According to the ancient customs and traditions of Lupendralis, Queen Selene lifted her voice—firm, regal, and resolute—immediately after having been acclaimed and accepted by all the citizens of Lupendralis as their new monarch. With solemn dignity, she proclaimed:
“All ye who hear me, listen now to this decree.
My first decree as your sovereign—according to the sacred traditions and time-honoured customs of our beloved kingdom—is thus:
I now declare nine days of mourning for the death of the king, my late husband.
During these nine days, let all royal meetings, whether within the court or beyond its walls, be utterly forbidden. Let silence reign where once counsel gathered.
All nobles of Lupendralis shall be clothed in robes of black. Likewise, every citizen, great and small, shall
