Defender Funeral Service
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A rare ocurrence in general, but specialy as of late, Raúl is to be seen. He stands alongside the other defenders with a serious semblant and his defender uniform ironed and in a perfect state. One would say it was the first time he wore it… and one would be right.
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Ashena stands straight and solemn beside Mariston and Talindra, her armor polished to a mirror shine, as though to compensate the lack of the same in her eyes, red-rimmed and weary. Weary too is the slump of the paladin's shoulders as she dips her head in silent prayer, then follows Talindra to the temple with heavy steps.
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Lycka, like Walter, wears the Defender dress uniform - her usually frequent joking complaints of its unflattering fit entirely lacking on such a somber occasion. On this day, she doesn't speak, sing or play her lyre - on this day she is simply a Defender, one of many in quiet mourning.
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Though most onlookers are polite enough not to gossip about it, many notice that Senator Marty is nowhere to be seen.
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Celia and Reynauld watches the procession from the window upstairs from the Mermaid Inn, with a comforting arm around her shoulder she bows her head to a silent prayer:
"Torm please bless them forever
Let the sounds of strife, the cries of battle, the wounds of war
be calmed for all eternity in endless grace.
Ever reminded that we who are left behind
cherish them, honor their commitment,
We will never forget the service that they gave"–--------------------------------------------------------------
From another window the red mageling, recently return from her Grapewine vacation, watches it as well and she responds to the couple with:
"We honor ALL those men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers, brothers, sisters, and mothers. Who have laid down their life for the precious Jewel. Whether weary or emboldened, quiet or defiant, vulnerable or ready when called home. Their sacrifice is too humbling for words… "
.. then she nods politely and heads downstairs for a glass of wine.
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Talindra stands beside Mariston throughout the service, any close enough may hear whispered words coming from her though only those who speak Celestial would know she utters prayers to Tyr for the fallen. As the ceremony ends she quietly heads off to the Temple and stays within for some time at the altar.
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Robyn is seen watching from a balcony. She hangs her head for a moment, but doesn't say anything. When the ceremony is over, she moves back inside.
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Elessar listens to the somber song and reflects both on the sufferings of the people of Peltarch and on the generations of adventurers he has known over the past couple hundred years. Looking around the crowd he sees many he now considers friends and others he is anxious to know. Reflecting pensively he wonders how many of these new friends will join the ranks of the fallen over the next year. He makes eye contact with Bon as he finishes and with a slight nod of recognition he wanders off to ponder the event further.
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María is present, firmly standing with a sad expression on her face, never one able to hide her emotions, when shallyah speaks, a couple of tears roll down her cheek.
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At an appropriate time, a silver haired halforc bard sings an anthem in a deep baritone voice:
// OOC: Sung to the tune of Advance Australia Fair
**"Beside the Icelace frigid waves
Pelt-Arch stands tall and free!
Ne-ver will you see fair-er state
Ev-er in liberty!
Beneath the radiant northern sky
All Peltarch sons stand true
Now and always thee doth shine
O’Ev-er bril-liant Jewel!At first a tiny fishing town
Home of our king Tid-us
Who’s first act once upon the throne
Was hand his crown to us
As ci-tizens we forge our fate
Both small and great shall rule!
Ne-ver a monarch over us!
O’Ev-er bril-liant Jewel!Through darkest times we have all come
With darker times ahead
With courage we face all our trials
And take grief in our stead.
And like the phoenix from the ash
Peltarch soars high anew!
A shining beacon burning clear
O’Ev-er bril-liant Jewel! "**
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_Elena solemnly walks forth from the congregation, a handwoven wreath of sweet-smelling fern and white flowers in her hands. Laying it reverentially next to Mariston's, she bows her head, before a single, plaintive word falls from her lips.
"Farewell…"
With that, she turns to rejoin her peers, lingering for a moment to lay a comforting hand on those that she knows lost a brother, sister, fiance or fiancee, on the way to her place._
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Walter attends the service in the standard dress uniform from the Defenders, today he doesn't distinguish himself as a Cerulean but simply as a Defender. His highly polished Defenders' badge is displayed proudly and openly. As he's never been one for words he leaves the speeches to those are less feeble hearted.
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- Jason is seen standing by watching the procession, tears form as he weeps for the lost saying a quiet prayer to Ilmater to guide and protect the souls of the brave and comfort those that remain *
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::Mariston steps forward in silent reverence and places a single wreath upon the blackened soil. With a step back he draws his blade and raises it in a formal salute. Then with carefully slow steps, walks backward three paces, sheathes the blade before returning to the watch::
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::Surprisingly, the usually cold and quiet Defender Sergeant takes the initiative to step forth. Her gesture looks ever calm, but as she begins to speak, there are certainly emotions surfacing. Those who know her know that she must have something really important to say to do something that she has never willingly done before - speak in public to the masses. However, her words appear to be rather personalized when she turns her gaze towards the Defenders, her grey eyes shifting from the fallen ones to those that, yet alive, witness the funeral::
From day we sign up with Defenders, we know our duty, and what's at stake. ::she pauses briefly:: In these years I have come to trust each of you with my life. But I have also heard murmurs of discontent.
I share your concerns.
We are trained for warfare. We would be legends, but records are sealed. Glory in bard tales is not our way.
Think of what we have accomplished. How many times we have protected this city from great disasters before anyone even knew it. How many hundreds of lives we have preserved through unsung sacrifice, sense of duty, responsibility and loyalty. How many brothers and sisters we have lost so that so that thousands others could remain to be.
::she makes then a pause, letting her words settle into the minds of the witnessing Defenders, her gaze turning again to the funeral pyres, and the hundreds of bodies lined up lifeless::
These deeds do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before senate, there was army. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers.
Some day, when this time of hardships is just a memory, the peoples of Narfell will come together to this place, this very ground, and say:
The Defenders were here. They did not fail. They did not falter. And they did not surrender.
::With her last words spoken, Shallyah walks off and joins the Defender lines, melding amongst them as one more uniform, one more Defender without a name, without a face, and only one purpose - protecting her city from filth, in any shape or scale, no matter the cost::
