The cart raddled and the horses knickered as the group made their way through the wilderness. The leader of the group sat slightly slouched in their seat, a thin cloak of grey fabric covering her from head to boot. Their gloved hand rose as she tugged upon her horse's reins, signaling for the group to halt as they drew to a clearing with a shape that was visible just within the middle of it.
Slowly and with clear pain written upon her features beneath the cloak, the rider lowered herself to the muddy ground, retrieving a cane from where it was lying horizontally on top of the saddle bag. Slipping the hood back, the identity of the rider was revealed: Sera, who glanced over her shoulder towards the other riders and the horse pulled cart that was being tended to by a hired lifter.
"You didn't have to come with me."
"I believe we all agreed you wouldn't have to do this alone, Seraphina. Especially not in your state." Quipped the younger Peirgarten, Violane, who was assisted down by Sera herself. An irritated noise escaped her as she eyed the mud and then the field before them.
"It was also argued that you shouldn't be doing this at all." Julienne set her hands gently upon Sera's shoulders as she was helped down from the horse's back as well. Her hands giving a reassuring squeeze to her shoulders as she was set down on the ground beside her cousin.
"And yet here we all are… Best you bot-"
"Either we do this together or we hire a gravedigger, Sera. Enough of this 'I have to do this alone' attitude, you're not alone and you're not going to be ever again. Now hush, and take my arm." Violane interrupted the Daen woman and firmly took hold of her arm, looping it through her own.
Julienne, meanwhile, just let out a little laugh and beckoned towards the hired man, who began to unhitch the horse from the cart and moved to snatch up the handles, dragging it along behind him as he followed the trio as they made their way across the field to the shape.
As they drew closer, Sera pulled her arm free from Violane's grip, hobbling forward and lowering herself slowly to her good knee, holding onto her cane for support. Reaching a hand out, she slowly lifted the tattered blue and pink cloak from atop the form, revealing the pale and close-eyed face of one who she once called brother, Marcus.
Sera gently touched her fingertips over the deceased male's forehead, sighing gently as she tore the cloak completely off of him and balled it up. She motioned towards the hired man, who dragged the cart closer and tore off the tarp that covered the large pieces of wood beneath it.
"Just over there, in a square, if you would." The woman directed the male and he set to work, building a platform while she knelt beside the man's body once more.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder as Julienne knelt beside her, looking towards the fallen Knight's body. Her hand squeezed Sera's shoulder, as she had done earlier.
"You did all you could, Seraphina." She spoke softly to her, keeping her hand resting on her shoulder, however, Sera rose to her full height and moved away from her, turning her eyes slowly over the field the two had fought in.
Her eyes closed as the memories of last night flicked across her subconscious: the roars of thunder, followed by the flash of lightning, the crashing of blades and then the silence that followed before being broken by the words Marcus had spoken to her before she delivered the final blow.
"You are not a monster. You are the best thing to have happened to me. I loved you Sera, just like I love Annelie. Don't let that memory fade."
Tears dripped down her scarred and stitched face as she lowered it slowly, eyes opening to gaze down at the muddy grass. Her fingers tightened around the handle of her cane as she pressed her hand to her heart, softly murmuring, "I won't let your memory fade, brother. Never…"
"Sera… The pyre is ready." Julienne's voice softly spoke behind her, causing her to turn her head over, a small sigh escaping her lips. The medic offered a hand out to her which she gladly took as she was guided over to where the pyre was set and the body having been moved and tended to by the hired male.
A thin black shroud had been draped over Marcus' deceased body, covering him from head to toe and tucked beneath his body so as not to be picked up by the wind. The hired man offered out a flaming torch to Sera as they approached, which she accepted and released Julienne's hand as the Peirgarten moved to join Violane who stood off to the side, watching solemnly.
Sera stood before the pyre, holding the flaming torch aloft, eyes gazing down at the man who she had called her friend and her brother. Never would she hear his booming laugh again, or hear him tell very stupid and corny jokes. Never would she be able to fight alongside him on the battlefields that were in her future. He was gone and only she remained.
Taking a slow, deep breath, she lowered herself and let the pyre ablaze, shoving the torch forward into the woodpile. Taking a small step back, she clenched both fists around the handle of her cane, sapphire eyes growing wet with tears as she watched as the fire began to blossom upwards, consuming the wood and the rest of it.
She had outlived her parents, her first spouse, her only son and now she had outlived the man she had thought to be undefeatable. The man who had called her sister and urged her always to do better, to do what was right.
"Go in peace, Marcus. And know that your memory will live on."
