WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 39

Agathe

The kingdom mourned. Black flags had been hung all over the country. For the king's funeral, the most important members of the nobility were gathered in the courtyard of the castle. They had all brought white bouquets. Agathe stood on the balcony of the castle in mourning clothes, overlooking the mourning crowd. Next to her were Fritz and Paula and Lea had also arrived. They also held white flowers in their hands.

A white-painted coffin was carried out of the castle by soldiers and accompanied by a mourning procession of the best soldiers. They carried it to the cemetery of the kings, which was a few hundred meters from the castle.

The cemetery housed the country's first mortal kings and also Agathe's first husband. These were located in a large mausoleum, around which were the graves of glorious noble members, as well as princes and princesses. Those who lay here belonged to the royal family or had achieved great things in the name of the rulers. Now Friedrich would find his final resting place there. They would bring his coffin into the mausoleum and seal it with an ornate stone and noble grave goods.

Agathe watched the coffin while a small orchestra played funeral music from a quickly constructed stage. Lea, Fritz, and Paula stepped forward and threw the white flowers from the balcony. An ancient tradition that was left over from the rule of mortals.

The white flowers stood for all the good memories with which they said goodbye to him. The nobles also threw the flowers on the way as soon as the coffin had passed them. The white coffin stood for the fact that the deceased wished to travel to the ancestors contentedly and without remorse.

After a few minutes, the procession left the courtyard of the castle to bury the king in the mausoleum.

This would be done without the presence of the Queen and her children. That's what tradition wanted. Only after a full year of mourning were they allowed to visit his grave. On the day of his death. Tradition demanded that after the grave visit, a great feast was celebrated to state the end of mourning and a new beginning.

Servants hurried into the yard to offer drinks and snacks to the guests. They also did not accompany the deceased to his resting place, and the orchestra now played somewhat more cheerful music.

Agathe left the balcony followed by her family. They would now go to a tribune that had been set up for them at the doors of the castle, where the nobles would gradually silently express their condolences to them. Agathe looked at her two children.

"Fritz, Lea, it's good to have you with me today." She wiped a forced tear from her eyes.

"Mother, of course, we're here", Lea said quietly. Fritz just nodded.

Together they walked along the corridors of the castle and finally took a seat in the tribune. Servants handed them drinks. From here, they watched as their guests celebrated the king's past life, or comforted each other until a servant declared that it was time to express their condolences to those who remained. Little by little, her guests came forward and bowed. None of them said anything. That's what tradition wanted.

The orchestra also stopped playing.

Finally, two young wizards came forward and bowed deeply. Agathe smiled and decided to break the traditional silence for a moment. " Earl von Aue and Earl von Kleingrün, thank you very much for your visit!"

"We are honored to have been able to come. Your personal invitation honors us", said Earl von Kleingrün surprised. He was a slightly overweight young man with light blond hair and grey eyes.

"Especially since we belong to the country gentry", added Earl von Aue. He was very tall, solid two meters, and very slim. He had cut his black hair short so that he was almost bald.