Heart of a Lion

[Sarah]

To those interested I will be taking somethings up to Jordin's grave Wednesday, in case any one might want to come with. I will be leaving here at 11 am. If you have a problem with the time then make your own plans to visit him.

~Nissa

Nissa smoothed out the note that she had posted to cork board at County freehold with a small sigh. She was sure by the time that she was done with this task that Ranth will have forgotten the no touching rule again. She should check and see if Jordin had had any mortal relations that might be looking for him but she just couldn't bring herself to care enough to do so at this point in time. She'd take care of it soon enough.

Now she had to wait, the temptation to just go was great but she had mentioned it to Ranth and maybe Hans. Plus Jordin did truly deserve a wake or what ever this would be called, heroes tended to earn those sort of things. Jordin had definitely been a hero and had lived a heroes life. One full of meaning and brought to a short and violent end, something that you could depend on heroes for.

She shook her head and left half wondering where Vincent's grave was and if any one besides the Count knew or even cared.

[Moira ap Eiluned]

Helen will make time to be there; she will bring a small bush of white roses to plant on his grave...

[for those of you who care, the varietal is called "White Floorshow"; details can be seen at www.heirloomroses.com/roses/landscape-roses/white-floorshow.html]

[Ikon]

Ranth sat in his new car, and took a deep draw of the whiskey he had been drinking the entire ride over. It just didn't feel right. Amaranth first noticed Jordan weeks after he had met him. All Ranth had seen when he looked at Jordan at first was prey.

Yet despite the demons that pulled at his soul, Nissa had been the only person he cared for at that point, she had asked him to give Jordan a shot. Eventually to Ranth's dismay the young Eshu grew on him. While Ranth sat entranced by his own thoughts he finished the third bottle of the morning and opened the fourth.

Amaranth could count the number of people he had Loved since he fell 800 years ago on one hand. Nissa, Alex, Helen, Jordan & now it seemed Hans might be close to being the fifth. As he stared at his fingers counting of those he cared for one by one. He was sad to think that he hadn't brought any gift to bury with Jordan.

Jordan had done sooo much for Ranth and he would never forget the sacrifices he had made to bring the Satyr's soul back to balance.

"I will not say good bye to you empty handed my friend.' he said with tears flowing with a force that only a Satyr's heart could unleash. Ranth finished the bottle and threw it on the floorboard with the others.

He drew 'Storm-bleeder' careful not to damage anything within the close confines of the car. The Satyr's mind raced with memories of his lost friend as he gritted his teeth, not because he expected any pain but because old habits died hard.

'My meager gift to you Jordan.' he said through clenched teeth as he sliced a finger off. He wrapped it in a silk handkerchief and placed it in his shirt pocket. A slight burning scent filled the car as the lighter unit heated up. Once it clicked Ranth pulled the lighter and cauterized the stub. For a second his weary eyes thought he could see Jordan's face in the smoke that rose from the burning flesh.

Amaranth stepped out of the car and straightened himself up replacing his blade, and slipping into the new suit Jacket he had bought for this occasion. He took a second to Compose himself and try act sober before he walked around the corner to meet Nissa. When he finally reached her he smiled sadly and waited beside her.

[Sarah]

Nissa nodded to Ranth and looked around impatiently.

"It must be almost eleven by now." She says looking down at her watch and noting that the time was 10:45.

"I don't think any one else is coming so we can leave now."

[Ikon]

Uncharacteristically silent, Ranth nodded, and followed Nissa, leaving his alcohol behind.

[Jason]

A long and winding path leads the fae over hills, through the dark woods, across a stream, and finally to to the top of the mountain.

At first glance the meadow seems barren, almost devoid of life. But a faint golden glow draws the eye further out into the field.

And your heart skips a beat, as you see Jordan striding through the middle of the field, hand held out, looking deep into your eyes . . .

. . . then your heart starts again as you realize that it is a bronze and gold statue of Jordan in the center of a ring of wild flowers.
Set into the base of the statue, is a plaque, and it reads:

"Stars shone in his eyes, and in his hand, for he was brave enough to grasp them. This world is a poorer place for his passing, but the next is richer."

[Sarah]

Nissa froze her face a blank mask for a moment then she takes in a deep breath and sets down the chimerical plant. She walks over to the statue looking it over closely. She almost reaches out to takes it hand then shakes her head.

[Moira ap Eiluned]

Helen watches Nissa, holding the rose bush and leaning against Ranth. Once Nissa turns away from the statue, Helen flutters up, her eyes shining with tears, but a wistful little smile on her face for the beauty of the statue and the good memories it conjures. She stretches up on her toes, kissing Jordan's bronze cheek, then kneels to find a patch near his leading foot. She carefully digs a place for the rose bush, and plants it in the earth, surrounded by wildflowers.

[Ikon]

Ranth waited Quietly in the back till both of the girls had said their peace. He slowly approached the near perfect representation of Jordan and nodded towards it with respect. After producing a nearly empty flask he soaked the Silk wrapping that held the severed digit, and summoned forth flames to turn it to ash.

As the fire consumed his gift to his fallen friend Ranth silently cried, tears dripping, as he remembered one of the best Eshu he had ever known. After a few moments the finger had been consumed and he sprinkled the ashes upon the soil to enrich it as Jordan had enriched him.

'Thank you.' He said almost imperceptibly and turned to join Helen with hands still burnt and unhealed. He doubted either of his companions would attempt to heal him, they understood he thought. These three were the only ones who ever really did understand him, in silence his Satyr's heart regretted that that number was now one less.

[Sarah]

Nissa went and grabbed the recently found plant and planted it opposite of Helen's roses. Jordin would have liked it and the happiness that it brought others. She dusted off her hands when she was done and looked around, the lyrics playing through her head of a song that had always reminded her of Jordin.

"At the end of the day my momma told me don't let no one break me let no one break me. At end of the day, day, nobody, nobody, ever could stop me ever could stop me. At the end of the day, day you can't regret it if you were trying if you were trying. At the end of the day I'm walking with a heart of a lion yea." She sang softly as she looked around for the perfect spot.

Nissa stood up and walked fifteen feet directly behind the statue of Jordin and planted what looked like a hickory seed. She sighed a little and pulled out a knife and sliced open her hand letting the blood fall in to the hole with the seed.

"I told your father that I would bring you here and take care of you hoping that it'll spread the old dreams of forests light and dark... Maybe even bring some Unicorns back to this spot. Either way I will look after you and you look after Jordin's spot for me." She whispered softly to the little seed covering it up.