Chapter 215 - Bk 2 (11)

Nobility, gentry and even Kings were present at Prince Adrian's coronation. They strolled in with heads high, in their best attire and their manners in check. This was not just any crowning, this was the crowning of one chosen by Lady Wickshire. Isne's King walked in with a blank faced and the hall descended into a noisy silence. One needed not look too hard upon the faces of the nobility to know that their soft smiles were filled with scorn.

Just a few weeks ago he had sent his men to storm the Juhntt capital and killed a lot of Juhntts in the process, at the command of foreign powerful beings. Few weeks later, there was word of these beings' defeat on the Lucen Mountains. Those with enough power to stretch their ears far knew of Lady Wickshire's retaliation. The entire gate, an entity greater than they, had collapsed. Today, his daughter is held captive after caught escaping from their defeat on Prince Thelmus' coronation. Regardless of this shame of grovelling back for peace, he must bite his teeth and think about his people. He was not sure what arsenal Prince Adrian had left, but he had a trump card; his daughter.

King Larken had promised his daughter marriage to his son and the document was bound by the religion. No matter the issues of the past, Prince Adrian must marry his daughter and complete the alliance. With this thought in mind, he made his way to his designated seat without care for the ridicule he had become.

Amie stepped into the coronation hall with shallow breaths, as though she did not want anyone to realise she was breathing. People did not notice at first her arrival, till her family had made their way to their seats and she walked passed them towards the royal box.

She had sleeplessly tried the night before to remember the words Madam Peele had been saying to her while her mind was far away. She at least knew she was to sit with the queen amongst the royal family designated box. Even though this was unconventional, it had been done before. There was once a king who had been forced to marry by the religion and to show his respect for the religion's orders, she sat amongst the royal family even though she was yet to marry him.

Her case could not be defined as being forced, but this was only a play of words. She was not in this circumstance because it was what she wanted. It was more like her fate whether she agreed or not. She saw that there were seven nobilities seated in the royal box and realised that they must be cousins to the royal tree. She knew not their names, so she did not bother to utter a word. She paused before them only to slightly bend her head in greeting, before taking her seat in front of them. If one looked well, they would realise she did not even bend her knee, and the three ladies seated in that box were born with eagle eyes.

"Her Majesty arrives!" a servant announced and they all stood as Queen Raine made her final entrance as Queen of Juhntt. The moment the coronation ended, she would have to remove her crown and wear that of the Queen mother.