Child of Ember - Chapter 20

Celestia finished her reading. She looked up and was somewhat surprised to see the library was empty. Glancing out the window, she could see that time had passed, perhaps the others were at the funeral they had talked about.
Celestia arranged the pouch on her side and walked to the hallway. She knew that there were others in the house, perhaps they were in the kitchen or dining room. She started to wander towards the kitchen, listening for sounds of the others.

The halls of the keep are quiet, no sounds seem to break the hush that has fallen over the place. It is as though it has been deserted. The cold of spring night has brought with it a thin ghostly layer of fog in the vine garden, a place now filled with ominous shadows.
Only in the main hall of the keep is there sound and light and warmth. On the fire a pot boils filling the air with the scent of soup. the crackle of fire on the herbwood fills the room with an exotic, heady scent.
But still there is no one...

Celestia walked over to the fireplace. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear a phrase said by some of the women of her tribe,

"Fire, Fire, Burning Bright,
Dispel the Darkness of the Night."

Celestia stared deeply into the writhing flames, the image of their dancing burning into her minds eye.
Dancing...
The young girl had danced all night, till her mind was spinning as much as her body. She let her mind drift over the events of the past few days.
PaPa had been so proud. His daughter had grown into a beauty so ravishing the each man in the market seemed to examine her. It would not be long before she caught a nobleman's eye. With the coming of the festival, that chance would be soon.
It wasn't that he wanted to be rid of his daughter. No indeed! She was his youngest, and the light of his life. But he wanted her to marry well, and to never have the hardships he and her mother did.
Tonight celebrated her coming of age. Tonight she could go alone into the dark night to one of the many balls that the festival held. Tonight...
*** Celestia concentration was suddenly broken by the disappearance of the last flame. Guttering and dying as the wick finally burned itself out, it plunged the vine garden into utterdarkness the somehow seemed more profound with the abscence of the fog...

Celestia looked around as the flame died and the garden grew dark. She could feel the weight of the flame's story resting on her shoulders. Knowing that this information should be shared with the others, Celestia picked up the candelabra and went back into the house. She hurried through the hallways calling out "Hello, Is anyone here?"

Alex sees the remains of the main chamber of a once great hall, now only the great vaults and door arches remain. Overgrown on these are numerous vine plant such as roses, ivy, honey suckle and Morning glory. Many of them are begining to bud, but most are still dormant from the long winter.

"What a beautiful home, Senor. From it's architecture it appears quite old. Has it been in your family a long time?"

"Actually, it is a recent... aquisition..."

Alex cocks her head suddenly, before he can answer. She seems like she's listening for something. "I believe . . . I hear someone."

"As do I."

Not getting any response Celestia heads for the front door and hopes that someone outside might be able to give her directions to the church.
Turning the corner, Celestia is surprised to see Dolph and woman standing there. Quickly overcoming her surprise, she smiles and says "I am glad you are back. I was just about to go looking for you. I discovered some information that would be good to share with the others. Are they trailing behind you?"

"Unfortunately no, I was ambushed in the cemetary, and this young lady was kind enough to come to my aide. By the time it was done, the services had finished. I thought it only proper to extend to this young lady the hospitality of my abode for saving my life."

Celestia turns to the woman, "Hello, I am Celestia."

Celestia immediately recognizes that the woman has Vistani blood, and is fairly sure that she is member of her clan.

Alex bows to the young woman, wondering if she has gypsy blood too. Something about her seems . . . familiar, though Alex knows they've never met before.
"Buenos Noches, Senorita Celestra. My name is Alex of Tariiana. It is a pleasure to meet you." Alex smiles warmly at Celestra. "I was hoping to run into a bit of adventure here, and it would seem I've found the right place to stay. You were calling out about to see if someone knew the direction to the church. As it so happens, that is where we were coming from. If you like, and Senor Dolph can point me to a place to drop my things, I will gladly take you back that way."

Celestia looks at Alex for a few moments, then says "I know of the Tariiana. How long has it been since you have seen members of your clan?"
Celestia pauses and waits for a reply. Subconsciously, she starts rubbing the pouch hanging from her waist.

Alex seems a bit taken back, and looks slightly embarrassed. "I've, um, never met anyone else from the Clan. I don't even know who I'm related to. My father was a gypsy, a Vistani. And I've been trying to find him for a long time. Every Vistani clan I ran into told me my clan was cursed, and they usually attacked me outright. I finally got some old woman to at least talk to me, and she said I had been 'tainted' by the blood of clan Tariiana. I figured that meant my father was from that clan. And I certainly don't consider the blood to be tainted."
"I'd really like the opportunity to sit down with you and talk about the clan though. I know nothing about them other than the name . . . and the fact that other Vistani tend to shun them."

"I don't think the blood is tainted either. Sometimes good people are blamed for what others perceive as being bad. But after the current matters are taken care of, there should be time to talk."
Celestia turns to Dolph, "Do you think the others are going to be coming soon or should we go find them?"

"They went to the wake, I believe." He says. He looks at the two Gypsy women. "Shall we go inside and warm up? Perhaps some soup to warm our bones?"

"Soup sounds nice, but I don't know if we have time. I had a vision that might be a victim or the killer."
Celestia describes her vision to Dolph in the hopes that he might recognize one of the people from it.

Dolph shakes his head. "No one I recognize."

Alex frowns, "Perhaps we should find your friends. There were some small time bandits near the chapel, but there could be more. Not to mention other things far worse in shadows, I'm sure."

"I am certain that there are. Would the two of you be willing to forego the warm kitchen and the soup for a walk to the chapel? We should be able to get something to eat at the wake, though I cannot promise that it will be warm. I fear our bodies will become warm enough in the presence of the pyre."

Alex's blood chills at the thought and she pales a bit more than usual. It never occurred to her there might be a pyre. From the looks of the cemetary where she had met Dolph, Alex had assumed people here were buried in the ground. But she nods. "I would be willing to forgo such pleasure, Senor. Lead on. I am looking forward to meeting your companions, Lady Celestia."
Alex turns with the others and heads out the door and back toward the chapel. She walks along quietly, listening to the conversation flow between Dolph and Celestia. She is busy steeling her thoughts and her reactions for what is to come.

Celestia visibly pales at the mention of a pyre. She shakes a little, like a shiver ran up her spine. "I will go with you but I will not view the pyre. I have never been good with death and I prefer to avoid funerals. Funerals are not something that I was raised with and they make me uncomfortable."
Celestia dons her cloak and fixes the hood so her face is hidden in its shadows. Turning to Alexi, a smile barely visible under her hood, "You don't have to call me Lady. Celestia will do fine. My blood maybe rich but it doesn't have the drapings of a social caste."

Dea closes her eyes, listening to the music, trying to catch the divine essence in its words. The song fills her with a sorrow, not for the woman who is ascending - if her religion is right - to a better place, but for those left behind. It feels like something is clenching her heart, and a shiver runs along her back.

There is something more, Dea feels unseen hands caress her, "Soon, soon shall I name my price. Do not forget..." whispers a voice so faint you are uncertain you heard it at all.

Dea's eyes snap open, and she casts a look around her.
The congregation is singing, oblivious to any other sounds, though some of them cast odd looks at her.
Was it her imagination? A cold shiver runs along her spine, as she recalls old and dark tales of the consequences of dealing with the dead.
But that is long past, now. She made her move, took that step on the twisting path, and now she had to follow through untill it's end. A promise, she reminds herself, is a promise. And a promise of a Maiden is cast in stone. She could not deviate from it even if she wanted to. Her gaze wanders towards the simple coffin, from which she would almost expect the woman's spectre to rise. But ofcourse, nothing happens.
She is shaken out of her thoughts as a tug at her dress makes her aware that the singing has ended.
Slighty emberrassed, she sits down, her hands feeling cold as ice.

Lit sits with his legs crossed, leaning against the pew with his arms folded across his chest. He watches the sermon with a dull, listless stare, hearing but letting the words slip away. He turns his head slightly to look at Dea, and notices her lost in thought. He whispers her name, but gets no response.
He reaches to touch her shoulder lightly.

Dea startles, casting an questioning look at Lit. 'later. not now', she mouths, voicelessly.
She turns her attention back to the service, but the magic of it is gone, somehow.
In the privacy of her own mind, she can still hear the voice, repeating itself over and over.
"Remember your promise..."
She shakes the thought off, and feels guilt of hoping that the service will not take much longer.

Lit stares at her for a moment longer, and settles back into his seat. He leans back, and looks toward the others in the row directly in front of him, as well as the preacher, trying to place any characteristics that might be dangerous to any present.

The ranger narrows his eyes at the ceremony and his mouth quirks in a slightly irritated gesture. He looks to his compatriot and smiles briefly before settling in for the long haul of these rituals. He crosses his arms and can't help but yawn.

The Sermon ends with neither of you really absorbing much of what was said.
Many of the people of the congregation have begun to leave, while others still are staying for the Burial. Brother Andros (the cleric that gave the service) is standing by the altar surrounded by other clergy. Together they are chanting over the coffin.

Dea casts a look around, to see if Dolph got to the service. Not seeing him around, her face is set in worry. Still, she stays seated, not entirely sure of what is expected from her. She bows her head to Lit, to whisper a question. "What do people here normally do to pay respect to the dead?"

Thinking that Dea was still intently involved in watching the priests, her question takes Lit off guard.
"I would not know. I have not been here long enough to understand the customs of dealing with the dead."
His voice is not filled with melancholy, or sadness, but more of a detachment from the situation. Indeed, it seems like this service has had no effect upon him whatsoever.
As he looks back to the priests, he absently handles his dagger and his satchel.
He watches the rest of the congregation depart, looks at Dea, then stands and walks forward toward the coffin. He stops at a respectable distance and waits for the priests finish their chant.
He glances at Dea, then back to the priests performing the rituals. He tries to catch another glimpse of the body while they're moving, but does not wish to disrespect their beliefs and stays his ground until they finish.

"I thought the body would have been burnt to cinders?" Lit half-whispers, not really directing the statement toward anyone.

"Do you think we should go find Dolph?", Dea whispered to Lit. "I had expected him here. But he seemed a bit... sorrowed, when last I saw him." She kept a respectful distance of the casket as the ceremony ended, waiting for some signal of the priests for what was next to transpire. She wondered whether the dead would be placed in catacombes of natural caves, as was the use in Vechor. She has heard of rites burrying the dead in the earth, which seems strange to her. But then, the dead here were probably less likely to rise up for a visit at a relative's wedding. She cast a look around to see who had stayed for the burial.

Many are poor souls taking advantage of the warmth, company, and (eventually) the free food. Here and there is a lady of the evening that seems to actually mourn the passage of the woman, but for the most part it seems that the rest were simply passing through...

She nods at Griffen as she recognizes the ranger.
She scans the few that are gathered memorizing faces. These people would be the girl's closest friends. Maybe they would know more about her last hours.
She turns back to the ceremony, feeling some guilt about the impatience for getting this unfamiliar rite to finish.

The ranger walks up to Dea and Lit and smiles a bright smile. He calmly waits for them to finish their talk with the clergy and crosses his arms over his thin chest.

Dea nods at the ranger, tearing her eyes away from the chanting priests. "Good to see you here", she says in a soft voice.
"Though I'm afraid this will take some time...
Maybe we can settle somewhere quiet and discuss our findings on the death of this poor woman?
Though you are lost, I know that you are willing to aide us. In return, maybe we can help you."
She looks at the priests, then carefully approaches one.
When she gets attention, she softly explains her ignorance of the local customs, and asks what happens now.
"Will it hurt if I would leave for a sort while to discuss some matters with my friends?"

One of the younger priests shakes his head, and makes a small gesture for her to go.