The castle staff were stunned by the sight of Maria’s parents in their wooden coffins. Some, in fact, had been waiting their whole lives for this moment. Because she had to go to school the next morning, Maria decided to start preparations for the funeral. After speaking with her local church, the mayor, and even her schoolmates, everyone decided that Saturday would be the best time to hold the event. It felt like an unnecessary delay for Maria, but everyone persuaded her that it was the best time to get the whole village to attend.

   At last, it was Saturday morning and, by nine o’ clock, Maria was at the church with the mayor, the castle staff, the Fiers sitting right next to her, and some of her schoolmates. After a short while, the memorial service for the king and queen, whose coffins were on display, began.

   Since she was the only surviving family member, Maria took the podium to share her stories about her late parents.

   “My mother, the queen, had always been a strict parent,” Maria said. “But, deep down, she was always caring and wise. As a child, she gave me life lessons that I would live by today.”

   As for her father, she said, “As a little girl, I had a strong bond with my father, the king. Oftenly, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to play with me when off duty. When I fell ill, it was he, with help from my uncle, King Marcu, who helped me recover. That... was how I became a half-vampire.”

   To the attendants, the speech felt like a deep dive into the life and time of the village’s past, and Maria as a person.

   Knowing what had happened to her parents at the fortress, Maria held back her tears, and bravely rounded up her speech. Everyone now knew of the king and queen’s deaths and, trying to raise her spirit, gave their princess a loud round of applause as the speech concluded.

   As she took her seat next to the Fiers, Jonathan’s mother, Sorina, noticed tears dropping from Maria’s cheeks, and handed her a tissue.

   “Thank you, Mama Jonathan,” Maria sobbed, with Sorina trying to comfort her with a hug.

   “It is going to be well,” Sorina assured Maria.

   Over two hours passed since the memorial service commenced, and it was finally time to take the coffins back to the castle. Taking them down the stairs to the Hall of the Kings was perhaps the most challenging stage, but, at least, the king and queen were laid to rest in their respective tombs.

   By sunset, all the attendants went home, and Maria decided to spend some time alone at the Hall of the Kings. She thought that bringing her parents home would bring happiness, but knowing their fate in the hands of her vampire uncle subjected her to constant sadness. Watching over her parents’ tomb, she offered a quick prayer on their behalf, and then made her way back to the throne room. On her way, she came across a message from Jonathan checking up on her. The very thought managed to put a faint smile on her face.