TRANSPARENCY

Soren gazed at the small gilded coffin that sparkled in the wan morning sunlight.

It was cloudy and cold but Soren, Gerald and Helren had gathered along with the chief priests and other few members of the sacred liege.

The vast cathedral in the city was  almost empty and with the small congregation was more less lively than the funeral service that had been held before.

The songs that were being sang made their way out to the streets and the masses of the people who were all looking at the vast building.

Everyone could make out that it was a funeral but the gist of the news was not that.

It had been heard of almost throughout the whole capital and the surrounding areas, this service had not been given the official charter of the royal household.

It was alarmingly well known that Soren himself had gone against waiting for a charter to be passed to him to bury his own child and he went ahead to call for this gathering.

"From dust to ashes, from ashes to dust, we do gather here to send off the spirit of our very own seed, a seed of passion and a seed of blood.

With the unfortunate cost of losing a life before making it in this world, we are however very grateful for the significance and the temporary joy that this child did bring.

May the gods the givers of life and they that take itbaway receive this soul as their own and keep it in eternal joy, may they protect all and where they have removed, may they restore in abundance." The chief priest.

Soren gazed on as the priests lifted the sarcophagus and placed it nearer to the altar, there, Soren was given ashes which he scattered ontop before the sarcophagus was taken away from his sight.

The end of the funeral was crowned when the masses who had gathered outside the building had a glimpse of Soren walking out first.

He could make out the fairly loud whispers of the masses but he simply ignored them as he walked towards his carriage.

That very instant, the carriage left and the once faint whispers evolved into loud talks and comments.

Conelm was seated in his study and he was looking through some papers when the doors of the room were flung open.

It instantly pulled his attention to the entrance and he made out a very vicious figure of his father and mother.

"Father, mother." He said wondering what could have been the cause of their unhappiness.

"We need to talk my son." The King said.

"About what father?" Conelm asked.

"About your wife." The King replied.

"What has he done now?" Conelm asked.

"You tell me, word from the barons and dukes has clearly shown that your dear beloved made his way to the Cathedral to bury his child.

The problem is that he did not possess my charter and went ahead to disobey us, he must as well learn his place but the fact that he returned to the capital without being called back is simply unacceptable." The King said.

"Well, if he has already done it then there is nothing more left for me to do at the moment, you do know that he is stubborn, just let by gones be by gones." Conelm said as he massaged his temples.

"That is absolutely impossible, you do not get the principle at stake here." The King said.

"And what principle is that father, enlighten me." Conelm said.

"The actions of your wife I am afraid are revolutionary, you might not see it now but let me tell you, that boy is good for nothing.

Queens past and present have never crossed their limits or gone against their husbands, he is the very past and this act of treachery and rebelliousness is readable by the general public.

The people are starting to see that there might be a revolution from within your family and his actions are simply damaging the crown." The King said.

"What?" Conelm asked as he rose from his seat.

"I always warned you that this marriage was a terrible idea buy you were stubborn and now I regret that." The King said.

He suddenly grabbed his left side as he felt himself losing his equilibrium but Marietta hurriedly supported him.

"Father." Conelm said as he moved around the table and walked towards his father.

"Stop there and listen to me my child, you better do everything that you can to teach your beloved consort his values and his place." The king said.

Conelm walked out of his study furious as he made his way down the hallways.

All the servants had their attention fixed on him and they simply bowed their heads and curtsied as he passed.

Soren stood in his own room alone and looking at through the window as he studied the buildings outside.

With his gaze fixed there, he was lost in thought and still wore his clothes from his son's funeral.

Suddenly, the doors burst open breaking the silence and ending his solitude as Soren turned around to meet the furious and burning gaze of Conelm.

Conelm held Soren by his right hand and dragged him towards the bed before he pushed him down on it.

"Conelm." Soren said.

"Keep quiet and I do not want to listen to another word from you, I am just not ready to at this very moment." Conelm said.

"I have done nothing wrong." Soren said.

"I said quiet." Conelm said as he moved closer.

"Do I need your permission to bury  my child, my own flesh and blood?" Soren asked.

"What do you know about this country, you know nothing about the consequences of your actions and even worse you do not listen, why are you so stubborn?" Conelm yelled and asked.

"Your actions make me stubborn, you think I am not tired of everything you have done to me, you treat me like a shadow, nothing more and nothing less.

You bury my own child without my presence, you do not turn up for the funeral of your father in law, you do not listen to me as well and you expect me to listen to you now?" Soren replied.

"In this marriage and in this country as far as I know I am not answerable to my wife for every single one of my actions." Conelm said.

"Then I shouldn't either because even I have my own rights as a member of the family." Soren said.

"Know your place and the consequence of your actions, your stupidity, stubborness and rebelliousness is risking the transparency of the crown.

Our eeputation is tarnished because of you, how can you expect the rest of the monarchy to obey me in the future if you can't grant me my authority as my wife?" Conelm asked.

"Is that all that you ever care about, your reputation, your name and your own ego. Have you bothered to face me as you used to?

You have distanced yourself away from me from the past week following the death of our child, you taunt me and hurt me.

Did I not listen when you sent me away, when you asked not to face you, I certainly did without any hesitation.

But what have you done to me since then, I feel like I lost more than my child but my old loving husband died as well.

Do you even know what it means when your primary source of encouragement and pillar is the peak one in avoiding you, tell me Conelm." Soren yelled as he stood up and faced Conelm.

"When you make a mistake it is necessary that you face punishment for it and your actions of late prove otherwise." Conelm said.

"Isn't the death of my child already big enough a punishment for me?" Soren asked as tears flowed from his eyes.

"Until you learn it is necessary that I disciplined you myself, you will leave this room no more." Conelm said.

"No, you cannot do that." Soren said.

"I am doing it." Conelm said as he  walked towards the door.

Soren tightly gripped his left hand and Conelm was enraged that he swiftly turned around and struck Soren on his face.

The blow sent Soren flying to the ground and he was still.

"Now look what you made me do." Conelm said, "get up now." He added.

There was silence.

"Soren?" Conelm called but he barely moved or even shook a bone.

Conelm bent down and turned Soren around only to see he had suddenly gone pale and blood oozed from his nose.

It was then that he seemed to come to the realization of what he had just done.

"Soren, Soren?" Conelm yelled and the doors were flung open only to reveal Gerald and Helren standing in the doorway.

"What are you waiting for, go call the doctor right now." Conelm ordered the two.