It was the Day of Forgiveness, which meant more people than usual in the graveyard.
Ameni sat in front of the family grave, which displayed the urns of her paternal grandparents and her mother. Her father might still be alive, for all she knew. Not that she cared.
Sitting cross-legged rather than kneeling was a calculated breach of etiquette, or so they might see it. But with silver threading her black hair, and gold decorating her collar, she did not consider herself a child-who-was-lesser any more.
“I’m captain of a ship. We’ve been running the trade route to Tharyal for a decade now.” Something her grandfather had dreamed of, but never achieved, she knew. After a deep breath, she raised her voice to a challenge, “I am captain-owner now.”
Of course there was no response splitting the ground or the sky, but she had things left to say.
“I do not forgive you for trying to keep me small. I do not forgive you for trying to beat my dreams you deemed to big for me out of my head.” Her voice grew softer. “But I do forgive myself for almost listening to you, for taking so long to shake off these lessons.” She lowered her head and focused her will, hoping it would take her message to the afterlife. “I want you to know that you could not destroy me.”
After long moments she got up and strode away from the place ghosts. By the time she reached the gate of the graveyard, there was a spring in her step and a smile on her lips.
They used to be stronger than I was, but not any more.