chapter fourteen
It was a cute funeral. I mean, there weren't a lot of people or anything, but everyone was so nicely dressed. I don't think there were supposed to be a lot of people. I think this was kind of supposed to be a secret funeral or something. Mom was nicely dressed in a very official looking gown. Tristar was, well, he was dressed like always, in a black shirt and trousers with that funny red sash. I was sitting on his lap, trying not to turn around and start pulling on his sash. If I did that we'd be wrestling in a heartbeat, and I don't think funerals, even cute ones, are a good place to wrestle.
Somebody was talking up at the podium thing. I think it was one of Mom's fellow councilors. I can never remember their names. There are just too many of them, and they all sound alike. Except of course for Mom.
"Today we mark the passing of a man, a warrior. One who did his utmost, and gave the final sacrifice to preserve the peace. Can there be any greater cause to fight for, any labor more deserving, than defending peace between nations? Can there be any war more pressing than the final war to end war? This soldier, giving his life so bravely, dying so far from his place of birth, fought just such a war. Indeed, fought and won a great victory, and thereby, a place of honor in those hearts and minds of Siguard who gather today to bear witness and remember."
I remembered his name now. This was the one Mom called "silvertongue". He was good at making very pretty speeches. I don't think Mom liked him very much, but she always showed him great respect. I think that's neat. His name was Roberlin. Tan Roberlin. I looked around at all the faces. There weren't but maybe ten or twelve rows of chairs, roped off and patrolled by soldiers here in this field. I think most of these people were councilors or other important government officials. And there were a few soldiers inside the ropes, in the first row up close to the podium. The General Enderin's armor gleamed a burnished red just like the iron casket on the dais. For a breath it looked like the gleams were fighting against each other, filling the air between the General and the casket with sparkling fire. But that was silly. Mom was the only one there who could actually do that. In the distance, beyond the shaded canopy, the towers of the city gleamed, too. Who were they fighting against?
Tristar bounced me on his knee. He was always doing things wrong. You shouldn't bounce kids on your knee at a funeral, especially ones that were over five summers. Little children maybe, but I was a big girl. The only girl here. Actually, I looked around the small crowd again, while Tan Roberlin continued his litany of the many worthy qualities the recently departed had recently possessed, and realized for the first time that I was the only child here. Why did Mom bring me here?
This was going to mean two days of the Learning missed in a row, and she was always going on about the importance of the Learning. Tristar was missing it too, but Tristar was... well. He was a special case. I turned and whispered to him to stop bouncing me and he grinned and patted my head. I looked over to Mom for help, but she was staring at Tan Roberlin.
"It is with sadness that we do gather here today to mark his body's final disposition. And sadder still, that such a marking should be observed by so few." Roberlin's eyes flashed red in the sunlight. "Many, thousands upon thousands, should rightly be seated before me now, yet I believe all present can appreciate why we must do this in seeming secrecy. Knowledge of the passing of such a hero could upset an already-troubled populace, a populace we are all of us bound to serve. So we serve them now with our secrecy, that they might be spared further dismay. We are a nation dedicated to peace, and this, like all of our united efforts, is but one more service we perform to preserve peace."
That's why the funeral was cute. It was a secret! But why, then, did my Mom bring me here? Did she really expect me to keep secrets like a councilperson? Like the General Enderin? Pol Draver and Minda and the others back at the Learning would be sure to ask me where I was today. And Tristar... does he even know what a secret is? I tugged at Mom's hand gently.
"Tita, now is not the time for questions." Her whisper gleamed like the General's shining armor, like the casket behind Roberlin. Mom didn't really look at me, but she didn't really have to. I knew fire when I saw it. And I really shouldn't have been bothering her. She was going to perform the actual dedication and probably had enough to worry about.
"So now we bid a hero farewell, and remember in our hearts his valor, his prowess, and his service to the noble cause of true peace." Roberlin was running out of nice things to say. Soon he would be finished, which was good, because I was starting to feel fidgety. At least Tristar seemed to have gotten the hint from Mom's quiet reprimand. I wasn't bouncing anymore, which was nice. Oh! Everyone was rising now. Tristar gently slid me off of his lap. Everyone started to clap, not for Roberlin as he left the podium, but for the man in the closed casket behind him.
Everyone except me, of course.
I thought I saw Mom cringe for a moment from the corner of my eye and regretted thinking that. Sometimes I think she can read minds. But then again, she had plenty of reasons to cringe. Her job working with people like Tan Roberlin and the others, her popularity with all the people in Siguard City (and beyond!), having to keep Tristar out of trouble... she had a lot of responsibility. I watched with a warm heart as she stood tall and walked forward to shoulder yet another responsibility.
Usually the councilors frowned upon the fact that Mom was a Krysli, but today, it seemed, they did not mind. Must be convenient, when you're having a secret funeral for councilors and soldiers only, and one of them also happens to be the First Krysli. The applause died down as Mom approached the dais. It was time for the dedication.
----------
Mom stood at the podium and almost seemed to shrug. "And now we bid farewell to Victorious Difont, Honored Soldier of Godii, Friend of Siguard, and Servant of Peace."
Oh! That was why it was such a cute funeral... it was silly!
Mom turned and gestured towards the casket, and without noise it slid up and away from it's support, up into the air, higher and higher. I stole a quick look past all the important people in my row towards the city. Any person could look out of their window, or any soldier from the walls, and see this spectacle. We weren't that far away. I looked back and the casket was several spans above the dais, suspended in air. Then with a sharp crackle, my Mom stopped being my Mom, or a councilor, or anything else but a Krysli as the silver fire descended upon her. She rose now herself, riding the fire to a height to match the waiting casket, and then seemed to point.
The casket erupted with a groan into a shower of white-hot sparks, followed by a mighty thunderclap of noise. I try to cover at least one of my ears too late. Anybody within five leagues must have heard that!
The small silly gathering began clapping one last time, but there were no cries of "Hurrah!" or anything like I'd heard at other dedications. Nothing remaining of the casket, I watched my Mom descend amidst a shower of sparks, become my mother again, and decided that this funeral wasn't cute anymore. It was ridiculous and a little bit... troubling? Like when my Mom announced that Tristar was the "Savior of Siguard". Sure it was fun and exciting at the time, but Tristar? I looked up at him now. He was staring idly at the fading fireworks and picking his nose.
Everyone who was anyone knew the Father of the Krysli wasn't Tristar. But they talked about it like it was true anyway, and so did everyone else. I'd always thought it was Randle the Magician. So why did Mom lie? And this funeral, secret but not quite secret enough... why did Mom lie again? I looked around as the councilors began to separate and gather into smaller chatting groups, some idly departing, some lingering. Mom was saying something to Tan Roberlin. Why were all these people lying? And smiling? The whole thing was utterly ridiculous. Why, Mom, Tristar and I had dropped off flowers and wished a speedy recovery to Victorious this morning on our way here! Feeling awfully confused, I looked to Tristar the Savior of Siguard for some sort of guidance, but he was still picking his nose, watching the sparks fade out of the sky.
Somebody was talking up at the podium thing. I think it was one of Mom's fellow councilors. I can never remember their names. There are just too many of them, and they all sound alike. Except of course for Mom.
"Today we mark the passing of a man, a warrior. One who did his utmost, and gave the final sacrifice to preserve the peace. Can there be any greater cause to fight for, any labor more deserving, than defending peace between nations? Can there be any war more pressing than the final war to end war? This soldier, giving his life so bravely, dying so far from his place of birth, fought just such a war. Indeed, fought and won a great victory, and thereby, a place of honor in those hearts and minds of Siguard who gather today to bear witness and remember."
I remembered his name now. This was the one Mom called "silvertongue". He was good at making very pretty speeches. I don't think Mom liked him very much, but she always showed him great respect. I think that's neat. His name was Roberlin. Tan Roberlin. I looked around at all the faces. There weren't but maybe ten or twelve rows of chairs, roped off and patrolled by soldiers here in this field. I think most of these people were councilors or other important government officials. And there were a few soldiers inside the ropes, in the first row up close to the podium. The General Enderin's armor gleamed a burnished red just like the iron casket on the dais. For a breath it looked like the gleams were fighting against each other, filling the air between the General and the casket with sparkling fire. But that was silly. Mom was the only one there who could actually do that. In the distance, beyond the shaded canopy, the towers of the city gleamed, too. Who were they fighting against?
Tristar bounced me on his knee. He was always doing things wrong. You shouldn't bounce kids on your knee at a funeral, especially ones that were over five summers. Little children maybe, but I was a big girl. The only girl here. Actually, I looked around the small crowd again, while Tan Roberlin continued his litany of the many worthy qualities the recently departed had recently possessed, and realized for the first time that I was the only child here. Why did Mom bring me here?
This was going to mean two days of the Learning missed in a row, and she was always going on about the importance of the Learning. Tristar was missing it too, but Tristar was... well. He was a special case. I turned and whispered to him to stop bouncing me and he grinned and patted my head. I looked over to Mom for help, but she was staring at Tan Roberlin.
"It is with sadness that we do gather here today to mark his body's final disposition. And sadder still, that such a marking should be observed by so few." Roberlin's eyes flashed red in the sunlight. "Many, thousands upon thousands, should rightly be seated before me now, yet I believe all present can appreciate why we must do this in seeming secrecy. Knowledge of the passing of such a hero could upset an already-troubled populace, a populace we are all of us bound to serve. So we serve them now with our secrecy, that they might be spared further dismay. We are a nation dedicated to peace, and this, like all of our united efforts, is but one more service we perform to preserve peace."
That's why the funeral was cute. It was a secret! But why, then, did my Mom bring me here? Did she really expect me to keep secrets like a councilperson? Like the General Enderin? Pol Draver and Minda and the others back at the Learning would be sure to ask me where I was today. And Tristar... does he even know what a secret is? I tugged at Mom's hand gently.
"Tita, now is not the time for questions." Her whisper gleamed like the General's shining armor, like the casket behind Roberlin. Mom didn't really look at me, but she didn't really have to. I knew fire when I saw it. And I really shouldn't have been bothering her. She was going to perform the actual dedication and probably had enough to worry about.
"So now we bid a hero farewell, and remember in our hearts his valor, his prowess, and his service to the noble cause of true peace." Roberlin was running out of nice things to say. Soon he would be finished, which was good, because I was starting to feel fidgety. At least Tristar seemed to have gotten the hint from Mom's quiet reprimand. I wasn't bouncing anymore, which was nice. Oh! Everyone was rising now. Tristar gently slid me off of his lap. Everyone started to clap, not for Roberlin as he left the podium, but for the man in the closed casket behind him.
Everyone except me, of course.
I thought I saw Mom cringe for a moment from the corner of my eye and regretted thinking that. Sometimes I think she can read minds. But then again, she had plenty of reasons to cringe. Her job working with people like Tan Roberlin and the others, her popularity with all the people in Siguard City (and beyond!), having to keep Tristar out of trouble... she had a lot of responsibility. I watched with a warm heart as she stood tall and walked forward to shoulder yet another responsibility.
Usually the councilors frowned upon the fact that Mom was a Krysli, but today, it seemed, they did not mind. Must be convenient, when you're having a secret funeral for councilors and soldiers only, and one of them also happens to be the First Krysli. The applause died down as Mom approached the dais. It was time for the dedication.
----------
Mom stood at the podium and almost seemed to shrug. "And now we bid farewell to Victorious Difont, Honored Soldier of Godii, Friend of Siguard, and Servant of Peace."
Oh! That was why it was such a cute funeral... it was silly!
Mom turned and gestured towards the casket, and without noise it slid up and away from it's support, up into the air, higher and higher. I stole a quick look past all the important people in my row towards the city. Any person could look out of their window, or any soldier from the walls, and see this spectacle. We weren't that far away. I looked back and the casket was several spans above the dais, suspended in air. Then with a sharp crackle, my Mom stopped being my Mom, or a councilor, or anything else but a Krysli as the silver fire descended upon her. She rose now herself, riding the fire to a height to match the waiting casket, and then seemed to point.
The casket erupted with a groan into a shower of white-hot sparks, followed by a mighty thunderclap of noise. I try to cover at least one of my ears too late. Anybody within five leagues must have heard that!
The small silly gathering began clapping one last time, but there were no cries of "Hurrah!" or anything like I'd heard at other dedications. Nothing remaining of the casket, I watched my Mom descend amidst a shower of sparks, become my mother again, and decided that this funeral wasn't cute anymore. It was ridiculous and a little bit... troubling? Like when my Mom announced that Tristar was the "Savior of Siguard". Sure it was fun and exciting at the time, but Tristar? I looked up at him now. He was staring idly at the fading fireworks and picking his nose.
Everyone who was anyone knew the Father of the Krysli wasn't Tristar. But they talked about it like it was true anyway, and so did everyone else. I'd always thought it was Randle the Magician. So why did Mom lie? And this funeral, secret but not quite secret enough... why did Mom lie again? I looked around as the councilors began to separate and gather into smaller chatting groups, some idly departing, some lingering. Mom was saying something to Tan Roberlin. Why were all these people lying? And smiling? The whole thing was utterly ridiculous. Why, Mom, Tristar and I had dropped off flowers and wished a speedy recovery to Victorious this morning on our way here! Feeling awfully confused, I looked to Tristar the Savior of Siguard for some sort of guidance, but he was still picking his nose, watching the sparks fade out of the sky.
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