Chapter 13 - Funeral

Mother collapsed into my arms sobs shaking her body.

I held her head up so we could look into each other's eyes.

"Tell me what happened," I said in slow deliberate words.

"She was gone when I woke up," Mother hiccuped, "I went looking in the woods and I found her..."

I felt myself losing balance, "She was ill, how did she..."

"She must have needed something or..." Mother pulled something out of her pocket.

"When I found her I found these," She held out green stones.

The colour drained from my face, "Was anyone else there?"

"It's awful, skies above she didn't deserve..." The sobs started anew.

My brain was working one hundred miles an hour, I felt a horrible realization dawning on me, "Tell me something."

Mother stared at me looking more haunted than ever, "They killed her."

I felt my own legs give out, I wanted to scream, and plead but all I did was pull Mother closer, "Are you sure?"

"She was- she was stabbed," Mother choked out.

"I don't understand," I looked down at the stones, "Kit wouldn't hurt her."

"Kit?" Mother asked, "You knew about this."

I felt her grasp on me tighten.

"I did," I said, "They wouldn't have done this Mother."

Mother let out another sob, "I never saw anyone."

I felt my fist clenching around the stones. They at least must have been with her. They left her to die, they must have left her to die. How could they? Grandmother cared about them and they let her get killed. I corrected myself.

Grandmother was murdered.

"Ti-Ar," I called out.

He came running when he saw me and Mother.

"What has happened Ti-An," He asked.

"Mother, she's dead, she was stabbed," Mother hugged him.

To my surprise, he hugged her back.

"We'll make sure she has an honorable burial," He said softly, "We'll bury her near Hin-Ar."

I clutched the stones in my fists until they cut into my skin. I felt something harden in my heart and I found myself walking back into the dress shop.

Later in the evening, I sat with Ny-An. The fire made the green stones sewn into the hem of my skirt glitter. Ti-Ar sat with Ti-An he kept an arm around her.

Ti-An stayed near me and Ti-Ar for a few days until a burial could be arranged.

It seemed like they were going to make it into an occasion. I clenched my fists thinking of her, she deserved the world. How could I have left her to die?

Within a couple, quite a number of people had gathered. Grandmother's other sons came, but also several women who carried children and more official-looking Licnine.

These strange Licnine wore deep cloaks stained red like my dress. They spoke only among themselves but I caught them staring at me several times.

Finally, it came time for the burial. 

They seemed to have gone all out and I felt almost grateful. Several carriages arrived pulled by giant white catlike beasts. 

One of them carried Grandmother.

I stifled a sob when I saw her. They had surrounded her with wildflowers, threaded her hair with leaves, and covered her wounds. She looked almost peaceful if not for her paleness. I put my hand up against her carriage and whispered, "I'm so sorry, I should have saved you."

I ran a hand down the stones on my dress.

"I'm going to find the people who did this," My voice came out husky.

"Lit-An," A voice called out.

I turned to see it was one of the cloaked figures. There was something different about this one though, the cloak wasn't just red but shiny with gemstones and embroidered with gold. In their hand was a long staff topped with a swirling green ball.

I stared at them until it dawned on me, that this had to be the Master they all spoke of.

"I am sorry for your loss," They continued, I realized they must be a man because I could see no sign of long hair.

"I am sorry too," I replied coolly.

There was a beat of silence and I was sure this man was used to people falling at his feet. I couldn't care less right now.

"Qui-An was a good woman," I quipped, "Who was murdered."

"Yes," He replied in an equally stoney voice, "I will be riding in the procession and I hope you will join me."

"With due respect," I replied, "I think I should stay with my Mother."

There was another pause and then he replied, "I have invited your mother to ride with me as well. A great hero's daughter deserves nothing but the best."

I remembered how they'd treated Ti-An, "Funny you should say that now."

We both lapsed into silence and then I went to find Mother.

We sat behind the Master in the front carriage. Mother kept up a near-constant whimper and I shed tears silently.

We finally, after what felt like a small eternity, reached a meadow. In the center stood a tall and strangely colourful tree. The wheels on the carriages crunched on little stones but I only had eyes for the branches above me. They hung with berries and I remembered the stories about trees like this.

When we stopped I helped Mother out, someone had already dug out a grave next to the tree.

The Master stood at the base of the tree whilst four of Grandmother's older sons brought her toward it. I could not watch as they put her into the ground, not until I heard them replacing the soil.

No one spoke a word until the soil had been laid back down and flowers had been spread across it.

"May the skies bless you, Mother," Someone called out.

"May the skies bless you," Echoed back another.

I hung my head, "I'm so sorry, may the skies bless you, Grandmother."

A strange sound split through the air. 

I watched as a tree began to sprout from the grave. It entangled itself with the larger tree until they seemed to be caught in an embrace.

"She is at peace now," Ti-Ar whispered in my ear.