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 Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:51 pm
"Well it's a good thing Feng hasn't changed that much... well minus the fact she got taller or longer depending on the form since you first met her... and I didn't think anyone in the family could get any taller...." Lin murmured.
Seriously the mer twins were taller than Elnara, that was saying something considering it all, if their ears weren't around they might have done well as passing off as elves.
Lin smiled at Halmir, "Whether it's complete or not I think Naida would like to see, she's kind of like Feng in personality, only a tad less nuts... and she can't walk yet... which is just as well..."
Less ways to get into trouble.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:04 pm
Arthael smiled softly at Lin.
"Perhaps tomorrow we can meet her," she suggested, "before you all go home."
Of course, they didn't know about the funeral yet, or that the Winters/Laus would be staying longer than expected.
"As it is," she added, glancing at Timaeus, "we should be heading to bed. It's early, but it's been a long and difficult month for all of us ... we all need to rest, I think."
Her way of saying that Timaeus really needed sleep. After all, perhaps a good solid sleep would help him to feel a bit better. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally, and he needed rest.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:16 pm
Lin nodded getting up from the table, "Then I should be heading back."
Not that anyone would wonder where she went to seeing as this was all her father's idea. She patted Timaeus on the back before heading to the door waving to his parents behind her.
"I'll see you later."
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:25 am
Over the course of the next three days, Timaeus worked alone, as much as he was able, to dig a grave for the girl whose death he blamed himself for. He would let people sit and talk to him (as long as they didn't expect an answer) but he would not allow anyone to help him dig. The grave would be behind the carriage house, far enough away that it would not be disrespected by the horses or anyone else, and yet near enough that anyone who wised to visit it would be able to without any trouble. Long hours, Timaeus dug, and he would allow himself only what rest was absolutely needed for him to continue.
At long last, it was finished, and Elrohir brought over a gravestone that Haradhel had shaped and engraved with the name of the child who had died. He and Timaeus worked together to plant the gravestone at the head of the grave. Ulrich had finished the girl's coffin the day before - rather quickly, but he had done a superb job on it - and finally everything was ready for the funeral.
Haradhel had worked hard all morning, making sure that all of the children were washed and dressed, and had sent Arahad to collect everyone who was available (that was, everyone not on guard duty at the moment) so that they could begin.
Everyone from the valley had come over as well: Ulani and Ulrich, Aliya and Amdir and all of their children (even Adonijah), Shael and Adonai and Rhea, and Arwen and Roydon.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:39 am
Lin stood by her father's side, it had bothered her a bit that Timaeus worked on digging the grave alone, but she sort of understood why he did it. It was his way of dealing, and as long as he was she could at least breath easier that he would be alright. It was... she thought absently as she watched the others arrive, a grim reminder or realization.
Seconds did not grow old, the races intermixed with ease, they had no war and while they were dangers they were the dangers of nature. In otherwords for the first time a death was seen, an.. unnatural death, something unknown to them.
Miyu was of course close to her grandmother, clutching the robes like they were a lifeline. She didn't understand of course, but she knew that the little girl was never coming back.
Toshiro was with her, being that comforting presence. One had to wonder what went through his head, he was after all older. Older than Lin actually even though he was in a child's body.
For one of those rare times, the mer twins were here too, they had arrived with Aliya and Amdir's family. Bringing along Naida as well, though well the merchild seemed to be unusually sedated she was confused as to the seriousiness of all of this.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:46 am
Donovan stood there quietly, ignoring the nipping cold. As he peered around him, for the first time he really saw how the ranch had grown (and how much he hadn't been able to see the people there). There were people off duty he had probably never actually met in the past 25 years or so (had it really been that long since then?).
He looked back at the place where the girl was to be buried. He knew, from Lin that the afterlife for them was different than how he was raised, but still. Donovan couldn't help but think, there were a lot of people here just for her. Her spirit should be happy.
Though he didn't have any offerings.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:02 am
The children were the ones standing nearest the grave, though they were about 10 feet away from it, and Haradhel, Elrohir, Arwen and Roydon were all standing with them, comforting them and keeping them calm. This after all was a reminder of what everyone had been trying to make them forget for the past several days.
Timaeus, Halmir, Celeborn and Elros were the ones who were carrying the coffin. Four people were not necessary for such a small, light one, but it was tradition for children to be carried by four. They came slowly through the large group of people, which parted to make a path for them.
For the first time since the hunters' return, Timaeus was walking with his head high. Grief was etched into his features, but it was clear that he was at least no longer tormented.
Rhea pressed against her mother's side, holding tightly to her skirts. She was still struggling to understand what was going on, and just what death meant, though her father had tried to explain it to her several times already. She watched as the men carefully lowered the wooden box into the ground, and then everyone bowed their heads and put their hands over their hearts.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:28 am
The coffin was so small was the first thought that came to Kara's mind as she followed suit to what the others were doing. She couldn't help but wonder who's little girl she was.
It was quiet, which was to be expected but still. It was just... for that one day it seemed unnaturally quiet.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:41 am
When the coffin was at last in the ground, the men who had carried it knelt down on one knee, their heads bowed respectfully. Timaeus, the closest to the grave, stretched out one arm and held his hand over it, and began to murmur softly in elvish, speaking to the little girl, apologizing for causing her death, asking her forgiveness and promising not to let it happen to anyone else again, if he could help it. Then he picked up a handful of dirt from the nearby pile and, holding it near his heart, brought it over to the grave. After a moment of silence, he threw it in, then took a step back and bowed his head and folded his hands.
Halmir was the next to do the same, followed by Celeborn and Elros, and once the four of them were standing in a line together, Haradhel and Elrohir ushered the children forward so that they could also say goodbye.
Rhea looked up at her mother to see if she could go up as well, but Shael shook her head. No, she had to wait her turn ...
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:52 am
Toshiro had no clue what anyone was saying, but he understood the concept of it. He watched as the children, wondering what they could be thinking. He hoped nothing like this would happen to his birth world... if it did well someone deserved a good kick.
Miyu shifted closer to Kara if that was possible, it made her.. uneasy this sort of thing. Granted she had never been to such a thing before.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:57 am
Once the children had all said their goodbyes, Haradhel and Elrohir brought them back to the house.
Snow began to fall as Adonijah looked over at Donovan. He nodded his head slowly, indicating that it was the human's turn to say goodbye, and anything else he wanted to add. After Donovan, it would be the other fighters, and then anyone who wanted to say something. Really, only those who had known the girl, or been present at her death, were traditionally required to speak at all.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:18 pm
Donovan made his way to the grave side, following the actions of the others before him, as of the children. He really didn't know what to say to be honest. It wasn't that funerals were new to him it was just he had never attended the funeral of a child before.
Though the back of his head nagged him that he didn't have anything to offer.
So all he could do was murmur his good byes in English (he only barely understood one of the elvish languages). He wished her well wherever her spirit was going and told her, her friends were going to go home safely (at least he felt that would have been important to him if he had died).
And once it was all done, the last actions taken he let the others say his good bye.
It took effort not to bow three times, or search his pockets for something to give. This was after all not his home, funerals were different here, and yet it didn't feel right.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:25 pm
After Donovan had finished, the rest of the fighters that had gone on the hunt went up to pay their respects, and once that was done just about everyone turned away. Halmir, Timaeus, Celeborn and Elros stayed where they were standing, waiting for anyone else who might have anything to say.
Rhea looked up at her mother, and, receiving a nod of permission, she headed over to the grave and knelt next to it.
"I'm really sorry I didn't get to meet you," she murmured softly. "I really think we could have had a lot of fun together this winter. But maybe Mama and Papa will let me go with when your friends go home, and I can tell your Mama and Papa all about this, and tell them to come and see you when they want to. Would you like that?"
She smiled and held one hand out over the open grave, and magic pooled in her palm and dripped over the edges, spattering the dirt that partially hid the coffin by this time.
"Maybe I'll still meet you someday," she whispered, "when you come back again."
She picked up a handful of dirt, kissed it lightly, and tossed it into the grave, then headed back to her parents, blushing slightly.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:37 pm
Kara smiled softly at Rhea, she had continued to watch the proceedings though she didn't speak. She too didn't know the child and Donovan had said the same feelings she had felt. The hope that the little girl had moved on to somewhere well.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:41 pm
Shael made sure that Rhea stayed with Adonai, then made her own way over to the grave. She had much that she wanted to say to this little girl ... she had been so close to being in the same situation so many years ago ... but when she spoke, she spoke in the ancient tongue so that it would be more private, since Elros was the only other one present who could speak it. She spoke for a long time to the girl, and the tone of the language was so different from any Adonai knew that even he had no idea what she might be saying to her.
At long last, Shael rose and tossed in a handful of dirt, then returned to her family. As they turned to leave, Adonai paused, turning to Kara.
"Would you like to say anything?" he asked her quietly. "Or the children?"
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