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In French mythology or folklore, Dames Blanches (meaning literally white ladies) were female spirits or supernatural beings.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dames_blanches)
The attack on Beacon had been resisted and routed, but at a high cost in life. Civilian, emergency workers, soldiers, students, huntsmen, all paid a horrifically steep price for the safety and preservation of Vale.
Yet to Pyrrha there was a single loss that was an anathema for her. Her partner, the vibrant young woman she had grown from crushing on to loving completely, was gone. Her future erased by Cinder Fall. Ozpin tried to comfort the red-haired champion, but all his words about noble, heroic and valiant sacrifice, tasted like ash. The words were meaningless. Offered no comfort.
When Cinder had appeared, Joan acted without hesitation. Charging the demonic woman, making her shift her aim from the pods to Joan. Pyrrha didn't remember much after seeing Cinder's black arrow impale Joan through the throat. Pyrrha couldn't recall anything up to the point she was cradling Joan's body. Willing with everything inside her for Joan's aura to spark back to life. To seal the viciously cruel wound.
Pyrrha didn't care that Ozpin had bested Cinder. Mortally wounding the demonic woman. All she wanted was to hear Joan's musical voice. To see her angelic smile. Cinder had robbed Pyrrha of both, and then Joan's very essence of life. It took Pyrrha's teammates, Nora, and Ren, plus Joan's own Aunt Glynda Goodwitch to get Pyrrha to release her grip upon Joan's body.
For the remainder of the night, Pyrrha sat in the medical tent, clenching Joan's cold stiff hand, as she repeatedly whispered promises of love and journeys home to family. Cradled in the restraining brace of openly weeping Glynda, Pyrrha screamed and raged when Joan's body was taken away, to finally succumb to her emotional pain and physical exhaustion.
As the clean up began, Pyrrha remained silent and sequestered herself in the temporary lodgings that had been assigned to her team. Her tears were dry now, her body having finally run out of them. Pyrrha couldn't remember what day it was, and to be honest she didn't care. Without Joan, everything felt so empty, valueless.
Glynda said nothing when she arrived. On her hip hung Crocea Mors, in her hands a bronze urn etched with the Arc family crest.
"I want you," Glynda spoke with a cracking voice. "to watch over her until we can take her home. Can you?
Pyrrha nodded silently as she reached up and accepted the urn. The tears she thought were gone, returning anew. Barely able to function Pyrrha with Glynda's assistance placed the urn upon the table next to Pyrrha's bed. Glynda following with placing Crocea Mors beside it.
"When?" Pyrrha managed to force out.
"Two days." Glynda replied. As he pulled Pyrrha into a side hug and kissed the top of her head. "Two days."
Pyrrha didn't even register the passage of time or the trip. Her world was now the cold bronze urn clutched to her chest. At the Arc homestead, they were all greeted as family. Ren and Nora finding comfort in sharing stories of Joan with her sisters. Pyrrha couldn't. She couldn't speak, all she could do was hold the urn against her heart, praying to both the brothers that Joan could feel the love she still bore in her shattered heart.
"Pyrrha?" Jasmine, Joan's mother addressed her. Glynda standing beside her. "Can you come with us?"
Pyrrha didn't replied, she just stood woodenly stood up, clutching the urn close. The two women, blood relations to Joan, gently placed warm hands upon her shoulders. She never saw the nod Glynda and Jasmine gave Joan's father Nicholas. She never noticed how he shifted attention so none would notice the departing trio.
It was a slow, and silent walk through a well kept woodland trail, that ended at the edge of a pond, at the center of which was a small island. On the island, in fact taking up the entirety of it was a garden, surrounded by a low stone fence. The feature of the garden a majestic and stately Weeping Willow. In the sky above the first stars were becoming visible.
"Every member of the Arc clan, who has passed, has their ashes spread here." Jasmine quietly informed Pyrrha. "That Willow has been in this place before the Great War."
Pyrrha was barely listening.
"The Arc's believe it will remain until the end of their line." Glynda offered. "Jasmine, Nicholas and I spoke. We think Joan would have wished for you to spread her ashes here."
Pyrrha looked as the pair of women wearing comforting but sorrowful smiles. Pyrrha swallowed, and sniffled, a fresh batch of tears threatening to spill from her puffy eyes.
"It's okay, Pyrrha." Jasmine spoke, while gently guiding her to the stone bridge that allowed access to the island. "It's what Joan would have wanted."
"It's okay." Glynda added.
Pyrrha swallowed and took a tentative step forward followed by another and another. The tip was maybe twenty feet, but it felt like miles to Pyrrha. Standing before the ageless Willow Tree, Pyrrha swallowed again before opening the urn.
"I love you, Joan." Pyrrha choked out, before tipping the urn and spilling its contents about the roots of the tree. "I love you, and I miss you... I miss you so much..."
Pyrrha stood there for a few more minutes, silently trying to gather the strength for the return trip to the shore. For one final walk away from Joan, and what their future could have been. The urn fell from Pyrrha's nerveless hands, at the ethereal figure standing before her upon the bridge. Draped in the purest of white ballgowns was Joan, smiling at her.
"Joan?" Pyrrha squeaked out.
"May I have this dance my lady?" Joan's musical voice touched Pyrrha's ears. With shaking steps Pyrrha approached and reached out her hands.
"Yes." Pyrrha sobbed out. "Yes."
Glynda, and Jasmine watched as Joan and Pyrrha slowly began to move about. Their steps in perfect unison, as they glided about the narrow bridge. The sound of footsteps alerted to the arrival of the others. Glynda and Jasmine reached out and took Athena Nikos' hands. Squeezing them gently. Standing off just a little behind the trio of women, was Ren and Nora, Nicholas Arc's strong but comforting hands upon their shoulders.
They all watched as Pyrrha and Joan danced, and danced. Pyrrha's tears of sorrow being replaced with joy. Joan's radiant smile never faltering.
"I love you Pyr. Now and forever."
No one said a single word as they continued to watch the pair of women continued to dance, sharing their love and joy with each other. Showing those who were witness the purity genuineness of their love.
"I love you Pyrrha." Athena whispered as the first rays of dawn stretched out over the horizon, and the pair of young women, lost in each other's eyes faded from sight. "I'll love you, always."
💕Dedicated to Everyone I have Lost over the Years, both Family and Friends. I miss you.💕
/==> Jaunes of the Monster-Verse Collection <==\
(A/N - This one was hard for me to write, but I needed to get this out. Last week I lost a good friend from work and I found today that the night before she passed she was planning on calling me. She was good friend and I miss her. So I spent half of this crying about memories of her and other people I really miss... My apologies if this post is a mess.)
