21.
"Never thought I'd get to attend an actual coronation," Malcolm commented, looking around the grand hall. "This place is packed."
"I don't think any of us expected this," Trip said, looking pointedly down at the two month old baby resting contentedly in his arms. "But I'm glad Sara's happy."
"Are you really?"
Trip grinned at his friend. "Really. I mean it. I'm gonna miss her, and I'm gonna miss this little girl right here, but at least I know both of them are safe. Better than having to wait for the news that they reached Earth safely, or get the news that they got blown up by the Romulans."
The crews of Enterprise and Columbia had, once again, been afforded front-row seating, since they were close friends of the new queen. The new queen; none of them could quite believe it. One of their own, a queen. But it was happening, and the coronation had been arranged for the day after the wedding. John, as so many kings on Earth and on Nicaustra VII had done before him, wanted to be crowned king with his wife as his queen, and while Sara had been unhappy at the prospect of a second public ceremony coming so hard on the heels of the first, she had agreed that it was probably for the best, especially since Enterprise and Columbia had to leave that day to rejoin the war.
There was a flurry of trumpets, and the doors at the back of the grand hall opened. Those assembled in the hall stood for the procession, as they had been advised to do by the guards as they had entered. Various male officers and courtiers walked in a solemn procession, followed by the members of the Monarch Council, and then John himself entered, dressed richly in a suit of silk and velvet. The procession stopped at the head of the hall, where the twin thrones of Nicaustra VII had been moved from the throne room especially for the ceremony.
The gentleman who had officiated Sara and John's wedding the day before motioned for everyone to be seated. "We will begin with the crowning of our new king," he said. The man plucked a scroll from a table situated just behind the throne and began to read it aloud.
"Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors were brought to this planet by beings previously unknown to any man or woman, beings who were fast becoming extinct and did not wish to see their planet die alongside them. These beings instructed our ancestors on the proper care of the planet, and gave them the knowledge necessary to continue in peace once they had all departed. This included instructions for the choosing of the government. From all forms known to them and ourselves came the monarchy of Nicaustra VII, a monarchy chosen by the people, a monarchy of choice, a monarchy of great possibility.
The first of these monarchs was chosen from amongst the new citizenry through a vote, and the descendants of him and the original citizenry brought to Nicaustra VII continue the tradition through generations, down to us here present this very day."
Rosa began to whimper a little bit. "Shhhh," Trip whispered, pulling a bottle out of a bag hidden under his seat. "It's OK. Daddy's got you covered, little girl." He took the cover off the bottle and put it up to Rosa's lips, and she immediately latched on to the bottle and started sucking quietly, her eyes focused upwards on Trip's face. "There we go," Trip said with a smile. "Your momma thought this might happened. Good thing we were prepared…"
"One of these choices given is abdication," the officiator continued. "In the event that the monarch decides they cannot or will not continue in their duties any further, they may abdicate without loss of any titles they held when they came to the throne, and a new monarch will rise. This may be a chosen heir of the prior monarch, an immediate family member, an extended family member, a member of the Monarch Council, or a new monarch elected by the people.
John Alan Collins, His Majesty Alexander Woodville, former monarch of the Territories of Nicaustra VII, has named you his heir, and has abdicated the throne. I ask you now as I did before, is it your wish to become the new monarch of the Territories of Nicaustra VII?"
"It is," John answered firmly.
"Then ascend these stairs and take your rightful place."
John walked up the stairs and sat on the throne on the right-hand side of the room. The applause from the assembled Nicaustrans was nearly deafening, and Trip thanked any and all deities he could think of that Rosa's whimpers hadn't been on account of the noise.
The officiator picked up a sparkling gold crown and stood behind the throne. "I ask again, as I have before. Is it your wish, John Alan Collins, to become the new monarch of the Territories of Nicaustra VII?"
"It is," John answered again.
"Then let it be known by all assembled that John Alan Collins, the named heir of His Majesty Alexander Woodville of the Territories of Nicaustra VII, today becomes our new monarch." The officiator placed the crown on John's head. "Upon your head now rests the crown of the monarchs of the Territories of Nicaustra VII, and upon your shoulders now rests the fate of your people. Go in peace, and may peace be a hallmark of your reign."
The applause of the people in praise of their new king ricocheted off the walls of the grand hall, filling it with sounds of exuberant joy that lasted for at least ten minutes. When those assembled had finally calmed down, the officiator put the scroll he had been reading from back onto the table and picked up a new one, then faced the crowd once more.
"Throughout the known history of Nicaustra VII, monarchs have reigned in many different states. Some have reigned alone. Some have chosen new partners to share their reign once they have ascended. Some have chosen to share their reign with one consort and one alone. His Majesty John Collins has chosen to share his reign with a new consort. He has taken her as his wife, and has made the decision to care for her children as if they were from his own blood. Your Majesty, please call forward your consort."
John nodded and rose from the throne. "Gentlemen of the Monarch Council, open the doors and allow your future queen to enter! People of Nicaustra VII and assembled guests, rise in honor of the future queen of the Territories of Nicaustra VII!"
The Monarch Council walked to the closed doors of the grand hall, opened them, and then walked back to their places at the front of the room. The trumpets sounded again, and a procession made up of the ladies of the court entered just as solemnly as the males before them had. Following them were the ladies of the Queen's Council, and then came Elizabeth and the twins, who grinned and waved at their baby sister as they passed her. Then there was a striking of a bow against strings, and a group of violins proclaimed Sara's arrival in the grand hall.
There was a collective gasp from everyone in the room as Sara walked slowly forward. Her long hair was down around her shoulders, covering what the white gown she wore had left bare. The gown was made of the same silk as John's suit, and sparkled like sunlight thanks to the myriad diamonds that covered the gown's skirt that flared out just below Sara's waist. The sleeves were slashed open to show her arms, and around her neck, shining on the chain John had given her, was her great-grandmother's wedding ring. "Look at your momma," Trip whispered to Rosa, holding her up so she could see. "Doesn't she look beautiful?" Rosa gurgled and smiled in response.
Sara paused at the bottom of the steps as John had done before her, her children at her sides, her face glowing with pleasure at the sound of the rapturous applause filling the room. She turned her head briefly and winked at Trip and Rosa, then faced the officiator, ready to play her part.
"Sara Callahan Rhodes Collins, you have been chosen as consort to the monarchy of the Territories of Nicaustra VII by your marriage to our king. I ask you now, as I asked your husband and countless before you, is it your wish to become queen consort of the Territories of Nicaustra VII?"
"It is," Sara said confidently.
The same ceremony that crowned her husband was repeated, with Sara taking the left-hand throne and being asked again. But when it was time for the officiator to crown her, John stopped him. Gently taking the glittering gold tiara in his own hands, he placed it on Sara's head himself. "Let it be known by all assembled that on this day, Sara Callahan Rhodes Collins has accepted the crown of the consorts of the Territories of Nicaustra VII," he said. He turned to his wife and kissed her hand. "And may our reign be as happy and as peaceful and as long as I hope our marriage will be."
Sara blushed. "And may that be as long as we both shall live, in the words of the old ceremony," she said clearly.
"Please rise, Your Majesty," the officiator said. John helped Sara to her feet, and the two of them stood hand in hand, smiling at each other.
"I now present to you the new monarchy of the Territories of Nicaustra VII: His Majesty King John Collins, and Her Majesty Queen Sara Collins," the officiator boomed. "Long may they reign!" The sounds of cheering and applause were so numerous that they echoed off the walls long after the assembled guests had made their way to the coronation banquet.
Hours later, when the celebrations had stopped and the palace was clearing out, Sara made her way to the helipad where the shuttles taking the crews of Enterprise and Columbia back to their ships, carrying Rosa with her. She rolled her eyes at the Enterprise crew as they all bowed and curtsied.
"Oh cut it out, all of you," she said, amusement in her voice. "Or I'll have all of you banished."
"It's just funny, that's all," Hoshi said. "I mean, you're a QUEEN now. You're supposed to do that stuff, and you hate it."
"I know," Sara said, wrinkling her nose. "I think I may try and have it outlawed. I'm not sure yet."
"Have what outlawed?" Trip asked, hearing the last part of the conversation and wandering over.
"She's going to try and get bowing and curtseying to the queen outlawed," Hoshi said with a giggle. She waved goodbye to Rosa, then jogged over to the shuttle
"Good luck with that," Trip said with a grin. He looked down at Rosa. "I guess this is goodbye, little girl."
Sara handed Rosa to Trip. "You'll see her soon," she promised. "You better, anyways. I'll be very annoyed if you get yourself killed during this war. We've lost too many people already."
Trip looked at the little girl in his arms, and knew there was only one way he could answer. "I'll come back. For her, and for you. For the kids too. I promise." He kissed Rosa and handed her back to Sara. "You be good for your momma, little girl. I don't want to hear that you've given her a hard time." Rosa gurgled and started whimpering, then burped and giggled.
Sara chuckled. "Just like her father," she teased. She looked at Trip with a wistful smile on her face. Her oldest friend, the father of her child, and one of the best people she had ever known. "Thank you," she said. "For Rosa. And for everything else you've done. I'll never forget it."
"Same," Trip said, choking up a little. Gone was the scared little girl his sister had saved on the playground those long years ago, the timid young girl who had avoided most people in school, and the scared young ensign who had bravely stared him down in his worst moment. In her place was a confident woman, the mother of his child, and a queen. He'd done his job; he'd kept her safe, he'd protected her. Now, his job was done.
Behind him he heard Malcolm yell that it was time to go. "Time to go," he said.
Sara nodded. "Time to go," she echoed. She stood on her toes and kissed Trip gently on the cheek. "We'll all be waiting for you. I promise." Sara backed up to give the shuttlepods room to take off, and held Rosa close to protect her from the dust.
The last thing Trip saw before the shuttlepod door closing behind him was his friend, Queen Sara Callahan Rhodes Collins, and their daughter Rosa, waving goodbye. Just as he had the day before, they were letting him go.