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HEAD COUNCIL (headcouncil) wrote in nosuchplace,
@ 2008-12-29 13:55:00

Entry tags:

adam alexie, adrienne conté, constance alexie, dylan uzoma, events: funeral, events: mystery plot 1, irei arakaki, logan nagamori, marit larsson, mitsuko kamiyama, nico vega-fernandez, nuray, sanura hart, theora, zach kitano

Friday: November 2, 2007
WHO: Open to anyone who wants to attend.
WHEN: Just after sunset.
WHERE: Northern Forest, near Van'taurë Lake.
WHAT: Faye and Kaiya's funeral.

Funerals in the most common fae tradition involved simple pyres to burn the bodies of the dead. It was an old tradition used to hide the bodies of the deceased, even in death, from the eyes of prying outsiders. Humans became known for ruining sacred ground by building their cities upon them or digging up the dead and, especially as time worn on, cremation became commonplace for most fae communities in the last few centuries. At Faye and Kaiya’s funeral, two elaborate pyres had been constructed in their honor near Van'taurë Lake.

The funeral began as a march. All those who attended walked a path from the edge of the forest to the location of the pyres by the lake. The journey to death had to be taken by all, and the crowd walked together with the people carrying the bodies of the deceased upon wooden carriers.

The colors of death were draped over their bodies. White was the color of death. Each woman wore a white dress, a white sheet draped over the lower half of their bodies, and white veils placed over their faces. Each of them held a bouquet of white sweet pea flowers in their hands. White poppy petals littered their dresses and the sheets over them.

When the march finally ended, they arrived at the pyres and stood at attention close to the lake. There were no seats. Faye and Kaiya were taken to their respective pyres and carried up to the top of the complicated structures. There, they were placed, and those who took them up the pyres returned to the ground. A song was sung by a choir of faes as the pyres were lit. All that could be done was to watch the fires rise up the pyres as attendees paid their respects by aiding the deceased into the afterlife with their presence.

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Constance [Narrative]

constantguard
2008-12-29 08:36 pm UTC (link)

Constance held her chin up as they lit the pyres. She wore a long yellow dress fit for winter weather with long sleeves and thick underskirts. Elaborate embroidery decorated the front down the middle of the chest. Her hair was down, long and flowing beneath the night sky. The fires of the burning logs ahead lit up her face and the dress upon her body as she watched the proceedings. Her face was set like steel against the sight of the burning pyres, refusing to budge under the heavy emotions flowing through her veins.

Their deaths had been in cold blood, vicious murders for no purpose or reason. Maybe there was a reason, but it wasn't a good enough reason in Constance's eyes. The young women didn't deserve a fate like this. Their lives didn't deserve to end this way, but they had despite everything. Constance knew from the beginning Elysium wasn't going to be perfect. None of the havens were going to be perfect. These sorts of things had been inevitable from the beginning, but it was a shock nonetheless when it came. Lives had been stolen from them, and for what? What sick pleasure had the monster who murdered them derived from their deaths? Constance couldn't answer the question. She had no answers for this.

She feared how the community would react, how they might blame those in power for what had happened as if the council had supreme control over all of its citizens. No government in the world before this one had to deal with that, but Constance knew it was coming. People were going to blame them for failing to protect Faye and Kaiya from their attacker. People were going to point fingers at the council for letting this happen. The blame game was just another step on the ladder, and Constance expected it as much as she expected this.

Wicked ways were a part of life, and even in the most seemingly serene of havens, there was no escaping it. This place wasn't Utopia. There was no such place as Utopia; it didn't exist. As she watched the fires burn, she realized this to be true more than anything else in all this life.

There was no escaping the imperfections of the world.

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Dylan [Narrative]

wishgranted
2008-12-29 08:49 pm UTC (link)

Dylan had offered to help carry one of the woman to the pyres, serving as a pallbearer for Kaiya Sato. The march was long and quiet, strewn with tears and soft songs of some of the fae kind singing along the way. He knew the languages of some of the songs, but others escaped his knowledge. They filled him with grief as he listened, even if some of the words were foreign and unknown to him, he still understood their meaning. These were sad songs of goodbye, of death, and they haunted the air like ghostly specters with their sorrowful tunes.

He marched the young woman up to her pyre with the other pallbearers. When she was placed in her final resting spot for the cremation, Dylan removed a white rose from his suit's pocket and rested it near her bouquet of flowers. With a deep breath, he retreated from her lifeless but beautiful form and descended to the ground once more.

Dylan took his place beside Constance at the front of the crowd. Adam stood across from her, watching the ceremony as well. It was a somber time for them all, and Dylan stared ahead at the newly lit pyres as flames soared upwards into the sky.

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, speaking a prayer of his own beneath his breath. He would not interrupt the fae ceremony by attempting to join them. His own prayer would be said separately, in hopes of seeing the young women into the next life peacefully. From this point, it was all he could do to ease the passing of the moment. Tonight was a heavy-hearted time for all of Elysium, and they would need the help of their neighbors to get through this. Dylan could only hope they would all prevail.

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Adam [Narrative]

constantguard
2008-12-29 09:04 pm UTC (link)

Death had happened in Elysium before, and Adam found himself sad but resilient with the appearance of two more. While it had surprised him upon hearing of it, it caused him to strengthen himself in preparation for what was to come. A murderer was roaming free in Elysium, and eventually, that person would be brought to justice. Adam knew this to be true, even as he feared for the lives of his family. This was yet another reminder that not everyone was safe, and he had to protect them as fiercely as possible. No one would harm his family, and that was that when it came to the elemental. He would defend them until the end of his very own life.

He was learning from these experiences with death, vital life lessons that would serve him in the future. Death was a part of life, and it became more apparent to him than ever. He had to learn to deal with death and accept it like he would accept anything else normal in this life. People suffered, people were hurt, and people died. There was no stopping the natural order of things, but there was justice to be had when it came to the murderer or murderers of the two fae ladies.

Adam would help see to that when the day came for it.

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Nuray [Narrative]

seabrightmoon
2008-12-30 08:19 am UTC (link)

Nuray watched the pyres from the lake. She had lost track of time, unknowing of how much had passed since she had stripped down and fled into the waters where things made some modicum of sense. Death had touched her lightly before when Jay had gone home for the funerals, but now it seemed so much more immediate. This was not illness carrying someone away, this was someone being broken like a doll and taken away before their time. There were so few who could come underwater that she felt safer there than she did on land now.

There was no telling how long she would remain there, hiding from the rest of the world, trying to make what she knew now make sense with what she had known before. However, it was safe to say that Nuray felt the brush of death and it had chilled her to the core. When she would warm again was anyone's guess.

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Logan and Mitsuko (Narrative)

dreammaster
2008-12-31 01:08 pm UTC (link)

Logan felt like his heart had fallen out of his chest. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He'd been to funerals before. He'd been to his father's. He'd lost people he cared about, loved... But this... Seeing Kaiya like that. Dead. And not just dead. Murdered. Someone had killed her. Someone had fun taking the light from her eyes.

Mitsuko reached for her brother's free hand, squeezing it tightly. She didn't know what to say to help him out. She knew his feelings for Kaiya. She knew he had found the bodies... Hanging... Butchered.

Logan barely flinched when Kaiya and Faye's bodies were set alight. His eyes were riveted to the mournful sight.

"I'm so sorry, Logan," Mitsuko murmured. "I wish..." She didn't know how to finish that sentence. There were so many things she could say. Wish she could make him feel better... Wish she had been able to to something to save Kaiya and Faye... Wish she could just make the pain go away.

Logan let go of Misuko's hand and went to the edge of the pyres. He set down the bouquets of white flowers he held. In front of Kaiya's pyre he also placed a picture of her.

Logan bowed his head, eyes filled with tears. He wanted to say something profound to Kaiya's burning body, but words wouldn't come to him. He just let the tears slid down his cheeks.

"Logan..." Mitsuko said, approaching him.

Letting out a small cry, Logan let his big sister enfold him in her arms, hugging him tightly.

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Adrienne and Zach

cursedwithfur
2008-12-31 08:00 pm UTC (link)

Though Adrienne did not know Faye or Kaiya personally, she was still saddened by their deaths. They were stripped from this life unfairly, their murders a grim reminder that life in Elysium was far from perfect. Adrienne never expected perfection from the haven, though; she knew that it was a place that kept them safe from the virus and the war, not from the cruelty that lay deep within the hearts of some people.

She and Zach were pallbearers for the blonde fae, the one that they were most familiar with. There weren't tears in the lycan's eyes, but they were damp with sadness as she helped to carry the body over toward the funeral pyre. Once each fae was placed upon their final resting place, Adrienne took her place next to Zach, her hand curling around his tightly. The last funeral she attended was that of Raiden Nagamori, and before that, her mother. Sending off these two girls reminded her of those somber events, and it made Adrienne want to cling dearly onto the people around her.

Adrienne sniffled a little, and stood closer to Zach. "I love you," she whispered as the flames rose to the skies. Death had a way of reminding people to not take their loved ones for granted, because at any moment they could be taken away. The girl leaned her head to rest of his shoulder, wanting to be as close to the alchemist as possible. She hadn't cried, but her heart was breaking on the inside for the two girls who were now passing into nothing.

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Adrienne and Zach - Fin.

coalintodiamond
2008-12-31 10:02 pm UTC (link)

Death was one thing for Zach, and murder was different than death. Hearing about a death made him sad, but the word 'murder' made his blood run cold and his hand itch to reach out for something to hold onto. It wasn't that he never expected murder to happen in the haven; it was just so sudden, and the rumors he heard regarding their bodies, what happened to them — it was enough to make anyone's stomach churn uncomfortably.

He served as a pallbearer for Faye, the blonde woman. Zach had met her once or twice and had listened to her sing at the restaurant before. She had a beautiful voice. Adrienne offered to be a pallbearer as well, and they helped carry the fae to her pyre. His hand reached for Adrienne's once they were done, familiar fingers curling into their protective place around her hand. A death was one thing. A murder was another thing altogether, and the hand he held onto was Adrienne's. Zach had also attended Raiden's funeral with Adrienne, and his brother's before that. He, too, wanted someone to cling to during these moments.

Zach leaned his head against Adrienne's, his eyes staring out at the rising flames of the funeral pyres. "I love you, too," he whispered back. He wasn't crying and there weren't any tears in his eyes, but his heart was aching on the inside. It was all that really mattered.

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Theora [Narrative]

elunesgrace
2008-12-31 09:49 pm UTC (link)

As High Priestess, it was Theora's duty to lead the ceremony. She was respectful to the fae tradition, dressing each girl in white gowns as she prepared their bodies for their journey to the lake. She had said prayers while at the temple, and as they walked toward the funeral pyres by the lake, the Elven priestess sang a mournful lament in their honor. Her voice resounded throughout the forest, carried throughout the land upon the wind as the trees joined her in chorus. It was indeed a sorrowful event, and the priestess felt the sadness burrowing deep within her heart.

Once their bodies were set upon the pyres, Theora sang an Elven hymn to send them off to Aëwnoré, or the Fields in the Sky, the equivalent of Fae heaven.

Fanuilos heryn aglar
Rîn athar annún-aearath,
Calad ammen i reniar
Mi ‘aladhremmin ennorath!

A Elbereth Gilthoniel
I chîn a thûl lin míriel
Fanuilos le linnathon
Ne ndor haer thar i aearon.

A elin na gaim eglerib
Ned în ben-anor trerennin
Si silivrin ne pherth ‘waewib
Cenim lyth thílyn thuiennin.

A Elbereth Gilthoniel
Men echenim sí derthiel
Ne chaered hen nu ‘aladhath
Ngilith or annún-aearath.**

The winds provided the soft rhythm for the hymn, and when the priestess was done, each pyre was lit accompanied by other fae singing their own song to send off the departed. Theora watched as the flames licked at the white garments before consuming them fully. The light filled the night sky, and Theora stepped away from the somber sight. She joined Dylan and Constance, her hands folded in front of her solemnly.

**"Hymn to Elbereth" taken from Lord of the Rings since I'm not that creative, lol. All Elvish language is courtesy of Mr. Tolkien.

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Marit [Narrative]

fairseas
2009-01-01 10:55 pm UTC (link)

Funerals were so different for so many people. It was, however, not a subject that Marit was so curious about. Out of respect for the lives taken the mermaid did slip into those whom marched. Those big, blue eyes were cast down to the ground in front of her for much of the march. Even though this was a time to be given for the fayes, Marit could not help but lose herself in her own thoughts.

It could have been anyone that walked the path that night to the cottages. A horrible creature chose two persons whom were rather defenseless, which made the woman even sadder. How could something so awful happen in a place that was meant to be a safe haven? How could there be a murderer amongst these people whom have all gone through so much already?

The song Theora sang was quite beautiful and sad, befitting to the untimely deaths of the faes. At the end of the ceremony, Marit turned with others and began the walk back to town--with a heightened sense of caution. It was safer to travel in groups of people, and so she ended up trailing with a cluster of strangers that she had never met nor spoken with before.

Hardly in the mood to make acquaintances, she was content to be lost in her own thoughts when someone began to speak of the deaths. Suddenly, Marit found herself eavesdropping on a most disrespectful conversation alluding to rather graphic details of events that may or may not have taken place before, during, and after the women were murdered.

Once they had reached town, Marit quickly moved to walk past and away from the gossips. They had just been to a funeral and now turned to speak terribly of innocent lives lost! Oh, it disgusted Marit. It was now quite obvious to the mermaid that Elysium was not the safe, respectful place she thought it was. Evils from the outside world had followed them in here.

Would the evils ever be cast out?

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Nico [Narrative]

foolintherain
2009-01-02 09:46 pm UTC (link)

Nico was a pallbearer for Faye, just like Zach and Adrienne. But unlike his best friend, the sprite actually had a personal experience with the fae, and for a short while he liked her. Seeing her like this - dead, and unmoving - was a stark contrast to how he remembered her. Faye was vibrant and full of life. She was beautiful, and happy. She was steeped in life, only to have that taken away from her in a single moment.

He carried her with a heavy heart. He did not cry, but he felt the pain inside. Nico was filled with regret over not having spent more time with her; but regret was a moot emotion to feel now that she was dead. The young man was angry at the person who did this, not just to Faye, but to the other girl as well. She looked fragile, so much more so than Faye. How could anyone be so cruel as to take their lives when they probably couldn't even defend themselves? It was just sick.

Once they were set upon the pyres, Nico stood behind Zach and Adrienne. He didn't have any smart words or sarcastic comments, nothing he could say could bring a smile to their faces. It was a sad day indeed, one that Nico hoped would not be repeated in the future.

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iseedeadpeople
2009-01-05 01:21 am UTC (link)

Irei stood in the back and separate from the crowd. He had been to funerals before, but never to one for a friend or someone he actually genuinelygenuinly cared about. Kaiya had been a little confusing, but she had been a sweet girl who Irei had wanted to protect. That was why he had tried in a slight way to get Logan and her together.

He crossed his arms over his chest. Could he have been able to stop this? His realm had always been the afterlife and he normally coincided to having little control over life while one was living it.

He leaned against a tree and watched as they lit the pyres. Theora sang a song in a language he didn't recognize. Many people had been come to the funeral, most he didn't recognize or they had only met briefly. Irei wondered what kind of impact he had had on the small fae girl. She had seemed to trust him, but she had also kept things from him. Like her relationship with Hayate. That had been a disaster seeing as Hayate had dropped her for a younger, very much younger teen-aged girl instead.

Irei muttered under his breath. "Kaiya, why didn't you come to me?" He knew she wouldn't have had time as the murder had apparently taken place so soon after the Halloween party, but Irei hadn't even heard of the supposed beating and attack from Hayate on the two small fae that had happened much earlier. He leaned his head back and sighed softly, the long hair seemed to be weighing him down a bit.

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Sanura [Narrative]

cateyes
2009-01-07 01:32 am UTC (link)

Sanura wanted to place the blame on someone. If only it could be that simple. Was she frightened for herself? Yes. Was she frightened for her brother? Yes. But most of all she was frightened to know if she was always going to be in fear in a place that was supposed to be safe. There was a monster trolling around a haven. It made her face twist slightly in anger. Though she had not yet cried, her eyes sparkled with the tears threatening to come out.

The Therianthrope knew Faye was a fan of the beautiful outdoors and she hoped that the fae was in her own haven beyond Elysium free of whatever pain and horror she had experienced moments before her death. “They’ll find them. That’s what the council is for.” Sanura promised. “They’ll find them” Sanura only tended to connect to the more positive people in the haven. But now she looked towards anyone she didn’t know with suspicious eyes.

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