Amethyst of the Gods
Page 44
"How can I be more than they expect?" King Arik frowned. "I am but a fisherboy."
"You always have been more than anyone expected," smiled Alex. "No other person in the world could have done what you have done. No other person since King Auric the Conqueror has brought all of these peoples together, and even that ancient ancestor of yours did not have to vanquish evil while he was uniting the people. He also only had to deal with humans. You do not understand yet what you have accomplished, but you know me well enough to trust my word. Hold your head up high, and accept their accolades. You are more than they had ever hoped for."
Tanya smiled and placed her hand on the king's other arm. "My father doesn't lie," she grinned.
King Arik chuckled under his breath and nodded. He raised both arms high in the air as if to encompass the assembled rulers.
"Thank you for this warm welcome to Tagaret," the king said loudly. "I am honored to be met by such an august group, and I am proud to call each of you an Alcean. I invite each of you to the wedding and the coronation of Queen Tanya."
King Arik leaped off Chaco and made a showing of helping Tanya to dismount. The assembled leaders roared with approval. Prince Oscar approached the king and bowed deeply to him.
"With your permission," Prince Oscar grinned, "I have scheduled the ceremony for tomorrow morning. This should give you the rest of today to unwind from your journey and speak to your guests before the wedding. Is that acceptable?"
King Arik looked to Tanya for approval before nodding. "Tomorrow will be fine," the king replied. "Can you put it all together in such a short time?"
"It is already done," assured Prince Oscar. "The two priests that you sent on ahead managed to arrange everything just fine. Let me get you set up in the King's Chamber and you can tell me when to start the dignitaries arriving."
Prince Oscar led the couple into the Royal Palace and to the King's Chamber. He turned and left immediately.
"I wonder what he meant by the two priests," murmured the king. "I did not send any priests. Did you?"
"No," Tanya shook her head, "but I would not be surprised if someone else did. I suspect everyone but us knew what was happening back here in Tagaret."
* * *
The morning broke on a dreary day, the sky rumbling with dark clouds, and rain threatening to fall at any moment. The huge stands in the park surrounding the knoll were packed with dignitaries, and people stood wherever there was a view of the knoll. The Red Swords were instructed to keep people away from the knoll and the river behind it. Although Kirt had done a splendid job on the park, it was still far from the picturesque setting that he was striving for. The grass was still brown in many places, and the flowers did not appear to be taking hold in the bare spots, but nobody seemed to mind. King Arik arrived in an ornate coach and was immediately met by both sets of his parents. His eyes gazed into the park, and he shook his head in wonder.
"A lot of work went into this," the king commented nervously. "How did everyone find the time to get it ready?"
"Your priests arranged it," replied Prince Oscar. "I was skeptical at first, but it appears they did a good job. You should order that this park be properly tended to in the future. They have made it more hospitable, but it needs longer care to really flourish."
"I did not send any priests," declared the king. "It must have been someone else."
"You didn't?" frowned Prince Oscar. "I shall have to find them and demand to know who sent them."
"Why bother with it now?" chided Princess Callie. "The setting is not that important. It is the event that we are all thrilled about. Look at our son. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"
"Beautiful?' balked the king. "I feel like a live specimen in this suit. Whose idea was this?"
"Mine," grinned Prince Oscar as he admired the king's while silk suit, "although the gold trim was Callie's idea. Her father designed a similar suit for me for our wedding, although mine was not as nice."
"You will match your bride," offered Kamil Clava. "Oh, how she objected to being in that dress. I thought she would reach for a sword and start slaying everyone around her."
"Tanya in a dress?" chuckled the king. "I guess I should not complain too much about this suit. Does she have the Sword of Heavens strapped to her back?"
"I hope not," laughed Konic Clava. "I have seen her wield a sword, and I would not be the one to argue with what she wanted if she held one."
"You should take your place at the knoll, son," advised Prince Oscar. "She will be arriving soon."
King Arik sighed nervously and nodded. A whisper roared through the stands as the king entered the park. Everyone stood and watched him as he walked along a long red carpet towards the knoll. The king's eyes wandered as he walked. Familiar faces flashed before him, and they all were smiling as they shared in his happiness. When he got close to the knoll, he noticed the statues of the gods. Someone had taken great effort to duplicate the statues of the gods, but the king figured that the artist had never seen the real statues. Still, the likenesses were close enough to recognize who they were supposed to be. The red carpet stopped short of the knoll, so the king halted his walk. He stood waiting for Tanya.
Tanya and Alex arrived in another ornate coach. Alex was dressed in a suit similar to the king's, but it was a simple black. He hopped out of the coach and helped Tanya out. People who were watching the coach arrive gasped when they saw Tanya emerge. She wore an ornate white gown composed of layer upon layer of lace with gold etching. Her long blond hair flowed golden down her back. Her very presence was like a ray of sunshine in the dreary park.
Alex extended his arm to Tanya and walked her along the red carpet until she was alongside Arik. People gasped and whispered when they saw who was escorting the future queen. Very few people had known that Tanya was the daughter of Alex and Jenneva, but now the world knew.
As the three of them stood at the foot of the knoll, a slight cough cut through the noise of the crowd. They looked up and saw the back of a slight woman standing atop the knoll. Her long pale white hair flowed smoothly down her back. Nobody saw her arrive, but her yellow gown was similar to the priests' as it had a fine edging on it with the symbol of Leda. The priestess turned around to face the marriage couple and smiled at them.
"It can't be," Tanya gasped softly. "I am dreaming this."
"Then we are dreaming it together," King Arik swallowed.
"Did you expect anything less?" the goddess Leda asked softly. "Your marriage has found great favor with the gods." The goddess raised her voice loudly as she asked, "Alexander Tork, are you the father of the bride?"
"I am," Alex answered loudly. "I stand here to bless this union of my daughter to King Arik."
"Your blessing is noted and received well, Alexander Tork," smiled Leda. "Send the couple to me."
Tanya released Alex's arm as the king led her up the knoll. Arik hesitated at the top when he saw a small green wooden platform in front of Leda.
"You must step on it," Leda urged softly as she noticed the king hesitating. "Do not be afraid."
King Arik and Tanya nodded together and stepped onto the green platform. Immediately the sky spun furiously, not only for the royal couple, but also for everyone present. When the spinning stopped, the sky was bright and clear. The grass in the park was lush, and the flowers were the very picture of perfection. The statues of the gods were no longer statues, but live visages of the gods themselves. The crowd grew silent.
"The people of Alcea have gathered here today to witness the birth of a new nation," Abuud announced loudly. "That nation begins with the marriage of the house of Tork and the house of Dalek. Let it be recorded that the gods bless this marriage and this nation. Let it be known that Alcea is founded on Peace and Harmony for all peoples."
Each of the other gods gave a short speech as well. Risa created a large fountain between the knoll and the river. Thun molded a statue of a cracked shield and a broken sword and set it in the center of the fountain. Char c
reated an eternal flame in the hilt of the sword. Dora surrounded the fountain with a ring of rich soil, which immediately sprouted a rainbow of mature and beautiful flowers. Aara created a perpetual airflow from the fountain to the flowerbed to keep the flowers forever moistened.
"May good fortune and luck flow into each of you who witness this marriage today," said the goddess Mya. "This gift from the gods shall be with you always."
Leda smiled when the other gods had finished. She looked lovingly at the young couple before her.
"The people of Alcea have come here today to bless your marriage," Leda said loudly. "So too have the gods seen fit to bless this union. King Arik, Tanya Tork, I bless you now as man and wife."
King Arik and Tanya gazed happily into each other's eyes, but Leda was not done. Magically the queen's crown appeared in her hands. She held it high above her head for all to see. She leaned forward and gently placed it upon Tanya's head.
"From now on," Leda continued, "the two of you shall rule as one. King Arik, the warrior king, and Queen Tanya, the warrior queen. Let nothing ever come between you."
The sky spun dizzyingly again, and when it stopped, the gods were statues once again. The statue of Leda was present in the center of the other statues, and the goddess was gone. The beautiful sky and the lush park remained as the gods had fashioned it. King Arik and Queen Tanya embraced and kissed as the crowd stood and roared with approval.
THE END
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