CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The funeral took place the next day, with the entire town in attendance. Only a few knew the truth of how the boy died, but how he died didn’t matter to the people present. Why it had occurred was what bothered them the most. All were aware a war was coming but none was prepared for a child to have been killed. Jeremy had filled in General Traug when he had returned about what happened. They had lost the trail of the men who had killed Robyn, but the news was not a surprise to the king. With the Order behind them, he would have been surprised if they had been caught.
Meechie had decided to oversee the funeral, something that did surprise the king, seeing as Robyn was not one of their order. He could only assume Korben had convinced his old friend to do it. Slowly the soldiers carried the casket by the throngs of people. Following behind, as was custom, came the king. Korben on one side, Olrond on the other. At the front of the procession was Meechie, chanting and singing songs to Allorethna, asking her to keep Robyn safe on his journey to her.
As they came closer to the royal cemetery, tears started to stream down the Jeremy's face. They were not just for Robyn, but for all of the men in front of him and the townsfolk they had walked past. Soon, funerals may become a daily occurrence, a thought that did not sit well with him. Death was always a part of war, and this war was not going to be any different. Jeremy could not push the thoughts from his mind. Soon many would die, and for what? To save the kingdom from a greedy duke and his friends? Was it really worth the risks? So many things going through his mind, he did not even notice they had arrived at Robyn’s burial site.
Jeremy made his way to stand next to Meechie. The king was not required to say anything about someone who was not part of his family, but he felt he should.
“Robyn was not of royal blood, but he had been a part of my household for the last two years and with no family of his own, I felt it only right to place his body here. It always saddens me to see someone so young die, but his death will not be in vain. Duke Dubar and Baron Lychen threaten our livelihood, and this is something I cannot allow. You are my subjects, but you are also my family. We will thwart these attempts to take our lands from us, and push them out of the Central Lands for good.”
The clapping and cheering was so loud, no one heard the end of his speech. Jeremy did not mind though, he was just glad that despite everything which had happened, his people still believed in him. He moved off and let Meechie finish the ceremony, then Robyn was laid to rest. Everyone gathered inside the palace ballroom for the wake, and Jeremy was glad to see the townsfolk were in high spirits, even with Robyn’s death hanging over the room. “If only it could last,” he muttered to himself. Tomorrow the townsfolk would start moving inside.