Chapter 32 - Mourning

Two days had passed since the fateful day. Lilly and Mia had moved in with Eolande while waiting for the house to be rebuilt, taking the enchanting room Lilly had used earlier.

Today was the day of the funeral, and they were currently getting dressed. Wearing black was the norm for close family, and today they would be the only ones.

“How are you feeling, Lilly?” Mia asked, touching Lilly’s shoulder gently.

Lilly was sitting in front of the mirror brushing her hair, choosing to leave it hanging down today. “I’m… mostly fine, I think. It still doesn’t feel quite real, that he’s gone.”

Mia looked at her in the mirror, nodding slowly. “I feel the same way. It just feels like he’ll be there, baking in the kitchen like usual.” Mia bent down to give Lilly a kiss on her cheek in support.

“Exactly. Even though I know both him and the bakery is gone, it’s… weird. Maybe it’s just our brains protecting us from the grief?”

“Maybe. Are you sure you want to be wearing the amulet?” Mia asked, looking worried.

Lilly glanced at the divine amulet hanging on her chest with disdain. “The least she can do is attend his funeral. I hope she’s watching, silently.”

Myndia had been quiet ever since she attacked Eolanathel, and Lilly hoped it was because she was feeling guilty. Her plans to bury the amulet deep in the quarry under a thousand tons of melted stone wouldn’t change either way, though.

Eolande called from the hallway. “We have to go soon, girls. They won’t start without us, but we don’t want to make people wait too long.”

“Coming,” Lilly said, getting up after a final glance in the mirror. Mia was also ready now, so they both walked out of the room and down to the living room.

Eolande was wearing a dark dress with a skirt. Lilly had never seen her wear a skirt before, so she appreciated the gesture. “The two of you look beautiful! It’s a shame we’re going to a funeral.”

“Thanks, Elly,” Lilly said, not quite in the mood for jokes.

Eolande seemed to catch on quickly and hurried them out of the house. “Let’s go, girls. We don’t want to keep… anyone waiting.”

Lilly suspected a suppressed joke was behind that pause and wondered what it could have been. ‘Keep… the dead waiting? Keep Gramps waiting? That’s a bit funny.’

As they left the house, Lilly glanced over at the ruins of her home, seeing the heap of flowers had grown even more since yesterday. Word had gotten around, and everyone wanted to show support for their hero.

On their way to the church, they could see thousands of people lining the streets. Everyone had somber expressions, and bowed to her as she passed, offering their silent condolences.

Lilly once again felt the warmth of the people of this city. A few tears of gratitude trickled out, and she smiled sadly at everyone as she kept walking.

They eventually reached their destination, where guards were stopping most people from entering. Lilly hadn’t seen any familiar faces in the crowd, giving her hope that the right people had been invited.

They entered silently as the guards let them through, walking the final steps into the church. The inside was wonderfully decorated, with banners and floating lights everywhere.

The coffin was very simple compared to its surroundings because it was the type Lilly’s Grandmother had been buried in. Gramps had insisted on using the same one.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Lilly looked around and found plenty of familiar faces: old neighbours, old regulars of the bakery, Mia’s family, Gallus, Selene, Daisy, and a hooded figure she didn’t quite recognize.

‘If I had to guess by the blonde hair and lithe build, I would say there’s a princess sitting over there… I’ll have to thank her later,’ Lilly thought, warmly surprised by her presence.

The three of them sat down in the front, with Lilly nearest the center and Mia sitting next to her. Mia grabbed her hand as soon as they sat down while giving Lilly a supporting look.

Lilly looked at the casket again, feeling strange inside. There it was, what remained of the person she had loved so dearly. The symbolism of it all made it feel real, and her tears started falling silently.

The priest said a bunch of words about Gramps returning to nature and meeting the ones he had missed. The words resonated with Lilly, who had used the same thoughts to make these past few days easier.

Mia was still holding her hand when the time came to carry him outside to the grave. While everyone stood, Lilly, Mia, Eolande, and Mia’s father, Michael, walked to their positions next to the coffin. Lilly looked around and saw tears on many faces. She still hadn’t wiped her own but chose to let them fall.

As the bell rang and the priest started walking, they carried the light casket out, past the onlookers, and into the graveyard. They had to walk a few hundred meters to get to the right spot, right next to the rest of Lilly’s family.

‘This better be the last family I ever have to bury,’ Lilly thought, feeling some anger at the cards she had been dealt by fate.

As they arrived next to the grave, they put the coffin down. Half of the people in the church had joined them to watch the end, standing in a circle as the coffin lowered into the ground.

Lilly glazed over at the grave, seeing the new name engraved under her Grandmother's.

Edward Baker

Here rests a man who baked sweetness into our world and forged a hero with gentle hands.

Lilly felt a lump in her throat and bit her lips together. She glanced over at her parents' grave for support, but the sight of the two-day-old bread on a plate broke her.

She sobbed, holding her hands to her face. Only a second went by before a black shoulder pressed itself against her face, supporting her once again in her grief.

Mia also started crying, perhaps seeing the bread Gramps had put by his daughter's grave a few hours before he died.

As the ceremony came to an end, Lilly gathered herself to receive the condolences of the people who had come. Mia’s father was the first one to come up to her, shake her hand, and give her a hug, closely followed by Mia’s mother, Nancy.

Some neighbors and regulars also came over, mostly giving handshakes and their condolences. The older ladies who had known Lilly all her life gave some warm hugs, but they quickly moved on.

Selene was next and ended up giving an awkward hug, trying her best to show she cared. Lilly understood that she was bad with emotions, and just smiled back at her knowingly.

Gallus also gave her a handshake and a warm smile. They had become fairly close business partners over the last few weeks, as Lilly needed materials for her training.

Daisy gave her a hug, looking to be on the verge of tears. It warmed Lilly’s heart to see her care so much, especially after their relationship started off so coldly.

The hooded figure appeared at the end, having stood a the edges until now. Lilly saw tears streaming down the little she could see of her face, which came as a surprise. After looking around nervously, she took off her hood, deciding it was fine with the few people remaining.

Tears were still falling from her eyes, and she looked very touched. “My deepest condolences, Lilly. I never knew your grandfather, of course, but seeing you like this really… made me emotional.” She wiped a tear with her hand before giving Lilly a short but gentle hug.

“I appreciate it, Adelia. I was surprised to see you here, but I’m glad you came.”

“Of course! I consider you a good friend of mine, and you’ve done another great service to our country. I would feel horrible if I didn’t support you today, knowing what I do.”

Lilly smiled. “Will you be staying for a while, or is your visit more secret than last time?”

“I’ll have to leave soon; Claude is waiting for me. But I will come again soon, to discuss certain things.” She put the hood on again, getting ready to leave.

“I look forward to it,” Lilly replied, waving to her as she left.

Only the three of them were left now, looking down at the coffin in the ground. Lilly had Mia on her right side and Eolande on her left, and she felt grateful for all the support she had received.

Looking at the two graves, she felt the sudden urge to start baking every morning—two breads instead of one.