Butterflies and Vampires

CHAPTER 43

We had a proper funeral this time, after two days of preparing.

Or as close as we could, in the vampire cemetery with a vampire who prepared a coffin. They said they wouldn't bury the body so I believed the coffin had been used many times as I could smell heavy death from it.

We placed her in a pink dress instead of white, barefoot, but with accessories. Her hair was more and more silvery, and I suppose the dye nearly entirely came off because in the evening, when the sun only partially went down, she looked like Cecile from the castle.

The Cecile always fixated on her white hair and insecure due to it. I wished I had hugged her more back then.

But Gregoire suffered the most. He carried Manon, who cried loudest, but Lark, Adalyn, and Bernadette were tied for second. Veronique also fell to her knees as she cried, Laurel helping her out, and even she she'd tears, surprisingly. I noticed many things, but the sorrow in me was different.

I didn't only love her or saw her as an important friend or a very kind vampire.

I grew up with this kind-natured vampire. I saw her as a child, always telling Sabine and I to stop talking in our bed at night, making us talk to her until she said she wouldn't reply. And even then, she would reply in a few seconds, then beg us to sleep already.

I saw Cecile, beloved by the children, teach them how to cook, how to peel potatoes or cut with a knife safely. And I would watch before I was Queen and laugh, telling them it was good I wouldn't do suck jobs, and they would make faces at me.

And when I was thrown in the dungeon, only Cecile and Sabine ever came to offer me water and food. Sometimes she couldn't, and she wouldn't meet my eye from guilt. I thought she wasn't an ally anymore.

But the human came, and Cecile was suddenly rosy-faced and talking as I'd never seen. I was sincerely happy she found Gregoire. I was happy I got to hear her sing with her angelic voice, I got to see her married and find someone she treasure, have a child and a purpose she wanted to carry out.

Cecile was perhaps even closer to be than Sabine.

But I didn't know she would die first out of us.

We placed flowers in her coffin, white lilies, and soon the vampires who held it for us told us that was all—I heard them whisper she would begin decomposing. I remembered Agnes and knew I didn't want Gregoire to see, and Laurel, too, replied it would be enough, thank you.

We headed back home. As we walked, Veronique drifted off, tapping my shoulder so I followed.

"You never told me your husband was a half," I said when we were a few feet behind the silent group.

"I thought you wouldn't know. Uriel told you, didn't he?"

"I will carry out my promise and leave tonight. I don't want to stay somewhere Cecile won't return to."

"I wanted to apologize before then," Veronique said softly. "I didn't think you truly loved Uriel, but when time passed and I saw Cecile and Gregoire, and heard them say good things about you, I thought I might've been wrong. No, I realized it. I want you to reconsider."

"Why?"

"Because that's what Cecile would've wanted."

Tears welled up and I instinctively grabbed the gem between my collarbones, hidden in the black dress I wore.

She was right, but what I said was true.

"I need to learn," I said. "He has no fault, but I am immature. I've wasted a decade in a tower by myself, it's time for me to see the outside world and grow up the hard way. If we ever meet one day maybe we will be together again, but I doubt it. I know such things."