Mind over Matter ↠ Elijah Mikaelson

51

It wasn't like one of those fairy tales when Marianne would look like a princess in her coffin. To be honest, Rebekah had her work cut out for her when she first laid eyes on her. Marianne had dark rings under her eyes and cuts all over her body, her skin was a sickly pale colour. It was upsetting to see her like this because she always looked so perfect.

Elijah hadn't really seen a difference, he was in denial; so he saw the beautiful creature he always had seen. He didn't allow himself to see the lines on her face from the suffering. He didn't see anything wrong with her.

But Rebekah dabbed some foundation on her and managed to return her to a semi-normal skin tone and she managed to cover the black rings around her eyes. "It's an improvement" Rebekah sighed as she rearranged the position of Mariannes arms to cross over her chest.

Elijah had insisted on an open casket funeral with only close family and friends attending. And by that he meant Niklaus, Rebekah, Freya and himself. He didn't want any strangers at her funeral, people she never knew.

Rebekah turned around to look at Elijah who had crept up and just stared. "What happened to Tristan's body?" She asked quietly.

"I found him where we left him; I Dumped him in the nearest river" he informed her "it's over"

Rebekah nodded, returning her gaze down to the almost flawless body covered with makeup. If anyone were to take it off, then they'd see a body covered with flaws.

Elijah walked over, something shining in his hand "may I?" He asked Rebekah permission to move Marianne's hand after she had placed it so neatly.

Rebekah just nodded her head, her eyes watched as Elijah did something so utterly tragic and utterly heartbreaking.

He lifted her hand and kissed it, then proceeded to grasp the ring he had a tight hold on and slide it onto her wedding finger. It was his mother's ring, the one he had proposed to her with a thousand years ago. "This always has and always will be meant for you" he whispered to her, making sure it was on tight, and then he placed her hand back in position.

Rebekah had to look away, she wiped away tears from under her eyes with her index finger and tried so hard not to ruin her makeup.

Elijah turned to her "say your goodbyes now, then we'll take her to the cemetery"

Freya and Niklaus came in almost immediately when they heard. Both had a glum expression wiped across their face. Rebekah went up first and trailed her finger along the edge of the coffin as she walked "you were my first friend, my only true friend I could count on" she began "you were my best friend and I could not have asked for anything more than what you have given me"

Rebekah went on to reminisce about their times on the road and the times Marianne would console Rebekah when she suffered a break from someone she claimed to love. Marianne would hand out advice and keep her best interests at heart.

Next up was Niklaus, he rested his arms on the coffin and almost kneeled, his chin resting on his arms. "No matter what happened; I still class you as family" he said "I can never find the right words to say goodbye, so I'm just going to say that you were a blessing dressed as a human; you made my brother happy and that's all I could ask for"

And then Freya walked up. Though she didn't have much to say because she didn't know Marianne in the past; so she just thanked her for keeping her family safe. "I didn't know you; I would have liked to though, my family speak very highly of you" she smiled "you kept them safe in your past life and in this one also, you helped us rid Tristan from our lives and though it came at a hefty price, we couldn't have done it without you"

Elijah slowly walked up, not wanting to peer over even though he had already seen her lying lifeless. But it still hurt just as much every single time.

"You are my everything, you always have and always will be even if you aren't apart of this life anymore" he began his hand touching hers "know that you'll always be in my mind and my heart every single second of every day until my death. I thought I could live without you, I've spent centuries doing so but it looks like the future is unbearable"

The room began to spin as Elijah had too many words to say, he couldn't choose what he found more important to say to her. But that was the thing; he's not saying it to her. He's saying it to a shell of the woman he loved, a shell that is incapable of hearing, feeling or speaking. So why should he waste his breath on something that would never make a difference. Some people wanted closure but Elijah just wanted this all to be over with.

"Close the lid" he demanded, turning around not wanting to see the dead body.

"Elijah look at her" Rebekah stepped forwards "don't choose so hastily something you'll regret later on in life. You'll regret not saying what you wanted to and your chance will be gone as she'll be dust" she didn't want to be sharp, but she had to.

Elijah shut his eyes and forced himself back up to the spot he stood in and looked at her. "I hope you are at peace" he said, leaning down and placing a small kiss on her forehead.

The room fell silent as Niklaus gripped the lid of the coffin, ready to pull it down and block everyone's view. But he was intercepted by something unexpected.

Mariannes eyes flung open and with a sharp inhale, she sat up. Her eyes darted around the room as she looked at everyone's shocked expression, her arms still crossed on her chest.

"Oh no"