The rain still drizzles. Maridi walks through the boggy courtyard, muddying the hem of her blue gown, and I follow her, lifting the hem of my red one.

We approach the castle doors and, as posted guards open them, we walk into the great hall, all alight with torches that cast flickering shadows on the tapestry- draped walls. It is warm and dry, and I sigh in relief.

All of the people gathered there turn to stare as the men close the doors behind us, and it's uncomfortable, the whole congregation of nobility turning in their seats to stare, curious as to who is coming in. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Maridi taking off her hood, which she does just as we do (how many ways to take off your hood are there, anyways?), but her headscarf comes off too.

She seems confused by the glares and gasps her red hair causes. She leans over slightly and whispers "What's wrong? Did I do something?"

"In a way," I reply. "Your headscarf came off."

She lifts it reluctantly, and I half think that she wanted it to fall with the cloak's hood. "Is it really necessary? The head coverings?"

The audience has turned their attention back to the front. I begin to walk towards the head of the huge hall, Maridi close behind. "Yes, they are very necessary," I tell her. Before she can ask another question, I add "They're modest. It is proper. Don't argue, please."

As we sit down, in front of the coffin my father lies in, the doors swing open again. Diormanc comes in wet, alone, and very, very mad. It's then I realize his seat is next to mine.

He sits beside me, glowering, and purposely sets his arm on mine. It doesn't soak through the cloak I'm still wearing.

"Today, we gather to lay to rest the beloved King Morrick of the Hills," begins my father's younger brother, Jans, the Duke of Noimead, as he stands by the coffin. They look nothing alike- the Duke is thin and tall, with auburn hair reaching his shoulders and a large, pointed nose. Do they grow their hair long in Noimead? It is a city far to the east, by the mountains, and I have never been there. "He was a wise and noble king, ending many wars through conquest and alliances-" Maridi stiffens. She knows she's a part of an alliance, and she doesn't like it. "- and has brought peace to this people. We can only hope that King Finen will continue."

Finen stands up from his seat next to Maridi, going to the coffin, and a boy carries the royal crown to my uncle. It's beautiful- a circlet wrought in gold, with silver and bronze entwined around it it knotted patterns.

"Kneel, Finen, King of the Hill- People, and all in its borders." he says. Finen kneels, and Jans puts the crown on my brother's dark curls. He turns to the congregation. "Hail, King Finen of the hills! Long live the king!" he says, his deep voice loud as it reverberates around the room. The crowd replies loudly and with spirit.

"Hail, King Finen of the hills! Long-" We are stopped. The doors have burst open, and they haven't been opened by guards. A group of men stand there. The guards are gone.

"Long live the king!" cries a man, their leader by the looks of it, mockingly. He takes a swig from a bottle in one hand and raises a crooked knife in the other. "Long live the king? Which king?" Another swig. He and his posse move closer, and I cannot tear my eyes away. "Wouldn't it be easier if there was no king?"

He throws a dagger towards Finen from down the aisle.

Sorry this took me so long and is short! Writer's block has been awful and so has homework, school, three instruments, and my other story have all been taking a ton of time. It also doesn't help that season 4 of Once Upon a Time is on Netflix now. That's my favorite show and I have no other way to watch it (legally) so this is super exciting. Sorry.

Also, the picture at the top is one I found on Pinterest and is a basic idea of the dresses worn by Amrachian nobility. Add jewelry and differ the colors as you like to imagine, change patterns and necklines etc, but this is the blueprint.

~Megan