Storm's Rapture | Storms Series: Book 1 (This is a Co-Write)

Chapter 112: Cyris

AN: The Piarari Key is below for reference. Be sure to drop some comments as you read. Enjoy!

Piarari Key

Vasia (vah-sia): snowflake

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It had been one week since the media incident. Thankfully, no more headlines had been posted in any media outlets since then. It was early afternoon when we'd driven out to the gravesite. Rosanna and I currently stood in the cemetery in front of two graves. One of them read: "Ondre Castellan" while the other read: "Nerida Castellan." My parents were buried here and we were here to honour them for the Day of the Water Spirits. It was a day where Esporians honoured their ancestors and celebrated their magic. The day was spent honouring the dead, but when the sun set, magic flowed freely in celebration.

My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the two headstones of my parents. Rosanna gave my hand a comforting squeeze.

I thought I was ready for this. I thought I was strong enough to at least visit their graves... But I was dead wrong. My heart ached. It was too much...too much pain, too much grief. I dropped to one knee as I got teary-eyed. Right before I lost my father, I was truly starting to think we could survive... Such a huge burden for someone so young...someone who had already lost so much. And then, to find that my twin sister was never killed? For years she had been alive and I never knew. Too many emotions, too many thoughts-I felt weighed down.

Rosanna knelt down beside me, setting down the bag she'd brought with her. And I felt her delicate, comforting arms wrap around me.

"It's okay, Cyris...you don't have to hold back just because I'm here...you can let it out," she told me softly.

For once I didn't protest; I let Rosanna be my comfort. I turned my body so I could wrap my arms around her, and then I just let go. I sobbed into her shoulder.

"They didn't die in vain Cyris..." Rosanna told me soothingly. "They died so that you could grow up to be the man you are now... They died protecting you...protecting Circe...protecting Espor."

She was right, but the sobs ripped through my chest as I cried harder. Despite their sacrifice, I wanted them back. I wanted them to see me become King, to marry the woman of my dreams, to meet their grandchildren...

Rosanna ran her fingers through my hair as she tried to comfort me.

"They're still here, Cyris," she told me softly. "They're still here in the breeze that brushes against your skin...in the water that moves on the surface of that pond over there...and in your heart and memories. And they love you. They love you so much..."

I managed to stop crying, but I was still clinging onto her.

"Did you want to talk to them? I can step away for a few minutes and give you some space if you did," Rosanna stated.

"No...please stay," I uttered. I pulled away from her and wiped my tears. I tucked some hair behind Rosanna's ear and gave her a smile.

"I'm here for you...and I'll stay here with you as long as you need me to." She cupped my face in her hands and brushed fresh tears out of my eyes with her thumbs. I nodded and she took her hands off my face and wrapped an arm around me.

I cleared my throat and faced my parents' headstones. The breeze washed over me, almost as if my father was embracing me. And the sun was still warm on my face, as if my mother was trying to soothe me. My father always said she was the sunshine in the castle.

"Mom...Dad...I really miss you... And I wish that you both could have been here for some of the most important moments of my life..."

I could feel my emotions building again, but I had to do this. It was important that I came here, to help me heal, to help me move forward. I took a deep breath, and kept going.