Chapter 1
Two Weeks Later
Kal-El awoke from a troubled sleep. He removed the blanket revealing his bare chest and stretched. He watched the sun rise from the window across from his bed. He was at the Crystal Palace in Kandor, he had arrived the day before.
He was staying at the famed Fortress of Solitude, said to be impenetrable and isolated; the perfect place for the king to go train and relax. Only members of the royal family and the regiment of the Red Shard who protected it knew its location.
After he turned seventeen, he went to live at the Fortress to train. It had somehow become a second home to him but no place could replace the Kent Castle.
It saddened him that the king's official residence was the Crystal Palace in Kandor. He would now probably only spend short summers at the Fortress. And with Smallville captured, it would be almost impossible to return to the Kent Castle.
A manservant entered the bed chamber and was shocked to find Kal-El already awake. "You're Majesty…" The manservant placed his right arm across his chest and made bowed. Kal-El nodded at him.
Kal-El grabbed the shirt hanging off a chair and put it on. "Yes?" Kal-El asked.
He walked up to him and he had a sealed roll of parchment in his hand. "This arrived moments ago from the Council, You're Majesty."
Kal-El took the parchment and motioned for the manservant to leave. He peeled off the seal and unrolled it. He slowly began to read. When he got to the middle of the writing, he smiled. "Glad we understand each other, gentlemen." Kal-El said to himself.
There was a knock at the door. "Enter." He said and his grooms entered with his Kryptonian ceremonial attire (pic in profile). Then Kal-El remembered what today was: it was his coronation. He sighed as he stood.
He walked over to a basin and splashed water in his face. His barber then entered and Kal-El sat down.
After his shave and a haircut, it was time for him to dress. His grooms dressed him in the white attire. There was a time when it was black but that was during the rule of the House of Zod, much to Kal-El's relief.
He put on his shirt that bore the crest of the House of El in black. Lastly, a groom helped him put on the white robe. He lastly put on his white boots.
There was another knock at the door. "Enter." He said and entered the Duchess of Kent. She gave a quick bow and Kal-El motioned for the grooms to leave. The grooms left muttering "You're Grace" to Martha as they passed.
The serious look on his face became sincere; he was no longer Kal-El but Clark. He smiled at Martha as he kissed both of her hands. She wore black gown and a veil to symbolize that she was in mourning.
Clark lifted the veil from her face. He held her hand comforting her and she finally smiled. "Jonathan would be so proud of you." She straightened his robe.
Clark sighed and lowered his head. "I don't know how I'm supposed to be the man he wanted me to be without him here guiding me."
Martha placed a loving hand on his cheek. "He had faith in you and so do I." She said and Clark grinned but he was still afraid.
Another knock at the door and Clark rolled his eyes, which made Martha giggled for the first time in two weeks. "Enter."
A knight clad in dark gray armor entered and kneeled before him. Clark motioned for him to rise and he did. "You're Majesty, the carriage has arrived." Clark nodded and knight left.
"My lady…" He was now Kal-El again and he held his hand out to the Duchess of Kent. She placed his hand on top of his and a manservant opened the door. They descended the stairs, where Henry was waiting for them by the open carriage.
The open carriage was all white with red seats. Flags bearing the crest of the House of El hung from the carriage doors. Knights in dark gray armor were on horseback were ready to escort the carriage.
Henry placed his right arm over his chest and bowed, and the knights on horseback followed suit. Kal-El ruffled his hair and Henry gave him a quick shove. They laughed as a knight was about to apprehend Henry but Kal-El motioned for him to halt.
The three of them then entered the carriage and rode to the Temple of Rao.
At the Temple, royalty and nobles had already arrived, along with the half of the regiment of the Red Shard and one full regiment of Kryptonian soldiers, who protect Kandor.
Unlike other knights, the Red Shard wore dark gray armor with their family crests in the color of red on their spaulders. They were so highly decorated that they were made the personal bodyguards of the king. Kryptonian soldiers wore black chest armor with their family crests in blue on their spaulders. Kryptonian knights wore black suits of armor.
However, captains wore their crest on the front of their chest armor and were egliable to become knights. Commanders were knights and wore their crest on their chest armor as well but were allowed to wear a cape, blue for a regular knight but black for a knight of the Red Shard. Generals wore black suits of armor with gray tabards over the chest armor bearing their crests in blue, and they also wore blue capes.
For today, their armor was polished so well that it reflected sunlight and stung the eyes of the Kryptonian people, despite the armors' dark colors.
Then more knights of the Red Shard began to arrive but this group was escorting a carriage. The crest of the House of El was spotted and the crowd began to cheer. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Kryptonians were here for his coronation.
Kal-El smiled at the people as they cheered his name. The carriage stopped in front of the steps of the Temple. Ushers began to roll a large carpet towards the carriage. An usher opened the door and Henry exited first, then the Martha with the help of an usher. They entered the Temple.
"Kneel before Kal-El!" Milton Fine V, Duke of Daxam and Commander of the Red Shard, shouted. The knights and soldiers then kneeled and those on horseback placed their right arms across their chests and bowed their heads. The crowd cheered louder.
Kal-El stood and descended from the carriage. He took a deep breath and then began to walk down the red carpet, and trumpets began to play and knights inside drew their swords and raised them diagonally in the air.
Kal-El entered the Temple of Rao. Kryptonian nobles bowed with their arms across their chest and kept their heads down as he passed. Knights placed their swords against their chests as he passed.
The alter came into view, Martha and Henry had joined Princess Kara, Sir Peter Ross, King Bruce of Gotham, and King Oliver of Star City in the first aisle on the left.
Kal-El climbed the steps to the alter which bore the Book of Rao. He kneeled before the alter and everyone in the temple raised their heads.
Surrounding the alter were the Priests of Rao, they wore long dark robes with their hoods up and they wore white masks to conceal their identities.
The High Priest of Rao lowered his hood and stood above Kal-El. He then began to chant in Kryptonese, "Our beloved protector and lord Rao, bless Kal-El, son of Jor-El II, our new sovereign of the land you built and watch over. Help and guide him to be a great and just ruler. May you grant him sons and a long life to rule our beloved nation."
A priest entered with the crown on a pillow. The High Priest then blessed the crown, "Bless this crown in the name of Rao."
The crown was made of solid gold with carvings on the outside and engraving inside (pic in profile). The engravings inside were written in Kryptonese and they read Rule them with strength that is where greatness lies.
The High Priest lifted the crown from the pillow and walked back over to Kal-El, who was still kneeling. The High Priest then raised the crown as high as he could so it was bathed in sunlight. "Bless this crown, Lord Rao and may it strength and wisdom to our new king."
The High Priest then lowered the crown onto Kal-El brow. He felt the cold metal touch his brow and he opened his eyes. He lifted his head and placed his arms by his sides. He lowered his other knee so now he was down on both knees. Another priest walked up to the High Priest with a sheathed sword.
This was the ceremonial sword of the House of El (pic in profile), only used or worn on special occasions. This was the sword wielded by King Seyg-El I when he and the people overthrew the House of Zod. Kal-El's own sword was modeled after it.
The High Priest removed the sword from his sheath and the sound of the ringing the sword filled the Temple. Kal-El swallowed as the High Priest held the blade over his head.
"By the strength of our army and its warriors, I dub thee Supreme Commander of the Royal Army." He said and tapped his right shoulder with the blade.
"By the power of Rao and his holy temple, I dub thee Protector of Rao and his teachings." He said and tapped his left shoulder.
"By the will of the nation and its people, I dub thee King of Krypton and Kandor." And he gently tapped the blade on the base of the crown.
"Rise Kal-El and Krypton, kneel before Kal-El I, King of Krypton and Kandor, Protector of Rao, and Supreme Commander of the Royal Army of Krypton!"
Kal-El rose as the people kneeled along with the other priests. He stood up straight as the High Priest presented him with the ceremonial sword.
Kal-El bowed his head at the High Priest as he held the sword in front of him. The High Priest kneeled. Kal-El turned around to face his loyal subjects, family, and friends.
He then pointed the blade down in from of him. He carefully kept his hands on the blade, below the hilt so he wouldn't cut himself, which only happened once in the entire history of Krypton.
The trumpets began to play and Kal-El began walking down the red carpet once again. The knights were now kneeling with their blades of their swords touching the ground and their hands around the hilt.
Everyone in the first aisle on the left followed Kal-El but remained a few steps behind him. "Kneel!" Fine shouted outside and the knights kneeled again. The people began to cheer.
Kal-El walked outside and bathed in sunlight as it turned noon. He smiled and carefully lifted one hand off the blade to hold his hand up to the people. He then faced the soldiers and knights, he grabbed the hilt of the sword, and saluted them by placing sword against his chest.
He approached the open carriage and an usher opened the door. He took Kara's hand and helped her into the carriage, then Martha and Henry, and then Kal-El.
The Kryptonian nobles then began to exit the Temple as he motioned for the driver to go.
The carriage began to move along with its military escort. They were now headed back to the Crystal Palace for the Coronation Ball.