Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » ~Paying The Price~

Raven would stare wide eyed at Robin as he spoke, remaining utterly silent as he continued to speak. It would dawn on her that this is what her mother meant when she said that Robin knew all, and would cling onto his every word as he mentioned everything her mother wanted Raven to know, and her eyes would go back to normal. Though she would remain shocked at the mention of her possibly marrying Prince Merthyr. For as long as she knew her mother, and given what Her Ladyship had done in her past, she was surprised that she would want Raven to marry the prince of humans to keep the peace. Not to mention that the king already had it out for her, and it sickened her to the core to even think about calling him her father in law. Though if this was her mother's final will and testament, than she would consider it. For everything Robin had said was right, and she needed to learn how to look beneath the surface of people, especially those she has come to despise. She would nod gratefully to Robin, taking her staff back as she looked at him.

"Thank you...She spoke highly of you and held you in high regard, even on her deathbed....as far as I'm concerned, you are under my protection should you ever need me...Her last words were that you knew all...I suppose that is what she meant? Everything she wished to say to me, she relayed to you so that you would be able to tell me when the time came....Thank you...You have given me much to think about..."

She says before turning to Lilim, to see that the tombstone was done and she was carving into it, as well as noticing that Elesa was using her magic to lift Her Ladyship in the air and carefully placing her and the contents into the hole. She would move to hug Elesa when she was finished, essentially thanking her before moving to stand by Lilim and holding her free hand, looking at the engraving. She would think for a minute, before taking Lilim's hand, the one that was writing, and would slowly write her own message, not erasing anything but adding on to it, so that the tombstone would also read Gone, but never forgotten. After that she would look at it and nod, waiting for Lilim to make it permanent before hugging her.

"Thank you...for everything..."

She says, tearing up again before breaking the hug and wiping her eyes. She would turn to Will and Elesa, noticing that they were picking flowers and using them to surround the grave so that animals wouldn't come and disturb it. She smiles sadly at the two of them, before walking over to them and bending over the flower patch to pick flowers of her own. She would get enough flowers to form a bouquet before standing up and walking over to the grave, placing the flowers down in front of the tombstone. She would arrange them so that it looked nice, before standing up and walking back to Matthew, Thomas, and Lilim. She would wait for Will and Elesa to fix their plants around the grave before nodding at them and looking to everyone, making sure that there was nothing else that needed done. She looks at everyone before pulling her hood over her face and speaking up.

"So I guess...the three of us will make a speech on her behalf and say our goodbyes, then after that if anybody else wants to say or do something, they can have the floor? I don't expect you guys to say anything, since you didn't know her....but if you would like to say anything I won't stop you...I appreciate you all being here with me and supporting me, and I'm truly grateful to have you all here as my friends, my brothers and my sisters...I love all of you..."

She says to everyone present before looking to Matthew and Thomas, tears in her eyes.

"Do one of you want to start, or do you want me to?"

Raven tilted her head at the tombstone, reading it once more and sighs. Her ladyship was their mentor after all, so they had every right to request what be on her tombstone. Not to mention that given what Robin just said, she felt that Matthew had a point. She throws Lilim an apologetic look before lifting her hand up, and chanting something under her breath.

"Moku..."

She says, before the words between magic kind and gone would separate but not erase themselves, so that there was room for more. Words would appear on the tombstone, and settle in, making it permanent. The tombstone would now read Here lies... Her Ladyship... Poppy Blackwing... Beloved Queen and mother... And Dear friend... To all of Magic and Human kind. She would look back at Matthew and Thomas, looking at them to see they were satisfied before speaking up.

"Do one of you wish to start us off, or would you rather me go? Or is there any other preparations that I need to see to?"

"Agreed..."

Raven would turn to Matthew and nod, gripping her staff tightly and approaching the grave as she took a deep, shaky breath in a strained effort to maintain her composure. She would look down in silence for a moment, thinking about what to say. There were so many things she could talk about, and she didn't even know where to begin. Though eventually her heart would just take over and she would start speaking.

"Well...I guess...to start...She was a generous woman who would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. She was a role model to all who looked up to her. She was my rock...And she meant the world to me...Over 10 years ago, I didn't even know who or what I was, and I lived as a thief to survive after....after....*sigh*....she found me in the middle of a harsh December winter, huddled in a bush and close to death, took me in and helped me to recover. She adopted me, and raised me like her own...She taught me about what I was...she taught me how to use magic...and when she found out about Crow, when she found out about what we had done, she didn't turn me away...instead she helped me and Crow learn how to co-exist with one another...She was my life for the longest time, and I can only hope that I do her memory justice...She was raised by my predecessor, raised in the mountains and grew up under the royal teachings...she became the most powerful witch amongst us, but ran away after being forced into an arranged marriage...She always taught us to do what we thought was right, and to stand up for what we believe in...She believed in equality, and it was a cause she would have gladly given her life for....Before the raids, she was sickly...but despite that, I'm grateful. I'm grateful that she didn't have to live out the remainder of her live as a slave...Rather she got to live them out in peace, and she died in a warm bed rather than a cold, dirty cell. Or worse, burning at the stake...We may not have been related by blood, but you will always be my mother, and I will do my best to do you proud and honor you memory....I promise..."

She was in tears by the end, sobbing as she stepped away from the grave and returned next to the others. She would wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her cloak, before taking a minute to catch her breath. She would look among the group red eyed and in tears before speaking up.

"D-does anybody else wish to say anything..."

Lilim would slowly approach the grave once everyone else among the coven had said what they wished. She respected that they took priority when it came to last words. Lilim would look down into the grave and speak calmly, "Lady Poppy... I know you would recognize me if you saw me... But I'm not like my mother. I left my noble life behind to come here, and I have met some of the kindest and most amazing people while I've been here... One of which... Was your daughter. When I first met Raven... I was supposed to fight her in the humans arena... But instead she gave me the power I needed to free us both. I may have only known Raven for a short time now, but... Your Ladyship, you have raised one very amazing daughter. And I know that while you watch her from the afterlife, she will make you proud. And I'm honored to say that I have the opportunity to help her as she continues to grow and learn from your teachings... And I'll continue to help her in every way I'm able for as long as I can." Lilim says before kneeling and borrowing some plant energy from the flowers around the grave and added a few more to the mix, surrounding the tombstone in a very appropriate flower that anyone would recognize from the name.



After setting the flowers in place, Lilim would hover upright again, "Rest in peace, Lady Poppy. Your memory and legacy live on." she says with a few tears of her own being shed. Lilim's tears would stain a few spots with red, as her tears were not those of water, but of blood. She'd bow her head respectfully as she backed away, returning to the others quietly. Lilim would look around for a moment and see if anyone else had anything else to say or add, wondering if anyone did.

Elesa would move to help Will pick the herbs and replant them around the hole, making quick and easy work of them as she follows Will's lead. She'd make good and sure that everything was situated in a careful and special way before returning to Will's arms and letting him carry her back with the group, cupping her hands together and respectfully offering a quiet prayer as each person spoke. She'd look to Merry too, wondering when she'd begin the song she had been practicing nearly the whole past hour.

Will smiled at the help from Elesa planting the herbs around the grave as Raven and Lilim began making flowers grow around it as well. After all was set and done, Will picked up Elesa and stepped back to let everyone say their speeches. Will closed his eyes and lowered his head, saying a quiet prayer for Raven's mother and let them say their speeches.

Merry stood out in the middle of the river, listening carefully to everyone as they spoke, still going over the song in her head until she had it good and strait. She'd bow her head respectfully and hold her hands in front of her heart as she prayed and waited patiently for her turn.

Finally everyone would fall silent and the equines would step aside so the others could see her, "I have something I'd like to say too!..." Merry calls out, still standing in the middle of the river. The waters felt soothing to her and she absolutely adored being out in the water. "I never had the chance to sing for my village the day that all of my childhood friends and family got torn from this world... So now... I wish to redeem the memories of the Elf village of the Far Western Magical Forest. Raven?... This one is for you and your mother. I hope you enjoy." she says as she takes a polite and ladylike curtsey. Clearing her throat quietly one final time, her song would begin, the breeze, the water, even the birds seemed to harmonize as Merry's aura seems to share the information with them as to what she needed for the song.

Will remained silent during Merrys song, keeping a hold of Elesa. He shed a tear during the song, just letting it roll down his face and off his chin onto the ground.

Sally would vocalize cutely after the song to make herself known, as well as it being heard that there was someone clapping softly nearby her. "Beautiful song, Merrilee. Simply beautiful. Not a dry eye among us. Your voice is absolutely heavenly, child. Hope you'll forgive this old bag of- whoops, I bout told a whopper. Ohohoho." came a very familiar voice which Raven, Matthew, Thomas, and Martha would be the first to recognize. Sure enough if they were to turn and look, there stood bright and blue to their magic vision, would be Her Ladyship's spirit, with Sally sitting close by and giving a gentle support to the elder's hip as someone to lean on.

Poppy would smile to Raven and the villagers warmly, "Hello again my little owl. I'm so sorry to have caused you all so much distress. But I had to ask this good Tartarus Reaper if I could say one last goodbye. I'm not going there to be punished for anything, my children. I am going to see The Goddess of Dreams so that I may be reincarnated. Raven? You remember the little girl in the white kimono under the enormous apple tree that stood alone in a vast meadow you told me you saw in your dreams some time back?" she explains in a calm tone, hoping that her ghostly appearance wouldn't be too much for them. She knew they would be sad, and she just couldn't have that as her last images of them. She couldn't express how happy it made her to see her coven reunited like this, and Raven looked absolutely beautiful in the queens ceremonial robe, she thought.

Raven would grip onto Matthew's and Thomas's hands as they said their peace, and watched with teary eyes as one by one they each said their peace or placed flowers among the grave. She would address everybody one by one, hugging each individual. She would wipe the tears with her sleeve as she looked between Lilim and the grave, noticing the Poppy's that would sprout from the ground around it. She would chuckle slightly, amused by the gesture and saw it fitting before walking up to Lilim and hugging her tightly. She would let go after a long moment of embrace before speaking up.

"I didn't know you and my mother were acquainted..."

She says before turning to Merry, noticing how she was standing atop the water at the base of the waterfall, and listened to her song. It was beautiful, and it would cause Raven to cry even more as she desperately tried not doing so. She would move to hug Merry in a tight embrace as well, as hugging had become almost customary at this point. She would let go of Merry and hold both of her hands in her own.

"That song was beautiful, Merry..."

Though much to her surprise, she would hear a voice that she was all to familiar with. She would turn in the direction of the voice, and her eyes would widen out of utter shock as she was staring at her mother once again, who was leaning on Sally. Her eyes almost instantly lit up, though at first not sure whether or not she was dreaming or hallucinating. Though the mention of Raven's dreams seemed to peak her curiosity, and almost instantly she ran over to Her Ladyship, but would stop to stand just in front of her.

"MOM!! H-How is this possible?! You died!!"

She was before looking to Sally. She wouldn't be able to surpress her smile as she sniffled and wiped her tears away, smiling at her mother. She wanted to hug her so badly, but wasn't sure if she would just pass through her, as such things were believed to be the case with phantoms and ghosts. She would reach her hand out to her mother, but then retract it as quickly as she had reached for it.

"Of course I remember that dream...It reminded me a lot about Crow, right down to how she looked...But how can you talk about that dream? Are you being reincarnated as that girl?"

"Now that we are here," Audemar said, "we have to wait." Audemar looked to Lwyncelyne, "How do you fair?"

(Send a PM to Raven if you wanna join, Saratoga. It's her RP.)

Poppy would giggle again at Raven's assumption that she would become that girl, "Ohohoho, no no child. I won't be reincarnated as that girl. That girl was her. That tree and the little girl you saw... That was her. That was The Goddess of Dreams." she says before seeing Raven reaching for her, moving to grasp her hand as she lowered it and though the grip felt loose, almost like holding onto a cloud, there was still some physical mass there. Poppy would slowly coax Raven closer and would hug her softly. Her body was far more delicate than normally, so she'd have to move slowly so as not to cause Raven to pass through her, but if handled delicately, Raven would be able to hug her mother one more time.

"Raven... I cant tell you how wonderful it is to me that you have made so many new friends, even in these troubled times. I'm very proud of you, my little owl. And Lilim... True to your words I do recognize you, sweetheart. You look so much like your mother. But I thank you for being nothing like her. And I must thank you again for seeing fit to watch over Raven and Crow in my stead. I am grateful to you for that." she says in a calm but warm tone.

Sally would continue to provide support for Poppy, purring lightly at everything going on around her and simply happy to watch for now. After all it was by Sally's power that Poppy was able to come back for one final chat. She'd patiently wait for everything that needed said to be said, even though Sally was rather jealous of all the attention everyone else was getting. She'd have Raven pet her soon though, once everything was taken care of.

Audemar caught up with Taff and asked in a soft voice, "What magic do you possess that you were able to heal us that easily?" he didn't hope he caught Taff off guard. Audemar had the urge to wall back and grab the only person who trusts him.

"That was the Goddess of Dreams..?"

She asks curiously, only to notice that her mother was slowly holding onto her hand and coaxing it downward, only to slowly pull her into a hug. She was surprised that she was even able to touch her mother, and was all to eager to be wrapped in her embrace one final time as she too wrapped her arms around her mother. It felt like she was holding onto a cloud, but still was grateful that there was still some physical mass to even hug. She would slowly bury her head in her mother's shoulder, crying all the while as she shook.

"Mother...I-I'm....I-I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you....After we got separated during the raid, I...I should have made more of an effort to come back to you....I should have been there to take care of you when you needed me most...I-I'm so sorry...."

She says through sobs as she clings onto her mothers form harder. She was going to miss her terribly, and she didn't know how much time she had left, but she was going to make use of every second of it, taking in her mother's appearance. She didn't appear to be sickly like she did only hours before, but rather she was healthier, and livelier. Ironic, though, that one would seem more alive when dead, but her mother didn't appear to be sad, but rather excited to be reincarnated. She would cling onto her mother some more, looking to Sally who had been supporting her all this time and nodded. She would be sure to thank Sally properly later, but right now her attention was on her mother and would remain so until she vanished.

Lilim gasped as Raven hugs her for what she says, and with a soft smile and a few more tears of her own, hugs Raven back. "That's just it... I didn't know her... But I have a feeling that Lady Poppy would recognize me for my tail and powers... And my heritage..." she says modestly before turning to face Merry as she stood at the base of the waterfall and began to sing, though during the song Lilim would bring her arms up around herself and shiver a bit, memories of her own coming back to haunt her and she'd cry even more. The song was beautiful and very appropriate for the moment and it had Lilim all but showing a much more sensitive side of herself that she tried not to let very many people see. She especially hated showing this side of herself to men.

Lilim hated to be seen as a delicate damsel, but thanks to Merry's song, she started to look the part. She'd have to take a minute to hide her face and dry her eyes before looking up and hearing the applause and the voice, turning to see the ghost standing there and looking on in bewilderment as Raven addressed the ghost as her mother. Lilim would calm down a bit, and looked on with a calm smile, happy that Raven was able to see and speak to her mother one more time.

Lilim blushed as Lady Poppy thanked her for what she said and for being nothing like her mother, "Th-thank you, your Ladyship." she says briefly and a bit modestly. She was happy though that Lady Poppy did in fact know of her mother, which made things all the easier and several times better when Poppy thanked her for being the way she was as compared to how her mother was.