A Rose by Any Other Name
The funeral was held in a parlor reserved exclusively for nobility. Though Diederich's mother Yelizaveta's relation to one of the noble families was not by blood, her pedigree and social standing were good enough to grant the Dawnblades access.
"Daydelis" lay in a gold satin lined coffin, yet again restored by Therese, his neck and face now perfect. His hair had been curled into ringlets, and his cheeks and lips had been rouged. He was dressed in pearl white and blood red, bedecked with heaps of lace, and the combined effect against the gold satin was regal.
Diederich thought of the other orphans dumped into an unmarked hole. He hoped that, even if it was under a different name, Oli appreciated being buried with dignity.
Diederich and Matthias had been viciously beaten the night before, the second night in a row, by individuals hired for the purpose so Corinthiahn would not have to sully his hands with it. Today they had been healed until no sign of it remained. They then were groomed. Matthias' hair had been sheared all the way to his head, less than an inch long in places. Diederich's had to be bleached so harshly his scalp bled to finally take a different color, and was restored to its former dark red. They were both heavily made-up to look healthy/alive again. Diederich was made to wear gloves as nothing would make his hands look normal. Only his crinkled, desiccated ears and blue eyes evidenced his condition.
The rest of Diederich's siblings were similarly scrubbed and polished, though the girls and his brother-in-law had been afforded the dignity of doing it themselves, as they were the only ones who had not angered Corinthiahn recently.
During the funeral, Corinthiahn and his children remained silent. Yelizaveta shed just enough tears while spin-doctoring the crowd. She explained Daydelis' death as a tragic illness, for which she venomously blamed Aurora, who had kept him away from home these past several years. She explained that Aurora had sent him home for a proper burial without even the decency to show up herself, further sign of the madness that had seized her upon losing her husband.
This led to an explanation for Diederich's presence. She told them Matthias had known about Diederich's return as a Death Knight but they had not informed the family for shame of what he had done. When Daydelis was returned to them dead, Matthias told Diederich, who broke down and came home, throwing himself on their mercy, begging for forgiveness and permission to attend his son's funeral.
They could scarcely turn away their beloved son, even after what he'd done, especially to attend his only son's funeral. She emphasized the suffering they were enduring to have two tragedies such as this to endure at once.
As to the matter of an heir, she dropped subtle hints that Corinthiahn might pass his estate to Ethelred, should she have a son. He would, in that instance, adopt Ethelred's husband as his own son, changing the man and his children's names to Dawnblade.
Matthias, overhearing this, began twitching with rage. Corinthiahn discretely mind controlled him into a passive-faced stupor.
Diederich endured the funeral as emotionlessly as he could, until he caught sight of Lainiram.
"Daydelis" lay in a gold satin lined coffin, yet again restored by Therese, his neck and face now perfect. His hair had been curled into ringlets, and his cheeks and lips had been rouged. He was dressed in pearl white and blood red, bedecked with heaps of lace, and the combined effect against the gold satin was regal.
Diederich thought of the other orphans dumped into an unmarked hole. He hoped that, even if it was under a different name, Oli appreciated being buried with dignity.
Diederich and Matthias had been viciously beaten the night before, the second night in a row, by individuals hired for the purpose so Corinthiahn would not have to sully his hands with it. Today they had been healed until no sign of it remained. They then were groomed. Matthias' hair had been sheared all the way to his head, less than an inch long in places. Diederich's had to be bleached so harshly his scalp bled to finally take a different color, and was restored to its former dark red. They were both heavily made-up to look healthy/alive again. Diederich was made to wear gloves as nothing would make his hands look normal. Only his crinkled, desiccated ears and blue eyes evidenced his condition.
The rest of Diederich's siblings were similarly scrubbed and polished, though the girls and his brother-in-law had been afforded the dignity of doing it themselves, as they were the only ones who had not angered Corinthiahn recently.
During the funeral, Corinthiahn and his children remained silent. Yelizaveta shed just enough tears while spin-doctoring the crowd. She explained Daydelis' death as a tragic illness, for which she venomously blamed Aurora, who had kept him away from home these past several years. She explained that Aurora had sent him home for a proper burial without even the decency to show up herself, further sign of the madness that had seized her upon losing her husband.
This led to an explanation for Diederich's presence. She told them Matthias had known about Diederich's return as a Death Knight but they had not informed the family for shame of what he had done. When Daydelis was returned to them dead, Matthias told Diederich, who broke down and came home, throwing himself on their mercy, begging for forgiveness and permission to attend his son's funeral.
They could scarcely turn away their beloved son, even after what he'd done, especially to attend his only son's funeral. She emphasized the suffering they were enduring to have two tragedies such as this to endure at once.
As to the matter of an heir, she dropped subtle hints that Corinthiahn might pass his estate to Ethelred, should she have a son. He would, in that instance, adopt Ethelred's husband as his own son, changing the man and his children's names to Dawnblade.
Matthias, overhearing this, began twitching with rage. Corinthiahn discretely mind controlled him into a passive-faced stupor.
Diederich endured the funeral as emotionlessly as he could, until he caught sight of Lainiram.