Silver King

Chapter 8 - Cal

I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. *

Evangeline is right, running away won't change anything.

But she's not fully right either.

I walk back to the stage, majestic, and I hear hushed whispers, gasps and receive many questioning glances. They freeze my skin.

I plant my feet firmly in the ground in the middle of the stage, looking ahead, over the heads of everyone. Without glancing his way, I motion to Invog to restart it all. I'm ready.

His voice is hesitant at first, but he goes ahead all the same.

" Tiberias Calore, do you solemnly swear to honor the legacy of your ancestors, protecting the kingdom they built?"

" I do solemnly swear to honor the legacy of my ancestors, protecting the kingdom they built."

I won't budge this time, I will deliver this thoroughly.

" Do you solemnly swear to rule this country with love, passion, and focus?"

It's unsettling, even if I heard it before today. When I practiced, it was never there. But I say it.

" I do solemnly swear to rule this country with love, passion, and focus."

" Do you solemnly swear to rule equally and righteously over all citizens, Silver, Red and newblood?"

He remembered to change it. I almost smile. Almost.

"I do solemnly swear to rule equally and righteously over all citizens, Silver, Red and newblood."

It's almost over.

" Tiberias Calore the Seventh, do you solemnly swear to be a good king for Norta?"

I take a deep breath. I can do this. I know everyone is on the edge of their seat. Or of their feet, being that everyone is standing.

"I do solemnly swear to be a good king for Norta."

It's like everyone is breathing out at once.

"I declare you King Tiberias the Seventh of House Calore!"

I see smiles everywhere, on every face. I know that somewhere, in the middle of this crowd, a lovely face isn't smiling.

I bow, smiling slightly myself. Pretending. I clear my throat, raise my hand in the air to gather attention.

"Everyone! Citizens of Norta, of Montfort, of Piedmont. Scarlet Guard. Please, everyone listen to me."

Everyone turns to look at me, intrigued but still ecstatic to have a rightful king on the throne of Norta. How wrong they are.

"Please. I would like to make my first royal announcement, my first royal decree."

And last, I think. But everyone seems oblivious.

I clear my throat again.

" This Kingdom has been the same for too long. House Calore at the head, Queenstrial to choose a Queen, Red servants. But this world isn't like this anymore, it has evolved and so need we."

Evangeline must be boiling. I keep on. For once, I'm doing something I think is right.

" I declare that to this day, the ruler of Norta will be elected. Anyone who will want to become ruler will campaign and in three months, the people - all the people - will vote for who they want to govern them. The ruler will be changed every 4 years. The council and myself will discuss if all the rules that need to be instated for this election."

I expect an uprising. But at least, for once, I'm doing something right.

I'd like to tell Mare she was always right and that I love her. But now isn't the moment.

All the mouths are hanging open, no one dares talk. I don't want to look towards Volo Samos.

I wait for questions to shoot towards me, but they don't.

So I wait a bit more, waiting for the news to sink in. I know I'm taking a risk by staying here after such an announcement. My father taught me exactly when an assassination attempt might come, and though this precise case was never mentioned, I know it's one of the likely moments. But I want to be there for all the people. To answer the questions, even though most of them can't be answered yet.

As expected, they do come. One hand shoots in the air and the woman doesn't wait to be called on before talking. Her hand was a mere signal to tell us she would talk.

" Who will be allowed to enter the election as a candidate?"

That one I know. I've worked that out. I lay back slightly, keeping my composure and seeming as kingly as possible.

" All citizens over 18, men and women, Red, Silver and newblood. But they must be able to prove their citizenship and their age."

Murmurs circulate in the crowd. Some agree, some are angry. Elect a Red? To some, it's outrageous.

Another hand shoots, and this time the man waits to be called on by Invog.

"What tells us that this isn't a trick of yours to 'prove' the people want you to be king?"

Ah. I expected that one.

" I know a lot of you, mostly Silver, would vote for me to stay, for the monarchy to stay. For this reason, ..."

I breathe in, and so does the crowd.

"... I won't be a candidate. I will merely be the transition between Maven's tyranny and the democracy coming."

Afterwards, all the questions are all impossible to answer for now, until the council - which will be made bigger with members of the Scarlet Guard originated from Norta that will be named soon - votes on what will be all the election rules.

Mostly everyone is shocked, surprised.

Well, so am I.

* This sentence is not mine, I borrowed it from Star Wars: the Force Awakens

Author's note: thank you so much for 100 reads on this story, it's insane. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the longest one yet!