ROYAL BLOOD

The Funeral

CANNA EMPERIAL PALACE

Yumi was seated in her husband's office, signing some papers, when a guard walked in.

"My queen, there is a man named Kaal asking to be let in." The guard said, and Yumi paused in her tracks. She raised her gaze, her blue crystal eyes hidden under a thick pair of lashes. Her black hair was styled into a braided fishtail.

"Let him in." Yumi said, putting down the feather pen on the desk. She placed both her gloved hands on her lap. She had a strict countenance, but her beauty couldn't be hidden.

The guard nodded before turning around to take his leave. Soon an old man with grey-white hair made his way into the room; his face was filled with disdain.

"Kaal? What a pleasant surprise; I thought you would have been on your way to Hamstung by now." Yumi said immediately she caught sight of him.

"You venomous woman," Kaal spat out in spite, his voice firm but calm.

"How could you? How could you kill the king, Yumi! He screamed, and Yumi scoffed. She focused her gaze on the golden ring on her finger.

'What makes you think I killed the king…Kaal? She asked and then slowly raised her gaze. She started drumming her lean fingers on the desk in front of her.

"Don't play games with me, Yumi… I saw it. I saw it in my visions; you killed him…you killed your own husband, you vile woman! Kaal gritted his teeth, and Yumi gazed at him, her gaze fierce but at the same time nonchalant.

"Did your visions also tell you why I did it? She asked, picking up the feather pen in front of her.

"Why? Why you did it doesn't matter, Yumi! You killed him after making love to him so that he would be vulnerable." Kaal's plain black gown dragged along the wooden floor as he inched forward.

"What I did, I did for the best of everyone, Kaal." Yumi said, opening a sealed letter in front of her.

"You liar, you did this for your selfish interest; you are blinded by hatred, by revenge!

"What would you have done if you were in my shoes, Kaal! Yumi screamed, pushing the chair she was sitting on backwards, and rose to her feet.

"My daughter died in the hands of those people. They betrayed us; they gifted us Katie's corpse! Gothem looked me right in the face and told me fighting for her wouldn't be worth it! Yumi clenched her fist.

"He was right. Yumi, you are building an army of soldiers and leading them straight to their doom. Gothem was right to have said it wasn't worth it; Katie died for her sin—she betrayed the king, her husband, and slept with another man! Kaal inched forward, his hunchback clearly conspicuous.

"If that's what you think, Kaal, then you are no different from Gotham." Yumi said and wanted to walk out on him.

"You have always hated that man, Yumi.' Kaal began, and she paused in her tracks without turning around.

"From the very beginning, you hated the whole idea of getting married to Gothem… because he killed the man you loved just to get you." Kaal said, rubbing his ancestral necklace.

Yumi's face became slightly softened…

"Haron was a good man, and he died for nothing…he died for loving me! Yumi turned around to gaze at Kaal, and the latter did the same.

"He was no king; he didn't have a penny to his name, but at least he made me feel like a woman, not a toy that could be dumped and forgotten! Yumi took some steps forward, not breaking her gaze away from Kaal.

"What you did cannot be justified, Yumi. I will not support this injustice; the right thing to do is to turn you out to the councils." Kaal's flabby jaw clenched.

Yumi gazed at him with apparent amusement and then smiled faintly; she took some steps closer to the old man.

"You can get justice for Gotham, you can do the right thing by exposing my treachery…but you won't." Yumi inched closer to her body, almost colliding with the old man.

"Not because you don't have the evidence, not because I can easily deny it and go scout-free…but because you love me." Yumi's lips tugged with a smug smile.

"What do you mean? Kaal asked, taking a step backward.

"I have seen the way you look at me, Kaal, your eyes gazing at me with a yearning that was left unfulfilled. You want me…don't you?

Kaal didn't deny it.

"My feelings towards you are that of a father to his child, nothing more." Kaal said, keeping a straight face.

"You can lie to me, Kaal, but you can't lie to the gods. Swear it….now before me, if you don't have feelings for me, then your heart is pure you are free of any turmoil, but if I am right…If you do have feelings for me, I curse you; you will lose your divine visions!

Kaal's eyes reddened as he gazed at Yumi; he simply walked past her without uttering a word.

"Kaal, if there is any conscience left in your soul, then tell me…will I win this war? Yumi's blue eyes became cold.

Kaal didn't pause in his steps….

"It doesn't matter if you will win or not, Yumi; whatever the answer is, you are simply too blinded by revenge to reconsider your decision."

Yumi turned around and gazed at him…

"You are leaving…. I haven't asked you to leave, Kaal." She said calmly.

The latter suddenly paused in his tracks and then slightly tilted his head.

"I don't take orders from a traitor." He said before walking away.

Yumi clenched her fist….

Immediately Kaal got to his chamber, he locked himself in and instantly fell on his knees with his face kissing the ground.

"I have lusted against a married woman who is now a widow; she has cursed me. Gods, take what you want, be it my life or my vision; I must pay for my sins one way or another.

***************

DECREASE ROYAL CASTLE

The cold night breeze blew, curtains swayed, and insects chirped. In a room lit up with candles on different iron candle stands was a lady reclining by the window.

Her brown eyes were drained of life, her rosy lips were chapped, and her face wore a sorrowful countenance. Her black hair, which was let down, swayed as the wind from outside hit her face, and the moon reflected in those brown hazel eyeballs.

Micah was dressed in a black regalia gown with golden embroidery on the waistline; it had long sleeves. The sleeves were slim-fitted from her shoulder to her elbows but became flared from her elbow down to her wrist.

She no longer looked unkempt; she was properly dressed and well taken care of.

A slight knock on the door jolted Micah back from her thoughts.

She quickly wiped the tears that were trickling down her face, and she languidly made her way to the door and opened it.

She came face-to-face with a maid. "My lady, it is time." The maid said, Then lead the way.

Micah followed her from behind; they followed the path leading to the garden. Soon they got to a large opening outside; it was a colossal field. This was where Ragaleon practiced his archery.

There were guards lined up on both sides, forming a path up to the stick pile. The guards were holding up an oil lamp, which illuminated the place.

Micah's eyes landed on the pile of wood her father's corpse was laid on. It was like a wooden bed, made up of sticks.

Berth was holding a fire stick in her hand; the flames were reflected in her blue eyes. She was standing beside Ragaleon, who was wearing a red vest with long sleeves, enveloped by a black cloak with no hoodie; the cloak looked like a cape. His fingers were concealed with black hand gloves.

He gazed at Micah with his dark brown eyeballs; his shoulder-length black hair was let down, making him look breathtaking.

Micah looked around…. Berth and Ragaleon were the only ones here.

"I didn't deem it fit to invite the rest of the royal family; it's your father's funeral. I reckoned you would need some alone time with your sister." He said, taking a step forward.

Micah didn't say anything to him; she shifted her gaze to Berth. She caused this; they weren't even supposed to be here in the first place.

"I would take my leave." Ragaleon said when he saw that Micah had nothing to say.

"Stay." Micah whispered but didn't turn to look at him.

"My Lord, you are very much welcome to stay; we would like you to be present while we perform the final rites of our father." Berth inches forward.

Ragaleon paused in his movement, then turned around and stood erect.

Micah glared at her sister knowingly; she could see it. Her sister was infatuated by the king's charm.

Micah simply walked up to Berth and took the fire touch from her. She slowly made her way to where her father's corpse was, with the fire touch in her hand.

Her hands shook as she made her way to the stick bed she was to set ablaze. Tears stung her eyes as she drew closer; her body trembled. Suddenly she slowly falls on her knees in front of the woodpile where her father's corpse was laid.

"I can't do it." She cried, her body looking fragile under the moonlight.

Berth gazed at her sister, her eyes filled with remorse. She slowly made her way to where Micah sat on the ground, with her head hanging down as she cried her heart out, her voice getting louder by the moment.

"Micah, you have to get yourself together. This is Father's final rite; you have to perform it. We must send his perfect soul to rest for good." Berth said when she got to where her sister was.

She slowly helped Micah up to her feet…

"He would have done anything to protect me, but I couldn't protect him." Micah said as she sniffed hard, she slowly rose to her feet with her sister's help.

"I believe he is watching us from up there." Berth, she said, gazing at the stars above in the dark sky.

"He wouldn't want to see you cry like this. Instead be happy…that he is in a safer place." Berth suddenly shifted her gaze to Micah.

"When did you grow up so fast? Micah smiled faintly; she tightened her grip on the fire touch.

Berth placed her hand on her sister's hand; together they held the fire touch and took a few steps forward.

"Today we are present here to send away the soul of a precious man, Jahad Ferdinand. May his perfect soul rest in peace." The priest said before giving them a signal to light up the pile.

"Ready? Berth asked as they both stretched out their hand to set the pile on fire.

Micah glanced at her father's corpse for a while before finally shifting her gaze to Berth…. "Ready!

With their hands entwined on the fire stick, they both lit up the pile, the four edges, and soon the pile burst into flames.

They both stood aside and watched their father's corpse burn, with their hands wrapped around each other's waist.

They had totally forgotten Ragaleon's existence; he was like an invisible piece of furniture. Ragaleon gazed at them from where he stood before slowly turning around and walking away.