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Post by Ser Ash Nuada on Oct 13, 2016 15:57:25 GMT -6
Kim and Ash shuffled to the side as the guests began to arrive. It was a decent amount of arrivals, and the large number of people made Ash's frown lessen, if only a little. The crowd meant there were people who respected Aisio, who desired to honor her passing, and who had reason to mourn the loss of such a great warrior. Kim had the exact opposite reaction, shrinking away and her face darkening at the quiet and dreary crowd. She didn't like to be within large groups to begin with, and with such a depressing occasion the feelings in the air put her on edge at best. As more and more people began arriving and either funneling into the Basilica or merely standing darkly outside its doors, Ash continued standing, staring at nothing with a haunted look in his eyes. Kim looked at him for a moment, deigning to let him stay wrapped in his own thoughts a moment longer before she intruded. The moment passed, and a careful hand was placed upon Ash's arm, Kim's metallic hand glowing a bright white in contrast to her black dress.
"It is time my friend" She didn't know why, but she had begun to call Ash a friend in the week she had known him. Perhaps it was simply because a friend is what the old butler needed right now, or because it was what Kim needed. She didn't much care, and neither did Ash, who nodded and looked to her with a strained smile. Kim returned it with a curt nod and unenthused smile of her own. The both of them took specific note of the fact he said nothing, that he hadn't said anything beyond a concise description of events in a week, though both for different reasons. Kim felt it wasn't her place to intrude upon his life or affairs, while Ash simply didn't want to admit how badly he was hurting. Together they began climbing the steps, passing a few strange conversations as they did so. Of particular note was the orange haired girl conversing with the one eyed man at the entryway, with such starkly contradictory demeanors it was almost enough to cause physical whiplash.
Ash continued, hardly paying mind to anybody, his eyes staring more at the ground than anything else and his shoulders drooped. His hair held some resemblance to a ponytail, but a combination of the rain and a lack of care seemed to have pulled it into simply a long and straight green mess. The faunus standing next to him did not look nearly as downtrodden as Ash, and as she passed the two of them she gave a nod of acknowledgement, the downpour giving an unnatural sheen to her skin as light glinted of metal and refracted in water. They entered the Basilica and Ash finally looked up, hopeful for something to make him feel happier, or confident, or even simply at peace with what happened. Instead the sight within put more tears in his eyes and the man flicked his eyes quickly away, closing them gently in an attempt to prevent the tears from continuing.
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Post by Solomon Moon on Oct 13, 2016 20:12:47 GMT -6
 might have said something about Legion society that a man could stand, unmolested and unnoticed at the entrance to a high profile funeral, as long as he was dressed in something resembling a uniform. Thus far every person in attendance had marched right past him, some offering nothing in the way of a second glance, and others averting their gaze entirely to begin with. One or two men, also in the uniforms of Legion's Armed Forces, had stopped to offer a salute, but the exchange had been brief and somber. Everyone assumed that Sol had some reason to be standing there like the world's most miserable statue, and in a way he did, but his reasons were his own. He had no idea if anyone would have approved of his self appointed sentry, but his people had their own customs, and civilians could hardly be expected to understand them. It was a somber occasion after all, though for Sol, that sobriety concluded violently as the orange haired youth that he'd nodded to took the gesture as an invitation to strike up a conversation. Sol stiffened in his posture, a feat that bore mention because he was already making a passable imitation of carved marble, in fact if he were to take a step in any direction, one would find the patch of tile beneath either boot was still dry. Sol appraised the boy and his maniacal grin, feverish green eyes, and diminutive stature, further hampered by a crooked posture that looked more than simple sloth up close. The overall effect conjured up half forgotten impressions of little plastic dolls that Sol had seen in his youth, a kind with distorted figures and exaggerated features to match stunted proportions. It was mostly the hair that did it. Sol had seen every shade of orange under the sun, blazing in one fire or another, but this shade seemed to be the very essence of the hue, distilled until it was a new color in and of itself. It made his eye ache to look at it. Those little plastic trolls had feature similar crimes against hair fashion, and accomplished very similar grins that Sol had always distrusted. Normally Sol would use the time between eye contact and conversation to mentally rehearse several artistic ways to disable potentially dangerous strangers. However, between the little boy seeming both entirely harmless with his rail thin physique and possessing a quality of utter cluelessness that was completely disarming to Sol's usual instincts, the statuesque sentinel was unable to mount any sort of defense before what came next. Sol narrowly resisted the urge to take cover as the child opened it's mouth and rattled off a rapid fire volley of poorly constructed observations and half questions, at a pitch to make a dog howl. Any thoughts in Sol's skull, evaporated like smoke in the breeze as that keening tone cut through him like a whip of liquid fire, and he canted his head slightly in the same manner that hounds look at peculiar sources of noise that fall above normal human ranges. Apparently what he'd taken for a boy was actually a young girl, because that voice was bereft of even the suggestions of masculinity, as well as anything resembling restraint. Furthermore, it sounded so joyously ignorant, between a bumpkin dialect and a beaming delivery, that the cognitive dissonance crashed into Sol like a steam train. It was all he could do to answer her, a decision that came without thought and was simply an instinctual reaction to the walking absurdity of the manic little gremlin. Sol spoke in a deep voice that was as much a thing of bass and grit as Aegle's was a thing of clean tuneless pitch, and he did so with careful attention to enunciation and reasonable emotion for the setting. This last he did as an unconscious attempt to balance out the irreverence of the orange imp's conduct. " I have been standing out here all morning." He explained, his voice like the dullest echoes of a distant thunderclap dancing through the mountains, " I can't go in until someone comes out to invite me in." tag(s): ━ words: 000 ━ notes: please keep it short made by ira of stf and ww |
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Post by Aegle Vitus on Oct 13, 2016 21:31:18 GMT -6
It might have been nice to say that Sol had made just as keen an impression on Aegle, with his gruff manner and iron clad stoicism, as she'd evidently made upon him with her irreverent conduct and general Aegleness, but that would have meant discounting the primary difference between the pair. That being that Aegle, for all her admirable traits, was about as observant at her most prescient as other people were while unconscious. The fact was that Sol's generally incredulous regard for her, along with all its telltale indications, flew directly over Aegle's head. So far as she was concerned, she'd done nothing out of the ordinary, and thus should not be regarded as such. If Sol was looking at her the way a dog looks at a particularly questionable slice of meat, that must just have been the way he looked at everyone.
When Sol did finally speak, he did manage to take Aegle aback with just how gruff and grizzled his voice was, though it did seem to support her assumption about his age. She had just barely recovered from her surprise, and been about to ask him why, in the name of Ohm, he had spent hours standing in the rain, when he prempted her question entirely. Immediately at his explanation, Aegle's mouth shut, and did so quickly that her teeth actually clicked. For several seconds after, Aegle simply stared up at the taller man, something like confusion straining her pale countenance. Her gaze proceeded to drift downward and away from the soldier, as that confusion apparently mounted. That quickly gave way to a more pensive expression, followed some time later by one which could only have been epiphany. Then, nodding her head with all the solemnity and gravity of someone who'd just made a life changing decision, she locked her emerald eyes upon Sol once more.
"That sucks." She said simply. Then she strolled blithely past him and through the very door he appeared to be guarding, without so much as uttering another word.
Such was the timing of their brief discussion and it's apparent termination that, with the slamming closed of the heavy wooden doors Aegle had barged through, Sol was briefly the only living soul on the Basilica's steps. And it stayed that way for several, gloriously peaceful moments, during which time the only sound was that of the rain gently falling on the weathered flag stones around Sol's feet. Then, in a move that couldn't have assassinated the silence any better had it involved a canon, Aegle threw the heavy door back open and, with her distinctively ear-bleeding candor, squawked at the sodden soldier.
"So I dunno if I'm s'posed to say somethin' particular, but d'ya wanna come inside before your bones get soggy?" Then, with apparent effort that produced a quiet, mechanical whir rom under her clothes, she forced the door open wide enough for Sol to get in past her.
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Post by Solomon Moon on Oct 13, 2016 23:25:06 GMT -6
reaction to the sound of his voice would not have been unexpected in any other context. Low, cracked, and worn, Sol's vocal tones were that which could only be achieved by regularly screaming until one's larynx literally bled. Given how frequently he found himself testing the upper limits of the volume that could be achieved using only a set of vocal chords and a fantastically foul temper, it was amazing that any of the young man's original voice remained. Like the rest of him, it had grown old before it's time, and as it had aged it had grown harder and colder. It was no surprise to anyone who had known him at his worst moments, how Sol could make something as gentle as a whisper sound like an avalanche. However, Sol did not think it was the unexpected, that is to say mostly unpleasant, qualities of his voice that had silenced the girl. In fact, no matter how hard he looked at the pint sized punk's emerald green eyes, as wide and vacant as pane-less windows, he could not find any trace of the usual fear or apprehension with which people tended to regard men eye-patches and a voice like a drill sergeant. For all he could make out in her expression, she was just thrilled to be alive, assuming she was even aware of that much, which was doubtful. It annoyed him, greatly, but not nearly so greatly as it utterly baffled him. He wondered briefly if he had fallen asleep at his post, and his nightmares, having grown bored with the usual fare of crawling through no-mans land on hand (singular) and knees, as disembodied apparitions cast shade over him, and had manufacture this thing to torment him instead. The sight of the girl pondering would have been humorous, and Sol would have happily imagined the sound of clicking gears had he not been almost certain that somehow the girl was already producing them. He put it down to an overactive imagination due to hours of inactivity, and decided he would only remark on it if the punk's ears began smoking as well. Her reply was as empty and ignorant as her strangely decorated head. Sol would have growled like a much suffering guard dog who was forced to endure the company of a teacup poodle, and likely have said something that could be legally defined as "uttering threats", just to make the eccentric halfling leave him alone, when she saved him the trouble and left on her own. It seemed to have an inverse proportion of fanfare to her arrival. Behind was left such a void in personality and sound, that the entire Basillica seemed to have emptied. Imagining that someone, or something fair away was currently observing him and laughing at his expense was the only way he could comprehend the short but outlandish exchange.Sol caught himself looking around, searching for the hidden camera, and imagining what he would do to who ever thought it would be a good idea to play such a singular joke on him. Within a minute he was about half way to convincing himself that the brief but infinity bizarre chapter in his life was well and truly concluded, and he would only be harassed in his nightmares by orange haired devils. When the man-door slammed open with the force of poor self control and oblivious nature, Sol couldn't help but jump. He spun about quickly enough to briefly leave a crescent of water hanging in the air. The spray thrown off by his cape as he wheeled around, followed in his wake like the plumage of a large bird. He faced the source of the disturbance right hand gripping the pommel of his decorative sword with the desperate grasp of death itself. His face was contorted in a silent snarl that bared all his teeth up to the first of his molars, and his eye was wide in it's search for danger. He shouldn't have been surprised to see that it was the punk girl, returned to pester him some more, and he was just about to tell her where to stick it and how hard, when of all things, she invited him in. Sol wasn't sure if the warmth that rose into his cheeks was a touch of sentiment for the gesture, or a genuine desire to throttle the little shit. He decided to at least pretend it was the first, in no small part due to several other occupants who had noted the crash, and were currently looking towards the very spot where he was contemplating the gruesome homicide of a certain amber haired imbecile. Sol cleared his throat and released the hilt of his decorative weapon, much to the implement's silent relief. Then, with a sweeping motion that carried both his hands past his hips and across the dangling folds of his cloak, Sol gave his cape another good shake to evict a bit more rain water, and joined the girl at the door. He flattened his right hand upon the wood, just above the highest peak of Aegle's hair, and held the door open himself. In light of how she struggled to prop up the slab of treated wood, Sol worried, in spite of himself, that the puny hooligan was going to hurt herself if he didn't help her. It had the added and satisfying effect of making the little disaster's efforts look even more spirited and pathetic by comparison, and that actually made Sol crack a shadow of a sardonic smile. " I think my bones are already drenched." He agreed, despite himself. He didn't even question for a moment that the girl had the authority to deign him refuge from the storm. This was because he knew with absolute certainty that if anyone was going to play gatekeeper for this wake, it wasn't going to be a shrill mohawked moffet like the orange haired headache that had let him in. He simply didn't care, at least not now that he could blame Aegle for his being there. Of course that excuse would be as credible as claiming that beating up the mailman was the dog's idea, but no one was going to ask anyway. As he passed the threshold, his first act was to enjoy no being continuously hassled by the rain, and his second was to begin drying his clothes by allowing his aura to collect between the folds of his uniform. Finally, the orange haired girl mostly forgotten now that she'd served her purpose, he began looking around for anyone he might recognize. tag(s): ━ words: 000 ━ notes: please keep it short made by ira of stf and ww |
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Post by chrohn on Oct 14, 2016 12:46:02 GMT -6
While Chrohn was still considerably drenched due to his lack of an umbrella, he was far dryer than when he was previously in the semi-formal suit that was within his hardly touched wardrobe. "Aaaaagghh! Why did it have to rain on a funeral....especially when I don't have an umbrella or covered transport," he grumbled. Chrohn loved the rain, but to specify: he loved the soothing sound, Chrohn did not enjoy being in the rain for extended periods of time, especially with as heavy as the rain was while he was traversing through the town.
People were already inside by the time Chrohn managed to get to the church. To be perfectly honest, Chrohn wasn't surprised; though he did feel he was running late. Why hadn't the funeral-y type things happened yet? Was his watch off, and he was actually on time? Or was it that Chrohn was actually late, and for some reason the funeral processions had yet to start? Either way, the blonde wouldn't find it in him to complain, as for once he was not technically late.
Going through the open doors he passed by two people that definitely stood out, given they were also right at the door. The tall, solemn looking one didn't really peak Chrohn's interest, but the smaller one looks familiar...maybe they had talked together before or something? It was weird, like déjà vu, but it wasn't something that lingered in his mind for a while as the gambler realized that he felt alone in a church full of people he'd never really met before. And then he saw his sort of unofficial teammate and official roomie, Dusty.
When Dusty was spotted among the people Chrohn had not known, the young man had started waving him over with a quiet, and as some could see it, harsh whisper, "Oi, Dusterboy, over here! I'm surrounded by a sea of like minded strangers that are invading the safety zone." It had some qualities equivalent to that of yelling, but it was far quieter, and less disruptive.
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Post by lilywilde on Oct 14, 2016 21:20:10 GMT -6
Lily had woken before the dawn. Even though she was not close to fallen Pendragon, she'd received the same invitation as very few did. It was a consolation prize for having attended the battle of Setek with the fallen hero. Lily knew next to nothing about the girl, and would have shredded her invitation if not for one thing.
Amber had requested her presence.
She felt out of place, even in the muted empty streets of the early morning. The gray landscape was a tangle of black electric vines, shining glass, and concrete towers that left her feeling so disconnected from the greens and browns of the world that she'd always been surrounded by. She had wandered the streets for a while, always doubling back after she'd traveled too far to ensure she could find her way back to her hotel. Amber would be expecting her in a few hours, it wouldn't be okay if she got lost.
She trotted along street after street in her tattered black dress. It wasn't what she planned to wear to the funeral, but it was what she felt like wearing right now. The old ragged garment sewn by her mother was the only physical memory of either of her parents that she had.
When she had been invited to a funeral, she initially did not know what the event was. Contrary to her first impression of the word, it had very little do with with fun. Apparently, funerals were a way of honoring the dead, a concept which was as new to Lily as everything else in society. Her own tribe had merely left the infirm and dying to their ends. Never staying in one place long enough to house their corpses, and never wasting any resources on someone or somebody who could never hope to return them. When her parents had fallen, Lily had left their bodies in the mud. She knew of no other way to honor them. Perhaps their corpses might still be there, skeletal remains to mark the fall of the two most influential people in Lily's life. More likely though their bones had been crushed by wild beasts hungry for the marrow within. The thought saddened Lily. As she wandered the streets, drenched by the falling rain, she thought on this. She thought on her parents, and what death meant.
As she walked the streets these thoughts ruminated in her mind. She felt a cold ache not too dissimilar to what many of the funeral attendees would be feeling about Aiso. She decided to take a break from her wandering, and slumped against a street corner to relax for a bit. She let the rain wash over her like a purifying bath. The rain always comforted the girl. It made a different sound when impacting flesh, and the creatures of grimm made no effort to avoid the puddles that would form in the mud. Rain often meant more safety, and the girl did not mind being wet if that were the case.
As she sat there, immobile in her tattered dress, a few people passed her by. Her eyes scanned the passers by for any sign of danger. One man saw something in her face, and fished around for something in his pocket. He tossed a few coins at Lily's feet and went on with his day, a self satisfied smile on his face for having done a good deed. She stood, leaving the coins where they'd fallen. As she walked towards the hotel once again she felt the pain inside of her chest deepening. It wasn't fair, that the good should die horrid deaths, while the cowards of the world extended their own lives through their cowardice. She could run, and when her parents died that's exactly what she did. She ran, and ran, and ran. She ran until her aura gave out and even when she was running on fumes, she ran.
As she returned to the hotel for what would be the final time that day, the girl curled up on the bed in her soaked dress and cried. She didn't stop crying for a long time, each tear burning it's way down her face with a vengeance, as if the tears themselves were bitter that they had been ignored for so long.
When she'd finally composed herself well enough to get out of her head, she realized Amber's message would be coming any moment now. She stripped out of her soaked dress, knowing such a garment would be inappropriate for the high class funeral she was about to attend. After stripping she stood, examining herself in the mirror for a time. She looked at the horrible scar that dominated her abdomen. The jagged diamond that pierced just below her sternum and through to her back. She was no stranger to death, if not for the actions of those four hunters that day, she would have most certainly been killed.
She replaced her tatterend black dress with a simple dress, with a simple black bow to cinch it around her waist. Her shoes were the plain black buckled shoes that she'd taken a shine to ever since Amber had purchased them for her, with a pair of black ankle socks to complete the outfit. There were black ribbons in her hair, tying her hair back into the two tails that hung off of the sides of her head. As she finished getting dressed, she heard her scroll chime, informing her that Amber was on her way. She headed down into the lobby to await the girl. When she saw the limo she'd been told to expect, she got in wordlessly. Her hair was still soaked from the earlier explorations of the foreign concrete jungle, but the rest of her was relatively dry.
She could feel the tension in the car as she entered, and sat next to Amber, squeezing her hand lightly.
She'd had ages to come to grips with her own sorrow. Today was a day for the sorrow of others. She had promised to attend so that she could be there for her friend in her time of need. She would not fail in that duty. "Hey, how're you holding up Amber?" she asked softly. She wanted to tell her that all would be well, that everything was going to work out, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. The words would have felt like a lie on her tongue.
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Post by Ferr Aesir on Oct 15, 2016 11:22:38 GMT -6
 With the rain pelting against the glass the only thing Ferr could see was his own reflection. His blue eyes had darkened along with his scowling face. In truth he was not the gentleman he normally was. Ferr had transformed into an evil and nasty human being on this day. The day of his allies funeral. He tried rather hard to ignore the realty but it was fruitless. Emotions were something easy for people to get lost in. This fact was clearly something that hindered Ferr. Dwelling on the negative was a habit. Yet still he closed his eyes as he turned to Amber. As his mouth opened, Amber turned to him and said, “I know you’re hurting, Ferr. I really do. But you don’t have to be such an asshole. I want to be here for you, so you're not alone. Don't push me away, okay?”'The man, caught in a maelstrom of emotion, could only hold back his tears. There was some truth to what she said. But he couldn't bring himself to speak. All of his energy was being directed to holding in his outburst. Ferr could only look at Amber, pained, before turning to look at the sky once again. He remained silent once more until they arrived at Lily's hotel. As he young faunas woman entered the vehicle, Ferr shifted away to allow the newcomer some space. He offered Lily a glance before bowing his head in silence. As the driver began to once again drive down the road, Ferr looked down to his scroll. They were running behind which made Ferr suck his teeth. A moment later, his scroll began to vibrate from an incoming call. The caller ID labeled it as "Father". It had been almost a month since he last spoke with his father. Quickly Ferr answered and bowed his head as he excused himself. Placing his hand against his mouth in an attempt to keep his voice low, Ferr spoke into the scroll. "Good Morning Sir." " Good Morning Ferr." The man spoke with a tired and somber voice. " Hows it going?" Ferr stayed silent. " Not so good huh? Well its to be expected. Its a rather gloomy day. You know the other day I had a dream that I was stuck in a white room by myself? Terrible things the mind can concoct." " I'm sorry father. But what is it that you called me for?" Ferr knew Peter well. Any time something happened, the father would try to beat around the bush for a moment by bringing up a story of some sort. It didn't matter which kind. A heavy sigh left Peter's mouth before answering. " We here at the Estate have heard about Lady Pendragon." Ferr's eyes widened in surprise. He had not relayed the message to anyone in the Aesir. Though it was probably news by this point. It was the end of a legacy and bloodline after all. " That being said. We heard about it last night. Titania and Fafnir were rather unphased by the news. You know them. Never caring about the fallen unless its their own. However this morning they got up and dragged some members out of the gates. They should be reaching Saint Ivy's within...Perhaps an hour?" All the while, Ferr held onto his narrowed brows and stern expression. " I just thought I'd tell you ahead of time. Apologize for their rudeness please. And give the mourning my regards. It is never easy...Just please. Never have me bury you."In a instant Ferr began to cry. Unable to hold back his emotion. " Never dad. Never. I'll be sure to prevent them from making a scene." Peter sighed before saying good bye to his son. Ferr would hang up his phone as the limousine halted in front of the church. A chill rushed down the Knight's spine. As he looked up to the impressive structure, he couldn't help but wonder. When will all good things end? When will I end?
As the driver prepared to leave the car in order to open their doors, Ferr glanced at him. " An umbrella will be fine. You may remain here."" Certainly Sir." The driver nodded before reaching to the seat beside him. Ferr leaned forward and took the umbrella slowly. This moment was unavoidable but still unpleasant. Someone, anyone, wake him up from this dream. Prevent it from being reality! Reaching to the collar of his grey cloak, Ferr lifted a hood over his head. The hood, which had a red streak leading down to Ferr's right eye, came down to cover some of his face. As the man opened his door, the rain pelted his shoes and pants before he could open the umbrella. " It's like God knows today is today." The words crawled out in a murmur as the source followed suit. Slowly Ferr raised himself to stand on the curb to await Amber and Lily. However he did lower himself a minute amount in order to hand off the umbrella to them. MADE BY VEL OF GS |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Oct 16, 2016 16:41:06 GMT -6
[googlefont="Playfair+Display"] [attr="class","back"] [attr="class","picback"] [attr="class","queen1"] [attr="class","longlive"]And just this - I will wish
All of your pain and sadness
Fades someday ..
I hope to brush it away
FOR NOW, I’LL SEE YOU OFF
[attr="class","nomistake"]It looked like what might have been some harsh words did their job. Though Ferr remained silent, the look on his face as he looked at her spoke more words about how he was feeling than she believed the man was capable of finding in his vocabulary. Even so, just the look - that pained, broken look - made Amber want to hold him in her arms and do whatever it’d take to ease his pain. She wanted him to know everything would be okay, but didn’t know the words. She wanted to be close to him, to make him happy while he was sad. It was an odd feeling for the Princess, one that was, as far as she thought, surely fleeting.
“Ferr, hey-”
She had prepared to speak, but their sudden arrival at Lily’s hotel cut her off. All she could do is look back at him, her heart sinking as she observed his pain. As Lily entered the car, Amber smiled happily, taking a moment to inspect the Huntress-to-be’s dress. The Faunus girl looked quite lovely, even by Amber’s standards, for being dressed for a funeral. "Hey, how're you holding up Amber?" She asked in a soft tone. Amber shrugged a little, her head tilting slightly in Ferr’s direction. “Oh, you know, holding up.” The Princess replied with an exhausted smile. “I’m sure things will get better after today. It will take time, but healing often comes easier with friends.”
Pausing for a moment, Amber glanced back at Ferr - who had just taken a call on his Scroll - before her attention turned back to Lily. “So how about you, Lily?” She asked with a fond smile. “How are you doing? It’s been a couple weeks since we last saw each other!” It was hard for her to ignore Ferr as she listened to him talk, and even more so when her ears caught the sound of him crying. It caused her to frown slightly, and deep within she screamed at herself for not being able to do anything for him. Jeez, she felt like such a fool. Instead, she did her best to smile, keeping her ears finely tuned into her conversation with Lily.
Eventually they arrived at St. Ivy’s Basilica, a structure that was truly a marvel to behold. Amber’s jaw almost dropped as she observed the beauty of the place, and she had been so absolutely captivated by the sight that she almost didn’t notice Ferr rise from the vehicle. “Oh, right!” She turned to Lily, waving for her to follow along. “Come on, Lily! We’ll go together, kay?” She laughed, tugging her friend along by the arm. The group walked onward, Amber carrying a separate umbrella for her and Lily as she kept her other arm looped around that of the Faunus girl. She decided, for now, that it was best to give Ferr space.
It was best to let him heal for now, as best he could.
The other attendees had already arrived, with the Prime Minister and her companion showing up just a little after Amber and company did. This was the first time Amber had ever seen the woman currently leading the Kingdom of the North, and she was surprised - to say the least - by her appearance. Blonde hair, red eyes, decked out in a blue ceremonial dress befitting the nobility of home. No wonder she inspired so many people to follow her - she looked so strong. “Let’s have everyone take a seat and get started. I believe a few of us have prepared eulogies for Aisio…” The woman said, pausing for a moment to look at an older man whom Amber had never met. “I think it’s only proper for you to open the service, Ser Ash.”
As if on cue, the group began to disperse, everyone moving to different sections of the pews to take their seat. Amber, having released Lily’s arm, moved towards the front - intent on sitting as close as she could to what represented the woman everyone had gathered to celebrate.
It was going to be a long day, for sure.
"Ceyla?" Sounded a familiar voice. "It's time.”
As her head rose, a wide and happy smile formed across Ceyla’s otherwise pained features. Her head turned slowly, her eyes shimmering from the tears and overwhelming sense of relief to see Alburn standing there. “Oh, thank god you’re finally here!” She choked, rising to her feet and running to the young officer as fast as she could. Once she was there, she threw her arms around him and held onto him for what felt like an eternity. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t make it.” She said, laughing a little bit to ease her nerves. “But you’re here now...” - she paused for a moment, taking his hands in hers - “…I think we should get going before we’re late.”
Now smiling - and confident at that - Ceyla firmly gripped Alburn by the hand as she led him back into the elevator. It was quiet in the small space, and the two of them were alone. Her heart fluttered as she looked up at him, a mixture of anxiety from the coming funeral and a hint of flirtation just out of being so close to him. Turning her body to face him, Ceyla looped her arms around the officer’s shoulders and pulled herself up to his face, planting a light kiss on his lips before letting herself down. “I appreciate you, Alburn Redgrave.” She said with a kittenish laugh, her face blushing bright red as a beep indicated they were halfway down to the lobby. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far.”
Her arm looped around his, and she leaned against him tiredly for the remainder of the elevator ride down. When the ding finally sounded, she reluctantly withdrew herself from his arm, again gripping his hand as she led him through the lobby and out the door. A limousine, not unlike the one that transported the Princess, waited for them. The doors were opened for the two as they neared by the driver, a polite old man with whom Ceyla had shared many conversations about a variety of topics - including her feelings towards the officer who’s hand she held so tightly. He had grown to be a surrogate uncle of sorts, and since the death of her father had done his part to fill that newly formed void.
Slipping into the limo, Ceyla remained close to Alburn. Their trip was quiet, just as Ceyla hoped, and she took advantage of their alone time to squirm under his arm and lean against him. There was nothing she valued more than being able to be close to him, especially when times were so trying. Sighing happily, she dozed off, snoring softly as her arm reached across him. She hoped this never ended.
Of course, it did.
Upon their arrival to St. Ivy’s, Ceyla was rudely awoken by the feeling of the limo stopping. “H-how long was I out?” She stammered, rubbing her eyes tiredly. “Damn. I’m sorry, Al.” Shuffling out of the car as fast as she could, she waited for a moment for Alburn to follow after her, looping her arm around his as they walked towards the group that had started to gather. “Excuse the tardiness, everyone. I kind of lost track of time.” She apologized to the group with a anxious laugh. “Let’s have everyone take a seat and get started. I believe a few of us have prepared eulogies for Aisio…” - she paused for a moment to look to Ash - “I think it’s only proper for you to open the service, Ser Ash.”[newclass=.back]width:500px;padding:10px;background:#fff;margin:0 auto;[/newclass]
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Post by Ser Ash Nuada on Oct 19, 2016 20:11:21 GMT -6
Ash looked up at Ceyla's entrance, nodding at her and opening his mouth to speak the first time that day. "Thank you, Prime Minister." His voice was hoarse, strained, and he cleared his throat before moving towards the front of the room. He moved with a little more purpose than before, looking to at care at least a little where he was going. As he moved, Kim followed close behind, her stance almost protective of the old man. As Ash stood in front of everybody, the robotic faunus stood off to the side, watching from the sidelines at this event at which she felt she shouldn't be. The old butler opened his mouth to speak, only to find he lacked the words to truly speak his mind. He closed his mouth, and his eyes, for a moment to gather himself, taking a deep breath as he did so. He opened his eyes, the brown orbs much less distant, though still filled with sadness. When he attempted to speak next, he found his voice strong and loud, surprising considering how little he had used it over the last week.
"Aisio Pendragon was a fine warrior, a prodigal huntress, and the embodiment of what her house stood for. But above all of that, she was a wonderful person. She was kind, caring, but unwavering in her ideals. She fought for what she believed in, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, and loved her family more than anybody I've seen." Ash felt a single tear run down his face, but he paid it no mind, choosing instead to continue speaking. "I may not have been related to her, but I considered Aisio as much family as my father. I knew her since she was a baby, watched over her as she grew. She was always a passionate child, if not the most obedient. But she always cared, and was always driven to learn more, to experience more, to be more. If anything, that was Aisio's biggest strength, her drive to always be better than what she was, to keep pushing forward, no matter what."
Ash looked down sullenly, taking a shuddering breath before continuing. His words shook gently, as he held back tears with all his might. "In the end, she should always be remembered for how she lived. Strongly, yet with love and care. Protecting the lives of others, fighting to keep them safe. Any other person may have been unable to fight, with the tragedy that had already plagued the Pendragons. Not Aisio though, she pushed through, took the awful things that happened and used them to drive herself ever forward." He lifted his head, tears gently flowing down his face, yet with a face of focus and determination, and his words hardened slightly. "She always put others first, which is why I feel it would be wrong if I didn't relay her last words. She fought to give me a final message, something I may not yet understand, but I promise I will."
"She said that somebody named AEthelwulf was working with Barnett. He is related to the letters AE somehow, and I will find him, as I know she would want me to." His determined look faded away, replaced again by the sorrow he had stepped up with. He shook his head lightly, attempting to bring his mind back into focus, his emotions back under control. "Aisio Pendragon's memory will live on, long after today, as a warrior who dared to be more than herself. She embodied everything House Pendragon stood for. Honor, valor, strength, and above all else protection and leadership. She is a shining example of what we should all strive to be, what it means to be a huntress." Ash clenched his fist, chocking back a sob. He nodded at the people and stepped away, moving to the edge of the room, towards Kim. She placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder, a gesture which was hardly noticed.
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Post by lilywilde on Oct 19, 2016 22:34:09 GMT -6
Lily sat in silence in the limo after her initial greeting, only responding to amber to say that "A lot has happened since then, some good, some not so good, but I don't think now is the proper time to talk about it all." She moved her eyes to Ferr who was on the phone, before they darted back to Amber.
Though he lowered his voice and made himself generally harder to hear, Lily's acute hearing caught every word, both from him and the older sounding gentleman that he was speaking to.
For the duration of the ride, Lily's eyes flitted between Amber, Ferr, and the window. Often she would stare out and see the impressive architecture. She was sure that each building would be the basilica that she'd only heard about thus far. The construction projects that man was capable of impressed her almost as much as as the technological marvels she'd seen. When the vehicle they were in finally slowed to a halt, and Amber and Ferr exited, she did so as well.
As Amber led her by the arm up the steps and into the doors of the imposing, but beautiful building, Lily couldn't help but feel nervous. She'd never never felt so out of place, even on her first day at Vytal. That of course was before she'd even had the slightest inkling of social standing or realized that there could be a 'place' for her in the eyes of others. Even so, here she was attending an event she had no earthly business attending because she'd made friends with someone so far above her station. Her eyes scanned the room as soon as they entered, searching for possible threats. They fell on several of the students from school, among those present were Aegle and Sol, as well as Chrohn, and a few other students who were present at Setek, but who Lily had only met in passing. She stared towards her closer friends, pleading, hoping her eyes would reach them. She was far too nervous to speak though, not in these hallowed halls where it felt as if her very voice was unworthy.
Whatever her own insecurity, however inadequate and out of place she might feel, she was here with purpose. She squeezed Amber's arm, which was fastened around her own, and took her seat next to the princess in mourning. She wasn't sure if the vice grip she'd adopted on amber's arm was a result of her wanting to show the princess that she was here for her, or the result of her own feelings on her presence.
Her eyes were downcast for a time, but then she realized how selfishly she was acting. She relaxed her grip slightly on Amber's arm, and looked up, waiting for the speaker to take his position at the podium to deliver his eulogy. Occasionally she would covertly scan the room to ensure that the strangers she did not recognize were not up to anything. Even in this hallowed place, her paranoia was not totally gone. Her ears twitched almost constantly, listening for the sound of weapons being drawn or metal clinking on metal.
When she wasn't focused on security, she was focused on Amber, making sure the princess was doing well through small squeezes on the arm that remained perpetually looped through her own.
When the old man stepped up and began his eulogy however, she shifted her focus entirely to him.
When he mentioned that he'd watched over her from birth, her mind shifted briefly to the conversation she'd overheard from Ferr in the limo. The tear running down this elderly stranger's cheek broke Lily's heart. Each person in this room was mourning in their own way, and Lily had been totally unable to do a single thing about the tragedy that preempted their sorrowful meeting. The fact that she wasn't even present for whatever tragedy had befallen Aiso Pendragon did not really change things for her. This, coupled with the sentiment fellow Ferr had spoken with who'd asked him not to ever make him bury him had Lily's clenching her fists into small white balls with lily white knuckles. This is why she was at Vytal, learning how to be a huntress. She would protect these people, she would protect this world, just as it had protected her. She was understanding more and more the ties that bound human society together, and how much pain could be unleashed when those ties were severed.
This funeral would forever serve as a reminder for Lily. As the thing she would want to prevent at all costs.
Her aura blossomed forth, bathing those nearest her in a pure white light that seemed to flicker like a low burning ember. It served to ease the tension of those around her. She gritted her teeth. The name Æthelwulf would be burned into her mind. Though she didn't know who that was, who it represented, the motives that drove them, she wouldn't let the name be forgotten. She didn't need to know those details, Lily was naive, she didn't think for a second to question whether or not Aiso had done something bad and this Æthelwulf fellow was on the side of the righteous. She merely saw the sorrow that resulted in her passing, and wished that she could do something about it.
A light squeeze from amber made Lily realize two things. One, that she was glowing, and people were staring. Two, that her teeth were gritted and gnashing. A red hue replaced the white glow as her aura faded, and she blushed. She apologized so softly under her breath, she'd be surprised if anyone without hearing as keen as her own could hear it, with the exception of maybe Amber who was sitting right next to her.
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