do
until her father called for her, she settled for watching his straight back. She
had experienced extraordinary moments since leaving the farm but nothing
prepared her for the clamor that followed the king's apparition. Gooseflesh
rose on every inch of her skin when the constant noise of the crowd rose to
shouts and cheers as he came into their sight.
She heard loud
salutations whizzing from all sides, the great sovereign being greeted with enthusiastic
"Hail, O King!" and "May the mighty gods bless our
monarch!" Wishing she could observe as well as listen, she twisted her
neck right and left but without much result.
The noble men and women
standing behind her had now all been ushered outside through side doors. She
felt alone as the few guards remaining in the vast hall offered protection but
not support.
Engulfed in the applause
and eager acclamations of his subjects, the king offered them his august
presence for a while before acknowledging the plaudits of the crowd. He raised
his arms. Cheers lessened to a drone, quickly coming to a lull to allow him to
speak.
"People of
Palance!"
His booming voice could
certainly be heard all the way to the outer end of the drawbridge. Riding on
the effectiveness of his arrival, he lowered his arms and paused to create
expectancy.
"I come before you
this day to deny the prediction and to denounce the lies of the sorceress
Melisande."
He unsheathed his blade
in a swift move to brandish it toward the skies. Catching fierce rays of
sunshine, the weapon glittered while seeming to absorb the vivid light. He held
the position a little longer and the iron sword appeared imbued with magical
powers. Below the proud monarch, two thousand men, women, and children gasped.
"Today is summer
solstice."
His blade shining silver,
arm outstretched, the king looked like a god as his loud voice reached all the
way to the back.
"People of Palance,
the sun is high and bright!"
Although she still couldn’t
see the crowd, she caught an insistent rustling akin to fabric being creased.
She realized the assembly was kneeling, awestruck by the monarch’s display. He
placed the sword flat in the palms of his hands and held it out for all to see.
"There shall be no
endless night on this kingdom, but I too have been confounded by the witch’s
knavish tongue. By my sword and by the mighty gods, I humble myself before you
and beseech mercy."
Not a sound rent the
silence as King Harfayn of Palance went down on one knee, still holding out his
weapon.
Sovereigns never kneeled
in front of their subjects, but this one did. It was as if time suspended its
passing, as if the ethers empowered him with a sacred duty. The magical instant
lasted until a loud shout from the back broke the spell.
"Long live King
Harfayn! Long endure our creators! The mighty gods bless our good king!"
The crowd erupted in
cheers and blessings, getting to their feet as one. Women laced their hands in
prayer, wailed tears of wonderment, and sniveled. Children jumped up on their
fathers’ shoulders to wave their arms, their deafening shouts and cries ringing
in her ears.
Submerged in their
intense emotion, deeply moved by her father’s genuine act of contrition and
humility, she also wiped a tear from her eye. He might have been right when he
told her she'd need time to comprehend the mysteries of the world. What he had
just done stunned her.
On the dais, the king
rose and sheathed his sword. He bathed in the crowd's enthusiasm for a short
while then glanced back at her and nodded. The time to join her father was upon
her.
Heart pounding in her
chest, knees weak, she advanced toward the steps while addressing a silent
prayer to the ethers. She needed courage to face the spirited crowd and Kylor
didn't stand by her side. They only began to quiet down when King Harfayn held
a hand up.
"People and friends,
I hereby present to you my daughter."
The church bell struck
midday. The sovereign slowly stretched his arm back while she
until her father called for her, she settled for watching his straight back. She
had experienced extraordinary moments since leaving the farm but nothing
prepared her for the clamor that followed the king's apparition. Gooseflesh
rose on every inch of her skin when the constant noise of the crowd rose to
shouts and cheers as he came into their sight.
She heard loud
salutations whizzing from all sides, the great sovereign being greeted with enthusiastic
"Hail, O King!" and "May the mighty gods bless our
monarch!" Wishing she could observe as well as listen, she twisted her
neck right and left but without much result.
The noble men and women
standing behind her had now all been ushered outside through side doors. She
felt alone as the few guards remaining in the vast hall offered protection but
not support.
Engulfed in the applause
and eager acclamations of his subjects, the king offered them his august
presence for a while before acknowledging the plaudits of the crowd. He raised
his arms. Cheers lessened to a drone, quickly coming to a lull to allow him to
speak.
"People of
Palance!"
His booming voice could
certainly be heard all the way to the outer end of the drawbridge. Riding on
the effectiveness of his arrival, he lowered his arms and paused to create
expectancy.
"I come before you
this day to deny the prediction and to denounce the lies of the sorceress
Melisande."
He unsheathed his blade
in a swift move to brandish it toward the skies. Catching fierce rays of
sunshine, the weapon glittered while seeming to absorb the vivid light. He held
the position a little longer and the iron sword appeared imbued with magical
powers. Below the proud monarch, two thousand men, women, and children gasped.
"Today is summer
solstice."
His blade shining silver,
arm outstretched, the king looked like a god as his loud voice reached all the
way to the back.
"People of Palance,
the sun is high and bright!"
Although she still couldn’t
see the crowd, she caught an insistent rustling akin to fabric being creased.
She realized the assembly was kneeling, awestruck by the monarch’s display. He
placed the sword flat in the palms of his hands and held it out for all to see.
"There shall be no
endless night on this kingdom, but I too have been confounded by the witch’s
knavish tongue. By my sword and by the mighty gods, I humble myself before you
and beseech mercy."
Not a sound rent the
silence as King Harfayn of Palance went down on one knee, still holding out his
weapon.
Sovereigns never kneeled
in front of their subjects, but this one did. It was as if time suspended its
passing, as if the ethers empowered him with a sacred duty. The magical instant
lasted until a loud shout from the back broke the spell.
"Long live King
Harfayn! Long endure our creators! The mighty gods bless our good king!"
The crowd erupted in
cheers and blessings, getting to their feet as one. Women laced their hands in
prayer, wailed tears of wonderment, and sniveled. Children jumped up on their
fathers’ shoulders to wave their arms, their deafening shouts and cries ringing
in her ears.
Submerged in their
intense emotion, deeply moved by her father’s genuine act of contrition and
humility, she also wiped a tear from her eye. He might have been right when he
told her she'd need time to comprehend the mysteries of the world. What he had
just done stunned her.
On the dais, the king
rose and sheathed his sword. He bathed in the crowd's enthusiasm for a short
while then glanced back at her and nodded. The time to join her father was upon
her.
Heart pounding in her
chest, knees weak, she advanced toward the steps while addressing a silent
prayer to the ethers. She needed courage to face the spirited crowd and Kylor
didn't stand by her side. They only began to quiet down when King Harfayn held
a hand up.
"People and friends,
I hereby present to you my daughter."
The church bell struck
midday. The sovereign slowly stretched his arm back while she
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