Facing the crowd of mourners in the church, Sigrid hoped that her eyes were red enough to prove that she had cried. Glancing in the direction of the camera which was covering the funeral, she dabbed the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief and sniffed.
Somewhere in the crowd, someone sobbed loudly.
"Today we have come together to mourn the passing of a sovereign, a great woman whose presence once filled this empire with quiet thunder.
Queen Maurelia De-Kensington Maximus was not just born to rule--she chose it. With grace sharpened by steel and diplomacy as flexible as the air, she brought change to a kingdom that was fractured and helped shape it into an empire where we all can sleep peacefully and dare to dream.
She was not just a queen. She was more than a crown. She was a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend. She built schools so that girls could get an education and have a chance to achieve greater things.
