Writer's note: this was played out in rp on the game and revised and posted with permission from Quoth-the-raven. ty.

Silently he went with her, cloth-wrapped feet ever quiet.

she walks beside him silently which isn't like her. Normally she would be talking his ear off. But then this wasn't a normal time at all. She stops at a stand selling flowers and looks them over. "do you think daisies are too bright and happy a flower to take to a grave?"

"It would depend, i think, on who it is that you are remembering." He looked at the flowers, eyes lingering on a black rose for an instant longer than any other before he continued to look over the flower idly. No sign of why or of anything else.

she nods and places an order for three daisies, two red hibiscus, and the black rose she had noticed him eyeing. She hands the merchant several coins and then takes the flowers handing the rose to him with a sad smile. " I think you will understand when we get to the cemetery."

There was nothing as he took the flower offered to him. He lifted it as though to take a breath of the floral scent for a moment before looking at her with the same expressionlessness. "Shall we continue then?" He asked.

she nods and turns south towards the mentioned place. Her back stiffens as if she was almost as if she were trying to root herself away from the cemetery even as she took light steps towards it.

He went with her, walking calmly beside her. His pace matched hers with ease, his pace firm as though to be reassuring that the sooner one arrives, the sooner all would be done. "The strength to say goodbye Is often the hardest to find. Often alone when it is said Still one must find power within To allow them to let go And live." He recited the words with no more emotion than ever in features or voice, though he looked at her as he spoke.

They reach the gates that guard the entrance and she stops her eyes looking over the rows and rows of stone and she begins to tremble. "James said something similar. He said there was no point in burying yourself with those you love."

"He is correct." He saw her trembling and spoke again. "There is nothing to fear from those who have gone before. Many bodies lie here in this place but Death does not linger here nor those who He came for, Lady Morriah."

she sighs and continues on her face turning hard as the stones that mark where the dead lay. Her eyes turning lighter and lighter blue with each step. she leads them to a secluded corner that is shaded heavily with weeping willows.

He walked along with her, silent once more. He knew what he said was right. Only rarely did Death visit a graveyard and only then when someone living chose to die there. His footsteps shushed over the grass quietly as he went with her.

there is a creek bubbling near by its song quite relaxing and there are two monuments that stand apart from others. she approaches and stops a shaking hand lovingly touches the black marble of the tombstone reading 'a husband if only by heart, forever holds the key to magic.' "It isn't the dead I fear, nor death. It is the fact I must turn loose of what I've held onto for so long."

He nodded a little at her words. "Sometimes that is harder than the overcoming of fear."

she turns loose of his arm and kneels pulling out the black box and opening it. she pulls out a white ribbon and a small ring with one sapphire set into the silver. she then ties the rings to the two red hibiscus she had bought using the ribbon. she lays the flowers at the bottom left corner of the tombstone and with one last kiss to the name engraved, she stands. closing her eyes so she won't have to watch, she lowers her hand as if pushing something down and the open box sinks. He watched in silence now, certain at the moment that his words were unnecessary though his presence was probably comforting. He had a calm strength about him and seemed well accustomed to death and the dead.

she opens her eyes their color now a light arctic blue. with out a single tear, she moves on feeling a great weight lift from her shoulders yet at the same time a great hole in her chest. The next is a white marble monument that sparkles and shines almost like opal. On the top of it is the carving of a kitten snuggled up next to her mother. The inscription reading 'Hannah, the angel of my dreams and warmer of my arms'. She just stands there staring at the kitten and her mother.

And he did understand when he looked at this grave, as she had said he would. A slight nod in understanding of the daisies then. He continued to be silent for the time being, not wishing to intrude.

her face pales and she reaches out, gently stroking the kitten her fingers almost feeling the girl's hair. She clears her throat to speak but her voice is still barely audible. "I'm not sure I can do this one."

"Have strength, Lady Morriah. She will always be with you. The dead do not remain at the grave but rather in the hearts of those they loved and those that loved them. They live on in that way." He tread silently forward to stand beside the grave opposite her.

she nods and goes to kneel once more but her legs gave way half way down and she more crumbles to the ground than kneel. she pulls out the pink box with little daisies and sets it on the ground. she runs a loving hand across the cover and then opens it. revealing pictures of a smiling freckle faced girl with dark curls and bright blue-green eyes. also were there drawings, tiny shoes, and a blue satin ribbon. she pulls the ribbon out and ties the three white flowers she still held together "She used to put this ribbon in her hair and daisies were her favorite flower. She said it was hard to be sad when they smile at you."

With something akin to gentleness, though there was no true sign of such a thing about him, he watched her. Nodding at her words, he stood straight and still beside the grave. "A wise child."

she nods a tear rolling down her cheek. As she places the bundled flowers beside the stone, her mind saw her laying a tiny baby girl in a crib. She turns and removes the tiny shoes remembering the day she put them on tiny feet. She grins as she recalls the toddler with black cat ears and tail immediately taking those same shoes off saying her feet needed no clothing when she could fly. she puts the shoes back into the box and looks over the drawings.

He was silent once more, allowing her to do what she needed to do but being there for her.

she takes out a picture of the girl, her favorite. The girl, about four, grinning at the camera her eyes twinkling with mischief. She holds it close to her chest for a long moment, her eyes closing as she fights back the sobs threatening her. for the briefest of moments her hands feel soft curls and tender skin as her mind comforts a frightened child that has been gone a long time. Her voice shaky and tormented she speaks to the man without looking at him. "do you think he will understand if I keep one picture?"

"I think it would be wrong for him not to. The past has worked to make you who you are and it would not be right to try to forget those things."

she nods and pockets the picture. She closes the box her mind seeing the lid of a casket close over a precious daughter whom looks as if she slept. She stands and raises her left hand to do the same to the box. only this time, her eyes open. She stares at the box and her mind ponders having herself go down with it.

he could almost see the thought in her mind or so it seemed as he spoke. "Remember. She is with you always. As is he." He moved behind the graves and set a careful hand on each cool surface. "They do not remain here."

Her eyes full of agony move to look at the ring resting on her raised hand, the sun shimmering off the diamonds. with a whimper and a sob, she slams her hand down and the box shoots beneath the earth. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she looks to the man she has come to think of as a friend. "Thank you for coming with me. You don't have to stay if you have somewhere else to be, but I would like to linger in the cemetery for a little while."

He nodded and stepped beside her, eyes and voice and features as emotionless as always as he placed his hand upon her shoulder. "Have strength, Lady Morriah. Even the hardest of things grow easier with time." One would almost thing he was speaking of a past experience of his own. If it was at all possible, his eyes darkened a little and he separated the rose she had given him into two prefect roses, stems, leaves and petals black as night. One each was placed upon the two headstones.

she watches and tries to offer a smile but just doesn't have the heart for it. "Thank you again. Remember my invitation."

"I will do so. That i promise. Be well, Lady Morriah, and have faith that Death is not the end." ::He bowed low with courtly grace then turned and began walking past the headstones.

she nods even though he is no longer looking at her. she watches him walk off and thinks that he so much like an iron clad soldier. Hard and cold on the outside yet so much more on the inside. She looks back to the headstone of her daughter's grave and gives into her urge to weep crumbling over her head in her arms.