********

As the warrior guided her horse back home, she pondered what the future might hold. The reek of the last two years still clung to her, though she had scrubbed her skin raw after the last battle. So much death. Selra doubted the she would ever feel clean again. But the blood war had come to its end, and Kristan would lay easy within his tomb, his death avenged. Selra had not failed him, as she had so long feared that she would.

Ah, Kristan, my love, it is over, she thought. I return to you and to our home.

But the cold stone that awaited her at home promised no comfort. Only honor had been retrieved by fulfilling her oath, not the laughter. That had broken and lay still from the moment Kristan's life's blood had seeped out between Selra's frantic fingers.

I can't believe I have to ask.

But happily, I can

This opening worked well for me, but I stumbled a bit over that "cold stone". I could think of several interpretations, but the most distressing was that I initially thought it was describing some mundane aspect of her house, like the floor or the wall. That signaled a scene change, which doesn't work with the rest of the paragraph, which is still part of the pondering as she rides home.

I'd love to give it a read. I can get it back by midday tomorrow if that works for you. Let me know.