Chapter One: The Coronation

Darkness.

It was cold. It was so dark. I can feel chills of cold air caressing my bare skin. I let my blanket envelop me as if to protect me from the vile coldness that seemed unstoppable. I shivered at the coldness penetrating through the thickness of my comforter.

“Tomorrow, you will be reborn. You will be the master of this land. You will rule this land and strive harder to rule all the way across our border. You are exceptional. I know that you will be the greatest queen that Evergreen has ever seen,” my father’s words last night continued to echo endlessly in my head.

Restless, I continued to spend the night staring at my ceiling. Tomorrow is coronation day. Princesses from other kingdoms would mark this day on their calendars. This would be their most-awaited day, but for me, this is the most dreadful day.

I am not ready to take the crown and rule the land of Evergreen.

Free. Reckless.

Every princess is molded and shaped to be conservative. To be a queen who stands behind her king. She will be there to bear heirs to the throne. She will obey all that he, the king. commands. She is obedient. She is a puppet.

I don’t want to be controlled.

I am different.

I was raised armed with weapons. I was born to kill anything that stands in my way. I was raised to rule an entire kingdom as a king can. With that, I can be without a king. I am strong. I am powerful.

“Your Highness, please wake up. You have to prepare for your Coronation Day,” my chief maid, Anna, knocks firmly on the door. It was time to prep up and this is something that kept me restless all night. I never wanted this day to come.

I sigh, “Enter please, Anna.”

She opens the door gently and switches the light on. She sighs, “Your mom was very excited during her Coronation Day. This day is every girl’s dream, dear.”

“This is never the role for me, Anna. You do know the way I am and how different I am from the queen,” it pains me to talk about the late queen. My mother, Elizabeth, died several years ago giving birth to my brother, Kael. The king, Caius, has never had his heart be broken that way. As Kael and I grew up, we found father to speak of her lesser and lesser. He conceals the pain by spending his afternoons playing golf with royalty. I get up and she starts fixing the loose strands of hair on my face.

“Yes, I do understand you, dear. You know very well that you are left with no choice. This is what you are destined for. The day your mother, the queen, gave birth to you-- you are the destined heiress to the throne. It’s in the books. Kael had always been second even if he is the son. That was the prophecy of the high mage.”

Smirking, I heave a sigh, “Let’s get this over with.” Prophecies, the old-fashioned way of marking destiny and writing the stories of each and every one. With that, this prophecy becomes the way each and every one of us will live our lives. Those high mages I despise the most have seemed to find their way with convincing everyone their gift of telling the future. Well, not for me. I believe otherwise, and it will stay that way.

Anna sees it. She feels the disappointment writhing everywhere in this room as my tone enveloped us in silence now. She closes her eyes and says, “Dear, I know how you feel. Let’s go and give this a chance. Who knows you might enjoy being a queen after all.”

That gave me a sliver of hope. Just this once, it might be true.

I simply nod. I do not conceal the dismay. Anna is the closest servant I have. She took care of my mother even when she was just a princess. She continued to serve us up to now. She knows me more than my father. We would spend more time together than with the king. And ever since mother passed, she has become the motherly figure to Kael and me.

Anna fixed me up. She assisted me from bathing to putting on a one-hundred-and-twenty-thousand-franc outfit. The gown is royal blue in color with a hundred and fifty diamonds on the chest plate. A marvelous hand paint was embroidered at the ends of the gown. It lit up my mood. Francis never disappoints. I ought to thank him for this.

“We should pair this gown with your diamonds, your Highness,” she suggests. Apart from being my closest maid, she knows all about my jewelry and whatever treasure there is in my room.

“Indeed. It will be perfect.”

“Let’s finish you up. It’s almost time. Even in her early forties, Anna is good at applying makeup. She dabs some finishing touches of makeup before she puts on my jewelry. I touch the intricate carving of the pendant. It is shaped like a spiral that is adorned with thirty diamonds. At the center of the spiral is a bigger diamond than the rest with the purest color of diamond I have ever seen.

There were three knocks on the door. Three knocks meant that the person was a royal guard. Anna excuses herself and heads for the door.

“Your Highness, the King was just checking to see if you’re all set up for your coronation,” General Silverstone stands on the doorway and bows.

“Shortly, General Silverstone,” I smile.

“Absolutely, take your time, your Highness.”

“General, before you go. I have a quick question for you.”

“What is it, your Highness?” He looks up at me.

I sigh, “What kind of audience will I expect later?”

“The entire kingdom of Evergreen has waited their whole lives for this. You should expect the media, as well as this, will be broadcasted to our neighboring kingdoms. The king, as well, has a special guest from outside our kingdom, whom I must not say,” he halts. Of course, the king’s royal subjects have their secrets to keep from me. They are his subjects and must remain loyal to his orders.

“Dismissed. Thank you,” firmly I say as I try to picture who this special guest will be.

“My pleasure,” he bows and leaves. Anna walks towards me.

“I wonder who these guests are,” I sigh.

Anna says, “I’ve not heard the news about that.”

“Let’s just get this done so I’ll see who those guests are.”

“You look so marvelous, your Highness.” Anna smiles, putting on my crown. This is the last time I will be a princess.

I smile, “And I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me.”

“I’ve been with your family all my life. It has been an honor to have served you. And I will continue up until the last breath I breathe.” Anna was abandoned when she was only seven years of age. Grandfather’s royal knights found her in a burning orphanage. They rescued her and raised her in the palace. At the age of thirteen, she started to serve the royal family because she feels indebted to them. Up to now, she serves us but she really feels like family.

“I guess I’m ready to go now.” I look at the mirror one more time and the diamonds around my neck.

---

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, your Royal Highness!” The spokesperson’s voice echoed. It echoed through the hallways. It ricocheted all throughout the kingdom and all the way through cameras and everywhere outside our borders o the neighboring kingdoms and all who are looking at this footage.

The red carpet lay before me. Flashing lights from cameras almost blinded me. I peeked out of the window for a second and last time waving proudly. The kingdom cheers louder as the carriage door swings open.

This is it. I whispered in my mind.

My right foot finds its way to the red carpet that sprawled endlessly towards the throne. A maid escort runs up to me to help me with my diamond-adorned gown. I am completely out of the carriage and the crowd overwhelms me. There are hundreds-- even thousands of people who were unfamiliar to me. I imagine how this footage is being watched by neighboring kingdoms unfamiliar to me and also known. I picture what their reactions would be. Would they be happy? Or would they not care?

I start the longest, most tense walk of my life. The red carpet seemed endless as I plaster a smile on my face and walk through the aisle. The aisle seemed endless. I wince at the blinding flash from cameras in all angles pointing and focusing on me. This day seems longer than I imagined and even more agonizing than ever. I wish I could just run my way towards the altar, but it isn't how it should be.

Two rows of royal guards block the audience side to protect me from anyone who might dash towards me and of course, you know the rest of the harmful scenarios that are bound to happen. The altar draws closer and more visible from where I walked and I knew that this is the moment every other princess has been waiting for-- but not me.

I dreaded and never imagined that this day would happen. Just like what they all say, it is my destiny to be queen and it has been prophesized by the high mages.

I reach the altar at last. A high priest stands with the enchanter's book in his hands and a smile on his face welcomes me. I sigh as he says, "Welcome, Your Highness!"

I force a smile as I meet my father's gaze. He looked happy and proud. Did time freeze? Or is it just me blurring with everything that is happening? But the words that the high priest was saying felt like whispers and slurs.

All I hear is, "By the power vested upon me, you will become the queen of Evergreen, from today until forever!"

A maid removes my crown and my father stands up. He walks next to the high priest. The priest takes a few steps back and my father takes the queen's crown. Gently, he crowns me with it and says, "I am so proud of you!"

I force a smile and curtsy as father nods and goes back into his place. I face the crowd once and for all.

The high priest announces, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Children, world-- help me welcome the new Queen of Evergreen, Aurora Wintershade!"