Chapter ten

The day of the Coronation ceremony finally arrived.

Princess Cassiopeia was anxiously pacing around the room, waiting for her maids to polish her earrings.

That day must be perfect.

The ceremony took place in the throne room, the one that came right as the large doors of the Palace were open. For the Coronation ceremony they were left wide open, as everyone was invited, and most of the guests had to stay outside, since the room could not host the whole capital. Only the nobles and the guests were allowed a seat in the room.

As per costume, she was wearing a flowy wedding dress, so grand and so white she could not look at herself in the mirror without getting blinded. Her mother had once told her it was because her first husband was the Empire.

She chuckled at the thought of the woman. So little memories, yet all of them were beautiful. She knew her mother wasn't a saint, but to the eyes of a child, she was perfect, and she wanted to stick with her memory.

The maids hurriedly put her diamond earrings on.

"Announcing the blooming flower of the Empire, Princess Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol."

It was time.

She walked down the same aisle she will have to walk five other times with her future husbands. Her heels clacked loudly at her every step.

The high priest, the Pontifex maximum, stood before what would be her throne.

She arrived in front of him.

"Are You, Princess Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol, ready to die for the sake of this Empire?"

Breathe, Cassiopeia.

"I am."

"And is the Saol Empire ready to die for Princess Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol?"

The question was directed to the people of Saol.

"We are!" A general scream.

She sighed in relief. She knew they would not die for her, but she was satisfied with that.

"By the authority to me vested by the almighty God living above us, and by the power to me granted by the people of Saol, I, Antonius Lucius Deus IV, Pontifex maximum of the Saol Empire, declare you, Princess Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol, Empress of the Saol Empire."

She bowed down, careful not to fall. The Pontifex maximum placed the Crown on her head.

"Take this sceptre, symbol of your earthly powers, and wear this cape, symbol of divine protection, for once you rise, you will have bloomed into Empress Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol I."

She took the sceptre and allowed two churchmen to fasten the cape on her shoulders.

Slowly, she rose from her knelt position, and turned around to face the population.

"I am Empress Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol I, primus inter pares, it is a pleasure to meet you."

She knelt down once again, this time before her people, and waited for the endless cheers to die out.

Once they did, she rose again and sat on what was once her father's throne. Again, cheers erupted. Most people did not even know her, yet they were rejoicing for her ascension. Had her father been such a terrible sovereign? Perhaps it was just a procedure, and they did not even know who they were applauding.

Nevertheless, she decided to enjoy this one moment of applause. It was for her that they were screaming, her and no one else.

She did it. She came out on top. Her lungs were filled in with the air of victory, and she couldn't help but breathe big gasps of satisfaction.

Like a drug, the cheers were intoxicating.

She liked it, the power she held.

How exhilarating.

Princess Cassiopeia pulled herself out of that state, conscious of all the eyes on her, conscious of the man that could read her mind.

She lifted her right hand in the air, waiting for the cheers to stop.

"Let the celebrations begin!"

Thus, different cheers erupted, and hundreds of servants entered the hall and the gardens with trails of food and drinks.

Violins could be heard all over, playing the symphonies of her childhood, the National anthem and even songs she couldn't remember.

It was beautiful, she was happy.

After most of the commoners came to congratulate her, she went back to her study. She had work to do, and no one would look for her anyway.

Most nobles went back without greeting, as that day was for the population. She remembered that her father had skipped the congratulations altogether, so she figured that she had done more than enough.

There were more impending matters, after all.

Her crown felt heavy on her head, but it was a weight she was willing to bear.

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The second day of the Coronation ceremony the Palace had its doors closed.

Empress Cassiopeia spent half of the evening greeting the nobles in the throne room, before going to the banquet hall, where the socialite world was.

The pile of gifts behind her throne was enormous enough to intimidate her. She had never received that many gifts, and she felt bad for the maids who will have to take care of it.

Eventually, she greeted all the guests, and headed to the banquet hall as well.

She hadn't eaten anything since the beginning of the celebration, and she was starving.

Without much ceremony, she bolted to the chocolate jellies. She was lucky she chose to wear a formal attire that did not involve a crinoline.

Gracefully placing five jellies into her mouth, her childhood etiquette teacher, Lady Bouje, lightly slapped her hand as she headed for the sixth.

"I counf fhis as affault", she said with her mouth full.

"Then behead me, Your Highness, but do not forget your manners. Wearing pants does not make you any less of a lady." She was not wearing pants, but she knew what the Lady meant. Being the ruler did not make her less of a lady, the reminder that she will be forever tied to her condition of woman.

Anyhow, before she could retort, Baron Lancaster's daughter, Lady Verre patted her shoulder.

Empress Cassiopeia smiled and tightly hugged her friend.

"I cannot believe you're already back from your vacation house!"

"Surely you jest! How could I miss such an occasion?"

Although the daughter of a Baron, she was her dearest friend. Due to her status, many disapproved of her as her friend, but Empress Cassiopeia could not care less.

"I see someone has forgotten in whose presence she is." Retorted Countess Bouje.

"Ah, do I have to formally greet you now?" Whined her friend.

"No, you don't", chuckled the red head.

"Yes she does, what impression does this give to the nobles, to let a Baron's daughter behave like this?"

Empress Cassiopeia knew Lady Bouje was not wrong, but she did not want to ask for her friend to bow.

"Greetings to the glistening flower of this Empire, Empress Cassiopeia."

Lady Maria and Lady Deanna bowed before her.

"Lady Maria, Lady Deanna! I'm glad you made it!"

She hugged her friends, who held her hands.

"You looked absolutely majestic yesterday!"

"It's true, I couldn't keep my eyes off of you!"

"You flatter me", she blushed.

"If this is flattery, you should wait to hear what the other nobles had to say!"

"That's true, everyone was left agape when you walked into the throne room."

She blushed, but before she could reply Lady Verre came to her aide. "Ladies, stop it! Do you not see how flushed she is?"

Empress Cassiopeia chuckled, "it's fine", and moved a hand on her face, conscious of her redness.

The candles went off, and then back on, dimly lit this time. A lone violin echoed through the room.

"It's starting! The first ball!" Various whispers of the sort were heard all around.

Someone touched the Empress' shoulder.

"May I have the honour of this dance?"

She tried to make out the face of the person speaking to her.

"William! Of course!" She chuckled, and held her brother's hand.

Her red hair clashed with his blonde, yet their blue eyes were of the same hue.

"Can you dance?" She whispered.

"No, can you?"

"No."

"Good."

"Good."

Yet, they both knew how to. They just liked to step on each other's feet to annoy the other.

After the first dance was over, the first cycle of dances begun.

Each ball was composes of five cycles of dances, and each cycle was opened by the Empress and the Emperor's dance, or, in the absence of a partner (like in this case), the ruler must dance with the person of highest status of opposed gender, unless they were married.

After the first dance, Empress Cassiopeia caught sight of Lady Claudette and Lady Leanne, and went to chat with them.