Chapter Fifty-Three
It didn't matter that Devona didn't have any idea what she was doing. It helped to know that she was there, and was going to be at his side, no matter what.
So, he wasn't particularly bothered when she screwed up preparing his cape so badly that the attendant had to nervously wedge himself into the procedure to fix the mistakes Devona had made. The warrior stepped away, arms up in submission and with a broad smile. "Alright, I yield."
Coran laughed at this, prompting the attendant to mutter nervously, "Your highness, please don't move."
It was then Devona's turn to laugh as Coran silenced himself and held his breath, perhaps unnecessarily so, as his regalia was finally set to rights. "Are you ready to address your people, majesty?" She asked teasingly.
"I notice you aren't wearing your tiara." Coran replied, and the attendant, having just finished the prince's cape, turned about aghast.
"Madam!" He admonished, "It is bad enough you insist on wearing that filthy armor instead of the fine dress your attendants set out for you, but the queen in waiting should at least wear her tiara in support of her betrothed!"
Devona boggled... she honestly wasn't expected to wear that gaudy, ridiculously ornate silver circlet... was she?
"Yes, my dear... surely you support me?" Coran asked in humor, knowing without looking that his beloved was flushing brightly in embarrassment.
This was not what Devona had anticipated, but once King Adelbern had proudly declared the betrothal of the warrior and the prince, she had become entrenched in this "society", and she did not particularly like it; a discomfort Coran exploited for his entertainment far more often than she felt he rightfully should.
And if it wasn't him, it was Yue.
"Yes, Madam Devona, it is only right." The assassin taunted, putting undue stress on the title she had been given by the noble houses, likely to be replaced with "princess" or even (to Devona's horror) "queen" once Coran eventually succeeded his father.
"Don't encourage them... traitor." Devona hissed.
On one hand, her relationship with Yue had improved considerably since they had retreated to Ascalon; as witnessing what Devona was going through had caused the assassin to rethink her infatuation with Coran. Better Devona than her, Yue had figured.
Yue's treason went even further than encouragement, as in the assassin's outstretched hands rested the wrought silver tiara, sparking with polish, intricate etching, and encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. Devona sighed, and reluctantly removed her sun headband. It was the sole piece of unnecessary adornment the warrior had ever worn, a gift from her father long ago that her mother arranged to have re-sized several times until Devona reached her full growth.
Coran sensed Devona's reluctance, and knew the sentiment involved. "Devona, I was just teasing. You don't have to..."
At that point, the warrior had garnered the courage. "No... they're right. I can't remained ashamed... of any potential station. I promised I'd be by your side, and if that means I wear this... thing... then so be it."
Devona exchanged the head wear with Yue, and said as solemnly as possible. "That headband means a great deal to me. I expect you will treat it with the utmost care."
Yue's features turned equally serious. "Of course, Devona."
With one final deep breath, Devona placed the tiara on her head, the circlet nestling with surprising comfort just above her temple. She then bobbed her hair to free it from underneath the circlet much in the manner her headband once did. Regarding herself in the mirror, she figured it didn't look thatgaudy.
"Well, love... shall we now address the army that will fight for you in this coming dark time?" Devona asked.
* * * * *
Devona's friends and allies were waiting at the front of the assembly, resolved to stand by Devona, showing to her the solidarity that she was showing to Coran... although it wouldn't be her guild to let this moment go without some more jokes at her expense.
"Nice crown, your..." Cynn began.
"Shut up." Devona grumbled in interruption, her eyes narrowed in warning.
That prompted the elementalist to giggle, and even Aidan gave an amused snort until Devona silenced him with a glare. Further warning mercifully proved unnecessary as Coran tapped his spear against the wooden stage they were standing on to signal the attention of all present.
"My people... no, my friends." Coran began, his voice taking a pleasant tone before becoming grave. "I will not lie to you... we face a great, numerous, and mighty foe. There is no telling the true end to the infernal host we are about to face, and at the end, we face a being of such great power that even the gods call it 'father.' I tell you this because I do not wish for you to go blindly into what may be our last great day on this mortal coil."
"I also do not want you to fear when you first see what I and our Asuran allies have already seen, for fear is this beast's primary weapon. It's what it uses to turn our swords aside, what it wields to drop our shields and our defenses. It is the very essence of fear and insanity that awaits us, and we cannot go without infinite courage and determination, else we will fail."
"But I believe that courage and that will still exists, for without it, you and your fellow Ascalonians could not have survived even one seven-day on this broken land you all call home. No matter what it has become, it is still your home."
"Remember what you love of this land. Think on everyone you care for, recall everything that makes your life worth living. Let them be your shield as you walk into the den of madness; for if you lose that will, if we lose this day, all of it will the cost of our failure. Everything you hold dear, and in fact, everything in this world, will be lost."
"This may very well be humanity's last gasp, our final breath. If that is so, I say we let that breath come fighting!" Coran exclaimed, his voice turning bold and powerful. "I say we let this 'father of the gods' know that the strength of humankind has not waned, that its 'food' will not come without a tragically steep price. Let us use its own weapon against it, and let it be the one who fears the coming of man. For Ascalon and for the Wall!"
In conclusion, Coran thrust his spear to the sky, and what prompted the eruption that stirred Devona's soul. If this truly was their last battle, she could soar to the Mists knowing she and her fellow countrymen did not go timidly.
All in all, Devona found Coran's address inspiring, although she could have been greatly biased in that regard. But judging from the roar from the Ascalon army, their blades in the air, she suspected that wasn't the case.
Their enthusiasm was so loud that it initally drowned out the sound of blaring trumpets until they issued a second time. To the west, three distinct lines of figures had marched into view, shrouded by the setting sun, bringing numbers that astonished even Coran... lines of regiments that took several minutes to completely come into sight at be counted.
The leftmost contingent were Asura, the force that Rata Sum had promised to stir to assist their brothers and sisters of Atal Ra. But it was the armies to the center and right, both human, that no one had been expecting... although clearly Devona and her guild recognized the presence.
The human lines split to eventually allow two men to emerge to the fore, and prompted Devona and Mhenlo to dash out to meet them.
"General Morgahn!"
"Emperor Kisu!"
Both men began to speak at the same time, prompting the old Kournan paragon to cede the floor to the Canthan emperor. "Mhenlo, my friends and brothers of Tyria, allow me these words. It has been a long march, even with the aid of these Asura and their technology. Yet even then, I ask that his majesty allow my forces the honor of fighting by your side. It was heroes of Tyria that helped turned the tide against Shiro Tagachi, and allowed Cantha to experience a relative peace. It is a debt that I must repay, as you again face dire odds."
Nodding in deference to Morgahn, the emperor stepped back, and allowed the aged Kournan to speak. "Once before, Elona faced its Nightfall. Without the aid of heroes from this land, such as the ones before me, my land, my friends, and my people would have been lost. As Emperor Kisu said, it is a debt of honor I humbly request we have the chance to repay. The Sunspears will not suffer any darkness to plague the lands of men... you have our blades, our magic, and our wills in this great battle."
Finally, Mamp, leader of the Asuran council, prepared to speak, but then turned and after a moments thought, gestured for another to take his place. This Asura, still clad in the bloodstained armor from the first battle of Atal Ra surprised even Coran with the strength of his voice.
"I am Hamm, of the First Elite Defense Krewe of Atal Ra. This monster that wakens beneath this ground has struck at all of us. It was my city it razed, it was my people it slaughtered. Today, I ask we fight as one, for as our foe clearly thinks little of our differences, at least for one day, we should do the same. My brothers... they paid the ultimate price to preserve as many lives as they could. I would honor their memory by washing my armor with the blood of the beasts who attacked us."
Hamm approached the stage, and then crawled on top of it, shrugging away an attempt to assist by a member of the Ascalon army. He then dropped to one knee in front of Coran and asked, "May I... may we bear the honor of doing so, your highness?"
With a smile, Coran motioned for Hamm to rise, and said, "I would be foolish and callous to deny the aid of people who are bound by honor or blood to come on this day. Of course, I accept, and it makes our might and our message all the stronger. Tomorrow morning, Bhu'kahuh will feel the sting of the great dragon it is trying to devour."
Coran then assessed the assembled forces once again, and began to feel the hope that he had instilled in the people in front of him. Perhaps, they did indeed have a chance... provided Grazz and Pyre had the same luck in mustering the Charr...
* * * * *
From above the scene, leaning inconspicuously against the railing on a balcony from the temporary palace, completely against the orders of his "doctors", Adelbern watched the scene, pride swelling in the old king's heart. He had clearly been wrong nearly a decade ago... his youngest son had demonstrated everything Adelbern had hoped his children would show. Perhaps... it was time Ascalon had it's next king.