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"I'm sorry for being late."
Despite the apology, there was little to be done about it; for the last week, the weather had been unpredictable and unforgiving. It had felt almost as though someone had tipped an immeasurable large pail of water over the kingdom. Only now had the rain let up, the outpour turning into a steady drizzle.
Garnet could hear Steiner sneezing nearby. A tiny smile formed on her lips for a brief moment, before she bent down to place a fresh bouquet at the grave.
The greenery around the site had been ravaged by the storm, leaves and twigs snapped off haphazardly. A distant rumbling in the darkened sky spoke of more to come.
"This is the kind of weather that you used to like. You would've enjoyed listening to the thunder by the window, I'm certain," she continued in a quiet voice.
Her mother had always enjoyed the sound of thunderstorms. Meanwhile, Garnet hadn't been able to stand the noise at all when she had been younger. Still, Brahne remaining calm through even the greatest of storms had been a source of comfort to her.
"I thought you were unbreakable," Garnet whispered that bitter, childish thought, keeping her head bowed. "Had I spoken to you more, would you have been better for it...? Or worse?"
Even now that the wound didn't feel so fresh, it was hard to shake these thoughts. Slowly, she straightened herself, giving the grave one last look and a smile. It felt a little bitter on her lips.
"I'll come see you again, mother. I love you."
Turning around, she began to walk back to her ever-loyal escort.
Perhaps by this time next year, she'd know the answers to these questions that still plagued her mind at times.
But it was unlikely.