Princess Aveline’s coronation was last week. 3 days after her father, King Joseph's death. Today was his funeral. Around 5:30 this morning the town rose up, lit their candles, and we all walked in black, across the wet brick roads to the Rivière. To the royal processional waters. For the next 4 weeks no one came out of their houses unless it was to draw water and feed the livestock. For 4 weeks we barely ate. Struck by the fasting hunger of death. And for 4 weeks we wondered if anything would go back to normal.