Sequoia Coast The summers die, One by one.

Title from Bring him Home, Les miserables.

John had made a decision, and a heartbreaking one: He left Sweetharbor with one glance back as he looked across from the end of the land bridge. His heart ached, what he thought would be a holy land crumbled under everyone’s feet. John never blamed God for any of this, and never would he, for everything that happens in our lives has a meaning and purpose we do not know of, and never will.

He left with @Heda and her family, leaving the turmoil and crashing waves behind. He continued to pray to God that something good will happen in all this, and that they all may find a new home. 

When he had a moment, he sought out Heda. He wanted to try to console her, help her in this time of grief. He found her, stood in front of her and spoke gently, like the ocean breeze blowing the lavender fields. “I wish I could do more than say, I’m sorry. For everything that happened. If there’s anything you ever need, please seek me out.” This he said with a gentle voice.

john the baptist. john the acolyte. john descended the greenhills and stepped around the graves, surely, as she had, and had come down the landbridge and to the main shores. and now he had found heda and her girls. now he stooped before her eyes that hardly saw him.
and yet she was gladdened all the same to see john, and though her mouth said no words, her eyes suggested this truth.
and then she set them back upon the sea.
she would make no choice; she would go where her children led.

(I would love for him to pursue a spiritualist trade. :) )

Her eyes showed gladness, but also an emptiness. She spoke no words, for none needed to be spoken. Her golden eyes moved from John’s direction, to the sea, where they stayed. He approached her closer, pressing his nose onto her cheek. He whispered on thing in her ear, “May I pray for you?”

If she refused, he would respect her decision, and would not hold it against her. But at least he put the offer out there.

sounds good! <3

pray.
once upon so short a time ago, heda might have accepted that, wanted it. led the prayer herself, in passion and in adulation. even now, she felt the golden leap of some remaining hope, quenched by the pain which ripped through her to think of caracal.
and judah.
pray, her eyes bid him, and she bowed her head with a shuddering breath. perhaps john's words could shift some debris from her heart's door.

Her distant, golden eyes showed sorrow, grief, a longing. But when he spoke the word, pray, they light up with a glimmer of hope, encouraging him. He bowed his head, the top lightly touching hers.

“Dear Heavenly Father, I ask in your name to bring peace and comfort to this family. Give them hope again, calm the raging sea in their souls. You provide for us all lord. Amen.” He ended with an amen, brought his head up, looking into Heda’s eyes. “Bless you.”

his touch did more to soothe her than his words did. heda clung to the sensation, crumbling into tears as she knew she would never share it again with caracal.
that day, she became the widow redhawk, she could not let him go. she would not.
his wife. his widow.
she sobbed, her body sagging against john.

His presence did more than he would truly know. At the end of the prayer, tears poured from her delicate eyes of gold. The two sat quietly, and her body sagged against his, giving into her emotions. He gentle shushed her, like a father would to his children. He would never in life replace Caracal, and that was okay, but Heda needed someone, and he would be that friend, a brother in spirit. They stayed like this.

God led him to the RedHawks, the Island family, he reminded himself of this. Everything was in His plans, and whatever is in His will, John will follow.

everything is in god's will.
god's will be done.
then god meant for judah to be lost and caracal to die.
how could this be the will of a god she loved?
heda could handle this no longer; she sank down, down, at john's feet, eyes closed. she wanted rest, needed it; only for a little bit, a small while, a moment.

She crumpled at his feet. His heart ached for her, for her family, but there was only so much he could do, especially for the children. But for now, he would provide company and comfort, or at least he will try his hardest, no matter what.

He sank down, down with her. His eyes began to feel heavy, as he too had a long journey. He whispered in her ear one last time, words of hope, of courage: “Stay strong.” And from this point, he closed his eyes, letting himself drift into a light sleep.

Fade here?