The last time a new High Ruler was appointed was nearly 30 years ago when a young Prince Edwards took over the rule after the untimely death of his parents. But now that the queen had passed and the king was in chains, a new era was dawning upon Aldham.
For days the palace servants had been decking the halls with every family crest and décor needed for a celebration of this magnitude. While it was customary for a coronation ceremony to occur in the great hall, Isadora had pleaded for hers to take place out in the gardens. "I want to show the citizens of Aldham that I stand with them, not locked in an untouchable palace from them" And so all morning the staff had been placing hundreds of seats appropriately and of course preparing the hall itself for the after festivities.
August had been poked and prodded by her own collection of people doing her hair up into a messy amber bun on her head and touching up every little imperfection with more creams and makeups than she had ever seen. Palace life was still very new to her, but it was becoming apparent that impressions were everything. So she was thrilled when her dresser brought in a chocolate brown suit for her to wear instead of the light green dress they had initially tried. She wasn't a dress kind of girl and everyone knew it.
One by one the various Aldham citizens made their way, dressed in their finest attire, to the occasion. From what August could see from her view out of a smaller palace window, it seemed like the entire kingdom was going to show up. She knew that it was Izzy's day but also it was her own. Izzy becoming queen meant that she would also become the queen.
The moment the princess had gotten down on one knee and asked if August would rule beside her, she knew the obvious answer. She vowed to protect her, at all costs and she meant that. But there was still one thing missing from the equation. So as the lump in August's suit pocket felt heavier she checked the time, knowing there was one last thing to do before going out to greet her future Queen.
...
August walked briskly, nervous that her dress shoes, given to her by one of the palace tailors, would get muddy in the dirt behind the palace. The coronation festivities were taking place in the front of the palace, meaning that for once in what must have been ages August was alone.
The tiny grave stone rose from the center of a newly blooming arrangement of daisies. Izzy had chose them while arranging the burial because when she was little, every Sunday morning before mass she would snip a few wandering daisies and bring them in to her mother to arrange on the table. Now they would always surround her no matter the circumstance.
August knelt down, feeling a bit self conscious as this was her first time visiting the grave since the funeral. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but just that she didn't know what to say. But today she had a purpose.
"Today's her coronation," she let her voice break the silence. "I know that you would've wanted to be there, but I hope you know I'll be right there with her," she paused, reaching down into her pocket and pulling out the small wooden ring box and turning it in her fingers.
"In fact that's why I'm here. I know that when I left the palace, I made you vow to protect her. And you protected her with your entire life; for that I will forever be grateful Now, I know that I don't have to tell you how perfect your daughter is, but I want you to know how much she means to me. I love her truly and deeply with my whole heart and I hope you know that I am going to keep her safe. I promise. I know that her powers are very new to her, but I've already started working with her to control them," August chuckled, "In fact she even managed to levitate the book she was reading and place it back on the shelf and," she caught herself. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm proud of her. And I know that she is so much more than just a future queen. She is absolutely extraordinary.
