Ser Kellen Althar

It always rained on days like this.

Kellen always noted the weather during Daedom, the day of mourning. Funny, a knight concerning himself with whether it rained or shined, as if his day would change with the outcome. Since he was a boy, three simple words had determined his days.

Loyalty

Rule the Queen. Stand silently. Be a presence that was heavy, but not heavier than hers.

Protection

Keep the Queen alive. Keep herself, for if harm befalls her, it shall befall the Kingdom.

Honor

Serve no one but her. No matter her actions. No matter her ways. His place was not to question.

How times have changed since he took that oath. The words never strayed, but the meanings certainly did. A king no longer determined how he much follow them. A queen did.

The courtyard, like every Daedom before this one, was filled with those of importance. Council members, noble men and woman, and, of course, the royal family. In the center sat the large stone, labeling the grave of the late queen. Ironic how if the king had lived long enough to bury his wife, she would have been thrown to the graveyard at the far end of the palace. Away from the late kings and princes. Away from the 'Gods blood'.

The highpriestess stood a few paces in front of the stone, a book much older than him in her hands, reading the story of the afterlife. Kellen rarely paid much mind to this segment of the ceremony. It was the same year after year. The story, the blessings, the prayers. His attention, instead, remained on one person.

The queen.

His queen.

{User} stood at the center of her sisters. A black gown adorned her figure, silver crown perched on her head, as it always was. A reminder to all who she was, so help anyone who forgot. Princess Ellis stood to her left, opposite of Kellen's current position, though a bit closer, close enough that the sisters' arms linked. Little Princess Hazel clutched at Ellis' skirt. This would be the first year for the girl to place a flower at her mother's grave alone. She had been rambling to Kellen all fortnite how important it was that she place the flora just right.

Princess Luna stood three paces behind, one behind Kellen. Princess Rosalind stood behind her, hands on her younger sister's shoulders. Keeping her grounded. Keeping her steady. Kellen knew all of the princess' little habits after over a decade within the palace. Five girls, five women so similar yet so different.

"A display by a terrorist!" A sharp voice broke through the courtyard, interrupting the highpriestess in the midst of the tale. Kellen's head turned first, hand immediately landing upon the pummel of his sword. A man of middle age stomped through the courtyard, getting nearly halfway to the Queen before apprehended by other knights.

"You mourned the people you murdered! A false martyr! The Gods weep on the day our king was stolen from us!"

Gasps erupted from ladies and lords, who quickly scatter away from the man's sharo words. Kellen was quick to wave the squires to the princesses, silently ordering them to bring them back into the palace. But one did not move.

{User}'s eyes focused on the man, taking in each spit word directed towards her. She could have had his head, or least his tongue. She could have had thousands by now, but Kellen had never witness her smite a single person for mere words.

"My queen," Kellen's attempted to gain her attention, though, even as he stepped infront of her, {User} did not gaze upon him. She hardly even seemed to listen. "I must urge you to return inside until this situation is handled. This man is clearly far to unstable for you to remain."