Further Beyond: Ascension

Tynesday, 3rd of Julius, 470th Year of the Fifth Era

The burial rites for King Parulian were conducted immediately the next day. Because he died without having any grandchildren, Halak tradition had deemed his death not worthy of 'celebration'. Tradition had designated his death a tragedy. And for once, it would seem that reality and Halak custom had come upon an agreement.

Serena was left distraught throughout the whole ordeal. She was at the hospital treating a few minor illnesses when the criers had arrived to tell her of the tragedy that had occured upon the courtyard. When she arrived, her husband was already in shambles, his body marred with blood but not of his own. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw what had become of her beloved father-in-law. And the damage that it had incurred upon her husband.

Her father had quickly made arrangements for the funeral rites. He also directed for the body of the king to be repaired before the burial. A few priests and healers were instructed to suture the king's head back on its body for burial. Serena meanwhile made a great effort to restrain her grief-stricken mother-in-law who was experiencing a bout of madness. Her new family was well and truly broken.

It was only when the day had passed did the emotions die down, but even then it was more so because her husband and mother-in-law had screamed themselves to exhaustion. When the rest of the children came because they had been called over by the elders, Serena placed it upon herself to break the news.

Jakobus was shocked silent when he saw his father's head was being sown back on its body. Serena had tried to stop him from witnessing the particularly disturbing scene, but he insisted, shouting that he wasn't a child to be barred from such things.

Serena did however keep a close embrace on Julia and Janus. Julia sobbed like a wreck when Serena told her. She was old enough to understand. Janus was crying both because he could not fully understand but also because everyone else was already mourning.

Throughout the funeral the next day, her mother-in-law sobbed constantly as she wore the mourning ulos over her head. Josias was no longer screaming, but his appearance was no less haggard. His eyes were empty with perhaps the occasional tear but he was silent for almost the entirety of the service. He didn't even sing out a single hymn.

It hurt her just as much seeing her usually jovial husband become like a different person. All the time she was mourning for her own father's less than stellar health, he had always been the source of her comfort. But no one could've expected this. That Josias would be forced to suffer something far worse than what she had gone through.

Her own mother's death was saddening as she died due to a sudden illness but she passed in her sleep after a week. There was still time for people to come to terms with a new reality and her final words were for Serena to find happiness and to stay strong. But the passing of the new king just a little over a week after the last king had passed? And the fact he left such little children behind as well.

Serena herself was also greatly affected by King Parulian's passing. He had always been kind to her and she knew that the kindness and love Josias showed her was also due to his father's example to him. The king himself would often joke around with her and was even more jovial than Josias up until the late King Parhal's death.

Why did the Lord see fit to test her family so? Had they not gone through enough suffering?

The political situation of Goria wasn't any better. Serena's father the Archbishop was now also being pushed to his limits trying to get everything to remain in order. He was working to no end with the other elders of the village to keep the situation under control. Normally, Josias would've been automatically named as the next king in such events. However, his current state of mind as well as the fact that they had only just gotten married, there were many issues that impeded a direct succession.

Josias himself wasn't even thinking about the succession nor did he seem to care about anything much. He had even refused to eat or sleep since the tragedy yesterday.

With both her husband and mother-in-law in such an unstable state of sanity, Serena had to step up to take care of the younger children. Luckily, her friends stepped up to help her take care of the kids, most notably Maria.

When Maria heard what her father had done, killing King Parulian, she had practically thrown herself on the ground in front of Josias. Maria apologised profusely and ceaselessly as she sobbed both for her father's actions and her uncle's death. Josias only reacted weakly as he basically ignored both her and her husband though they didn't dare take offense.

It wasn't just them Josias was ignoring, but he had become apathetic to most all his companions and larger family. Josias didn't dare to say anything hateful to her but Serena knew he was emotionally pulling back. It was a difficult task for her to balance how to be the support pillar for her husband but also to keep herself from falling apart emotionally.

The events of the day carried on with much solemnity. However, this time, neither Timotheus nor Josias were allowed to become the pallbearers. That responsibility fell upon the other five star warriors of Goria, the King's closest lieutenants. Instead, Josias was to walk to the great tugu of the Sigumogo while holding onto his two youngest siblings. Only Jakobus attempted to keep a stoic face, once more becoming the crossbearer for the procession.

Serena held her mother-in-law the entire way, helping her walk the sorrowful path. Throughout the walk, she was still sobbing in sorrow. Sometimes she would wail while spouting jumbled words and incoherent sentences. A few times, she would even still stumble and fall down despite being held by Serena.

Her mother-in-law apologized over and over to her now dead husband in painful laments. "I'm sorry I wasn't gentler with you!". "My love, come back to me…!". "Dearest, take me with you!". It was painful for Serena to hear. She didn't even want to imagine how wrecked she would be were her own husband to pass on.

Serena tried her best to shake herself off of the thoughts. She didn't even want to imagine such a morbid scene. But with all the unexpected tragedies that had recently occurred, one would never truly know when it was their time to pass. What of her own father? Was she prepared to lose him?

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Serena frowned. The devil was planting evil thoughts within her mind. Thoughts that sought to rid her soul of peace and tranquility. She had to be strong. If not for herself then for her husband and his family. That was her promise and her vow in front of the altar.

Once they reached the tugu, Serena's father immediately initiated the rites as he instructed for the coffin to be lowered to the ground. The burial ground was hastily dug out the night before next to the grave of King Parhal. Her father didn't bother with long-winded or overly formal rites with this burial. It was a tragedy and the sooner they could get it over with, the better.

As the coffin was lowered and the hymns were sung, her mother-in-law had dropped to her knees, screaming even louder than when the coffin was nailed in. When Serena looked to her husband, she saw his expression was almost completely empty. He looked like he wasn't feeling anything at all but Serena still noticed the bags under his reddened eyes. Soon, tears ran out from Josias' eyes but he still had that empty look upon him.

When the grave workers started burying the coffin and shoving the dirt into the hole, Serena cast another glance at Josias. This time, she noticed considerable details. His shoulders were heaving up and down faster than usual and his arms and legs were beginning to tremble. Serena could even see Josias restlessly looking around slightly confused.

Seeing this, Serena quickly got up and rushed towards her husband but he was already sprawled on the ground still breathing rapidly and sweating profusely. The children he was holding panicked as he let out a troubled scream.

Serena fastened her ulos behind her as she got down and immediately held her husband. His face was clearly flushed but luckily – from a touch to his forehead – Serena didn't feel like he was experiencing a fever but he was sweating profusely.

As Josias was in her embrace, his condition caused other people to come over and check on him. Even his grieving mother was overcome by motherly instinct as she noticed Josias' condition. She rushed to his side beside Serena as she called out to him.

"Agoo… Anakkonki!! What's the matter…??!! Dear God, please not my son!! NOT MY SON!!" the queen held her son's face as he was still breathing fast and raggedly.

"Hasian, I need you to breathe slowly… listen to my voice please…" Serena called out as she caressed her panicking husband. He still looked like he was out of it as his mother was no less panicked than him. Serena then addressed her worried mother-in-law, "Mother, please. I need you to calm down…"

"How can I be calm when my son is like this?!! This has never happened before…! First my husband and now this…! Arghhh!!" Serena could only give a wry smile as her words weren't quite getting through to her.

"Mother, I assure you my husband is fine! At least his body is…! These are symptoms of an acute panic… We need to be calm! Please, mother! For my husband…!" Serena did her best to put on a pathetic face to her mother-in-law. She wasn't lying in that she was truly looking out for her husband, but she had to really 'sell' it for her distraught mother-in-law.

When even her father had approached to give her grieving mother-in-law a reassuring pat on the back, she finally relented.

Serena had asked for her husband's companions to help move him to a more secluded spot to avoid catching unnecessary attention. Mateus and Johannes immediately came up and carried him to the base of the great tugu of the clan.

There, Serena finally sat herself next to Josias before holding him in her embrace and cradling his head. Luckily for her, her husband wasn't all that heavy. She rocked herself back and forth as she could feel his breaths were still restless. Despite that, she continued to caress his head as he planted a soft kiss on it.

Serena started to hum out a hymn that always helped her when she was feeling stressed and anxious. Eventually, she began singing the hymn out.

"~Aha pe masa di ngolumon? Tuhan manjaga ho… (Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you." Serena began singing as she continued to sway her body to the slow tune "~Holongna do mangondihon ho, Tuhan manjaga ho… (Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you…)"

Josias no longer looked restless but his eyes were still watered from his tears and he was still breathing at an increased rate.

"~Tuhan manjaga ho, las pe roham, marsak pe ho… (God will take care of you, through everyday, o'er all the way…). Sai diramoti ho, Tuhan manjaga ho… (He will take care of you, God will take care of you…)"

Serena felt herself also starting to tear up once more looking at her husband's current state. The pain he was going through. It hurt her seeing him hurt.

"~Molo borat siporsanonmi, Tuhan manjaga ho. Tung pe golap parnidaanmi, Tuhan manjaga ho! (Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you. When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you…!)"

As Serena cried while singing, she could hear sounds finally coming out of Josias' mouth. His voice was tired and slightly hoarse but he began singing out too between the sobs.

"Tuhan manjaga ho, las pe roham, marsak pe ho…" They sang out together as Josias reached out to hold Serena's hand tightly "...Sai diramoti ho… Tuhan manjaga ho…"

The two continued to stay like that for quite a while as the burial process continued on without them. A few moments passed even after the completion of the burial, but the two remained there.

Soon, Josias regained some strength to pick himself up while still holding onto Serena. He looked at her with a weak smile before pulling her close once more for a hug.

"...Thank you…" Her husband cried weakly as he held her close.

The two then walked hand in hand back to the burial. Serena accompanied Josias and the rest of his immediate family as they remained around the king's grave. Josias' mother was sat upon the side of the grave, still slightly sobbing as she laid her head upon her husband's grave marker. A simple white cross that looked like the cross next to it.

'Dison maradian Raja Parulian Nasilua Sigumogo. Born 5E430, died 5E470.

Serena only stood there next to her husband, laying her head upon his shoulder as he held her. His eyes were no longer empty, but the sorrow was now clearer than ever before. She didn't know what exactly was going through in Josias' mind, but there was also a sense of determination coming from him.

All Serena could do was to remain as his biggest pillar of support. In sickness and in health. In grief and in joy. She will remain by his side. Til' death do them part.