Chapter 4: Queen Nem
1629 Words
Chapter 4: Queen Nem
Third Person’s POV
The blinding light of the sun reflected in the dazzling white transparent crown on Nem’s head, and as if on cue, all the thousands of people on the central square kneeled in unison as their thunderous voice resounded and echoed from all over the city.
“Long live the Queen!”
“Long live the Queen!”
“Long live the Queen!”
The pressure of the voice of thousands of people can be imagined by the rumbling echoes that even swayed the solid brick walls of the royal palace.
Nem looked on her citizens as different types of conflicting emotions drowned her entire being.
Royal advisor Agiel approached the newly crowned Queen and kneeled in one knee while lifting a jade box with both of his hands.
“My queen…this is the scepter of fire that holds all of Regin’s army at your command…they will follow your every order without a word of refusal.”
Agiel’s solemn voice can be deduced with the seriousness and the important factor that the scepter holds. This scepter can only be held by the sole ruler of the throne, and no one else has the right to touch it directly without permission.
Nem stared at the scepter with complex lights in her eyes, but nonetheless she lifted her pale soft hand as her slim fingers gently traced the outline of the scepter and slowly grasped it firmly. The contrast of her small pale hands to the striking golden amber scepter created a beautiful scene that is watched by every person on the square with bated breaths.
Agiel stood up with a smile as his gaze returned to the waiting crowd.
“I present to you…Queen Nem Asteria of Regin!”
Agiel’s loud voice reverberated in the surroundings as the citizens applauded in joy and celebration. The crowning of a new ruler carried auspicious signs to the whole kingdom and its lands.
“All hail the Queen!”
“All hail Queen Nem!”
Another thunderous joy-filled shout filled the air as the normal citizens jumped with happiness and relief. Of course, this does not mean that all of them are happy with the coronation, as there are many commoners and nobles that are not satisfied with a ruler that is barely 17 years of age.
“What are the higher officials thinking that they permitted a child to inherit the throne?”
A luxuriously dressed but ordinary-looking noble man in his mid-twenties harrumphed coldly in disdain while looking at the joyful commoners. He is seated in the middle part of the square with other nobles around his age. They are mostly the sons and daughters of a higher minister or a duke.
“They must still think that following the old traditions is important.”
A young woman at her early-twenties dressed in a gaudy red gown opened her folded fan and sneeringly uttered while hints of envy could be seen on her eyes as she looks at the ravishing and beautiful Nem. She had always been proud of her looks, but she cannot even begin to compare to the beauty of a still growing child.
Her name is Maril, and she is the daughter of the eastern minister. The luxuriously dressed young man next to her is the son of the eastern duke and they are betrothed since they were born.
In the Regin kingdom, there are 4 generals, ministers and dukes, and they are all given the four cardinal directions as their title.
It also corresponds to the location of the lands under them. This is why those like the eastern minister and the eastern duke decided to betrothed their children to further stabilize their authority on their lands.
“Anyway…A child is still a child…she would most likely be controlled by those wily old foxes officials.”
A good-looking young man dressed in the uniform of a royal captain of the army indifferently muttered as he drinks the fragrant tea on the table.
His name is Zen, and he is the son of the eastern general Kiros. It could be imagined the beatings that he will face if his father heard about what he said that is pertaining to Nem.
He does not really hold any interest in the royal family and that is why he just tends to spout nonsense whenever he wants. His only life interest is the bloody and brutal life on the battlefield that is able to make his blood boil in excitement.
“You’re too straightforward with your words Zen.”
Maril chuckled in a playful way while fanning herself with an air of haughty derision deep within her eyes as she looks at the indifferent Zen.
She does not like Zen one bit, and it is because she was also driven into fury sometimes when those straightforward words are aimed at her. There was even one time that Zen just outright mocked her in front of her face and called her b***h while munching on pastries. His audacity and her humiliation kept her up screaming like a banshee all night in her room.
The recollection of the humiliation she faced twisted the smile on her face. Maril closed the fan on her hand with a crisp sound before looking away from the irritating expressionless face of Zen.
The sound of drum beats collectively caught everyone’s attention. It is the sign of giving gifts to the new crowned queen.
The row of the guest ambassadors from the neighboring lands stood from their seat while holding different sized boxes made of precious wood or jade.
The first to come up are two good-looking bronze-skinned middle-aged man and woman wearing gorgeous clothes made of animal pelts and accessories made of crystal clear bones of savage beasts.
They are the ambassadors from the endless western prairie, and the insignia of a small bear paw on their exposed shoulder means they are from the famous bear spirit tribe, one of the three royal tribes in the western prairie.
The bear spirit tribe is also the only royal tribe of the western prairie that is friendly and amiable to the other humans in the origin continent.
They are both holding two medium-sized exquisite wooden box as they arrived on the blue marbled platform a few steps away from Nem.
Nem is now currently sitting on a jade throne at the center of the platform that is carried by ten royal guards of the palace.
“We pay our respects to Queen Nem…”
The two ambassadors slightly bowed their heads in respect before smiling and stepping closer to put their gift on the prepared table in front of Nem.
“The second prince of our bear spirit tribe wishes Queen Nem a prosperous rule.”
The middle-age man announced in his powerful voice as he opened the lid of the boxes as translucent brilliant lights from the pure crystal necklace made from a high tiered savage beast reflected in Nem’s eyes. The other box contains a scarlet dress made from embroidered precious savage beast fur.
“I appreciate the well wishes of your bear tribe’s second prince.”
Nem smiled in gratitude as a palace maid respectfully closed the gifts and carried it inside the palace.
The second to step up the platform is a serious looking young man with a scar on his left cheek that ruined his handsome face.
He is in his early-twenties wearing a noble’s suit and robe with a visible mark of a black dagger on the upper right chest of his suit. He is the ambassador of the Southern Ley Kingdom from the Southern Canyons, and his given name is Cairo.
He placed a small jade box in the table and opened it with a small crisp sound of the jades clinking to each other.
“The Southern Ley kingdom wishes Queen Nem the best health and rule.”
His voice is neither humble nor rude, but he gives of a cold vibe that seems to freeze the air around him.
“I thank the Southern Ley for their precious gift.”
Nem smiled without any superfluous intention behind it as she glanced at the inside of the jade box where a small white pearl emitting a soft warm glow is quietly placed.
“It is the famous calming pearl that is only found in the deepest underground lakes in the Southern Canyons.”
Cairo’s cold voice uttered words that shocked the watching crowd. The preciousness of the calming pearl is easily imagined, as there are only ten pieces found in a year.
“How hateful…”
Maril whispered with a frown that twisted her pretty face.
She had always been annoying her father to buy her a calming pearl, but the price is almost 50,000 gold coins, and the rarity of it cannot even supply the demand of the Southern Canyons, so how could her father with the position of only the eastern minister of Regin have the ability to buy one?
Cairo expressionlessly bowed before descending the platform and returning to his respective seat.
A couple of ambassadors from small countries and big kingdoms presented their gifts one by one, before the officials of Regin kingdom presented theirs. It could be described that the presenting of gifts of the officials and nobles of Regin is also a form of competition between them on who could present the most expensive and rare gift.
Nem felt tired with the ongoing proceedings, but she persisted until the break of sunset.
“Esteemed guests and citizens of Regin, the royal banquet for the celebration of our Queen’s coronation will be held tomorrow at the royal flame hall as the full moon shines brightly in the dark night sky.”
Agiel’s announcement ended the coronation and now Regin faces the reign of a new ruler, a new Queen.
- Writer
