Sularia was well known for its riches and great bounty of life, and oddly enough that was what brought him there today.  His latest search brought him here and honestly when he admitted it to himself, Sularia should have been the first place he came to whenever he was on the search for a new stone or gem.  There was another reason that he usually stayed away…over the past few decades he and the Rosenites hadn’t exactly stayed on the best terms with one another and each time he looked at their eyes he remembered the fire of The Mother.
 
Their last reunion hadn’t really been that pleasant and he always felt as if there was a need to look over his shoulder when he was around so many of them.  Sularia was teeming with Rosenites.  As he moved about the bazaar he thought about the ever expanding list of materials he would need, and figured it was time for a break.  The great fountain offered relief from the heat and he cupped some of the cool water and drank before running his hand down his face and through his hair.  Yes, time for a break.  His fingers lightly curled in his hair, gripping gently as the…other reason for his hesitation around their race twisted and turned in his thoughts.
 
Before he realized it, he was moving out of the bazaar, giving his legs a good stretch as he drew further and further away.  Minasé was silent and he gently probed him, speaking softly so that no passerby could hear, “You’re still there, yes…?” For about the tenth time that day his daemon sighed in their mind, “Yes.  I am still here.  I preferred when you were glad to be rid of me.” Despite his aloof words he knew he was just as glad to be speaking as Naota was.  The last time he’d been around a Rosenite, The Mother, Minasé had been gone…along with many other things.  Namely his emotions and he couldn’t shake away the disturbing memory.
 
His fingers lightly scratched along his scalp as if he could feel the lock Natsumi had put there.  While he was thankful for it in some regards, and even more so that she had fine-tuned it to not leave him an emotionless shell, he did wish that she had warned him about it before placing it there years ago.  It would have made the meeting with The Mother and Holly that much easier…But nothing here was causing him upset, he had to remember that: he wasn’t in danger of the lock being activated.  He shook his head, not wanting to think about it any longer than he had. 
 
That’s when he realized just how far he had gotten from the vendors, from many things.  He stopped, but almost against his own will and when he looked up his hand slowly lowered from his hair as his lips parted.  From his slightly higher ground he could see a great procession ahead of him, each person garbed completely in black.  A funeral perhaps…?  His hand lifted up to his mouth and nose when the scent of death wafted towards him with the turn of the wind.
 
So many bodies, men, women…children.  What in Revaliir…?  This didn’t belong in Sularia where around you there was always life and color.  In fact, the only glimmer of the oasis and its ways was a woman that stood alongside another, leading the march.  Her clothing draped over her perfectly, illustrating the shape of her that gave away her standing as a Rosenite, and there were colors that seemed to jump from the usual rainbow spectrum of her cloth.  Her hair was almost ironic in how it flowed with no color at all, yet the paleness of each strand reflected the colors on her dressings just so if the sun hit the right way. 
 
Next to her was what caught his attention though, and maybe it was because of the great contrast she held next to the empress.  Torinasu pulsed next to him and his fingers wrapped around its hilt as gently as he would a child’s hand before following alongside the procession.  Something was drawing him to it, and it all seemed to come to a head at that black clad woman next to the empress.  The amount of detail in each person’s clothing struck him as he drew closer, but never more than twenty meters.  Black lace draped like macabre spider webs from women’s arms, along their fingers: some of them curled around the handles of lanterns that stayed raised high.
 

He recognized the light shining from them: holiness was something he was no stranger to.  And yet he couldn’t draw closer.  His forehead burned, pulsed with an oncoming migraine if he tried to draw near but his blade wouldn’t be calmed and he had to at least try.  Normally he would feel like an intruder on something like this, but he was both drawn in and then repelled as if between two magnets.  What was he supposed to do…?  He didn’t understand…

The Black Court was problematic from the moment that Willow had given control. However, it got worse when the demons came and claimed the head. So many people died during her mother’s reign. It had not been a long reign but still it had been deadly. Bodies were piled onto boards and the boards were lifted up by some of the strongest in her court. Death spread out in the air. The families had held onto the bodies for so long in hope of the promises Cyprus had given them that some were only bones.

At the head of the parade of bodies and people clad in black was Kirika and the Matron Mother. Even she was in an elegant lace dress. It looked good against her light skin. Her long raven curls were over her shoulders and her blue eyes would look weary towards her court. “Do not be so nervous you are a leader.” Willow said softly to her as they walked. She was wearing a bright dress and had her pale hair down. “You will learn the time and place.”

Kirika nodded a bit and took in the sights. Everyone was in mourning, finally. She took a deep breath as she noticed the man not far off. He was reacting to something. It occurred to her that the lanterns might be keeping him away. This was the first step in her rule as she turned to the paladins holding the lamps. “Please, this service should be for all.”

She waved the lamps away even if it would pain her in the end. The Black Court stopped their march so she could come up to the man. “You may join us. I apologize for the lanterns keeping you away.” She offered him her hand. It was small and delicate.

(( OOC: I was given permission to have her lead him to the front. ))

After only a few minutes of slowly following alongside, the procession halted, as did he.  His eyebrows rose, realizing only now how suspicious it may have looked for a single individual to be following such a march from afar.  Whilst gripping a blade at that.  He reluctantly unwrapped his fingers from the braided hilt and breathed out slowly, trying to think of a good enough excuse to give anyone should they question him.  Just when he thought that maybe the pause had nothing to do with him, the people holding the lanterns lowered them down.  

The darkly dressed woman at the head of the walk turned towards him and with measured steps walked up to him as if the two had known each other for years well enough to do.  As she drew closer the energy within him spiked.  An almost electric charge ran down his arms, urging his fingers to return to Torinasu but he instead curled them to leave his hands in loose fists.  Despite the many alerts he was being given, he couldn’t pick up any ill will from her.  Not towards him at least.  Still, something was at work here.  Either way, there was no way he would pull a blade of any kind in a land such as Sularia.  Goodness knows he had enough issues with the Rosenites as is, and didn’t need to take any steps closer to a righteous smack from Angela’s hand.

His heart picked up, readying himself for anything she might say that could possibly lead to conflict and he breathed out in disbelief, eyes widening as she spoke.  She was welcoming him to whatever this service might be, and now he really did feel even more like an intruder.  There wasn’t a single face here he recognized, and while he couldn’t identify every body that was being carried, he knew that none of them had even been acquaintances.  His lips moved silently, trying to think of the proper thing to respond with but when she offered his hand he decided it best to keep them closed.  For now.

He took hers, palm in palm before gently linking their arms as was customary for this sort of procession.  When she led him to the front and didn’t leave him to walk with the rest of the marchers he felt his stomach tighten.  He certainly hadn’t expected her to take him to lead with her and now realized how much he stuck out.  His clothing, while not bright in color, were not black…a dark brown from weathered leather and thick cloth, but aside from his sheathed blade there wasn’t a single black garment on him. Whether these were his loved ones or not, he felt inappropriate to be here without proper mourning color.  Loss of life was always a tragedy…whether you knew the parties or not.

There was only a sharp spiking pain through his temples when he walked past the lanterns and as quickly as it had come it was gone.  How…?  Holy power was no enemy to him whenever he used it, so what could it be…?   “It’s meant specifically towards what you are…even I can tell that much.  You’re slipping.”  His eyes lowered slightly as Minasé spoke in their head, putting the pieces together for him.  Sometimes he forgot he came from demonic blood, but being raised as a human being and being told you were a human being for the greater part of your life tends to do that to a person.

When his eyes lifted up and their walk continued he turned his head to look at her, somehow realizing for the first time the striking color of her eyes.  As cold as their color was he felt no malice from them, there was something else there he couldn’t quite put his finger on…sorrow?  No, deeper than that.  It wasn’t his business, despite his curiosity.  And yet the demanding strength of his blade hadn’t dampened, if anything it amplified when he was actually looking at her face, so instead he looked forward again.  His voice was quiet when he spoke, barely over a murmur as he didn’t want to disturb the silence too much out of respect, “I feel disrespectful at the front with you…I don’t know what this procession is for.  I apologize if I gave the impression that I did.  Would you tell me the purpose of it…?”

Despite how icy her eyes appeared the warmth of her heart was by far greater. Her eyes were the worst gift her mother had  given her. They did not reflect how she truly was. Deep within the Rosenite wished they had been a warm gold, but that was not how fate had decided. Still she carried on now that she had a new friend by her side. Even if he was quiet and he had no clue what was going on. All would be clear soon.

Kirika’s eyes were not fools to how he reacted towards the lanterns. He was like her cousin Nymphaea, and that was alright. Maybe now the other half demons of the Black Court could join in. She tilted her head and gave him but a smile at first. “You are not disrespectful at all.” Looking behind her at the bodies she took her time to answer.

“I knew you did not but it gives me hope to see someone even with interest. This is my first official piece of business as the new ruler of the Black Court.” Kirika appeared nervous but she choked it down as she laughed, even with the death around she tried to show a strong face. “All these bodies, these are all the people my mother, the old queen, killed. They are all children she tried to experiment on. My first order of business is to put those souls to rest and unite the houses in the Black Court. We will be reborn from the ashes my mother left us in.”

Thinking about it more she shook her head. “There is Angela the knd, Lily the loving, Toya the Tactician, Cathrine the Wise, and then my mother… the Monster.” Looking forward as they made their way into the large spacious courtyard of the towering glistening stone castle Kirika took a look once more at Naota. “You are welcome with us in this march to celebrate our freedom.”

But it was not her freedom. The curse was still there and she could hear the whispers in her mind. She put her hand to her head and grimaced. Willow put her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Fight it. You can do it, you are strong Kirika.” Willow’s green eyes moved over Naota and she gave him a smile. “This is the first big job for you and you must be strong and prove the others wrong.”

Kirika nodded and looked tired as she fought off the whispers. She pushed forward with the procession. Finally they reached the cemeteries. There were six from what it appeared. The Red Court, The Yellow Court, The White Court, The Purple Court, The Oracles, and finally The Black Court. It wasn’t as beautiful as the others were. It wasn’t taken care of at all. It looked dead just like how everyone felt. Kirika winced a bit as she pulled a vial of green liquid out. It was something Angela had given her.

Moving forward she put her hand up and climbed on top of one of the stone statues that were outside the gates of the Black Court’s cemetery. “Today is our mourning but it is also our birth,” her voice cracked as she tried to find her words but she swallowed and continued. “For decades we have been forced into the great shadow. For decades we had to shudder at life and give up those precious to us.” She motioned to the bodies.

“But not anymore. Starting today, I give the Black Court its life back. We are part of the Five Great Courts and we should be able to be prideful in that fact. Our black rose may symbolize our hardships but that does not mean that we need to burn in hell for what others have done!” The silence was deafening but they were listening to her as they nodded.

“No longer will we have to worry if our children’s next breath are their last. No longer will we have to rip our children apart for war. We Rosenites have a sacred vow and we must uphold it!” She popped the cork on the vial. “With this gift from the Matron Goddess, My Aunt, I give birth to our court.” She poured it on the ground.

The ground began to rumble and shake as the plants, black roses, came to life around the arch. All throughout the Black Court’s Cemetery things became revamped and renewed. Life began to pop up and all the decay rotted away to something new. Climbing down from her spot she pushed open the now rust-less gates and put her hands up once more.

“Let us mourn our children today and finally live tomorrow!” The Black Court cheered even with their sadness, they cheered loud. Kirika smiled towards Naota.

His eyes softened but he kept them forward.  I’m glad that you don’t think so…  And so long as she didn’t find him disrespectful that would be enough.  But with her explanation he couldn’t help but look back at her, lips parted and eyes wide.  That was a morbid bit of information to learn and his eyes naturally drew back to the procession of bodies behind them.  While her actions were noble for putting the poor deceased to their much deserved rest, he couldn’t begin to put himself in her shoes…to think of that burden.  The weight on her shoulders had to be enormous.  Suddenly he was aware of the many eyes around them, how many were cast on her in judgment…? 
 
“A good mindset to keep…”   His voice was soft, not wanting to pause her from her train of thought, and he meant what he said.  It was good to move past the ugliness that might have been in the past, and he wasn’t always able to see a silver lining but it was good that she had.  His eyes met with hers as they stepped into the courtyard, his smile small but genuine, “It is an honor to be included.  Thank you…”  
 
That smile faded though and for a moment he felt even more out of place as the empress spoke to her.  As strong as she encouraged her to be, as strong as he could already feel she had to be thus far, there was no denying the struggle.  Had their arms not been linked he would have reached for Torinasu, a twitch he’d started to develop whenever something seemed wrong.  This couldn’t be fixed with a blade, not even one of his stature, and would negate the strides she had already made towards deliverance.  Not just for her, but for her people as well.
 
The state of her court’s cemetery pulled at his heart…it seemed so out of place amongst the well-groomed gravesites around it.  Where he came from that showed much more than disrespect, it showed lack of family, unity.  While he may never have a grave site of his own, he knew it would always be expected of him to upkeep the markers of his own family.  Briefly, he wondered if his birth mother had one…Did Hiromi visit it?  Did she even know where it was…?  For someone constantly around death, he hardly ever stopped to think about it like this.
 
His hand gently slid away from hers as she moved on her own, and he paused with the rest of them, watching with expectant eyes.  The silence was deafening but he could feel the buzz of energy as she spoke, with each word her voice grew stronger until the worried woman melted away into this newly bloomed leader.  The breathing and hearts around him picked up: they were growing excited.  There was one of two ways this would go: a riot, or an exclamation.  Either way at least the people would be feeling something new…and even he could tell it would go positively.
 
The corner of his lips slowly curled up as he watched her raise high the vial, and his head tilted and craned to watch as life struggled out of the chokehold that remorse and guilt had left on her grounds.  This was definitely a gift from The Mother.  Even with black petals and sharp thorns there was life anew, and finally he felt the intensity ease in Torinasu…though there was still a light hum.  His arms crossed lightly at his chest and his proud smirk softened to a smile as tearful cheers cried out around him.  Cheers for her.  Yes, she would do fine, she was strong, just as the empress had said.

He stepped closer to her as she looked to him and his arms moved to his sides, his thumbs resting at his pockets comfortably as he looked around at her people, “Not bad at all for your first decree…”   His attention returned to her and he smiled a bit more, “You’ll do just fine.  How do you feel…?  As rejuvenated as the cemetery?”

Kirika felt good to be with her people, that they knew who she was. They could only grow more together throughout the years, and she had them. “I feel much better.” She walked through the cemetery with him as people began to move in to bury their dead. It would still be a solemn day but at least they could get a lot of the pain dealt with now.

She moved her dark hair out of the way she moved to a set of tombstones. “These are my siblings. I buried them here before I could rejuvenate the cemetery. I wish they could see it. I don’t even know their names. I don’t think they even had names. My mother was a terrible person Naota.” Her blue eyes looked up at him and she was sad.

“The sadness that my mother makes me feel to this day ruins my soul. I’m hidden here in Arri because of the way people hunt me. I have siblings that want to kill me because of the ideas she put in their head. I have siblings that are dead because she made deals with demons. I have siblings that are half demons because they were a token for the power she would get from their fathers. We were all tools.”

She was brought vibrant flowers and handed some to him. “Will you help me lay them down on the graves Naota?” They were vibrant blues and yellows, nothing like the black that surrounded them. “They should have something bright to look at from where they are. Once you die in Arri, your soul stays in Arri. I know they are here.”