Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or it's characters.
Summary: Esther speaks at Abel Nightroad's funeral. (Between episode 22 and episode 23.) I'm still becoming introduced to most of the characters, SO DON'T YELL AT ME IF I USE A CHARACTER THAT SHOULDN'T BE HERE. Father Tres slightly OOC
Esther squeezed her tear stained handkerchief in her hand as tears streamed down her face. She sat in the front pew of the Church, having a personal view of Father Nightroad's coffin. A delicate circle of crimson roses rested upon the top of the black casket. The candles flicked a shadow across the floor as they danced in the ever-changing shift of air. A sad dirge echoed throughout the church, not necessarily emanating from the death-marked ceremony. Everyone there had their own hymn wailing in their minds that evening.
Startling, unexpected sobs shook through Esther's shoulders, making her cry silently. She hid her eyes behind her handkerchief. Looking at the coffin was like taking a knife and lacerating her own heart. Abel Nightroad; the man who had accompanied her through the hardest times and the best times, the man whom she looked up to as a priest and as a person...The man who was her everything, was laying in the coffin before her eyes.
She could tell that it was him, too. A normal coffin wouldn't be as tall as her was; it's great height marked him. Also, the coffin was specially made to fit his broad shoulders. As far as Esther knew, he was buried in the very clothing on his back, with very few possessions with him. Father Nightroad was a man of strength, humor, and unfortunately, regret.
As the memories painfully constricted around her mind, she remembered as though he were looking her in the face. He was always a very hungry man, looking for food whenever he had the time. When he did discover it, Esther was afraid that he would choke from scarfing it down so fast. She sometimes thought that he was at his happiest while eating; a trait to which was very uncommon.
However, whenever their mission was at hand, he would become devoid of all humor. Upon discussing a serious matter, his eyes would become tense and dedicated. Esther again wondered how the emotions of humor could possibly mix with that of seriousness, and remorse. That was something that was always prominent in his eyes, and no matter how she tried, it never seemed to go away. Esther stifled her involuntary cries as a harsh reminiscence of his obvious pain slaughtered her. Had she seen it? If she had, why hadn't she confronted him? It could have started with a question; they could have interrogated on the spot! There had been plenty of time left.
And now, there was none. The clock was dead.
Esther looked through watery eyes to her left, where a few others sat in silence. A majority of them had cloths in their hands, accompanied by puffy eyes. Of them were Virgil, Vanessa, Brother Petro, Sister Paula, Father Hugue, Wordsworth, and Colonel Mary. As she studied the other pews of the church, people she didn't expect to see were here. Father Tres sat in the pew on the opposite side of the aisle. His face was, as usual, unclouded with expression. But something in his eyes said otherwise. Esther's shoulders slumped as she faced the coffin once again.
Pope Alessandro had just given a speech, dedicating his kind words to the fallen priest. Butterflies emerged in Esther's stomach; she was to give her eulogy next. The pain seared into her heart like an axe, reopening her wounds. Surely she would break down. Just remembering Father Nightroad made her want to huddle up and cry. Each and every moment was another thought, 'Why do I continue to go through this pain?' Esther wiped more tears away, then looked once more to Abel's deathbed, his final resting place.
The platform on which the coffin rested had been decorated just as it should have. Hundreds of rose petals piled up around the coffin, adding beauty to the frightening sight. They sat there with pillowy essence, emanating a somewhat comforting feeling. However, Esther was still stained with the feeling of finality. Her mind involuntarily looked back on her memories with him, seeing that it was his life. What she had experianced with him, was his life.
"And now, a final word from one of Father Nightroad's beloved friends, Esther Blanchett," said Pope Alessandro. Solemn silence echoed throughout the church even as Esther's footsteps briefly disturbed the sadness in the air. She tried her best not to look at Abel's coffin as she passed to stand in front of it. The hundreds of candles circling his coffin flickered from her presence.
Esther folded her hands together, her head down in shame. Even now she blamed herself. She was the one who had watched as Cain viciously slaughtered Abel without so much as a touch. She had heard the explosion, the thud of his dead body on the ground. She was the one who had interrupted as Abel was going to get his revenge.
She had watched it all happen. But, could she have stopped Cain?
"...I'd like to start by saying that Father Nightroad was one of my great friends. He was my companion, and my guide through everything...He was very entertaining, too. Always eating, seemingly always laughing..." At this Esther smiled, the first time since Father Nightroad's demise. It seemed as though the memories would be the only things she could cherish from now on. As painful as it was, it was true.
Esther looked up at the ones around her. Father Tres watched her with enigmatic eyes, eyes that were sending signals of pain. Esther quickly turned her gaze, remembering her words. "And..I will miss Father Nightroad very, very much...I'm sure alot of people will miss him, as he was a great man."
Esther then turned to face the coffin. The candles flickered once again, soaking the red rose petals with golden light. Her eyes filled with tears at the sight. Still, she couldn't believe he was gone. She remembered his smile, and her heart tore a little more at the edge. Soon it would split in two, creating eternal heartache. She walked to the coffin, and kneeled down beside it. She was pretending that no one was there. It was just her and Abel. Her and Abel alone, feeling the aura coming through the air at them. From Abel, it was a sad aura, contaminating the air with petrifying death. Esther laid her head on the coffin.
"I wish...I wish for eternal peace among you, Father," she whispered, the tears falling from her face onto the black deathbed. The circle of roses did not stir.
To her suprise, Father Tres stood up. Esther saw him coming toward her from the corner of her eye. Was he going to comfort her? How could he feel such an emotion? He's an android! As far as everyone was concerned, he went by orders only. Surely someone didn't order him to get up in the middle of an emotional moment of Esther's speech.
One thing more puzzling about his worry, no one stopped him. Esther secretly wondered why they would let Father Tres interrupt Esther's moment. But it wasn't too much of a problem for Esther. Father Tres was a friend of both Esther and Abel; feelings or not.
Just then, Father Tres stood over Esther, and lightly touched her shoulder. Although his body language emitted some sort of feeling, his face said nothing. Esther sniffed, wiping tears away from her eyes. She then stood up, her eyes never peeling away from Abel's coffin. Somewhere inside, she heard the faint sound of his voice. It was a fond memory of a time where he was, once again, being melodramatic.
'Please bury me somewhere...on a hillside...overlooking the sea. And remember that...I'll be watching over you from there.'
Esther winced once again, turning away from the coffin. "I will see you very soon...Abel," she whispered before turning and being greeted by Father Tres. He robotically walked her back to her seat.
'I look forward to us meeting again, Dear Esther...'