Hardly a Lady

XXI

The morning after the coronation, Giselle awoke and ate her breakfast as normal, and her ladies dressed her in a gown of red velvet and golden accents, with a matching tiara of gold and rubies in her loose dark hair. After so many months dressed only in black, it made a welcome change for Giselle to be wearing colour once more.

Before lunch time, a messenger arrived to inform the Queen that the court had assembled in the Hall of Kings, and they were awaiting the monarch's arrival. Not wanting to keep Will or the court waiting, Giselle kissed her children farewell - who were being taken out to play in the gardens whilst their parents met with the court - and then proceeded to leave her chambers, walking with two guards at her front and two guards at her back towards the Hall of Kings. Is this what my life will be like forever now, Giselle thought ruefully. She couldn't bear the thought of having guards follow her everywhere she went, if that guard was not Ash.

Her heart nearly broke as she thought that today would be the day Ash would come before Will, and would be freed from his duties as the Captain of her guard. She was terrified that he would find another woman whom he loved more than her, and that he would rather live out a life of happiness away from court with his bride than love Giselle in the rare occasions they would be able to snatch together. If she lost Ash's love, she would not be able to bear it.

Will was already waiting in a side room off of the Hall of Kings. Dressed in grey and silver, with a crown upon his golden curls and the sword of state hanging by his side, he looked undeniably kingly. Giselle kissed her husband's cheek softly as they approached, making no comment on the dark bags beneath his eyes and the pale demeanor his skin carried - clearly he had been up drinking and celebrating long after the Queen and the more respectable members of court had retired for the night.

"My wife," Will greeted her, stepping to her side and taking her hand into his. "How are you this morning, husband?" Giselle inquired. Will winced and rubbed his temples. "Wishing I could be anywhere but where I am, but as my mother so kindly decided to remind me before sunrise this morning, I am the King now, and that has obligations I cannot escape."

Giselle kept her amusement to herself, but later, when she was alone, she was sure she would laugh greatly at Will's expense.

"Should I order the court to whisper, then?" she asked teasingly. Will shot her a look of contempt as the doors of the side room opened, and together they swept out into the Hall of Kings, standing tall and smiling as the herald introduced them, the trumpets flared, and they headed towards their seats.

"May the Onyx save the King! May the Onyx save the Queen!" the court shouted as Will and Giselle took their seats upon their thrones. Many of the court looked a little worse for wear that morning, Giselle thought in amusement as the herald moved to stand at the bottom of the dais, unrolled his scroll, and began to read. Giselle noticed Will wince at the pitch and volume of the herald's voice, and could not help but smirk.

"We are gathered here to swear our allegiance to his Majesty, King Wilson Decristo, and to ask any favours, present any matters of the utmost importance, and to give him any gifts that you may wish to bestow upon your grateful monarch. Please, come forward, Captain Ashtor, come forth."

Giselle caught her breath as Ash stepped out of the crowd. For once, he was not dressed in his fine armour, now he wore the clothes of a regular, non-military noble man, and Giselle did not think they suited him so much as the colours of her crest.

Ash bowed low before the King and Queen, and as Will rose to embrace his old friend, Giselle stood too, smiling as Will hugged Ash and clapped him on the back, and then offering out her hand for the love of her life to kiss. Ash looked her straight in the eye as his lips brushed her hand, and the sadness within them was so profound that Giselle could have sworn they stabbed right into her soul. How could fate be so cruel as to separate them like this, to separate Ash from his son?