Bab 17: Even in the darkest of times, Love can blossom.
Breathless, And laying on a bed foreign to her, "Fabian..." Safa called Fabian's name few times but he ignored her as he continued burying his face into her neck, kissing her time after another while taking his breaths against her skin.
"Fabian...please...stop."
"Safa." He finally stopped, "I do not wish to stop." He said.
But Safa smiled at him as she cupped his face in her hands, "Silly man, I am not Safa, not the real Safa at least!" She replied.
Confused, "What do you mean?!" Fabian asked.
"Wake up Fabian, this is a dream!" She replied.
...[End of dream]...
Sweating, Fabian woke up and hastily sat upright on his bed.
His heart was beating out of his chest, he couldn't believe what he just witnessed himself do in his dreams, and when he removed his bed sheets to take a glance at his lower half, he realized this dream has given him a hard one.
"Jesus...What is going on?!...I did not just have a wet dream of a woman I met yesterday!" Fabian mumbled in disbelief, he was ashamed, mortified and above all his whole face had turned crimson with embarrassment.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his door, so Fabian quickly covered himself with the sheets before he shouted, "COME IN!"
Gertrude opened the door and strode into the room, "Young master! Good morning to you, I hope you had a good night sleep." She said with a soft smile, "Do you know what today is?" She asked.
Sighing, "Yes, it is burial day...I know what you want, i will hurry and get dressed." Fabian said, he became sad upon remembering.
"Very, well...once you're done, breakfast will be waiting for you downstairs." Gertrude replied.
"I am not feeling hungry, I am going to skip breakfast." Fabian said but Gertrude smiled at him.
"How unfortunate, but I suppose Lady Vega is kind enough to understand why you wish to skip breakfast." She replied.
Surprised, Fabian jumped to his feet, "Safa is here?!" He asked.
But a shocked Gertrude didn't respond as she got busy staring at Fabian's pants, he was no longer hiding underneath his sheets and when he realized Gertrude was looking directly at his source of embarrassment, Fabian turned around quickly, facing the old woman with his back.
Blushing, Gertrude cleared her throat, "Uhum...So are you still planning to skip breakfast, Young master?"
"No!...I shall be down there in few, Tell miss Safa to be patient..." He replied.
"As you wish...Although...you might want to, you know...deal with that 'Thing'...before joining the lady downstairs." Gertrude said.
Embarrassed, "Gertie just leave already!" Fabian begged so the woman ran off quickly, closing the door behind her.
"UGH!" Fabian grunted, he threw himself back on the bed, screaming into the cushions.
...A half hour later...
"And Here I thought you might never appear!" Safa in a black gown, sat on her wheelchair by the dinning table, she greeted Fabian with a gentle smile.
Wolfgang was standing behind her with Denver the dog in his arms, the manservant was slightly glaring at Fabian as he approached them.
"Safa!...what are you doing here?!" Fabian asked, "And is that a dog?" He said pointing at Denver.
"Yes! That little fluffy puppy is Denver, The family's new pet! Do you like him?" Safa asked, "I prefer cats...but I do not mind dogs." Fabian replied, "Anyhow, you have yet to answer my question...to what I owe the pleasure of your visit?
I know it is not a quick journey to come all the way from your residence to mine, especially since you have returned home late yesterday, right after the service ended." He wondered.
Chuckling, "I thought as my new friend, you would appreciate having my support for today as well, it is burial day is it not?" Safa replied.
"Ah! I see..." Fabian blushed, "I welcome your visit for sure...but..."
Curious, "But what? Why are you always turning red around me?" Safa asked.
"I suppose it could be because...aside from my aunt, I never had someone care so much about me...I feel perplexed." Fabian replied.
"Well I suggest you get used to it, because and as long you treat me as a good friend should, you will always find me by your side." Safa said smiling, "Now, shall we eat something? And if you do not mind, can Wolfgang join us? I almost never eat at a table without him." She added.
"Sure, my friend's friend is also my friend so he can join us with no hesitation, although I am curious, is the dog to join us as well?" Fabian asked.
Annoyed, "Don't worry about him, Denver is quite attached to me, as long as he is in my arms, he won't be causing any trouble." Wolfgang replied.
"Ah! Alright then, please Join us." Fabian said to Wolfgang who sat besides Safa while Fabian sat across from them.
Once Fabian was in his seat, Gertrude entered the room, "Gertie, please join us!" He said.
"Oh no I already had my meal, young master, but thank you for your kindness." She replied.
"At least sit with us." Safa said giving the elderly maid a needy look.
Confused, "Uh...alright then." Gertrude hurried and sat beside Wolfgang.
"By the way Fabian..." Safa hesitated.
"Yes?"
"Is it okay if I make a suggestion?"
"About what?"
"The burial service...I would like to have your blessings to do something." She said, Wolfgang gave her a side eye as she said that.
"What sort of suggestion?" Fabian asked.
"May I fire my gun?" She said.
Both Fabian and Gertrude had their eyes wide open, "Did you just ask to fire a gun?" Fabian asked.
"M'Lady, is it perhaps you wish to do the same as The late Lady Struat did?" Gertrude asked.
Fabian frowned in confusion, "Wait, my aunt fired a gun at a burial service?!"
"Yes, At my family's...she fired 2 bullets One for my father and one for my brother as a salute and called their names with each shot.
Although this was her version of a gun salute, Usually this custom is carried a bit differently and it is mostly reserved for royal funerals and whatnot.
But your aunt wanted to Honor my father and brother, so she did this at their funeral." Safa explained, "I was wondering whether it is alright for me to do the same for your Aunt and her husband, or you can do it yourself if you wish to." She added.
"I hope you do not mind me asking, but I remember you said your brother's wife also died alongside them...why did she not receive a salute?" Fabian asked, he noticed how Wolfgang stiffened at the mention of the brother's wife.
With a serious look, "Because she did not deserve it." Safa simply replied, Fabian was baffled by her answer.
"Well...I...do not know what to think of this gun salute suggestion." He said.
"I had brought my pistol with me just in case, we Still have plenty of time for you to think, so do let me know when you make up your mind." Safa stated calmly before she began eating her breakfast.
...Some time later...
As the coffins of Lord and Lady Stuart were being laid, a group of people were surrounding the burial site, watching the boxes being lowered by ropes.
Once the two coffins were in place, the crowd watched as one man and one woman, both in dark clothes approached the uncovered holes where the graves were.
Fabian was pushing Safa's wheelchair, the whole time he did so, he kept looking at her Until he stopped where his aunt's coffin waited for Safa.
Once Safa was in place, Fabian went over to his aunt's husband's grave and stood there by the hole.
Safa and Fabian turned to look at each other briefly, they shared a nod before each of them pulled out a pistol.
Despite having had explained to them beforehand that a gun salute was to take place at today's burial, Some people amongst the crowd couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the guns.
A frowning Wolfgang was standing amongst the watchers with Denver in his arms and Gertrude by his side, James and Colin were there as well, standing together with everyone from yesterday's funeral.
All of their eyes were directed at Fabian and Safa as the two raised their pistols above their head, pointing at the sky.
In a loud and unwavering bold voice, "To Lord Samuel Stuart, The faithful man who chose to die rather than to live another day without the love of his life." Fabian said.
In the same bold tone, "To Lady Struat, Also known as Eleonore Kainz, the woman who brought love and kindness onto more than just her husband's life, but countless of others as well." Safa said next.
Then together, they both said loudly "May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
As the crowd around them uttered a unanimous "Amen." After them, Safa and Fabian fired a bullet each, paying their final respects to the former Lord and lady Struat, and with that, the grave diggers began their job of filling the graves back with dirt.
Safa, Fabian and everyone else watched as dirt was slowly covering both coffins, "Leb wohl, meine liebe Tante Eleonore. (farewell my dear aunt Eleonore.)" Fabian said, a single tear rolled off his left cheek as he closed his eyes for a moment.
Safa who was looking at him, mumbled in a low voice, "May you also find peace, Fabian."
...Later at night...
Fabian was back in the Struat manor, Colin joined him in the study room for a drink.
Everyone else has already left, including Safa, as for Gertrude, she was preparing a room for Colin since he have decided he would spend the night here with Fabian to make sure his friend was doing well.
"Thank you for joining me tonight, Col." Fabian said, a half finished glass occupied his hand.
"No need to thank me...Fai." Colin replied taking a sip of his own cup.
Sighing, "Today was something." Fabian said, "Tell me about it! I cannot believe you agreed to Safa's suggestion." Colin replied.
"At first I was not planning to, But...like I said I have fascination for anything untraditional and to be fair...I realized that I was not a good nephew to my aunt, I knew I had to honor her somehow..."
"Safa is rather untraditional herself."
Nodding, "She is." Fabian replied chuckling lightly.
Colin examined his friend's expression, despite sadness overshadowing most of Fabian's appearance, there was a hint of happiness on his face the moment Safa was mentioned.
"Fabian...can I ask you something, but I hope you will be honest about it." Colin said.
"Ask away my friend." Fabian replied.
"Do you...perhaps find Safa, charming?" Coin asked earning a shocked look from Fabian.
"..."
"Fabian?"
"..."
"Are you going to stay silent?" Colin asked, "I...well..." Fabian hesitated, "I find her to be...entertaining." he replied.
"Entertaining, is that all?" Colin asked.
"What do you want me to say Colin? I met the woman yesterday! I barely know her enough to form an opinion about her!"
"Do you wish to get to know her better then?"
"I suppose, I would love to get to know her more considering we are friends now!" Fabian replied.
"Just friends?" Colin questioned.
"What do you mean?"
"What if This would go the same way it went for me and Penelope?...what if Safa is the one you were looking for?"
"Do not be ridiculous Colin, she is not a member of the Ton, and she does not plan to marry now or ever, Safa is not suitable to be my wife..." Fabian replied, yesterday's dream playing repeatedly in his head.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: a Gun salute nowadays is mostly a military practice and tradition to honor falling soldiers, military officials, and even presidents, and there is different types of gun salute depending on the honored individual.
a happier version of gun salute, is celebratory gunfire which is mostly a civilian practice that happens in lots of parts of the world during happy occasion like weddings, however firing a gun during events attended by a considerable amount of people is quite dangerous, many have died at such occasions due to stray bullets.
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