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Chapter 35 - Cortege

The funeral cortège advanced slowly with pomp and circumstance.

The death of the Queen Mother was the biggest event in Royal history since the death of Fillun's parents some years before.
Now that the Queen Mother was dead, there was no figurehead to represent the country, and the people felt that their country was being taken over by Cavonian soldiers.

First went the carriage with the coffin of the Queen Mother. After this went Fillan's cousins, aunt and uncle, who were the closest living relatives known to the public as being part of the royal family. These were people who were being subdued by the Cavonian soldiers in the palace. They had agreed to continue allowing the soldiers to run the government, and to represent the country in any international affairs.

The four Horsemen followed the funeral cortege, a few lines back. They had put their livery of the royal family on their horses, to indicate that they were horsemen belonging to the Royal family. Because they were not wearing very bright or colorful clothes, but rather the brown sack cloth of horsemen, no one paid much attention to them.

When the funeral cortege arrived at the cathedral, the carriage containing the coffin of the Queen Mother stopped, and was carried by footmen into the cathedral. After this followed Fillun's cousins, aunt and uncle; and slowly the funeral cortege processed into the cathedral, following the coffin.

The priest spoke of a Queen Mother who had been loyal to her country, respectful to the invaders, and who had been a very good family woman all through her life.

The priest wasn't sure - nor were anyone else - whether the uncle and aunt would take over as the reigning king and queen of Velastria. As a result, he could not claim them to be the holders of these positions, but just to remember and refer to them as members of the royal family.

A few rows back from the royal family members, were the four horsemen. Again they were not being given much attention, but they had raised eyebrows as to why such lowly people should be in the main our upper part of the cathedral as if they were part of the royal family.

However the bishop thanked them for their service and recognized them as providing protection and safety to the Royal family.

With a flourish of the trumpet, the coffin went back out of the cathedral, followed by members of the royal family, the rest of the funeral cortege, including the four Horsemen.

The funeral cortege now proceeded to the Royal cemetery which was part of the castle complex, where a private burial service began. The only people attending by now were members of the royal family and royal staff including the horsemen.

It was very difficult for Fillun to remain in character and attend his grandmother's funeral, without being to grieve openly. But he could not have other people understand who he was. He knew that at this juncture, it was important that he should remain anonymous. For this reason, he was careful not to show any emotion, and stayed quiet with the other horsemen as they retreated from the funeral ceremony.

In the staff quarters, the horsemen were accommodated, with four separate small rooms, and were given lodging for both them and their horses for the night, as well as dinner at the kitchen table in the palace kitchen.

Later that night Bonnar and Fillun had a serious talk about how they could move forward to achieve the goals that they had already set in mind.