The Prince had taken a seat unceremoniously in one of the pews, and buried his face in his hands. "They've all seen, they've all seen," he muttered.
Already there was a pounding at the chapel door. "Your highness!"
"A moment!" he roared, and looked back at Katlin. He shook his head in despair and buried his face again.
"Listen," Riker said, "I'll have the Enterprise beam us up from here and –"
"NO!" The Prince stood, reaching out to Katlin as if to keep her. "You don't understand, this could topple my kingdom. Too many people have seen her. They will riot. They will never stop looking for her. You don't understand, my people are superstitious beyond reason. They will not rest until she blesses the city."
"Absolutely out of the question," Riker was already reaching for Katlin, to pull her into a joint transporter beam. "This is one of the biggest affronts to the prime directive I have ever-"
"Prime directive? I know your prime directive, and it certainly doesn't let you come in here with her – HER! – and destroy everything I have –" The Prince paused. "Do you hear that?"
They listened. There was a quiet, unmistakable roar of a crowd growing somewhere outside the palace. "They will bring tear this place to the ground if they think we are keeping Schereza from them."
"We're leaving," Riker tapped his communicator.
The Prince caught Katlin's eyes. He took a shuddering breath. "Damn you to hell, did you have to be so beautiful?"
"Wait," Katlin said, struggling out of Riker's grip. "What if I just went out there and said, 'Yes, it's me, a thousand years of happiness!"
"We won't allow it," Riker snapped. The roar of the approach mob was getting louder.
"They will kill me for this," the Prince said. Riker hesitated. "The only way to prevent a riot is exactly as she says. We'll take her out on a balcony, she can blow a few kisses, and then you'll be on your way."
A muscle in Riker's cheek was twitching.
"Please," Katlin said. "I'll do it. I want to do it."
Riker shook his head. "I don't like this."
"You don't have a choice." The Prince unbarred the doors and conferred hurriedly with his guards.
The Prince refused to let Katlin leave in anything less than traditional ceremonial dress. Before Katlin realized what was happening, a half-dozen handmaidens were tying an enormous white ballgown around her, and lacing the neck of the dress up to her chin to hide her Starfleet uniform. On top of the gown they tied layers of sheer golden lace, while another handmaiden rapidly brushed her hair and styled it into flowing curls. They shoved rings on her fingers and hung her neck with ropes of pearls and gemstones. It was all topped off with a giant golden headdress and Katlin felt herself staggering a bit under the weight.
The Prince nodded. "It will have to do," he said, and took her hand. Katlin looked back at Riker for support but he just nodded curtly, jaw clenched tight. The guards threw open the door to the chapel and the room exploded into cheers.
The guards held their spears lengthwise to keep the press of the people back. They were all screaming, roaring, cheering, weeping, and Katlin did her best to smile and nod benevolently without letting her headdress slide. Hands shot out of the crowd from all sides, desperate to touch her. The Prince kept her tightly against his side, leading her down the hall, up a grand flight of marble stairs and on to the open air balcony.
Katlin blinked in the sunlight as the crowd roared even louder than before. When her eyes adjusted to the light, she gasped at the crowd that lay below her – it seemed to stretch on for miles, in every direction. She raised her hand slightly to shield her eyes from the sun, and the crowd screamed in delight. Katlin smiled and waved slightly. The crowd roared in response. Emboldened, she blew a kiss and she swore she saw everyone for miles stagger in rapturous joy. She raised both hands in what she hoped was a blessing and basked in the thunderous cheers.
Molly Nelson, eat your heart out, Katlin thought, and grinned.