The Destiny of Amalah (13 page)

Amara’s had been handmade for her and was exquisitely beautiful. It was brilliant white and made of fine silks and satin and went all the way to the floor, the straps were embroidered with diamonds and in the centre of the bustier was affixed a single solitaire diamond surrounded by sapphires. When the maids had finished dressing her and doing her hair they stood back and looked at the Empress and they smiled and giggled and complimented her.

‘Empress you look amazing,’ Daisy exclaimed.

‘Truly beautiful,’ Faith added.

‘So elegant and you look so radiant,’ said Alice.

‘Stunning Empress, truly so,’ said Sarah.

‘Really? Thank you ladies, for this and for everything,’ Amara said, smiling at the four women who surrounded her.

The women guided her to the mirror and Amara looked at herself and even she, took in a deep breath at her appearance. She looked at herself and the dress and touched it delicately, and then she looked at her face and hair. She was truly delighted with what they had done for her and she felt beautiful inside and out.

‘Ladies thank you,’ she said emotionally. ‘Thank you so much.’

‘It was our pleasure Empress,’ Daisy said on behalf of them all. ‘We know what this day means to you.’

The women left Amara alone and Elana and Ellora entered. Both were excited for Amara and the women talked and laughed about the day ahead.

‘Your father would be so proud,’ Elana said, as a tear ran down her face.

‘Oh mother,’ Amara said hugging her.

‘They are happy tears,’ Elana promised. ‘Not to mention tears of pride.’

‘I wish he were here too,’ said Amara.

‘I think he’s watching us,’ Ellora said, hugging them both.

‘And I think that you are right,’ said Elana.

‘And so do I,’ Amara agreed.

‘Come now Ellora, let us leave Amara and take our seats in the Great Hall.’

The three women hugged once again and Elana and Ellora left Amara once again, to wait for Michael. When Michael entered the room a few minutes later, he was speechless. No words could come from his mouth and in a strange way he did not want them to, no words could describe how she looked and no words could describe what was going on in his heart and so he stood there staring at Amara speechless, until she jolted him back to her world.

‘Michael say something,’ she said half teasing and half worried that he did not like or approve of what she was wearing.

‘Empress.’

‘Yes.’

Michael began shaking his head slowly but surely and when Amara saw his head shake, her heart sank and Michael caught the expression on her face.

‘I am shaking my head because I did not think it was possible for you to be any more beautiful Empress, but yet here you are and I am silent because you took my breath away,’ he said tenderly and as he looked at her, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Amara looked back at him and into his eyes and she was sure of him and his sincerity and she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled again.

‘Thank you Michael,’ she said keeping the eye contact between them.

‘I came to tell you that it is time Empress, everything is ready and everyone is waiting.’

‘I am ready now.’

‘Then may I escort you to the Great Hall where you may take your rightful place and be crowned Empress of all the nations.’

‘You may, and I thank you.’

‘What for Empress?’

‘For being by my side when it truly matters.’

‘I am honoured to be.’

The two of them walked through the palace arm in arm, they strode through the arcade until they were at the centre of the palace and then they came to the entrance of the Great Hall. Amara looked inside to see over a thousand people sitting quietly and waiting for her. She looked down the centre aisle and saw the guard lining each side of it and then she strained to see her mother and sister but they were so far away in the front row and blocked from her vision by the many heads in between them. Amara looked at the crowds of people in front of her and thought of the crowds of people outside and then of all of the people in all of the nations and suddenly, she became overwhelmed by the sight and thought of them all. She stepped back suddenly and looked at Michael, the panic clearly visible on her face.

‘What is it Empress?’

‘I am not ready Michael,’ she said in a panicked voice. ‘I cannot rule over all of the people of the nine nations, how can I? I have experienced little of this world,’ she said the panic beginning to increase by the second.

‘This is your time Empress, it is true that you have not ventured far from Amalah but you have been taught and you have experienced much in your lifetime. The people are now looking to you and rightly so.’

‘But Michael I do not know if I will be good enough.’

‘I do – you will. Empress you are ready you have long been prepared for this role and you have already accepted it. We have all seen in the last few weeks that you are ready to take your fathers place, this is only a formality, you have yet to prove yourself, but given how you have handled things so far I know that you will.’

‘It just seems so permanent and so irrevocable. Once I go through with this they will always look to me,’ she said looking back into the Great Hall at the masses of people.

‘Yes they will but you are your fathers’ daughter and you have been taught well. Also remember, that I am at your side and so are your mother and sister as well as: Häkan, Garrick, Raynor and Thaddeus not to mention the council who have always helped to guide your father and the nations forward.’

‘Michael how can you be so sure?’

‘I am sure of you Empress, this is your time,’ he said, taking hold of her hand and squeezing it. ‘Fear not Empress you do not walk alone.’

‘I am so afraid Michael.’

‘Do not be Amara, this is your destiny, accept it and embrace it, I know you can fulfil it.’

Amara looked at the people inside the Great Hall once again and then at Michael and then she thought back to the last conversation that she had had with her father; the words he had spoken and the promises she had made and somehow, it seemed to calm her and fill her with new courage and determination, and when her confidence was renewed she turned to look at Michael once again and smiled at him.

‘I did promise my father,’ she said nervously.

She placed her arm in his and he led her into the Great Hall. The orchestra which was a combination of harps and strings and other instruments long since lost, began to play a harmonious and elegant piece of classical music as Amara took her first step into the hall, the crowds of people stood up en masse and turned to face her as she slowly made her way to the front of the hall where her throne and crown awaited her.

The guard drew their swords and raised their arms high so that their sword met just above their tips creating an archway for Amara, which signified their protection of her. Amara and Michael walked under the swords and when she passed the last two guardsmen, they lowered their swords and the rest of the guardsmen along the aisle followed in consecutive order.

The throne was on an ornately decorated dais and Michael walked Amara up the four stairs and to her throne, where she gracefully sat down and once she was seated, Michael stepped back and bowed and took his place at the front and right hand side of her throne so that he was standing alongside Garrick, Häkan, Raynor and Thaddeus.

Amara looked on them all thoughtfully; her father had trusted them all with his and her mother’s lives. She knew that they were all loyal and decent men and she felt safe and secure with them by her side, she mused as she stared and studied each of them in turn.

Firstly, there was Michael, who, at thirty was the youngest of the five men. He spoke little of his role in the war but Amara knew that even as a child, his part had been significant. He was a strong and stoic man but Amara could also sense a certain vulnerability within him. He had always been warm and supportive towards her and given her good counsel and she valued his friendship. He was tall and muscular with a handsome face and thick silky brown hair that gave him an air of boyishness.

Next to Michael stood Garrick and Häkan, whose reputations as officers, warriors and trackers were second to none. When the war ended, Garrick and Häkan had been the only clear choices when deciding who could command the Emperor’s Guard.

Garrick was also an attractive, tall and well built, with curly brown hair and brown eyes and a clean-shaven face. His looks were similar to Michael, his face was more angular and his jaw was stronger.

Häkan, who was a stark contrast to the other two, was medium height and lean, with blond hair, a freckled face and sparkling green eyes. He had been known for his hot head as well as his bravery, but now at the age of forty, Häkan had mellowed with time.

Now Amara gazed upon Raynor and smiled, for everyone loved dear Raynor and he was a friend to all. Raynor was a clever and powerful sorcerer, and despite not being a soldier, he had fought side by side with Kai, Häkan and Garrick. At forty-two he was the eldest of them all, he wore his age well and it suited it him. Raynor stood just as tall as Häkan, he had skin that was tanned and had clearly been toiled, and he had grey and silver hair that made him look distinguished; together with pale blue eyes and a boyish smile. Raynor was a warm and easygoing man, with a sharp intellect and humour, and a confidence that many women found attractive.

Last but by no means least in Amara’s thoughts and vision was, Thaddeus. Thaddeus was also a powerful sorcerer who had fought alongside Kai, Garrick and Häkan. He was an attractive black man who looked much younger than his thirty-nine years; he stood taller than Häkan but not as tall as Garrick or Michael and he wore his hair short and cropped. Thaddeus was a profound and thoughtful man who was fiercely loyal to his family and friends.

Amara looked at them all once again and she knew that when they swore their allegiance to her, that they would never break it and she was honoured and humbled to have them in her life.

Amara exchanged looks with her mother, who looked at her with a mixture of pride and admiration and a tinge of sadness as she remembered that the last time she had seen that throne was when Kai had been seated in it. Elana looked at her daughter and smiled a mixed smile and Amara acknowledged her mothers feelings with a look of empathy and when she broke eye contact with her mother she looked at her sister Ellora who was smiling warmly at her.

Amara could not help but beam back at her sister, because Ellora made her feel so much better in that instant, that continued to hold her gaze for a while longer. Amara winked at Ellora and then turned her gaze on the five boys, none of whom had realised that she was staring at them for they were lost in their own thoughts.

Amara watched Rakan, Kalon, Waldon, Kenaz and Rufus and thought of the times they had shared together as children and how she had become separated from them all and then she thought of the present day. When she looked at the five boys and Ellora she felt slightly envious of them, they were close and inseparable and had she not had her destiny to fulfil, she would have been a part of them too, but Amara was not one to dwell on the past, so she looked ahead, ready to accept her own path and fate. The celebrant brought Amara’s attention back to the present as she walked up the stairs and began the crowning ceremony. She began by giving thanks and praise to the gods and then she commenced with crowning Amara.

Amara stood so that she could take the solemn oath that her father had taken at the beginning of his reign.

‘As Empress of the nine nations, I do wholeheartedly and solemnly, promise to protect and defend the peace and prosperity of the nine nations. I solemnly promise to act lawfully, justly and compassionately.’ She looked at her mother, who was dabbing her tear-filled face and smiling at her and then she looked at the five men, who were watching her with pride and admiration and when she held one of their gazes, they would nod reassuringly.

‘I promise to guide the world council with honesty, integrity, fidelity and justice. I will ensure that my Guards will act lawfully, admirably and in defence of: peace, the World Council and my office. I promise all of these things to every single person in the nine nations and I promise all these things from this moment on to the day that I day. May I be guided by the gods. Blessed be to Amalah and the nations.’

When she had finished, Amara sat down once again and a pageboy stepped forward holding a cushion that housed the Crown. The Celebrant stepped forward and carefully picked it up and gently placed it on Amara’s head. She stepped back and curtsied and turned to the people in the Great Hall.

‘Empress Amara,’ she said happily and the people stood up and began applauding their new Empress. Those who had watched the ceremony on the magical screens also began applauding and cheering and soon; thunderous applause filled Amalah City. Amara rose to the applause and it grew louder. Michael, Garrick, Häkan, Raynor and Thaddeus were also smiling happily and clapping.

Amara smiled, and then laughed and then tears of happiness began to run down her face as she looked at her mother, sister and the five men and the applause continued.

The Celebrant stepped forward again and this time, she called forth those who were to swear allegiance to the Empress. Michael was the first, followed by Garrick, Häkan, Raynor and Thaddeus and then the remainder of the council who swore for themselves and on behalf of the telepaths, the sorcerers, the empaths and the nations.