untitled
an excerpt

We came down to the great hall. Tramari, my cousin from the north rushed to me and hugged me. Tramari’s family had arrived late last night. Even so, her father and JoPau had met immediately. It had been a short meeting, but Listo had left the room saying, “There’s really nothing else you can do, Boba.” We held one another. Caroneke, Shaneer and Laurel also came to give out hugs. They praised my dress and hair, which I quickly credited to Ireger. I separated myself from the girls and made my way to my bopa and boma. I reached them, on their thrones and hugged them tightly. I took the seat between them, staring out at the room full of people. I held tightly to my mother’s hand.
I felt myself retreat inside. I thought back over the past few days. I’d slept in the healing room for about an hour. When I awoke, I saw my mother on the bed beside me. PauWil had been sleeping deeply. I’d gotten out of bed. The house maiden waiting with my mother had risen, but I had waved her back down, whispering that I felt fine, but wanted to dress. I’d stopped briefly by my brother’s bed. I took his hand, but saw nothing. I kissed his forehead.
I had left the healing room and headed back to my room. I’d quickly changed into my stable dress and headed down to check on Carina. My horse and Carina were stabled next to one another. They were from the same mare. I’d begged for a horse when PauWil had gotten his. So the next year, I’d gotten Vela. The two horses were named for stars in the sky. As soon as I walked into the stable, I heard Carina. The horse was banging the sides of her stall and making a crying noise. The stable keep was trying to calm her. A guard was posted at each end of the stable and at the stall.
I approached Carina, softly calling the horse’s name. The horse stopped banging against the side of the stall and looked at me. I turned to the keep and the guard. “Open the stall, let me go in with her.”
“Princess I cannot do that. This horse threw the Crown Prince, I cannot let you near her. She is wild. She’ll hurt you.”
“Ridiculous! Open the stall immediately. Can’t you see how distraught she is?” I drew myself up to my full height, I was tall for my 13 sun-cycles, and stared him down. “Open it now.”
The stable keep opened the stall door. I stepped in, cooing to the horse. Carina was still whining, but had stopped kicking the stall. I walked up to the horse and touched her snout. “Dear, sweet girl, it’s okay. You poor thing. You poor brave thing.” I turned to the stable keep. “Was she with him when he was found?”
“No, princess, she came running home, ran up in an agitated state right before your bosi sounded the alarm that something had happened.”
“Really? Very interesting. Carina would never leave him. Unless he told her to. And I don’t believe she threw him.” I petted the horse and looked into her eyes. I saw the mist, my brother falling and him telling the horse to run. But the horse didn’t know what happened to him, how he’d fallen or why he’d told her run. But she was agitated because he had been scared. “She didn’t throw him. They were stopped. She’s terrified.”
I looked back into the horse’s eyes, opening my mind and thoughts to the animal. Silently I let Carina know that PauWil was sleeping a deep sleep, that he might not wake up. The horse whimpered and cried. She laid down in her stall and I sat down with her, laying against the animal, holding her. Carina had been PauWil’s horse for 6 sun-cycles. She loved him.
I stayed with the horse for hours. Only when Arkonai came, could I be persuaded to leave. He’d told me the house was in an uproar, looking for me. His father and my parents needed to speak with me about what I’d learned from the horse. I kissed Carina, promising to return. I warned the stable keep to watch the horse and try to get her to eat. “She’s devastated. Watch her closely.”
JoPau and Wilahar were in the library off the great hall. RoJam was indeed with them. They were talking soft, urgently. RoJam was captain of the royal guard and part of his duties was to be the queen’s second in times like these. The three adults regarded us as we entered the room.
“My kier, what did you find out?”
“I don’t think she threw him boma. I don’t know what happened, she doesn’t know. But he told her to run. Boma, she loved him. What could have happened to upset her?”
“I don’t know kier, I don’t know how this accident happened.” She studied me. “Kier, do you understand what is going on? Fully understand?”
“Yes boma, PauWil is badly injured. He may not return, like my cat Uni. If that happens, we’ll put him in the ground and never see him again.”
“Oh my kier, I don’t think you fully understand.” She sighed, her eyes looking sad. “Yes, you understand his possible death and his current state, but do you understand the implications? Your brother was the crown prince. He may not survive. You are next in line. You are now the crown princess. One day you will rule.”
This hit me in the stomach like a punch. It had not occurred to me, that this would happen. That statement changed everything for me. “Me boma?”
“Yes, you. In a few days, after your relatives arrive from the north and the south, we will have a ceremony. And then we will officially crown you.”
“When will everyone get here?”
“Three days from now. I sent for them through the communication orb after I awoke in the healing room. They are already on the way.”
I sighed. I’d stopped in to see my brother before coming to the great hall. I’d held his hand and told him what was happening. “I’m not trying to replace you, boba. I don’t want this crown. But boma is giving it to me. She is afraid you will not wake up. I don’t know where you are, but I hope you return soon. I am not sure I want to be the crown princess. I’m scared and you’re not here to tell me it’s going to be alright.”
Of course there had been no response. I’d kissed him and made my way to the hall. Now I sat on display, waiting to be crowned. I looked around. My Aunt Sonestra, my mother’s sister, sat with Balven. Sonestra caught my eye and sent me a small smile. I nodded to her. I locked eyes with Balven and fought the urge to squirm. He was staring at me intensely, his dark eyes blazing. No one had ever looked at me that way. My body felt hot. I was even more nervous now. I broke the stare and continued looking around. I met Arkonai’s eyes and he grinned at me. He made a hand sign at me. The sign was one the two of us had come up with. It had been his idea as soon as we’d figured out I would be crowned. “Think on it, Kai. Even if we’re across the room from each other, we’ll be able to communicate. We’ll think up hand signals. That way I’ll always know if you need me.”
The sign for help was for me to rub my nose. If I was fine, I simply needed to tug my ear. Either ear would do, they both meant I was fine. Arkonai now tugged on his ear. After a moment, I reached up and tugged my own ear. He nodded and I smiled at him. The hour started to chime. It was time. My mother stood and began to speak.
I had never heard the ceremony. My brother had been declared crown prince as an infant, well before I had been born. My mother greeted all assembled. She lamented the circumstances, but stated that she was hopeful that her son would be fine, as he was still breathing, that this ceremony was just a precaution. She had faith in the healers and in her son. She then stated that she was lucky to have her beautiful daughter. She took my hand and brought me up beside her. I stood tall. My father moved up beside me and placed a crown on my head. Her mother started reciting verses written decades before. I stood, feeling the weight of the crown, studying those assembled. “Oh PauWil,” I thought, “please wake up soon!”
My mother turned to her. “Illekai de Cofay al Broanor, will you do all in your power to continue the Cappesian way of life?”
I swallowed and spoke. “I will.”
“When you rule, will you make the land and people of Cappesia your first priority?”
“I will.” My voice sounded hollow. I wanted a drink of water.
My mother addressed the crowd gathered. “Will you, the people of Cappesia honor your princess who will one day be your queen, assisting her and following her word, trusting in her to protect Cappesia?”
“We will!” The room resounded with the group’s answer. I felt a chill run through me at the sound. I felt the power of being the princess. These people had just pledged to follow my lead one day. I looked up at my mother, who grinned down at me and squeezed my hand. I bowed in the center of the dais and again felt the weight of the Crown of Colors on my head. The crown was actually a headdress. The central piece was a thick band of gold. Attached to the gold were several rainbow strands. They hung down around my face while the gold band circled my braids. My mother wore a similar crown. I knew from watching her over the years that I would only wear this crown for ceremonies. For festivals, there was a lesser headdress, made of gold beads strung together and painted in rainbow colors, with flecks of mica mixed into the paint. Boma and bopa also had them. I had one that was small, but the one I would wear from here on out was elaborate. I rose facing my people.
The band in the balcony started to play the Queen’s favorite song. Normally, at a ceremony like this there would be a banquet and a celebration, but under the circumstances, the royal house had chosen to forego the revelry, choosing instead to have a private meal with the extended family. The people were issued special foods from the coffers so they could celebrate. All the citizens of the city had attended the coronation. The citizens out in the country had sent representatives who were sent home with food.