Lucy Wickshire 196 Chapter twenty-two 17

The coronation had begun; the two on the raised stage face each other; a bowl of rock in one hand, a golden hammer in the other.

"I stand witness to this day, as those before me.

May words spoken hold the same truth, as those before me.

An era gone a new path drawn." the both swore in unison, then put down what they held on a tray offered to them by two maids. With the oath done, they faced the crowd. Just at that moment, three maidens veiled in white entered through double the doors. The guest looked back as they made their entrance; the leading maiden swinging a bell sideways as she walks.

"Purify the path. Strengthen the steps taken." they chanted as they slowly made their way towards the king maker and priest.

What those in the hall did not know was that; the moment Lord of Merve entered the hall, Lord Morge was leading a raid to take back the capital. He was no soldier, but he had an elite force handed to Lord of Merve by Lady Wickshire as a coronation present. A force trained by Lady Wickshire, these Isne soldiers did not stand a chance. One would think those martial artist from the Harnian gate who they had allied with would come to their rescue, but one did not know that the moment those from the Harnian gate failed at their mission, they had left the kingdom.

It was a silent massacre. It was only normal that a raid such as this; to kill thousands of enemy soldiers in the capital, would be heard and experienced across the capital, but there was no such thing. Isne soldiers were not granted the glory of a great battle, they could not scream for their lives or look their enemies in the eyes as they choked in their own blood; they instead just dropped dead, not even sure how they died.

Back in the coronation, Prince Thelmus was making his entrance towards the altar. His elaborate gold crested robes trailed behind him and a frown adorned his face at every step he took. He, a prince becoming king, enters and his subjects remain sitting; not standing to bow to their soon to be king, he was outraged. No elaborate bowing crowd lined his way as he took his steps towards the crown. Only a frown and a slight sneer slipping from their lips, followed him on his great walk.

Official Ghuil frowned at this. Even though they had been threatened to attend, they would not have made an appearance if this was how they intended to receive the prince. He felt his hairs stand; something was wrong. Thousands of soldiers stood right outside, the guest had not arrived with personal guards, what gave them the courage to act this way? He knew in his heart that something was wrong with this situation, yet he could not put his finger on it.

Prince Thelmus now stood before him, yet he had not realised. He was so lost in trying to figure out what was wrong, he too forgot to bow when the prince arrived. Pince Thelmus coughed, retrieving him from his thoughts. He then hurriedly bowed and begun the crowning.

"An era has gone, a new one begins. May blessings of old....." he could not help but glance at the crowd as he talked. Seeing the mocking smiles on their faces, he felt his stomach fall. He did not even realise when he had said words he had specifically left out of the crowning rites.

"May the blessings of old and ancestors that came before, bless the head on which the crown sits." he said and someone snickered. Only then did he realise what he had said. He looked at Prince Thelmus' angry face, and grimaced. Everyone knew Pince Thelmus had killed his father to get the crown; how could the kings before him bless his crowing? He deliberately intended to strike out this part, because it was indirectly cursing Prince Thelmus; telling the ancestors to curse his crown.

Chapter end