Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 11: 𝓑𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓲𝔃𝓮𝓭 𝓑𝔂 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮

July 20, 1965

Today was the day, that I had thought would never arrive... my coronation. I thought once I'd be forty if I ever ascended at all. Once Johnny was born that went out the window. Because Johnny would succeed my mother... my evil mother... then his children would succeed him... all the preparations I had done for thirteen years would have gone to waste. Unfortunately, they haven't. But was I really ready for this? I was only fifteen... now of course I wasn't the youngest to ever ascend... I was the second youngest. My grandmother ascended to the throne when she was ten months old, because my great grandfather had no male heir, and died of tuberculosis. From the few writings my grandmother left, she didn't recall much about the days following her coronation and ascension. Though she did recall the coronation being confusing, which makes sense for a six-year-old-which was how old she was upon her coronation.

"Your majesty are you ready?" 

I took a deep breath and nodded. The women I was with carefully put a tiara on my head. 

I was flanked by two older women who led me down the middle of the throne room. I was wearing a long cape and a dress and a crown that was way too big for my head. Nobles and other fancy people were lining it, and guards with their rifles stood at attention. The ladies led me to the throne where I sat on it. I instantly noticed how the bottom of my feet was about six inches off the ground. Thanks to my abominable height, it was very uncomfortable, to be honest.

A priest stepped up before me and a nobleman, Lord Humberto, stepped up to my side. The priest held up a protestant bible and the nobleman handed me one. He instructed me to hold it up by one hand, which I did.

"Is her majesty willing to take the oath?" The priest asked.

"I am," I replied.

I had been told what to say, and I had been trained, but the noble next to me was to help me along if I forgot something.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the First American Empire, Canada, Ivory Coast, The Philippines, South Africa, Benin, and Madagascar, and of your Possessions and the other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?"

"I solemnly promise to do so," 

"Will, you to your power 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 God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the First American Empire the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of America, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in America? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of America, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights, and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?"

"All this I promise to do," I repeated.

I then took the book, as was my next instruction. I kissed it, and signed my oath and the priest took the book and brought it away.

"The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God," I said, completing the oath.

The priest extended his arms, and now his voice boomed, "I now proclaim this girl, by the might and glory of God, chosen by God to rule the First American Empire in his name, Empress Josephine of the Americans!"

The throne room exploded into cheers and I smiled as a diamond, shimmering scepter was handed to me. My age begins now...