Oh! I Saw Geraint's Grave Goods. They Were Fine...?

Oh! Yes, I did see Geraint's grave goods last night, on my way home...Yes, the pottery too. You must be relieved he's on his way now, after all the excitement and fuss of the last few days...Of course, he'll be missed terribly...

Hm? Oh, I'm really the last sort of person to ask about this sort of thing...Heklith always says I wouldn't know grave goods from everyday provisions...forget my own head if it weren't attached, you know. I'm really no expert. You should talk to Heklith if you want a professional perspective, I think...

Are you happy with how things turned out? That's really all that matters. I think it's a mistake trying to get too many opinions from bystanders after the fact. If you're happy, that's all that matters.

And that Geraint's happy, of course!...

You have to remember, I didn't know Geraint nearly as well as you did...you're far better situated than I am to know how well the spread would suit his tastes, his station in life, his favorite foods, etc...I'm sure you did your very best for him. And grave goods can be so expensive. It's all we can do to make sure we have enough for the living, I'm sure.

I will say, I thought things looked lovely – it's very clear how much you cared about him, and that you wanted him to be happy and comfortable and looked-after in the next world, and that's really the main thing, isn't it? Cheery, I'd call it. Restful. Especially when so many people really go too far, I think, especially nowadays, trying to show everyone else up. It's embarrassing, really, when the standard of living in a person's grave outshines their standard in life...

No, I really did think he looked quite comfortable. Was there a second burial chamber I might have missed?...Just the one? I quite agree, there's nothing wrong with only having one...quite comfortable, really.

Well – and this isn't a criticism, mind you, but since you insist– I was surprised not to see very many beads. Does Geraint not need beads, where he's going...?

Certainly, I understand. But if you ask me – and you have, remember, I really think everything will work out just fine – beads are good for just about everything.

I think he might have benefited from a second horse, yes. One wouldn't call two horses paltry. No, I haven't heard anyone call Geraint's grave goods paltry. But I think the best defense against such a thing is to really make sure no one could call them paltry. If only you had come to me sooner – but I'm sure Geraint is quite comfortable where he is now, and wouldn't know what to do with a second horse, or a comb for his hair.

Now, if he had more beads with him, he could trade for a comb, if he needed one. You see how beads are really invaluable on the Other Side, because they can be bartered for almost anything, with people whose families really stocked the larder, if you'll forgive the idiom.

I myself have told Saltai that when I go, I want things to look very simple, streamlined, with no fuss – just the basics – everything that's needed, of course, not bare, but simple – and if one is going to err, it's better to be on the side of simplicity, rather than much-of-a-muchness, you know. And Geraint was a very plain man!...Don't you think so? Well, you know best...

Certainly I don't think he'll have any reason to reproach you, dearest, when your own time comes! I'm sure he'll only be too happy to see you, and wouldn't let anything so – so everydayish as a few pots and pans, or even an axe...

Yes, I'm afraid you did forget to put an axe in, my dear; I didn't like to say anything at the time but its absence was fairly conspicuous. I don't know how Geraint is going to build himself a dwelling in the Land of Reeds without an axe...I'm afraid I did hear several people remarking on it...

But really, what's the good of torturing yourself about it now? Had we had this conversation only yesterday, I might have been of some use to you, and to poor Geraint, but now that everything's all closed up it's a fairly fruitless exercise...

As fruitless, I'm sorry to say, as Geraint's grave...Or don't you think he'll get hungry there? Please don't worry yourself, darling, you know I hate to see you in such a state. Really things looked perfectly fine. I've seen several burials with even less, really I have. Aside from the axe and the beads I hardly heard anyone notice anything else absent....And after all, what's done is done. I really do think you can't have too many beads in the afterlife. It's always safe to bet on beads.

Well, I've got to be off – Do cheer up, darling, things are hardly ever as black as they seem – I thought the ceramic vessels looked very cheerful, made the whole place seem almost homey –

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