From: patchman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Peter Bruce Harper)
Subject: [L] Aftermath
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 21:51:23 GMT

     The battle over, Permus walked over to and sat on the throne.
     "Guards, get the servants to clean up this mess.  And tell the undertaker
that we have a few people in need of a burial.  One of them is royal and the
other should be buried like a hero.
     "To those of you who have helped me regain this throne, you have my
eternal and undying gratitude.  Just ask and I will grant your request if
it is within my power, and any time you are in the counrty, you are welcome
to stay here at the castle.  I shall hire bards to carry your tale of bravery
across the lands so you will be welcomed as the heroes that you are."

     An exceedingly healthy-looking woman with a bag came in and asked, "Who
needs help here?"  She wanted to cure the prince first, but he said, "First
the others.  Start with the massive Oriental type in the corner."

[..]

     A healed Bakr came over to the throne and glanced at the bodies. "Is that
Murell?  Yuck!"
     "Now I'll never know..." the fat mage murmured.  "Or... did Murell tell
any of you that Mat was one of the bandits that waylayed us?"
     "You knew that?  Why didn't you tell us?" Brycur asked.
     "Murell said he would do it."
     "Oh well, it seems Mat got his due" Brycur replied, pointing to Mat's 
carcass on the floor.  Brycur then was attended to by the healer, healing the
cuts, scratches, and bruises which he had received.

[..]

     Later that night, Luthor watched over the preparations for the funerals
of Murell and the Queen.  Even though Murell had tried to kill him, Luthor
considered Murell a friend and was shaken by his loss.  Like so many times
before Luthor found the center of his being and from there, he began to put
himself back together.  This most recent loss reminded him of the deaths of
his son, his wife, and the other members of the Children of the Blue Star.
     As the bonfires were lit beneath the two bodies, Luthor took out his
lute and began to sing a low Elven Death song that his father had taught
n to sing a low Elven Death song that his father had taught
him over one hundred years ago.  Many in the crowd around the fire were moved
to tears, but it was a cleansing...when the song was done, they felt that they
had done justice to the two departed souls and now it was time to move on,
until the day that they would once again be reunited.
     Luthor put his lute back inside his cloak and turned to see that Permus
had been standing beside him.  The look on his face was a mirror of Luthor's.
     "I miss my mother.  Not the woman who we killed today, but the woman whose
place she took.  She was so kind and wise.  It is hard to believe that she
turned into that horror."
     "Honor her by remembering her as she was.  I'm sure that wherever she is
now, she has returned to her former state, relieved from her madness." Luthor
patted Permus on the shoulder and went back to his quarters in the castle.
It was time to return to Generica.  The Realms no longer held anything for him
aside from the memory of too many deaths.

Co-written by:  -The Dreamer-
		-Brycur
		-Bakr