by DP Scott
The Vaulted Room had been opened and prepared for the coronation. Yuko and Gondee dressed alike in flowing white robes, were rehearsing the script for the ceremony. They awaited only the High Priest and Saturna, for no others were allowed to enter this area. The Vaulted Room held the power and the secrets of the planet and Solar System. It was the heart of the kingdom.
The key turned in the lock and although Yuko and Gondee looked up they were not startled, for minutes before their auries had alerted them to the arrival of the High Priest Oron. There were two keys to this room and both were in Gondee’s care. He was responsible for many of the keys of the castle however the keys to the Vaulted Room were the most precious, and because of this, when they were not needed they were hidden away in secret compartments, the whereabouts known only to Gondee. Permission to enter the area was solely granted by the King. But after today, this enormous responsibility would fall to Saturna.
"My Lord, welcome," they said together, bowing to Oron.
"It is good to see you both. How Gondee and I have missed you, Yuko," replied Oron as he blessed their shoulders.
Oron was a Zardite and had attained one of the most important positions in the kingdom. His role was to maintain the customs and rituals of the Solar System. Oron had the right to exercise his power over everyone in the Solar System except the King and Queen.
“When will Princess Saturna arrive?” he asked.
"She is on her way and will be here in minutes," said Gondee.
"Good," stated Oron as he adjusted his robe and reached for his purple miter.
Yuko, sensing Saturna’s arrival, unlatched the door and opened it to see her approaching. "My Queen," he exclaimed, bowing his head.
"Come Yuko, I’m not yet crowned and would like to embrace my long-time friend." Reaching for his hand Saturna bent over and hugged him, her dress rustling under her cape.
"You have grown into a beautiful young inhabitant. The last time I saw you, you were racing across the fields on your pony Wellie. Do you still have him?"
"Oh yes Yuko I do, but now I ride a much larger heppal named Fire. My weight is too much for Wellie," Saturna replied with a giggle.
"Our Queen has also become a fine fighter. On Fire and armed with a bullen she has won many matches against opponents from the army. And I have put her against some of the best male Zardite warriors," added Gondee proudly.
"I too have been proud, to see how well our Saturna has mastered the bullen, the only female in the kingdom to do so!" exclaimed Oron.
"Thank you both, but please don't embarrass me further," said Saturna, blushing. Covered from head to toe in a royal blue cloak, Saturna began to undo the buttons. Her gown was not to be seen by the inhabitants until she was crowned. As her cloak fell to the floor there were gasps in the room. The light caught the diamonds sewn into the dress and as they began to sparkle, they illuminated Saturna’s perfect face. Gondee had never seen a more spectacular gown or a more beautiful female.
"Let us start the ceremony, Saturna, your inhabitants await you," commanded Oron. Taking her arm, Oron circled her around the room and placed her under a platinum and gold archway. Incense was lit and the chanting began.
Saturna felt herself relax. She could see her father inside her auri and it seemed as if she could float away with him. She felt happy and at peace, but then suddenly she was jolted into the present! Saturna realized there was banging at the door of the Vaulted Room.
"Open! I command you on the authority of the Queen. There is urgent business to discuss before this charade goes any further!” stated a loud voice. The banging continued.
"What sacrilege! All in the kingdom know it is DEATH to touch the door of the Vaulted Room. On authority of the Queen, we have no Queen as of yet. Who dare do this?" exclaimed a horrified Oron.
Oron was the only one in the room who did not know the identity of the person causing the disturbance. Saturna, Gondee and Yuko looked at each other and then turned to watch the black cloud creeping slowly under the door. Taking a deep breath Oron marched towards the entrance and throwing back the latch he exited, slamming the door behind him. The three of them heard harsh words being exchanged on the other side.
"I must do something!" exclaimed Saturna.
"No My Queen, no one must see you before the end of this ceremony. Oron can handle Detis," said Gondee.
“Gondee is correct. We must remain calm, but wise, for my auri tells me that the kingdom has been unbalanced," replied Yuko.
Before anything else could be said, Oron returned shaking his head. "Let us continue before I lose my train of thought. We shall discuss this later."
Everyone resumed their position and the ceremony proceeded. Within twenty minutes the elaborately engraved crown was glistening upon Saturna’s brow. Made of gold and rare silver, the crown held the nine planets of the Solar System represented by enormous blue diamonds. And like her gown, the moons of the planets were not forgotten, but symbolized by embedded highly polished pearluim. Large navy blue emeralds topped each of the nine arches of the crown making it perfectly balanced to sit upon Saturna’s delicate head.
Gondee fussed about her, straightening her dress and train while Yuko prepared the route of the procession. Oron gave the final blessing and the door to the Vaulted Room was opened. Horns blew and drums beat, announcing the new Queen to the Solar System.
Standing on the outer balcony of the palace Saturna waved at the thousands of inhabitants from the entire kingdom that had come to pay their respect. They came to honor her as their Queen and to help send the late King to the other world, at sunset. This was a day of great celebration and feasting. Food, wine and entertainment would be provided for all, well into the morning hours.
Saturna made her way towards the crowd with great formality, walking slowly down the grand outer staircase. She was to walk from the castle to the holy grounds where the suttee lay, past the vast crowd of inhabitants. Following a tradition of a thousand years, the casket would be placed above the suttee, which was made from an unusually hard wood found only on Zard. The wood burnt quickly and with a tremendous heat, leaving few ashes behind. It was upon the blue smoke that the spirit of the King would travel to the outer world.
Everyone reached out to her as Saturna passed and she touched as many of the inhabitants as she could, all of them wanting to gaze upon the royal ring. Saturna knew to appear to be unhurried and unemotional as she walked toward the holy gated area. Gondee had warned her of the importance of demonstrating strength so the inhabitants would accept her as their monarch.
“Remember many of the inhabitants worry you may be too young. They do not understand you are more than capable of ruling the kingdom,” he had said.
Thinking about this, Saturna fought to remain composed throughout the procession. Gradually she reached the gated area where she would ascend the twenty-nine, wide gilded stairs to the burial mound, leaving the crowds behind.
Two sentries stood at attention at the decorative entrance and as Saturna passed under and approached the stairs her servants straightened the train of her gown, bowed and then moved away. Saturna paused for a moment and tried to calm herself. One step at a time, she thought, I can do this. Slowly she began her ascent holding her head in a neutral position with her eyes straight forward. She wanted to avoid looking at the suttee until she reached the mound as she was feeling extremely emotional. One, two, three, she counted silently, trying to distract herself. I won’t think about the reason I’m here, I can’t breakdown! It seemed like the stairs continued on forever. She could feel the eyes of the thousands of inhabitants upon her back and although she wanted to turn and look at the crowd, she knew better. Protocol, everything was about protocol, she must do things properly for the inhabitants to accept her.
As her mind drifted, she suddenly found herself on the last step. Pausing again Saturna took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform where her father’s body lay. Her strength bega
n to leave her when she saw him and she found it difficult not to weep. Closing her eyes, she began to pray.
"Saturna, my dear daughter, I wish to talk to you this minute. I’m not happy about..."
Turning around Saturna looked straight at Detis. "Not now Detis, it will wait until tomorrow. Please pay your respects with me as part of the royal family," she whispered while turning back towards her father.
"I must insist! I will not be continually ignored by you and your advisers!" said Detis raising her voice.
Saturna spun around. Maintaining a neutral face she whispered in a stern voice. "You’ve had several warnings about your demands. Don’t try my patience again. If you want to sit in the royal box during the burning of the suttee, I suggest you hold your tongue. I wish to pay my respects and so should a loving wife!"
Saturna knelt and again began to pray. Detis stood behind Saturna and didn’t move. Blackness gathered around her and the anger and humiliation she felt was intense, so intense that it wasn't until she envisioned pushing Saturna down an abandoned Urite mine that she was able to smile and descend the mound.
The green sun began to fall in the sky. Oron and eight other priests spread oils and minerals on the surface of the casket, which would assist the spirit in its journey to the outer world. The song-like chanting started and the crowd joined in, and as each inhabitant lit the candle they held, the echo of their words reverberated over the glowing hills.
Saturna and Detis sat in thrones only slightly higher than the inhabitants, with Detis’s chair nine inches below Saturna’s throne in exact accordance to tradition. Detis had not spoken one word since their encounter on the mound and sat looking displeased with the whole situation, her hands tightly clenched in one another.
Just before the sun dipped behind the hills, Oron lit the suttee with a large torch. The fire erupted and Saturna felt a deep pain within her soul. She knew what was expected of her as Queen, and that every eye of the kingdom was focused upon her. Unable to fight the tears, Saturna tried to focus on a happy moment. She instantly thought of her fourth birthday. Her father had presented her with a caramel-colored pony. Saturna had been delighted as her father placed her on the young heppal’s back. She would never forget the worried look on Gondee’s face as he said, "But Sire, a female-child does not ride on Zard!"
"An heir to the throne learns how to handle a heppal, spar with a bullen and fight in arm to arm combat, be they male or female. And you my trusted servant will teach her everything you know!" commanded the King. Gondee had bowed and Saturna had remembered feeling an incredible sense of pride.
Smiling to herself, she returned to the present and watched the flames die down. The ashes would be carefully collected tomorrow and placed in the Vaulted Room, beside the ashes of generations of Zard rulers.
As far as Saturna could see the light from thousands of candles illuminated the rolling hills surrounding the castle grounds. She felt an incredible oneness with her realm, peacefulness, a new beginning with everyone, except...
"Queen Saturna, it’s time to begin the feast in the inner courtyard," announced Maize, gently reminding Saturna of her duties.
"Thank you," said Saturna, rising.
Maize attended to her gown, holding the train as Saturna exited the royal box.
"Now unravel my gown! I too am royalty!" exclaimed Detis, glaring at Maize.
Saturna watched Maize cringe. "Maize serves only me Detis. You’ll have to have your own servant attend you.”
With that remark Saturna stepped off the platform and entered the crowd, allowing the inhabitants to touch her arms and gown for luck, leaving Detis in the royal box, alone and furious.
Holding her breath, Detis waited until Saturna was out of hearing range. She could barely contain her anger and embarrassment. "How dare she speak to me like that in front of a servant! I’ll show the arrogant child and soon! Very soon she will be kneeling to me!" hissed Detis, scowling at the crowd.
The inhabitants moved quickly towards the castle and tried to avoid the area where Detis stood. They sensed her immense displeasure and apprehensively watch her face filling with hatred. Nervous Detis would lash out against them the inhabitants hugged their children close, and scurried as fast as they could towards the celebration grounds.
Detis slowly began her descent from the royal box and halted on the second stair to scan the huge assembly. It was an odd-looking, weird, bordering on ugly group of inhabitants from the nine planets of the Solar System. She hadn’t realized how disgusting most of the other races were! If she could only find a female Urite, who was native to the planet Zard, she would command the Urite to assist and serve her. But oddly as she looked at the crowd, it seemed as if all the Urites had vanished!
