Coronation of the Queen - Into The Forest

The morning sun has not even begun to rise, when you each in turn members know as The Honorees - Ishmael, then Victoria, then Davorin, and next Monolith - Llyrun is the last - get sharp knocks on your bedroom doors.
It is Tura. She enters with a tray. On top of the tray is a murky dark, cold tea and a large steaming mug of coffee. Placing down the tray, Tura opens all the curtains.
“Time to raise. If you require, drink the tea first, to help with any morning heads. The coffee is there too if you so wish.”
She does not wait longer than to check you open your eyes. You sit up as she leaves the room.
NOTE: Llyrun – Tura kisses you on the forehead and leaves as you go to collect her in your arms, saying “Too busy to stay, my sweet.”

You each dress and slip some of the bitter-tasting tea, and then gulp down the warm, rich coffee. Walking together, minus Monolith, who has told the rest of you she will not be attending the coronation. You find yourselves amongst a thong of finely dressed people strolling along towards the Temple District. The excitement builds, as the crowd grows, moving steadily forward. Many people are carrying flickering torches to light the way.

NOTE

Victoria – you see your mother and father walking slightly ahead. Your mother’s eyes are seeking you out. Her hand gestures for you to join them. You respectfully nod as a greeting, and then shake your head in response.

Reaching the beautiful steps of the Hammerforge Palace, you depart the crowd. The steps reach upwards in white marble, flowing up to the solid pale grey stone Palace. Banners of a yellow hammer on a red circle, surrounded by a ring of black, flick in the wind. Stone that shows no weathering stands solid in its shape as a Dwarven built Palace. Four huge turrets on each corner reach upwards. Long connecting walls join the turrets forming an elegant and functional Royal home.
A platform has been erected on the wider resting-step closest to the bottom. The Platform which is carpeted and railed in, draped in the same red, yellow and black.
You each are directed to stand in a position on the right side of the steps, to stand on every second step. Ishmael, Victoria, Llyrun and then Davorin.
Along from you is two Humans, a Half-Elf, one Mousefolk with Why the Aarakocra next to him, an Elf, then Truk closest to Ishmael.
Opposite you are the ten female personal bodyguards of Princess Craciona, amongst them is Dornax (your blue Dragonborn friend) and Geodes.

Truk greets you all with a low wave of his left hand.

NOTE

Victoria – Dornax nods respectfully to you.
As you wait two servants offer you all small drinks of water and two round ginger biscuits. Geodes and the other bodyguards munch quickly and gulp the water. You each follow suit – hungry from having no breakfast yet.

The sound of brisk footsteps that slow to a stepping pace, as people come into view.
Firstly, the hereditary herbalist women and men past, strewing flowers around the platform, and scattering black salt into the air to absorb negative energies. The air is filled with mixes of odours. Following is the choir humming a morning anthem, the clergy representing all the known religious organisations (except those deities - such as the Burnt Resin - not represented in Jeyton City).

NOTE

Ishmael – you recognize Mariane from Temple of Ioun
As the sun rises the sky brightens slowly a soft, single feminine voice rises into the air, someone unseen is singing softly, a melodic phrase,

NOTE

Davorin – realizes it is newly written; Elven style; no rhyming

Next, appears the high officers of state bearing the regalia of King Stefan’s colours, followed by eight Barons carrying drawn swords straight up in the air. You all see a chair raised slightly, being carried cautiously by four footmen, the figure on top is dressed in a golden yellow gown.
Duchess Dosarae is brought to the platform, and her chair is placed to one side on it. Lastly, you all see the future-Queen Craciona and her father King Stefan carried on chairs towards the platform. They step from their seats and walk together, her right hand resting on his left arm, through the arch formed by the Barons’ swords. King Stefan and Princess Craciona’s seats are placed on the platform. Then King Stefan and Princess Craciona step up and then sit once more.
The eight barons position themselves in front of the platform, longswords unsheathed at their sides.

The Officiate of the Coronation ceremony stands. He is an unfamiliar man. A Human with a clean shaven, very dark-skinned face. His long silvery white hair in waterfall braid. He stands so tall, however being so skinny, making his shoulders seem so broad on his narrow frame. His face looks as calm as his green eyes, his age is hard to judge, for few wrinkles fill in the skin.
He starts to speak, his voice so deep and powerful, it makes the hairs on the back of your necks stand up,
The Officiate continues,


The Officiate then says,

The Officiate voice drops even lower, which had seem unlikely,

The Officiate paused only a moment.

NOTE

Ishmael – the feeling of remembering being told this Royal family history before sinks in your mind. Sometimes you know the names before they are spoken

NOTE

Victoria – much of this is familiar to you

The Officiate smiles a wide welcoming smile,

His smile is replaced by a neutral expression,

The Officiate looks to all of you – Ishmael (Elan Tedronai) does not meet his eye.

The Officiate pauses as the massive crowd breaks into a mix of astonished and fevered whispering and jostling.

Servants walk up offering you and the others on both sides of the Palace steps, offering water and small meat biscuits as the officiate waits for the noise to recede. Geodes grins as she munches.

The Officiate of the Coronation speaks loudly,

The crowd quietens. The King steps forward.

“I am!” The king's voice booms loudly than he has been heard in many years.
“Please place the crown within the royal box.”
The King lifts the crown high, a trumpet sounds, and the crowd bursts into a jovial cheer. Then King Stefan places the crown back into the engraved box.
Taking his daughter’s hand, steps aside as she gracefully stands.
The King returns to sitting in his chair. Craciona walks forward to stand in front of the box. Her hands she put palms up facing out to the crowd. She waits.
The Officiate of the Coronation speaks again,
“I am!” Craciona's voice is bold, even though you all can see a nervous twitch in her hands.
She reaches in and takes the crown, placing it on her own head. As a trumpet sounds out, the crowd cheers and shouts in jubilation. It takes a long time for the silence to again settle.

NOTE

Davorin – you know no one except Royalty can ever touches the crown, due to a magic enchantment placed on it long ago.

Queen Craciona Hammer forge speaks to the crowd,


Trumpets regale as the vast crowd erupts into applause and further cheering. Music and joyful voices fills the morning air. Clouds shift creating peculiar shadows, until they form the symbol of the hammer within a circlet, above the platform.

As the music ceases, Duchess Dosarae steps up. Her face is smiling and she looks healthier than last time you saw her. However she does still look apprehensive (the concern of a mother). She takes a metal ring that has three coloured ropes hanging from it.

The Officiate speaks,

Queen Craciona steps forward taking the three coloured ropes.
The Officiate says to her,

The Queen begins tying the plait with the three ropes, as the

As all the banners of King Stefan drop, four individuals step out of the representatives of the religions. They wear silver hooded robes, without symbols on them. They swing Thruribles on chains, releasing grey smoke that spirals towards Queen Craciona.
All the voices of the religious representatives chant in unison, “Into this smoke, we release all energies that do not serve our Queen, all negativity that surrounds her, and all fears that ever limit her. So be it.”
In that moment, the new banners rise. Banners of a red hammer on a blue circle, fringed by a ring of gold, slip up high.

The beautiful morning is ushered out by a royal salute at midday, which is lead by the sound of a twelve trumpets played by Bards stationed along the Temple District main road.
You are whispered too that the expectation is you all are to wait in place, not join the procession.
At one o'clock the troops who are to keep the route march into position.
At two o’clock the procession begins to be marshalled into order.
Half an hour later, the various noble personages (including Victoria’s parents and the hulking Orc who is Truk’s father, the Head Chief of the Horde) who are to take part in it arrive in quick succession. The boom of drums announces as the new Queen leaves the Palace.

---

The procession heads away, taking the populace who are shouting themselves hoarse in their demonstration of loyalty and affection. You do not walk amongst them.
The female bodyguards however join the procession. You smile as Geodes raises her hand holding a leg of mutton in your direction as she marches away.
The coloured banners lead the noise away to the far end of the Temple District, to where you know the Temple of the Two Moons stands. The procession continues, it is a glorious spectacle makings through many of the crooked, narrow streets of Jeyton City. Every so often you can see the banners rises above the lower buildings. You can still hear so renewed cheering.
You stand in place for a half hour more, before servants bring out more food and water.
Then two Humans, Half-Elf and an Elf sit down on an upper steps. Why and the flamboyantly-dressed Mousefolk sit chatting softly, a little further up from you. Truk joins you as you all sit down on the lower steps near the platform. None of you speak. The morning has been long and the peace in welcome.

As the day reaches 5 o’clock towards evening, you hear the noise returning, and is continuing back through the streets on its way back to Hammerforge Palace.
You realise at some point, Monolith has joined you, and now sits quietly on the bottom step. She stays there, but stands, as so do the rest of you (returning to your positions), as the procession comes into view.

The Royal family step down from their chairs and walk past you.
The new Queen steps ahead, holding herself regally with the jeweled crown upon her head. Each of you bow/curtsy as Queen Craciona passes. Her smile is soft and serene. Never has her plainness in face looked so beautifully omnipotent and self-assured.

The armed Barons move across the bottom of the steps, allowing Monolith to step up the steps. They act at Bouncers for the crowd, letting in only those invited to the banquet. Each person is checked for weapons and poison, by the new Queen’s bodyguards. Lewd comments are meet with forceful irritation, as the half-wits who say these things are sent away, never to enter the Hammerforge Palace.

Lady Patricia Evendust passes by, looking proudly at her daughter Victoria. She is arm and arm with a serious faced Human man, who only nods promptly and seems very uncomfortable as he passes Victoria. Not able to look at her.

NOTE

Victoria – you delight in making your father squirm, by not taking your gaze off him.

People feed up the steps. Truk is significantly uncomfortable as a fierce-looking female Orc, who you assume is his half-sister, stops her eyes glare at him angrily, until their father Thrall Skullhunter, directs her away.
You see Lord and Lady Lawrie, who had misplaced the King’s shield, nod lightly to Davorin, who is the one they recognise, as they pass. Not far from them is Lady Simla Minaco, the widow who you meet at the Feathered Griffin. Other people seem familiar as they pass. A few others study Ishmael’s face, some even seem to be looking for recognition.

Two females of Victoria and Ishmeal’s age glide up the steps, close to the right side. They are dressed in bellowing gowns, high hair and overly made up faces. They seem startled by Monolith’s features. Then they smile sweetly at Davorin and then at Llyrun.

NOTE

Passing Victoria, whispering less quietly than they should.
The dark haired one - Victoria knows as Sophia Whytewall, who is rumoured to be betrothed to a Baron‘s son, to who you have known for a few years - she says “Is that her the noble devil-born? Look at the oddities she mingles with.”
The blonde one - Victoria realises is Pettia Averguard, a brat she dealt with in the past - says “I told you she was scary. Such an embarrassment to think the new Queen has a bond such a creature.”
Before anyone can react, Dornax strides up to them, looming over them. In a deep, rumbling voice Dornax says, “You may leave! Or shall I force you too?” Her breath crackles sparks.
The two females look around for support or protection. They seek Ishmael’s gaze, only to see bitterness in his eyes. Everyone walking is giving them a wide birth. One grabs for a young man’s arm, he looks poignantly at her, and shrug her off.
Victoria recognised as Oren Malton, who is the Baron’s son who Sophia is possibly betrothed too - although not likely to be anymore. The crowd continues passing by, as the two young females turn disheartened, and head back down the Palace steps.

---

Once the people have stopped walking past, you all head up the Palace steps. You were informed you do not have to stay after the first toast to the new Queen.

Inside Hammerforge Palace Hall, where a magnificent banquet takes place. Galleries are erected to accommodate spectators. Great tables are laden for the clergy, the peers, the Knights, the wealthy citizens of Jeyton, and so forth, while the Queen and her father, the former King, dine on a dais at the far end. A gallery has been reserved behind the Queen’s seat for the heralds and the Queen’s bodyguards.

The Officiate of the Coronation stands and raises a goblet high in the air, “Please all stand!”
He waits as the noise of so many people standing and once, chairs pushed back, dies away.
The Officiate then toasts, “We raise our cups to our new Sovereign Queen Craciona Loretta Hammerforge!”
The crowd all celebrate, “Long live the Queen! Long Live Queen Craciona Loretta Hammerforge!”