Chapter 76: The Queen’s revelation
As the majestic aura of the coronation ceremony gradually dissipated, a silence heavy with respect settled over the immense palace hall. King Maelor, now transformed and radiating an almost divine power, stood proudly before his people. His gaze, now imbued with unquestionable authority, slowly swept across the assembly.
- Let the heads of the Five Great Families come forward and swear an oath to the new sovereign! declared the cleric solemnly, his voice sounding like a sacred command.
In turn, the heads of the five powerful dragon families slowly stepped forward. The first was Drakkar, Belgaroth’s father, head of the Purple Flame family. He immediately knelt before Maelor and declared in a loud, proud voice:
- I, Drakkar of the Purple Flames, swear absolute fealty to King Maelor, so that the glory of dragons may endure forever.
Maelor nodded slowly in acceptance, and Drakkar stepped back to make way for the next. The heads of the following families - the Gold-Silvered, the Frost Storms, the Ebony Scales and the Azure Wings - repeated the same ritual, each oath further strengthening the power and authority of the new sovereign.
With each oath, all the dragons in the assembly dropped to one knee, as a sign of absolute allegiance and respect for their new king. Only the former King Aegon and Princess Elystria remained standing, both exempt from protocol due to their royal status.
Mordred, on the other hand, remained standing for a moment, his gaze fixed on the spectacle with silent defiance. Elystria immediately noticed his attitude and whispered curtly:
- Mordred, get down on your knees immediately, or it will be your last action on this earth. You are in no position to defy this sacred protocol.
Mordred hesitated a moment longer, then, aware of the senseless risks he was running, he finally slowly dropped to one knee, his heart burning with anger and silent indignation.
When the last oath was taken, Maelor slowly raised his hand, imposing silence. He gazed intently at the assembly before declaring solemnly:
- Dragons, nobles and loyal subjects, I now release you. Return to your respective domains, and spread the news of my coronation throughout the kingdom. Prepare yourselves too, for under my reign, our expansion policy will become a top priority.