Chapter 28
"Wake up, you two!" Raoul bellowed, pounding on the door a week later. "Coronation day!" Alanna rolled over with a groan, finding only a warm spot where Jonathan had been. She smiled to herself. Even after two years of sharing his bed as his lover and a week of sharing it as his wife, she still forgot he was a morning person.
"Good morning, Lioness," Jonathan greeted, kissing her head. He was halfway dressed, wearing breeches and holding a shirt.
"Get up!" Raoul bellowed again.
"We are up!" the couple shouted together. They looked at each other, eyes twinkling.
"You need to get out of bed," Jonathan told his wife.
"What if I don't want to?" she asked suggestively. Jonathan smiled.
"There is a cure for that." Before Alanna could ask what he meant, she felt a tingle climb up her leg. It felt scarily like a spider. With a yelp, she jumped out of bed.
"What was that?" she demanded. Jonathan lifted his hand, which blazed sapphire. Alanna swore. "Your Gift, Jonathan? You used your Gift to imitate a spider?" She shuddered and Jonathan wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you, Alanna, but sometimes you are very lazy," he said. Alanna raised copper eyebrows.
"Lazy?" she asked. Without warning and lightning fast, her sword was in her hand and the tip was pressed gently to Jonathan's neck. "Who, me?" Face grim, but eyes dancing, Jonathan pushed the blade away with his index finger.
"All right, all right, you win," he conceded. "But get dressed, sweet. Raoul's right, coronation is upon us."
As she dressed, Alanna remembered her mother's funeral. It hadn't been long before, and the memory of her lovely, radiant, exciting mother being lowered into the ground still stung. Watch me today, mother, Alanna thought, sending it to her mother. I want you to be proud of me.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"I, Jonathan of Conté, swear that I will do everything within my power to help Tortall. I will defend her and tens to her vigilantly, doing my best to see that she and my people are safe."
"I, Alanna of Olau and Conté, swear that I will serve my country with honor. I will assist my husband in running the great realm that I serve, both as queen and as a lady knight. I swear that I will do everything to keep Tortall and my people from harm or ruin."
"By the power I have been blessed with, I crown you, Jonathan of Conté, King Jonathan IV of Conté, and I crown you, Princess Sir Alanna of Olau and Conté, Queen Alanna of Olau and Conté." Gold crowns inlaid with rubies were place upon their heads. "Rise, and greet your subjects." They rose from their kneels and faced the courtiers that had gathered. Applause, cheers, and cries of "hail the king and queen!" went up and Alanna beamed. She had been accepted. Looking at Jonathan, his crown blazed with white and blue, joining him to his country. Alanna had a feeling her crown blazed violet and white, joining her to Tortall. They stepped backwards and sat upon their thrones, joining hands. The cried and applause grew louder.
Then someone screamed.
Author's Note- two chapters to the sequel. REVIEW.