44 The Funeral V (1/2)
Tellingly, the current Head of the Assembly as well as a few other influential individuals kept to the funeral tradition and stood around one of the three other biers. If the silent battle of wills ever becomes a full-blown contest for power and control, those people would likely be the last deciders of who the winner will be. Whether they'll decide using their own convictions or through the influence of other forces, no one yet knows.
In her place at the lower-right side of her brother's casket, Hilde was as-yet untouched by the press of humanity around her. Raban and one other soldier stood to her right, another stood at her back. They would serve as her shield from the constant jostling and mad chaos that characterized the event to come: the funeral procession.
Inge, meanwhile, was in front of her. His status as a soldier and escort afforded him the right to stand right beside his late liege, but his placement owed more to his injuries; it was a kindness orchestrated by his older comrade.
Even among those who'd been around the casket since before, Inge alone had had no qualms gazing down at the pale corpse inside its rectangular box. Hilde herself had stolen only a few fleeting glances. The waxy sheen of death seemed to have dissipated from Prince Dieter's skin, or were her eyes merely playing tricks? Her brother's short-cropped silver hair glittered; the stark, proud features that were now frozen for eternity seemed to have become… softer. Under the blazing sunlight that was even now causing the flower petals' edges to wilt, he had somehow come to look like he was only asleep.
'Would Lothar also appear this way?' she wondered. Heart wrenching, she cursed the necessity that had forced her to choose family over a loved one. Out of irrational anger and jealousy, she cursed Leal too. Damn him for freely doing what she now couldn't do. What exactly did he mean by that action anyway, damn it?
Just then, a subtle groan pierced through her thoughts. She frowned as she looked at the man before her, who seemed to be struggling to keep his back straight. Her eyes strayed to his left hand. It hung by his side, and it seemed it too was struggling to keep itself from gripping one of the wheeled bier's handholds for support.
Under her breath, Hilde let out that impatient sigh she'd been holding in. ”Honestly, soldier,” she said, taking extra care that her voice would only carry to the surrounding men's ears. Luckily, the nonstop buzzing of other peoples' whispers served to mask hers. ”How useful do you think you'll be when you're in this state? You made your injuries worse earlier, didn't you? You ought to have opted out of the procession. Was there no other choice but to accept this punishment?”
Voice dry and also extremely quiet, it was Raban who volunteered, ”Truth be told, Princess, the fool asked for this himself.”
Hearing that made Hilde bite down her tongue. 'What does that mean?'
Inge was not fool enough to say his own piece while still facing forward. Pretending to want a better look at the Prince, he turned sideways and addressed his murmured words as if to his unhearing ears. ”I owe this much to a friend I failed.”
Whatever protest still left within Hilde deflated. ”You men and your codes,” she said in resignation.
Then she thought, sighing again, 'Just what am I supposed to do with a suicidal soldier? Would he even choose to last the day?'
Ahead of them, the head of the column consisting of the Royal Officiate, his assistants, and a small company of palace guards began to advance. Unfettered individuals were right at the their heels, and then, the first of the wheeled biers manned by four of the Prince's Guards and by the dead's family members began inching forward to follow suit.
”Inge,” called Hilde. Her voice was a little louder, and it had taken on the tone of command. ”It shames me to ask this of another injured person. I am not feeling well enough to do my own part in moving the Prince's bier. I'll need you to lend me your strength to honor him properly.”
The slightly older man hesitated, knowing as well as Hilde and the others did just what this order was really about. Pride and need warred briefly in his scowling eyes, then he recalled he actually had no choice in the matter. It was not a request.
”Yes, Princess.”