3 LONG LIVE THE QUEEN

Blood dripped down my palm as I tried not to hiss from the sting. I let a few drops rest on the Grimoire before closing my palm and taking it back. Roars of people were heard but for me, I kept staring at the crown. The invisible weight of the crown deafened all the sounds. The crown that was soon going to rest on my head.

I shuddered at the thought of tripping while walking towards Priest Emanuel. He recited the royal prayers, the ones we were made to learn at the age of four.

"All hail the kingdom of Laverne

May the king 'r queen ruleth for eternities.

May the Loremians proveth to useth their powers for valorous

and to defeat the evil.

May the gods above protecteth us from sinning."

I stared at the empty wall above the Priest. He was an old man. Nothing other than the word old could describe what he was. His family was the only one blessed with the power of immortality.

A curse in disguise, I thought to myself.

I knew what was next. Everyone did. Priest Emanuel's son, Priest Alfred walked out of the doors, with a scroll made of ancient paper in his hands. I eyed the Priest as he thanked his father for the prayer.

He didn't look any older than twenty-five. But we all knew the potion he drank. The one made by the village witches to keep himself young. His brown hair brushed back carefully came into my view as he stood next to me. He smelled of jasmine, the scent of the immortal family. Each Lormeian family had its own scent. Mine being Lavender.

His long black cassock or what I would like to call, a black cloak brushed against me as he began to read the scroll.

"The History of Laverne

A kingdom born due to the gift of the Gods, made with people that had a blessed power running in their veins. The Kingdom of Laverne had the Lormeians and the Mortales. After a long-fought war, King Lorm came to peace with the Queen of Mortales. The regular mortals. However, ruling together didn't work for them. King Lorm being clearly powerful, set the Queen apart and began to rule on his own. Knowing what was best for the kingdom, the Mortales were not given a part in the council or the government. But the Mortales couldn't bear the thought of not being in charge. In power. A war broke out between the Mortales and the Lormeians after almost thirty years. It ended in a truce but also a separation. A political separation that the council decided was best for both the people. Now the Mortales and their King with the Lormeians and its newfound Queen shall reign in peace if the Gods shall continue to bless us."

My hand had gone numb from holding the golden orb of jewels in my hand. The history went on for another few minutes as I thought about my new life. The one I was going to begin today.

A few weeks ago I wouldn't have known about this. I had thought of adding my name to Crater magicis, or the magical bowl in simple language, with no hopes of getting chosen.

After all, I was the first Queen that was going to rule without the cause of marriage.

After, what seemed like hours, Priest Alfred rolled up the scroll and walked back into the shadows. Priest Emanuel walked towards me as I bent my knee and bowed. He sprinkled drops of the blessed water on me as one fell on my eyelashes. I blinked a couple of times until it fell off.

"In the name of the holy spirit of Daeg, I now bless Rosabella Agapov, with the power to rule the Loremians until she breaths her last."

The crown with rubies embedded in it was gently placed on my head as I bowed once more. Priest Emanuel moved away so that I could take my place on the throne and look at my subjects for the first time.

The throne was made of gold, decorated with a red cloth in between. Red was the Lormeian's color, while blue was the Mortales.

I took in a deep breath as I sat on the throne, the one I always looked at until now.

I took a quick glance over my subjects.

All Lormeian families had come to the castle today. The teleporters, the mind readers, the predictors. Everyone. They stared at me like time had stopped.

The silence stayed for another few seconds until the applaud began.

"All hail Queen Rosabella!"

It went on for a few minutes when I realized I had to ask them to stop. I raised my palm, indicating them to stop. Almost immediately, the silence returned.

I knew the time had come.

To give my speech. The one I had been preparing for almost a month after the new royal was announced.

"My loyal subjects, I, your Queen, shall promise to protect you all till my last breath. I may not be able to guarantee complete safety for all, because what is life without a little danger, but I swear to protect each and every one of you. The blood that runs in my veins, the one blessed with memory-erasing powers, shall only drip for you.

I promise to not let anyone of you feel unheard. Everyone standing in this castle has a voice, and I shall not let anyone go home with something in their head.

I know everyone has their doubts about me. But I promise to prove all those doubts wrong. I am your first Queen without marriage, and I hope to bring many more."

I took a shaky breath and sat down on the throne. My voice had stayed firm throughout the speech and I was thankful for that. I waited for a reaction from the people, as they continued to look at me. I felt the tingles on my arms that rested on the throne. I should have worn the dress that covered my arms instead of this one. A red crepe dress with a cape. It had padded shoulders that complimented my sharp portrait neckline. The cape had a floor-grazing effect that made me look royal.

Look royal.

The dress made me look royal, but today, sitting in front of all my subjects with a crown over my head, I felt royal.

My black hair was braided into a half-crown around my head, leaving enough space for the actual crown to rest. The rest of my hair was allowed to rest free down my back.

The crowd began to applaud which brought me out of my thoughts. My lips that were stained with strawberries to give them a pinker shade curled up in satisfaction.

This journey that I had started today, was going to be a hard one.

But I knew it wasn't going to be impossible.

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