Chapter 4 The Funeral
The next morning was Duke Vedris' funeral. Sandry, as his heir, was to speak at the funeral. She was dressed all in black as was proper. Her speech was as short as she could make it so she wouldn't have to stand up for too long. She started slowly. "Dear citizens of Emelan, I am grateful you all came to see my dear uncle on to the next life. It is said that when the loved are taken everyone mourns and which is what has happened. Let us pray for the dearly departed." Everyone bowed their heads. When they were done praying Sandry lifted her veiled head, her eyes filled with tears "Like with the setting of the sun we have experienced the setting of an era, My uncle's era." Sandry could not hold the tears back anymore. She bowed her head and cried. She felt firm hands lead her away but didn't notice. She was too busy crying for the uncle she had lost.
When she stopped crying she looked around for who had led her off. She was surprised to see it was not Lark or her foster siblings, But Rosethorn. Rosethorn looked like she was worried. Sandry said barely more than a whisper "Sorry Rosethorn." Rosethorn said gently with a little slur, mark of the grave illness the four of them had brought her back from death "I know what you're going through. First you lost your parents then now you lost your uncle. I lost my mother in a raider attack and I thought the pain would never end." A light flared in Rosethorn's eyes that was the anger she had left from the memory. "Then before I left to train my favorite brother died of a rare illness. I was devastated. I never truly got over them but the pain is much less and I remember all the times I spent with them so I was happy I got to knew them while I could." Rosethorn smiled "I know what would get your mind off your uncle." Sandry asked glumly" What?" Rosethorn said with a hint of a smile on her lips and mountains of it in her eyes "When we get to Winding Circle we can weed. Briar will be happy for the company and any ways summer is always weeding, weeding, and more weeding." Sandry grinned. "Sandry, Rosethorn where are you?" Daja called. "It's time to go!"
On the way back to the citadel Sandry begun to really think, she wasn't going to live at Discipline anymore. She was now a ruler. Her uncle's successor. Briar, by the saddened look on his face was thinking hard about this same topic. Sandry, who sat next to him in the carriage, held his hand and put her head on his shoulder. Briar was tired and sleep fell way to uneasy dreams.