From Darkness Won (87 page)

Achan leapt to her side and helped her up out of the mountain of cake. “Sorry, Sparrow. I did my best.”

“I think that twenty cakes is enough prosperity, do you disagree?”

“You are all the prosperity I need.”

Duchess Amal swept up to them and took each of their hands. “My dear daughter.” She kissed Sparrow on the cheek. “And my son.” She kissed Achan. “Are you happy?”

“I have not been so happy since Sir Gavin asked me to train as his squire,” Achan said.

Then Sparrow said, “Mother, I am overjoyed.”

EPILOGUE

Achan felt as though the weight of the land rested on his shoulders, and no crown had been placed on his head yet.

Not the official one, anyway.

Sir Caleb had sent Matthias in to wake him before dawn to get him ready for his coronation. And now he was dressed in clothing that weighed twice what his wedding ensemble had weighed.

He wore a red brocade doublet with a navy stripe sewn from his right shoulder to his left hip. Cream-colored trousers and no shoes. Achan found this strange, but the king being barefoot was part of the ceremony.

Then the cape: ermine over red velvet with a train longer than a bride’s. The thing was also trimmed and fully lined with ermine fur. All the weight of his garb was in the cape. Sir Caleb had tied it to Achan’s doublet at his shoulders to keep the strings from strangling him.

Achan stood in an antechamber off the foyer, just down the hall from the throne room, waiting for his queen. If they had dressed Achan in this much garb, he doubted Sparrow would be able to stand under the weight of her gown.

At least she’d gotten to sleep in.

But when she arrived, he was surprised to see that she wore a simple white dress embroidered in gold thread. Until Sir Caleb put a matching cape on her shoulders.

Sparrow tugged the ties at her throat. “It’s so heavy!”

Achan smiled at her worried expression. “Consider it a feat of strength.”

“I told you I have no desire to join the Kingsguard.”

“Aye, but think how the captains will berate any weak men who enter their ranks. ‘Even the queen can do this!’ Men will have no choice but to step up to the challenge.”

She rolled her eyes at his humor. “I doubt any captain will ask his men to don such a cape for training.”

“Likely not.” He nudged her leg with his bare foot. “At least you get shoes.” He stepped before her and kissed her lips. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, and you?”

He kissed her again. “As well as possible with you claiming the entire bed.”

“I did no such thing.”

“No matter. That bed is far too big. It is a relief to be crowded again.”

The next hour passed quickly. Achan and his queen were escorted to the throne room by a squadron of uniformed men. Sparrow walked beside Achan, on his arm, which was only
p
ossible due to the dozen men carrying the trains of their capes, three on each side of his, and three on each side of hers.

Some sort of grandstands had been constructed on each side of the throne room, creating an aisle up the center. The stands were packed with people dressed in finer clothing than Achan had seen, even at his wedding.

In the far right corner, an orchestra played a majestic anthem on harps, pipes, lutes, flutes, bugles, tabors, bells, and cymbals. A choir of robed minstrels accompanied them. The beautiful, regal song brought a shiver to Achan’s soul. Sparrow squeezed his arm.

He patted her hand.
That’s quite a song, huh?

It is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.

The soldiers escorted Achan and Sparrow down the aisle. The mosaic tile was bumpy under his feet. The throne room had never looked so huge. The scarlet walls were meant to bespeak royalty, but they made Achan think of all who had shed blood and even died for him to be here. His parents, Lord Livna, Riga, Bran, thousands in battle…

Each step that took Achan closer to those white-and-gold chairs seemed a dream. He swallowed, careful not to make eye contact with any of the people standing so close on the sides of the aisle.
And how about all these people?
Achan asked Sparrow.

Not so different from when I walked up the garden path at our wedding.

The memory made him smile.
I thought you couldn’t see anything.

That lace veil had a few cutouts here and there. I could see in places. When I stood still.

Well, thanks for sparing me from having to walk up that aisle,
at
least.

I did not design the wedding ceremony, Achan. Nor this one.

The floor is cold. Why can’t I wear my boots?

The footprints are part of the ceremony.

Right. I’ve not had this many people stare at me since Sir Gavin dragged me before the Council.

I am glad he did.

Achan sighed and shook his head at all that had led to this moment.
As am I.

Finally Achan and Sparrow reached the satin-upholstered thrones. The chairs sat side by side on a raised dais of solid whitestone. Achan glanced at the impressions in the stone. The footprints of King Echâd Hadar.

“You come to lay claim to this throne and realm?” Toros Ianjo’s voice pulled Achan’s gaze away from the footprints. Toros stood on the upper dais, behind the thrones, dressed in white robes embroidered with the three interlocking red circles on the front. He also wore a tall, golden hat.

Achan lifted his head. “I do.”

“Identify yourself.”

“I am Achan Cham, born Gidon Hadar to King Axel Hadar.”

“King Axel was king before you. You come to take his place?”

“I do.”

“Then stand in his steps and in the steps of his forefathers all the way back to King Echâd Hadar, the first king of Er’Rets.”

Achan gave Sparrow’s hand one last trembling squeeze, then had to release her so they could turn around. They faced each other a moment as they rotated slowly, allowing their train-bearers to move those massive capes over the arm of each throne.

Once they faced the audience, Achan took Sparrow’s hand again, then they stepped backward up onto the whitestone dais. Achan slid his feet back over the smooth stone until he felt the indentation of the footprints. He glanced down, matching his feet to the grooves like pieces of a puzzle. Heat trickled down his spine to his toes.

King Echâd had stood in this place, as had every other king of Er’Rets, some two dozen men.

And now him.

Arman, help me.

B
UT YOU
,
MY SERVANT
, A
CHAN
,
WHOM
I
HAVE CHOSEN
, I
TOOK YOU FROM THE ENDS OF
E
R
’R
ETS
,
FROM ITS FARTHEST CORNERS
I C
ALLED YOU
. I
SAID
, ‘Y
OU ARE
M
Y SERVANT
’; I
HAVE CHOSEN YOU
. S
O DO NOT FEAR
,
FOR
I
AM WITH YOU
. I
WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND HELP YOU
; I
WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH
M
Y RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND
.

Achan shuddered in the heat of that promise.
Thank You, Arman. You are so good to me.

Toros walked down Achan’s side of the dais, circled where Achan’s cape lay spread on the mosaic pavement, and stopped before the thrones, facing the audience.

The music ceased.

Nausea rolled about in Achan’s stomach. He squeezed Sparrow’s hand.
I think I might be ill.

Be ill later in your chambers.

Our chambers.

She sent him a look as if to say, “You exasperate me.”

He grinned.

Prince Oren, Sir Gavin, Sir Caleb, and Sir Eagan walked before Toros in a diamond formation and turned their backs to each other so they were facing outward. The drums started in on a military march, and the men began to walk. Prince Oren
l
imped down the aisle with his cane. Sir Eagan took three steps and stopped, facing Achan and Sparrow. And Sir Caleb and Sir Gavin marched straight until they reached the east and west walls.

The drumming stopped.

Toros spoke then, his voice loud and authoritative. “I hereby present unto the people of this great land, King Gidon Hadar, the Great Cham, Ransomed by Câan, Servant of Arman, Son of Axel, and your undoubted King. Beside him sits his bride, Queen Averella Amal of Carmine. Wherefore all of you have come this day to pay homage and service to this king and queen, I ask you, land of Er’Rets, are you willing to do the same?”

The entire congregation shouted, “Arman save the king!”

Achan jumped. Sir Caleb had prepped him for this, but the chorus of voices, in unison, all proclaiming him king made him tremble.

Then Toros said, “I ask you, land of Er’Rets, are you willing to do the same?”

Prince Oren, still facing the door, yelled, “The people from here to the south say they will.”

Sir Caleb said, “The people from here to the east say they will.”

Sir Gavin: “The people from here to the west say they will.”

And Sir Eagan said, with a wink to his daughter, “The people from here to the north say they will.”

The four men turned and walked back to the center, then returned to their original places at the front of the audience.

Toros turned to face Achan and smiled. “Will you, King Gidon Hadar, son of Axel, solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of Er’Rets according to its laws and customs?”

Achan said the first of several lines Sir Caleb had made him memorize. “I solemnly promise to do so.”

“Will you cause law and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?”

“I will.”

“Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of Arman and the true profession of the Book of Life?”

“All this I promise to do, so help me, Arman.”