Fire and Ice

Draped White

>Rin's POV<

I had my hood hanging low over my face.
Stepping through the cold snow I finally made it to the castle gates.

I've returned home.
It's been so long.

"Who goes there?" A voice calls down from above to me down below.

With one swift movement I removed my hood, revealing my face to the addresser.

Once he saw who I was he yelled,
"Open the gates, quickly!"

I see that some people recognize me still.
I only visit every few years but it's nice to see that I haven't been fully forgotten.

The gates are opened and I enter into the court yard.
If the rumors are true.... I should be here to attend a funeral.

~

I entered the church, stepping into the silent entrance room. It was empty, having only coat hangers and candles.

Slipping off my hood, I hung it on one of the empty hooks and made my way to the chapel entry.

I opened it silently to see a large group of nobles and priests filling the benches. A coffin lay at the front of the crowd, glowing in its pearly white incasing.

The doors that I opened folded and receded almost silently as I stepped into the room.
The only attention I caught was of a young noble boy in the back.

He looked at me with confusion as I stood in the back of the air heavy room.
I smirk as I put finger to lip showing the child I meant no hard.

The young lad smiled and looked back at his party, turning his attention away from me.

I removed my hand and quietly ventured to the front through the right isle near the wall. The front row held Gray, Storm, and Sylvia.

I went up the the front row and sat a few feet away from Sylvia.

Some of the crowd began to clamor when I stepped into the scene but I ignored them.

Sylvia was quiet just like the rest of the masses behind us except she was crying. He sobs were muffled under a hanky but could be heard from where I was standing.

I didn't want to make my presence known to her just yet in fear of not knowing what she will say.

I remained silent as everyone mourned for the past queen.
My mother.
The only person I considered my family.
And she was gone.

But I was not sad.
I shed no tears like Sylvia.

I do love my mother. She has made her share of mistakes in her life but I still care for her. But I'm just not a crier.
I know she is in a better place. I'm not sure where people go when they die but... my mother would never be sent to a place of evil and darkness.
That's impossible.

My eyes once again fell on the glimmering white case at the front of the church. It glowed in the sky-blue light streaming in from the old glass pain windows. Blue flowers were dressing the outside of the coffin, also basking in the suns glow.

That's where my mother lay.
Her finally resting bed.

She was resting in the white silk innards of the coffin. Her blue hair resting around her clean pale face. My mother was dressed in a pure white gown that matched the one she wore the day she married Gray.

I looked away from her and my gaze was caught by a flicker of pink.

I peered around Gray, who was looking at the ground, and looked to see the bright color that caught my attention.

Hair? The pink was the hair of a maiden who was dressed in black, standing on the first row on the other side of the church.

Who is she?
Well...who ever she is... she is one beautiful flower in this garden of wilted brush.
Her brown eyes almost sparkled when her gaze was sharp on something.

I know that look too.
It's that look someone has when they long for adventure.
I know curious eyes like that all too well.

I suddenly felt my hand being grasped by somebody's.
I look down to see Sylvia holding my left hand as she stared at the ground silently.

I guess she finally saw I was here.

"You made it." She finally said in a whisper, looking up at me.

I nodded and said at the same volume,
"Yeah. Turns out I was in town."

Sylvia smiled lightly as she continued to hold my hand.

"Did you know about Mo-"

"Yes." I hummed before she finished.

She looked away from me in understanding.

"I'm sorry, Rin." She said quietly as the sermon was about to speak.

"I'm sorry too."