Slowly the crowd moved away from the gravesite. Amber sidled up to Saku.
"Coming to the wake?" she asked softly.
"Yeah, I just... I just need a moment."
Amber nodded. She hesitated a moment, then gave him a half hug.
"I'll see you there."
Saku didn't reply as she left. Before long it was only him, looking down at her grave in silence. Oh, and Zac, who was patiently waiting for him a few steps back.
How long they were standing there, Saku wasn't sure. Long for Zac to become restless at any rate, and it was at this reminder of life that Saku spoke.
"I had... all these protection spells on her, Dad, and she still died."
Zac paused, then moved closer cautiously.
"I mean, I knew I was going to outlive her. I knew that. But we hadn't... we were... She was supposed to live to a ripe old age. We were supposed to get married, and have kids and grandkids, and then when she did... I would at least have our decendants to remember her by and instead..."
Saku broke down into tears again and Zac put his arm around his shoulders, wishing he knew what to say.
"Why does it hurt so much?"
"Because if you didn't love her, it wouldn't mean anything at all."