Chapter 16 #3
They cheer as he wipes more of our essence across my belly in a slash, then each of my nipples, before he grabs me by the back of the neck and pulls me forward to meet him in a punishing kiss.
When he pulls back, he lifts me to stand and returns to his seat.
On shaky legs I move to take new socks from someone and kneel to slide them up Rhys’s legs.
Then I slide on his fresh pants and he stands quickly to help me pull them up around his hips.
I hastily tie them at his waist before he sits back down, and I slide his old-fashioned shoes onto his feet.
Then I pull a new shirt over his head, and he slides his arms through.
I’m handed a gold cape to lay over his shoulders before the heavy velvet one trimmed with fur is placed over that and I tie them both at his neck.
Only then do I step back and allow two ladies’ maids to step forward and help me redress. It’s more than I had this morning, but I need the help focusing now. My brain is scattered all over the place.
As gracefully as I can, I pull on my panties .
Even though I’m not a fan of the squishy feeling, I do my best not to show how gross I feel.
I step into my dress, and one maid zips up the back before tying the ribbons at my shoulders.
One lady slides my sash over my head and the other places my cloak on my shoulders and ties it.
“You did well,” she whispers as she steps away.
“Step forward and kneel before your king,” the archbishop says.
I drop to my knees in front of Rhys as he rises to stand over me.
“I claim you as my queen,” he says, placing a heavy crown, similar to his only smaller, on my head. He holds his hand out for me to take and I rise to stand beside him.
The screens are lowered now that we are dressed, and we both bear the Sovereign’s crowns. Rhys leads me over to stand front and center again.
“I now proclaim you King and Queen of the realm,” the archbishop announces. “God Save the King and Queen.”
The room erupts in cheers and shouted repeats of the refrain, God save the King and Queen.
We’re led out of the abbey and into a small parlor where our official photos are snapped thousands of times amidst a small reception with refreshments. My dress feels too tight and I want to get out of here. But I smile anyway.
Finally, we climb back into the carriage and are paraded through town and then up the long and winding drive to the castle, smiling and waving at everyone who stood out here and waited for us.
Again, like on our wedding day, we walk out onto the balcony and greet our people. The day once again, has been long and kind of traumatizing. I survived that one—it was close, but I did—and I’ll survive this one too.
Tonight, there will be a massive concert on the lawns with all kinds of celebrities performing to celebrate Rhys’s coronation. It’s exciting but I also wish I could just take a long, hot bath, and go to sleep. This day has already lasted for far too many hours.
The crowd continues to chant “God save the King” over and over.
With one final wave, Rhys leads me back through the castle and we keep going until we reach our rooms.
“You did so well, hen,” he praises me after the door closes. “Thank you.”
I don’t say anything, I just nod.
“What do you need?” he asks.
“A long, hot bath.”
“Done.”
Rhys leads me into the bedroom where he strips off his ceremonial items, dropping them on the bed to be collected by a servant.
Then he turns and removes mine, leaving me standing here, naked and dazed, as he moves into the bathroom and turns on the taps to fill the tub.
When the water is hot enough, he dumps in some scented salts and comes back for me, taking me by the hand and leading me into the tub.
He does not join me, but he does kneel beside the tub and wash me with a soapy cloth before placing a sweet kiss on my forehead before heading to shower.
My heart clenches at the loss of him. If anything, I feel like I need to be held after today, but I don’t know how to ask for it. When he returns, he’s dressed in dress pants, and a dress shirt opened at the collar. He crouches down and brushes my hair back from my face.
“I’m going to give you some time to rest,” he says gently. “When I come back in an hour, I need you to be clean from head to toe, your hair dried. No need to bother with makeup, and wear what I’ve left for you on the bed.”
“Rhys, I don’t think I have it in me to go to the concert tonight,” I tell him. “I need rest.”
“Aye,” he agrees. “And you’ll have it, but I need you to follow my instructions to the letter, do you understand?”
“No, I don’t understand anything at all.”
“I’m sad that Maeve isn’t here to prepare you for this, and I regret that there’s no one else acceptable to do the job, so I’m going to have to step in and I’m out of my element here,” he says. “But your duty today is not done. There is one more item to check off the list.”
“And what’s that?”
“Ensure the bloodline continues,” he says. “I’ll be back in one hour.”
1 Want to see the NSFW art from the anointing scene? Click here.