Chapter 11-Absent
The doors to the presentation room (temporary chapel) opened from the inside as expected. The agonised wail of grief from inside was not, everyone went to see the cause.
Hovering above the length of carpeted aisle was the glittering read lights all nobles seemed to release when they died. It felt like they were travelling out the door into the sky, it took a moment to realise this was not the entire case. The first one to be released was also the first to disappear.
It was only after a few blinks that realisation set in their presence meant Raizel was dead.
Perfect timing indeed Lord.
Astraea was the first one to move after the group was stopped by the site. She dashed to her fathers' side apparently ignoring the signs of her papa that she passed through on the way to get there.
Boss was kneeling on both knees where he had been standing, behind an to the side of Raizels chair, during the evenings proceedings. He was crying, the waling quickly dimming to broken sobs. Astraea wrapped her arms around him, the human form of comfort, also her soul as only a Noble could.
The lord closed the doors before anyone else could enter, like a signal, all the visitors whom had come for the second part of the evening promptly left. Giving those closest to him the privacy they would need for their own grief.
When the area had emptied it was M21 whom opened the door again so they could go help the immediate family in their mourning.
I went to move forward myself but only moved a few steps before the weight of reality hit me. Then I could not bring myself to move any more.
Someone, Takeo, pulled me across the room and had me sit on the ledge of the platform where Boss was. Blankly I watched everything going on around me not processing what was there but remembering everything for later analysis.
Our young noble comrades had chosen to kneel where they had spoken their last words to Raizel, speaking in Lukedona's native tongue, I could not understand the words. M-21 crouched by Boss patting his shoulder the way he would have, expression lost. Takeo was trying to.. to get my attention, asking me to respond, I knocked his hands away. This was worse than seeing Krans kill Shark, this was someone treasured.
Astraea was pulling her father's sleave now getting him to stand up, it worked. Boss took charge, pack up procedure as if as if he was still alive, they needed to clean up after the wake.
I wish I had done more than give him a hug in my 15 minutes
The end is the next chap... Followed by big A/N