The Toy Prince

20. Ursula

Everyone was adamant about that fact and wouldn't budge no matter how much Ursula tried to avoid it. There would be a coronation exactly 24 hours after they had found Conrad's body. She'd tried arguing that it should be held after the funerals of both Conrad and Axel. No one was having it.

"Konigreich is in precarious times. The people need to see their leader now," Josephine had said as if she was talking to a small child who need everything explaining to them.

Ursula had relented in the end and had agreed to the coronation. She'd had one condition though. It couldn't be too ostentatious. She didn't want to go through some elaborate affair after everything that had happened. A simple ceremony would be perfect. Then she wouldn't have to be on display for too long. Especially as the dress she was going to wear was a walking hazard. She'd nearly tripped and face planted the floor so many times that Josephine had relented and allowed Ursula to ditch the kitten heels for a pair of converse. The dress was long enough that nobody would know the difference anyway.

That was why she found herself sitting in a horse drawn carriage heading towards the only cathedral in Konigreich.

Thousands of people lined the street, cheering and calling her name. It was just a cacophony of noise that hurt her ears. All she wanted to do was close the curtains and hide from the people who would now look to her for guidance. Fortunately she was too scared to move so she didn't commit a royal faux pas before she was even crowned.

The carriage pulled up in front of the cathedral. It was something straight out of a gothic fairytale. A flat fronted building carved with elaborate arches that turned into two soaring spires was waiting for her. She looked up at the spires and audibly gulped in surprise. The cathedral was an intimidating building and she hadn't even entered inside of it yet. There was a large cheering crowd either side of the cathedral steps that got even louder when the carriage pulled to a stop.

Niklaus was waiting for her at the top of the steps. He looked handsome in his new uniform.

The first thing she'd done as Queen was to change the uniform. She would forever associate the black and white uniform with the men who'd kidnapped her Oma. She hadn't changed it too much. The black jackets became dove grey with red trim instead of white. The black trousers and boots stayed the same.

Niklaus looked every inch the fairytale prince waiting for his princess. She blinked away the thought that she was walking into a wedding rather than a coronation. Either option would have her completely out of her comfort zone.

With sweaty palms, she stepped down from the carriage with the help of a guard. Now all she had to do was make it up the cathedral steps without falling. Josephine had absolutely forbidden her from picking up her dress which would have made everything so much easier.

Ursula straightened her spine and stared straight ahead. A warm smile was plastered on her face. Hopefully no one could tell that it was only skin deep. Inside she was terrified.

Somehow she managed to get up the stairs in one piece. She didn't even trip over the fabric of her dress once which was a miracle in of itself. She gratefully took Niklaus proffered arm and allowed him to lead her into the cathedral.

Inside it was full of people she didn't know sat in neat rows. All heads swivelled to watch her progress towards the front of the cathedral where the Archbishop was waiting for her.

Axel sure liked his medieval themes didn't he, she thought as Niklaus let go of her arm. He took his place on the front pew, leaving her to walk up to the Archbishop alone.

She kneeled in front of the ancient looking man and lifted her head up to him as he stepped in front of her. A reverent hush fell over the gathered people. The Archbishop remained silent, drawing out the drama until it reached the point of being painful. Ursula was seriously considering tell him to hurry up when he finally began to speak.

"People of Konigreich, we are here today to witness the crowning of our new monarch."

His voice echoed around the cathedral, filling the empty air with an impressive volume for such an old man. Nobody could not hear what he was saying.

"Ursula Silber, you are here to become Queen. Do you swear to uphold the laws of our land? Do you swear to uphold our laws? Do you swear to protect this land from peril and serve your people faithfully?"

"I swear."

"By the power vested in me by the people of Konig, Zuckerlöcke, Schneeland and Rosenkopf, I pronounce you Queen of all Konigreich."

A decked out Johan came forward carrying a crown perched on a red velvet cushion. The Archbishop picked up with crown with both hands. They shook with the weight of it and he took no time in putting it on her head.

"Bloody hell," she muttered, loud enough that only the Archbishop heard her. She expected a reproachful look but was shocked to see him wink at her. Such a simple gesture broke the tension that had settled over her and a genuine warm smile spread across her face.

She took his outstretched hands and pulled herself to her feet. With more grace than she thought she had, she turned around to face her subjects. As soon as she did they all began to cheer so loudly that they drowned out the chair that had begun to sing.

It had been such a short crowning ceremony that Ursula really couldn't understand why she'd worked herself up so much about it. She was Queen now. It didn't scare her like it had before. She had plenty of people who would help her rule well until she got the hang of it. At least she now knew what she was going to be when she grew up.

She searched the crowd for familiar faces. Niklaus was in the front pew and he was clapping along with everyone else. Her Oma was five people down from him, smiling at her with pride.

Ursula's smile grew wider.

She knew that everything was far from perfect but in that moment she couldn't bring herself to focus on the bad. There was too much to be thankful for. She was alive and her family was safe. Everything that happened next she could deal with. Of that she was certain.