Rory stared at herself in the mirror. Her long brown hair fell to her waist in beautiful waves. A few pieces had been twisted back, pinned with a shimmering star clip. She turned her head, examining the hairpiece. Her fingers traced it gingerly, the crystals shining in the light. Her long red dress cascaded down to the ground. It was a much simpler dress than the one she wore for the Pacem Ball.
It was an off the shoulder dress with a large split at the leg. The top crossed over her chest, the fabric was stiff and wrapped around the top of her arms to create thick off the shoulder straps. A simple belt wrapped around the small of her waist, the dress poofing out slightly from there. The bright red looked gorgeous against her light-brown skin, the dress was bold and elegant.
After Malakai had revealed the name, not much happened. No one else could recall if they heard a name or not when they died. Rory offered to go through their minds to find the information, but they decided it could wait until after the coronation. They tried to find information on anyone named Sakara in Thera but to no avail. Rory stayed up for most of the night researching the name, but there was nothing.
Rory didn't inform them of her conversation with Grimwald. She trusted them implicitly, but she had a feeling they wouldn't like this. She would be giving information to someone she knew she couldn't trust, and she would also have to believe some of the things he told her. The situation would likely lead to a disaster. Rory didn't want to endanger the others with her plans, and she could do this bit on her own.
She smoothed out her dress slightly, gulping nervously. She heard someone walk towards her. Turning around, Maximus stood in a simple black suit, some of his armor adding to the outfit. He grinned at her. "Nervous?"
"Why ask when you know the answer?" she retorted with a small laugh.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. All you need to do is repeat some words, get crowned, and then walk away," Maximus assured her calmly. She nodded slightly, going over the words in her head.
Someone frantically ran into the room, tripping against the door as they slowed down. Their brother stood in the doorway, a goofy grin on his face. Maximus huffed out, shaking his head at Aidan's antics. "You ready?"
"As ready as I can be, right?" Rory asked rhetorically. Her brothers stood on either side of her, holding their arms out to her. They both wore identical suits; the only things that were different are the details on them. Maximus had a few pieces of his armor on his uniform while Aidan had faint details of fire outlining his. She grinned as she took both of their arms.
Rory held onto their arms, letting them guide her through the castle. She struggled slightly to walk in her heels, but her brothers both balanced her enough to stand up. She heard them talking, but the sound got washed out a bit in the background as she felt her nerves grow. She hadn't even noticed she stopped, and it was only when her brother pulled her from her thoughts had she noticed.
"Rory?" Aidan checked, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. She tilted her head at him, breathing in deeply.
"I don't even know if I'm qualified for this. I'm not from here; it should be one of you two," she panicked, shaking her head at the whole situation, "I have no clue what I'm doing! What if I mess up?"
"Our people chose you, Rory. You inspire them, you can do this," Aidan told her firmly, holding his arm out to her again. "If you mess up tonight, they won't say anything. Technically, if they do, you could have them killed on the spot."
"Are you serious? There are some serious issues with that. What kind of legal system is this? That might have to change," Rory rambled, flustered by the idea of being able to kill someone just because they spoke against her.
"And you can change that, just not tonight," Maximus reminded her, forcing her to retake their arms as they led her to the coronation.
"Tonight, you become a queen," Aidan finished with a smile. She opened her mouth to protest but they reached the doors to the outside, making her stop short. "Also, you look lovely."
"Thank you," she said sheepishly, rolling her eyes slightly. She had to admit, she adored wearing this dress. "Let's just get this over with. God, I feel like I'm walking into my own death sentence."
"That's the spirit," Aidan chirped sarcastically as he and Maximus pushed open the grand doors.
Rory sucked in a deep breath as the fresh air hit her. Her brothers didn't let her stop walking as she had wished. They made their way down the grand marble steps. Her hair swished behind her, tickling her exposed back. Nearly everyone in Fantamia was here; they wanted to see their queen get coronated. While Rory was touched by the number of people who came, it only made her more nervous. Several things could go wrong with the coronation alone. If she messed up, thousands of people would be there to witness it. Beautiful flowers surrounded the area, glowing colorfully. White flowers covered the path she was walking on. As she passed over the petals, they levitated up into the air and floated behind her, glowing brilliantly.
Scorchers surrounded the area, monitoring everything closely. Rory thought it was unnecessary, but everyone insisted on having them there. While she agreed it was smart for safety reasons, she knew the scorchers weren't particularly fond of her. She got out of enormous legal consequences quite easily, which undermined their authority. She only agreed to have them there for the safety of the people in Fantamia; she had no interest in putting their lives at risk. She briefly saw Grimwald in the audience, recognizing the twinkle in his eye, he looked nearly smug from the situation. He gave her a kind nod in which she returned with a forced smile.
She spotted her friends in the crowd, all giving her reassuring looks. She stood above them with her brothers. The glowing white flowers that levitated behind her ended up being enchanted to follow her. They rose and created a grand arc above them. She took a moment to gawk at the arch of petals, relishing in the beauty. Something about the beauty around her comforted her. She had always found comfort in the nature of Fantamia, and she was glad that hadn't changed. Rory turned her attention back to her brothers before nodding at them- she was ready.
Aliya flew from the audience and landed on the top of the stairs, along with Rory and her brothers. The vuplide sat perched up next to Rory as if to protect her from any possible harm. Another wave of comfort washed over her, relieved that her amicorda was allowed to be present in her coronation.
"Please welcome your future queen, Rory Lucina," Aidan shouted formally, projecting his voice over the mass crowds. Eliphas had cast a few spells to make their voices louder. Rory was surprised by how loud his voice was now, and she was reasonably sure that the thousands of people in the crowd could hear him. Rory stood between them both, masking her nerves well. The crowd cheered loudly for a few moments, making her smile at them, unable to hide how overjoyed she was. She was surprised by how welcoming they were to her, considering she hadn't lived in Fantamia for very long.
"Rory Lucina," Maximus began in a loud tone, making Rory turn her head back to them. He nodded for her to come towards them. He had the crown in his hands. A stunning gold crown sat on a red pillow in front of her. Her two brothers held the sides of the pillow, balancing the crown up. Rory gawked at the gorgeous details. It looked like a regular gold crown. It had five spikes on it. Three out of five of the peaks had small hollow gold stars on them. The other two spikes had gold balls on them with tiny crystals in the middle of them. She was snapped out of her trance when her brother continued to talk. "Are you willing to take your oaths?"
"Yes, I am willing," she answered automatically. The speech sounded familiar. She couldn't remember if it was the same one they had on Earth- if anything, it was likely similar. She placed both of her hands onto the sides of the crown, waiting for the oaths to continue. They guided her in precisely what she needed to do and say.
Her brothers took turns with the oath, Aidan speaking up next. "Will you solemnly swear to protect and govern the people of Fantamia? To fight for them and to lead them?"
"I solemnly swear," Rory promised, her mouth drying slightly with nerves.
"Will you promise not to abuse your powers as queen? To lead the people of Fantamia with justice and fairness?" Maximus asked her in his stern voice.
"I promise."
"Will you, to the best of your ability, bring greatness to Fantamia? Will you, to the best of your ability, maintain the laws and rules of Thera? Will you, to the best of your ability, not put the people of Fantamia at risk?" Aidan asked, his eyes locked on the crown.
"I will."
"Will you wear the crown?"
The question stopped her for a moment, her heart beating a bit faster. The fact that she had so many lives in her hands terrified her, but she knew she would do whatever it took to protect them. She would do anything for Fantamia. Her eyes quickly flickered over to where her friends were seated. They stared at her proudly, making her surge with confidence. Her brothers nodded at her as if reassuring her that they would be with her every step of the way.
"I will," she finally said, a smile on her face, "from this day until our last."
Aidan held the pillow more firmly as his brother took his hands off it. Maximus lifted the crown, holding it gently in his hands. Rory's heart beat faster, lifting her head confidently. Aidan took a step back to grab the scepter. The golden staff had a star on the top as well, crystals covering it from head to toe. Maximus walked behind her, and Rory knelt gracefully, the dress spreading out around her.
"I hereby crown you, Rory Lucina..." Maximus began in a firm voice. He slowly placed the crown on her head, making Rory's heart surged with excitement. The crown fit perfectly on her head. "The Queen of Fantamia!"
Rory elegantly stood up, standing tall with the gorgeous crown on her head. Aidan handed the scepter to her. She took it with a small nod before turning back to the crowd. For a moment, she was worried the crown would fall when she moved, but it stuck to her head as if they spelled it on. She held the scepter up, gripping it tightly. Her eyes scanned the crowd powerfully, and for dramatic effect, she flashed her eyes once at them all.
"Please welcome, your queen! Rory Lucina, Queen of Fantamia!" Aidan called out, his voice rising proudly. Cheers erupted from the crowd, clapping madly. The arc of flowers explodes, the petals fluttering around her. Rory glanced up slightly, letting out a joyous laugh as she was covered in the glowing petals.
Her eyes found their way to her friends, who are cheering madly. Eliphas clapped politely while the others were going a bit over the top, making her laugh. Channing flashed his forever charming grin, gently saluting her. His hand lingered in the air for a moment before she nodded in amusement, a grin plastered across her face. She stared fiercely at the crowd of thousands of people, making her own silent vow to protect them over everything.
Rory was walking through the hallway back to her room. Still in her coronation dress, she longed to get out of it. While the dress was beautiful, she wouldn't mind getting into some more comfortable clothes. The crown sat firmly on her head; it felt like a shield of protection. The coronation had finished after that, which was a relief to Rory. She didn't want a bigger spectacle or a celebration following it; she had too much to do. Apparently, the people of Fantamia would be celebrating on their own, but Rory was far too tired to attend. Her heels clicking in the hallway were the only sound she could hear for a few moments before hearing footsteps behind her. Turning around curiously, she saw Eira hustling towards her.
"Eira, what's wrong?" she fretted, tilting her head.
"We have to go. Come on!" Eira told her frantically, making Rory panic slightly. Her friend didn't wait to start in the other direction. Rory quickly chased after her, holding up her dress so she wouldn't trip. She mindlessly lit up her hands, ready for a fight.
Rory didn't notice that Eira had led her to the newly renovated ballroom until they reached the doors. She immediately stopped running, realizing what was happening. Eira must have noticed she stopped because she turned back to her. "Really? He got you in on this?"
Eira started to feign confusion before Rory stopped her with a venomous look. "All right, fine. He knew you wouldn't come unless you thought it was an emergency."
"Unbelievable!" Rory scoffed angrily, beginning to turn away from her. "Glad to know I don't have to worry about you ever lying to me, I suppose!"
"Don't be dramatic. It's just a dance, you'll live! You need this, it's good to have some fun, you know," Eira reminded her pointedly, gesturing to the door.
"He told you about the kiss," Rory realized with a grimace, clenching her jaw, "it didn't mean anything; I was caught up in the moment!"
"If it means nothing, then surely one dance won't make a difference," she pointed out, stumping Rory into silence, "just go dance, please? It can't hurt."
Rory shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "I don't have time for this. I'm a queen now. I don't have time for dancing."
"Listen, Rory... we both know what's coming. There's gonna be a war, likely soon. And... we may not all survive," Eira admitted reluctantly with a tad of bitterness. She exhaled sharply, taking Rory's hands into her own. "We need to do things that will make us happy before it's too late. And if you don't do this now, you may never get the chance to."
Rory hated to admit it, but she knew Eira was right. There would be a time where they would be only at war, where the possibility of something like a dance wouldn't even grace their minds. This might also help her sort out her feelings for Malakai. She assumed this would only rid any feelings she might have had for him, making it all the more appealing- she did not have time for something like a relationship.
Rory didn't say anything as she pushed open the doors.
Her breath hitched as she locked eyes with Malakai.
He looked gorgeous. He wore a black satin suit with a few red accents that matched her dress. His green eyes were vibrant as ever, staring at her as he took in every detail. Rory licked her lips as she walked through the doors entirely, closing them behind her. She strutted confidently over to him, wearing her crown like a trophy. She stopped directly in front of him, refusing to let him see that she was nervous.
"I believe you're meant to bow, at the very least," Rory commented smugly, smirking slightly at him.
"I'm not here... to dance with a queen," Malakai trailed off before gently taking the crown off her head. He swiped one of his hands and created a shield. Gently placing her crown on it, he pushed it off to the side. She eyed him warily, confused by his actions. "I'm here to dance with the girl who saved me when everyone else wanted me gone."
Rory got slightly flustered, taken aback by the declaration. "That girl isn't as whole as she once was," she reminded him half-jokingly, lifting her hand bitterly as she showed her scarred hand. Her hand began to fall, but he grabbed it swiftly, causing her to gasp. He locked eyes with her before gently lifting it to his lips. He placed a tender kiss on the back of her hand, directly onto her scar. It was a strange sensation, and she only felt the pressure of the kiss. It felt as if the nerves around it were dead.
Malakai eventually let go of her hand, letting it fall back to her side. She paused, knowing her face was likely bright red. Collecting herself quickly, Rory blinked rapidly. "That was a bit cheesy, don't you think?"
"You liked it," he shot back with a smug expression. She scoffed with a hint of a grin on her face. "Shall we?" Malakai offered, holding a hand out to her.
Rory didn't let herself hesitate. She placed her hand in his, letting him lead her to the middle of the ballroom. They stood on a white marble floor, golden details glimmering beautifully underneath the new chandeliers. They faced each other as they did at the Pacem Ball, neither breaking eye contact.
"You know this changes absolutely nothing, right?" she clarified, knowing it won't be the last lie she ever told.
"I know," Malakai murmured softly, his eyes tracing her body.
The sound of music made her jolt slightly. It started simple; a slow yet elegant tune filled the air. Rory assumed they would be doing the same dance they did at the Pacem Ball. She turned out to be right when he placed his hand up in a similar way as before. She lifted her hand, as well. They began to walk around each other, their hands bumping into each other every few moments. She couldn't help but feel a burst of electricity every time their hands touched.
After a few seconds of walking, they turned the other way. They repeated the same movement, their hands continuing to touch every few seconds. Rory surprised herself when she realized she wanted nothing more than to touch him. She didn't want to spend any more time with these near-touches. Before she can do anything to embarrass herself, she quietly notes that they only have a few more seconds until they join hands.
They turned the other way, both of their hands raised as they circle each other. Rory nearly wanted to cower under his fierce gaze, his bright green eyes piercing into her. Her heart raced, and she was sure her palms would be sweaty when they eventually touched, but she didn't care. Seemingly out of nowhere, he firmly grabbed her hand and waist. She placed her hand in his while the other rested on his shoulder. They started to waltz reasonably quickly to the passionate song. She couldn't describe it, but she felt like it fitted them perfectly.
Malakai danced them around in circles, her dress swishing on the floor beneath her. He raised his hand, twirling her quickly multiple times. Her bright red dress spun elegantly around her, flailing out gorgeously. He tugged her back to him, his face just inches away. She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes involuntarily flickering down to his lips.
He dipped her down perfectly to the intense rhythm, scooping her down slightly before lifting her back up. Rory didn't get the chance to catch her breath as he lifted her in the air, spinning them around and placing her on the ground once more. His movements were unpredictable, but he still made her feel safe. There was something about him that made her heart race.
That was when Rory decided to let go. Let her worry, her pain, her sorrow go. Right here, right now... she chose to let herself drown in the moment. She didn't care if she never came up for air; she wanted nothing more than to stay just like this forever. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore; she allowed him to take her anywhere he pleased on this dance floor. They became one through their song... through their dance.
He continued to spin her across the dance floor. Malakai pulled her body directly to his own. Her upper half fell back, her arms spreading out behind her gracefully. She felt exposed and open, but she didn't feel uncomfortable by it. Rory let herself open to him. His hand traveled to the upper part of her back, lifting her back up to him. Their foreheads pressed against each other, both taking a moment to breathe.
Malakai spun her around, her back now against his stomach. Her breath hitched as he spread her arms once more. His hands grasped onto her waist, lifting her gently into the air. She kept her arms out, her legs kicking the air slightly as he took a few steps along the dance floor. After a few moments, he placed her back down. He held onto one of her hands, tugging her to spin back into his arms. She landed perfectly in his embrace.
She turned around, going back to their original position. They waltzed in a rushed manner at first, repeating what they did before. Malakai occasionally spun her a few times, but softer this time. The song slowly came to an end, their dance becoming much more delicate and more relaxing. Her heart continued to race, wanting this moment to last forever.
As their dance ended, they simply stared into each other's eyes.
Rory stared into his bright emerald eyes.
Malakai stared into her grey, star-filled eyes.
They stood there for a few moments, neither of them moving. The song came to an end... but neither of them dared move. The moment was so fragile and fleeting, and it seemed as if they both thought that moving would ruin the moment. Neither of them wanted to leave, both wanting to drown in the high of this moment forever.
And Rory knew, though she wouldn't admit it, that this changed absolutely everything.
This was brutally endless, and in this moment, so were they.