I Will Always Love You - Empires SMP S2 AU: Nature Wives

Chapter 1: What Would You Do Without Me? (Katherine)

The morning of Jimmy's and Pix's funeral was cold, bleak and wet. Despite this however, all the Emperors had gathered at spawn, each wearing black to respect their fallen comrades, heads bowed vigilantly and the service began.

Sausage stood in between two head stones, wearing his priest robes:

"We are gathered here today to honour two brave Emperors who have sadly past away," Sausage's voice was carried on the cold breeze, Katherine could hear the waver in his voice as he spoke to the nine Emperors before him.

"Our dear friends have past!" He yelled, anguished into the wet morning.

Tears started to form in Katherine's eyes as he spoke.

Sensing Katherine's sadness, Shelby had taken Katherine's hand, squeezing it tightly as Sausage carried on with his sermon, gesturing to the grave on his left.

"Pixlriffs! Founder of the Ancient Capital! First King of these lands! Our beloved friend whom anyone could rely on! May Saint Pearl approve of his work in this life so that he may rest up in the sky, with all the other Greats, and finally rest in peace."

Katherine saw tears spring to Sausage's eyes as he gestured to the other grave:

"And Jimmy! The Sheriff! The peacemaker! May Saint Pearl over look his wrong doings and accept him into the Sky of the Greats. Rest in peace, old friend."

Then the rain started pouring.

The tears began falling.

"Any last words?" Sausage whispered, looking hopefully at the Emperors.

Joel left Lizzie's side, taking a step forward to stand at the foot of Jimmy's grave.

"I guess it was best budds till the end, right Jim?" Joel put a hand to his heart and looked up at the sky, "You did me proud, Jimmy, you really did."

"Pix was always such a dear," sniffed Oli, fondly, "He'll always have a place in our hearts,"

"Such an annoying little Sheriff," Fwhip rubbed the back of his head, "He'll be sorely missed,"

"Pix always knew where to find hidden things," Gem wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I'm sorry, Jimmy," whispered Shleby so only Katherine could he barely hear over the gentle splatter of rain around them.

Katherine took Shelby's hand in hers as Sausage put his hands together, as if to catch all of their kind words, closed his eyes and raised his hands skywards to offer their words to their past friends.

Sausage dipped his head to the Emperors, picking his staff from the ground.

With a wave of the magical staff, a heap of earth fell into the two graves, sealing their desceased friends in a world of eternal peace.

Without talking or acknowledging one another, the Emperors started to make their ways back to their kingdoms.

Katherine turned to leave but stopped, noticing that Shelby had left her side, heading over to the foot of Jimmy's grave.

Wanting to give Shelby a little space, Katherine sat down on a nearby log, watching the witch with a protective eye.

Scott was also there beside Jimmy's grave, staring at the headstone with glassy eyes.

Scott said something to Shelby, who looked up from staring at the mound of earth.

She said something back and Katherine watched suspiciously as Scotts face morphed into an expression of rage.

Katherine slid herself from the log and started to approach them, Scott was now shouting, tears of anger pouring from his eyes:

"... YOU COULD'VE DONE SOMETHING, SHELBY! NOT STOOD BY AND WATCHED HIM DIE!"

"Hey! Scott!" Katherine yelled at him warningly, drawing the collectors attention to her as she strode towards them.

"Scott, I'm sorry, I couldn't-" Shelby stammered as Katherine came to stand next to her.

"He's gone Shelby." Scott eyed Katherine as he spoke to Shelby, "I'll never forgive you for that,"

"SCOTT! TAKE THAT BACK! IT'S NOT HER FAULT" Katherine yelled, breaking into a run then coming to stand in front of Shelby.

"Make me," Scott hissed, sizing up the princess with his mismatched eyes.

Katherine balled her hand into a fist and prepared to swing it at the cheeky collector when he started to speak, poison dripping from every word:

"If Shelby hadn't gotten herself corrupted- If Shelby hadn't ran away from her stupid Witch Academy, they would've never come after her, Jimmy wouldn't've needed to fight her battles and one of them blasted witches would've never killed him,"

Scott turned jumping into the air and spreading his elytra, "IT'S JUST AS MUCH OF HER FAULT AS IT IS YOURS! YOU PERSUADED HIM TO COME!" Katherine yelled up at him.

Rain was dripping into Katherine's eyes as she stared after the collector, stomach churning with anger, "That little jerk-"

"It's my fault."

Katherine turned to Shelby, looking down at her witch.

"It's my fault he died," Shelby hiccuped, tears rolling down her cheeks, "If I hadn't gotten myself corrupted-"

Shelby allowed the tears to fall freely as Katherine put her arms around Shelby in a comforting hug. The witch buried her head in Katherine's shoulder, weeping. Katherine kissed the top of Shelby's head and started to stroke her hair in a comforting motion.

After a while, Katherine broke the silence between them, "You know why Jimmy died?"

Shelby nodded, hicupping, "He died fighting the Council of Witches for my sake, it's just as bad as me killing him,"

"And d'you know what would've happened if he hadn't made the choice to come and save you?"

"He would still be alive," sniffed Shelby.

"Yes. But you would still be corrupted," Katherine took Shelby by the shoulders, making Shelby look into her eyes, "I don't know what I would do if you were still corrupted Shelby."

"But Jimmy would still be alive-"

"Jimmy died a hero. It was his choice to come and help me get you back. He knew the risks," Katherine stared into Shelby's eyes, raising a hand to cup her cheek and brush away a stray tear, "He wouldn't've wanted to die any other way. He died so I could still have you. Don't let his death and Scott's nonsense get in the way of us, please."

Shelby smiled sadly, turning back to Jimmy's grave.

"He'll always be here, y'know?" Katherine told Shelby.

"Yeah...?" Shelby raised an eyebrow

"His spirit belongs down here in the world of Empires," Katherine gestured with her hand around her.

Shelby smiled at Katherine as she pulled her witch into a hug.

"What would I do without you?" Mumbled Shelby into Katherine's shoulder.

"That's a good question," Katherine replied, hugging Shelby tight, "But I don't think we have to answer it just yet,"