Three loud knocks. BANG. BANG. BANG. A man, clad in all black, knocks his cane against the iron door of the cathedral. The knocking of the cane, trimmed in plated silver over oak wood, echoes loudly in the quiet streets of the capital.
After the three bangs, a aged voice calls out "Who is there?"
The man in black responds, "His royal highness, crown prince of Caparetta. Royal prince of Mangou and Arraine. Pomainte, Hermark and Nadaronne. Of Lochut, Arterach, Montpensier, Lambersville, Hermark and Bronfurt. Knight of the Iron Crown, inspector-general of royal infantry, archduke Siegfried of Ladislaus."
From behind the great iron doors of the cathedral, the old monk responds "We do not know him." bluntly.
Again, three knocks. BANG. BANG. BANG. The knocks once again echo throughout the quiet streets of the city.
"Who is there?" repeats the old man from behind the iron doors.
"Archduke Siegfried of Ladislaus." repeats the man clad in black.
From within, the same words are repeated by the old man "We do not know him."
Defiantly, the man once again knocks his cane against the iron doors of the cathedral, silence briefly follows.
The old man picks up again, saying in his frail voice "Who is there?"
The man clad in black says in a much softer tone "Siegfried."
Silence follows the man's response, until the coarse sound of the iron locks of the gate being released can be heard. From within, monks carrying single wax candles open the two iron gates of the cathedral. As the iron gates are opening, the men at its gate proceed inside. Six of them carry a coffin, draped in the tri-colour flag of the Kingdom as well as an assortment of various flowers and wreaths, proceed inside.
The procession proceeded down the dark halls of the cathedral and as it did so the monks flanking the halls lit candles as the procession made its way down the long hallway. As the monks lit the candles, the tri-colour flags of the Kingdom that flanked each side of the cathedral were visible, draping down from the ceiling to the stone brick floor of Caparetta's oldest standing place of worship. As the procession proceeded to the front of the cathedral, the man carrying the decorated coffin stopped and together they brought it down over a stone slab, it was well decorated with religious inscriptions along its sides. As the men let the coffin down, the full procession began to fill the once empty hall of the cathedral. Men clad in black suits occupied the farthest side of the cathedral and at the front closest to the coffin of the crown prince mourners were clad in a wide variety of outfits, many with gold epaulets, gold and silver buttons, medals at their breasts, and sashes of different colours and designs - each representing a different noble house. Flanking the main hall to the cathedral were honour guards, clad in red and black tunics, they carried high halberds and white plumes draped down the back of their helmets.
Despite the pomp and circumstance of the affair, the mood was largely mellow, and few tears were seen in the polished faces of the nobility that had chosen to attend. The monks flanked the coffin of the crown prince, and at the forefront a man clad in the fine white robes of the clergy appeared, carrying a golden staff with etched patterns up and down it. The man began speaking, although to much of the audience his tongue was unknown. He spoke in an archaic Lanlanian tongue, unfamiliar to much of Caparettan society save much of the upper clergy and the religious nobility. The man in white blessed the man within the coffin, whose face and body could not be shown to the attendees due to the circumstances of his own end.
As the ceremony progressed, the man in white concluded his blessings and stood to the side and a figure clad in a pale blue tunic emerged, countless medals and decorations rested at his breast and a sash of yellow, blue and black hung across his torso. As he looked on at the audience, he moved his arms from behind his back and with his hands, which were clad in white satin gloves, he pulled out a small piece of paper with almost indecipherable and archaic writing on it.
"His royal highness, King Leopold of Caparetta, sovereign lord of Mangou, Arraine, Pomainte, Hermark and Nadaronne. Of Lochut, Arterach, Montpensier, Lambersville, Hermark and Bronfurt. Grandmaster of the orders of the Knights of the Purple Fleece, of the Knights of the Iron Crown and of the military order of Henri Ladislaus has instructed myself, crown prince Frederick to issue this statement." the man said in a most solemn and proud tone. "We sincerely regret that we are not present at the ceremony of our most beloved son and heir to the throne of our Kingdom. We should have liked personally to express to you our sincerest thanks for your sympathy in our keen sorrow, a sympathy which has greatly touched me. By your warm and sympathetic condolences you have given me renewed proof that we have the most ardently loyal of subjects, and that we may count upon you in every hour of grave trial. The attack directed against our poor son is the direct consequence of the agitation carried on by anarchists and uninformed members of our peasantry, whose sole aim is the weakening of our great house and the destruction of our Kingdom. It is no longer an affair of the single bloody deed of an individual but of a well organised conspiracy, of which all the threads reach to those who seek our society's collapse. Nevertheless it cannot be doubted that the event regarding the death of our noble son will nourish further crimes of this sort, and that the continuance of this state of things constitutes a constant danger to our house and to our kingdom's good health. The efforts of our government should in consequence be directed toward the isolation and the decimation of these anarchistic elements of our society immediately. If we are to ensure the continued prosperity of our Kingdom, we must ensure the safety of its ruling house - which is why we do announce our government's intention to begin immediately an investigation into the death of our son and into the rise of the anarchistic elements of our society, which are by no doubt motivated by the greed of the up and coming as well as that of those who we have rightfully wronged in the past decades of our most glorious reign." the man said. As he finished, he returned the piece of paper to his pocket and nodded to his audience. He stepped to the side and with his right hand he clasped the hilt of his cavalry sword and proceeded back into the mass of noblemen that occupied the front of the cathedral.
After the three bangs, a aged voice calls out "Who is there?"
The man in black responds, "His royal highness, crown prince of Caparetta. Royal prince of Mangou and Arraine. Pomainte, Hermark and Nadaronne. Of Lochut, Arterach, Montpensier, Lambersville, Hermark and Bronfurt. Knight of the Iron Crown, inspector-general of royal infantry, archduke Siegfried of Ladislaus."
From behind the great iron doors of the cathedral, the old monk responds "We do not know him." bluntly.
Again, three knocks. BANG. BANG. BANG. The knocks once again echo throughout the quiet streets of the city.
"Who is there?" repeats the old man from behind the iron doors.
"Archduke Siegfried of Ladislaus." repeats the man clad in black.
From within, the same words are repeated by the old man "We do not know him."
Defiantly, the man once again knocks his cane against the iron doors of the cathedral, silence briefly follows.
The old man picks up again, saying in his frail voice "Who is there?"
The man clad in black says in a much softer tone "Siegfried."
Silence follows the man's response, until the coarse sound of the iron locks of the gate being released can be heard. From within, monks carrying single wax candles open the two iron gates of the cathedral. As the iron gates are opening, the men at its gate proceed inside. Six of them carry a coffin, draped in the tri-colour flag of the Kingdom as well as an assortment of various flowers and wreaths, proceed inside.
The procession proceeded down the dark halls of the cathedral and as it did so the monks flanking the halls lit candles as the procession made its way down the long hallway. As the monks lit the candles, the tri-colour flags of the Kingdom that flanked each side of the cathedral were visible, draping down from the ceiling to the stone brick floor of Caparetta's oldest standing place of worship. As the procession proceeded to the front of the cathedral, the man carrying the decorated coffin stopped and together they brought it down over a stone slab, it was well decorated with religious inscriptions along its sides. As the men let the coffin down, the full procession began to fill the once empty hall of the cathedral. Men clad in black suits occupied the farthest side of the cathedral and at the front closest to the coffin of the crown prince mourners were clad in a wide variety of outfits, many with gold epaulets, gold and silver buttons, medals at their breasts, and sashes of different colours and designs - each representing a different noble house. Flanking the main hall to the cathedral were honour guards, clad in red and black tunics, they carried high halberds and white plumes draped down the back of their helmets.
Despite the pomp and circumstance of the affair, the mood was largely mellow, and few tears were seen in the polished faces of the nobility that had chosen to attend. The monks flanked the coffin of the crown prince, and at the forefront a man clad in the fine white robes of the clergy appeared, carrying a golden staff with etched patterns up and down it. The man began speaking, although to much of the audience his tongue was unknown. He spoke in an archaic Lanlanian tongue, unfamiliar to much of Caparettan society save much of the upper clergy and the religious nobility. The man in white blessed the man within the coffin, whose face and body could not be shown to the attendees due to the circumstances of his own end.
As the ceremony progressed, the man in white concluded his blessings and stood to the side and a figure clad in a pale blue tunic emerged, countless medals and decorations rested at his breast and a sash of yellow, blue and black hung across his torso. As he looked on at the audience, he moved his arms from behind his back and with his hands, which were clad in white satin gloves, he pulled out a small piece of paper with almost indecipherable and archaic writing on it.
"His royal highness, King Leopold of Caparetta, sovereign lord of Mangou, Arraine, Pomainte, Hermark and Nadaronne. Of Lochut, Arterach, Montpensier, Lambersville, Hermark and Bronfurt. Grandmaster of the orders of the Knights of the Purple Fleece, of the Knights of the Iron Crown and of the military order of Henri Ladislaus has instructed myself, crown prince Frederick to issue this statement." the man said in a most solemn and proud tone. "We sincerely regret that we are not present at the ceremony of our most beloved son and heir to the throne of our Kingdom. We should have liked personally to express to you our sincerest thanks for your sympathy in our keen sorrow, a sympathy which has greatly touched me. By your warm and sympathetic condolences you have given me renewed proof that we have the most ardently loyal of subjects, and that we may count upon you in every hour of grave trial. The attack directed against our poor son is the direct consequence of the agitation carried on by anarchists and uninformed members of our peasantry, whose sole aim is the weakening of our great house and the destruction of our Kingdom. It is no longer an affair of the single bloody deed of an individual but of a well organised conspiracy, of which all the threads reach to those who seek our society's collapse. Nevertheless it cannot be doubted that the event regarding the death of our noble son will nourish further crimes of this sort, and that the continuance of this state of things constitutes a constant danger to our house and to our kingdom's good health. The efforts of our government should in consequence be directed toward the isolation and the decimation of these anarchistic elements of our society immediately. If we are to ensure the continued prosperity of our Kingdom, we must ensure the safety of its ruling house - which is why we do announce our government's intention to begin immediately an investigation into the death of our son and into the rise of the anarchistic elements of our society, which are by no doubt motivated by the greed of the up and coming as well as that of those who we have rightfully wronged in the past decades of our most glorious reign." the man said. As he finished, he returned the piece of paper to his pocket and nodded to his audience. He stepped to the side and with his right hand he clasped the hilt of his cavalry sword and proceeded back into the mass of noblemen that occupied the front of the cathedral.