Chapter 4
None of us said much as we made our way through the castle, and soon we were standing outside the doors to the throne room.
Dozens of voices were chattering casually inside the room, and a valet appeared with my crown on a silk cushion.
“Your Majesty,” he said as he presented the crown and bowed.
“Allow me?” Tanell smiled.
“Please.” I nodded.
My golden-blonde queen lifted the heavy crown from the cushion and settled it on the top of my head. It was still heavier than was comfortable, but I’d grown used to the weight and feel of it over the last two months.
“Thank you,” I said.
“You and I will go in first,” Tanell reminded me. “Then Yori and Serra will come in together once the heralds make the announcement.”
The three of us nodded, and I gave Serra and Yori a hug before I stepped away and moved to Tanell’s side.
“You’ll be amazing,” I assured them.
Yori grinned brightly at me and took Serra’s arm in a friendly gesture, and my silver-blonde lover breathed deeply and nodded.
“See you in there.” I smiled.
The two footmen at the doors looked at me for the signal to open them, and I nodded as Tanell looped her arm through mine and adjusted her skirts with a swish.
They opened the doors, and the pair of heralds in matching livery banged their staffs on the marble floors to silence the crowd and draw everyone’s attention to us.
“His Royal Majesty, King Kenneth of Nalatria,” one of the heralds announced in a crisp, clear voice.
“Her Royal Majesty, Queen Tanell Iglacio,” the other herald announced in a matching tone.
The room was silent aside from the rustling of fancy clothing as everyone bowed and curtsied to us.
I met the friendly gazes of my many Masters and smiled at the members of the local nobility who’d been invited.
The ambassadors from Basstrum were seated in the front row, and I smiled warmly at them.
There were four thrones set up on the dais at the front of the throneroom. Tanell’s and mine were set further back and higher up, and two more thrones that were brand new had been added on a lower step right in front for the coronation.
They were hand-carved from dark walnut and stained so dark, they almost looked black. They both had seat cushions in a beautiful red silk that matched my throne, and the wood had been polished until I could almost see myself in them.
They were positioned directly in front of my throne and Tanell’s, but after the coronation was done, they’d be moved up to the dais to flank ours.
“We split here,” Tanell whispered to me as we reached the end of the carpeted aisle.
“Thanks,” I whispered back.
She gave my forearm a little squeeze before we separated and walked around the new thrones to reach ours. I walked to my throne and turned to face the crowd like we’d practiced, but I didn’t sit down.
Tanell mirrored my movements beside me, and then the heralds banged their staffs on the marble tiles again.
“Lady Serra Emelle,” one herald announced.
“And Miss Yori Trazgor,” the other herald added.
Serra and Yori stepped through the double doors with their hands clasped together in a sweet display of their friendship.
Yori was smiling like a kid walking into Disney World for the first time, and her dark brown eyes were glittering with joy.
Serra looked every bit the elegant woman she was, but I knew her well enough to see the tension in every line of her body.
The entire crowd turned to bow and curtsy to them, and my ladies began to glide down the red-carpeted aisle toward me. It felt almost like I was getting married, what with the gathering of important people, the extravagant dress code, and the formality of the whole event.
And I guessed I kind of was.
Marriage was definitely a thing in Nalatria. I knew several of the noble family were legally married, but as king, it was sort of unnecessary for me. These women were mine by the rights I had as the monarch, and I’d inherited them the same way I’d inherited the castle and everything inside it.
My mind started to wander as I watched my beautiful lovers walk toward me, and I decided we could have a private commitment ceremony for just ourselves if we wanted.
My daydreams were cut off there when Yori and Serra arrived at their thrones, and they smiled at me before they turned to face the crowd.
My Master of Ceremonies rose from his seat in the front row.
It was a new role I’d created for this exact occasion.
Tanell had been the one to announce me as king due to the suddenness of my rise to power, but I’d wanted someone to fulfill the duties as their specific role.
It made sense to me to have a person in charge of formal ceremonies and royal events.
It had kind of baffled me that there hadn’t already been a Master of Ceremonies, and Morris had the perfect personality for such a role. He was charming and cheerful, and he knew how to get the attention of a large crowd of people.
Morris raised both of his arms in the air, and while I couldn’t see his face, I knew he was smiling. He was always smiling.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he bellowed. “Masters, nobles, ambassadors, and dear friends… on behalf of the crown, I welcome you to this most honored coronation.”
A smattering of polite applause worked through the crowd, and Morris paused for a moment.
“Today, we bear witness to the rise of two queens,” Morris announced. “Our beloved king has seen fit to bestow royal titles on these fine women.”
He turned to smile at Yori and Serra before he pivoted back around to the crowd.
“It is a title of great respect and honor,” he continued. “I have had the greatest pleasure to come to know Lady Serra and Miss Yori these last few weeks, and I know, deep in my heart and soul, they will rule by King Kenneth’s side with grace, humility, and immense kindness for their people.”
Another round of applause that was a bit more enthusiastic worked through the room, and I couldn’t help but clap along with everyone else.
Morris’ speech confirmed that I’d made the right choice for my Master of Ceremonies.
“Now, without further ado…” Morris captured everyone’s attention again, and then he turned to my lovers. “If you will each repeat after me…”
Serra’s shoulders straightened even more, and Yori gave a little nod of her head.
“I, say your name,” Morris prompted, and my lovers repeated after him. “Do solemnly swear to uphold the laws and traditions of our great kingdom of Nalatria.”
Yori’s voice was strong and cheerful as she repeated the royal oath, and Serra’s voice was steady, with a clear sense of duty.
“I promise to protect the people,” Morris led them. “To stand by my king’s side and honor him in his duty as monarch. I swear my allegiance to King Kenneth to his dying day, and by the grace of the gods, I will fulfil my duties with grace, honor, and integrity.”
It was a beautiful oath, as far as I was concerned.
Morris had shown me the oath about a week ago and asked if there was anything I’d wanted to add or change, but it had seemed perfect to me.
Vowing their loyalty to our subjects and me was all I thought it needed to be, so I hadn’t changed anything about it.
Yori and Serra finished repeating the oath, and Morris gave them each a wide grin before he nodded off to the side.
Suddenly, a footman appeared on either side of the aisle, and they both held silk cushions that were identical to the one that had held my crown earlier. I’d insisted that Serra and Yori each have a say in what their crowns looked like.
Serra’s was made of silver, and it had a dozen light amethysts embedded in the little flourishes that stuck out from the main ring. It was delicate and feminine in the exact way Serra was, and the amethysts suited her pale complexion perfectly.
Yori’s crown was a little more extravagant, but it was a good match for her boisterous personality. It was made of gold that suited her deeper complexion, and it was studded with dozens of diamonds.
“Your Majesties,” Morris said, and he looked between Tanell and me. “If you will…?”
My golden-blonde queen and I stood up and moved to stand directly beside my other two lovers. We picked up their crowns from the cushions and held them just above Serra and Yori’s heads while Morris finished his speech.
“With these crowns,” Morris said. “King Kenneth anoints you with the highest of honors and titles. Long may you reign at his side, Queen Serra, Queen Yori.”
With his final words, Tanell and I lowered the crowns onto their heads, and the entire room erupted with thunderous applause and cheers.
Yori grinned so broadly, I thought her face might get stuck like that, and all of the tension melted from Serra’s stiff frame like the last snowfall in spring. A lovely smile tugged on her lips, and my heart swelled with love for her.
As we’d rehearsed, Yori and Serra stood from their thrones, and Tanell and I stepped forward to join them in an even line.
“Her Royal Majesty, Queen Serra of Nalatria,” both heralds declared in perfect unison. “Her Royal Majesty, Queen Yori of Nalatria. Long may they reign.”
The crowd chorused the cheer, and more applause followed for at least a full minute while we all stood there and smiled.
Yori clasped her hands behind her back, and I was certain she was doing it to keep herself from jumping all over the place.
It didn’t work completely, and she bounced a tiny bit on the balls of her feet with obvious joy.
Serra raised her hand in an elegant wave, and Yori quickly mimicked the gesture.
I let the cheering go on for another few seconds before I raised both of my hands and smiled out at the crowd.
“Thank you, everyone!” I called over the final hoots and hollers, and the room fell silent for me. “Thank you for coming to this joyous occasion. We have celebratory refreshments in the grand hall. There will be music–”
“And dancing!” Yori added like she couldn’t keep the words inside herself.
“Yes,” I chuckled. “And dancing. Please join us to celebrate our new queens!”