It was quite the procession.
Lady Aya was well loved among the people and very much respected by her peers. Yuri was carried on a palanquin by some Machoke while she held the Spirit Lantern that held her mother's soul. It was decided that they would make the trek to Lake Verity where Yuri would send off her mother's soul. Her murder was solved and now she should be laid to rest.
It felt both so long and so short. Before the shrine maiden knew it, she was at the edge of the lake, staff in hand.
Time to send her off.
Yuri held the lantern close to her, resting her forehead on it. The soft glow of the soul within pulsed a moment, as if trying to convey something to Yuri; a soft, encouraging message. A final good-bye. Through her growing tears, she smiled for her mother. Best not to let her see her so distraught. It was against the rules to cry for the dead.
Much like the Sending during the Moon Festival, she dances upon the lake, drawing the soul out from its place within the lantern. It swirled and whirled around her, the partner to her daughter one last time. Before shooting up into the sky, higher, higher, higher, like a star heading back into the cosmos....
And that was that.
Yuri stood on the still lake, staring into the evening sky.
It was done.
Good-bye, mama.