~The Queen's Butler...Arrogant~ (Charles Grey x Reader)

Chapter 25: The she-butler, in fog

Grey's POV

Like our wedding, there was wisteria trees everywhere. Petals scattered over the ground, falling from the sky, everyone was covered in them. 

What turned such a factor bitter was that they filled her open casket as well.  

She looked so beautiful lying there, her (h/c) hair sprawled out over her pillow, her skin like icy porcelain, her eyes closed as though she were only sleeping.

I wish she was only sleeping. 

But then reality hit me once again, and I remembered that I was attending her funeral. 

I stood there, my child in my arms, Phipps and my sisters alongside me. We were all crying, as were the many people that had also come to pay their respects to our dear (Y/n). Though Phipps and I were trying our best not to cry, while my sisters were sobbing their eyes out hysterically. I glanced over at Sophia, who was sat in one of the many chairs lined up for the occasion. She had been dabbing at her eyes with her handkerchief, though such an action was pointless since her tears seemed never-ending. (Y/n)'s parents were also sat down, her father crying, though her mother sat there stoic and blank faced. I could tell that without a doubt, she was in so much pain behind her cold eyes, and that she regretted the life she had subjected (Y/n) to. But she didn't cry. 

Lord Phantomhive approached her open casket with a flower in hand. It was much like the one that sat in her glass necklace, with beautiful white petals that clashed pleasantly with her lilac surroundings of wisterias. And with his delicate hand, he placed it in her hands, so she could hold it. I'd noticed tears in his uncovered eye, for the first time in all the time I'd known him. And as he gripped her hand for a moment, he closed his eyes, and those tears came rolling down like he didn't care who saw them. 

Lady Midford had approached beside him as well, her face red and tear stained and eyes puffy from crying so much. She was hesitant to place her hand on Lord Phantomhive's shoulder, but did so anyways. And after she had tested the waters, she slowly wrapped an arm around him, to which he leaned in and started sobbing. 

And as she lead him off the stage which (Y/n) laid, she held him and protected him from the judgemental eyes of those who'd known him not to cry. I made sure I wasn't one of those judgemental eyes, I knew how much it hurt. 

The child in my arms had began to sob, as though she was mourning the loss of her mother as well. I bounced her in my arms, encouraging her to calm down. But the more she cried, the bigger the tears in my eyes grew. 

I'm so sorry Athena. I'm sorry I couldn't save her.

~

One would think that the constant sobs of a child would become tiring after a while. But to me, they were comforting. They reminded me that my dear little Athena was still alive. Still with me. And either way, after a while, it all just simply became white noise to me. 

I had her crib moved to my room, from her room which was created in the palace. I couldn't be apart from her, I wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to her, not under any circumstances whatsoever. She was all I had left of (Y/n), my only remaining link to her. 

I had her lying over my stomach, her head on my chest which she had wettened with her tears. She was so warm against my colder body, so warm in fact it had began to worry me. Phipps would reassure me many a times that she was alright, that I was just overreacting. But I couldn't lose her. I wouldn't lose her.