"Good evening, The Grace." Greeted a woman wearing a Mantilla who had just come out of the chapel. The woman was wearing a thick fur coat, the night was indeed very cold. The woman, known as Mrs. Elowen, gave a polite nod to the young man she called "The Grace," a man with blood-red hair, pale white skin, lips that looked reddish, and green eyes shaded by long eyelashes, who nodded back to Elowen.
Lucian wore white head cover and a matching cloak. He put his hands together in front of his chest and said in a deep voice, "Bless you always, Mrs. Elowen. I see you praying today, just like you did a few nights ago." His voice was soft but also deep.
Elowen hugged herself, trying to stay warm.
"Yes, my sweet girl's health is getting worse. I'm keeping her in my thoughts and hoping for the best."
Lucian gasped when he heard that. He knew exactly who Elowen's daughter was. The child was still so young, just three. Since their daughter was born, Mrs. Elowen and her husband have always been involved in charity events, like the free health checkups the church holds every month.
Their financial situation wasn't great, especially since they didn't know what illness their daughter had.
"I hope God hears your prayers, Mrs. Elowen. Whatever happens, it's all part of His plan. God knows what's best for you." Lucian said, bowing his head even lower as he prayed for the health of Mrs. Elowen's daughter in his heart.
Mrs. Elowen smiled faintly, "I hope the king is also blessed with recovery."
Lucian took a deep breath, tilted his head back, and looked into Mrs. Elowen's eyes. Lucian knew Mrs. Elowen didn't mean any harm, but he wasn't too keen on hearing it.
Lucian smiled and said goodbye to Mrs. Elowen. He strolled back down the path in front of the chapel, planning to head back to the palace that night. His dad, the king, actually sent word that morning that his health was taking a turn for the worse.
Lucian let out a sigh.
Winter did not last long in this country, especially in the kingdom. The country was called Arboris, and the kingdom was called Veridian.
"THE GRACE!!!" A person in a royal uniform ran up to Lucian. He was a royal servant who had been by Lucian's side since he was a child. Lucian stopped and looked at the man, letting him take a deep breath before delivering the news. "THE KING...!"
Before he could even finish his sentence, there was a sound from the castle. The sound, which he hadn't heard since his mom passed away, rang out loudly, announcing the news to everyone.
"With great sadness, the palace announces the passing of the king."
The voices from the palace were loud, expressing their grief.
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Lucian didn't say anything, just stared at his father's body. Everyone in the palace was busy getting ready for the funeral, and he was still trying to figure out what had happened. His dad, the king, had been sick for a while. He never thought his father would finally pass away from the disease.
The bell that meant the king was dead, rang again.
He was decked out in Veridian's Ceremonial attire. He finally wore the long white robe with golden embroidery, which represents the Veridian kingdom, again after 10 years. He had worn it when his mom passed away, and now he's wearing it to accompany his dad on his final journey.
"The Grace.."
Lucian turned and saw Thomas, the valet who had taken care of him since he was a kid, bowing deeply to him. He looked tired and disheveled.
"Raise your head, Thomas." Lucian said, his deep, heavy voice softening but remaining cold. He walked to a chair near the king's bed.
The royal funeral ceremony at Arboris was so long that the bodies usually stayed in their bedrooms for up to five hours. Snow had been falling since last night, and it was still coming down as morning came around. The clouds were dark and the air was cold, and people were praying at home for their king, who had passed away.
Lucian wasn't too keen on the vibe there.
"He looks peaceful." Lucian started talking when the servants left the room, leaving him and Thomas alone. He leaned back in his chair and stared at his father's face, which was covered with a white cloth. "He was so happy because he'd been waiting a long time, and now he finally got what he wanted. The day of his death."
Thomas couldn't help but look at the king's cold body with teary eyes, and he glanced at the prince. Thomas couldn't guess what the prince was feeling. The king's crown, a symbol of greatness, sat on the edge of the bed, shining beautifully because it was made of pure gold. It weighed almost 3kg, and the prince who was going to be king was going to wear it during the ceremony. Lucian.
"Even when he was about to take his final breath, he still managed to look at Mom." Lucian mumbled again, and Thomas turned to him. The prince stared at the big, beautiful portrait of his mother on his father's bedroom wall. It had been painted a long time ago, long before his mother died.
A knock on the door interrupted Lucian's monologue. Malakor, the palace's high alchemist, bowed at the door. The man took a gold pocket watch from the cloak he was wearing.
"It would be to consider the possibility of a coronation, Your Highness." Malakor said as he put his pocket watch back and looked away at the Mother Tree from the window, which was starting to shed leaves even though it was winter. "The funeral will be held first, followed by the coronation. I apologize, but I don't think we have much time to mourn now. The tree appears to be quite delicate."
Lucian didn't move from his spot, though. He was still staring at his father's body. That big, strong body was gone, all that was left was a dry, skeletal form. Lucian could remember how, before his mom passed away, that big body used to give him a hug and be there for him until everything just... disappeared. There were no more warm embraces, no more best places to lean on.
"I just need a minute..."
"I apologize, Your Highness, but time is of the essence. We should proceed with haste." Malakor cut him off, "It appears that The Mother Tree and the people are waiting."
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Thomas, Lucian's valet, stood as a quiet support amid the busyness of the tailors. They wrapped Lucian in Ash Gold Cloth. They also put on some extra silk cloth to go with the robe he was already wearing. The fabric was heavy and stiff.
"Lower your chin, Your Majesty." A tailor said as he pinned a high collar that was rubbing against Lucian's throat. Thomas stepped in to help, taking over from the tailor as he sorted out Lucian's clothes. The little prince looked a bit uncomfortable, and now several palace officials were calling him "Your Highness," even though the coronation wasn't happening yet.
Lucian stared at his reflection in the big mirror. His worn and pale face was easy to see after he didn't even want to eat breakfast. His head was throbbing from staying up all night listening to those awful noises.
Thomas looked at the red-haired prince who had been following him around since he was knee-high to a grasshopper because the little prince didn't know where else to go. From the way Lucian stood and the look on his face, Thomas knew the boy was very nervous, "Just breathe, little cherry. You'll be fine." He said softly, almost whispering.
'Little cherry' was Thomas' nickname for Lucian since he was a kid. His bright red hair looked like a cherry when he was born with his perfectly round head. "Don't let this place get you down," Thomas added with a slight smile, finishing up tidying up the silk Lucian was wearing.
"The bell sounds really loud to me, Thomas," Lucian said.
After that short talk, Lucian was asked to head over right away to the place where his dad was buried. The whole royal family was buried near the Mother Tree because, for Veridian, the royal family was part of the Mother Tree. So, when they died, they had 'to go back' to the Mother Tree. Only family members and high-ranking members of the kingdom could attend the ritual of returning the bodies to the Mother Tree.
Outside the palace, people sang prayers for their king during the funeral ceremony. They raised white and gold mourning flags high to show that the palace was in mourning.
Lucian sat on the throne, wearing a golden crown. He stared straight ahead, his expressionless face focused on the steel coffin with Veridian symbols carved into it and placed near the Mother Tree. The gold tree with a massive size, wide, spreading branches that create a dense canopy, and aerial roots.
The tree had been there for hundreds of years, with leaves that were golden all year round. The people of Arboris were super devoted to the Mother Tree that was in the palace, and thanks to her, Veridian has been a kingdom ever since. Because of the Mother Tree, Arboris never lacked anything.
The Mother Tree only bears fruit every ten years. It's called "the Marrow-Pear." The fruit looks like a regular pear, but it has a unique color. Blue. It's light blue when it's not yet ready to ripen and turns dark blue when it's time to harvest. You can only harvest the fruit at night. In the morning, the fruit goes back to its light blue color, like it's still unripe. It smells sweet and fragrant at night.
And when it's fully ripe, that's when the Mother Tree picks the queen, who'll then marry the king and become the next 'Bearer of Life.' Lucian has never tried the fruit. Only the queen or the king's partner, who will become the 'Bearer of Life,' is allowed to eat it.
Next to Lucian, a number of councils were sitting solemnly, watching the burial ceremony of their king.
Malakor was in charge of the ceremony as the palace's High Alchemist. Lucian's eyebrows twitched as the king's coffin was lowered into the grave. The loud sound of trumpets echoed through the air, letting everyone know it was time to cover the coffin with the ground. The winter air hit Lucian's skin, and he couldn't help but scrunch up his face, holding back all the feelings that were rushing through him.
After the king was laid to rest, the ceremony continued with the coronation of Lucian, the prince. He's the only one of King Caelum High Veridian's heirs.
The councils were already in their places, looking a bit annoyed with Lucian sitting on the throne. It was pretty clear that the councils didn't like him, even though everyone adored Prince Lucian. He'd been hanging around with the people in church since he was a kid. To them, Lucian was a weakling who wasn't fit to sit on the throne and become king.
But they couldn't do anything about it. The king and queen were chosen by the Mother Tree.
"We hereby announce the ascension of Prince Lucian Sol Veridian to the throne of Arboris. It is my humble opinion that the Kingdom of Veridian has the potential to continue existing for a long time under your leadership. May the legacy of King Lucian Sol Veridian continue to thrive!" The sound was heard when Malakor, a high alchemist and an intermediary between the Mother Tree, put on the ring that had been worn by the royal family for generations.
"KING LUCIAN!!!!!! May the legacy of King Lucian continue to flourish."
Lucian took a deep breath. He wasn't a fan of this, he felt like he was in the wrong place. His dad had just been buried, and the people in front of him were chanting his name over and over, asking him to live a long life.
CRACKLE.
Everyone stopped singing once they heard the sound. Malakor turned his head, and his eyes widened instantly. Everyone was making noise in their own places, and Lucian stood still. The fruit, which was usually dark blue at night, changed color in the afternoon. Its blue color became darker and a sweet smell started to come out, especially since the fruit was slightly cracked.
"The Mother Tree…She.,,, She's thirsty. She's on the verge of death.…" Malakor said something under his breath, his hand in the air, shaking. "The tree's sap has turned to ash..."
Lucian jumped when he heard a loud noise coming from every corner of the palace. The palace elders, who saw the state of the Mother Tree, shouted the roar, as did Malakor. Lucian looked around, confused, and then turned to Thomas, who was shaking but saying nothing. Lucian frowned. He was confused about what was going on and what Malakor meant by what he said.
"Majesty, your father's long sorrow may have contributed to the thirst of the tree. It has been said that, every 10 years, the tree bears fruit up to 10 times. It is said that the king should have taken concubines and made them eat the fruit so that they would bear royal offspring to continue the throne. Regrettably, apparently King Caelum always preferred to maintain his commitment to monogamy. He practiced monogamy until the end of his life, and now the tree is parched." Malakor locked eyes with Lucian, raising his voice to a near shout as he described the situation.
Lucian stood there, his lips quivering. "But I'm here! I'm the heir to this kingdom!"
"I sincerely apologize, Majesty. For the past 11 years, you have chosen to maintain a distance from the palace. While you may spend the majority of your time in the church, it is important to remember that even your blood may not be sufficient to quench the thirst of the Mother Tree. It seems that she is looking for someone who might be able to provide a stronger sense of support." One of the councils said, bowing deeply to Lucian, who was still confused.
"What should I do?"
CRACKLE.
The noise was back, but this time it came from the tree trunk.
Lucian glanced up and noticed what was happening to The Mother Tree.
"The Mother Tree had decided who would bear life's legacy. It is my understanding that the next step in the process would be the selection of a queen to accompany King Lucian."
Malakor's words made Lucian's eyes widen instantly.
"What?!" He'd just been crowned king that afternoon, and his father had been buried just thirty minutes ago.
Malakor walked over to The Mother Tree and bowed three times in front of it. He picked up one of the fallen leaves and turned to Lucian and the officials, proclaiming in a loud voice,
"The North. The Tree demands the Commander of Dreadmoor. Soren Vane Delve is to be summoned. He will be your Bearer."