Chapter 7: Funeral

“Sir Jones, Sir Vlad. Please, sir, we welcome you to our village.” Sir Thomas urged them through the village gate.

Vlad, being Vlad, walked into the village as if he owned the place. “You invitation warms my heart, Sir Thomas.”

Kara had a hard time stifling her scoff.

“It is but my pleasure,” Thomas said. 

Why were these two acting so formally? Something is going on here. Or am I just reading too much into things?

“Where are the councillors? Are they really not here?” Kara inspected the mass of the army in front of the village. There were no luxurious wagons or palanquins that indicated the presence of the councillors. 

“They are on their way. We just left early to help prepare,” Sir Jones Said.

Kara nodded.

After walking through the street paved with cobblestones, they finally reached the magnificent castle of the water village. They entered the castle through the northern gate, which directly led them to the funeral hall. There were portraits of their gods and more. At the far end, there was a raised platform. Huge flower vases were lined on either side of the platform. Tapestries depicting Undine and other elemental gods hung on the walls.

“Sir Thomas...” Kara sighed. “You know what to do. And find my son. Just don’t tell him anything. I’ll do it myself. We have to be delicate with Silver. He has suffered enough already.” She wasn’t sure how Silver was going to take all this. 

“But of course, my lady.” Sir Thomas took his leave and vanished from her sight.

After two hours, all the villagers arrived outside the front castle gate, each holding a burning candle. The army of two thousand gathered around the villagers, doing the same thing. There were about two hundred members of the royal family gathered in the centre of the hall holding a flower in their hands.

A hundred soldiers marched next to the royal families on three sides, except the front. The coffin was in front of the royal family. Kara was standing above all royal families on the raised platform. Sir Jones and Sir Vlad were standing beside her. Sir Thomas arrived at Lady Kara’s side a few minutes later.

“Have you informed the village?” Kara said.

“Yes, my lady. They have all arrived outside the castle gate.”

“What about my son? Where is he?”

“Well, about... Prince Silver, Mm... We could not locate him. We searched the entire village, including the forest, but he was nowhere to be found.”

“Not again. Where in the Shattered Ria could he have gone this... “

“I beg your pardon, but is there something wrong, my lady?” Sir Jones said, interrupting Lady Kara.

“No, none at all,” she said, smiling falsely. “Well, there is one. I still have heard nothing about the councillors arrival. You do know we can't do this without them. Are you sure they left just behind you?”

Sir Vlad marched towards Sir Thomas and stood beside him.

“I’m sure, my lady,” Jones said. “What can we do? They are the councillors. They manage to be late, even with the fastest wagons at their disposal. But I am confident they will be here soon.”

Kara nodded. Chills went straight down to her core when Sir Jones put his right hand on her shoulder, his lips dangerously close to her cheek. “My lady,” Jones whispered.

“Yes?” kara said with an arched eyebrow. What does he think he is doing?

“I have a question for you, my lady.” He whispered the words with soft, intimate breath.

“What would that be?” Kara flushed with anger. What is wrong with him? Has he gone senile? I just lost my husband.

“Don’t you remember what I told you last time we saw each other? You shouldn’t trust and respect anyone but your own kin. No one deserves your trust in this world. Yet you didn’t heed my warning after everything that happened last time. You trusted us, even though you had your suspicions. You should not have trusted me,” Jones said, pressing a knife to her throat.

Sir Vlad did the same thing to Sir Thomas, but he immediately cut his throat and let him fall to the floor. Vlad’s knife hand was drenched in blood. Kara stared at the red ooze pooling beneath the twitching body of Sir Thomas. What ... What is happening?

Kara heard the echoing screams of the royal family. 

“Let the massacre begin,” Vlad said with laughter that turned her stomach.

“So it was all just an act, a p-plot to kill us all. If I’m to be killed, I want to know why?” She asked with a frustrated voice. She never thought that Sir Jones would be that kind of individual. Yeah, he’s always been aggressive, but he never appeared to be someone who would murder someone in cold blood.

The soldiers surrounded the royal families. They looked terrified and didn’t seem to understand what was happening. Few begged for mercy, few screamed, children cried, and some collapsed to the ground. Mothers were attempting to make their children feel safe, saying, “It’s all right, mama is here. Nothing is going to happen to you, you are safe with me”

“Why?” Kara demanded. Tears rolled down her cheeks. 

“They ordered us to do so. I am not at liberty to tell you why, even if you’re going to die,” he said. “Kill them all,” Sir Jones said to his men.

The soldiers spread their mouths wide open, and the fangs emerged in their mouths.

“Please have mercy on us. No! Please.” Screams and pleas of royal families echoed across the hall. The screams of children were the most painful to Kara’s ears.