292 The funeral (2)

The banquet is grand as befits someone of the calibre of the late Empress Grandmother. There are many types of food on the table and both white and red wine.

I sip water, not to endanger Lavinia through my milk. And to keep my head clear.

Alexander is on my right. Then, there's the Princess and his majesty. On the Emperor's right, the Dowager Empress.

On my left, there are a few empty places.

No one is in the mood to talk, for a reason or the other, at our table. The rest of the hall is quite chatty. They don't seem to care about the situation, and it's not that surprising for a funeral.

After all, the family and closest friend mourn, but the rest... They're not that touched, and it's not bad that it works like this. It wouldn't be good if every funeral was full of sadness and silence. People need distractions.

«Thea, are you all right?» Alexander asks, squeezing my hand on the table.