The ancient tradition

         AURORA'S P O V.

         

         

         Stepping into the brightly lit room, I let out the breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding since walking from my room to here.

         In the room, there's a all the kings men and chiefs are seated around, the ones dressed in purple attires seated at the right side and the others dressed in dark blue on the other side.

         Their heads turns towards me as soon as I stepped inside the room.

         

         I looked up ahead and saw the crown's man standing next to the now empty seat up ahead. My heart made a silent beat. 

         

         I pictured my father sitting on that throne, his lips twitching into a sweet smile as I walk towards him. 

         

         All the king's men stood up as I started walking towards the throne, muttering "your Highness" in unison. I knew they all were grieving and weren't pleased about any of this situations. Nobody liked to be called out for an occasion as important as this at this hour of the night.

         

         As I reached the throne, I stood still. Maric blackwood comes forward to speak. "It is with great pain that I officially announce the death of our beloved king and queen who were returning from their journey of peace treaty with the filthy Japanese merchants who came into our lands and waters and tried to take over them," he started "but instead of taking the peace offering we offered them, they attacked our king and killed him! This calls for war."

         

         "The king and Queen's death was tragic," Eldrid battleborn Ho said from the opposite side. "But I think we should find their bodies first before proceeding to crowning the process as the next king."

         

         In the council, the members were made up of four clans. The Ho and Lee which were the ones on blue attires and the Yan and Gin in purple. Most of the times they didn't seem to agree on so many things based on their history since the founding of Eldrador.

         

         "You very well know that this crown needs to be on the princess's head before the break of day," Lyrien said from the Yan clan "and we already sent men out to bring back the ship and every last body on that ship."

         

         My heart broke as they continued to banter on how and when to make me the next king of Eldrador.

         

         "Silence!!" Thrain screamed and the silence spread out at once. He rose to his feet and looked me from the piano nobile where I stood in front of the throne.

         

         "The young princess is grieving and she needs time to go through this." Thrain said pitifully.

         

         The silence took over the room as their heads turned towards me. I took a breath In and out before preparing to speak.

         

         "Today, the king and queen were taken from this kingdom," I started "but I am still here. I am the daughter of the Fireheart of Eldrador and the direct descent of the first Fireheart, Isabella Fireheart. And it is my duty to rule over this great kingdom. And I promise that I will do my best."

         

         The entire room erupts in a round of applause. I turned around to the crown's man and let his men wear the rings on my fingers before he made me say the royal vow and he placed the crown on my head. 

         

         In that instant, I knew my life was completely changed. And I owed a lot to my people now. One of them being my urgent need to get a husband. To select four noble men to bed with me.

         

         The room erupted in praises, all bowing to me. I felt little with all the responsibilities weighing on my shoulders. I am a queen now, a nineteen years old queen. And I needed to own up to it.

         

         I sat down on the throne before Maric blackwood came forward again and said "I think we all know the first and most important step for our queen here to take. Queen Aurora of Eldrador needs to choose her partners."

         

         Yes, you heard that right. In Eldrador, as well as many other kingdoms across the oceans, when a woman becomes queen, she is entitled to choose four men to be her husbands. This was because these four men must complete the four elements ( earth, spirit, water and sword)

         In ancient history, the union of these four noble men would form a sacred bond and ensure the kingdom's prosperity.

         

         

         These men would be hand picked by me at a traditional event where these men from four different parts of the the other nations and kingdoms comes together and display their powers before me.

         

         "We will send words to other kingdoms about the tragedy that has befallen us," Maric blackwood said to me respectfully "and then we will send invites to these kingdoms too, inviting them to the event that will be held so that you can hand pick your wanted men."

         

         I didn't know what to say. I never thought that I would find myself in this position one day. I never imagined myself having to pick men to be with me. I always imagined that I would fall in love one day and get married to the man that I love. And somehow, I still believe that I can do that. But right now I owed so much to my people. I am now a queen and I should act accordingly.

         So I nodded gently, giving my consent. And giving away my chance at falling in love with the man of my dreams and getting married to him.

         

         

         

         I just sat there and listened to all of the conversations going on about me. I barely had much to distribute. Once the meet was over, I was escorted back to my new room. 

         

         As I headed out, towards the corridors I passed earlier, I came across a group of guards all kneeling and waiting for me. 

         "Your Highness." They said in unison as I approached them. There's a few other maids kneeling behind the guards, their heads down as they acknowledged me. 

         

         One of the guards at the front rises up to his feet quickly.

         

         "This is Jean," Maric blackwood said as he stepped out from behind me "he is the head and leader of this group of warriors. They are now your personal guards."

         

         "Personal guards?" I asked, confused "why weren't they showed to me back at the throne room?"

         

         Maric thought for a minute, before he replied "these are carefully selected warriors to protect you, your Highness. They cannot be revealed to everyone in that throne room for the purpose of your safety. And they won't always be seen with you, but they will always be with you in the shadows, watching over you. They served the king until his passing."

         

         I nodded anyways. I've heard about them before. They dressed differently from the rest of the guards in the palace. They wore yellow badges around one arm. I've never seen them before but my father once told me about them, and we were taught at the magic school up the hill. 

         

         According to legend, these group of men who had no name worked like the ancient ninjas, working in the shadows and only appearing when they're needed. 

         But I wondered why they weren't there to save my parents on that ship.

         

         "Thank you." I said to them and they all bowed their heads and pulled a hand over their chests like a form of pledge.

         

         They moved away, revealing the maids kneeling behind them.

         

         "And these would be your new maids from now on." Maric blackwood said and the maids bowed their heads.

         

         "Maids?" I asked "what about my old maids?"

         

         Maric smiled before replying, "you cannot keep your old maids, your Highness. These are your new assigned maids and they were trained to take care of the Queen and put her through all that she needs to know."

         

         I didn't know how that made any sense. 

         

         "Thank you," they nodded "you may rise." And they rose to their feets.

         Asmira has been my maid since I was a little girl. We practically grew up together even though she was much older than me. I would feel bad leaving her behind.

         

         "Asmira can come with you if it would make you happier." Maric blackwood said as if he was reading my mind.

         

         I nodded, trying to hide the excitement knotting in my stomach as he said that. Then I proceeded forward, Maric staying behind to watch me and the rest of the maids and guards walk away.

         

          

     Once I reached the confines of the room I was now to live in, I broke down crying. I could finally be myself since this madness.

     I spent the entire night crying before I saw the day breaking in the distance.

     I didn't get any sleep.

         

         

         Once a knock came on my door followed by one of the maids voice "your Highness." I was reminded again that my life has completely changed now and I wasn't the ordinary girl called Aurora anymore. I was now a queen.

         

         The doors slid open and my maids steps inside, but I noticed Asmira wasn't here.....yet. it was just the much older maids with me now. 

         

         "Your Highness, we are here to prepare you for the event that is to take place soon." One of the maids said.

         

         I thought for a second before speaking. "I would like to know your names."

         

         The person whom I assumed to be the chief maidservant and the spokesperson rose up and said "it is with pleasure your Highness. My name is Lilith and the rest of the five women are lanthe, Rhonda, Arete, Dane and Eunice." They all bowed at the call of their names.

         

         I nodded before saying "is there any news yet about my parents?" 

         

         "I do not know that your Highness, but you are expected at the throne room, maybe there's news." Lilith said and I nodded.

         

         Lilith went a head to usher the rest of the maids in with some clothes for me to wear. 

         Arete and Rhonda helped me to a bath while the rest of them arranged my dress outside on my bed. Breakfast had been prepared for me by the time I went back into the room so I quickly ate and got dressed before being escorted to the throne room along with some guards.

         

         I've been a princess my whole life but never have I gotten this much attention before. I've traveled to the mountains every day since I was a child and mixed with other kids from other kingdoms to learn basic magic and sorcery but I have never gotten this much protection before.

         

         

         As I reached the throne room, the entire chief men were already waiting, worry on their faces. I scanned the faces around to find Maric Blackwood's. There was too many emotions written all over his face to get what was going on. There seemed to be tension in the air.

         

         "Your Highness." They all greeted us they rose to their feet. I walked ahead to sit on the throne, my heart hammering loudly inaide my ribcage. Something was wrong and I just wanted to know what. The tension was too thick.

         

         "The king and Queen's bodies has been found, your Highness," Thrain said as he rose to his feet to face me. "But the Queen's stomach was found empty. The baby was not found."

         

         My heart stopped for a quick second before the blood started rushing into it again.

         

         Someone killed my mother and took the baby? Was he alive or dead too? This was some planned work, it was no mere attack.

         

         "The Queen was due this fall, your Highness," Eldrid battleborn spoke after a long heavy sigh "someone knew this and took the young prince. And we must find who was behind this and bring him to Justice!"