Under the Burning Rose

[Persephone DeVone]

When Persephone was about four her parents were murdered. A raid destroyed her village and killed almost all the people that lived there. The village of Witterlocke survived, and with it Persephone and her sisters. But for those that were fallen....the graveyards filled up fast with the remains of the dead. Bodies were sent to other places, and in this cemetary, lay the bodies of Persephone's mother and father.

She'd been told that they were buried together, which was customary of her people. That had given the sixteen year old mage some peace of mind, but she'd always wanted to visit them, always wanted to say one last hello or one final good bye. And now she had her chance.

She'd been told that they were buried in a tomb with a burning rose on it, the "crest" of her house. And now she walked, wind whipping her silver blonde hair, emerald eyes scanning the ground, and her back bent.

She saw the tomb, and headed over to it. No one seemed to be around, and the five foot girl disovled into heart wrenching sobs. She'd found them at last.

[Kaldaka/Traveller]

Kaldaka entered the graveyard once again, her grey eyes filled to overflowing with the tears she had been holding back for so long. Finally she felt the strength to release them. Kneeling in front of the gravestones that stood on top of the grave's of her parents, she wept, shuddering sobs that swept her small frame.

[dancingfaerie08]

Selena came into the graveyard to do a seance but when she got there she felt two other beings filled with grief. She found Persephone's long silver blond hair by a tomb...her parents obviously, and another girl she didnt know. She decided to leave them be and if they felt her presence they knew they were welcome to join. She lit her candles and one stick of blood red incense to call on Shiva, the god of dance. He had helped her the most through the tragic death of her family and she owed him everything.

[Persephone DeVone]

Persephone's tears slowed, and her sobs started to ease. Tears still flowed from her ancient emerald eyes, but they were no longer followed by a shaking body and sobs drawn from some where deep within. No, her tears looked as if she wanted to stop, but knew the only way to get better was to cry it all out. But it crying didn't lessen the pain.

As she wiped her eyes, Persephone got the feeling that someone else had joined her, and then a moment later she felt another join. She wondered why people would be down her, and then heard the tears from another. They were heartbreaking sobs, and she felt a need to go to the person crying first, and then to the other next.

As she headed towards the crying woman, she wondered if she should be there, but decided that she would leave if the other woman didn't want her presence.

"Did you lose them?"

Persephone asked, still crying, and nodding towards the tomb in front of the other. She knew it was a stupid question, but she felt obliged to ask it anyway.

[Kaldaka/Traveller]

Kaldaka heard the person approaching her and closed her eyes, the pain that she had kept back burning through her body. She nodded her head softly and opened her eyes. Her whole face was filled with pain as she slowly let flow the tears and pain of four long years. Finally the sobs eased, and she lay on the ground, curled up on the ground, her hand curled around the rose she had brought. Standing up, she placed it down on the tomb and stepped back. "Yes," she said simply. "They died four years ago." Motioning toward the tomb the woman had been standing at, she said softly, "You too?"

[Persephone DeVone]

"Yes...twelve years ago. I think it hurts most because I want to remember them, but the memories are foggy..."

She wondered if she'd said too much, but what was said could not be taken back, and she wouldn't try to amend the sentence. It was true what she'd said, and she could never tell a lie about the truth.

She then closed her eyes and tried to remember something about her parents. She remembered glimpses of what they looked like, what the house they'd lived in had looked like, and mostly their voices. It was all she could remember and maybe that was what her the most. She could almost remember their love, their protection, why'd they'd died for her and her sisters. Almost...but not quite.

[Saphira Siparti of Elvinoire]

Saphira watched all this in silence. An empty feeling was clawing its way to the front of her mind like a snake with claws of sharpened ivory, each claw was icy and dug into her memories, memories which were full of shame, guilt and desire...

Looking at the mourning girls, who wept for their parents, Saphira wondered if she should follow suit.
They were lucky they had a memorial to mourn over. She had nothing.
A empty, cold, vast abysss in her that she really never knew. But know, it was more gulfing than ever.
Her eyes were devoid of tears. Though a hurt and angry flame flickered it it's icy depths.
She hugged herself, her pale features seem deathly in the night.

[Kaldaka/Traveller]

Kaldaka listened to Persephone, her face pinched with pain under the hood of her cloak. Oh, sweet Eru, I can't stand this! she thought as agonizing pain swept her. "How did your parents die?" she asked softly. "Mine were murdered." She gestured towards the headstone. "The murderer just killed them, like they were oxen and he was a butcher." She buried her face in her hands. "It hurts, it hurts so much," she wept.

[Persephone DeVone]

Persephone put a hand on Kaldaka's back as the other dissolved into heat breaking sobs. She moved it in easy circles hoping that would serve as some comfort to ther other woman. She seemed as hurt and Persephone was, and she knew what pain there was in knowing your parents were murdered. She knew, because she'd watched it happen to her own parents in front of her young innocent eyes. She hadn't been the same ever since, and in her heart she knew she never would.

"My parents were murdered by raiders. They tried to fight them off so we would have time to escape, and they did save us. I know how you feel. But they died so I could live, and though it will always hurt, I know they wouldn't want me to be sad. Some times you can't help it though, and when you cry, know you will be ok."

[Kaldaka/Traveller]

Kaldaka lifted her face from her hands. "At least they died defending you! My parents didn't have a choice. All they could do was die. And the murderer just ignored me! I was 13 years old then," she said furiously, "And I vowed to avenge them. And now I have my chance! But now...." she hesitated, and continued in a softer voice. "Now I don't know what to do."

[raven]

~~~~~~~~~
Raven was standing by a grave, looking at the vastness...many had died because of her...not really by her hands...but many men had killed because she had wished it so. She smirked softly, the spirits called to her, damned her even but they held no power over her, she licked her lips, death thrilled her...Blood excited her, she should of been born a vampire.

[David Augustine]

David always walked by the graveyard as his home wasn't that far away and that it was on the way. He usually didn't enter, but as he turned his head he saw her. A dark beauty. Shadow and darkness just seemed to surround her. He took a large gulp. He entered the cemetary today, it was a sudden decision for him. He walked past her and didn't say a word. He stopped infront of several graves that were grouped together. Each baring the last name of Augustine.

[raven]

"Do I frighten you?"

She smirked as she watched him walk past her, she could not help but sense his discomfort. She licked her lips, darkness, blood, and death clung to her like a shadow. She casted her eyes toward the graves he stood near.

[David Augustine]

"No," David calmly replied, "You don't frighten me. Just make me uncomfortable." He didn't pay that much attention to her. He walked amongst the graves of those that he was looking at. He occasionally knelt down and cleared away webs or vegetation. Some of the words on the gravestones were faded away because of how old they were. He turned and looked at her. "Why do you ask if I was afraid of you?"

[raven]

Her eyes were as cold as the winter's night and the darkness that clung to her didn't even give a shadowy picture to the depths of her black heart, "Just a question, nothing more." She smirked coldly, many were afraid of her simply because of her cruelity.