Cure for a Nation

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Claire awoke, she was aware of a sharp pain in her chest with every breath she took. She coughed and spluttered for a moment until the spots cleared from her vision. She felt a strange warmth against her left arm and looked over to see Daniel sound asleep with his hands tucked into the collar of his chest piece. He was on the verge of falling over onto Claire's lap and she smiled for a moment before she remembered where she was. She looked groggily around for the Magister but found he was missing from the throne room. She only saw Joan in the middle of the room on her knees, her hands raised to glowing streams of pink flowing all around her. Claire got unsteadily to her feet and shuffled over to Joan. She looked over her shoulder constantly in fear of another Warrior capturing her but the room was empty save for Daniel snoring away and Joan channeling energies. Joan lowered her arms and Claire stepped back as she remembered what Joan did to her. She took comfort from the idea that if Daniel was comfortable to sleep in the same room as her, she could trust her.
"It's good to see you awake," Joan said as she got to her feet.
"It's good to be awake," Claire replied.
"I'm sorry about earlier. My father manipulated me-"
"It's okay, Joan. What matters is that you didn't follow through and Daniel doesn't think you're a threat."
"How can you be so sure?"
"You're still alive, aren't you?"
"You have a good point."
"Yeah..I'm sorry about your father."
"Me too."
Claire felt a shift in the air and she focused on it. The energy was warmer than before and far more comforting. It was more of a presence than a force like before. She smiled and drew from it for a moment, allowing it to give her strength. She opened her eyes and saw Joan smiling.
"Look at you," she said, "drawing on the energies like a true Warrior."
"Have you told them the truth yet?" Claire asked.
"Better. I've shown them," Joan answered. Claire nodded, uncomfortable about that many people thinking about her, even if it were for but a moment and a small part of the whole truth.
"Come on," Joan said as she walked to Daniel, "let's wake the emperor and greet the Warriors. They're ready."
Claire followed but stopped in her tracks. Emperor?

Daniel stood between Joan and Claire at the top of the steps outside the throne room. The hall was packed from wall to wall with Warriors all looking uncertainly at the trio. Joan had promised Claire that she had broken her fathers influence and they all understood but she still saw they were uncertain of Daniel.
"Warriors!" Joan announced, "I have broken you free of my fathers hold but I couldn't have done it alone! Were it not for the actions of this soldier of the Steel Imperium and this Warrior, we would all be slaves right now! And so I hereby, as the only present Magister, name this soldier an Emperor of the Steel Imperium."
With that, Joan presented to Daniel the emperor's sword. He took it and inspected the blade before pointing it out above the crowd. He held it out in front of him and stood with his hands on the hilt. For a moment, there was silence and Claire felt her face growing hot. And then a massive applause erupted as the crowd celebrated. She breathed a sigh of relief. They were able to see the significance of a Magister crowning the emperor of the Steel Imperium and approved of it. She even saw the orange Warrior in the front clapping and cheering. Daniel held a hand up and the crowd fell silent.
"As Emperor of the Steel Imperium, I have a few policies to enact immediately," he announced, earning confused looks from the crowd and Joan. Claire herself was unsure of his plans.
"I declare," he continued, "that the war between the Warriors of Technology and the Steel Imperium is officially over."
More applause. Claire smiled as she thought it an insignificant but necessary gesture for him to declare that.
"Secondly, I will step down as emperor."
Claire's jaw dropped along with the crowds. Joan was puzzled as well.
"For too long have there been two factions here in Aurora. There have been borders and conflicts. I refuse to let such things remain. And so, for my second and final act as emperor before removing myself from the throne, I propose that in addition to the Warriors and Imperium merging to form one nation, I name the first queen of Aurora. Will you allow it, Magister?"
"I-I will." Joan said cautiously.
"Then I hereby declare.." Daniel placed a hand upon Claire's shoulder and placed her between him and Joan.
"That Claire is queen of Aurora. If she will have it, she will rule with the Imperium as only a peacekeeping force and one of defense while the Warriors will be a peaceful one to rebuild and research the improvement of life in Aurora."
Claire paled as the Warriors looked uncertainly up at her.
"Aurorans," Daniel shouted, "stand by me in support of your queen!" He and Joan stepped back from Claire as the crowd erupted into applause once more and cheered themselves. Claire gulped and raised a hand meekly into the air with a small smile. The crowd loved it.
Oh Daniel, she thought.
I'm going to hurt you for this.