Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 139: The Final Funeral~

A week later, a funeral was held in the village for Henry and Leora, to commemorate their deaths. The coffins held nothing but the charred remains of what had been their living bodies, to the point it was so unsightly and disturbing for the family and friends, that the coffin lid was kept shut tight; to conceal their ruined state. They had no memorial photo, like their grandparents had originally wanted, which many in their family had when passed away; their bodies too ruined to look peaceful and resting. They managed to find photos of Henry when he was still alive, and used those to commemorate him and give a memorial to him. But Leora? They found that upon being isolated from having friends, Leora had been isolated from having photos of her own. All there was, was children's photos; so they made do with those. It was evident though, that Henry would forever be remembered, as man of the house and charismatic. But Leora? With time, she would be forgotten. Leora Mohan would be lost to history, and Henry Mohan would remain known. They had no church to hold the funeral, so they held it in a park, that ironically was the very park Uncle Lewis had once told Leora her parents had fell in love. After exchanging dull words of how they wouldn't be forgotten, and they lived on in people's hearts, the coffins were paraded back to Mohan manor.

Edward walked behind Leora's coffin, clutching at Soren's arm, his eyebrows furrowed and his gaze misty; he couldn't bear to look at it. Soren glanced over at Master and Mistress Mohan, who walked steadily behind Henry's. Their faces were tight, rigid, and uncaring. It made the tutor almost nauseous to see the butler care for the family more than the very people who ran it. But in a way, it was comforting to know that whilst Leora's name would fade with time, the love he and Edward had felt to her was much stronger than any love Henry had received. At least she would fade with warmth, where Henry had left cold and alone. The coffins were buried in the little cemetery at the back of Mohan manor, beside their parents small gravestone, and neither butler nor tutor could think of a better place for Leora. Though that sad thought ran through their mind. Leora never did escape the manor, did she? Once they had been lowered into the ground, the priest gave a few prayers, before guests came to throw flowers onto the wood. Dorian Gray. Basil Hallward. Lady Gwendolyn. Helga the maid. Lord Bramston. Percy Hughes. Master Mohan. Mistress Mohan. Hetty the maid. Lord Bunduck. Uncle Lewis. Cousin Catherine. Cousin Emily. Jacques Baudelaire. Marjorie Cook, and her wailing baby Clarence. Sherlock Holmes and Watson. And distant family on their mother's side, who they had never met.

Each tossed flowers in, one by one, and attempted a look of remorse or said something in condolence to the loss. In the end, Henry's coffin had the most flowers. After all, most of the people there, new him. There were some, who offered Leora a flower from Henry's bouquet, feeling awkward that they hadn't realised it was a funeral of two, but compared to Henry's; Leora's coffin felt somewhat forgotten. The servants could not afford any bouquets, but had plucked ones from the garden, and gave them all to Leora. But even then, it was scarce compared to Henry's. Edward kneeled by the edge, staring at the wood of the young girl's resting place with misty eyes, grasping the blades of grass beneath him to steady his shaking body. Soren stood to his side, frowning sympathetically as he watched the butler struggle to leave Leora's side for a moment, even though he knew she was long gone. The final people left the cemetery, till it was just Edward and Soren, huddled beside Leora's grave; one of the ground's keepers standing nearby with a shovel, ready to hide what had been left of the two Mohan children forever. Soren solemnly placed a hand on Edward's shoulder, to stir him back to the moment, and watched as the butler let out a shaky exhale of misery.
"We should go inside, okay?" Soren whispered," Leora wouldn't want you getting this upset."

Edward twisted away from the tutor's touch.
"How do you know what she wants? Did she tell you? Hm!?"
His voice came out harsher than intended, but Soren refused to let it get to him. Edward let out a shaky breath, before looking up at the man weakly, tears stinging at his eyes.
"I'm sorry... I'm not... thinking..."
"I know," Soren gave him a weak, sympathetic smile," I'm not much either."
Soren took a bouquet, and gently tossed it into Leora's grave, feeling his eyes well up with tears at the idea of that young girl, the young girl he'd seen like a daughter, dead. He bit them back, wanting to stay strong for Edward, and turned to offer Henry's a flower from Leora's bouquet.
"No," Edward spoke, firmly.
Soren glanced back at him," Edwar-?"
"Don't give him that!" Edward cried, snatching the flower from Soren's hand; his eyes ablaze with pain, as he shook the flower relentlessly," Can't you see!? He's taken enough from her! My poor Leora...look at hers, and look at his. He doesn't get to take from her anymore! Please!"
Soren stared at Edward with wide eyes, and instinctively went to grab his shoulders to support him. The butler stumbled into his embrace, burying his face in his shoulder as he desperately tried to stay strong.

Edward let out a sniffle and tossed the flower into Leora's grave, before offering his own bouquet. Asphodels, daisies, white roses and myosotis'. With one final whisper to her grave, that Soren could not quite make out, he led Edward slowly back towards the manor; his hand placed on his back to guide her.
"She's in peace now, okay?" Soren whispered.
Edward stared numbly at the floor. The tutor frowned. The sound of the shovel scraping and tossing dirt, and it hitting wood made the butler wince in anguish, but he did not dare look back.
"She's with her mother and father," Soren whispered, once more, trying desperately to console Edward.
Edward let out a humourless laugh," What about me? Was I not parent enough for her?"
"Edward..."
The butler shook his head, and stared miserably at the floor.
"She loved you, Edward, loved you more than you'll ever know."
Edward frowned, recalling something from when Leora was a toddler.

"Alright. Goodnight, Edward."
"Goodnight, Leora."
"I care about you," Leora hummed, innocently.
Edward laughed, softly," I care about you too, dear."

He felt tears burn in his eyes, and he nervously chewed at his lip, grasping at his heart. It felt empty.