ruana

At the very last she turned to Ruana, who had been waiting for her.

I will carry the dead, Ruana had said, and now he proceeded to do so.

Ruana looked down on her from his great height, then he glanced at each of the others in turn.

I could start with her, Ruana thought to herself.

Even so, Ruana replied from the ridge, looking up into the sky.

Ruana said, And so I took it upon myself to come west instead of east.

Ruana asked, and his voice broke on the words.

Scattered around him and on top of me were the flowers he'd been gathering for Ruana.

Galadan turned, and it was to Ruana that he spoke.

But Ruana would do her exercises no matter what.

Ruana inclined his head toward the outlaw from the Plain.

In a rush of smoke and warmth my mother met Ruana's extended hand.

A ruana may or may not come with a hood to cover the head.

They were all clad in white, as Ruana was.

By that time my mother had walked down the front path to the driveway and was leaning in the car window talking to Ruana.

Ruana, came the womans voice again, did you summon them?

Kim had never known an act to match the grandeur of what Ruana did in that moment.

Watching Ruana, Kim saw something alter deep in his eyes.

But what Ruana had said was when I was sure.

Ruana sank to his knees and motioned for Kim to do the same.

Ruana looked down on her, saying nothing, waiting.

Ruana wondered, abstractly, what it would be like to feel hate or rage.

Ruana Singh stood stiffly in an outer circle away from her son.

Ruana choked on the smoke that drifted from the pyre.

He bowed, without any visible irony, to Ruana, who looked back at him unblinking, saying nothing.