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βA heart's a heavy burden.β
γΙΞΉΞ±ΖΟgΟ Ρ cΟΖΟΡ: #CD5C5C β ΡΠ½ΟΟ gΠ½Ρ cΟΖΟΡ #C5E3BFγ
|| Still Into you || Paramore ||
γΙΞΉΞ±ΖΟgΟ Ρ cΟΖΟΡ: #CD5C5C β ΡΠ½ΟΟ gΠ½Ρ cΟΖΟΡ #C5E3BFγ
|| Still Into you || Paramore ||
"Cress," Heron was walking over. Her expression was grim, she knelt beside Cress in the dirt, taking her gloved hands. "What is it? What's wrong?" Heron was almost never serious, the fact that she had just gotten off the phone with her brother made Cress nervous. "There's been an accident. Kora... she can't join us for a while." Cress's eyes widened, terror struck her heart. "What do you mean?" Cress asked, feeling fear plunge into the pit of her stomach. "Itward won't go into detail as to what happened, but apparently, Narina's people tried to attack while Kora was on guard. She risked her life in order to keep Shiro safe." Cress's hands balled into fists. "She was being a good knight," there was nothing Cress could do. It was a good thing Kora had remained there and not come with them, otherwise Shiro would have been dead or in a coma for real.
"How bad is it?" Heron shook her head and Cress felt her heart drop. "It's okay," Heron said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kora was doing what she loved, I'm sure she'll be happy to have something to hold over Narcia's head." Cress would have laughed at the truth in that statement. For some reason, Kora didn't trust Nee, even after all they had been through. Cress didn't know why, her sister was trustworthy, without her, they wouldn't have been able to overthrow Narina. Cress still felt a pang of guilt, Cress was supposed to have died on live holovision for all of Ashia Palace to watch. Ramiel had killed her, stabbed her through the heart, but apparently, Nee and Heron had come up with a plan to bring her back by handing Cress to Narina, who would then keep her birth mother distracted while Nee put her plan into action.
"We should do something." Cress said, looking at her garden. More than plant flowers in her honor. "Let's buy her something from every place we visit, that way, she can feel like she was there with us." Heron quirked a brow. "On earth we call it souvenirs." Heron tilted her head curiously. "We don't really do that kind of stuff here. People on Ashia... they're not sentimental or anything." Heron plopped down, looking around. "We should find the most buttery looking flowers and plant a whole patch of them!" Cress smiled. "We'll call that part Kora's Garden." Heron nodded her head, "Kora's Garden, I like the sound of that." Cress grinned, giggling and Heron's own smile widened. She leaned over, stealing a kiss. "I couldn't resist," Heron said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"We should break for lunch." There were children sharing snacks, alcohol being passed around. "Princess Nui!" A little girl holding a doll came over, stumbling and doing a curtsy. Cress stayed on her knees, knowing that getting up would probably intimidate the child. "Hello there, what's your name?" Cress asked with a smile. The girl suddenly became shy, reminding Cress of Ellie when they first met. She looked at the ground, rubbing her toe in a circle. "My name is Mina," Cress smiled. "Mina, that's really pretty." The girl brightened, looking at Cress in awe. "Um," she started, "I wanted to thank you. My mommy and daddy were so sad when they heard my brother died, but we planted a bunch of flowers for him! So we'll never be lonely!" Cress kept back a sob. This girl, who was so happy that her brother was being honored in the smallest way, was so thankful to have something to remember him by.
"I'm glad your family likes them. Are your mommy and daddy close by?" She nodded and Cress got to her feet. "Cress-" Heron said, but Cress shook her head, she could handle this. She offered her hand and Mina took it. "Would you mind showing them to me?" So Cress walked, hand in hand with a five year old who knew nothing of the world's sorrow, towards two grieving parents, kneeling in the dirt to plant pink carnations. In the language of flowers, it would translate to "I will never forget you." Mina let go of her hand and her parents looked up, startled. They knelt in the ground, one fist placed there. "There's no need for formalities." To prove it, Cress sat down in the dirt. Their eyes were wide, jaws slightly open. "Mina told me about your son." Cress said, "these flowers are beautiful. Do you know what they mean?" Slowly the two shook their heads. "I will never forget you." The mom choked on a sob, the husband patting her back comfortingly. Mina seemed confused, they had just been so happy and now, they were sad.
"He was our only son, Mina's older brother. He meant the world to us." Cress nodded her head, "His death wasn't in vein." Cress said, reaching out. She hugged the mother, comforting her. "He died protecting you, protecting what he loved." She sobbed into her shoulder, people were watching, but Cress didn't care. "Our son was engaged to be married. He and his fiance both died in the fight," it was clear that the father was overcome by grief. "It hurts doesn't it?" Cress asked, "But overtime, that pain lessens. That doesn't mean he's forgotten, it means that you've moved on. What your son did was something no one else could ever do. She held the mother at shoulder length now, looking at both of Mina's parents. "He'll live on forever, in our hearts, in our minds, and in the garden."
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βYes Mistress.β
γΙΞΉΞ±ΖΟgΟ Ρ cΟΖΟΡ: #FFAEB9 β ΡΠ½ΟΟ gΠ½Ρ cΟΖΟΡ #63D1F4γ
|| I'm on Top of the World|| Imagine Dragons ||
γΙΞΉΞ±ΖΟgΟ Ρ cΟΖΟΡ: #FFAEB9 β ΡΠ½ΟΟ gΠ½Ρ cΟΖΟΡ #63D1F4γ
|| I'm on Top of the World|| Imagine Dragons ||
Nee was saying that they would overcome this. Shiro was shaking, clinging to Ellis as Xion pushed the wheelchair, the knights escorting them through the crowd. "Nee, they're so angry." Shiro whimpered, staying close. "It's okay," Xion whispered, "We'll get through." The crowd didn't move out of the way for them, in fact, they surged in the direction they were walking in. Shiro jumped back, knocking into a knight who pushed her forward. The pup stumbled up the steps, breaking through the crowd only once they were inside the palace. At least she hadn't tinkled this time, she had come very close though. Doing something like that in front of such a big crowd? Shiro would never live it down. They would never accept such a little girl as their Queen. Shiro was so scared, she was shaking, even with Ellis pressed close against her, Shiro was afraid.
She suggested a speech, something to move the people. They didn't want to become part of Tartaria, they just wanted to live in their own little space, not expanding to any of the territories. Shiro didn't want to either, she loved Ashia Palace the way it was and all of these changes were scary! Nee said that she would plan a speech and Shiro nodded her head. "I'll help, I'll do whatever I can Nee." Perhaps it would be better if Shiro stayed inside though. The pup was vulnerable and weak, if something startled her, she might break down in front of the entire crowd and then they would never accept her. Shiro wanted to be there though, she wanted to support her lover in whatever way she could. "I can't believe they're gone..." Shiro trailed off when Corren suddenly came.
Kora was sick? She had been guarding Shiro and had gotten hurt? Shiro's eyes welled up with tears. Kora, the girl who once didn't like her, who would kick her and call her names, risked her life to protect her. "Kora," tears welled up in her eyes and Shiro sunk to the ground. "Please don't let her go." Corren pat her shoulder, handing her a lollipop. "I won't allow her to die," he reassured Shiro. "Don't let her end like Nio." Shiro whimpered and Corren's eyes glistened slightly, becoming glazed over as he pushed it out. "I won't," his hands balled into fists. "I should go see to her now." Shiro watched him go, rubbing the spot where she had been injected. Maven followed after Corren and Nee said that they should return to the playground. "Okay," Shiro whimpered. Corren suddenly turned back then, as though forgetting something.
"Narcia, tomorrow you shouldn't need the wheelchair any longer. Your stitches have no doubt evaporated by now." Then he jogged off after Maven, going to see to the delivery of Kora's body. Shiro took the handles of the wheelchair, blinking back tears. It didn't work and they rolled down her cheeks, spattering against the floor. Shiro's legs shook, knowing that Kora had possibly taken a bullet or been stabbed for her sake. When had it happened? When she was trying to leave during the lock down? It had to have been after their conversation. "Here we are," Shiro said, wiping her eyes. She opened the door and pushed Nee in. "It's good that you won't need the wheelchair anymore," Shiro tried to smile. Maybe sliding down some slides or playing on the swings would cheer her up?