Saving Her Duchy

Caroline's Funeral

Echo buttoned her dress up with shaky hands. She felt emotionally drained, having cried for thirty minutes this morning. Echo grabbed the bundle of white orchards and quietly walked out of the attic.

Ricki was asleep at the table, and pieces of paper scattered around her. Echo smiled softly at her friend. The poor girl must be so exhausted, having worked herself to the bone and growing a kid that Penny said she must give birth to. Afterwards, Ricki can do whatever she wants with the baby.

Echo told Ricki she should try and abort it, but Penny told her she saw the child's future. The witch did say that Ricki could give the baby up for adoption after she gave birth, and Ricki said she would consider that option.

Echo left the house, shutting the door behind her quietly. She walked down the cobbled path that led from Ricki's front door to a small gate. Echo opened the door, making a face when it creaked, and walked down the street. Why the funeral was happening at an ungodly hour, Echo did not know.

What she did know was that a group of people were in charge of the funeral. Echo hasn't met them since they remained anonymous, but she did know that it was a large group.

Fortunately, a messenger came to Echo with an envelope, containing the information of where the funeral was held. Weirdly enough, a stamp with a sigil had closed the envelope. Unfortunately, Echo couldn't make out what the shape of the sigil was.

As Echo made her way to the edge of Asiren, she wondered how fancy the group of people had to be to send her an envelope with a sigil. Weren't sigils usually used by important people?

Echo reached the borders of the duchy and looked at the view. It was still dark, so Echo couldn't see anything. But she knew the view was beautiful. On a clear day, you could see the palace from there.

Was Echlia beautiful?

Echo shook her head. Echlia wasn't real, so how could it be real?

Hearing footsteps behind her Echo turned around to see four guards and four knights wearing white and gold armour marching to her. Swords were strapped to their sides, some encrusted with sapphires and rubies.

They acknowledged Echo with a nod of their head before forming a line, four guards on one side, and four knights on the other. Echo wondered who they were waiting for. And why were there knights?

A man climbed up the hill, huffing. His sun beaten skin was shiny with sweat. He carried a red lantern in his hand. The lantern was lit, so Echo was able to see a Swan mid-flight.

More people started arriving, and a woman gave Echo her lantern. Echo looked at the lantern, wondering what was happening. How was this a funeral? She looked around and watched everyone release their lanterns. Echo pushed hers into the air and felt herself grow lighter.

She knew how this was a funeral. This was the people's way of saying goodbye. Tears spring to Echo's eyes, and she took a shaky deep breath in. Hearing rustling behind her, Echo looked over her shoulder to see the people with their fists in the air, tears in their eyes.

"May Lady Caroline live long!" They cried, and Echo felt very confused.

What was going on?

They lower their fists and turn, walking away. A knight looked at Echo.

"We wait for you, m'lady." He said, then walked away, the guards and knights following him.

Later that day, Echo was sitting in the garden with a cup of tea. Penny sat down next to her and sighed. Echo hummed with agreement.

"How was the funeral?" Penny asked.

Echo rolled her eyes. "Aunt Caroline's funeral was weird. These people showed up and released a bunch of lanterns. Then, with their fists in the air, they yelled,'May Lady Caroline live long'." She rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to think they're part of an inside joke my aunt had told me."

"Oh? What kind of joke was it?" Penny asked.

Echo laughed. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me." Penny said.

"My aunt told me I was nobility." Echo rolled her eyes. "It's ridiculous that her last words were to tell me the 'family secret'."

Penny went quiet. Echo glanced at the witch who sat next to her.

"Right?" She asked.

Penny sighed. "You're a siren, right?" She asked Echo, who nodded. "I've done a ton of research in my time away, and I have discovered... information. One of the information was that siren's status were distinguished by their hair colour. If their hair colour was white, they were a commoner. Purple hair colours were royalty. And blue hair colour was nobility."

Echo was the one that went quiet this time. Penny looked at Echo.

"I'm not saying it means you're special. But maybe you shouldn't laugh at Caroline's revelation. Especially after what happened at the funeral." She sighed and looked at the garden before them. "After all, my family were noble. My mother was a common witch. And my father was a lord."

With that said, Penny got up and walked inside, leaving Echo with a cold cup of tea and a ton of thoughts.