by J. J. McAvoy
Her eyes watered, and her lips wavered, but she held back and only said, “Cheesy.”
Oh, how I wanted to laugh. But again, I had been warned many times. Be composed. So I held back my laugh and stepped forward with her.
The archbishop talked and talked in front of us. There was something about the power of sacred marriage or such. But I barely heard anything else. My heart was drumming too loud in my chest. It was wrong, but I wanted to tell him to hurry it up. All I could do was wait and wait until he finally said—
“Prince Galahad, please repeat these words...”
Facing Odette, I squeezed her hands. “I, Galahad, take you, Odette, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow. For the good and the glory of Ersovia.”
“Miss Wyntor, please repeat these words...”
She squeezed my hands back. “I, Odette, take you, Galahad, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow. For the good and the glory of Ersovia.”
“The rings.”
They were presented to us both, and as we slipped the ring on each other’s hands, we both said, “I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body, I honor you. All that I am, I give to you, and all that I have, I share with you within the love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
“You are now man and wife before God, man, and country,” the archbishop said, but it felt strange. Normally, I would kiss her to roaring applause. But we had only finished step one, as he proved by saying, “Now, you both shall kneel and rise as King and Queen of Ersovia.”
I helped her to the kneeling pads laid out for us in front of the cross. My mother stepped in front of us both, the archbishop, and now a dozen other priests at her side.
The archbishop asked me, “Prince Galahad Fitzhugh Cornelius Edgar of the House of Monterey, is Your Highness willing to take the oath?”
“I am willing,” I said, and he brought me a Bible for one hand and a cross for my other.
“Prince Galahad, do you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Ersovia according to their respective laws and customs?”
“I solemnly promise to do so.”
“Will you use your power to cause law and justice, in mercy and in heart, to be executed in all your judgments?”
“I will.”
“Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the gospel?”
“I will.”
“Will you defend your people, your family, and this nation at all costs?”
“I will.”
“How will you?”
“Per Deus, cordis et in gladio—by God, heart, and sword. The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me, God.”
There was movement, but I did not look, breathing in slowly.
“With this cloak, you are covered from evil,” he said as the cloak was placed onto my shoulders.
“With this oil, you are anointed by God.” He made the sign of the cross on my forehead.
“With this crown, we of free and sound mind, under God and before all of creation, declare you our king.” The weight of it on my head terrified me. “Arise, and come forward, Your Majesty.”
Slowly, I did, and all of them bowed low—even my mother. When I turned, everyone in the abbey did as well. Just like that—I was now king. No wonder this changed people. I would never forget this sight. It was impossible.
If not for the fact that Odette was still kneeling before me, I think I would have just stood there in stunned silence. Focusing on her, I was able to move. Taking the Bible and the cross from me, they put them into her hands.
“Odette Rochelle Monterey.” I enjoyed saying that but could not bask in it for long as they waited for me. The archbishop anointed and crowned the king, and the king crowned his queen. That was our way. “Will you stand as one with your husband and king, for the good and the glory of Ersovia?”
“I will,” she said.
“Will you show compassion, understanding, loyalty, and God’s grace to all the people of Ersovia?”
“I will.”
“Will you defend your people, your family, king, and this nation at all costs?”
“I will.”
“How will you?”
“Per Deus, cordis et in gladio—by God, heart, and sword. The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me, God.”
Turning to my mother, she bowed low, allowing them to take the gold and white cloak from her and move it to Odette, placing it on her shoulders.
“With this cloak, you are covered from evil.”
The archbishop held the oil for me, and I made a cross on her forehead. I repeated the words he had to me before going once more to my mother and taking the golden crown from her head. I then walked over to Odette and placed it on top of hers. I noticed the clips my mother had added to it, and it made me happy she still thought of the little things.
“And with this crown, I, King Galahad, of free and sound mind, under God and before all of creation, declare you my queen. Arise, and come forward, Queen Odette of Ersovia.”
When she stood and saw the archbishop, the other priests, as well as my mother, my sister, and Sophia bow down to her, I could tell she was having the same thoughts I had just had myself. Extending my hand, she held it. As we both slowly walked side by side out to the balcony to see the people, those in the abbey cried out so loud, it felt as if the walls were shaking.
“God save King Galahad!”
“Long live Queen Odette!”
“Blessed be their reign forever!”
When we reached the balcony, the doors opened to a sea of deafening cheers that went as far as I could see. I could not make out any words at first; I was too overwhelmed by the sight of them. Then, slowly, their message became simple, clear, and united.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
Grinning, I turned to my bride, and she turned to me, smiling back, reminding me I wasn’t up here alone. “Should we give them what they want?”
“Is it only them who want it?”
My grin widened as I did what my people and I wanted and leaned in and kissed my bride.
What happened to the rest of the House of Monterey?
Well, Lionel, the former king, lived to see the cherry blossoms bloom one last time before passing in his sleep, his beloved wife at his side, whispering goodbye.
The queen mother remained at the palace at the behest of her son, advising him until retiring completely and spending her days in the north.
Princess Elizarosa cut her hair and joined the Military Medical Corps, where she would rise one day to become the Surgeon General of Ersovia and find her true love.
Sophia De Loutherbergh was given the title of Princess of Elmburgh by King Galahad and spent her days traveling the world as a humanitarian. She would never remarry but would adopt two wonderful children.
As for King Galahad and Queen Odette, they were blessed with four children.
Princess Serenity Wilhelmina Rose Monterey
Prince Maximilian Lionel Arthur Monterey
Twins:
Princess Philomena Elspeth Stella Monterey
And:
Prince Theophilus Henry Gale Monterey
FLAG OF ERSOVIA
As for the people of Ersovia, it took time, more time for some than others, but they came to love their new queen and the royal family. The prime minister, Ivan S. Hermenegild, and his party were eventually voted out and succeeded by Mikel Horvath, never to regain his position or strength again.
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