Thank you for reading. If you love this novel, please support me by giving me your precious gems 💎💎💎💎💎💎 and don't forget to add your rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Day 1 for second option cover- 2. Please review all the covers that appear over the next week and do remember that the differences are subtle. Each cover will stay for 3-4 days before changing. At the end, we will cast a vote via comments. Make sure you vote when the voting starts.... Thank you for your love and See you tomorrow with the next update.
Both Beth and John were back to normal after a day’s worth of good rest. Ursula went back home with Matthew when he came in the afternoon, after preparing both dinner and supper. She didn’t wait for Oden and Martin to come back as Beth was already feeling better after eating the porridge with the medicinal herbs that Mira gave. Mira and Jack didn’t have any other distractions. They both worked hard fully concentrating on their work. They even ate in space as the food was already cooked and placed there. They only came out to water the crops, let the animals out to graze in the morning and lock the barns at night. Martin couldn’t deliver the crown clasp on Monday as promised but Jack and Mira didn’t care. Jack paid a visit to the smithery on Mira advice and told Simeon to deliver on Wednesday as they had some inconvenience. Simeon just laughed in good humor. How could he not understand? Martin bought the short chain and crown clasp on Wednesday as promised and the long chain on Thurs
“Aunt, I am home.” Jack called out standing at the doorway. Beth hurriedly wiped her hands on the apron rushed to open the door, but Anne-Marie beat her to it. “Cousin...” Anne-Marie jumped into Jack’s embrace before looking behind him and asking with a sad pout “Where is cousin’s wife?” “She is working … she sends her love.” Jack ruffled her hair as he walked in. “Jack, son what is it?” Beth asked anxiously. Jack wouldn’t come on his own if there was nothing wrong. “Shouldn’t you be telling me what’s wrong?” Jack complained unhappily. “Me?? Wrong???” Beth knitted her brows before laughing “It’s all better… thanks to your medicine.” “Aunt, do you even consider me as your son?” Jack frowned seeing that his aunt had no intention of speaking the truth. “My boy… what are you saying?” Beth sighed but before Beth could open her mouth, John and Oden entered in a hurry. “Jack… son…” John called out in a fluster before calming down. “Are you here to check on the blankets?” Oden asked
The next day was the same. Both husband and wife only took a break from their work to take a dip in the hot spring to relax their tired muscles and to sleep at night or dawn when Jack made a ruckus. Sunday morning had a slight twist with Ursula and Agnes arriving to cook. Both frowned as they saw the fireplace that had not been lit for days. Jack took a break from his work and entertained Matthew and Harry. They decided to plant the saplings that were waiting to be planted in the morning. Mira had to stop work and come out as Ursula and Agnes would not hear about any excuse. She was no match for her two moms. She could only compromise, come out gobble everything they put on her plate and run back. Jack chuckled looking at his wife bulging cheeks as he saw her stuffing all the food in her mouth like a hamster. She looked really cute. “Ddd..oo….n.n.m…ll….mmmee” Mira pouted as she chewed her food fast… Jack “???” “Don’t laugh at me.” Mira repeated with a pout as she swallowed her fo
“Husband, I want to go to that cloth merchant’s shop.” Mira tugged Jack’s hand acting like a spoilt child. “I just remembered something…. Please…” Mira pouted and blinked with a pleading gaze. “Um” “Let’s go now.” Mira ran to the room to change and take the money. They hired the cart from their usual cart person. He was about to go home disappointedly since he didn’t get a single ride when Jack and Mira rushed up to him. Jack rode fast as Mira kept urging him; He had no idea what she wanted to do, but he was happy to comply. He could see the excitement in her eyes. “You’re back.” Stranton smiled before teasing “4 weeks are up… only 4 more weeks for our bet.” “Yes” Mira smiled mysteriously as she walked into the section for fine linen. She chose one pista-green and sky-blue. She turned to Jack “Brown or grey?” “For whom?” Jack raised his eyebrows with a knowing smirk. “Brown or grey?” Mira asked with a pout. “Brown for big bro and Martin, Grey for uncle.” Jack chuckled. “How
Martin came in the evening as usual. He bought the chains as always. Mira came out as she heard Martin’s voice. “Cousin’s wife.” Martin raised his head as he saw Mira “Cousin just told me about what happened in the morning.” Mira shrugged. “Is all your work spoiled?” Martin asked anxiously. Mira stared from Martin to Jack with a blank gaze before realizing that Jack didn’t tell him about the back-up “I need your help with something.” Mira decided to change the topic; She didn’t want to lie to family. She didn’t know how Jack managed to pull wool over his head, but she knew Jack wouldn’t lie. “What is it?” Martin asked eagerly. “It might require you to do something bad.” Mira pouted with a conflicted expression. “Like??” “Stealing...” Mira pursed her lips. Martin took a deep breath as he made up his mind “I will do it… what should I steal?” “Are you tired?” Mira quirked her eyebrows “I need it today.” “Okay” Martin stood up. “Can you steal a dress of your mom’s and Anne-Ma
Jack and Mira woke up together. Mira got breakfast ready while Jack milked the cows and let the animals out. He ate breakfast before going to get the cart. Today was the day they used the cart for free, but Jack insisted on paying a full day’s wage as he needed it for the whole day. He told the cart owner that he would use the free ride next week. Mira pushed the stands from space into the front room as she got ready for Jack to return with the cart. Jack loaded all the stands and took the milk to deliver at his uncle’s place. Mira handed him a small cloth with measurements for her mother and godmother, the sample dresses of Beth and Anne-Marie along with the embroidered cloth for each one and reminded Jack repeatedly which one was for whom. Still not satisfied, she wrote the color for each person on the small cloth “Deliver this to Almera on the way back. Tell her we will pick it up in the evening. I will finish Thomas’s cloth by then.” “Um” Jack kissed Mira goodbye and locked the
The process was well thought through. There were two guards manning the gate. Only two, at the most four, people were allowed to enter. At the counter stood six of the king’s most trusted men. They would take the entry and attach a number to the entry and give a cloth badge with the same number to the participant. This would then be put into the rolling drum like bin with other entries and the whole bin rotated so that no one could guess who the entry belonged to. Not even the guards looked at the number that was handed over. The numbers were three digits and randomly arranged. Mira and Jack got off with Jack holding their basket. “We will wait here.” Martin and Oden didn’t get off. They didn’t know what cousin was up to … but Martin didn’t feel confident entering the palace grounds. He felt flustered looking at the imposing structure. Oden nodded in agreement. He wasn’t flustered but he didn’t think it was appropriate. “We will accompany you.” No one knew when Samuel’s men reached
Mira and Jack went into the costume shop as Martin and Oden were distracted with the shop selling garden tools. Mira got a wig with shoulder length hair and sideburns. She also bought thick eyebrows and a pair of glasses for Jack to wear. They returned discreetly and stood behind Oden and Martin. “Fancy anything?” Jack asked with a chuckle as he saw them standing pensively. “No… we were just waiting for you.” Martin shrugged. He wanted to buy something for Mira and Jack, but he didn’t know what and soon gave up the idea. They wandered through the streets chatting and munching on snacks they bought from street vendors. Mira bought 2 brown, 2 dark grey, 1 wide brimmed dark green and 1 grey hat when they reached the hat shop. Oden and Martin looked curiously at Mira who had gone crazy buying hats. Jack stood back with a doting smile; he knew who the hats were for as he saw the colors. Next, they wandered into a shop with hair accessories, and she bought 4-pointed petal hair bun metal
Once the king and the supreme rulers had taken the seats in the chamber of secrets, the chiefs of each governing body in the country entered for their private meeting with the king once their names were called out by the royal messenger. This solemn ceremony was the rite of passage where the new king is entrusted as the keeper of ancient secrets of the country from its inception, things that were for the king’s ears only. The other curious thing was no two chiefs entered at the same time. Each had only knowledge of the matter they were entrusted with. The only living person in the entire kingdom who had knowledge of all the secrets was the king and the supreme rulers.The rite passage ceremony went on till late through the night. No matter how anxious Cornelius was to get to his godson and blast the hell out of the household of Southamberston, he had to wait for the next day.The next day, Jack called everyone to the study very early in the morning. No one thought much of it till they
“What wrong?” Jack asked as he smoothed the frown adorning his wife’s beautiful face as they sat in the carriage on their way back to the Southamberston estate.Mira shook her head to indicate it was nothing although the confusion on her face didn’t disappear.“What is it that troubles my wife?” Jack tilted her chin to face him “Something is bothering you from the time of the crowning ceremony.”Mira raised her eyebrows in surprise. She never expected Jack to notice. She thought he was distracted by everything around them and that she had covered it well.“Nothing can distract me from you.” Jack chuckled looking at his wife’s silly expression.“Smooth talker.” Mira pouted as she rested back in his embrace although her heart felt it was dipped in honey. It was a blissful feeling to know that the person you loved also had only you in their eyes.“What is it?” Jack wasn’t going to give up without an answer.“Nothing… it’s just…” Mira bit her lips hesitating whether to speak but decided to
Thomas and Jack looked at their wives who were giggling foolishly and shook their heads helplessly. Thomas introduced Jack to the other gentry helping him build connections while the ladies gossiped. The hot topic for the ladies was of course, the fabulous gown that Mira and Almera were wearing. Everyone wanted to know where the materials were purchased and how long it would take to get them made.Matthew and Harry mingled with old acquaintances introducing their wives and John. Martin and Oden stood politely by their side. Both felt extremely awkward and overwhelmed as they had never attended such an affair in their lifetime although Oden kept a calm façade given his training at Slegh’s.Joan stood in the periphery of the hall with Emma staring viciously at their family that was dressed like the nobles, enjoying everyone’s admiration. Joan couldn’t understand why she had to stand in a corner forgotten even though she carefully planned for herself to rise to prominence. She couldn’t st
Cornelius’s eyes narrowed as he spotted Harrison behind Jack before sighing in a whisper “Kids! Didn’t we tell them to keep it quiet?”He turned to signal Parker as he realized that there was only Harrison following Jack. Of course, he knew Harrison represented the Hariebot’s and thereby Jack’s maternal home.“Wasn’t the edict awarding the dukedom passed on to Southamberston?”“Yes, your royal supreme majesty.” Parker bowed respectfully.“Then why isn’t the butler here to receive and guide the lord?” Cornelius’s temper rose “I need an explanation for this arrogance. I will visit the duchy after the feast. I want to see who dares?”“There…. There….” Aglaya gently tapped on Cornelius hand “Let’s deal with it later. Don’t spoil the festivities with your temper.”“Haiiii” Cornelius sighed before sitting back.Orseus hooked his eyebrows towards Bernard as he noted the change in his parents’ expression. Bernard shrugged before turning to look at his father for an explanation. Parker blinked
Similar to the sacred hall, everyone gathered in the grand hall according to their status. However, unlike the ceremony in the sacred hall not everyone attended. It was attended only by those who had an invitation among the freemen and servants.Jack and his entourage walked into the hall under the lead of Harrison and Lazarus to the section reserved for the Southamberston. Joan and Emma watched as they saw their family walking through the crowd unhindered under the protection of the Southamberston guards first with wide open mouths and then slowly gritted their teeth in resentment as they thought of their plight where they were waiting in the crowd.Emma clenched her fists as she threw a resentful glare at Joan whom she decided was the cause of all her misery; if it were not for Joan, she would be the one wearing that beautiful gown and walking through the crowd with her head held high, attracting the envy of the crowd. Joan did not notice the resentment in Emma’s gaze as she wasn’t i
“By this holy oil and the power bestowed on me by the ancestors and your Royal father, I anoint you as king of Hal from this moment forth” The chief of the elder priests poured the holy oil using the ceremonial spoon on Orseus’s head.The elders of each adorned him with golden spurs and armills. The grand dukes along with Knight commander Parker Hemmington knelt on the ground raising the four swords above the heads pledging their allegiance once the Elders finished and stepped aside. Each of the elders, blessed the sword and passed it finally to the chief elder; each time the chief elder would raise the sword and present it to Orseus who was seated on the high throne proclaiming-“With the swords of righteousness, do justice, protect the faith of the ancestors, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are perishing due to our negligence, maintain that which have been restored by the life force of your ancestors, punish and reform what is unjust all the while upholdin
Jack and his team made their way to their position in the procession. Everyone was excited. This was their first time participating in the procession. Anne-Marie could help but keep looking at the bear within the sun printed on the smock. This was the only differentiating factor in the smocks. Every smock had the insignia of the duchy printed within the country flag which was painted on the front and back of the smock. Not even Matthew and Harry had attended one of these events.The previous king didn’t have a coronation, he upsurged the throne in anger. The coronation before that was more than 50 years ago and the ones who could remember the event could be counted on fingers as the event was not open to everyone. In the past, the coronation was only attended by the nobility. This was one of Cornelius’s reforms even though he never had a coronation; Everyone citizen, noble, freeman or slave could attend the coronation.In line with the past traditions, the bells at the clock tower rang
The arrangement for the coronation ceremony was slightly different from previous years to increase efficiency. In the previous years, the elite of the society met in the palace hall and joined the procession after breakfast. This year, the palace guards formed 20 parking stations and associated tents for the nobility and 20 parking stations with tents for commoners although the facilities in the tent were not comparable to that of nobility; Each carriage that would park at any one of these stations where the palace guards would provide the smocks in the color identifying their social status.The concept of wearing this head-to-toe smock was to represent the flag which was the rising sun. The royal family and their household would be wearing golden smocks; similarly, the grand dukes and their household would be wearing orange, the dukes and their household would be amber, the lords would be yellow mixed with amber, nobles, scholars, merchants of high status in bright yellow, commoners i
“I am afraid I have to disappoint you.” Thomas’s lips curled up as he remembered his banter with Mira. “Your Grace is being modest.” Ecky shook his head in denial as he thought ‘No one would be able to match his master’. Thomas chuckled as he let Ecky help him dress. Although he was no longer in a panic to rush to Almera’s side, he still got ready hurriedly. He had figured out the reason for her scream, now it was more out of curiosity… curious what shock Mira had given his wife. Almera had just finished dressing and walked into the main lounge when she saw Thomas staring at her in a daze like a fool. “Who stole my husband’s soul?” Almera giggled as she walked up to him. Who didn’t like to see undisguised admiration and infatuation in their lover’s eye? “The enchantress is before me…” Thomas whispered as he hugged Almera’s waist claiming sovereignty “But I will be gladly held captive by her for all eternity.” “Someone’s got their mouth in the honey jar... Tsk…. tsk…” Almera feign