Seraphina's POV
The scent of incense and fresh flowers filled the hall where my father's funeral was being held, and I watched as people poured in, wearing their black garments and looking dejected and solemn.
As much as I wanted to disappear and be as far away from this place as possible, I couldn't leave. Tradition dictated that as the chief mourner, I had to stand at the entrance and greet the guests, thanking them for coming to pay their respects to my father.
It was exhausting.
One by one, nobles, military officials, and government figures approached me with polite condolences. Some were stiff and formal, offering empty words because it was expected of them. Others were genuinely somber, and the sincerity in their tones was like a reflection of the respect my father had earned in his years as the Major General of Aldoria.