Quietus323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNnD56bmI5
Twelve full moons had passed and Lazmet finally vanquished the rebellion in Asvhe. He and his men were settling loose ends before sailing back to Paucusia in three days time. Since their battle ended, endless clamours and liquors filled their base camp. Asvhenian whores and courtesans were brought to them for their triumph. There were no dull nights as strum of instruments accompanied by Asvhenian performances carved the happiness of the soldiers.
Across a long rectangular table in his quarters, Prince Lazmet sits on a chair while scribbling reports of the success annihilation against Asvhenians.
A soldier went in and bowed beside him. "My liege, the handmaiden of the Queen is here to see thee," he said and an old lady entered his lodge.
He put the quill on the ink and looked at the old lady.
"Your Highness," the handmaiden stooped.
The soldier bowed again and took his leave.
Lazmet raised his brows. "What brought you here?" He asked.
The handmaiden raised her face and looked at him. It was gloomy. "I am here by the behest of the Queen," she began. "She told me to let thee know directly," she said. She was about to open up her mouth again but hesitated and inhaled deeply.
Lazmet furrowed his brows. "What is it?" He questioned.
The old lady bowed again. "Prince Taimek..." she said and sighed.
"What about my brother?" He asked.
The handmaiden stammered as she once again spoke again the young prince's name.
"What about him?" He reiterated, raising his voice.
She exhaled before speaking. "The crown prince had passed away," she said.
Lazmet's eyes widened. The clamour of the soldiers suddenly faded in his ears. For a moment, he thought his heart had stopped beating. "W-what?" he stuttered.
The handmaiden sniffed and wiped the crystal clear tears that had escaped from her eyes. "He had been ill for about a season and today as the sun appeared in the east, he had already breathed his last," the handmaiden uttered.
Lazmet felt as if his consciousness had escaped him for his feet act on itself and walked outside his lodge.
The singing and dancing drunken soldiers abruptly halted when they saw the prince standing dumbfounded across them.
The prince, however, shifted his gaze to the stables. He started stepping going there. His steps got faster and faster until he was half running. He went inside the stables and mounted a horse. He ignored the questioning looks of his men and galloped past them.
Lazmet travelled away from the camp to the path going to the docks. As soon as he arrived there, he found a small sailing boat. It was the boat that took people in and out of Paucusia to Asvhe. He had asked the man to bring him to the main province but he failed to recognize him as he was already drunk. No matter what he offered, he refused saying he had to go home. He sighed and pondered.
He scratched his nape and saw the golden bracelet he had earned in Ogra. He unclasped it and gave to the man. "Take it," he said. "Sell this and thou shall build another boat, mayhap two more boat. Rather, let me take thy boat this night," he offered.
The man took his bracelet and kept it inside his clothes. "Will thou be alright sailing this dark?" he asked.
"Do thou have anything I could light in this boat? If there is, thou have nothing to worry about," he said.
"There has storage underneath. Thou could scavenge anything there. It is thine now after all," the man said.
The prince uttered his gratitude and hurried going to the boat.
The man had helped him bring the boat to the sea before it went back to the shore and waved.
Lazmet sailed as fast as he could but it still cost him about a day to Paucusia. He was a distance from the shores but he could already hear the whipping agony of the people for the crown prince's death. He arrived just before the sun set in the west.
He landed to the dock and witnessed the long procession of the royal family accompanied by the high ranking officials, servants and soldiers. The King and Queen had cross erected everywhere they stopped. There were no horses aside from the two that drawn the young prince's wagon. Prince Lazmet walked closer to the procession standing with the crowd.
It took less than a minute for the people to recognize him. Someone shouted his name and everyone, including the royal family, looked at him. He did not care. He remained gazing the wagon carrying his brother's lifeless body. It was made of oak and had no cover. Prince Taimek was lying down in bed of flowers and was wearing his intricate golden tunic.
The people cleared a path for the prince. Lazmet walked toward the wagon. He climbed up. He was kneeling at the bed of flowers beside his brother and he touched him with trembling hands.
The King reacted but the Queen prevented him to act against the prince.
Tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down on Lazmet's cheeks. His chin quivered. The sobs were stifled at first as he attempted to control his grief, but the pain came out like an uproar from his throat and he screamed. He grabbed Taimek's body and hugged him.
Everyone heard his loud wailing that did not seem to stop as he hugged his brother tighter. He whipped and whipped.
The people could not help but cry silently with the prince. Their heart broke at the sight. Some kneeled while bewailing.
The King turned his back from the wagon. He felt his knees weakening and slowly it fell down to the cold road. He shut his eyes and silent tears dripped down to his chin. The heaving sobs in his throat formed into a silent scream.
The Queen walked toward the prince. She went up the wagon and embraced her two sons while her tears kept falling down from her eyes.
Moments had passed but everyone went on like that until the howls hushed down to muffle sobs.
"Come along now, son," the Queen whispered to Lazmet and she guided him going down of the wagon.
Lazmet had lost the strength to protest and let her mother drag him along the procession. He kept staring in nothingness, feeling numb and empty.
The King was in the same state but carried on the process of the burial.
Prince Taimek's viscera were buried in the synagogue, his body in the Tepes hill, and his heart in the memorial grounds of the palace.
All people from the long procession including the royal family retired in their quarters as soon as the ceremonies ended. If there was dispute to be discussed, no one insinuated to speak.
Even Prince Lazmet just kept lying down in his bed. He was not asleep though. He was just staring in the ceiling letting his tears fell by themselves. After a while, he found himself walking in the hallway of the Keep going to the chamber of his dead brother.
He went in and saw the room as it had always been - void of any expensive decorations, rather as simple as it could be. The young prince had always kept his life humble and he had always requested that his wealth be distributed to the people. He walked onto the soft mattress and sat down, grabbing a pillow. His fingers formed into fist crumpling the fabric of the pillow.
He remembered his little brother, not even as tall as his waist. They were playing. Taimek was giggling even by the slightest movement he did. His brother had always been a cheerful and bright kid. His happiness was shallow and had always kept his smiles even if Lazmet shouted at him.
The memories added more weight in his chest and his swollen eyes were beginning to get blurry with tears once again. He remembered the last time he saw him. It was a season ago when he said he had brought chamomile tea for him. He shut his eyes and felt the sorrow and misery slammed against him before he lost the feeling of feeling as he passed into the oblivion of unconsciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Footnotes:323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLC0j6iK4o
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgGhQiICbT
One Season = one year323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAJQiOI4Sr
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO1nwwcS8y
One full moon = one month323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxC2NZQsSTW
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJsyqTTQVp
Vizier - high ranking officials
