A/N: This is the final chapter, but the prologue to the sequel should be up shortly. Thanks to all my reviewers, and I hope to see you again. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own none of this, only what I have created.
Silence and Shadows: Chapter 12
"May I present Their Majesties, the royal monarchs of the Tyran Aceline family! Her Royal Majesty, Queen Keianna Aceline; Her Royal Majesty, Queen Kaelyn Aceline; His Royal Majesty, King Jamal Aceline, and His Royal Majesty, King Alexander Aceline."
Kei grinned as the church shook with the roar of cheering and clapping as the people stood. She glanced around the church, dazzled by the splendor of the nobles in their finest, andthe banners emblazoned with the Tyran coat of arms: a black cat on a blue and gold field. A quick jab to her ribs snapped her attention forward, where the High Priest of Mithros and the Head Priestess of the Goddess brought forth the first crown.
The golden crown blazed in the light; it was studded with smaller stones, and Kei could see the quality of sapphires and emeralds that decorated it. This crown was set lightly on Alec's head. Keianna glanced at her foster-brother. His face was impassive, but when he saw her glance, he caught her eye and winked.
Kei studied him for a moment longer, admiring how kingly he had become in two short months. He had adjusted to the weight of the responsibility that sat on his shoulders; it no longer overwhelmed him. His face was the same youthful face she had seen every day of her life since she was adopted, but it was wiser now; it was no longer the face of a young man.
She turned her attention to Jamal as the second golden crown was brought forward. She smiled slightly at the palpable nervousness that hung in the air around her fiancé; she knew he was as nervous as she was. He caught her eye and smiled slightly, bolstered by the confidence that shone in her eyes. His face, also, had become different. Like Alec, he carried his responsibilities, but he took them much more seriously than Alec did. His brown eyes were serious, and as the crown was placed lightly on his head, he seemed to straighten—he became more regal, and he looked more like a king than he had before.
Kei glanced around at the people before her. Many of the faces were familiar; she had grown to love and know the people of Tyra in two months. Right after they had decided that she and Kaelyn would both rule, in accordance to their parents' dying wish, they had gotten to know the people. Every day, they would ride to a different town in their small country, starting with the capital of Tyra. Many of the people were wary at first—the memories of Namir's oppression still haunted them.
As the people of Tyra came to accept their new monarchs, their love and respect grew. Soon they were warming up to the princesses, telling them what could be done. The country of Tyra was beaten and tired; a lot of work had to be done to get it back into the country it had been when King Francis and Queen Aminia had ruled.
Many of the other faces in the crowd were even more familiar: Shyam Alden, the Shang Wolf, dressed in his nicest clothes; Rhia, their good friend and ruler among the servants, and Brayden and Emlyn, brothers and faithful commanders of the soldiers.
Another jab in the ribs from Alec brought Kei's mind spinning back to where she was. She realized that Kaelyn was about to be crowned, and she didn't want to be caught staring out into space. She smoothed her deep blue dress self-consciously, carefully running her fingers over the delicate white embroidery. She looked up as the High Priest and Priestess approached with the third crown.
Like the other two, this crown was the same size and shape, but it had a more delicate design. It was silver and studded with emeralds. Kei and Kaelyn had requested that their crowns be specially made; the blacksmith, not wanting to disappoint the monarchs, had outdone himself.
The crowd grew silent with awe as the silver crown was placed on Kaelyn's head. Kei watched, also awed and silenced. For a moment, she didn't see her twin sister; she saw a queen that knew her place and could govern the people with justice and sensibility.
Palms up, Kaelyn released her green Gift, and it eagerly made its way along the silver crown, making the emeralds blaze green light. The green Gift entered the emeralds, binding Kaelyn to Tyra. The emeralds glowed steadily, even after Kaelyn had reclaimed her Gift. Kei noticed curiously that the emeralds of Kaelyn's golden catpendantglowed,as though thegreen Gift had re-entered them.Kei saw Kaelyn relax, and shoot Alec a relieved look. Keianna smiled softly at the loving look Alec gave his fiancée, and thenshe realized that it was her turn.
The High Priest and Priestess approached her slowly, bearing the second silver crown between them. This one, like Kaelyn's was more delicately wrought than Alec and Jamal's. This one, however, was set with small sapphires. Kei bowed her head slightly, acknowledging that she was ready. Her long, raven-black hair flowed over her shoulders, let down for once, slightly covering her face.
As one, the High Priest and Priestess lowered the crown onto her head, and Kei felt the magic take hold immediately. She felt the ancient magic that flowed into her veins, marking her forever as a monarch of Tyra. Realizing what the crowd, silent and watching, was waiting for, Kei released some of her Gift.
Her blue Gift lazily wound its way up to the sapphires, igniting each to emit blue light. One tendril of her Gift reached down to light the eyes of her black cat pendant, which she still wore and refused to remove. Kei felt her Gift combine with the ancient magic, binding her to the land of Tyra. Her Gift wandered idly around the crown until Kei called it back to her firmly, reclaiming to her body.
As she straightened, the crowd leapt to its feet, roaring its approval of its new monarchs. Kei was nervous; she was now Queen Keianna Aceline of Tyra. She glanced at her sister, now Queen Kaelyn Aceline of Tyra. She saw that same nervousness reflected there, but she saw something in her sister's emerald eyes she didn't expect: excitement.
Under the cover of all the finery they had on, Kei felt Kaelyn grab her hand. Jamal's larger one took her other, and Kei felt the comfort and confidence spread from palm to palm.
She might be Queen Keianna Aceline of Tyra, Kei decided, but she would face any adventure that came her way: with bared blades and excitement, just as she always had.
The End.
A/N: That was the end! I hope you all like who I had ruling, I thought it would be best if they would co-rule. So, good or bad ending to the story? Tell me what you think, and be on the lookout for the prologue to the sequel to Silence and Shadows: Whispering Winds!
Purple Eyed Cat