Chapter 288 - 285 - Kings Speech
Pulling her gaze from Julius, Queen Serena faced the crown once again.
"When the seas closed, and our enemies marched upon our lands, even as our own lords turned their blades upon one another, one King opened his gates to our people fleeing from the slaughter. He gave us iron, grain, and sanctuary. He provided us with soldiers to train us when all others we contacted offered nothing but silence. And even when I stood along, ready to die for my nation and this very city itself... He stood beside me."
She started to turn again, but the flowing fabric of his robes through her peripheral vision showed that Julius had stepped forwards and was now standing side by side with her.
"People of the Carthaginian Kingdom... It is my great honor to present to you our strongest allies monarch, and our greatest friend, a man who brings with him big news for us all. His Royal Majesty Julius Aquitania Ceasar of the Romanus Kingdom."
The soldiers drums rolled as trumpets sounded out in revelrie once again.
Julius at first simply soaked in all the cheers and adulation coming from the crowd before he too raised his hands into the air as a gesture to silence the people.
The crowd before him stared back in awe, here stood a man whom they had only heard of through rumors, a man of legend and mythical power was before them all now in the flesh.
"People of Carthage... You have endured."
His voice was commanding and resonated throughout the square touching the ears of every single person assembled as if he were speaking through a megaphone.
"Not just months of war, and exile. No, you have endured hardships far worse-rivals tearing down the borders that stood for generations, as your own lords were clawing at the nations own skin for a chance at the crown, all the while the nations of the world looked down on your as if you were mere dust beneath their boots... And yet you remained. You bled, and bent but did not break. You fought back, but did not vanish. You were fractured but never fell. And today, I am proud to stand before you, you a collection of warriors, survivors, and a people worthy of every ounce of glory your ancestors ever dreamed of."