Emerald of the Elves (22 page)

“Well you did a fine job, lass,” smiled the man. “Bring your boyfriend up here. I can stand behind you two and still see well enough. Wouldn’t want a Queen’s Helper and a fine soldier to miss this show.”

“Thank you very much,” Sheri grinned as the man stepped back.

Sheri moved forward so that there was nobody in front of her. Kendal stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t seem to notice as she caught sight of the parade. In the distance she saw the first Red Swords riding side-by-side. The roar of the crowd was getting very loud, and she could feel the excitement in the people around her. Citizens began fidgeting and rising up on their toes. Then the parade came into view.

Two sets of Red Swords rode proudly in the front. Directly behind them was Prince Arik wearing his white breastplate. The dragon stood out vividly, and Sheri thought she actually saw a red glow from the dragon’s eyes. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened as she stared at his horse, for it wasn’t a horse at all. She shook her head as she gazed at the beautiful spiral horn of the unicorn.

“It’s a unicorn,” gasped Sheri. “A real unicorn.”

“Look on the prince’s shoulder,” prompted Kendal. “There is a little green person standing there. He has wings!”

“It’s a fairy!” shouted one woman. “There is a fairy riding on the prince’s shoulder.”

“And a dwarf behind him,” shouted a man. “This is something to tell the family about. I don’t think there has ever been a dwarf in Tagaret before.”

Sheri shook her head in amazement. Prince Arik was waving to all of the citizens, His eyes panned the crowd on both sides of the street, and every person felt like he had looked specifically at them. Sheri was so intent on staring at Arik and the unicorn that she almost missed the beautiful young woman riding behind him. Riding next to the dwarf, was a golden haired woman dressed in white. Sheri had seen her before with Arik. Sheri’s mouth closed, and she frowned.

Sheri’s mood recovered quickly as Prince Arik reached the corner. The people on both sides of the street bowed as he passed. Sheri bowed too, but her eyes never left the procession. As soon as Arik passed, the heads popped up again. Someone shouted with wonder and pointed up. Sheri’s eyes rose quickly, and she gasped as she saw the swarm of fairies flying over the procession. Underneath the fairies were another sixteen Red Swords. Sheri’s heart swelled with pride at being a citizen of Tagaret.

Behind the Red Swords were thousands of people. As the parade passed, the spectators followed it. Sheri had no intention of following thousands of people. She moved back through the crowd with Kendal right behind her. She ran to the street that paralleled the parade route, and then ran towards the Royal Palace. She knew the procession was slow enough that she would get another view of it. She ran four blocks and turned back to the parade route. The crowd was thick and Sheri could not get close.

Kendal sensed her frustration. He picked Sheri up and let her sit on his shoulders. She was thrilled because the parade had not reached her new spot yet. As she watched it approach, she saw the famous soldier on the other side of the street. She tapped Kendal on the head and pointed at Alex. Alex detected the movement from across the street. His eyes locked with Sheri’s for only a brief moment and then continued to scan the crowd.

Alex looked up and saw an eagle flying overhead. He nodded inwardly and continued to scan the crowd and the windows of the buildings. Suddenly, a fiery projectile flew from above his head. It soared towards Prince Arik, and the crowd screamed. The fireball impacted on the shield around Prince Arik. The flames disappeared. Alex lurched towards the street, bumping into citizens who were too scared to complain, as his eyes rose to the windows over his head. A freezing blue projectile sped from the rooftop on the other side of the street. It passed through a window on the second floor. Alex charged towards the building. He threw open the door and flew up the steps. He counted the doors and slid to a halt outside one of them. He tried the door, but it was locked. He raised his boot and kicked the door in.

Inside the room was a human figure frozen like a statue. Alex scanned the room for other people and found none. Two Red Swords burst into the room with their swords drawn.

“He will thaw eventually,” Alex said. “He needs to be sent to the dungeon and restrained before that happens. Remember that he is a mage. I am going back into the streets.”

The Red Swords nodded as Alex left the room. As he exited the building, he looked at the roof across the street and signaled Jenneva that the mage was in custody. He watched as an eagle left the rooftop and headed towards the Royal Palace.

The eagle landed on another rooftop closer to the Royal Palace and transformed into Jenneva. She peered at the windows across the street from her and saw no threats. With the Royal Palace so close, Jenneva remained on the rooftop as she watched the parade enter the grounds of the palace.

The entrance parade ended at the Royal Palace in Tagaret. Prince Oscar and Princess Callie stood waiting for Prince Arik to arrive. Kamil and Konic waited as well. The Rangers dismounted and the Red Swords set up a defensive shield around all of them.

“It would appear that your entrance to Tagaret was warm and welcomed,” smiled Prince Oscar.

“More than warm, I would say,” smiled Princess Callie. “The people love you, Arik.”

“The people do not even know me,” retorted Prince Arik. “I think the welcome was for Queen Marta’s grandson.”

“Perhaps,” conceded Princess Callie, “but they will learn to love you.”

“I shall try my best to ensure that they do,” responded Prince Arik. “What do I do next?”

Oscar looked at the growing crowd outside the gates to the Royal Palace. “I think you should seize the moment,” he suggested. “The people have not had enough of you yet, and we still have the burial to preside over.”

“And your coronation,” added Callie. “I think you should make that a very public affair.”

“Where is she?” asked Arik, “and where will she be buried?”

“She will be buried alongside King Byron,” Oscar said sadly. “There is a mausoleum in the gardens at the rear of the Royal Palace. Currently, she rests in the throne room.”

“What would you do, Father?” asked Arik.

“The people are gathering outside the walls,” Oscar stated. “They are expecting something more to happen, or they would have dispersed. I suggest giving them a speech to introduce yourself and explain how you will continue with Queen Marta’s plans for Tagaret.”

“I am not much on speech giving,” frowned Arik. “I would not know what to say.”

“Speech giving is something that you must learn,” sighed Callie. “It is expected of a monarch.”

“Couldn’t Oscar give the speech?” frowned Arik. “I could learn by listening.”

Oscar looked at Arik and then turned his gaze to Callie with concern on his face. “Perhaps he is not ready for this yet,” sighed Oscar. “It is a lot to ask of anyone.”

“Well the people need to hear from someone,” replied Callie. “We can not let them leave with disappointment. She was your mother, Oscar. I know you can deliver a fine speech.”

“No,” Tanya insisted strongly. “It is Arik that these people must follow.”

“But she was Oscar’s mother,” argued Arik. “He has a right to speak of his loss.”

“I am not arguing that point,” countered Tanya. “Prince Oscar is entitled to address the people of Tagaret and express his sorrow, but you must also speak. Just because you have never given a speech before is no excuse to abrogate your duty. The citizens of Tagaret gathered today to see the entrance of their new prince and future king. You said yourself that they do not know you yet. Well let them know you. Speak to them, Arik.”

“And what will I say?” frowned Arik. “I do not know what they want to hear.”

“Put yourself in their position, Arik,” instructed Tanya. “If you were a loyal citizen of Tagaret and your beloved queen had died, what would you want to hear?”

“That her memory would be cherished,” shrugged Arik.

“If you were a citizen that feared for his future and was working day and night to prepare the city’s defenses,” pushed Tanya, “what would you want to hear?”

“That I would continue the queen’s policies?” questioned Arik.

“Or improve upon them,” interjected Konic. “The people were thrilled to see your new allies.”

“Give them some hope for the future,” smiled Oscar. “These people have lived through misery. Queen Marta came as a savior to them, only to be killed when their spirits had been raised. They want desperately to believe that things will get better. You can give them that hope.”

“But will things get better?” retorted Arik. “If anything, the worst is yet to come.”

“Do not lie to them,” suggested Kamil. “They know things are going to get worse, but that does not mean that they cannot look forward with hope. Encourage them that victory is obtainable.”

“If you can rouse the people, Arik,” smiled Callie, “anything is possible.”

“What if I say something wrong?” fretted Arik.

“There is nothing you can say that will be wrong,” comforted Oscar. “You are the prince and about to become the king. Your word is law.”

“Just be yourself,” encouraged Tanya. “Say whatever you want. Do whatever you want. I am positive that the people will love you for what you are. Do you remember what it is like to feel that you have no hope?”

Arik nodded silently.

“Well that is how these people feel right now,” smiled Tanya. “Give them hope. Let them participate in your grief, and then let them join with you in preparing for the worst. They will follow you.”

Arik turned and stared at the growing multitude outside the gates. He tried to put himself in the place of a man standing with them. A tear welled up in his eye. He felt the grief and the fear that he imagined the ordinary citizen was feeling. Slowly he nodded as Alex and Jenneva were let through the gate.

“When is the burial to take place?” asked Arik. “And when is the coronation?”

“We thought it would be important to crown you as soon as possible,” replied Oscar. “I have been made regent in your stead, but the people should have their king. The timing of the burial or the coronation is entirely up to you. What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking that I should not be crowned before my grandmother is buried,” declared Arik.

“Remember that the Ancient Prophecy rests on you being crowned,” interjected Jenneva as she and Alex joined the group. “Do not delay it needlessly.”

“I won’t,” replied Arik, “but neither will I grab the crown from my grandmother’s head before she is buried. You said that I could do anything that I wanted, Oscar, is that true?”

“What are you thinking?” Oscar asked suspiciously.

“If I have to give a speech,” stated Arik, “I want it to have meaning. I want her casket brought into this courtyard.”

“Why?” asked Callie.

“Because if I was outside that gate,” replied Arik, “I would want the chance to pay my last respects.”

“They will not be able to see her from beyond the gates,” Alex pointed out. “I do not see how the placement of the casket will matter to them.”

“They will not be remaining outside the gates,” countered Arik. “I will allow them to each pay their respects before my coronation.”

“Each?” asked Callie. “Do you realize how many people reside in Tagaret? That could take days.”

“Then days it shall take,” shrugged Arik. “Do you think I am wrong in this?”

“No,” interjected Tanya. “I think it is a wise and wonderful thing. It will not take days. If I was outside the gates I would come with my candle after darkness set in. So will the citizens of Tagaret.”

“I agree,” smiled Alex. “In fact, we should make candles available for everyone.”

“Then that is what will be done,” agreed Oscar. “Will you give a speech, Arik?”

Tanya reached for Arik’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

“I will,” nodded Arik. “I may stumble over my words, but all of you have always encouraged me to meet my challenges and not avoid them. Help me organize how we will do this.”

“There should be a procession for the queen,” posed Callie. “Somehow the casket needs to end up in the garden. Should that be before or after the citizens say their farewells?”

“Logistically,” advised Alex, “it would be easier for the line of citizens to stretch from the gates to the gardens. That would suggest that the procession precede the speech.”

“The people will need to know what is going on,” added Oscar. “I will make a short speech before the procession. After the procession, Arik will address the citizens.”

“Let us do this before the people disperse then,” suggested Konic.

“What about security?” asked Alex. “There is still a danger to Arik.”

“I will not leave his side,” promised Tanya. “Jenneva can find a high perch to protect against magical threats, and you can organize the Red Swords in a manner to your liking.”

“I will have the casket sent out,” declared Oscar. “You can work out the security problems while I address the people.”

Kamil left the group and walked to the gates. She mentioned to the people staring through the gates that there would be a speech soon. The word spread through the gathering crowd like a prairie fire. The people pushed excitedly to get closer to the Royal Palace. After a few minutes, they saw the casket appear in the courtyard. Kamil turned and returned to the group. Alex and Jenneva were gone.

Arik walked to the casket and had the lid removed. He looked down at his grandmother and tears came to his eyes. General Gregor approached and placed a velvet-covered knee-bench alongside the casket. Arik knelt silently.

“Citizens of Tagaret,” Oscar said loudly from the balcony off of the library, “as you all know, Prince Arik arrived in Tagaret this morning. As regent for my son, it is my duty to see him crowned quickly so that Tagaret does not have to exist long without a monarch.”

The crowd split their attention between Arik kneeling before the casket and Oscar high on the balcony.

“Prince Arik, however, feels that Queen Marta should be properly buried before the coronation,” Oscar continued. “Therefore, it is his wish that the body of Queen Marta be taken to the burial gardens where we may pay our last respects to her. After the procession, Prince Arik will address the people of Tagaret from this balcony. It is his wish that those among you who desire to pay your last respects to Queen Marta be given that chance. I will let him explain after the procession.”