"We are gathered here today in the memory of Lady Fiona Bayar. From a young age, Miss Bayar was known to be beautiful, intelligent, and a well-placed asset to the illustrious family…" Speaker Redfern said in a low voice. His speech, no doubt, scripted and rehearsed.
Micah sat in the front row, glassy eyed and stiff backed. To his right sat his mother, sobbing for both her husband and her daughter, lost on the same day. To Micah's left was Princess Mellony, staring at him with pity in her soft eyes. The only others not paid or required to attend were the Manders, the Mathises, Adam Gryphon, and Mordra DeVillers.
Wait, Adam Gryphon?
Yes, he'd once courted Fiona, but that was only on his parents' orders. Ever since Adam's mother and father died almost two months ago, he'd gone to extreme lengths to prove his hatred of Micah's family. Now he was engaged to Mordra, someone Fiona had been nothing but cruel to in their days at Oden's Ford. So why had they come to his twin's funeral?
The Fells were now in a full-fledged war, but Micah had insisted upon honoring his twin as soon as he could. It was the only way he had of apologizing to her now. Micah thought back to the circumstances behind her premature demise.
Fiona and their father found Han Alister in the secret tunnels just a few days before Arden invaded. He'd been carrying the Crimson Crown, thus they were quick to believe he'd found the armory and cracked the code in the stolen Waterlow amulet. Stolen from Micah, to be exact. How all of this is possible when the Bayars had been trying for a thousand years escaped him. It's humiliating, when you think about it.
Anyway, they'd tried to torture Han into revealing what he knew. Eventually, the street thief agreed to lead them both down, and walked his sister straight into a murder. According to Han and Dancer, Micah's father had done nothing to save Fiona. Personally, he could believe it, even if his mother did not.
His father's didn't matter much to Micah; he'd done plenty to deserve his end. But it really stung him that Fiona had to be killed as well. She'd been the best friend a boy could have in their world of cutthroat politics. Neither had chosen to be a Bayar- it's just where they were born. Being a Bayar meant everyone either wants to destroy you, or cozy up, get ahead, and then destroy you. Fiona had been the only one he actually trusted, the only one who was actually there for him growing up.
Then their father decided to marry Micah to the princess heir, who is now Queen Raisa. Micah had liked her well enough, and was confident they could've ruled the perfect country together. But when Fiona discovered she wouldn't be playing a role, she chose to hatch her own plans: kill both princesses and steal the throne for herself. As time went by, the two grew further and further apart. Once, Fiona had gone so far as to promise him an early death. It really hurt Micah to watch such a bond fade to nothing, but the wizard had kept hope that once things were settled enough, they could earn back each other's friendship. He'd hoped they could put this entire thing behind them.
Now that would never happen.
Micah fought tears. So much loss, with no way of repairing it all. Such had become of his life.
But the remaining Bayar twin still wanted a way to make things right, and a proper sendoff was the only thing that came to mind. He wanted his sister to know of how he prayed for her to join the Maker. Also, for her to understand that he mourned her for what she was: a kind friend fate had wronged. He had wronged.
The ceremony was over, and Micah was the last to leave. Before walking out the door into a world that hated him, the young wizard cast one final glance at the remains of his dead sibling.
Forgive me, sister. I- The world lost a wonderful person that day.
Micah left the chapel to face the blinding sunset. But unlike nature, there would be no dawn for him.
A/N: My first Seven Realms fanfic! I hope you all enjoyed it! And please check out another fanfiction on this board- 'Loved' by Satan Abraham. They were my inspiration!
