Thrice Upon A Choice

Chapter XXI

After I had said that, Bas had kissed me again.

And Coy picked that exact moment to come in with the wheelchair. He said something about our questionable ready-ness but I missed it for the thundering of emotions in my head. Echo trailed in behind Coy and the three of them then put up with my slow attempt to get up. My whole body ached. I had bruised pretty much everywhere to the point where parts of my body now resembled a handful of giant blueberries. I managed to get out of bed by myself, but my walking was off balance and the only reason I managed my three whole steps was because I had a hand on Bastian's shoulder and Echo was behind me with a guiding hand on the small of my back. Dizziness kicked in though and suddenly my head swam. Echo and Bas snapped me up before I could fall though, and I was placed in the wheelchair instead. Bastian wheeled me out, through the infirmary and to the elevators where the four of us piled in for the cafeteria. Echo hadn't even made a hint that she was going to ask about...before. And I was glad that she was leaving that to a later time. I would have my chance to apologise to her and she would have her chance to refuse it like I knew she would. Like they all would. But it had to be said. I had watched myself hurt her and it killed me a little that it was pure luck that she wasn't being buried with Otto and the rest of my casualties.

I shook off those kind of thoughts as we passed the masses of people that were heading to gather in the cafeteria, giving Coy and us a wide berth in a sign of respect. Once we made it there, the cafeteria was bustling. All the tables had either been pushed aside or were being used by people to stand on and get a better look over the crowd. A brigade of technicians stood in the middle of it, fiddling with a large camera that was pointed at the center of a stage that had been hastily erected. Upon it stood a podium from which both the sky blue, and black flags of Kindara and Corra hung. Behind the podium, on either side, were chairs. Two were already occupied by Reuben and Emmy, and another five sat waiting. As we neared the stage, Thorne, Arlo, and Dante appeared and suddenly I had five people, plus Coy, all trying to assist me to my feet and up the stage steps to the safety of the chair that had been reserved for me. I soon got frustrated and swatted them away, leaving only Echo with enough tolerance to all but carry me up to the stage and guide me to my seat. That girl was going to be a great mum.

The rest of them followed and sat down either beside me or with Emmy and Reuben on the other side.

Coy stepped up onto stage and the crowd fell into an attentive silence. The amount of respect people had for him was scary, but not ill-founded. Coy had earned their respect and all he had needed was a ridiculous amount of C4 and the guts to walk onto a battlefield with it.

I saw one of the technicians stand up from where she had been bent over the camera and realized that it was Etta. She showed Coy three fingers, then two, then one, and suddenly we were live.

"My name is Coy Proctor-Jackson and I stand here today to address the people of my country. From my previous address, you'll know of the events that have taken place over the last couple of days, and may be aware that I will be running for formal leadership of this great nation, in order to unite us and bring us back to our former glory. But today, people of Corra and Kindara, I have a couple of proposals for you. The first is for a new name. One of inclusion and my best idea was Kincorra but if I think we'll put that to a vote."

With this, people laughed.

"My second proposal is more of a request. I require your utmost attention for some formal recognition. Behind me, are some very special people and I would like to personally thank them and nationally reward them for their services to this country. Firstly, to my Deputy, Reuben Banks. He has been a close friend of mine since childhood and when he was convicted of the murder of Anastasia Proctor, I knew he had been framed. Evidence for this claim will be brought up shortly, but in the meantime, I wanted a bit of recognition for a man whom endured public condemnation and extreme acts of injustice, and went on to fight for the nation he knew we could be."