Disclaimer: I only own Maria. You should know who belongs to everyone else.
Author's Note: Just something I felt like writing. I was in one of my sad moods.
No Sense Crying
Some say, that if it rains on the day your bury a loved one, that the Creator himself mourns their passing. I can't say if that's true or not, but this I can say. No one mourns her passing quite like me. I re-read the inscription on the headstone, and it still doesn't make it any easier. All of her, and my, friends were gathered at her grave as Warlic read off the eulogy.
"Dearly beloved. We are gathered on this dark, sad day to mourn the passing of a dear friend." He began, wiping a burning tear from his cheek. I look down at my feet as the rain masks my tears helping them on their way to the ground. "All of our lives were, in some way, touched by this unlikely citizen of Battleon. She was a friend to all of us, family to some, and, in her own special way, she was a lover to most of us." I looked around, my feet sinking into the soaked dirt. I could see Wolfblitzer kneeling by the headstone muttering a prayer of his own. Serras' head was buried into Natalya's shoulders, trying to hide the tears. I look down at my own side as Gale stands in the rain, continually shaking her head.
"Mom?" Gale asks beside me.
"Yes, honey?" I continue, trying to look strong to her.
"Why did... why did she have to die...? Why did she leave us?" Gale asks, tears forming heavier in her eyes.
"Life is strange, Gale. Some live long, fulfilling lives... others have their candles extinguished early. We just have to assume the Creator took her from us for a reason." I hold Gale closer to me and continue to survey the area. Artix is speaking to Galanoth... That's the only time I've seen Galanoth without his helmet on.
"I didn't know her very well, myself." Warlic continued. "We kept our relationship professional, and tried to keep the meddling in each other's affairs minimal. Although... She asked me for things that I wouldn't care to give up, and likewise, I asked her to do things I would never hear the end of." There came a nervous laugh from most of the congregation.
Rayne held Lizzie and Kay close and tried to keep her stony stare. She was failing, evident even in the low light and pouring rain.
"Marriage was possibly the happiest thing she had in her life. A life filled with pain, torment, discrimination and some colorful words. Adoption of a lovely girl, and the love of her beautiful wife. These two are the last of the Despair legacy left by the deceased." Warlic continued. Gale snuggled into me closer, trying to keep the rain of her. I just pulled her closer.
"The beginnings of the woman we all knew started in Darkovia, all those years ago. Maria came to Safiria with wonderment in her eyes, and left a stronger woman. Both of them walked away stronger. And now, she lies in eternal peace with those who came before her." Running my hands through my hair and the back of my other hand across my eyes, I try to avoid crying. Thinking about her now... so dead-looking...
Who am I kidding? As long as I've known her, she's always been dead looking... but this time... it's permanent. A true, painful death.
"How are you holding up?" A voice asks beside me. I look over to see Trip reach out and rub my shoulders. She was always terribly klutzy, but words were one thing that never failed her. She always knew exactly what to say, and how to say it. I smiled.
"As well as to be expected, Trip. Thanks." I tried to keep my composure, but I couldn't. "I don't know how I'm going to keep living without my little kitten..." I felt someone come up behind me.
"Come on. It's time to say good bye." Aria muttered in my ear. I nodded and turned back one more time to the grave stone.
"Gale..." I choked out, tears in my eyes, falling down my cheeks. "It's time to say leave. Anything you want to say to her?" Gale pulled away from me and stood by the grave. She hung her head, the rain pouring down. I saw her mouth moving, saying something, but the sound of the rain thundering drowned out any words. I watched as she drew a cross across her chest and head, muttering some prayer. Returning to my side, the other on lookers began to disperse. I walked myself to the grave, forcing every footstep. Taking a kneel at the mound of freashly-dug earth, I took a necklace from around my neck and laid it across the headstone, and read one last time.
Safiria Despair
Friend, Lover
Mother, Sister
????-3E 1238
As I stand from my position, the rain clears and the sweet sound of thunderous applause breaks out. I watch everyone else enter from the wings which they have exited to and line up at my side. Safiria, even, the one supposedly in the grave, takes my hand lovingly as we bow, the audience continuing to applaud enthusiastically.
"I'm still going to kill you for conning me into this, Kitten." She sneers out of the side of her mouth. I just smile and hoist Gale onto our shoulders.
"Yea. But you have to admit. The rest of us do a damn good funeral dirge. Besides. There's no sense crying in a play!"
"I dunno, mom. I was crying a little, I think." Gale answers.
"I was too, man. I was too." Wolfblitzer echoes.