CHAPTER 38
— SIR, EVERYTHING IS READY — Ian Clark said.
Noah nodded and watched his secretary leave. At this point he allowed himself to cry a little more... Even though he was considered a good match, he never imagined that his story with Charlene Midleton would end like that. He admitted that she had been the only woman he had truly loved in his entire life…she was the mother of his two children.
A few minutes later, he went to meet them, who were already properly dressed, for the funeral of the heroine mother.
— Why, Daddy?
— Your mother was a hero, my dear, she lived and died like one, you have to be very proud of her.
They nodded.
— I'm sure she's very proud of you and the strength you're showing today.
The two boys hugged their father, and that photo somewhat revived the distorted image that the tabloids tried to tarnish, of an uncommitted bachelor, the brother of a promiscuous boy.
NOAH AND HIS TWO CHILDREN, Harry and Phillip, arrived at St. George and saw the coffin covered with the flag of England.
— Will we ever see Mom again, Dad?
— If we're as good as she is, yes, my dear.
An SBS officer approached them and stood at attention. He saluted, Noah knowing the protocols, straightened his body in respect of the military salute, accompanied by his sons.
— It has been an honor to serve under Major Midleton, sir.
Noah condescended and extended his right hand to shake.
— I'm sure she was the best officer our country has ever had.
Major Charlene Mideton's coffin was wrapped in the British flag, and carried by six foot soldiers, to Brookwood Cemetery, located in the town of Woking , in the county of Surrey . Also known as the Necropolis of London, it was established by the Necropolis Company of London in 1852 , to house the bodies of Londoners , as the city was having difficulty accommodating its growing population, both dead and alive. designed by architect William Tite in 1854 , it was then the largest cemetery in the world, over two hundred and forty thousand people were buried at Brookwood.
A military cemetery was added in 1917 and contains some of the dead from the First and Second World War . A military memorial was built in 1958 . Memorized there is also Edward the Martyr , King of England, whose relics are kept in the Orthodox Church of St Edward the Martyr.
Before the ceremony began, which was shown live on television, a World War II plane flew over the site and 14 soldiers fired three salutes of honor.
The Hughes family asked the public to stay at home, as per official instructions. Thousands of people wrote messages in a condolence book posted on the internet.
— You've probably noticed when watching movies or witnessing some important military ceremony — Hughes began in his speech — like a funeral that twenty— one shots are fired into the air. The number and tradition are not random, and the origin dates back to the Middle Ages . It all started during that period, when European knights, when burying high — ranking soldiers, fired three shots in the air — in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Noah Hughes looked at the Bishop of Canterbury, who nodded, and continued.
— With the aim of warding off evil spirits, but there is also the possibility that the shots are another way of getting into a disarming position, which can also be done by lowering the ends of swords, removing helmets or firing cannons. It is from the firing of the cannons — a gesture used by ships when approaching land to indicate that the ammunition was being used up and, therefore, they did not have hostile intentions, that comes the explanation for the 21 shots. Seven was the maximum salvo of fire on board, and it was to be answered three times by anyone on land, with 21 shots to demonstrate that they were prepared to defend themselves.
He looked at the two sons who had their heads down and held back the emotion.
— In the early 18th century, the British government recognized the gesture and authorized the Royal Navy to use the 21 shots to honor members of the Royal Family . From 1808, this became the official way of honoring royalty, however, there are men and women who with their heroic acts manage to break protocol and Major Charlene Midleton, who I was proud to be married to her for a beautiful fifteen years and gave me the best children anyone could dream of, is without a doubt, deserving of all honors, be they military, civilian or even royalty.
Noah took a deep breath and held on to the pulpit as hard as he could.
— And you can be absolutely sure that this affront to England will be retaliated in the same currency, we will not accept, under any circumstances, terrorist attacks on English soil and we will arrest those responsible for this, even if that is the last thing I do as Prime Minister from one of the biggest countries in the world.