Tale of Time

Wives Old Nightmare

The single line of mourners never uttered a word as they said goodbye to someone who had been the biggest legend that they would ever have. The light around them was mournful and seemed to be holding something back as if it too could sense the misery coming from all those there.

A tall woman was holding her head into her hands, crying. The widow.

Two younger adults holding each other close with un-noticed tears. The closest thing to children.

A man standing up straight with shoulders slumped slightly. The commander and best friend.

Another man seeming to hold the rest of the place up, anger in his eyes. The King.

The king's daughter and her husband watching silently, feeling only slightly out of place. The closest thing to a niece and nephew.

And all others, coming to witness the event that none of them believed to be true. It had to happen one day after all. But he was still young.

'He was too young,' one of the children sobbed to the other. Tears poured down his face and no move was made to rid him of them.

'I know,' the woman comforted him the best she could.

The king made his way over to the two. He gave one nod of his head and the two nodded back in greeting.

Almost at once the king slumped. The important part was over and he was now able to let his grief show. He looked up to the crestfallen sky and walked off, herded to another area by his own daughter and son-in-law.

The two children walked over to the commander. He looked at them with blank eyes. It was him who had given the ill-fated mission out and he knew it. If only the dead could have argued with him, trying to not accept it. Then he could feel guiltier about killing his own best friend.

The long walk to coffin was only made longer by the fact that everyone was laden down with heavy hearts.

Maybe, just maybe, if Will thought about the day that Halt was buried, he would recognise the look in Ethan's eyes.