The Coronation Proceeded as planned that night.

The throne room of Dragonhold had never felt so heavy with tension as rulers from across the nine kingdoms filed in one by one.

Lord Cedric Greystone of Xathia entered first with his house banners displayed prominently. Then came Lady Selene of Zahka who still wore armor as a ceremonial dress.

Lord Ivar of Skallgard with furs draped across his broad shoulders. Then there was Lady Thalyra of the Amazonian Kingdom Yul'thera.

Lord Ansel of Drakensporth, Lord Juvna of Jogunmount, Lady Seraph of Orathia, and finally Lord Krelnor of Belforte.

The herald announced each with their full titles and houses where applicable and his voice echoed through the chamber while mages and knights of Dragonhold lined around the walls, silently observing.

Lady Arnarra of Elandria, was ofcourse, absent.

Aiden stood near Thamoryn's right side, who was standing close to the King. His position was a deliberate display that made several rulers' eyes linger on him with recognition and a certain feeling of unease.

The main event began shortly. Thamoryn stepped forward in her ceremonial robes of deep crimson and gold as she gestured for Lord Oberon to approach the throne.

The crown rested on a velvet cushion held by a young acolyte.

Oberon knelt down before the grand magus.

And then she said, "Do you swear to uphold the laws of this kingdom, to protect its people, to honor the treaties of old, and to rule with wisdom and strength?"

"I do so swear," Oberon said, with his voice steady.

The Grand Magus lifted the crown with both hands as she recited the words. "As witnessed by the rulers of the continent, I crown thee Oberon, Defender of the Wyrm Seat, Sovereign of the Nine Kingdoms and Protector of the Continent."

She then placed the crown upon his head, and after that Oberon stood to his feet and turned to face the rulers and the crowd.

Thamoryn then said to the assembled rulers.

"Lords and Ladies of the realm, do you kneel before the new King of Dragonhold and swear your allegiance to his rule?"

One by one they knelt and the rustle of fabric and clink of metal filled the silence as knees touched stone.

Lord Ivar remained standing a moment longer than the others, but then his eyes caught Aiden's glare and with a clenched fist, he finally lowered himself to one knee.

"We swear," came the collective response, though Aiden's enhanced hearing caught the variations in tone and the hesitation in some voices.

Lucien Crowley, captain of the silver pegasus who stood among the other captains caught that look of rebellion from Ivar. He smiled a bit and looked away.

"It is done," Thamoryn declared with this finality in her voice. "Long Live The King!" she said out loud

And the rest of the hall chanted back continually for a moment. "Long Live The King!"

After a while, the gathering moved to the Great Hall for celebrations. The space was much larger than the throne room.

It accommodated not just the rulers and their immediate retinues but also the notable houses of Dragonhold, the guilds, high-ranking knights, and merchants who'd earned the privilege of attendance.

There were several long tables filled with plates of roasted meat, different fruits and pastries glistening with honey and sugar.

Servants moved through the crowd with trays of wine that ranged from sweet to bitter depending on preference.

Musicians played from a raised platform but not loud enough to overwhelm the conversation between people.

Men and women drifted onto the open floor for slow dances and laughter mixed with the clink of glasses and a few discussions disguised as pleasantries.

Aiden found himself pulled into several brief conversations with people who wanted to gauge his mood or curry favor, but he kept his responses short and moved along.

"Hello, Father" Arianna said from behind Lord Cedric Greystone who was speaking with another lord.

He glanced at her briefly, then excused himself from the conversation and turned to her fully. "My lovely Daughter" he said with a pleased voice as they both hugged each other.

After they both pulled away, his eyes narrowed in surprise at beautiful ring on her ring finger "Is that what I think it is?"

Arianna looked down at the engagement ring and with small smile on her lips, she nodded. "Yes, Father."

His eyes widened a bit. "Who?" The question came out sharper than he'd intended and then he softened his tone. "Who gave you that?"

"Aiden," she said simply and watched his expression shift through surprise to confusion.

"Aiden Crowley?" He asked again. Although Cedric didn't notice him so much back then, when he came along with his daughter for the mission at dunmere.

But He definitely knew this Aiden now. Everyone knew the name.

She nodded to his question.

He shook his head slightly. "I didn't think you two were that close. How long has this been happening?"

"Just yesterday," she admitted and met his eyes steadily. "He asked and I said yes."

Cedric studied her for a long moment, and then his expression softened. "Does he make you happy?"

"He does," Arianna said without hesitation.

A genuine smile crossed his face and he reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Then you have my blessing. I just hope you're certain you know what you're doing."

"I do," Arianna said quietly. "I'm not walking into this blind."

Cedric nodded and let the matter rest for now, though his mind was already turning over what this engagement meant for House Greystone and for his daughter's future.

The celebration continued for hours and the wine flowed freely enough that tongues loosened and laughter grew louder, but eventually the evening wound down and the rulers began taking their leave.

Lord Ivar was among the first to depart. He climbed into his carriage with his guards flanking the door. Then he settled into the cushioned seat with a grunt of relief to be away from that palace.

The door closed and the rider in front called to the horses, but before they'd moved more than a few feet something appeared on Ivar's lap as if materialized from thin air.

He was startled for a bit, then picked it up carefully and turned it over.

He unfolded it to read the neat script inside.

"Lord Ivar, your discontent does not go unnoticed in swearing to an oath you clearly find distasteful. There are others who share your reservations about the new king's legitimacy and the methods by which he claimed the throne. Lady Arnarra of Elandria, in particular, has made her position quite clear. Perhaps a conversation between likeminded rulers would prove… enlightening. The enemy of your enemy need not remain a stranger."

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