Cataclysm War | Chapter 68: Coronation (First Draft)

An hour after the wedding and the subsequent open-carriage celebration circuit ride through the city, observed by the high-positioned protective overwatch of the Royal Guard, with Ceruviel riding with them languidly to create a discreet [Psionic Force] shield in case of stray arrows, Leonidas stood with his left hand linked to Aylar’s right in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace, under the eyes of the Court and every notable individual within Dawnhaven—including his parents and the Unity Coalition delegates.

The celebratory lap of the City had allowed them to greet and wave to the milling crowds, enduring cheers and hope that seemed infectious throughout the city for the newlyweds. Aylar had still had rice in her hair following their triumphant emergence from the Cathedral, and was even then quietly brushing some from her golden locks with a look of quiet, flushed happiness.

The moment before them had been the one he’d been most nervous for. The wedding had held its own tribulations, true enough, but it was a moment that was entirely his and hers. This next step, before the eyes of all around them, would be far more dangerous—revolutionary, in some ways, and utterly anarchic in others. The Royal Guard spread throughout the Throne Room were ready. The Lance-Masters had already been briefed.

All that remained was to proverbially kickstart the mayhem.

Ahead of them, as he considered that, Ceruviel and Uriel stood in their wedding regalia: the Duchess in a gorgeous ballgown of black and purple, with a cinched bodice leading down into a stereotypically ruffled, flared skirt of similar coloration, and Uriel in a white suit with golden filigree along its edges and hems. The Regents were arrayed before the throne, the Duchess’ hands folded before her, and the Duke’s arms clasped at the base of his spine.

The fact that Ceruviel was actually showing feminine decorum was enough of a shock to Leonidas, even without accounting for the decidedly formal attire she wore.

When the bell rang through the castle, Leonidas glanced at Aylar, her thumb brushing his wedding band possessively, and smiled at her. His wife smiled back, and Leonidas felt a shock of giddy pleasure at being able to think of her that way. His wife, his wife. Moreover, after the Coronation, she’d be his beyond any shadow of a doubt. They anticipated antipathy and outrage, but with Uriel and Ceruviel on board, it would be handled well enough.

Hopefully.

Together, Leonidas and Aylar strode toward the throne, from where they stood amidst the Court and onlookers, until they came to a halt before the dais, where the Regents observed them with a mix of glee and stoic calm, respectively.

“{People of Dawnhaven,}” Ceruviel began when they approached, her lavender eyes leaving them to sweep out across the crowd. “{For the past four Terran years, since the arrival of our colony in this new world, we have stood in waiting for the day that the throne of Dawnhaven would finally have its rightful inheritor.}”

Leonidas felt his pulse quicken as Aylar’s hand tightened on his, and their eyes shifted automatically to Uriel.

“{We have undergone great changes since the first days of our transmigration,}” the Duke of Morning said gravely, his voice booming within the Throne Room. “{We have witnessed the fall of a Prince, the rise of an Archon, and the marriage of a Queen-Incumbent to a man not of our world. In this, and so many other small changes, we have witnessed the birth of a new future for Dawnhaven.}”

Leonidas smiled wryly at the golden Knight, and though Uriel did not show outward reaction, his eyes glinted faintly in amusement.

“{Throughout our time in this world,}” Ceruviel continued next as Leonidas and Aylar turned back to her, “{we have faced great challenges, both in the combining of Alteran and Terran cultures, and the uneasy coexistence found between both our arriving people and the new citizens and residents that have entered our fold. This transition has not been easy, but the dividends of its enactment are clear for all here to witness.}”

Leonidas nodded faintly at his Mentor’s words before he could catch himself, and then froze when he did.

At his side, Aylar graced him with a small smile, but turned her eyes to Uriel, and he joined her when she did.

“{And now we have come, at last, to the moment we two Regents have been waiting for with great anticipation: the ascension of a System-avowed Monarch, one who has passed the Rite of Ascension, and been deemed fit for the inheritance of the Throne prepared by the High King of Altera before he sent us through to this new world.}”

A murmur rippled through the crowd as Aylar squeezed Leonidas’ hand and stepped forward at Uriel’s words, her wedding dress’ train drifting along the marbled floors behind her as she ascended the steps to the throne dais, and turned to kneel, facing the assembled Court as Leonidas watched in silence.

“{So it is,}” Ceruviel continued firmly, “{with the Right of Challenge time now passed, and the successful defense of her claim to the Throne of Dawnhaven assured, that we two Regents can at last relinquish our authority in totality to the will of Aylar Taleria Lux Fortuna Eldormer, System-avowed Monarch of Dawnhaven and the so-named [Dominion 5] of this Continent.}”

Uriel and Ceruviel moved when the Archon finished, and it was the Archon that reached down to pluck the ruby-emplaced golden crown from Aylar’s head. In turn, Uriel snapped his fingers and produced a platinum crown from seemingly nowhere, inlaid with beautifully cut diamonds and edged in gold.

“{By our invested authority,}” the Dawn-Lord declared firmly, “{we, the Regents of Dawnhaven, by the grace of the High King of Altera, do hereby avow and consent to the elevation to Queen, Aylar Taleria Lux Fortuna Eldormer, First of Her Name, Lawful Ruler of Dawnhaven and [Dominion 5], by the codices of the System and the ancient laws of Eldormer-upon-Altera.}”

Uriel shifted as he spoke and handed the crown to Ceruviel, who stepped forward before Aylar.

“{I, Duchess Ceruviel Invicta Latherian, do hereby and without reservation, of my own will and assertion, as Dusk-Lord and Regent-Paramount of Dawnhaven, assent on behalf of mineself and Duke Uriel Indomitus Aventus, Dawn-Lord and Regent-Paramount of Dawnhaven, to anoint and crown you as Queen Aylar Taleria Lux Fortuna Eldormer, Queen and Monarch of Dawnhaven and [Dominion 5].}”

Ceruviel settled the crown steadily on Aylar’s head, and as one, she and Uriel knelt before her as the blonde Swordmaiden rose, her blue eyes faintly radiant in the light of the Throne Room. Leonidas smiled widely as the rest of the Throne Room knelt in turn, leaving only him standing—a detail more than one person seemed to clock, though nobody spoke on it.

“{Long live the Queen!}” Ceruviel and Uriel intoned together.

“{Long live the Queen!}” the crowd repeated dutifully, including the Royal Guard, filling the Throne Room with their echoing declaration.

Aylar looked out at the crowd as she stood, and her eyes swept over them before landing on Leonidas, who smiled at her wryly as she met his gaze.

A silent understanding passed between them, and Aylar lifted her hand to bid the assembled to rise, looking out at them as she did so.

“People of Dawnhaven,” she said in English, her voice strong and confident, musical in the way only Aylar could be musical, to Leonidas. “Today is an auspicious day, for we are blessed with more than one miracle. As many of you know, today was the day of my wedding, and at my union with my most beloved husband, I made a promise to him—before you and all those that witnessed our ceremony.”

Unease rippled through the Haelfenn at her words, but nobody acted out.

Not yet, at least.

“In keeping with that promise, mine is not the only coronation to occur this day. In times past, it has been the tradition of Eldormer-upon-Altera that a Queen’s primary spouse be elevated to the rank of King, but true power has always resided with the blood of Eldormer, as pioneered by my Ancestor Ectherion, first High King of Altera.”

That seemed to assuage some of the nobles greatly, though Leonidas could only brace for what came next.

“However,” Aylar said, drawing silence from the murmuring crowd. “It has never been the case, before this day, that a Queen’s primary spouse shall also be not only her defender, but also System-avowed—and to an even greater extent than the Queen herself.”

That wasn’t part of what they’d talked about, and as eyes snapped to Leonidas, he felt his own features flicker with evident confusion. Showing it seemed to be the right move, because he felt the embers of hostility that ignited drifted back into cautious observation as the Haelfenn looked once more to their Queen.

“Many of you here know of my husband, Leonidas, as the First Archon of Terran Blood. More of you know him as the Defier of Heavens, the Black Knight of Dawnhaven, and Heir-Apparent to Ducal House Latherian. Most of you, in kind, know of his [Knight Oath]—yet few of you, I wager, have discerned the actual power behind that [Knight Oath].”

More than a few eyes snapped to Ceruviel in immediate presumption, and Aylar smiled in satisfaction when they did.

“No, it is not the arcane machinations of the Duchess Latherian that have seen this [Knight Oath] born, nor the work of the Duke of Morning. No sapient, no matter their power, has the power to bewitch the System that stands above us all—nobody.”

Unease and confusion followed her words again, and Leonidas heard more than one mutter of discontent before Aylar silenced them with a raise of her hand.

“I will not dwell on needless pageantry. I am your Queen, and as such, my word is irrefutable and beyond contestation when I make this known to you: my husband, Leonidas Achilles, is not merely the First Archon of Terran Blood, Defier of Heavens, or Black Knight of Dawnhaven. My husband, Leonidas Achilles, is not merely my chosen primary spouse; he will be my only male spouse.”

That drew a reaction, and this time Leonidas felt multiple younger men from the Haelfenn nobility staring at him, a mix of outrage and disbelief on their faces.

“That, my fair people, is because of the two of us, only one stands as a Monarch born—a Monarch beyond the contestation of any soul that dwells within this City nor any other, upon this world, and every world of the System Nexus.”

Before anyone could do more than stare at her, Aylar lifted her right hand to Leonidas.

“Husband, beloved, King of my heart; please show all present the truth of your entitlement.”

Leonidas stared at Aylar quietly, and her azure eyes seemed to implore him to trust her. With a soft sigh, he knew he would. He knew he did. For better or worse, he always would. That was what it meant to be married.

Without a second more to doubt, Leonidas turned his Intent inward and expanded his Class information to everyone present: specifically, his Alphas and Class itself.

A torrent of dozens of acceptances ran through his mind when he did, and then came the deafening silence when his screen populated. He knew what they’d see.

Class: Archon

Affinity: Psi | Archetype: Knight | Ambition: Sovereign | Aspect: Duelist

Sovereign.

The word rippled through the room as dozens of eyes read it in clear, System-displayed irrefutability, and those eyes turned to him—mind-glows alight with shock, horror, awe, hatred, and fear. The last, most of all. For the Terrans, it had less impact, but for the Alterans of all species in the room, the revelation was like a sledgehammer.

Sovereign.

Leonidas lifted his chin under the scrutiny, and Aylar smiled as she viewed the screen herself.

“Before you, people of Dawnhaven, lies irrefutable proof of our new reality. He is not Haelfenn. He is not even Alteran. Yet, upon this world and every world, his Ambition transcends all argument that can be made. My husband, Leonidas Achilles, is a Sovereign born. Not forged, not validated through Rite and Trial; but instead Divinely pre-ordained, by the very System and its Divines which stand above us all.”

Silence dominated in the wake of her words, and Aylar lowered her gaze to Ceruviel and Uriel.

“Regents, most noble Duke and Duchess, I ask you thusly: by all the Laws of Eldormer-upon-Altera, what options lie before me as Queen, avowed and duly appointed?”

It was Uriel, perhaps knowing Ceruviel’s own answer to be viewed with bias, that answered her afterward.

“Your only options, my Queen, are to elevate or eliminate,” Uriel said candidly, his voice resonant within the chamber. “A Sovereign Ambition cannot be denied, any more than a Hurricane or Earthquake can be refuted. The System has stated it is so, and so it must be. Wherever your husband resides, wish it or not, he will secure Monarchal authority—it is his Fate, as decreed by the System and its Divines.”

Aylar nodded in understanding, while Ceruviel remained silent and lifted her eyes to the assembled Court and onlookers.

“Then I ask you thusly, people of Dawnhaven: am I to be an oathbreaker? Am I to strike down the man that secured my crown, the man I gave my heart to, the man that I, in full willingness, gave myself to as my husband in the Terran way? Am I to disgrace our oldest traditions and turn my back on every Alteran code of honor in a selfish bid to secure sole power? Is that what you, the children of Altera and Terra, would ask of me?”

Unspoken was the last part of her statement: speak now, and be known forever as an honorless wretch.

It was a masterful wielding of political and traditional conservatism, and to nobody’s surprise, not a soul spoke in favor of her words—though more than a few mind-glows signified a clear desire to. For the Terrans, it was simple; they wanted Leonidas to be King. For the Nyrfenn, they were still Alteran, and so they would not tolerate that level of social malpractice, and as for the Haelfenn…

Leonidas’ lips twitched.

…the Haelfenn would rather be dead than destroy their integrity with such an insane proclamation.

Aylar nodded once into the silence when it grew extended.

“Then I am heartened to see that the traditions of our old and new homelands, both, remain untainted. There is honor in your silence, and I am honored to have witnessed it. Thereby, if we are not to eliminate, then all that can remain is to elevate—in full awareness that, as an avowed Sovereign, there is no power, no Rite, no lineage on this world or any other that may refute the primacy of my husband’s claim.”

Tension ratcheted at the words, but still nobody moved or spoke in disfavor, and Leonidas drew a slow breath as he waited.

“Leonidas Achilles Romulus Paendrag,” Aylar said at last, her voice intent. “Archon. Defier of Heavens. Royal Champion. Husband. I call you now to approach the Throne, and embrace your System and Divines-avowed birthright before all these witnesses.”

Leonidas stepped forward automatically when she spoke, quietly ruminating over the irony of [Defier of Heavens] being intrinsically linked to System and Divines-avowed birthright, and came to a halt before Aylar as Ceruviel and Uriel stepped aside.

“Kneel, my husband,” Aylar said when he halted, her voice steely. “For the last time in your new life.”

Leonidas looked up at her, her blue eyes afire with joy, and knelt as she commanded, bowing his head.

“Do any here deny my lawful ascension to this Throne?” Aylar asked, looking across the crowd.

As expected, nobody took the very clear bait into that trap.

“Then I shall take your silence, my people, as an avowal. Dawn-Lord, Dusk-Lord, do you object to what must occur?”

Both Ceruviel and Uriel spoke at once.

“I do not, Your Majesty,” the pair said in tandem, Ceruviel mirthfully, Uriel stoically.

“Then I, Aylar Taleria Lux Fortuna Eldormer, First of my name, Queen of Dawnhaven and [Dominion 5], do hereby confer upon my husband, Archon Leonidas Achilles Romulus Paendrag, the entitlement of Sovereign birthright within my domain and all future domains, in perpetuity, as System and Divines-ordained Monarch.”

Leonidas blinked in surprise when, a moment later, a System screen appeared before him at her pronouncement.

SYSTEM SCREEN

Congratulations, Leonidas! You have been granted [Sovereignty]!

[Description]: As a bearer of the [Sovereign] Ambition, you have been recognized by a System-avowed Monarch as the true ruler of [Dominion 5]! As a result of this, you now have access to a new interface!

[Reward 1]: [Dominion Interface]

[Reward 2]: 20,000 Experience

Your [Sovereignty] has automatically been claimed!

Oh, he thought numbly. This was not what I expected.

Not that the System ever cared what he expected.