Friday, February 29, 2008

Yellow Lilies

It was too idyllic a day to be so filled with death.


The sun shone down bright on the gathered funeral party; even the endless sea of black of mourners seemed too bright to Max as she squints over the crowd. But it seemed to speak to the beauty of both the life of her fallen friend and the final resting place of her body - no more beautiful place could have been chosen to lay Ariel to rest, in Max’s opinion. Even if it was a bit dangerous.


Like every good hero, Ariel had kept a current will. Her wishes had been very clear; she did not want to be taken back to France for burial, she wanted to be laid to rest here where she and Idy had escaped from the real world so many times. Their secret sanctuary had its own share of deranged monster and pesky possessed spirits, but the City had fronted for a company of Longbow to watch over the ceremony.


Inevitably, Max lets her gaze fall back on Alex; he squeezes her hand gently in his own comforting way. As always, her breath catches in her throat as she looks at him, and she manages a weak smile; Alex’s unobtrusive, silent comfort had been the only thing that had gotten Max through the past few days.


People are getting antsy, slowly edging towards their assigned seats. It was almost time.


Max glances once more at Alex, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. He pulls her close, hugging her and kissing her hand before gently brushing away her tears. She nods, then makes her way to the front of the congregation, hand still clutching her yellow lily close to her chest.


The preacher nods at her as she makes her way to the seat next to him, eyes watchful for the first sign of the burial procession.


A soft nicker and sharp clop-clop of hooves on stone are enough to get every to their feet. A moment later, two beautiful black horses come into view, pulling an open carriage intricately woven with soft, white lilies. On a slightly raised platform rests one of the most dazzling displays of metal smith workmanship that Max had ever seen.


She had been told that Ariel’s coffin was a sight to behold, but nothing like this had ever crossed Max’s immagination. The metal had been tempered to such vivid hues - at one end, the deepest, purest ruby, the other a sunshine bright yellow - that it left the viewer dazzled. The simple arrangement of white lilies on top were such a perfect accent of simplistic elegance… The entire sight brought fresh tears to Max’s eyes.


Six pall bearers follow behind the carriage, each pinned with a pure red lily on their coat. Max squints, just making out the features of Nick Steele, Alex’s cousin, and Duncan Idaho, Ariel’s fiancĂ©, at the front of the two columns of men. The carriage rolled to a halt, and the men carefully slid the coffin from its resting place, settling it upon their shoulders as they start the trek towards open grave.


With a shake of her red hair, Max bolsters herself. Everyone’s eyes are on the men except Alex’s; his eyes are all for her, and only he sees the tears as she begins to sing…

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Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound!


Kitty silently congratulates herself on a job well done as she watches the pall bearers wind slowly forward along the path; the past three days of planning the ceremony had been fruitful indeed, if the simple elegance of the scene around her had anything to say. So far, everything was running smoothly, just as a well oiled, well planned machine would.


That saved a wretch like me!


Unconsciously Kitty presses the yellow lily to her heart, eyes still locked on the coffin as it slowly moves toward her. Three days, days filled with lawyers, paperwork…Kitty had not allowed herself to drown in her sorrow, there was too much to be done. Her best friend…dead. Ariel…Oh Ariel…


I once was lost…


And the there was Idy, poor heartbroken Idy. He had tried his best to help with the arrangements, but had mostly left it up to her. The only thing he had insisted upon was the selection of the pall bearers. His eyes lock with hers as they move past; Kitty reaches out a hand, touching his shoulder gently in comfort. Both clench their eyes tightly as tears threaten to spill forth, and the procession keeps moving on…


…But now am found…


Instinctively, Kitty reaches for her daughter, pulling her from her carrier and cuddling her close. The baby reaches out, her tiny hand curling around the stalk of the lily, eyes curiously studying the sunshine yellow petals. Kitty smiles down at Rory, kissing her forehead before turning her attentions back to the pall bearers.


…Was blind…


Poor Max is crying silently as she sings, but the tears do not deter from the bright clarity of her voice. Kitty’s respect for the young girl increases immensely in that moment…but movement near the coffin once again catches her eye.


…But now I see…

Idy is still standing there, hands braced on the casket, his head bent as he whispers furtively to the ground. Kitty’s heart goes out to him silently as he raises himself, sitting in his seat across the way, fingering the soft petals of the lily at his breast. Nick slides in next to her, kissing her cheek as he picks up an uncharacteristically calm and quiet Johnny from his carrier. As the preacher begins to speak, everyone turns their attention to him, listening to his quiet words…everyone except Rory, who is staring curiously at Idy…


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Ariel had to admit that attending one’s own funeral is just about the most unsettling experience anyone could possibly go through.


She had chosen a spot just over Idy’s shoulder to hover, close enough to lend him her comfort through this hard time, but far enough so that she didn’t set him shivering if she accidentally was blown forward a bit. She had let him brood the entire walk over, not wanting to disturb his reverie…And now, even as she was trying to comfort him, tell him that she loved him, he was pointedly ignoring her.


The frightful preacher finally stopped yammering (he had done a rather poor job of singing her praises, Ariel thought) and Kitty rose, walking forward with a quite determination. She produced a piece of paper from her jacket, smoothing it down on the podium thoughtfully for a moment before beginning to read.


“I had never been bathed in real sunshine before I met Ariel during her stint as a criminal justice student in the Zigg. Even in that dark, dank prison, she filled me with hope and the promise of a brighter future. Nothing could ever dampen her spirits, not even death.


“She buoyed me through the darkest time in my life; for that, I was ever thankful. She was my best friend, my confidant…my hope, my savior. She was there with balloons, flowers, and keys to a flat the day I was released, and ever since she has been the rock that has held my life together.


“She has been this and more to everyone who’s life she touched. She gave everything she had to the people she loved and never demanded anything in return, for that was her nature. She fought the good fight, and in her name, we will continue that fight in her name.


“Today we celebrate the life she led, the work she did, and we mourn with those who have been left devastated in the wake of her untimely death.


“She was a sunshine lily, elegant in her beautiful simplicity. To you, Ariel…I hope that heaven is big enough for an angel like you.”


And with that, Kitty lay her lily across the top of the casket, dissolving completely into tears.

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A soft, smug look crosses Twist’s face as she watches Kitty collapse in front of that twit’s coffin. And poor Ariel, still hovering around that fool clone, desperate to comfort him even as he ignores her. Such sweet justice, she thought idly, such sweet justice. The mourners line up diligently to lay their flowers and pay their final respects; Twist takes this as her cue to leave. With a swoosh of her leather coat, she walks down the path towards the train, casting one glance over her shoulder.


“Good luck, you two. You’re going to need it.”

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