord Bertran's legacy."
"I'm sorry I overreacted when I saw him bow to Uncle Thiebaud," Rohan apologized. "But I wasn't aware of any of my mother's past until last night, when she called her dragon and told me to go looking for help."
"I am not blaming you or the High Priestess of the Temple of the Rainbow," the young man replied proudly. "I only wanted you to know that my father was not a traitor."
"He will be mourned like the valiant warrior he was," Rohan promised. "I will light his funeral pyre if you want me to."
"It would be an honor, my lord. And if the High Priestess would bless him, I would be doubly humbled and grateful."
Kassandra, who had pulled her hood back up, nodded royally and the young man led them to another pyre ready just outside the walls of the castle. Guibert lay there, ready to be freed of his body.
Kassandra murmured a blessing, then Rohan took the torch ready by the side of the pyre, and lit it. He passed it to Guibert's son, who lit the other side, so the wood would consume the body faster. They both watched as the fire grew and subsided, with the wind blowing from the sea and the seagulls screaming above them.
"Are you ready?" Waltrand asked when Rohan went back to the courtyard.
"I'll check if I have some clothes left in my chambers," he said quickly.
Then I'll see you on the roof, and we're off! You can have dinner at the temple tonight!
Frugyss-rak sounded a little too cheerful, and Rohan glared at the dragon before entering the keep. He needed a moment in what was left of his bedroom. He picked up the embroidery Sybil had been working on during the attack and smelled it. It still held her scent, as did the curtains of the bed, and the bedsheets and pillows where she had sat.
Rohan curled up in the fetal position but tears didn't come. He saw his uncle's blade tear open Sybil's swollen belly and dash any hope for his daughter to ever grow up as tall and beautiful as her grandmother.
Rohan, come on! I'm getting hungry!
Rohan's stomach was in knots, but he got up again. He crossed the semi-destroyed second story and reached the stairway to the terrace. Frugyss-rak stared at him with his dark umber eyes, his silver scales gleaming in the sun.
Let's go, the others are already on the way!
Rohan reluctantly climbed into the saddle, and left behind the salty air and the seagulls, hoping the Temple of the Rainbow would help him regain peace.