War and Ruin

Initium Novum

"Well, I suppose we must arrange the funeral." O'Riley says as he takes a swig of whiskey. "The local church is usually where orphans are buried. We can call on the Parish-"

"No." Evie interrupts solemnly. "He deserves better than a charity grave." Evie swallows her shot of whiskey and moves her glass towards the bar tender to indicate she's finished. "I know a place. Let's request to have his body."

Evie and O'Riley meet the nurses and a gentlemen dressed in rags outside next to a small wooden coffin. The nurse approaches with a small sheet of parchment in her hands. As Evie walks forward to greet her and get the small-talk over with, the nurse stretches her hand with parchment towards her, "Here you are, miss. This was a letter the boy wanted us to write. It's for you."

Evie shakily grabs the parchment and folds it into her pocket. "Thank you. May we have his body now?"

"Yes, miss. Thomas will load the body into the wagon." The nurse gestured for Thomas, the large gentleman next to her to hoist the coffin into the wagon O'Riley rented while in London.

"Thank you." O'Riley and Thomas carefully place the coffin with Jack inside onto the bed of he wagon and cover the coffin with a large white canvas sheet. There was a large-ish wooden cross sitting next to the coffin, awaiting use. Evie climbed onto the wagon and waited for O'Riley. She was tempted to read the letter, but couldn't bring herself to reach into the pocket and pull it out. "So, where to, Evie?"

Evie looked towards the morning sun, rising behind the dawn clouds... "Glastonbury."

The journey took nearly a full 24 hours. But, they finally made it as the sun was starting to rise the next morning. O'Riley stepped down first as he peered over his shoulder to see over the valley. "Glastonbury Tor."

Evie gave a small smile, 'this is the least I could do for Jack.' All she thought of was that she needed to give Jack a burial worthy of a king. "I guess we should start digging." O'Riley and Evie dug six feet beneath the surface as the sun was starting to move higher over head in the sky. Although, the English sun was not quite as burning as the Mediterranean sun, Evie thought gratefully. There are clouds that produce a cotton-like barrier from the intensity of the sun. It's always cloudy in England. The afternoon approached with a usual rain shower, but under the canopy of the large apple tree on top of the Tor, they hardly felt the rain.

"Evie, lets break for some lunch and tea." O'Riley had to coax her into taking a break. Evie hardly ate.
 
Sitting down against the apple tree she propped her arm up on one leg and outstretched the other as she leaned her head back against the bark. "Jack liked apples." Evie said as she stared upwards at the apple tree. "He loved the stories of King Arthur and his relatives and their adventures. His favorites were always about King Arthur's grandmother."

"Grandmother?"

"Yeah." Evie nodded. "Years before Arthur was grown and had the throne of England and Wales; his grandmother Anwen Pendragon was queen of the United Kingdom, before it was called that, naturally. But she ruled well. She was eventually killed in battle as an older woman, but her death secured Arthur's safety and safety for her kingdoms." Evie smiled. "He said he wished he could've lived then and known Anwen and Arthur."

"Is that why you want him buried here?"

"Well, this is the land of King Arthur." Evie looked out over the valley dominated by the height of the Tor. "To me, Jack was the closest thing to an Arthur." The two finish their lunch and wait out the rain for a little longer, then continue to dig. They finally reach six feet under and level out the plot for the coffin.

"Ready?" O'Riley picks up the ropes to tie around the coffin in order to lower Jack into the ground.

Evie stares at the ropes for a second, hesitating for a moment. Tears start to brim her eyes, its beginning to set in that Jack won't be waking from this slumber. "Yes."

They tie the ropes around the coffin to lower Jack into the ground. Evie and O'Riley lower Jack into the ground and gently lay him to rest. The two begin burying him beneath the surface, adding shovels of dirt to fill the resting place they created. Just after two hours, Evie flattens the last shovel-full of dirt to create evened earth. Evie places the cross with his name, birth, and death years. 'Here lies Jack Hawthorn. Beloved Son and Brother. Initium Novum.'

"New Beginning?" O'Riley questioned slightly.

"Death isn't the end for Jack." Evie lifts her head to the skies. "He's not sick anymore. He isn't bound to the poorhouse and impoverished anymore. He's with the kings of old, rich in health and never hungry." Evie smiles a sad smile, accepting her time with Jack is over, but happy knowing his suffering has ended.  "When can we go home to Ireland?" Evie wipes her eyes.

"Whenever you're ready."

Evie looks down at Jack's grave and stifles more tears. "I'm ready."  O'Riley throws a fatherly arm over her shoulder and brings her in for a comforting embrace then starts walking down the Tor.  'One last goodbye.' She thought to herself as she looked back at the cross marked grave and whispered, "Initium Novum."