Tannix's mother was still Lady West Draulin, and she would be, Acen explained to me, until she either died or chose to step down. With Tandrin out of the way, Tannix had inherited the city immediately after his father's death. Even if he had a wife, Lady Clairia would have held her title. I didn't quite understand who had more power. Clairia had experience and age on her side, but she had married into the title whereas Tannix had been born into it.

She certainly seemed to have more power, when she announced that they would be holding a funeral for Lord Tandrael before discussing the war at length. Apparently, Tandrin and Queen Esmeranda had sent messages to King Deorun, and were waiting for some sort of reply. No further attacks had happened, so both kingdoms were just anxiously waiting to see what was next. Lady Clairia took the time for a funeral.

It wasn't nearly as grand as Lord Tandrael deserved. There wasn't time for a big parade through the city. Instead, his body was placed in the Teltish church. The people couldn't visit to pay their respects because it was too risky to let strangers into the fortress. The only visitors allowed were the nobles who had flocked to West Draulin as the news spread. Everyone who lived and worked within the fortress was given time off to visit the church, and they trickled in and out all morning.

I was in the church all morning, because Tannix was in the church all morning. He sat on a long bench, between his mother and Tairia. Sometimes, visitors would stop to talk to Tannix and his family. When Roland briefly visited Lady Clairia beckoned him to sit with them for a moment. A lady I recognized as Tannix's cousin, and a man who was probably her husband, also sat with them for some time.

I hovered nearby against the wall with Acen. The other knights rotated through during the day. Sometimes I found myself staring in Tannix's direction, wishing I could sit with him. Other times I looked around the church.

It really was a beautiful building. It was long and narrow, with very high arched ceilings that were painted. Colourful glass windows lined the highest parts of the walls. The images they created were hard to make out, but I saw some people, flowers, an ocean scene with ships, and what might have been a battleground. Under the windows, huge tapestries covered the walls with similar images. Long benches sat in rows the entire length of the church, all facing a raised dais. Lord Tandrael's coffin sat on the dais, flanked by elaborate candelabras. The wall behind the dais was decorated with a huge painting of a woman wearing a flowing white dress.

There were a few rooms leading off of the main hall, but since the Telts didn't have multiple gods and goddesses who would need their own alcoves, I wasn't sure what they were for. I had never been in a Teltish church before. There wasn't one like it in Zianna. The city was too old—there wasn't room to build a new enormous building. Instead, the Telts had taken over our old temple in the upper city, destroyed our statues, and put in their own paintings. But they hadn't changed the building itself, and so the Zianna church was nothing like this one.

So, alternating between admiring the church and watching Tannix, the morning slowly passed by.

In the afternoon, the actual ceremony took place. The benches were filled with nobles, guards and servants. I stayed on the wall next to Acen, who still hadn't taken a break.

The priest arrived and stepped up to the dais. When he started speaking, he barely seemed to be raising his voice, but everyone was so quiet he was easy to hear. I didn't understand the beginning of his speech, I didn't know enough about what Telts believed in.

"We gather with the blessing of the Goddess, who with her infinite power created this world and everything on it. We thank her for the wonder that is our lives."

He paused, and the crowd replied, "And she blesses us."

"We thank her for all the lives that have been lived, and the souls that now have a place in her Realm."

"And she protects them," the crowd replied.

"We thank her for guiding our ancestors to this land of bounty. We thank her for our rich farmland and the plentiful fish."

"And she feeds us."

"We thank her Prophets for spreading her wisdom and her Laws."

"And she blesses them."

"We thank her for her patience, as we pray and worship her. For we are flawed, but she is perfect. When we make mistakes, she forgives us. When we ask for help, she is always ready."

"And she listens."

Every time the crowd replied, I whispered a prayer to Zianesa. She would understand that I was in the church for Tannix, not for his Goddess. She wouldn't be angry with me, I just hoped she would be able to hear my prayers through the chanting.

"We gather today for a very solemn cause. It is never easy to lose a leader, and a father. We find comfort knowing that the Goddess is here with us today, as we mourn the passing of Lord Tandrael West Draulin, and honor the ascension of his second son, Lord Tandrix. War is looming on our horizon, but the Goddess will protect us, and guide us.

"Today, we will not think about the war. That will come. Today, we ask the Goddess to bless the Tandran family. To help them heal, to help them be strong. We ask her to bless Lady Clairia West Draulin, who has lost her husband. We ask her to bless King Tandrin Zianna, Lord Tandrix, and Lady Tairia, who have lost their father."

The crowd spoke up again. "And she blesses them."

"We ask her to bless the soul of Lord Tandrael West Draulin, the Third, who was taken too soon. He was a much beloved leader, who ruled our city for just twenty-seven years. He was fifty-one years old. Lord Tandrael followed the Goddess' Laws faithfully. He will be remembered for his kindness. He cared for every citizen of West Draulin, and he maintained strong links with the other New Teltar cities. He will be remembered for his generosity. He lowered taxes during seasons of hardship in the farmlands, he shared his family's wealth after the Great Port Fire. He was always working to better West Draulin, for everyone who calls it home. As we lower Lord Tandrael's body into his final resting place, the Goddess will welcome him into her Realm with open arms. His soul will continue to watch over West Draulin, and his family."

The priest paused, and gestured. I could imagine Tannix steeling his nerves before he got to his feet and climbed onto the dais. He lowered himself to one knee.

"Lord Tandrix of West Draulin," the priest said. "On this day, I officially bestow on you the title of Lord West Draulin, inherited from your father upon his death. Do you understand your title and the duties it entails?"

Even from my distance I could see Tannix take a deep breath. "I do."

"Then I name you Lord Tandrix West Draulin. Rise."

Tannix did, and he offered the priest his right hand. The older man slid a ring onto his ring finger. Then Tannix stepped off to the side of the dais, but didn't return to the bench.

The priest cleared his throat and kept talking. "As we are on the brink of war, some exceptions will have to be made. Lord West Draulin will carry his father into the Tandran mausoleum. In spirit, he is joined by Lord Tandrael's other male relatives—King Tandrin Zianna, who is otherwise occupied, and Lord Tanden, who is out of reach. With the family's permission, Lord West Draulin will be assisted by Captain Roland, Sir Yorc, and Sir Lord Atricen."

"Stay here," Acen whispered to me, before he went to join Tannix and the other men.

Together, the four of them picked up Lord Tandrael's coffin. While somewhere in the church musicians started playing, they carried the coffin off of the back of the dais. A line of older guards, likely Lord Tandrael's personal guard, lined up to stand at attention as the coffin was carried past.

Tannix and the others disappeared into a dark doorway underneath the huge painting of the Goddess. The music kept playing, but nobody moved or spoke. Everyone was perfectly still and silent, aside for the occasional sniffle.

When they returned, Roland went back to his seat beside Lady Clairia, and Sir Yorc joined the other older knights. Tannix and Acen hesitated at the foot of the dais and exchanged a quick word, then Tannix stepped up onto the dais again. He nodded firmly at the priest, who stepped aside so Tannix could take his place, front and centre.

"We are at war," he announced. His voice carried even more easily than the priest's had. "We don't have time for endless ceremonies and swearing fealty. We'll have our proper ceremonies and celebrations once all of this is over. Every noble family on New Teltar has sworn fealty to my mother, and while she remains Lady West Draulin your pledges hold. But if anyone wishes to renew their pledge today, you may come up and kiss the ring."

Acen moved first, dropping to one knee in front of Tannix like he had on that terrible morning. "Lord West Draulin, on behalf of myself, and the rest of your knights, I renew our pledge to serve and protect you. As you become Lord West Draulin we become the West Draulin Guard."

Tannix held out his right hand, and Acen leaned in to the kiss the new ring. When Acen stood up, Tannix whispered something to him. With a nod, Acen stepped around Tannix to stand behind him. Maybe he was partially there to guard, but I suspected Tannix also wanted him nearby for moral support.

Roland stood up next, and also knelt in front of Tannix. "As I pledged my friendship and services to your father, I pledge them to you." He gave Tannix's ring a quick kiss and moved out of the way.

Tannix watched him sit back down, and only then seemed to notice the line that was forming in front of him. For a moment he looked utterly exhausted. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he shot a glance in my direction. When his eyes found me the exhaustion on his face changed into a sort of weary determination. He turned back to the line of people waiting to speak to him, and nodded for the next man to approach.

That evening, I leaned against Tannix as we sat in bed. His left arm was around my shoulders, his right hand was on my knee. He was lost in thought, so I was inspecting his new ring. It was gold with a star shaped design. Set in the middle of the design was a round blue stone. Two days ago, his father had been wearing it. His mother had a similar ring, except instead of a star the design was shaped more like a flower.

"Tannix?"

"Hmm... what?"

I had a lot of questions about the funeral and ceremony, but it wasn't the time to ask any of them. So I gently picked up his hand.

"I love you," I said. "All of those nobles today had speeches about why they were pledging their loyalty, but my reason is simple. It's because I love you." I lifted his hand, and kissed the ring. "It's because you spent a year trying to get me out of prison, and because you stepped in front of a whip to protect me." I kissed the silvery scar on his wrist. "And it's because you're exactly the type of man who deserves to rule a city, because you'll make it a better place."

He didn't wait for me to move. He slid his left hand into my hair, leaned in, and kissed me.