The King's Bride

The Coronation Ceremony 2

CHAPTER TWO

The Coronation Ceremony 2

George's POV

"Your highness, you have to go into the dressing room now," Arthur, my personal assistant and bodyguard said.

Arthur had been with me since I was young, he was my friend, but he ended up as my bodyguard, it was his lineage's work, you would see him wherever I was.

"Your highness," he called again and I picked up the locket which was on the table and turned to him, "You have to go in now," he repeated, pointing to the door of the closet which was being called the dressing room in the palace, and I would say it was because it was bigger than a normal closet.

I nodded and sighed before walking into the room, I had the rope of the locket tightly wrapped around my hand, it was Emily's locket, the only thing I had left from her, the only thing which reminds me of her.

I wasn't going to let go of it, I would take it with me wherever I go.

"Your highness," the maids in the room bowed as I walked in.

I was excited about the coronation ceremony, I had worked for that day, I was sent to the royal academy just to learn more about being the king, I was glad that I was found capable, but one thing I wasn't happy about what the royal wedding which would take place on the next day.

If I had a way to escape the royal marriage, then I would be glad to do that, I didn't want to get married to anyone else except Emily.

Like people kept saying, Emily was dead, In fact I saw her burning in the fire that night, but something inside of me keeps telling me that she is still alive.

A feeling inside of me keeps telling me that she was close by, that she was still alive and she would be back to me.

"Your highness," one of the maid stepped forward and bent her head, "Please stretch out your hands as we start the dressing," she added.

I did as she had said, I stretched out my hands and she pulled off the only robe I had on my body off, leaving me only with my shorts.

At first, I wasn't comfortable with a lady dressing me up, but it was the constitution in the palace, I don't get to dress by myself, and there was a royal dresser.

I didn't know what type of constitution states that but that was one of the things I was going to change when I finally become the king.

After few minutes of stretching out my hand, I was fully dressed in the royal apparel.

I walked to the front of the giant mirror in the room and stared at my image, there was no doubt that the apparel suits me well.

I was going to bear the crown of my father, I was going to take up the throne and pick up the legacy he had left, I was sure that I was going to be successful.

I was excited for the future, but one thing that keeps holding back my happiness was the thought that I was going to get married to someone else, I was going to get married to Princess Charlotte, against my own wish, against the love I had for Emily.

If there was a way out, then I would be more than ready to do it, I was ready to give it all it takes to never get married to her, I didn't want to betray my love for Emily, I was never going to do that.

I walked back to the maids and they bent their head again, "We are all done your highness," the one who dressed me amongst them said, "We will take your leave now," she added and they all chorused, "May you live long your highness."

They then walked out of the dressing room with their backs.

I made sure they were out of the room before opening my hand to see the locket again, it was like a ray of hope as I could feel Emily more than before, I could feel her presence with me.

"Your highness," Arthur said and rushed into the dressing room, "You have to go to the throne room now, the coronation ceremony has already begun, they are only waiting for your arrival," he added.

"Okay, but can you stop the pretense now," I grumbled, "We are alone here so stop with the formality," I added and walked out of the room.

Arthur was my friend, I had told him several times to stop addressing me formally if we were alone, but he wouldn't listen to me.

I got to the main room and sighed before wearing the locket around my neck.

It was like a shield around me as my confidence grew, I knew I wouldn't mess up.

"Please come with me," Arthur said and led me out of the room.

After walking through the chambers, we finally got to the door of the throne room, where the main event was taking place, and Arthur was right, they had been waiting for me.

The coronation ceremony was always a quick function, I had watched clips of the past ceremony and I could see for myself.

The crowning happens on that night, but the main event takes place on the next day which was always the royal marriage.

That would be the day that the king would make his first order, and revision on the rules, it was also that day that the king would walk around the city of the Kingdom with his queen.

"Please bow as we welcome the prince of the Kingdom of Fyn," one of the guards at the door announced.

They all bowed as I walked in, and on that occasion, the only one who was allowed to stand was the reigning king, which was my mom.

My mom had been the regent Queen since my dad passed away, I was also going to follow the legacy she laid as she was a great leader.

I walked pass her and I could see the big smile of accomplishment on her face, there was no doubt that she was happy to see her only son getting crowned.

I was also happy that I did what she wanted, but one thing I still wasn't happy about was the marriage that was going to take place the next day.

I walked pass Princess Charlotte and she looked up, I was forced to stop, I stared at her for minutes, how was I going to tell her that I didn't want to be with her?, how could I tell her that there was no place for her in my heart.

She had a big smile on her face, she was obviously happy, but I wasn't.

I got to the front and turned back to the members of the royal family and everyone present in the throne room.

"We greet you your highness," they all chorused, "May you live long," they added.

"You may rise," I said and they all stood up.

A man walked to the front with a guard following right behind him, he was an archbishop, the guard had a box in his hand, it wasn't just an ordinary box as it was made of gold, with red prints around it.

He took the box from the guard and stepped forward, "As you all know how the Coronation works in this Kingdom," the man started and raised up the box, "This is the crown of the Kingdom of Fyn, and today we shall be crowning our next king," he added and walked back to the guard who took the box from him.

He opened it and brought out the crown, it was also made of gold with the same red prints.

He walked to me and stood right in my front, "I Felix Taylor, the archbishop of the Canterbury, I crown you today, George Ashleigh, as the king of this Kingdom," he added and placed the crown on my head. A loud cheer followed that.

I was a hidden prince, I was hidden because of my father's death which cause still remained unknown.

Although I was hidden, I had been to the city several times, and that was a great feeling because no one knew my true identity.

"Shall we all greet our new King," the man said and everyone bowed again.

"May you live long your highness," they chorused once again.

"You may rise," I stated, and as usual, that marked the end of the first part of the coronation ceremony, the main part which would take place the next day was something I didn't want to look forward to.

Arthur walker to me and bowed, "Your highness," he smiled and looked up at me, "I am so happy today," he added.

I chuckled, "I have to get back to my chamber," I responded, I had to go think of a way not to get married to Princess Charlotte.

I didn't want to get married to someone else, and that was what bothered me the most.

I headed for my chamber, I gasped when I got to the door to see the one I had been avoiding, princess Charlotte, what was she doing there?.

I acted like everything was okay and walked to her, "Your highness," she greeted and looked up at me with a smile, the maids at her back still had the upper part of their body bent.

"I will see you later," I said to her and tuned to the door, I wanted to avoid her as best as I could.

She pulled me back and wrapped her hand around me, "I really can't wait to be with you," she murmured, "I've anticipated this day all my life," she added.

I pulled her hand off, I was so frustrated, why couldn't she get it?, I didn't want to be with her and I had made that obvious enough, but she wasn't getting it, she wasn't getting the message.

"I want to be alone," I said to her and rushed into my room.

I was suffocated, I pulled off the upper part of the royal apparel and threw it on the bed, why wouldn't she understand me?, why wouldn't anyone understand me?, I love someone else, I love Emily, but no one was listening to me.

I fell on the bed as different thoughts ran through my head, the thought of all that happened that night raced through my head again, I wouldn't have been in the situation I was if I had listened to Emily.

I should have taken her along with me that night, I shouldn't have left her all one, maybe all that was happening wouldn't have happened, i wouldn't have had to live in the pain I was.

A tear tickled down my eyes, I had been living in the guilt, I should be held responsible for leaving Emily alone, I should be held accountable for her death.

I stood up from the bed and walked to the door, I pushed it open and I saw a lady walking by, she was dressed in the maid's outfit, which made her one of them.

"Hey you," I called and she stopped, she turned to me and bowed, "Move closer," I ordered.

"Your...your highness, what...what are you saying?," she stammered.

I have never had to repeat my order, "I said move closer," I yelled and she did, that was the language the maids understood.

"Get me five bottles of beer and a soda," I whispered.

"What!," she exclaimed with her eyes widened, she stared directly into my eyes, "Your...your highness, be..beer?," she asked.

"How dare you look into my eyes," I shouted and I saw her shook, there it was, the authority I commanded, "Get me beer and soda now," I shouted and she rushed towards the liquor store, I was supposed to tell her not to get seen, but I was sure that she wouldn't be so dumb to get seen.

I walked back to my bed and fell on it, taking that beer was the only way I could get those thoughts off my head.

That was the only way I could get myself to think of a solution to help me out of the mess I was.

Just a few minutes later, my door came open, my heart raced, but I was relieved when I saw that it was the maid, "Where are your manners?," I shouted, how could anyone just barge into my room.

"I'm sorry your highness, but..but I had to come in fast so I wouldn't get seen," she trembled.

I stared at her, such a weakling, "Bring the bottles here," I said to her and she did as directed, "Get me that," I said again, pointing to the wine glass on the table in my room and she also did that.

She handed the glass to me and I took it from her, I couldn't serve myself the beer as it was a taboo to take beer in the seven days before the coronation ceremony, but that was the only way I could think of to ease the pain I was feeling.

That was the only way to which I could get the guilt off my mind for some minutes.

"Pour me a glass with the soda," I instructed and she did that without complaining.

I poured it down my throat and squeezed my eyes, it was bitter, but that was the importance of taking it, to get my mind off my pain and focus on the bitterness of the beer.

"Pour me another," I said to her again and she did, I poured it down like before, and this time, I didn't squeeze my face as I was getting familiar with the bitterness.

I kept ordering her to pour me more and she did so without complaining, I had taken four bottles and I could feel that I was drunk, my eyes were already turning on their own.

I stood up from the bed, I didn't know exactly where I was going but I headed for the door.

My legs hit each other and I almost fell but the maid caught me, "Are you okay your highness?," she asked.

But why was her voice sweet this time?, it was melodious and it felt like I was hearing a choir sing. I shook my head, maybe it was just because I was drunk.

"Your highness," she cupped my face and turned my head to face her, "Are you okay?," she asked.

My eyes blinked, why was I seeing Emily in her face, I shook my head again, but I was still seeing the same thing. Emily is alive, and I was right in her arms.

I wanted to touch her, I wanted to pull her close to me, "Emily," I murmured in a very low voice, that which I did with all the strength left in me, "Emily," I added and leaned closer to her.

"Your highness," she said again and her voice was sweeter and melodious than ever, "Are you okay?," she asked.

"My...my Emily," I murmured again and pulled her to myself, "I missed you so much, why did you leave me?," I mumbled as I wrapped my hands around her.

I looked into her eyes and I could feel it calling for me, I wanted her, I leaned more close to her and brought my lips on hers.