The Deathly Scream - 𝟙

༒ Eighty-nine ༒

⇺             ⇻ ♕ ⇺             ⇻

I stand next to the coffins when the Great Hall fills with people. Our staff, our citizens, our family. Everyone would be able to follow the funeral. This would be the last hard moment of saying goodbye to the people I loved so much.

A tear rolls down my face when I lay my hand on Val's coffin, standing on the tribune completely alone. I had asked to put Levi's coffin next to hers, but of course they had to put it a little more in the back. For most people Levi had only been a soldier in the army, but for me he had been a brother, my best friend and a boy that once was in love with me.

A warm hand on my shoulder wakes me up from my thoughts and behind me Cameron and Theodore give me a compassionate look. I couldn't care less at this point and hug Cameron tight, Theodore joining us when I spread my arms wider. I cried in their arms, I wasn't ready for this moment at all.

'I'm sorry', Theo whispers when I start sobbing. I couldn't answer. This whole scene made it more real than I had ever imagined.

'The camera's started rolling', Cam whispers in my ear. I release myself from both of them slowly, wiping the tears of my face when I see they are filming the whole funeral even before it has started. I look over at the coffins, seeing Jade stand by Levi's when I walk over to her, leaving the men behind.

'He deserved more', Jade whispers when I take her arm.

'He did', I agree. In the front row I could see my father with next to him Sir Woods, both of them more devastated than I had ever seen them. They both lost a child.

On the other side of my father Elliott sits down, staring at the ground. I still could tell he wasn't feeling good, no one did. Jade cries against my shoulder when the priest walks over to us, placing a picture of Val on one coffin, and one of Levi on the other.

'We have to start, princess Rosalia', he whispers with a compassionate look. I nod softly, leading Jade back to her place next to her auntie. The whole Great Hall was decorated black and white with some roses. Valentina used to love roses as much as I loved hunting deer. I take my seat at the side of the tribune, looking over at the people in the hall with behind me the three candidates.

I was the only one of my family who was going to say something, the paper in my hands shaking a little when I realised I had to speak for whole Ethura, maybe even for the other Kingdoms in our world.

'You'll be fine', Cameron whispers when he leans a little forward. I turn to him slightly, seeing the concern in his eyes.

'I can't do this alone', I say panicked. He looks down for a moment, as if he is thinking when he looks back up questionable.

'I can stand by your side when you talk', he suggests. Ezra, who had been very absent the last days looks at him in disbelief, but doesn't say a word about it.

'Would you?' I ask hopeful. Cameron lays his hand on my shoulder, completely ignoring the fact that everyone can see us.

'I would do anything for you', he reminds me softly and I smile at him.

'What?' Theodore asks confused when he looks from Cameron to me. Both of us laugh for a moment by the look on his face.

'Honestly Sinclair, you seriously hadn't seen that one coming?', Ezra notices annoyed. We all turn to the front when everyone goes quiet and the priest walks towards the tribune, followed by two rows of guards holding candles.

I stare at everyone's faces, most of them desperate, others crying hard when I try to get control over my nerves. Once the priest stands on the tribune and the candles are placed in front of it, a short piano melody sounds through the whole hall, reminding me of something I had heard in the past. My gaze goes to Elliott quickly, who looks encouraging at me.