The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 50: Chapter 50: The Stars' Descent

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Chapter 50: The Stars' Descent The funeral rites for the fallen paladins were taken care of quickly. They did not wait until nightfall to conduct it, for the people had gone through much, and they didn’t wish to linger over woeful memories any more than they already had. Ruggiero led the ceremony in Ogier’s place. He wasn’t as experienced as his prior fellow, but it didn’t matter as long as the fallen were given peace. The paladins were too tired, too battered with tragedy after tragedy, to fully concentrate on the funeral anyways. They clasped hands and muttered quiet prayers. They shed tears and wavered, faces grim as they looked around their once-hopeful dwelling for the last time. Roncevaux Fortress was to be abandoned. There were not enough warriors to defend it. Their leader was lost. Ogier’s corpse was not allowed to rest with the others. He had committed the crime of slaughter, cut down the faithful whether willing or not. By doctrine’s command he was to be labeled a sinner and excommunicated posthumously before being tossed to rot out on the open plains. Ruggiero disobeyed. He held a private service along with Lucius, his companions, and some of the higher-ranked members of the Sacred Order that still lived, and sent Ogier off respectfully. The giant’s body had turned into a beautiful gathering of petals before flying off into the bright purple sky. The Cortain was to be temporarily kept in Ruggiero’s possession, but the man couldn’t bear to look at it, so he stowed it away in the Hippogriff’s storage. “What will we do now, my friend?” Lucius had asked him at the time. The last remaining Peer sighed. “The only thing we can, I am afraid. Every living soul in the fortress is to retreat back to the capital. I will send word to the clergy of our arrival and have some of my men evacuate the surrounding villages; thankfully, the demon wave shall not arrive for another week. I pray the time is enough for the Order to fortify a new blockade, but… with our dwindling numbers, it is unlikely it will be of the same magnitude as Roncevaux Fortress. They will need to build a smaller bastion closer to the mainland - our territories recede ever more.” “And how shall we explain Ogier’s sudden madness?” “There is no we, Lucius. I delivered the final blow, and so it shall be I who bears the responsibility.” Ogier’s final moments seemed to weigh heavily on the man. He couldn’t bring himself to forget it: the possibility of preventing this disaster had he made a different choice—stuck himself beside the mourning giant no matter how hard the other tried to dissuade him so. However, such thoughts served little to help the current moment. It was respectable that he wished to be held accountable, but the man’s own position was in a precarious place. “Do forgive me if I speak out of hand,” Lucius began. “But think of how the court will react to your sudden declaration. They have already attempted to imprison you over matters we know not; and to speak of slaying Ogier, even if it was necessary, will only give them more cause to pressure you further. It will be ugly, my good sir. They will see you as a betrayer no matter the truth.” Ruggiero’s face drooped, and a sad light passed through his eyes; but even so the man did not relent. “Upon my appointment as Peer, I swore to uphold honor and goodness no matter the difficulties it would bring. I have faithfully carried out that oath for all these years, and I do not intend to stop now. The evils of others do not justify my own breaking of the faith.” Lucius swore it too, technically: back when Karolus blessed him with the consecration. That didn’t mean he actually followed it. But this was who Ruggiero was… on the surface, at least. His words and expression displayed not a hint of doubt, but the pounding deep inside his heart said otherwise. It betrayed him. It whispered a dark truth he refused to acknowledge. Lucius was eager to see how Ruggiero would react next. Would he refuse himself just like