She realized this and glanced around to find they had stopped . His eyes were focused on her . They were standing in the deeper part of the garden, near the wisteria trees . The pungent aroma drifting lightly on the wind from the lavender and deep purple flowers . A few ducks paddled quietly on the glassy pond . Lilly pads and light pink flowers painted a very calming scene, framed by the carefully kept vines dotted with flowers .
Clovis however was focused on her . Her expression as she took in his special place . Her eyes widened slightly in confusion as she noticed the stone epitaph by the water's edge . A patch of well worn grass before it, he could tell the moment she it dawned on her . Her eyes flashed over to his, questioning and nervous . It was as if she felt she was a captured kitten in a place she shouldn't be . Clovis struggled to offer a soft smile . Nodding his permission to look closer at the stone itself .
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Kyera stepped forward, careful to respect the fallen enduring its final rest . The stone was carefully engraved with lines of text . She found the name, careful not to read the rest . Fourth Princess Faline Rouge was written in a beautiful script, obviously done with care . She recognized the familiar scent of mourning on the black stone . It only took a moment to kneel at the side of the grave to pay her respects .
"Raina's Mother?" Kyera asked glancing back at Clovis who had come to kneel next to her . He settled back, relaxed as though this was something he did often . She realized where the worn grass came from .
"Ha . . . I wish . " he whispered, but then he tensed realizing what he just said . His eyes flicked back to Kyera wondering if she caught it . However, it was perfectly clear she was aware of what he had revealed . Inwardly, Clovis groaned why the hell had he said that aloud? That lie protected Raina…
"I see . Raina is a amazing child . She is not defined by her heritage . " Kyera said quietly refusing to probe . Her own wounded heart could feel the bleeding pain of his . She wasn't going to probe when it was so obvious he had just shared a secret with her . "I… I am sorry I have been behaving strangely . " Kyera offered softly, knowing she needed to . Despite everything, she knew it had to be unnerving the way her emotions were either hidden or switching constantly .
Clovis debated saying he knew for a moment . There was no reason to make her face that pain but… Mally . Would she wonder how he knew? Of course Kyera would so he opted for a much safer response . "Oh?"
"Remember when I told you I had someone waiting back home?" Kyera asked softly . Clovis nodded just letting her talk . He was rather surprised she was opening up to him . He knew so little of her from her own lips . For some reason, it felt… glowy . Like warmth was flowing through him . Was this what a friend's trust felt like?
"Yes… I am sorry for how I acted with that . I was just a little confused . " he admitted honestly feeling like he had been rather mean about the whole thing . Now that the man was dead it made that feeling more disquieting .
"It is fine . Verone was the man waiting for me back home . I got a message about his murder while I was on my leave . " Kyera admitted softly, she wasn't quite sure why she was sharing . It felt as though perhaps he could understand . "How long does it hurt like this?" she whispered, feeling the tears blur her eyes . Clovis sighed gently resting a hand on her back in comfort .
"Kyera, I am sorry to say this, but I can't answer that . It has been 7 years . I still feel that painful emptiness . " Clovis admitted glancing over at her in concern . "They say time heals all wounds, but in truth I think we learn to tolerate the pain and move forward . There is no shame in grieving, there is however shame in forgetting those we lost that helped make us who we are . "
Chapter end
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