The halls of the Quartier Bertrange estate were quiet as the Peirgarten family moved silently, the occasional whisper being heard every so often as they all loaded into the separate carriages.
The carriages moved off towards the church, as a few more family members gathered within the halls.
The family moved to the front of the rows as their eyes moved down the casket in the front.
Tobie looked peaceful, his hair combed back and his black robes just barely covering his bronze hand.
Amelina kept her eyes peeled anywhere but her cousin, he was like a brother to her and she couldn't believe he was gone. They fought endlessly due to his decisions and the last full conversation they had kept playing over in her head. She clenched her fists as a few tears ran down her face. She called him selfish then and she still thought it now. A lingering thought of him only caring for himself, the words of the letter he left only angering her further.
Theodore stood next to Amelina, gaze set and focused to the man he saw as a younger, foolish, but truly special brother. Seeing him at peace, give a chill which rose up Theo's spine as he gulped. So many before, he has seen dead. People he once knew, if for a moment, or for years. Tobie was next on that list, but it didn't make it any easier. He was different. A true brother, not by blood, but forged by bond. An ache grew constant in Theo's chest as he remained silent, going to take Amelina's as she started to tear up, though the man would not shed a tear. He's felt this too often to befall such, and choose to remain strong for those around him, however burdening it may feel. For in the end, this was now his family, and to Tobie, in his honour, he'd give his life to them
Maxence's eyes stayed glued to the body laid out in the casket before him. His hands shaking in tightly curled fists by his sides, he couldn't quite believe this was happening right now. His brother, his role model, was gone. He couldn't come to terms with it, in his mind his brother was elsewhere off drinking or dueling, not laying stone cold in a decorated casket. He had chosen to bottle it all up, and force a smile since the day of hearing about the death, he couldn't even confide in his wife. Side-glancing her for a split second, he opened his mouth to speak but shut it soon after, he knew she wasn't interested, nor could she care less about him right now, from their recent tension, soon his eyes dropped to the floor, quiet and soft tears slipping down his face, clenching his jaw tight, he couldn't keep up this fake smiley facade any longer, he was truly broken at this very moment, feeling incomplete.
Kimmie stood near the casket, tears running down her cheeks as she memorised every feature of her beloved husband's face. She'd been heartbroken since she'd found his body, struggling to even sleep in a bed that no longer had him resting in it with her each night. Usually she'd confide in him when such things happened, but she no longer had that. Not only that but he'd left her to raise their daughter on her own, and now possibly another child. Her heart shattered into more an more pieces every time she had to see her child upset at having lost their other parent. But the widow kept strong throughout the funeral, not stopping the tears, but still holding back from completely breaking down.
Isabella clung to her mother's side the entire day, sniffling throughout the service. Her father may not have been around as much as her mother when she was little, but she still looked up to him and adored him immensely, and she still didn't fully comprehend that he was truly gone. Yes, she understood he was dead, but she still hoped that it was simply a dream and that she'd wake up to find him home with her mother, there to cheer her back up.
Behind the locked door of her bedroom, Orianne remained silent. She tirelessly flipped through her favorite books, eyes scanning every word but not retaining a single one. A knight's adventures nor a princess's woes could act as the distraction she was looking for. She read the sentences over and over, but they only reminded her that she was hiding from reality.
The honorable knight swore to save the fair maiden from her treacherous captors.
The honorable knight swore to save the fair maiden from her treacherous captors….
Perhaps she wanted to distract herself because she knew her emotions weren't in check. No, no, no. They were in check. Death was apart of life, but wasn't she supposed to feel the urge to cry? To ask why? She didn't feel sad. Not at all. But if she attended the funeral and didn't shed a tear, wouldn't they be angry with her? Tobie was a good man with good intentions...but he felt sorry for himself. He had lost his hand, and while unfortunate - he did nothing to confront his problem. He only locked himself in a room and weeped about his situation until he decided to kill himself. Kill himself and hurt the already struggling family, leave a child fatherless, and his wife a widow. The loss of Lorhauser, the death of Tobie, and Marie's recent falling out with Max. It was all building up into a melting pot of aggressive, negative emotions. It wasn't sadness Orianne wanted to distract herself from. It was frustration. Anger. She felt resentful toward them but wouldn't ever let it be known. Orianne didn't even want herself to know.
The honorable knight swore to save the fair maiden from her treacherous captors.
When she was ready to leave her bedroom, she would feign sadness and present herself as a composed, poised woman as was expected. She would resume her charity work, continue etiquette lessons, and press on as always. That's how death works anyway, right? You mourn for a while then find acceptance. After that, you move on.
The honorable knight swore to save the fair maiden from her treacherous captors…
Genevieve stood like a statue as the casket her eyes focused on his clothes more than his face not being able to bring herself to look at his face. Tears were already in her eyes gently holding herself together with an arm wrapped around his midriff as if to hug herself. She thought of nothing, felt nothing but sadness and just let all the soft sniffling of the people with in the room take its place. Could they all have done something? Could she herself have talked to him more instead of locking herself in her room as often as she did. She felt as if her grief wasn't deserved when glancing towards his wife and child. She was not like them with her connection to him and it pained her to think she could cry when barely being there for him. After dipping her head she made a soft excuse going to find a seat nearby to sit down at and give everyone else a moment.
Marie only remained at the funeral for a brief minute or so. Unable to bear the death of her husband's brother. She hurried back into her room and sat at the desk, idly pondering what was next. She didn't know Tobie well, what to feel for him, any emotion wasn't as strong as it would be like the rest of her kin. Her brows knitted, a slow, yet sure mutter escaped her lips as she rose to sit on the soft cotton bed, "'Till death do us part, what an honest lie." While she didn't exactly remember what Tobie's personality and such was like, this didn't allow her to not feel a sliver of sympathy for the loss.
With a heavy heave of a sigh, the woman finally stood. Ushering herself back to the region where the casket lies. Besides her husband, ignoring the fact that they're not under the most bright terms, she'd rest an arm on his shoulder and pat it gently. No tears escaped her, her placid expression only remained for what seemed to be decades of sorrow. This wasn't her brother, Tobie wasn't her cousin. Just another mere man, dead.
All that could gallop through her mind was the fact that more conflict, more tension, anything could be created from such feelings towards another man. What if the family began to fall apart? Her thoughts screamed at her, echoing around as if she were trapped inside a cave. Her swirly scarred arms shivered in the mere light of her own head.
A passage repeated in Marie's mind,
"Until death does us part."
..
"Until death, do... Us part."
For the rest of the night, she remained silent. Escaping the funeral whenever the opportunity was open to regain herself briefly.
It was no use. Memories flooded back. But she remained quiet for her own, and her new kin's sake.
Do keep mind, this wasn't affecting her one bit.
The Reverend performed the service, giving the Sacrament of Slumber, the incenses swirling the halls of the church before they moved the casket. The family watched as they moved him off towards the crypts to be buried alongside the rest of the Peirgartens who were laid to rest before him.
OOC Notes:
Tobie has been buried in Quartier Bertrange, the Peirgarten lands.
Only family attended the funeral.
His cause of death was NOT made public so people do not know unless a family member has said it to you.
