Part 5 Chapter 6

CHAPTER 37

 

 

T

he reception at the city gates is better than when Olraym returned with Relon. The gates open faster and inside there are people crowding the streets waiting just for them. When they cross the threshold there are a number of knights from both the city guard and royal guard waiting for them, then they form a circle around them and as one they all move forward against the crowd. It is hard work but they manage to get through step by step the guards keep everyone else at bay as they scream in joy at Olraym and Trugaime even though they don’t know who she is. They know of the attempts on Olraym’s like but not that it was her who attempted it.

  Olraym waves at them enthusiastically and it riles the horde of people up and the knights are forced to shove harder to keep them back though none have any swords or weapons out their shoving works. Then after a while Trugaime joins him in waving and is surprised to find it has the same effect.

  When they finally reach the castle there are more knight, this time mostly royal guards, and Moira standing in the middle with open arms ready to greet Olraym. The horde parts and Olraym lets go of Trugaime’s hand and he and Moira hug each other as if it their last act alive. As if they have not seen each other in years. To them it lasts forever and they both have tears forming by the time they finally let go.

  Moira looks to Trugaime as if just now noticing her and her face sours. Olraym and Trugaime notice the change and Olraym shakes his head, a gesture not lost on Moira. Trugaime is with him. Her sour face changes back but not all the way, she is still wary of Trugaime.

  All three with a selection of royal knights enter the castle. They go through the castle to the throne room and along the way Olraym tells Trugaime a small portion of the history about what she is seeing. Moira doesn’t join in but doesn’t interrupt him either. They reach the throne room where they stop and Moira orders the knights to leave, they do so without hesitation.

  Over the next hour Moira fills them in about her and others doing their best to keep Tov’ra in order since he left. She tells them of Sertia and Bevil’s betrayal against Tov’ra, Sertia’s escape because of Bevil and his subsequent execution. at the right times Olraym looks shocked and demands answers, all of which Moira gives willingly then he apologises for his outburst which she accepts. In return Olraym tells Moira about the events of his and Trugaime’s time together, about the Cultist Harke who tried to assassinate Olraym after Trugaime failed and how she helped save Olraym, though he leaves out the part where Harke was Trugaime’s father. He tells Moira about having to go to Burden. Finally he tells about Thorne following them and attempting to kill them.

  He leaves out going to Divinwood and meeting what he firmly believes where the actual Twelve, which gets a nod from Trugaime, and ends with being in the Cultist village to tell them to leave the Highlands. Moira becomes ecstatic when she hears it worked and the Starlight Cult has left the Highlands, maybe for good. He changes things around so Thorne dies there while they were leaving instead of Divinwood.

  By the time he is finished any hard feelings of resentment Moira has for Trugaime are gone, she is thankful to her and surprises everyone when she hugs her. When the shock wears off Trugaime hugs back. Then she hugs Olraym again with one arm while the other is still around Trugaime. 

  “I know it is soon, but we need to talk about your coronation,” says Moira after letting to two go. “I know you have been concerned about this and I will help you all the way.”

  “Actually I think I’m alright now, I think I can and should be King.”

  Moira is surprised at this, at how her youngest son has changed since last they saw each other.

  “But there is something we need to do first.”

  Moira looks questioningly at him, but her question is answered when Olraym takes Trugaime’s hand again. Moira nods understanding and tells them she approves of this delay.

 

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In all the time Olraym has spent with her he has never learned her last name, he liked not knowing just thought it one of the mysteries about her. It is not until the wedding when the priest calls out ‘Trugaime Xabachette’. He likes the name and sounds it out in his mind, to him it sounds better every time. He sounds it internally over and over until it comes time to speak out.

  The ceremony goes off smoothly with almost the entire city present either inside the Temple of the Twelve or waiting outside it. Between the day Olraym and Trugaime first returned to Tov’ra and the day of the wedding it has only been three days. But plenty has happened within that time. Moira is now close to Trugaime she is like a mother to her; they talk about so much and get along better than Moira ever did with Sertia. Olraym is completely healed physically and thinks of Thorne only in small intervals that always end well.

  When the wedding is over and Olraym and Trugaime exit the temple and face the throng and excited people they rush out smiling and laughing. They spend the next three days in piece in the castle as husband and wife, enjoying every second together. Most of the time they spend in their new bed chamber, they couldn’t be in Olraym’s old one because they both thought it to be too small for them.

  With all needed preparations made the coronation begins at noon four days after the wedding in the throne room. There are eight royal guards, four on each side, and approximately thirty of the more influential people of Tov’ra baring witness. Both Olraym and Trugaime were told to memorise the oath beforehand so at the right time they could recite it. They do when the time comes and recite the oath of enforcing the laws of the Highlands, of keeping balance as their banner suggests. During the coronation Moira is standing to the side while Olraym and Trugaime are standing in front of the throne. In front of them a priest, the same one who officiated at the wedding, speaks clearly out to the small crowd that Olraym Kvathrock and Trugaime Xabachette Kvathrock will henceforth be known as King and Queen of Tov’ra and the Highlands for as long as both shall live. This statement is punctuated by the priest placing a crown on each head. Once the crowns are placed the crowd roars into cheers and claps their hands together making a thunderous noise so loud everyone wonders if people outside can hear it. The entire city is soon told and they celebrate for the rest of the day.

  A final thought before the coronation is over it the advice given to them by the Twelve, ‘give the girl a chance, she may surprise you’. Now he has doubts they were talking about Trugaime, not just because of the ‘girl’ remark but because he was at that time and is now in love with her, there was no need to give her any kind of chance. But he thinks whatever they meant he will find out some day.