Victoria and Daniel head for the castle on their way back which is where the ceremony be held. They head for the church and step inside just as the ceremony begins.
Carlos is at the altar in a beautiful oak casket, he looks serene and peaceful up there. It hard for Victoria to look at him but she make herself see him and reminds herself he's in a better place. Hades promised and she knows gods don't break their promises especially Hades.
They sit beside Harry. The pews are empty save for the first two rows. Ben, Mal, Evie, Jay and Jane sit in the front. Uma, Gil, Harry, Victoria and Daniel sit right behind them. Lonnie and Doug sit on the same pew but father to the end giving them some privacy while still being there to support their partners.
The ceremony is short and to the point Victoria is glad, long ceremonies tend to be filled with empty words and lies about who the person was. When the ceremony is over Evie and Jay say a few words about Carlos. Jane tries to as well but breaks down crying before she can finish unfolding her notes, Jay helps her down and holds her tightly as she cries. Mal doesn't even try to go up and speak, she knows her legs can't carry her weight. Ben assures bee it's okay but Mal still wants to say something so she simply starts speaking while staying seated.
Victoria says a few words as well and barely finishes before the tears cut off her words. Daniel holds her hand tightly as she refuses a hug. Gil and Harry say a few words after her, they're mostly funny anecdotes which makes everybody smile.
Uma surprised everybody by singing. It's a beautiful song that she learned while on one of her travels. She heard it in the south and docked for a few weeks until she had learned the song. It's in a language no one understands but even so they know what it says.
They take a few minutes to compose themselves before taking the casket out to the garden of the church. There's a stone altar there as well, Mal doesn't transform into a dragon as Ben had thought she would but instead steps closer to the casket and closes her eyes, taking deep breaths. Victoria steps forward as well her eyes dimly shinning.
When Mal opens her eyes they're completely green no drop of white in them. She opens her mouth and blows. Her flames are a beautiful mix of red and purple as they envelope the casket, turning it to ash on contact. Victoria can feel the heat from Mal's flames and extends a hand in front of her, a gently but steady breeze wraps around her flames and keeps the ashes from floating away.
It only takes seconds for the casket and the body to turn to ash but somehow it feels longer. Evie steps forward with the urn and Victoria maneuvers the ashes into it.
"Where to?" Victoria asks preparing herself to open a portal
"Somewhere beautiful" Evie says cradling the urn "that's all he asked for, to spread his ashes somewhere beautiful"
"I know just the place" Victoria says her eyes glowing brighter. A wooden door appears before them the frame glowing white with light. They waste no time passing through the door since they know how much energy it requires Victoria goes last. The door disappears when she passes through.
"Where are we?" Mal asks looking around the beautiful garden they've appeared at.
The pond is as it was the last time they were there, the floating waterfall causing ripples in the water and creating a tranquil bubbling noise that fills the whole space. Trees encircle the entire garden, the trunks to thick and the branches so densely packed with leaves that they are unable to see anything outside the garden.
"This is perfect" Uma smiles
"You don't remember this place because you were passed out the last time we were here" Victoria smiles closing her eyes and letting the sweet air blow on her face "were in Siracusa, in the garden"
"Welcome back children" a gentle voice says by the pond exactly where she was the first time they arrived, the same fire still burning bright before her.
"Lady Hestia" Jay bows and the others follow suit, as they bow their brains struggle to remember this place, grief taking its toll and making the memories sluggish. As they straighten they remember the story of how Uma, Jay and Victoria met the goddess Hestia and how she gave them ambrosia.
"I see time has not been kind to you" Hestia says sadly eyeing the urn in Evie hands "I am sorry" a single golden tears slides down her beautiful brown skin and drops into the water giving it a golden tint
"Thank you Lady Hestia" Evie says unsure of what to do in the presence of such a gentle and kind goddess
"I know why you are here" Hestia continues with a warm smile "your friend is welcome here, I shall look over his final resting place and the hydra shall protect it from strangers"
"It's back?" Mal asks shuddering as she remembers their last encounter
"Monsters never truly die, they regenerate" Hestia explains "in a few years the hydra will be back as guardian of the garden, and I will be here as I always have to tend to this home, as is my duty as goddess of the hearth"
"Thank you lady Hestia" Jane says speaking for the first time since the ceremony "I cannot thank you enough nor do I have anything worthy to give to you" she steps closer to her showing her empty hands, her tears fall down her face and sizzle as they fall into the fire
"Any offering is welcome child as long as it is given with the right intentions which you already possess" the goddess motions to her tears and smiles at her Jane cries even harder at that and the tears continue to fall into the flames
"Where should I..." Evie asks quietly, slightly extending the urn towards the goddess. Hestia stands, her brown hair falling to her hips, longer than Victoria remembers.
Hestia says nothing as she takes the urn and removes the lid. The scoops out a handful of ashes and blows gently on them. The ashes turn golden as they swirl into the air and float around the garden, landing on flowers, branches and the soft grass. Hestia blows into the urn next causing the rest of the ashes to fly high into the settling on the canopy of the trees. The goddess then takes the urn and places it into the fire where it melts upon the logs, staining them with specks of molten metal, it doesn't burn through the logs but rather rests upon the wood. The metal over wood give it the appearance of stars in the night sky.
"Thank you" Jane says once more. Hestia smiles and sits once more
"You are always welcome to visit your friend" Hestia smiles at them, they nod in response unable to say everything want to say, their gratitud swells inside their chests but lodges in their throats. Their kind and thankful words for the goddess refuse to leave their lips and all they can do is kneel and bow as low as they.
Hestia says nothing and merely smiles at them warmly as they rise. She understands, she knows everything they're unable to say and her heart swells at the love these humans have for one of their own. She is filled with pride to be able to bear witness to their act of love and is humbled by their respect towards her as many mortals have long since forgotten her.
They don't linger for long in the garden and Victoria opens a door back to Auradon soon after. They all step back to the small garden behind the church. They turn to see the garden once more before the door closes
"Thank you" Jane whispers, to the goddess for her kindness, to her love for entering her life and filling it with laughter, joy and happiness.
The final tears that roll down her cheeks as the door closes and the garden disappears are not of sadness but happiness. For she knows that Carlos is resting peacefully and happy in his final resting place, whether it be in the underworld with Hades or the garden in Siracusa with Hestia. Either way, she knows her heart that Carlos is smiling.
End of book four
Thank you all for following the story and leaving comments! I love reading them. I know it took longer to publish than I anticipated but creating a new storyline out of nothing is a bit hard and then a pandemic hit so.... but now it's finished!
I really appreciate all your support and seeing my books being added to your reading lists. Thank you !
Stay safe during the pandemic.
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Descendants 4
FanfictionThe plan is simple, find Hades and demand a cure for Carlos, but plans never go how they're supposed to do they? Hades is missing from the Isle and his brothers the gods Poseidon and Zeus want him back. There is a way for all of them to get what the...
