A Sea of Shadows and Memories

Chapter VII

She is in a chapel. The chapel is made of white marble with a golden dome serving as its roof. The ceiling is so tall she has to crane her neck to observe it. The cathedral's roof forms a dome with all the saints in a circle painted on it. Sankt Juris, Sankt Girgori, and Sankta Elizabeta are all easily recognizable. Each saint bestows a gift upon a girl in the center. Her white hair obscures part of her golden kefta. Golden sunlight shines behind her making her appear as if she is glowing. Emery has never seen this saint before. She blinks and Fedyor is beside her his friendly smile nowhere in sight. "Hello Fedyor," Emery says. Fedyor only stares forward, odd. Emery points towards the fair-haired girl. "Fedyor do you know who that girl is in the middle of the saints?" She questions. He doesn't stir. It's then she notices the glistening in his eyes. She follows his eyes letting out a quiet gasp.

At the end of the aisle, there is a group of grisha gathered in a circle around a closed coffin. The grisha are dressed in grey, not black never black, modest shirts and trousers. Black lace veils cover their faces but some Emery can still recognize. Genya is to the left of the coffin her usually bright red hair seems faded and frail. Silent tears slipped down her cheeks. David is beside her, one hand gently helping her hold her lantern. His other hand gripped his golden lantern. Everyone had a lantern bathing the chapel in soft golden light. No other light came into the chapel save the moonlight streaming through the stained glass windows.

"Um, Fedyor whose funeral are we at?" Emery whispers. No response. Emery tugs on Fedyor's sleeve. Nothing. Emery watches as the grisha circle the coffin once before setting their lanterns next to the coffin resting on the marble altar. As the group backs away Emery spots Tanya and Marya. The older healer holds onto Tanya as the young girl fails to suppress her sobs.

Emery's never seen Tanya like this. Sure she's seen her friend cry loads of times for thousands of different reasons, but a full-on breakdown. It unnerved Emery. Who had died? Had it been the Darkling? Silently stepping forward Emery walks towards the coffin, cautious of anyone yelling at her. No one seems to notice her or perhaps they don't care, too lost in their grief to notice the young girl at the coffin. Emery turns back towards the coffin nearly screeching when she comes face to face with the Apparat.

The stink of mildew and incense overpowered her senses. She braces herself expecting to be told off, but the apparat just looks past her. Not past, through her. "We have gathered here to pay our respects to our beloved friend, classmate, student, and fellow soldier. The Apparat turns his head taking the blue kefta the Darkling is holding out to him. She gasps as she watches a single tear fall down the Darkling's cheek. Who died? repeats over and over in her head becoming a grim mantra.

She can't take it. Flinging the casket open her gut clenches at the person inside. She is face-to-face with herself. She stares, someone has brushed her brown hair so it appears shiny and thick. There are slight waves as it loosely hangs around her face the tips falling to her waist. Her complexion is clear but pale. There is a light dusting of rouge on her cheeks and lips that keeps her from appearing too gaunt. Her eyes are closed and her features are relaxed. If it weren't for the coffin she'd think she was asleep. 

"Hello? Can any of you hear me? I hate to disappoint but I'm not dead!" She screams waving an arm in front of the apparat. "Hello? Genya? Tanya? Please listen to me!" Emery runs towards her friends grabbing onto their arms, their hair, anything. "Why can't you see me? I'm not dead!" She shouts turning towards everyone else. Tears have begun flowing. "Please, someone hear me," She sobs.

Walking towards the coffin again she falls to her knees in front of it. Shadows dance at the edge of her vision. She looks up through bleary eyes. The Darkling is still looking at the apparat but the tear he had shed had stopped flowing. His grey eyes are uninterested but alert. "You can?" Emery says voice quivering. She doesn't know why she said it or why she would think he would answer but he does. His quartz eyes flick to her own. "Yes I can," He replies.