chicago ♔ weep not for the memories

[romanticidal]

♬ Back on Earth - Ozzy Osbourne

WHO || Buffy, Spike, Finnick, Myri, Dawn, Archer, Elena, Kat, Gar, Mark, Burt, Des, Rafael, Violet, Francesca, Luthir. [closed]
WHAT || Eterna Jade's funeral service
WHERE || Temple of Corellon, Chicago
WHEN || July 8th, 2013
HOW || Actionspam

[ While there is no temple to Sehanine located in the city limits, there is a large church erected to the elven god Corellon, and it's there that the funeral service itself is to be held, before Jade's body is taken to be laid to rest. The temple itself is a magnificent sight, made to appear as if it's been carved out of a large tree. High above them, the ceiling is made to replicate the night sky in vivid, magically reproduced detail, even in the middle of the day: not a painting, but a maintained illusory spell. A full moon hangs there, surrounded by the stars, an appropriate setting for remembering the life of the daughter of the sacred elven moon goddess.

Violet, using Burt's funds, has taken care of everything, arranging for the priest here to conduct an authentic elven funeral service, and also taking the liberty of being in charge of all decorations of the temple for the occasion. The temple is literally swimming in flowers: jasmine, lilies, white violas and moonflowers - absolutely all of them pristine and white, with the exception of some sunflowers set for accent.

Jade's body is laid among more of these flowers, in a casket on a raised dais, also clothed in white silk. Even in death, she possesses an uncanny beauty that's difficult to look away from. Quiet, ethereal, mournful music fills the room, creating a very otherwordly, sanctified atmosphere.

Except, of course, as the guests arrive and begin to seat themselves in the carved wooden pews, it's impossible to miss Burt buzzing around, helping a camera crew set up in the back of the church. This tends to detract a little from the overall effect, just a bit. ]

Comments

[romanticidal]

[ somehow rafael misses buffy's words just before he has a seat again, meeting her gaze, something in his eyes that's almost asking for her approval of what he had to say, and what it reflected about the words they'd shared on the bridge. but he doesn't say anything, and looks back up at the priest, who is still patiently giving them a minute to volunteer. ]

[divinehealer]

[ and as everyone quietly avoids eye contact or whatnot, orlando bloom actually just turns and walks out the doors calmly. into the lobby. where des does not see him emerge... ]

[romanticidal]

[ when no one approaches the stand, the priest gestures across to where a piano is situated, and rafael rises once more, crossing towards it with a look almost like dread, as if he's not sure he can do this. he seats himself on the bench and takes a long moment staring at the keys, and then squeezing his eyes closed, before he finally launches into the song. it's a moving melody that would actually be familiar to the couple members of failboat present who heard hi singing it late one night in his palazzo one year ago... but there's a renewed conviction in his words that's terribly striking, the emotion warm and resounding off the ceilings of the church.(piano 28, singing ... nat 20. for a total of 38.)

♬ To Where You Are - Rafael Giovanni ]

Who can say for certain?
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory's so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream?
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
'Cause you are my
Forever love
Watching me from up above

And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

I know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

[witchwoman]

[Shortest lived safe bubble ever. Halfway through Rafael's song, tears start to form. They don't fall, but she is cracking. (will 15)]

[graveflowers]

[Well, someone crit failed. And dissolved into a messy pile of sobs. Surely it is very unexpected. Things that are currently not okay? Everything. She doesn't get up and flee though, mostly because she doesn't have the wherewithal to move at the moment, so she just sort of crumbles inward, stifling sobs behind her hand.]

[luthir]

[ luthir slips his hand out of hers so that he can slide his arm around her, since he is... completely atoic about all this SO SURPRISING. but he whispers something in elvish that she doesn't understand, but it's pretty clear that he's inviting her to cry into his shoulder all she needs. ]

[65]

[will save 7. he's out. TIME FOR BITCH TEARS. which he tries to hide by bowing his head. such a valiant effort.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des returns, because his will save was a 19 and he's not bawling anymore and he's curious to see the end of the service. He was curious, but he ends up just standing in the back, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed, all... stoic and shit.]

[witchwoman]

[Myri doesn't notice Finnick's break down due to trying so hard to keep her own emotions in check. She just assumes he's bowing his head out of respect (spot 10).]

[slay]

[ buffy makes her will save with a 23, and it seems she'd let her tears slip earlier and it had left her more capable of controlling herself in the future. she keeps her gaze fixed on rafael, but doesn't let any of the heartache she feels show. she's able to just focus on him, and being attentive to his emotional state (sense motive 31??? if that should be a spot check then it's actually 35). ]

[romanticidal]

[ naw, sense motive works. It's ridiculously easy for her to read him, apparently: to see both the difference between the way he sang this song last time, and to register the alterations in him since the other day on the bridge. There's still a heavy burden of loss coloring his demeanor, but he doesn't come off as entirely stifled by it, and though he sings of leaving this world behind to join her, it's without the previous desperate edge that made him seem ready to abandon absolutely everything else in this world for that chance. There's that usual sense of reverence with which he always sings or speaks about jade, but there's something in his delivery that also reads as a hesitant, but real, goodbye.

When he finishes, there's a beat, and then the elvish music comes up again quietly, and the priest makes motions for Rafael and anyone else who is acting as pall bearer to come forward to loft the casket. ...which I forgot to figure out with y'all, so whoever wants to help is free to assume they've been asked and briefed on the score. ]

[notaroundme]

[Elena comes back in behind Des, and fortunately only catches the tail end of Rafael's song, so it's over before she can be too affected by it (will save 14).]