Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 58• The New Queen

"Are you ready?" Hayes asked his sister. Serena glanced at herself in the mirror. "I'm not sure." She answered. She fixed the belt that hung loosely on her hips.
"I do not like the belt if I'm honest." She admitted. Hayes frowned at her. "What's not to like? You always wear that belt. It matches the green of your dress and eyes. I thought that's why you made it." He replied. Serena glared at her brother. "So?" She said. Hayes rolled his eyes and turned away. "For once, act like the princess you are, and pick a belt to go with your dress. Please?" He asked her. Now Serena rolled her eyes. A couple of days passed, and the day had finally arrived for Serena's coronation. After her father's death, every burden fell on her as the new queen. Mostly on her. Part of her duties would fall on her brother as well. She kept looking at herself in the mirror. "Are you nervous?" Hayes asked her. She nodded slightly. "A bit." She replied. "Well, you should be. This is a big thing that's happening. A huge change. Are you sure you're up for it?" He asked her. Serena turned to her brother. "Is this your way of trying to get your own fancy crown? Not today, Hayes." She chuckled. Hayes held up his hands in defense. "That wasn't what I was getting at," he assured her. She frowned at him. "Are you sure? I remember about five hundred years ago, you stole our father's crown, claiming it was yours forever from that day on." She reminds him. Hayes pointed his finger at her. "That is not fair. I was very young back then." He replied. "You were a little over two thousand years old. Even then you were considered an adult." She tells him.
"You do realize you're very annoying sometimes." He pointed out to her. "You do realize I can lock you up for a lifetime or kill you without it being frowned upon." She snapped back at him. Hayes glared at her angrily. "We should get out. Everybody's waiting for you." He tells her. "No, no, no, we were just having a good conversation. So lovingly. A real brother-sister moment." Serena laughed as her brother left the room. "Hayes! Come on!" She called out to him while still laughing. She started to chase him down the halls. "We were having a good talk! Come on!" She repeated.

Serena took a deep breath before she made her way up to the end of the line where all the high folk was waiting for her. Her brother, standing in the front row, fixing the werewolf's clothes of the young werewolf standing next to him. Serena rolled her eyes slightly and walked up to the high elves at the end of the line. The high elf stepped forward and looked at Serena.
The elven princess inhaled deeply and presented her sword. She placed it in front of her on the ground before she stood up straight again. The high elf in front of her picked up the weapon. He traced his fingers over the crystal that was in the handle of her sword. He used his magic making it glow brightly. He looked at her. "Do you solemnly swear to protect your people? To use your magic well and take care of us as your father did?" he asked. Serena nodded softly. "I solemnly swear to protect the people, use my magic for good and take care of our people as my father before me." She repeated. He presented her sword to her. "Place your hands on the blade," he instructed. Serena did as she was told and placed her hands on the weapon.
He suddenly swept it across her skin, cutting it open, slightly. But Serena didn't show any emotions. She didn't even blink. This was a big moment for her and she was very serious about this. Two drops of blood fell on the crystal turning it red for a few seconds before turning white again. The high elf smiled brightly and looked at two other elves standing near them. They walked over to Serena, holding her crown in their hands. Serena knelt down slightly and let them place the crown upon her head. As soon as the wooden material touched her hair, small flowers started to appear.  Serena turned around with the crown placed on her head. Everyone bowed or bend down on one knee for their new queen. She shorty made eye contact with her friends standing in the front row.
Orlando looked up and smiled at her proudly. She returned the smile and waved at her friends when they all looked up at her. "The new queen!" The high elf exclaimed. Everyone started to cheer and applaud her.

Serena smiled and walked down the small steps and immediately made her way over to her brother and friends. They all embraced her as tightly as they could. When Misty pulled away she pointed at Serena's crown. "Didn't know you were a flower girl." She points out. Serena chuckled and shook her head. "It's tradition." She tells her. "You look great," Orlando tells her. Serena felt someone's hands on her waist. She recognized his touch and couldn't help but smile at him.
"Not gonna hide it from your people?" He asked her. He took a step closer to her, squeezing her waist gently with his hands. She glanced over her shoulder at him and shook her head. "What are they gonna do about it? I have the power to lock them all up if I wanted to." She tells him. He pressed a small kiss on the top of her head and embraced her from behind. "I love you." He whispered in her ear. Her cheeks flushed bright red. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "I need to talk to your dad," she tells Asher. He furrowed her eyebrows at her. "That is a weird way to tell me that you love me. I did not expect you to say that." He tells her. Serena looked at Orlando. "You too." She said. She turned around to look at Asher. "How soon can your father get here?" She asked him. "Still a weird way to say it," Asher tells her.
"How soon?" Serena repeated. Asher shrugged. "I'm not sure. Soon, I guess. Why?" He questioned. Serena smiled at him. "I promised you to change, right? Well, I'm changing some things around here." She tells him