1 Part One- Hatred
2 Chapter One-The Recognizing Ceremony
2.1 Proverbs 16:12 "Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness."
With shaking hands, Tielle smoothed the expensive green fabric of her dress and glanced around the drapes hanging over the window. Her stomach leaped as she saw the hundreds of people gathered in the Hall, waiting for her.
"Tielle!" Her attendant chastised her, pulling her away from the window. "You know that you are not to be seen before the ceremony!" The fussy, slightly overweight woman steered Tielle into a chair. "Now, hold still. Your hair must be perfect."
Yes, though Tielle, we wouldn't want to discourage potential suitors, now would we? Already since that fateful day of her siblings' deaths and when she unofficially became the Crown Princess, Tielle had received twenty- three proposals from Hidonian and off-world nobles. That number would increase greatly after today.
Once her hair was finished being curled and pinned and styled, Tielle went over to her full-length mirror and gave herself a critical once-over. Her make-up had been expertly applied, her dress fit to perfection, her hair was swept up elegantly and so that a sparkling tiara would not disturb the array of curls.
Tielle turned to her attendant. "Tell Queen Shari that I am ready," she instructed, noting that her tone of voice had become more commanding since she had become the Heir. She wondered if she would become even more demanding after she was crowned and officially Recognized as the Crown Princess.
Her attendant returned. "Queen Shari says you are to wait for the signal here, then begin your descent."
Tielle nodded her understanding and the attendant left.
Tielle looked out the window again and watched as her father rose from the ornate throne at the back of the Hall. He extended his hand to her mother, and together they stepped up to the front of their podium. The Hall quieted as the King gave the introductory and welcoming remarks. Tielle let the drapes fall and closed her eyes. It wouldn't be long now. Oh God, she prayed. Please let me be a good Crown Princess and Queen, one day. I'm scared; I was never expecting to be a Queen. I was content to let Erete rule. This is all so new to me, but if I am to rule, then that is Your will. Help me as I prepare to rule.
Tielle did not want to rule Hidon. She had had to adjust to the idea in a short month; Erete had had all of his life. He had started off with intense studying in the subjects of Galactic History, Hidonian History, Politics, Economics, Diplomacy and other heavy topics that Tielle had only dabbled in before. Now she would be expected to know it all!
And in these perilous times, Diplomacy had become even more important than usual. Hidon was very near war with Fareari, and Tielle privately thought that Farearian commandoes had somehow killed her older siblings. Several quiet investigations were looking into that possibility, but until he had concrete evidence, King Partini was powerless to do anything about it.
Fareari! Tielle's lip curled with unconscious distaste. The Farearians were attempting to infringe upon Hidonian space, saying that it was their space to begin with. And they had been accusing Hidonian of covert and illegal operations to cripple Fareari's trade and keep Hidon dominate. And if that wasn't enough, Fareari had vaporized a harmless tourist space shuttle from Hidon, then later apologized, saying that they had thought that it was a pirate ship from the Slave Trade worlds.
Tielle had no more time to dwell on the evils of Fareari; she heard the trumpets blare and then fall silent. She hurried to the top of the long staircase and began her slow descent.
All eyes were on her as she slowly stepped down each stair until she finally reached the floor and started across the carpeted aisle, her head high and proud. Each step led her closer to the raised dais… and her destiny as the Queen of Hidon.
She reached the dais and took her father's hand to help herself up. Then she gracefully and respectfully curtsied. Her father waved a hand to the people standing in the Hall. "Tielle, as the Crown Princess and future Queen of Hidon, you will be responsible for the subjects of Hidon. You will be responsible to protect and guide them, to respect and care for them and to, above all, serve them and Hidon above all else. Will you take this responsibility?"
"I will."
"Then recite your pledge after me."
Tielle smiled as she recited the long pledge, her voice ringing with the solemn dignity that such an occasion demanded, although she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. She, like all Hidonians, loved ritual.
Tielle repeated her father's words. " 'I pledge to always serve Hidon, being a fair and just ruler, never bringing intentional harm to any one of my subjects, but to instead rule with their prosperity in mind. I vow to never take from them what is theirs or deny them what is theirs. I promise to always seek what is right and good. I pledge this in front of all gathered here today, and in front of the One who is everywhere always, my God'."
Tielle kneeled and bowed her head, waiting for the feel of pressure on her head. It came, and Tielle felt a rush of emotion as she realized that the she was now the Crown Princess Tielle Alaissyiss Nucona Satine of Hidon.
She rose to her feet and faced Hidon's nobles as her father spoke. "I give you the Recognized Crown Princess Tielle Alaissyiss Nucona Satine of Hidon."
The applause ringing through the Hall did not even come close to the intensity of emotions ringing through Tielle's heart.
Mid-way though Tielle's Recognizing Ceremony Ball, Tielle noticed a communications officer approach her father. In his blue uniform, the officer looked out of place among all of the extravagance of the formal wear of Hidon's nobles.
King Partini frowned and motioned to Tielle. She excused herself from her dancing partner and hurried over. "Yes, Father?"
"There is an urgent matter I must address. Please oversee matters here and assure everyone that there was something that I needed to do immediately, but it is of no real importance." The look on the King's face betrayed the actual importance of his business.
"Father, what is it?"
King Partini shook his head. "Nothing important. I will be-"
"Father, do not lie. Tell me the truth," Tielle pressed. "I have a right as the Crown Princess to know what is happening."
Her father considered her. "Perhaps you are right. Very well, I will tell you. But tell no one, not even your mother or sister."
Tielle nodded her consent.
Her father looked at a distant point beyond her. "I have just received a communiqué from Fareari."
In Chapter Two- The Trip to Fareari, Tielle discovers the unbelievable reason for Fareari's communiqué and journeys to Fareari to join her father. En route, her shuttle is captured by an unknown people with an unknown intent…
2 Chapter One-The Recognizing Ceremony
2.1 Proverbs 16:12 "Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness."
With shaking hands, Tielle smoothed the expensive green fabric of her dress and glanced around the drapes hanging over the window. Her stomach leaped as she saw the hundreds of people gathered in the Hall, waiting for her.
"Tielle!" Her attendant chastised her, pulling her away from the window. "You know that you are not to be seen before the ceremony!" The fussy, slightly overweight woman steered Tielle into a chair. "Now, hold still. Your hair must be perfect."
Yes, though Tielle, we wouldn't want to discourage potential suitors, now would we? Already since that fateful day of her siblings' deaths and when she unofficially became the Crown Princess, Tielle had received twenty- three proposals from Hidonian and off-world nobles. That number would increase greatly after today.
Once her hair was finished being curled and pinned and styled, Tielle went over to her full-length mirror and gave herself a critical once-over. Her make-up had been expertly applied, her dress fit to perfection, her hair was swept up elegantly and so that a sparkling tiara would not disturb the array of curls.
Tielle turned to her attendant. "Tell Queen Shari that I am ready," she instructed, noting that her tone of voice had become more commanding since she had become the Heir. She wondered if she would become even more demanding after she was crowned and officially Recognized as the Crown Princess.
Her attendant returned. "Queen Shari says you are to wait for the signal here, then begin your descent."
Tielle nodded her understanding and the attendant left.
Tielle looked out the window again and watched as her father rose from the ornate throne at the back of the Hall. He extended his hand to her mother, and together they stepped up to the front of their podium. The Hall quieted as the King gave the introductory and welcoming remarks. Tielle let the drapes fall and closed her eyes. It wouldn't be long now. Oh God, she prayed. Please let me be a good Crown Princess and Queen, one day. I'm scared; I was never expecting to be a Queen. I was content to let Erete rule. This is all so new to me, but if I am to rule, then that is Your will. Help me as I prepare to rule.
Tielle did not want to rule Hidon. She had had to adjust to the idea in a short month; Erete had had all of his life. He had started off with intense studying in the subjects of Galactic History, Hidonian History, Politics, Economics, Diplomacy and other heavy topics that Tielle had only dabbled in before. Now she would be expected to know it all!
And in these perilous times, Diplomacy had become even more important than usual. Hidon was very near war with Fareari, and Tielle privately thought that Farearian commandoes had somehow killed her older siblings. Several quiet investigations were looking into that possibility, but until he had concrete evidence, King Partini was powerless to do anything about it.
Fareari! Tielle's lip curled with unconscious distaste. The Farearians were attempting to infringe upon Hidonian space, saying that it was their space to begin with. And they had been accusing Hidonian of covert and illegal operations to cripple Fareari's trade and keep Hidon dominate. And if that wasn't enough, Fareari had vaporized a harmless tourist space shuttle from Hidon, then later apologized, saying that they had thought that it was a pirate ship from the Slave Trade worlds.
Tielle had no more time to dwell on the evils of Fareari; she heard the trumpets blare and then fall silent. She hurried to the top of the long staircase and began her slow descent.
All eyes were on her as she slowly stepped down each stair until she finally reached the floor and started across the carpeted aisle, her head high and proud. Each step led her closer to the raised dais… and her destiny as the Queen of Hidon.
She reached the dais and took her father's hand to help herself up. Then she gracefully and respectfully curtsied. Her father waved a hand to the people standing in the Hall. "Tielle, as the Crown Princess and future Queen of Hidon, you will be responsible for the subjects of Hidon. You will be responsible to protect and guide them, to respect and care for them and to, above all, serve them and Hidon above all else. Will you take this responsibility?"
"I will."
"Then recite your pledge after me."
Tielle smiled as she recited the long pledge, her voice ringing with the solemn dignity that such an occasion demanded, although she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. She, like all Hidonians, loved ritual.
Tielle repeated her father's words. " 'I pledge to always serve Hidon, being a fair and just ruler, never bringing intentional harm to any one of my subjects, but to instead rule with their prosperity in mind. I vow to never take from them what is theirs or deny them what is theirs. I promise to always seek what is right and good. I pledge this in front of all gathered here today, and in front of the One who is everywhere always, my God'."
Tielle kneeled and bowed her head, waiting for the feel of pressure on her head. It came, and Tielle felt a rush of emotion as she realized that the she was now the Crown Princess Tielle Alaissyiss Nucona Satine of Hidon.
She rose to her feet and faced Hidon's nobles as her father spoke. "I give you the Recognized Crown Princess Tielle Alaissyiss Nucona Satine of Hidon."
The applause ringing through the Hall did not even come close to the intensity of emotions ringing through Tielle's heart.
Mid-way though Tielle's Recognizing Ceremony Ball, Tielle noticed a communications officer approach her father. In his blue uniform, the officer looked out of place among all of the extravagance of the formal wear of Hidon's nobles.
King Partini frowned and motioned to Tielle. She excused herself from her dancing partner and hurried over. "Yes, Father?"
"There is an urgent matter I must address. Please oversee matters here and assure everyone that there was something that I needed to do immediately, but it is of no real importance." The look on the King's face betrayed the actual importance of his business.
"Father, what is it?"
King Partini shook his head. "Nothing important. I will be-"
"Father, do not lie. Tell me the truth," Tielle pressed. "I have a right as the Crown Princess to know what is happening."
Her father considered her. "Perhaps you are right. Very well, I will tell you. But tell no one, not even your mother or sister."
Tielle nodded her consent.
Her father looked at a distant point beyond her. "I have just received a communiqué from Fareari."
In Chapter Two- The Trip to Fareari, Tielle discovers the unbelievable reason for Fareari's communiqué and journeys to Fareari to join her father. En route, her shuttle is captured by an unknown people with an unknown intent…
