It floats away, a small wish with tears and a little regret

[desperateprayer]

[ After the entire trial, Clarith gets to work. If Rii-san won't make the memorials, she will, and if Rii-san does, she'll supervise. And then, she'll slip a letter under each door. ]

Please join me in the gardens for a funeral and then a wake in the first floor rest area.

- Sister Clarith

[ When people arrive, Clarith is waiting with her Levin Bible in hand. Afterward, they can all file into the rest area, where hopefully someone has made food! She's sure someone would have, but she wanted to just... Get the funeral done. ]

Comments

garden

[serrata]

[ ... okay she wanted to apologize to Queenie but um maybe she should do this later when Queenie isn't yelling and using a knife.

She waits until Queenie's either stopped or taking a break or -- well, whenever it looks like she's a bit less likely to get knifed and slowly makes her way over. ]

... Queenie-san?

[goteachother]

[She's breathing hard, splinters in her hair, dirt and debris clinging to her damp cheeks. One harsh stab and the knife goes into the tree a solid couple inches. And then she can't get it out, pulling and cursing and eventually slumping down to sit at the base of the tree. It's not until then that she even realizes Yuuri is there.]

Rii... [Acknowledgement but she doesn't know what else to say. She doesn't have apologies in her right now, she knows she should, she needed to apologize to everyone. She should have known, should have reached out and held onto Angel tighter. They'd never have ended up... like this.]

[serrata]

[ It breaks Yuuri's heart to see Queenie like this. Only a few weeks ago, Queenie had been the one so strong, standing up and refusing to give in while the rest of them were crumbling. It's not fair that someone so strong and so bright should be worn down so badly by this place.

Yuuri stoops down in front of her and without saying a word, she gathers Queenie into her arms. She looks like she needs it. ]

I just... I'm sorry, Queenie-san. I'm so sorry.

[goteachother]

[At first she tries to pull away, too guilty to accept the comfort Yuuri's trying to offer. Eventually though she just leans into the younger woman and shakes her head.]

I'm sorry. I should've known...

[serrata]

Please, don't apologize. You don't have anything to be sorry for. I'm-- I'm the one who...

[ She swallows hard. She wants to be strong right now. So Queenie has a moment where she can let herself be weak. ]

I should be the one apologizing. You were right about Rhys-san and I was so... so sure I knew what was really happening, I didn't want to listen to you. I didn't even want to let you try.

[goteachother]

[It feels like all she's done is be weak. She doesn't want to be weak, be a burden. It's not fair on the others. She doesn't want anyone else to play the hero for her, try to protect her.]

I don't know if anyone really knew what was going on. All we can do is look at things with the knowledge we have.

An none of us are from where they were from. Makes it hard to know what's what.

[serrata]

[ She stoops down in front of Queenie, still holding onto her but making sure that the two of them can look each other in the face. ]

I know. I was... well. Bodies... moving around when they should've already stopped... I thought I knew exactly how to handle that. Turns out I was wrong.

[ She gives Queenie a smile, as best she can. ]

You tried, though. So... thank you.

[goteachother]

[That smile is so brave, trying so hard to be strong just like Queenie is. She smiles faintly in return, lifts a trembling hand to Rii's cheek and leans in to kiss her lightly.]

We all tried in our own way.

I'm just glad it worked. [Because Choro didn't tell her it wasn't her spell that brought Rhys back... and she hasn't talked it through with Tani yet.]

[serrata]

[ ............ so number one on her list of things to never, ever do is tell Queenie the truth until she knows someone else has talked it through with her. Alright then. ]

... In the end... we got to say goodbye to Rhys-san. [ and there's a truth she feels comfortable saying ] And PAL didn't get to execute him. It was about as far from a real solution as you can get... but it was something, wasn't it?

[goteachother]

[Tani will tell her tonight, don't worry Rii.]

No one deserves those executions. Denying PAL that opportunity is... definitely something.

I wish I'd gotten to say goodbye.

[serrata]

... me too.

[ She's quiet for a moment, wondering how much it'll hurt or help to say this. But then... Queenie is already so hurt, so raw. She can't imagine her taking comfort the wrong way. ]

If... if it helps... I don't think he regretted it. He was surprised but... I think it was what he wanted in the end.

[goteachother]

I never thought... [She shakes her head, frowning.]

Taking things into their own hands. I never thought anyone would go that far. At least he was... okay? with it.

It was cleaner, wasn't it? Than what PAL would've done to him?

[serrata]

[ She nods. ]

It was much, much cleaner. I promise. It...

[ she hesitates but then finally takes Queenie's hands and gives them a little squeeze. ]

It was just like going to sleep. It was over too quick for it to hurt.