The Affairs of Mortals

Chapter 26

Vero walked slowly into the temple aviary. She felt stiff and tired from the previous day's investigation, which had revealed nothing in the end.

The temple of the Veiled One was only a couple hours ride from the castle, but they had taken such a somber pace that most of the morning had already passed when they arrived. Jean was beside her and lent his arm for support. She had decided not to resist any emotion for the time being. Once the funeral was over, she would have no time for anything besides her work. She did not intend to rest until she found the one responsible and extracted vengeance.

The main temple was an austere, but impressive, dome of white marble. Beneath it were the catacombs of the Marquis de Fer, where Jean's father's sepulcher resided. Beside the main temple there was also a small commoners' mausoleum with a pyre for the local miners and the metal workers from the city. Antoinette's funeral was being held in the main building and Jean gently guided her inside.

From above them, far up in the vaulted dome, came the cacophonous calls of countless crows. Other than the two of them, the chamber's only living human habitant was the funerary priestess who stood beside Antoinette, preparing her for the ritual. After the autopsy, Aeolus had sewn the body closed again as best he could. She now lay under a white shroud on the marble funeral bier. The priestess ignored them and continued her work.

It was terribly cold in the chamber, and after sitting for a few minutes Jean bundled them both up in his cloak as they waited. Vero hid beneath it to obscure her tears. On the periphery of the room there was seating for the bereaved, and at intervals more mourners began to trickle in and take their places. Vero saw some of Antoinette's fellow servants, as well as an older couple who must have been her parents. Finally, the Marquise arrived with her maids. She approached Vero and Jean right away.

"Are you alright dear? This must have been a terrible shock."

The Marquise directed the question at Vero, and she managed a weak nod in reply.

Jean's wife whispered a few words to her husband, then moved to Antoinette's parents. She took a seat next to them where she did her best to comfort the distressed mother.

Once everyone was in attendance, the priestess began to recite the funeral prayers in Liturgical with a loud and deep voice. Incense had been placed around the body at each compass point and the whole chamber began to fill with thick, fragrant smoke which left Vero feeling lightheaded. As the rites continued, she soon found herself sobbing uncontrollably.

The priestess maintained her chanting and began to cover the body in white poppy petals. Her voice was rising higher and higher in tambour until the whole temple seemed to be reverberating from it. Then it abruptly ceased. The shroud was torn away and the crows descended in a mass, covering the body entirely and tearing it to pieces.

The birds feeding frenzy lasted only a few minutes before there was nothing left but a skeleton and traces of poppy petals. With the funeral over, the priestess doused the incense and retired from the room. She was accompanied by several acolytes who emerged at the very end of the ceremony to take the bones away. They would be ground up that evening and her parents would be given a pinch to place in their family urn.

Jean helped Vero to her feet. Before they could leave, they were approached by Antoinette's father with red and puffy eyes.

"Thank-you for sponsoring this funeral, my Lord. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"It was the Dame Veronique who requested it, and I could not in good conscience do otherwise."

"Yes, thanks to you as well, my Lady. Antoinette spoke of you very highly when she came home. She told us what a close friend you had been to her these past months."