𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 ᶠⁱⁿⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

𝟎𝟎𝟖: 𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖
𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞

Aurora stood with her hands clasped in front of her. The wind whistled between her ears as she glanced over at Ada who stood sadly, her son Karl in her arms.

Rory remained with a neutral expression on her face.

Tommy stepped forward. "I promised my friend Freddie Thorne that i'd say a few words over his grave should he pass before me. I made him this promise before he became my brother in law, when we were in France, fighting for the king."

Aurora looked up to Isiah who stood beside her when he should have been with the rest of the Shelby family and gave her a reassuring nod.

"Amen." Arthur spoke up.

"And in the end it wasn't war that took Freddie. Pestilence took him. Freddie passed on his soul and his spirit into a new generation before he was cruelly taken." Tommy continued.

Rory decided to drown out the rest of Thomas' speech because she found it funny how, at a funeral, anything that the person has ever done wrong in their years of living seems to be forgotten. They're made out to be some sort of saint. When sometimes they aren't.

Like Freddie, for example: yes he could be kind and loving. But those who didn't see the other side of him were lucky. Those who didn't see him drunk out of his mind or angry to the point his face was red and his veins were about to pop out of his head — were extremely lucky.

No, no only Aurora saw that side of him. Because all Freddie saw in his little sister was his mother. And he resented her massively for that.

Aurora felt an arm snake around her shoulders. It was Isiah. He pulled her in slightly and sighed. Tommy had walked off with Ada. Karl was pinching flowers from a grave.

"You alright?" Isiah asked, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. She shrugged. Isiah took a drag from the cigarette before placing it between Rory's fingers. "Stupid question — sorry." He muttered quickly. She shook her head. "I'm as good as i can be." She said.

"Well that's good then— i suppose?" Isiah questioned his words and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Listen, how about we go out to the Marquis of Lorne for a few drinks? I'll pay."

"When do you not pay?" Aurora asked, trying to lighten the mood slightly. Isiah let out a breathy laugh and shook her shoulders. "There she is." He joked. Usually, Isiah would've followed that sentence with 'there she is, my little sister,' but given the circumstances he thought it was completely inappropriate.

A car pulled up, catching their attention. Arthur stormed over and Aurora squinted, trying to make out what was being said. But whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Can I stay with you tonight, Siah?" Aurora asked quietly as she stared off into the field. Isiah looked down at her for a moment before nodded. "Course. You're always welcome. My dad loves ya."

Isiah could tell that she was upset by the whole thing. Who wouldn't be? Her brother had just passed away and she didn't get the chance to say goodbye. Was Freddie a good brother? No. But did that take away the fact he was still her brother? Also no.

Rory linked her arm around Isiah's whilst they walked to the car. "It'll be alright, Rory. It always is." He whispered to her. But she said nothing. She didn't want to say anything.