A Tale Of Queens

Queen Sa-Alti of Khelet

The citizens of Khelet were taken unawares by the announcement of Sa-Alti's coronation.

Although no particular reason was given for the suddeness of the event, it was heavily implied that their beloved Queen Alti was in poor health due to grief and it was in her best interest to hand over the reigns to her daughter so that she could retire. Nobody from the royal household confirmed nor denied the spreading rumours and so the people held great concern for Alti.

Their worry for the her quelled any of the suspicion that they should have had and all  prepared enthusiastically for the coronation.

*********

Sa-Alti did not sleep a wink on the night before the coronation.

Before she knew it, light was spilling into the room from the windows. She sat up with a miserable groan and rubbed at her eyes. Taking the small mirror on the stool beside her bed, she raised it to her face and examined her face. She groaned again when she noticed the dark smudges under her eyes, rest assured that she was in for a scolding from her mother.

She was right.

Alti burst into the room with Vileytna on her tail. She saw that they were already dressed. How long had they been awake? The first thing out of her mother's mouth was, “What are those?” in that irritated tone that Sa-Alti knew so well.

“Give her a break, Mother. She's very stressed.” Her sister was much more sympathetic.

“Today of all days, child,” she sighed exasperatedly. “Oh well, get up. To the bathroom now.”

She responded sluggishly and Alti snapped at her to move faster. She was entering the ensuite bathroom when she heard her tell Vileytna to fetch a maid to heat the iron combs.

Sa-Alti found herself being primped and prodded until her mother was satisfied. Her hair was pin straight from the careful stretching, her eyelids were lined to perfection, her lips were dyed a subtle pink color and her face and chest were dusted with bronze powder. Intricate designs were hennaed on her hands and feet and her ears were heavy with the earrings that hung from them. An amber colored necklace that belonged to her mother rested on her chest. Vileytna said that they brought out her eyes and as she looked into the mirror, she saw that she was right.

Sa-Alti was mildly amused by the fact that this was the first time in a long time that her mother and sister were getting along in the same room without one of them snapping at the other.

A maid finally brought in the d r e s s and Sa-Alti smiled with satisfaction. It had been a tug of war to get her mother to approve of the color and design. For some inexplicable reason, she had always loved black. And it was her desire to wear a black dress for her coronation. Her mother however, thought that black was too solemn. It took lots of persuasion, arguments and finally bringing Vileytna into it as her trump card to get the dress made.

It was cut from fine linen and would flow behind her as she moved. Intricate embroidery made with gold thread began from the neck down to the hem of the dress. It had a simple design with long transparent sleeves that made it even more elegant.

Sa-Alti wore the dress with the help of Vileytna and was very pleased with what she saw in the mirror. She doubted that she had ever been as beautiful as she was in this moment.

Feeling overwhelmed, she brought her mother and sister into a hug, wishing that her father was here to witness this day. The other women obviously felt the same as they all had wet eyes when they separated.

“Time to overthrow Mother,” Vileytna said with false seriousness, earning a frown from Alti and laugh from Sa-Alti.

Alti hurried them out of the room, convinced that they were running late.

*+*+*+*+*+

The hall, a large building situated directly behind the palace, fell quiet as soon as the three women walked through the open doors and all in attendance rose to their feet to acknowledge their presence.

This hall was specifically built for occasions held by the royal household. Weddings and coronation ceremonies, feasts and sometimes, to entertain dignitaries from other kingdoms.

Sa-Alti walked in front with her mother following a few steps behind. Her sister was farther away as this was tradition for any sibling or siblings of the heir to the throne.

They moved down the aisle with practiced, measured steps. Alti had made sure of that. They had spent the weeks before on this very aisle, perfecting posture, movement and facial expression.

Vileytna caught the eye of her husband in the crowd and struggled not to make a funny face. She settled for winking instead, leaving him smiling after her.

All eyes focused on Sa-Alti. She was indeed a beautiful young woman, fit to be a queen. There was something about how her eyes, the air around her and her composure all came together to make her seem untouchable, out of reach. The people who had watched her grow up could not discern what it was that was so different  about her now. And time would tell whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

As they reached the elevated podium, Vileytna diverted her steps to join the council members who stood in front row of the crowd, leaving Sa-Alti and Alti to continue up the few steps before finally stopping at the center of the podium.

Alti turned to face the crowd and the people immediately fell to their knees with fists clenched over their chests to herald the customary salute. Sa-Alti also knelt, joining them in saluting her mother. This was an integral part of Khelet tradition and  it was done to signify the reverence the heir held for their predecessor and to also indicate the last time that they would ever kneel before them as subjects.

The moment they were crowned King or Queen, they would become equals.

Alti warmly smiled at her people.

“People of Khelet, rise,” she instructed.

They obeyed and took their seats.

With her daughter still kneeling, she began the ceremonial swearing in.

“Sa-Alti of Khelet, upon your shoulders now rests the duty to protect your people, to provide for them and most importantly, to serve them with your life. Do you wish to take on this responsibility, no matter the challenges that the future may bring?”

“I do.” Sa-Alti's voice was firm and bold. Her mother could not have been prouder.

“Do you also swear this day to be loyal to your people, to be just and to be fair?”

“I swear.”

“In what way do you choose swear this oath to all who are present?”

“I choose to swear on the legacy of my father.”

“And what repercussions must follow should you ever betray your oath?”

“May the karmic justice by which we live and die in Khelet befall me.”

“And may the words which you have spoken today be your guardian and your judge. ”

Alti took the crown sitting atop her head and placed it on Sa-Alti's head. Taking her hand and raising her to her feet, she turned her around and announced in a loud voice;

“Your Queen – Queen Sa-Alti of Khelet!”

Sa-Alti could swear that the resounding ‘Hail!’ deafened her for a moment. Only after feeling the weight of the crown on her head did she finally realise the gravity of what had just happened.

I'm Queen. And all these people depend on me.

She shivered a little. As if sensing her daughter's tremors, Alti turned to her to mouth 'I am sure that you will make me proud'.

Sa-Alti replied but her mother heard nothing over the sounds of the loud music that had just begun and the servants bringing in smorgasbords of delicacies for the feast.

“How can you be so sure?” was the reply that went unheard.