41
»No Crown«
There was only one category of events that made such a terrific void implode inside of me, and this category wore a royal title of an empire which I insulted in front of our entire empire. Only Baekhyun's evil and demoniacal words and mind games had even my cells shivering, and only his words could ever make my mind so horribly empty that one would need to break open my cranium to scratch the thoughts from the nerve fibers in my brain.
If I was to speak this very moment, one would have to tear at my vocal chords to bring any kind of sound across and whip my tongue with a whiplash to make me vocalize anything.
My heart stopped beating, my brain stopped functioning, the crowd remained silent. I scanned every single face, sweltering in fear of seeing his or any related face, but I did not find them. It were my very own people that gifted me with sickening and nerve wrecking silence.
"We can be stronger together, Amathis."
Sehun, could you feel the horrific fear spreading in my chest and robbing the oxygen I desperately absorbed through my nostrils? Could you feel that I was on the brink of loosing my sanity as if being controlled over again for the hundredth time? Could the citizen see in my eyes the fear of loss, and with the trembling my hands feel the nervousness as well? Could anyone even in the slightest way imagine that I was risking my life with what I was doing, not only my oh so fine reputation? I doubted it, and it resulted in utter silence and no single movement in the people's bodies.
"Don't you fret, Amathis. Have patience, be stronger than what you thought you can be."
Mother, I apologize for being so reckless. Father, I apologize for not being as strong as you told be and for not being capable of obtaining peace. Kyan, I am sorry you had to die because of me. I am sorry you all had to give your life in order for me to survive.
"You have been a member of our family for a long time already." "You're like my sister, the sister I never had."
Sehun, I am sorry I made such a fool of our entire family this very moment. Suho, I apologize you never had a chance to become the King of Eden and instead had to sacrifice everything just because of me. Solar, please forgive me for the many times you were forgotten amidst all the issues that revolved around me.
"Amathi— I mean, your highness."
Chanyeol, Tao, Jongin, Lay, I am sorry for endangering you countless of times.
"Why are you so weak, Amathis?"
Amathis, I apologize for not listening to my wit. I had never see death approaching me so threateningly like in this blink of an eye.
My heart shook with surprise as a voice soon echoed through the entire area, blasting through the speakers that were connected to the microphone in the owner's hands. I felt like fainting, screaming, singing— my feelings ranked from content to negative ones, a variety of emotions spread out on the small of my face.
"Our highness Princess Amathis demands a reply to the question she voiced." The voice that had whispered calming words into my ears at times like these, a voice that calmed me with a mere sigh or exhale with lacing emotions in between. A voice that seemed surprisingly tranquil at a moment like this one. "I will be the first to answer her, and I wish for all of us to give their honest reply in the following moments."
A body sunk down on knees closely to my own one, the limbs seemed almost numb when they collided with the cold floor, only one of the arms was rigidly holding onto the microphone that enabled his words to be heard in every corner. In a kneeling position it was Sehun who straightened his back gradually, facing the residents from an entirely different perspective than ever before. I glanced at him from the corners of my eyes, disbelief washing through my face.
"I profoundly believe that you, our highness, can fulfill all needs our empire requires. I believe that you are able to provide peaceful living in this realm together with the support of all of us." He made a brief pause in which he let his eyes trail along the crowd slowly. "I believe that you are the chosen Queen of Eden, and everyone who shares this belief may show you so."
Most of the eyes were focused on the Prince of Eden who was known as my husband, but soon they travelled to the other just as significant male in this empire. It seemed like, without any hesitation, all people behind me fell to their knees with their hands supporting their bodies on the cold marble tiles.
Suho, Solar on her weak knees, all guards even with their heads bowed closely to the ground, guards I have never spoken much with, guards I had shared laughs with. All of them were in the same position I slouched down to the floor in previously. My heart skipped a beat upon the unfamiliar sight, and I snapped my head back to observe every single one of them in irritation yet gradually building hope.
Pecks of lost hope were scattered around me. Nonetheless, with what all of them were doing, they picked up each and every one even when they seemed to weigh tons, placing them in front of me to slowly build up hope inside my heart anew. Despite thousands of lost pieces being hidden in the crowd, my mind regained some reassurance, before even those seemingly gone pieces were laid in the palm of my hand. The residents fell to their knees, crouched down carefully, kids scattered along the front to be seen while on their knees. It seemed like a confetti of the hopeful pecks that my heart had shed initially and it felt more convincing than anything any person had ever said to me.
This seemed like a symbol of total trust, the moment almost all residents bowed down completely in sync.
A quiet serenade whistled through the air and fell from the lips of the hundreds of people around me. At first it was only a faint sound, deriving from the big speaker that encircled the people and myself, Sehun's soft voice gently humming the melody of our empire, the composition written ages ago by a talented musician in this family. Over the course of time the voices and sung words increased in volume, and the melody was carried through the entire crowd like a festive song.
The epiphany was welcomed in such a graceful way and a simultaneous tear running down my heated cheek.
"Let our Queen and King be blessed by support in greatest unrest, may they never shed a tear, may they never face the death, may they be protected by the sword and may it be risen in evil dischord."
Perhaps it were the voices of the young children in the front of the huge stage that moved my heart the most, perhaps it was the over all harmony carried through the singing voice of the crowd, the unison and experienced unity that was expressed in the faces of all people. Even in mine my deepest and most honest emotions were displayed, it was up to anyone to register how overwhelmed I was at this situation. Even overwhelmed seemed to be an understatement for what it actually felt like.
"Let fate bless them all, let fate shine on. We will raise the sword of our voice against their enemy, we will provide long lived peace for our family."
My hands trembled around the microphone that was shaking uncontrollably in between my fingers as I dared to near it back to my lips. A faint sign fell across them as the microphone was located right underneath them and the crowds singing gradually ceased at the last strophe of the anthem. Their eyes were sparkling in excitement and thrill, their bodies still slouched down onto the cold grounds that spread chills over their bodies.
Was I crying?
"We should no longer sit on these cold floors, please stand up." As I voicalized my thoughts I heard Sehun slightly chuckle beside me, as if he could not believe I had just said something so simple in a situation like the one we were trapped in.
However, the crowd obliged. Every single person slowly rose back to their feet and straightened their backs while never tearing their concentrated gazes from Sehun and me. I remained in my position for a brief moment longer, seizing such a gracious moment that perhaps is never to occur again. When I let my eyes trail over all people and the ones behind me, making sure that everyone was stood on their feet, I wrapped my hand around the fragile microphone stand to heave myself up. Nevertheless, a hand from my left slid into my vision as if held out for me to hold on, the delicate, fair skin familiar to my blurred vision.
Sehun was still on the floor, one of his knees was pressed against the ground while the other was positioned in a way that would ease him while standing up. As my eyes shifted to his face I registered a warm, reassuring smile sculpting his lips as he neared his hand to mine once again. I blushed suddenly as my eyes fell to observe the floor and my hand detached from the metal to grip firmly onto his warm one that wrapped around my fingers in a blink of an eye. And so, with his careful and gentle help, I was finally able to stand on my very own feet again and face the crowd like I had done in the beginning of this ceremony.
The hope inside me equaled a mountain again, higher and greater than any that has ever been climbed by humans on this land.
Single years of joy were trickling down my skin as I gathered my thoughts and mustered up the courage to speak calmly into the microphone again. "I want to thank everyone who is present here today and everyone that has put their deepest beliefs into me. I will someday repay all the gratitude that you have gifted me with today, and I promise to meet up to all expectations and all wishes of us. Prince Sehun and I will do everything that lies in our possibilities for all of us."
"Princess Amathis and myself will not reign over you, but together with you provide the existence and peace of Eden. All of you are a part of the steady forward movement towards the future, and we are truly one that keep pushing forward." Sehun regained his steady voice sooner and more effortless than I had, and smiled splendidly as he was responding to the expression of he crowd. "Our new chapter begins today wherein we will not forget the past and simultaneously look into the future. May fate bless us all."
A small applause filled the silence that followed his words for only a second or two, and the people looked more content than they had ever before. As I looked over my shoulder my eyes detected the same expressions on Suho and Solar's face that were previously washed white with pallor. Now they all have adapted a golden hue of relief and satisfaction, even I was able to honestly show my smile in all gratefulness.
"By these words we promise to fulfill our duty." I repeated the words that had been echoing in my heads for the last few seconds, before shifting my eyes to Sehun who was still holding onto my cold hand.
His eyes met mine for a split second as well. "By these words we promise to fulfill our duty."
These were the cue words for the man that would finally gift us with the official symbol of royalty. He had already gifted King Oh Jung and Queen Amara with the present of matrimony 28 years ago, given the same treasure to Sehun and me earlier this year and was now to officially appoint us to our thrones. The ecclesiastical officer had his seat in an institution that generally helped residents that needed any support or help in their life, but as their official chairman he had the duty to make marriage legal and appoint royal titles.
He stepped onto the stage from behind Suho and Solar as Sehun and me took a small step to the side. Behind him were two more assistants our age, each holding something expensive and irreplaceable that they carried with pride as their eyes focused on Sehun and me. The book, and the velvet box.
Sehun gave his microphone to Suho while I fixed mine in the stand once again in order for the officer to be heard everywhere. As he finally arrived next to us, with his assistant trailing closely behind him, he welcomed us with a warm smile, the crinkles around his eyes deepening as even they smiled. He was around seventy years old now, one could clearly see however that he devoted his entire life and existence to this profession and the royal family.
The old man carefully stepped closer to the stand with the microphone and cleared his throat as he faced the crowd.
"The year is 3000 on the fifth of the month may and we have gathered today to appoint Princess Oh Amathis and Prince Oh Sehun our Queen and King, our majesties in duty. The last time we have crowned our highnesses the late King and Queen was twenty eight years ago in the same spring month, even though today the circumstances diverge slightly from the norm. Today I will transform your wish for new rulers into reality, and hereby promise to do this with my best intentions."
Slowly and with determination he turned to us, his expression now serious and unreadable. It was our turn to act— as previously rehearsed, we had now take a step forward to the officer and both parties shall bow upon the approach. My hair fell into my face like a curtain as my head titled forward making Sehun to my left slightly grin, which I observed from my peripheral vision. Just this morning he had advised my stylist to pin my hair back, yet I had objected and persisted on my own choice of falling waves of hair around my shoulders. He was certainly thinking of this seemingly insignificant moment as well.
"Please belay everything I will in the following say.", the officer spoke as one of his aides handed him a single file before his gaze shifted to me anew, "Your name is Oh Amathis, formerly Amathis Lee, and you were born in Vasa, Hades, are twenty two years old and wear the title Princess of Eden. You are married to Prince Oh Sehun since March of this year and hereby will be crowned Queen."
I gulped and nodded slightly, feeling Sehun's hand softly graze against mine between our bodies. "Everything you have said is correct."
His gaze then shifted to Sehun. "Your name is Oh Sehun since birth, you are the son of our former King Oh Jung and late Queen Amara, you were born in Paline, Eden, are twenty three years old and wear the title Prince of Eden. You are married to Princess Oh Amathis since March of this year and hereby will be crowned King."
His hand wrapped around mine as his lips fell agape to let the words fall across from them with determination and seriousness. "Everything you have said is correct."
As the ceremony followed, Sehun and me were supposed to kneel down in the next moment. The gentleman he was, he extended his hand to my direction to assist me in doing so as I careful held back the length of my light dress. I slowly crouched down on my knees and folded my hands over my dress, my eyes nervously traveling over the faces of the attentive crowd that was dead silent. Soon, Sehun's body lowered itself next to my own, before the words of the officer once again blasted out of the speakers.
"Will you solemnly promise and swear to reign the people of realm Eden to its respective laws and tradition?"
By this point, Sehun and me were supposed to say everything in sync. We held our hands in between our bodies and closed our eyes for the brief moments of silence among everyone.
"We solemnly promise to do so."
Then, it was again the turn of the officer to label our next duty. "Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgements?"
Our eyes were still closed. "We will." Our palpitation was utterly enhanced, the rhythm of our hearts almost the exact same.
"Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the laws of your ancestors? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in realm Eden the long lived peace established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Peace treaty of Eden, and the doctrine, worship and discipline as by law established in Eden?"
"All this we promise to do."
All eyes were on us as we finally rose to our feet again. The entire situation felt surreal by this point, everything seemed to simply pass by me as if I was trapped in another dimension and could not act in this one. All of this came sooner than I would have ever imagined, everything happened too fast yet incomprehensibly slow in my mind. Our words, his words, our approval and following his final words.
Even the moment I would see it for the very first time came sooner than I would have thought while stepping into the stage today. Looking back thousands of year ago our ancestors were crowned and appointed Royal, yet things have changed over the course of time. Sehun has been wearing his symbol or royalty throughout the last months to protect me, and kept from me that there was another treasure in the depths of the palace for the future Queen, once worn by Queen Amara. No crown, no diadems but our very own, glorious and precious pendants that reflected the light of the shining sun perfectly in the moment my eyes laid upon them. They were transparent, similar to when Sehun first wore his at our wedding, yet to be filled with the power of the real Irace.
Sehun could not answer my question regarding what would happen if I put it on. My mind was spinning as we finally stood in front of the memorial book held by Suho and Solar, the ecclesiastical officer of our palace carrying the chest with the sacred necklets with pendants that held majesty. Suho, as ordered, opened the book in its center, revealing something that perhaps none of them had ever seen before in their entire lives— the first, very antique petition between settlers and novelty in Eden, signed in the year 2018. The first manifest ever made on this soil.
The noblesse oblique.
The climax of the ceremony reached its peak the moment that Sehun and me with utmost caution placed our palms on the contract displayed. My eyes shifted to his for the first time in a long, and even if it was only one brief, shining moment of privacy, it was more than enough to hold all the feelings inside of us.
For the first time today, Sehun's voice seemed to resemble mine in all the ways. "The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So bless us fate."
We were strong, confident and filled with the profound trust of our residents as I spoke my finally words, my hand laid next to Sehun's on the book. "The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So bless us fate."
Firstly, the ecclesiastical officer enclosed the left necklet in the box whose shape was slightly rounder, and took a proper step towards me to carefully place it around my neck where it laid perfectly, as if it glued itself to my skin. When he was sure it was set, he nodded his head towards me to signal that I could remove my hand from the manifesto, which I then had to bow in front of.
He repeated his actions with Sehun's necklet. Said man heaved a sigh of relief when the cold silver met with his skin after days of worry and absence, unlike me who has never came to touch with such treasures.
However, when the entire crowd bowed their heads to us as we finally faced them again, it felt like heavy stones falling of heart in a matter of a mere second. The deafening applause was soon to follow, similarity to the enticing color that filled my pendant magically slow.
The vibrant color of an amethyst.
I had never seen such intensity of this color before, and if one ever told you that the hue and tone of a mere flower in a garden was pretty you could gladly claim differently. One who had at some point experienced the blue Irace of Sehun or the violet flowing inside my pendant could admit that those were indeed the most intensely entrancing colors ever seen and perceived by human eye.
Even the crowd, Sehun himself, his siblings and guards behind ourselves were suddenly captivated by the slight change on my body— it seemed irrelevant that both of our pendants suddenly filled with color, but in secrecy every single person was aware of the magnitude it held hidden behind the glass. By the fact that they both filled with colors in the first place, the crowd knew that we were not only the rightful King and Queen, but also chosen to be them by the power of the Irace. It was the proof and the evidence that ceased all doubt and suspicion ever experienced in the hearts of people.
***
The ecclesiastical officer had brought us back into our small closet shortly after enjoying the crowds excitement and joy for a few more moments engulfed in applause and cheers. We were still separated from the others, who were supposed to enter our dining hall of our very first festivity with Sehun and me as even their Queen and King. Of course the situation held some kind of irritation since Sehun was not the father of Suho and Solar, yet that was exactly the fact that the officer had mentioned in his introductory speech; it was an exceptional situation due to the death of the former King, so one of the siblings needed to replace their father. Nonetheless I believed that this official title would not alter much between the four of us and even the other guards, who were joining our first dinner as well.
It was only Sehun and me, somehow both of us were still robbed of speech as we quietly entered the closet and closed the door behind our backs. He leaned onto the surface with his back and I turned on my heels to face him for the very first time since we stopped off the stage, my face contoured with sheer surprise and hidden joy somewhere in the sparkling of my eyes.
"Sehun." My voice was barely audible even though it was eerily quiet in the room. "They accepted me."
Said main pushed himself from the door with his palms flat against the surface, his eyes never leaving mine in the following moments. "I have to admit that I was shocked when you suddenly started blurting it out all before we we were officially appointed, but I somehow knew that they were not going to reject neither you nor me." As he took a step closer, he wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me close to his chest, leaning his head against my own. "Back then when you told me the truth I did not reject you either, and I know our residents well. They always were and still are loyal people."
"I'm still shocked." I leaned my forehead against his chest, right next to where his pendant was located. "Everything seemed to happen so fast and suddenly we were already sworn in and I could not fully comprehend what was—"
Oh Sehun. He may have been officially claimed King just a few minutes ago, but he remained being the same idiotic, sudden but loving charming man he had always been to me and only me. His hands placed themselves on the sides of my face while I was still struggling to form a proper and logical sentence and blabbering complete nonsense, while he decided to shut off my system of nervous with one simple move. He slightly tilted my face up as he lowered his own dangerously close to it, the warmth of his breaths colliding with the layer of cold sweat on my skin. Our eyes locked for a brief, shining moment before they both magically fell close and our lips melted together in a loving, soft kiss.
My hands naturally moved to his chest and shoulders as if to hold on for support, my eyes stayed shut as our lips moved against each other in perfect sync and shared rhythm of our heart beats. The soft caresses of his fingertips made all my previous thoughts disappear, and I gave myself as a whole for just this one, intimate moment we had. His soft touches acted like forced that lured me into a dreamland, his kisses were like fire that warmed me from within and simultaneously set small sparks that tickled me all over. Kisses with Sehun after important matters that united us in a new way always adapted some kind of new excitement and love for each other.
I didn't know how all of this was possible yet, the two of us being King and Queen, but my belief lied in the fact that we were in this together. As he tilted his head to deepen our kiss slightly, I gently pulled my face back from his before leaning my forehead against his own in a calming way while still catching my breath.
"The others are surely waiting for us in the hall." I whispered against his still glistening, cherry lips.
"After what he have just gone through we deserve a moment for ourselves." As he whispered in the same, quiet and tranquil manner one of his hands sneaked its way down to the lower of my back and slightly pushed me closer against his torso, earning a surprised gasp from my mouth. "I know how nervous you were so let's just calm down for a second love." He pressed his lips against my temple.
There was nothing and no one I loved more than Oh Sehun. Even if I tried to somehow put into words how insane, deep and honest my love for him lied in my heart I would fail each time anew, because there were no words, terms or anything else else to express the deep connection that was taut right between our hearts. It made us inseparable.
So, instead of trying to stutter my way through endless attempts of expressing my love for him to no avail, I simply stood on my toes to minimize our height difference and press my lips eagerly against his in a heartfelt kiss.
~
Thoughts? Reactions? Did you think that the audience was going to accept Amathis, or did you think she was going to be rejected in the end?
I want to explain myself a little..it was really hard writing something like this well simply because a crowning of such kind is just old fashioned. I basically read the "inauguration" from the British Queen just to be sure how this stuff works, but replaced every mentioned "God" since there is no real religion in Eden. The ecclesiastical officer is also not from church but something similar, it simply isn't a religion.
I have two exams next week so I probably won't be able to write much, but I'll prepare something else for this story in the meantime~ thank you for 25k!!!!!!!!!