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She had always been a beautiful lady. Platinum hair flowed like a pale fire whenever she walked. Whether calm and collected or unhinged and hysterical, she had always had this aura of celestial-worthy beauty around her. Her grey eyes always held this certain kind of distance whenever she worked. Even now, as simply ashes in an urn, there was a sense of beauty around her. Even her ashes weren't plain, rather than grey and lifeless, they were a soft pink. Pale but also somehow vibrant just as her skin had been. “How fitting,” the man thought, as he stared down at her remains through his thick veiled mask.
Although perhaps remains isn't even accurate, it was only a small pile of pale ashes at the bottom of what could have been a decorative vase. Even the vase itself was hand-crafted in a way she would have liked. An off-white with strokes of fiery red swirling about it. So similar to the shade that always adorned her shoulders. Inside this small hand-painted inferno were strokes of the finest gold. Even more stunning however were the fine pyro moths that were etched into the porcelain and filled with jewels. It was had to believe the commissioner of said vase, had also been the one to deal the final blow to the very woman who inspired it.
When he had been sent to Inazuma to retrieve the eighth, he hadn't thought it would turn up like this. Although perhaps this is better, he wasn't sure he would be able to see her cold dead body and leave the nation in one piece. Despite his outward cold demenor, the woman had held a special place in his heart, having been the only one to not judge him solely from appearance and title.
He still remembered the moment rather fondly, she had stood before him, still a rather new member of the rankings, staring unconcerned after his mask had been knocked off his head, only a thin veil remaining. “I had been told the first was a hideous monster, I'm almost disappointed. All I see are a few scars. I dare say had you been a woman, I may have had some competition for the most beautiful amongst our rankings. You should remove the helm more often, perhaps then you would be as popular as the sixth.” From that day on, whenever they would meet, he would wear not a mask, but only a simple veil. Yet now, he stood holding her for the last time without a mask.
For as long as he had known her, the Tsaritsa had been a cold woman, colder than even the snow of their capital, but even with this when she sent him off to Inazuma to fetch one of her children, he had at least expected her to show minimum compassion for this loss. Even a few words of solitude would have sufficed. Even Pantalone, who only cared for his own wallet and prosperity, had offered to entirely cover the funeral services from his own personal reserve. Upon the news being announced at their last meeting, Pantalone had casually raised his hand and offered a few words. “What a crude woman she was, always rather expensive,” this earned him a glare from more than a few of their comrades, “I already know for a fact she would turn in her grave if she knew we spared any expense on her burial. She does still owe me quite a bit in debt so-.” Before he could even finish Arlcehinno had stood up, clearly about to yell something profane, before he simply waved her off and continued. “Hence I see no reason why I can't add a bit more debt to that pile, ill personally cover all expenses for the funeral. Including all profits lost by halting the nation's work to mourn. I doubt it would dent my finances anyways so I see no reason not to.” With this, he simply waved off everyone else, muttering about some work he had to do, before walking off back towards his own quarters.
Even more surprising Dottore had also spoken a few words, although far more morbid than the priors had been, “If her body does come back in one piece,” he paused glancing around to make sure Arlechinno wasn't about to berate him, “I will personally see to the preservation of the body. It would be rather unfortunate if the eighth was unable to rest peacefully knowing her body was decaying. Even before her luxurious spending habits, I'm sure we all quite remember how fond the woman was of her own looks. Never a day went by where she ceased to remind us all that we were below her. It would be a shame for her beauty to be wasted by something as insignificant as death. So, once the body has entered Snezhnayan territory, please bring her to me. I'll see to it she's cared for.” With this he also left, although he was silent as he walked out, only the sound of his heels against the marble floor made any noise.
Albe them crude, even his words had been kinder than the Tsaritsa’s. Her words were harsh as the blizzards of the northern mountains, “Go and fetch what's left of her, id prefers if you're quick about it. Don't bother bringing her back or reporting to me if there's nothing left. You may head out now first, please do be timely, we have more pressing matters to attend to.” This was the first time Capitano questioned his absolute loyalty to the Tsaritsa wondering how she could be so cruel towards one she had dubbed her own, he wondered if she would throw him away as easily. Pushing these thoughts aside, he carried out her order just as he had been told, quickly making his way to the foreign nation's capital city.
Upon his arrival, much to his disdain, the entire country was celebrating with a large festival. The streets were lined with silken, purple banners painted for the shogun and all the vendors were advertising their goods with bright smiles and warm lights. “How thoughtless,” he thought, pulling his hood tighter around himself as he quickly made his way past the festivities, ‘To be able to celebrate like this when someone has been slain brutally in your very own lands. How dense and apathetic could these people be? Even if she had been less than tasteful at moments, no one deserved for their death to be followed by bright festivities. Especially not her.’ He pushed his way past the crowd hastily making his way to the shogun's abode. He was not here to simply mess around, this was for a mission both for the Tsaritsa and for himself.
As he finally made it to the Tenshukaku, he found it relatively empty, much to his surprise. Minimal guards were around, and those that were did nothing to stop his advances. He entered the abode with more ease than he did returning to the tsaritsa's palace.
As he reached the top of the stairs he spared no time pushing past the door and into the main room. Seated on a throne-styled chair at the top, a woman adorned in colours very similar to that of the banners outside stared down at him. The man simply stood and stopped bowing his head as a sign of recognition. “Greetings Captain,” she spoke in a voice far softer than what was expected of her role, “I did not expect for the goddesses first to bless me with his presence. I suppose I could be considered lucky to be able to meet you civilly outside of the battlefield Il Capitano.”
Capitano sneered beneath his mask at this, ‘civil’ he thought, ‘what a joke’. Still, he straightened his posture and looked straight at her, “Likewise Shogun. I assume you know why I'm here, so there is no need to dance around with false meaningless formalities.” With this he finally approached until he was just below her on the steps, looking up to once again meet her eyes, although due to his large build he didn't need to strain his neck much.
“Ah, I didn't mean for it to seem as though I'm wasting time, you're just simply the first harbinger I've formally met.” She paused glancing away as if to avoid the gaze of the captain, “I never did get to meet the 8th formally, I apologise for what my puppet did, I wasn't quite sure how to take care of her remains so I spoke to Barbatos since she was one of his an-”
She didn't get a chance to finish however as Capitano raised his hand, “what do you mean, puppet-” he almost spat at her. Confused but also angry as to how she passed on the blame.
She froze slowly looking back at him, clearing her throat, “Ah I see, I suppose even the fatui didn't fully know? I assumed based on what I heard you all knew. I haven't been in the mortal realm in almost 400 years since I created the Raiden Shogun. I merely resided inside of her as a vessel to protect my ideas of eternity, until after the event resulting in her demise, this nation was led by a mechanical puppet with set ideals rather than an actual archon. After losing a duel before her, your comrade was slain. To be honest, this is all I know personally about the event. I apologise, I heard from Barbatos you two had been close.”
The man wasn't quite sure what to question first, so he went with the easiest option, “How did Barbados know, Rosaline hadn't been in that nation since the cataclysm.” He didn't know much of Rosaline’s past, but he did know until the Cataclysm she had been a monstatdian with her lover.
“Barbatos watches over all his children, at least that's what he says, even when absentee I suppose the boy does care more about his people than many. Perhaps in all these years gone Morax has been a good influence on him. I’ve heard they are rather close now. All that aside though, I contacted Barbados to find out about the girl so I could have her properly prepared. With the help of the Kamisato clan, I had this crafted.” Not wasting another word, much to the Captain's thanks, she summoned in a young servant girl who brought out a fair-sized vase and handed it to him.
Off-white with strokes of fiery red swirled about it. Almost an exact shade match of the shade that always adorned her body. The small hand-painted inferno was overflowing with strokes of the finest gold. Even more stunning, and resembling her taste however were the fine pyro butterflies that were engraved and filled with jewels covering the vase. “I apologise but this is the best I could do on such short notice. Anyways, I doubt you wish to stay here much longer, so ill see you off now, I have a close friend of mine awaiting to lead you to the border if you so wish, however, also free feel to take a look at the festivities of the city. Perhaps you'll find something you'll like.”
Capitano didn't wait any longer to practically rush out the door, his long strides taking him further away from the shogun before he was forced to listen to another unsavoury sentence leave her mouth. ‘To talk about Rosaline like this,’ he thought to himself, quickly rushing past the pink shrine maiden who waited outside the room, ‘these filthy archons, no respect for the living or dead.’
He could hear the maiden casually walking behind him but he couldn't care less for her company. He just wanted to run away at this rate, he didn't even care to return home but he didn't wish to be accused of treason. But before he could step onto the boat home, the jar in his hands shook a bit. Opening the lid two twin moths flew out landing on his helm. A beacon of hope for the Captain. ‘Perhaps, things won't be so bad after all’.