"There." Nydea finished adjusting the final strand of hair on my head and stepped back, clapping her hands together. "You look magnificent."
Sighing to myself, I smiled at her. Though wearing extravagant gowns still didn't appeal to me, being squeezed into one now didn't fill me with the same abject horror and revulsion it once did. After everything I had been through -- what I had lost, what I had gained... If the price at the end of it all was a fate of puffy dresses, I was willing to pay it.
"Am I allowed to look now?"
Squealing with giddiness, she spun me to face the full-length mirror. A gasp filled my lungs and my eyes widened in surprise at my reflection.
"You look so elegant and queenly," Nydea sighed. "You look--"
"Like my mother." Tears sprung to my eyes. The woman standing in the mirror bore more resemblance to her than the reflection I was used to. Sophisticated and poised, her white-blond hair fell in silky waves to her waist, with tiny intricate braids twisted around the crown of her head where a small silver diadem rested. Her pale skin shone with the same soft radiance Aurora's always had.
A tear dripped from my eye as I reached up, touching my fingertips to the glass. Even the gown I wore resembled the one she had been wearing the day I met her. The silvery silk draped from my shoulders and flowed down my body to the ground where it pooled around my feet. Diamonds were scattered across the bodice, tiny stars glittering in the ripples of the fabric.
My wings unfurled from my shoulders, the black feathers dusted with delicate violet a sharp contrast to the starlit goddess I had been transformed into.
"Do you like it?" Nydea peered at me with anxious eyes. "I can find something else if you think this is too much."
A genuine smile warmed my face, and I hugged her. "It's beautiful, Nydea. Thank you. Now let's get going before I'm late to my coronation."
Though I was technically already Queen, we were holding a traditional, public ceremony the way it should have been done in the first place. In a way, it served as a celebration for our victory against the demons.
The last six weeks had been a difficult time as we recovered from the attack that had left us devastated. The planning of my coronation had been a welcomed distraction from the grief and mourning. Something to focus on after the loss of so many faeries in the battle and Elelas' scathing betrayal which had enabled the demon's brutal strike.
Nydea linked her arm through mine and waltzed me out the door. A pack of six guards moved in around us as we headed for the throne room.
A reverent silence fell over the gathered crowd as the doors flew open and my escort ushered me into the room. Nydea squeezed her way into the mass and I continued my way through the sea of fae who cleared a path to the throne.
Saviel stood at the base of the throne, a brilliant and intricate crown of silver and diamonds resting on his open palms.
My guards fanned out on either side of the throne around us as I knelt before Saviel and he addressed the assembly.
"We have gathered today to witness the crowning of our new queen. For millennia, The Fae have stood united under one ruler against the evil that seeks to blanket the universe in darkness and despair. We have suffered tremendous loss but in these perilous times, it is more important than ever to stay strong and continue the fight for light. For despite the ruination inflicted upon us, we have dealt a formidable blow to our enemy and achieved a great victory!"
Clapping and cheers echoed through the throne room, intensifying to a deafening level as Saviel placed the crown atop my head.
"I present to you, Queen Evelyn!"
YOU ARE READING
Starlight's Heir - ✔️
FantasyAbandonment is one word to describe Evelyn Ward's childhood. Known as an orphan freak and paranoid schizophrenic, she was dragged through years of therapy after admitting to hearing whispering voices and seeing creatures and living shadows. ...
