(Child death tw; grief tw) Over the land there lies a long shadow

[lightofthestars]

In the court among the flowers, a small grave has been made. Next to it, upon a bed-sheet shroud, lies Frisk.

Tauriel and the Batman had worked to make Frisk ready for this funeral. She could not bear the thought of laying them to rest as she had found them, and so together, the two of them had cleaned Frisk's body and dressed them in new clothes. Tauriel had bathed their body in many tears as she had worked, for their wounds were grievous and had surely caused them great anguish. She had need, in the end, to find a cloth to wind around their neck, for nothing could cover the wound that had ended their life.

When the work had been carried out, Tauriel had called as many as she could find of the people of the castle to the garden. She cannot be the only one to say farewell to their dearly loved friend.

Comments

[lostinmyway]

Grune sees Toriel fall to her knees and begin to cry. The sound rises over everyone else's sadness, and when she hears it, Grune takes Sophie's hand and steps toward her. Sophie's grip is painful, but Grune doesn't mind.

When she reaches Toriel's side, she kneels down beside her and puts her arm around the other woman's shoulders. She doesn't say anything. She's simply there.

[ambivilantgoat]

Her shoulders shook when Grune placed her arm over the monsters shoulders and she tried to stifle her sobs, covering her face with her hands and nails digging into her forehead. Anything to block out the sight, it had to be a nightmare. It had to be, she had them every time a child fell into the Underground.

"I cannot lose another child." A choked sob. "This cannot be happening again, not Frisk. Please... not again..."

[lostinmyway]

Her arm tightens around Toriel. She holds her close, but not painfully.

"I'm here."

It's all she can say. There isn't anything she can say to make this better for Toriel--not now, and not when this has happened to her before.

She wishes with all her heart it wasn't so.

[ambivilantgoat]

It felt like her heart has been torn out and crushed. After so many times, it should hurt this much. It shouldn't, but it does. And all she can do is turn into Grune's embrace and cry, trying to take what comfort as she can.

[lostinmyway]

Grune holds Toriel, her arms strong. Her breathing is steady and sure; one hand strokes down her back.

She'll be here, holding on, until Toriel is ready to let go.