Chapter 17 - Funeral on Nemesis
Raye stood there after the vigil and stared straight ahead of her. She was tired and she didn't know what to do next. While she loved Nemesis, it wasn't her home. Yet. She vaguely noticed there were people hovering around her waiting for her to indicate anything that she needed. She just didn't know what to tell them. She had no clue what she needed.
Sapphire spoke softly to her, he seemed afraid to break the quiet that had settled around them since the start of the rituals of the funeral. He hoped observing the funeral rituals of Nemesis would bring her some comfort, they always meant a lot to him. "Would you like to go and sit somewhere that you would feel comfortable. They will be coming soon, but I thought you might like some rest."
She shook her head, "No thank you. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but the only place that really feels like mine here is the bedroom next to the one Grandfather died in. I don't want to go there." She didn't want him to feel like she didn't appreciate him, but she didn't have the energy to edit the truth right now.
Sapphire nodded and said, "Would you be willing to follow me and indulge me in a sort of experiment. I have an idea, but I would like to show it to you rather than tell you about it."
"Yes, lead the way."
He escorted her towards his office and she recognized it as she walked in and saw Topaz's desk. Instead of walking to the ornate door behind his desk Sapphire walked her to an equally ornate door just a bit further down, behind another desk that looked similar to Topaz's in everything except the fact that it was empty. He opened the door and ushered her in.
Inside was a beautiful office with plush seating and walnut furniture. The decorations were more femine than Sapphire's office, but they were perfect for Raye. She instantly loved the office. "This office looks amazing!"
"I am glad you like it. I had it set up for you. Anything that you want to change can be made to your exact desires." Sapphire told her and he caressed her back.
"This is mine." She said in awe and gave a slight smile.
He pointed, "If you look over there you will notice the door. It connects to my office. That way you have access to me at any time. I thought you might want to come in here and relax on the couch. This space is yours afterall."
She nodded and smiled at him, "Please, stay with me."
"As you wish."
They sat back on the comfortable couch as he held her and tears slowly slipped down her face. "I don't know what I would have done without you. I am lost, but it would have been so much worse."
"You would still have your friends," he pointed out.
She nodded, "Yes, and I need them. I just need you too."
He held her close and kissed her ear. "I will always be here for you."
Time passed as he held her and she looked around again and said, "I never told you what my office means to me. I absolutely love it. I can't believe I have such a beautiful space."
"I am thrilled that you love it. It matters to me that Nemesis starts to feel like your home."
She gave him a small smile, "It will. I know that for sure. I am so touched by how everyone has welcomed me here. That will go a long way towards helping this feel like home to me."
Sapphire smiled and kissed the top of her head. And there was a soft knock on the door.
He looked significantly at Raye and she nodded and said, "Come in!"
Topaz walked in and bowed. "I am about to go collect the others from Earth. Is there anything else you will need in the meantime?"
Raye shook her head, "No, thank you. Topaz, I thank you for all you have done. I can see your hand on a lot of the things that have been arranged for Grandfather's funeral. It means a lot to me and it has been a great comfort to have so much taken care of so that I can focus on mourning him."
Topaz smiled at her, "It is my duty. But to be truthful, for you it has been my pleasure. I serve a great king who I respect deeply. You have been everything he needs to get him through not only the death of his sister, but you have also been the support he needs to rebuild this great kingdom."
Raye nodded, "I believe we understand each other well and have the same goals in mind. Thank you for your support and help."
Topaz bowed and left to go retrieve the others.
Sapphire rubbed Raye's shoulders and asked, "Your father was okay with you taking Grandfather's ashes? There weren't any problems there?"
Raye shook her head, "No problems. He just made sure he maintained appearances, he of course had it held at our temple and all of the proper funeral rites were held. We had a priest come from another temple." She sighed, "It is a relief to have this ceremony to honor him and not have to deal with the false and very public mourning of my father."
Sapphire held that comment deep in his heart. He was glad that he was providing comfort for the woman he loved and not a prolonged period of ceremony and suffering.
Raye stood and said, "It's probably time to go receive our guests. I am glad they will be here. I am also glad that you made the ceremony open to everyone on Nemesis. It represents what Grandfather was able to experience. Acceptance of those on Nemesis and the chance to experience a whole new race of people." She smiled at Sapphire.
When Raye welcomed everyone from Earth she noticed a dynamic she couldn't discern the source of. "What happened here?"
Jasper smiled at her and said, "Well, Aunt Raye, Molly spilled the beans when Darien got jealous of the attention I was paying to Serena."
Sapphire looked puzzled, "Aunt Raye?"
Raye smiled at him, "With everything going on I didn't tell you. It turns out that Jasper is the son of Molly and Jadeite from the future."
Sapphire shook his head, "It's never dull with you all is it? I guess that makes you my nephew too. We aren't married yet, but I am sure we are by the time you are born."
Jasper smiled and shook his hand, "Uncle Sapphire, I always love the time we spend together. It is great to see the foundations of what you will build on Nemesis!"
Andrew shook his head, "You really stink at keeping secrets. You know that right?"
"You are the one who chose to send me back!" Jasper pointed out in indignation. He knew Andrew was right and that made it worse.
Sapphire smiled and said, "It is good to know I am successful."
"As if anyone had any doubt you would be," Raye replied.
Sapphire looked at her with a soft and loving look in his eyes and said, "Darling, with you by my side I can do anything." And he then leaned down and kissed her.
They all prepared to enter the room for the funeral and Raye held Sapphire back to enter last with her. The rest of the group from Earth entered and sat in their chairs.
Raye turned to Sapphire, "We do this together. I need you, and everyone else needs to see us united."
Sapphire said, "Are you sure? This isn't about politics."
"You are right it isn't. This is about family and our future together. Now is the time to show everyone that our future starts now. We enter as a unit." She then took a step towards the door with Sapphire to enter and finally lay her grandfather to rest.
Once they stepped into the room she stopped walking and stood in shock. She expected the room to be full, after all it was the funeral for the grandfather of their future Queen. What she didn't expect was the tears and true looks of mourning from so many people there. She was so taken aback she made a choking noise and covered her mouth and tears sprang to her eyes. She looked and the altar was covered in the same kind of flowers Jade had given her grandfather. And there at her grandfather's funeral it hit her. This is what home should feel like when you are mourning.
She choked out, "I don't know what to say. Wow." She paused and gathered herself. She desperately wanted to be a worthy queen to these people and she knew she had to draw on her strength right now.
She walked with Sapphire to their seats and let him sit and then she proceeded to walk to the front of the room. "Before the funeral starts I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for accepting my grandfather and giving him rest and comfort in his final days of life. But more than that thank you for genuinely caring about him. He felt it and it brought him joy. Thank you for accepting me as your future queen and supporting me in my darkest hour. I will not forget this. I will not forget that the people of this planet cared for us when they didn't have to accept us as foreigners. I may be Martian by blood, an Earthling by birth, but I will live and die as one of you on Nemesis."
Sapphire knew that by following his heart and his head, in proposing to Raye he had truly picked the best woman for himself and his people.
Her short speech along with the events of the funeral were written down and published across Nemesis. It was then that she had solidified her spot in the hearts of the people she would help to rule.
After the funeral Raye and Sapphire gathered with all of her friends and Topaz to relax and talk about her grandfather.
Serena handed her gift to Raye and smiled and told her, "It is just something small I think you should have. It is from Darien, Sammy and me."
Raye opened it and began to cry, "Thank you. I don't have many pictures of him. This is just perfect." She then proceeded to tell them about the office Sapphire had done up for her and said, "This will sit on my desk in there."
They all began to reminisce about Grandfather and tell funny stories about him. Raye even managed to laugh along. All of the while Sapphire held her hand and made sure she had everything she needed.
She reflected that those that meant the most to her were people she almost lost because she pushed them away. Never again would she let jealousy cloud her judgment on others. She could have been going through this all alone. She was glad that Queen Serenity sent the Sword of Mars so that she could go and learn from him. It changed everything for her.