The Royal Pain

Chapter Sixteen:

"Are you ready?" Bethany squeaked. 

I shook my head; no.

I was not ready. 

I had spent three weeks recovering. Three weeks of Nathan hovering around, complying to my every demand. It was sweet, in the beginning, but after the second week, it had started to get really annoying. 

Still, I'd take that any day over this. 

My coronation. 

Bethany was wearing a peach coloured dress, that clung to her body. She looked breathtaking and I knew that Jex was one lucky wolf. She pushed me forwards, whispering a 'good luck' in my ear. She was more excited than I was. Maybe, I had thought, it should have been her and Jex that were doing this - after all, they had already completed the mating process.

I made my way to the stage, and sat in the throne beside Nathan. The throne was high backed and made from the oldest wood around. They were varnished and polished every month. The seats had a plush silver cushion. The legs of the throne were thin, but strong.

Immensely intricate designs flew up the sides of the chairs and I felt my eyes never leaving the trail of them. Because, right in front of me, sat thousands upon thousands of people. They sat in pews, much like one would in a church. However, this room was much, much larger than a church.

My hands were clammy and my heart was beating too fast. I felt dizzy and faint. I vaguely remembered Nathan's coronation, and I wondered if he'd felt this nervous? Probably not, he'd been preparing for this his entire life, after all.  

We sat on a raised dais, and in front of us, in a glass cabinet sat my elegant crown and the staff of power I would have to hold when I spoke my oath. I was grateful for the werewolf ability to hear things better than a human, for this room was so large, I felt like I would need a microphone.  

Large windows dominated both sides of the wall, and a dazzling sunlight lit up the room; giving me courage and letting my heart know that this was the right thing to do. 

The marble floor was white, inlaid with flecks of black. Above, the ceiling rose and rose in a circular motion, as a tall, golden spire, shot up from the roof of the building. This was the throne room, a room worth noting for history. 

I had been forced to wear the Royal robes. Which consisted of a silver dress, that was slim around my torso, but flared out towards the bottom. Bethany had done my hair, she'd pinned it up into thousand tiny plaits, inlaid with crystal pins.  It had taken well over two hours, and I was surprised that she'd never complained about her hands aching. Not even once.

She'd lined my eyes with silver eyeliner. I looked regal. I looked like a Queen. 

I wore the diamond necklace around my neck; a symbol that I was a member of the Royal household. 

Nathan wore a silver suit, that looked more than just 'expensive'. His shoes were a polished black, and I knew that if this was his coronation, he'd have been forced to wear the Royal robes, too. 

The crown upon his head, fit snugly. It was silver around his forehead, and as it rose upwards, it became thinner and four golden prongs met at the top of the crown and jutted out to form a howling wolf. The silver satin materiel that clung to the prongs flew down so that the top of his head was out of sight. 

The Royal coroner stepped forwards. He handed me the staff and I arose. I had memorised the oath. This was the path that I wanted to take, I had chosen this and I would make Nathan proud. I would make his father proud, too.

I held the staff in my hand. Warily, I made my way to the front of the stage. Standing before the glass cabinet, I spoke, making sure that I was staring at my crowd. 

"I, Aisling Maros, solemnly swear to protect, guide and serve my people with the decorum of a Royal Queen. I will strive, with the fullness of my heart, to be worthy of your trust and devotion. My task may be new, but my valour is strong. 

"My coronation is a symbol of power, and a splendour that I will forever hold close in my heart. I am sustained, knowing that your courage and knowledge is with me. From this day forth, I pledge myself to you; my Royal subjects. By the Goddess, I will lead this Realm with all my strength for I am your new Queen." 

The room was silent, and I was out of breath. My hands trembled as I placed the staff into the hole that lay beside the glass cabinet. It shone in the sunlight and the coroner came towards me, opening the cabinet. 

He gingerly held the crown. Facing the crowd, he boomed: 

"Do you feel Aisling Maros is worthy to rule over this Realm?"

In response, the crowd roared its approval. 

"Will you, all of you, join me in presenting our new Queen with her crown?"

Another roar. 

The crown was placed on my head, and I kneeled before my people. 

The crown was more of a tiara. The silver tiara went all around my head, but there was only more design at the front. Like I said, this crown was more elegant and regal. 

A row of diamonds decorated the front of the crown. Then, six sword like prongs rose from the crown. Where they all met, a rose coloured wolf lay, atop the points of the prongs. In one respect, the crown was a bit morbid. However, the wolf atop the points of the sword was supposed to represent that the Queen would lay down her life for her people. 

Something that I agreed on, and would be more that willing to do, even if I wasn't the Queen. 

I went back and perched on the - my - throne. I held myself high, and in a respectable manner. Nathan reached across and took my hand. I clung to him, trying to show him how anxious this made me. Nathan squeezed my hand and from the corner of my eye I saw him smile. 

That was all I needed to know that I was doing everything perfectly. 

For the rest of the day, we sat in our thrones as people bowed before us. They congratulated me on my coronation, and many people kissed my hand, saying that without me, the Realm would have fallen into the hands of the rogues during the siege.

I swallowed the lump that was in my throat as I smiled tightly at everyone. 

I was Queen of the Realms. Ruler of the werewolves and, I was ready.

These people were under my protection, and I would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each soul, each person, has to find their own way - learn their own lessons...It's all those rough bits that make us stronger. 

- Allison Noel 

  (Edited)