113 The Mourning Skies

EARLIER BACK IN THE CASTLE

The King watched the sun rise through his antique leaded windows, as Lord Nero and a few members of the imperial council leave the great room of his bedchambers. He grunted at the bright hues struggling to seep through the dark cloudy skies, as if he was unimpressed with the view the sky ostentatiously flaunt. After the previous night's attack, the King protestingly approved on staying in his chambers as advised by the majority of the imperial council. He has been highly guarded by more palace knights from inside his chambers, out of his doors, and even in the windows - a decorated prison, he thought.

All warriors were personally selected by the paladin crusader, Lady Vesta. She made sure every warrior who guards the King were all skilled and swift. However, she knew that no matter how seasoned the warriors of the kingdom are, no one can go against a dark healer. And so, she puts the safety of the King beyong the apotropaic spells of his chambers.

Lord Nero have become the King's eyes and ears. Everyone shall answer to the lord's demands, and every word that will come out of his mouth will become the official commands of the King. In his black silk brocade gambeson, Lord Nero headed straight to the abbey church in the east side of the castletown for the day's high point - the first and final viewing of the bodies of Lord Harlan and General Rowan.

It has been decided that the general will have his body burn in the flames of pyre readied in front of the abbey church, while Lord Harlan's will be left preserved for display in Brandenburg. Despite the King wanting to personally honor the lives and loyal service of Lord Harlan and General Rowan, he just couldn't. For the sake of his own personal security as the king, he had to stay inside his chambers until there are no more incoming threats surrounding the royal family.

While the death of the high priestess, Yereah, remained a mystery, her body will be taken to Wicce accompanied by Syria. Aghast from her unexplained demise, Lord Nero and the King both have decided to keep Yereah's death situation private as it could plant more fear amongst the kingdom's people and nobles. Dark healers do not slay in such way, they thought. What they knew is, the kingdom is in so much danger against a cruel monster who harrows souls. Thus, the lord learned that whoever killed Yereah, it's the same person who killed dozens of priests in the Holy Land leaving the victims dead with eyes black as night… something that they have never seen before. Also, their thoughts are on the uncovered truth behind the attack on the queen. Why was she left alive and why does she have an unrecognized witch with her?

The witches were silent.

They remained dubiously quiet, which troubled the king. Their silence made him anxious of what could be running in their otherwordly heads. If there's an enemy he doesn't wish to have, it's the people adept in magic and sorcery. To win their favor even after the incident, he provided gold and silver along with some palace knights as the body of Yereah is being transferred back to Wicce.

As for the queen, she rejected all visitors that have knocked at her doorstep. She refused priests, members of the council, peerages and even her family and closest friends. Against the King's advice to let the queen be seen by Syria before she leaves the palace, the queen only required care from the imperial physician. More roses filled her chambers. Letters piled up even at an early morn. She demanded privacy, making everyone believe that she's ultimately hurt, and needs rest for the meantime.

The skies began to mourn.

The rain poured like the tears of every person coming in the abbey church. The religious home was slowly filled with grieving crowd cloaked in black. They lined up to view the bodies of Lord Harlan and General Rowan. There were no flowers, no incense, not even lighted candles. Black drapes were hung in the ceiling. Hymns were endlessly sung, and prayers were recited like chants. There were endless lines of people coming in to give one final look on the brave servants of the kingdom who died during their service.

Meanwhile, the paladins, Lady Vesta and Sir Alesso, were forming a small battalion of their warriors as the rain lightly pours. With the travelers attacking here and there, only a few warriors were assigned to pay respects and commemorate the life of the great general of the warriors. They stood in front of the abbey church holding their weapons as they watch the people swarm the doors of the abbey.

Lord Nero led a dozen of knights, wearing their silver armor, to represent Stellan. As he stood by the paladins, he noticed Stellan's hawk circling mid air just above them. Then, the hawk landed perfectly on Alesso's shoulder, who immediately recognized the familiar aviary. The young paladin opened its letter cartridge and tried hard to nonchalantly read the message - Stellan is arriving in Beorg Mountains with Haelan. The Paladin Knight also asked what has been happening, after seeing Ottis and Umbriel out of Brandenburg who were also with Haelan. Alesso crumpled the piece of paper and kept it in his pocket. He kept himself calm despite sensing eyes on him.

Lord Harlan, who no longer have any other family left, was laid to rest by none other than Lord Callaghan. The deceased lord was placed in an open rare ivory casket, in the same bloodied clothes that he wore during the time he was murdered. He was not washed, nor embalmed. No spices and herbs touched his decaying body. Lord Callaghan wanted everyone to witness first the brutal end of the most beloved lord in the hands of a soul traveler before Lord Harlan's body receive annointment to preserve him with magic . Thereafter, the late lord's body shall be brought to Brandenburg on view to remind the people that soul travelers are nothing but murderers.

In the other coffin beside Lord Harlan's, General Rowan wore his brass armor as he laid in a copper alloy casket. According to the imperial physician, the general died from multiple stab wounds that critically hit all of his major arteries. There were also black dusts found in his every perforation, entailing that he was murdered by a dark healer. However, what's more surprising is seeing a seula on General Rowan's chest, the spiral mark entry of travelers in a person's body. Lord Nero insisted to keep it a secret between him and the imperial physician. Hence, the lord of Hesam could hardly fathom how Rowan kept his physique knowing a traveler has been inhabiting his body. And so he thought, a great witch practicing prohibited magic is in the general's aid.

General Rowan's wife, in a black veil and lace hand gloves, stood beside the general's coffin shaking everyone's hand as they send their condolences. Her black tears streamed down her freckled face as she wipe them with her burgundy scallop handkerchief. Her eyes showed nothing but pain and sorrow for losing her third husband. Her noble friends in vivid colored gowns and pearls surrounded Rowan's widow as she sob quietly.

A funeral mass was then held. The chaplain encouraged everyone, who wished to speak, to remember the best days they had with Lord Harlan and General Rowan.

Lord Callaghan was too emotional to speak, making the crowd shower him with more sympathy. The other priests then remembered and shared the life Lord Harlan have lived instead. Truly, Lord Harlan was loved and respected. His teachings marked the hearts of his students. The nobles looked up to him as they listened to his words of wisdom. More knights and archers saw him as someone who has a great balance of good and bad.

Unlike General Rowan, no one stood to share any remarkable times spent with him except for his weeping wife, Rubella. She mostly cried hysterically for losing another husband, and then later, she would laugh maniacally as she entail the irony of the great general's death who died allegedly in a gruesome way in the hands of a healer. She blamed the kingdom. She pointed her fingers on the Wiccans. Rubella shamed the paladins who weren't there to fight with the general. After calming herself in the arms of a friend in a black ruffled gown, Rubella sat back down staring blankly at Rowan's coffin.