Chapter 119.

Chapter 119.
119\. Ethan.

Three days have passed since my father passed away from silver poisoning. The whole land has come together to mourn his death, with some packs sending their representative to his funeral.

Nathan and I had carried my father's casket alone, the weight of it bearing down on us as we navigated the winding path down from the mountain. It was a burden we had to carry, a burden that only we could bear. He was our father, and we were the ones who would bury him ourselves, with our own hands and our own hearts.

As we walked, the silence between us was palpable, punctuated only by the sound of our footsteps and the rustling of leaves. We didn't need to say anything; we both knew what this moment meant. We were saying goodbye to the man who had shaped us, who had taught us everything we knew, and who had loved us with every fibre of his being.

I glanced down at my father's casket, dressed in his official attire, the Ravensclaw uniform that had been his pride and joy. He had given his heart to the pack and it had given him a sense of purpose and belonging. I had honoured his will, making sure that he was buried in the uniform that meant so much to him.

As we reached the private garden, I saw the familiar headstone that marked my mother's grave. My father had wanted to be buried close to her when his time came, and he had mentioned it several times in his will. I could almost hear his voice, whispering in my ear, "Bury me next to your mother, boys. I want to be with her when I'm gone."

A few words were said but none of that mattered to me because I wasn't paying attention. I just wanted to see my father resting in peace in the soil. It was one of my final duties to him.

We placed the casket down beside the grave, and Nathan and I stood there for a moment, looking at each other. We didn't need to say anything; we both knew what we had to do. We began to dig the grave, our hands moving in tandem as we scooped out the earth.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the garden, we finally finished digging the grave. We gently lowered my father's casket into the earth, and I felt a lump form in my throat. I looked at Nathan and saw that he was fighting back tears.

We stood there for a moment, paying our respects to the man who had given us life. I knew that my father was at peace, reunited with my mother in a place where they could be together forever. But for us, the pain of losing him was just beginning.

We buried him in the garden under the cover of heavy rain, which had suddenly appeared and left us drenched afterwards. I remember Nathan pouring the final sand and putting the spade in a corner.

"Father, I will make him pay, Ethan and I will make him pay for what he did to you," Nathan had vowed.

I didn't need to vow, it was something I always planned to do. I wanted to crush Sirius myself.

I sat on the balcony, staring into the distance. It was dark, and I could barely see further than the fort's light permitted us to. My shoulders still ache from carrying, but it was nothing compared to the task at hand.

"Ethan."

I spun around, surprised to see Rachael standing inside my room. I could have sworn I had locked the door when I entered, still reeling from the emotional toll of the day's events at the cemetery. But here she was, her presence a welcome distraction from the darkness that had been weighing on my mind.

"Oh, Rachael. It's you," I said, turning back to gaze out the window at the stars. Or rather, the lack thereof. "The stars had an off day today, they didn't appear because my father was returned to the soil today." I pointed at the dark night sky, my voice barely above a whisper. The stars seemed to be mourning with me, hiding behind the veil of night.

Rachael moved closer, her footsteps quiet on the floor. She touched my shoulder, her hand gentle and reassuring. I wasn't wearing anything on top, just bare chest and trousers, since my clothes had gotten drenched in the rain earlier. But I didn't feel the cold; I was numb, lost in my thoughts.

"You should put on some clothes or you'll catch a cold," she said, her voice soft and concerned. But I remained silent, watching her instead. She was pretty covered up, a coat and a pair of gloves, a stark contrast to my own bare-chested state.

Rachael seemed to sense my gaze and turned to face me, her eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the only sound the quiet crackling of the fireplace in the background. Then, she broke the silence, moving away from me to tend to the fire. She added some wood, increasing the heat and casting a warm glow over the room.

As the flames danced and crackled, Rachael came back to my side, joining me in staring out at the blank sky. We stood there in silence, the only sound the gentle hiss of the fire and the distant patter of the receding rain on the roof. It was a comfortable silence, one that spoke volumes without needing words.

In that moment, I felt a sense of peace wash over me, a sense of comfort that I hadn't felt in a long time. Rachael's presence was a balm to my soul, a reminder that I wasn't alone in my grief.

"I'm so sorry, Ethan. I honestly don't know what to say," she consoled me. "I lost my uncle, and I can imagine the type of pain you are going through."

"It's alright. I feel much better now, that you are here with me." My gaze went to her lips. I felt myself longing for her, the more time I spent alone with her.

"If you need anything, please tell me. I will stay by your side as long as you want me to," she said.

Her words struck a chord in me, and I turned away from the balcony, my eyes locking onto hers with a deep sense of longing. "Then can you stay with me tonight?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The question hung in the air, filled with a sense of vulnerability and need.

Rachael's expression softened, and she nodded, her eyes filled with understanding and compassion. "Of course, I'll stay with you," she said, her voice gentle and reassuring.

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, and I reached out, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her close. She didn't resist, and I felt her warmth and comfort as she wrapped her arms around me.