In the northern region of the Malcrian Kingdom, a child was born during a snowstorm. The infant, who came a month after the due date, didn't let out a single sound like regular newborns. He was quiet, cold and grey. Like a frozen animal in the cold mountain range of the north, he'd arrive without a pulse.
He had only lived for a minute before joining his ancestors.
The mother, who had gone through 27 hours of heavy labour, fainted on her bed with the dead baby in her arms. She had been eagerly waiting for the day to see her son alive in her arms, so she made sure to take care of her health on her own by following the docters instructions closely. However, it was all for naught.
The young Duke of the North who was standing near the door as instructed by the physician. He, the father of the now deceased infant ran to his fainted wife. That was until he saw the child before him.
The whole estate was full of commotion when the news was heard. The first young master was dead and his mother, The Second Duchess, was in a coma with no sign of return.
The whole duchy ran in confusion. The second duchess had fainted into a coma, and the first duchess had fallen ill due to her pregnancy. The whole estate was filled with mourning while the young duke had locked himself in his study for a week.
He didn't eat nor sleep but mourn for his dead child.
One week later, the funeral was held. The young child had been placed in a cold chamber made of ice and salt to preserve his dead body.
His mother had awaken the morning of the funeral. Wearing a thin black robe over her malnourished body, the second duchess looked as pitiful as a sick widowed woman dying in the dumps. Her freinds had tried to comfort her while the maids brought in food. However, she had refused to eat and rest as instructed by the physician.
She went as far as to threaten to behead anyone who would get in her way. So they let have her way.
The funeral was being held in the town square. Standing beside the pregnant duchess, was the second duchess who held onto her sister for support as the ceremony begin.
Everyone who believed that the young man was their duke and had heard about the sudden death of the young master were present. Even those who lived in the mountain regions.
Everyone hushed with silence when a special visitor from the church had arrived. It was the pope of the Malcrian Kingdom. One of the greatest pillars who supported the royal family. He had distant family ties with the second duchess.
He rushed to the north as fast as he could when he received the news about the death of young master. He even begged his royale highness to leave the kingdom to visit his fainted kin in the north.
His Holiness the pope started the ceremony with a speech full of sadness, hope and blessings. He then told about the many great things that was destined upon that child. The heir of their lord who had been blessed by the goddess of life and prosperity. Born with the fate to protect this land.
They sang hymns of sadness and death and prayed for the soul of the young dead infant to rest in peace. They even brought out gifts and showered sacrifices to the goddess of prosperity, begging for her mercy and blessings. Sang to her for their prosperity.
Near the end of the ceremony, four men took out their shovels and dug a grave through the earth during the final prayer. As the men carried the casket on their shoulders and lowered it down the freshly dug grave, the young mother collapsed.
She had tried to run towards her child for she didn't believe he was dead. The child she had kept in her womb for over nine months was not in that casket. It couldn't be her son. No!
She refused to believe it.
Thrashing at the guards who held her firm for they were stopping her from jumping in the grave to join her son. She shrieked and kicked away the guards who were holding her. However, more guards came to assist them and carried the Second Duchess by force.
They held her until she had no strength left in her. They left her in a distance far from the grave. Her older sister, First duchess, knelt beside her and held her tightly in her arms. She felt pity for her dear younger sister. She held onto her, crying with her for their child was now gone.
The duke had stood there in silence with nothing to say as he watched the commotion. He didn't rebuke his wife, nor did he stop her. He himself was engulfed in tears for the child and his face became numb.
After that, everyone stood for a moment of silence as a sign of respect for the dead before the burial. The only sound heard was the wails of the second duchess.
His Holiness then raised his head, signaling the women to sing a hymn. The men holding shovels were about to bury the casket when they heard a cry. They were sure it was not coming from the crowed because the children had fallen asleep during the ceremony.
At first, they ignored it, but the cry's continued. The second duchess who was wailing had also heard a baby's cry and ran towards the grave.