02 | the ceydea coronation 

"IT'S MY DUTY TO RULE OVER THESE PEOPLE. NOW WE JUST GOTTA MAKE IT OFFICIAL."

CEYDEA PALACE, CENTIUM CITY, CERADICIA-

Alora wasn't sure what to expect as her and her brother stepped out into the bright Ceradician daylight on the balcony.

The roaring crowds below them seemed to hush as Aroyo stepped into broad daylight by his sister, Roki and Rienna already having been welcomed to the balcony. Rienna stood to the left of the balcony, standing right by Ambassador Geno while Roki was on the right, waiting for his sister to come and join in.

The balcony was tiered, Aroyo and Alora standing on the tallest part of the platform, two lower parts that acted like large stairs below them. Roki and Ambassador Geno stood on opposite sides of the middle platform, while Rienna was on the lowest part of the balcony, where Alora would be supposed to be joining her on the opposing side.

Alora gave her brother one last look of reassurance as her hand unclasped from his, the young woman walking down the steps to be on the same level below Roki. She kept a careful eye on Ambassador Geno as he sent her a withering stare, Alora trying not to gag in disgust at his actions.

She didn't understand how Rienna put up with the man all the time.

"Showing up fashionably late and the center of attention, as always. You couldn't just go to the spot you were supposed to go to, can you?" Roki joked from beside her, leaning in closely to speak with his younger sister. He and Rienna were twins, so normally they were pretty close to each other as the middle children, but today Roki had decided to spare Alora the uncomfortable presence of Ambassador Geno and stand beside her.

"Shut it." Alora stomped on Roki's foot with the sole of her shoe, taking great caution that her back part of the heel didn't collide with his foot. "It's not my fault that I don't want to stand alone and get the judgemental stares from Rienna the entire coronation. And besides,  Aroyo wanted to walk out with me. I just think you're jealous."

"At this point, I'm surprised that he still puts up with you." Roki muttered, earning a scoff from his younger sister. "After that stunt you pulled last month with sticking his favorite droid on the top of the roof and making him think that R5-15 had been traded away? That was low."

"You were a part of that scheme!" Alora exclaimed, a surprised gasp coming to her mouth as her brother teased her. "Don't go accusing me when it was your idea in the first place." She grumbled, trying to keep a neutral face as Aroyo's advisor came onto the balcony. His advisor was the one that was going to be doing the coronation- as the Ceydea's own mother and father could not be there to do it themselves.

"You were the one that executed the plan." Roki laughed, shaking his head slightly with a sigh, gazing down at the crowds that were down on the balcony below them. "If it makes you feel any better, you executed the plan perfectly. I couldn't be more proud of my rebellious younger sister taking after me."

Before Alora could respond to Roki, the advisor, known as Advisor Asher Cherton, stepped into the center of the balcony, clearing his throat to begin the ceremony. "For generations upon generations, the coronation of a new Ceradician ruler has been a celebration that is most important to the people of Ceradicia. When the eldest child of the Ceydean family has been deemed worthy to heir, the King and Queen will relinquish their ruling duties and pass them onto the eldest."

Alora, turning away from Roki, scanned Rienna and Ambassador Geno's faces as the Advisor Cherton talked about the history of the coronation. "Unfortunately, in these unprecedented times following the passing of King Rowan and Queen Anaya, the coronation comes with a bittersweet celebration. We crown a new king due to necessity, though we have faith in him to rule our planet well, and with the pride of the Ceydean people." There was an almost smug smile on Geno's face as the advisor spoke those words, the smile making Alora sick to her stomach.

She hoped that her brother wouldn't fall into the mess that the Empire was hoping that he'd fall into.

While Alora didn't keep up much with politics- she knew the obvious. When her parents had been killed ( she refused to believe anything but that ), the Empire had realized there was an opening to siege the power of a planet they had sought after since the Empire's creation over 20 years before. That was why Ambassador Geno had been so much more insistent on getting close to the royal family instead of just being a bystander in the last couple of weeks- so that the Empire could swoop in under a new and naive ruler and "save" the people of Ceradicia.

"Being the ruler of a planet such as Ceradicia is an important one. For centuries, we have served as a symbol of hope and prosperity across the galaxy." Advisor Cherton continued to speak, his hands tucked neatly behind his back as he did so. "The new King must maintain the symbol that Ceradicia stands for while also ruling under a time of new governments."

That was a shot at the Empire, Alora assumed. She tried not to laugh as she smoothed out her dress, camera droids recording everything that the royal family was doing now, projecting those images onto the castle walls behind them to allow a closer look at the family. Giving a quick glance across the way from her, Alora watched as Ambassador Geno's face fell, the young woman tucking her head down again to hide the ever growing smile upon her face.

"Prince Aroyo Ceydea. Are you ready to take upon the duties of being the next ruler of Ceradicia?" Advisor Cherton asked Aroyo, turning to face the eldest Ceydean child, the man standing straighter as his name was called under the pressure of so many eyes watching him.

"I am." Aroyo calmly spoke, trying to convey a sense of certainty and calmness to the crowds below. Alora could see right through it, finding the face of her brother, a man who was loving and passionate about his people and politics, not the face of a stern ruler. She was sure that the people saw it too, as when he spoke those two words, the citizens of the capital city started to cheer.

"If you are ready to uphold your duties as the next King of Ceydea, please, come and kneel before me. Show to your people that you will be humbled to serve as their next ruler." The advisor spoke again, pride evident in his voice as Aroyo walked down to the lowest point on the tiered balcony, Alora stepping down and away from Roki on the second step while he did so. Aroyo gave a small smile to the citizens of Ceradicia before he turned his back to them, kneeling before Advisor Cherton.

Alora and Rienna made eye contact with each other as their older brother bowed down to Advisor Cherton, the two stepping side by side by their older brother. The advisor gave each of them an important antique for the royal family, Rienna receiving a staff that was rumored to be crafted for the first ruler of the Ceydea line while Alora was given a small piece of rope.

Both of the women knew what to do as they stood in front of their brother, Rienna speaking first. "Let this staff be a reminder of the power that you wield, and the traditions that you must uphold to honor your ancestors before you." Rienna tapped both of Aroryo's shoulders with the staff before resting it in front of his knees. She stepped in front of him, giving him a small bow before she stepped out of the way.

Now it was Alora's turn.

"Let this rope remind you of the binding promise that you make to the people of Ceradicia as their ruler. You will protect the planet, rule with kindness and passion, and ensure that the planet is free of conflict." Alora spoke, bending down to kneel by her brother, wrapping the rope around his sash, giving him a soft smile before standing up again. "Never should this bond be broken."

"With these two important symbols to your rule, let us begin the oath that you will take to rule over the people of Ceradicia." Advisor Cherton spoke, his words the signal that Alora and Rienna should return to their positions on the balcony.

Alora quickly turned her back to the crowds below, walking back up to stand beside Roki. "Good job sis." He muttered, nudging her with a small smile. "You didn't forget the words like you thought that you would." There was a sense of pride in his eyes as Alora looked up at him, a small smile on her face.

"What do you think I've been doing for the past two days?" Alora chuckled, her smile growing bigger as she turned back to face the crowds below. "That's why Aroyo didn't really assign me any big duties besides that. He knew that I'm awful with learning things to say."

"I know that you're doing something else for him." Riko stated, the fact that she was just supposed to be memorizing that part of the coronation. "What do you two have up your sleeves tonight?" He questioned, arching his eyebrow at her.

"Let's just say... the old fun and games of the Ceydea family aren't going away just because Royo's the kind." She gave Roki a soft smile, her eyes telling him to be prepared for anything. Alora wasn't one for devilish smiles when she schemed- you always had to look into her eyes to see the true intentions of what she was doing.

And right now? That look was telling Roki to get ready for some chaos.

"Oh boy." Roki sighed, straightening his sash out on his shirt, the accessory drooping as he stood waiting for the coronation ceremony to be over. "Please don't tell me that Aroyo is getting his revenge for that stunt with R5-15."

"A lady never reveals her secrets." Alora muttered back in response, laughing a little as her brother hit her hand, trying to disguise the fact that he was sure that he was dead. The three of them had a history of pranking each other to keep the boredom at bay inside of the large palace, Rienna staying completely out of it. She wasn't always one to have fun with the boys, pursuing more political gains and flirting with the men that would come to the palace.

"Repeat after me." Advisor Cherton spoke, opening a book that had been tucked away to the side of his large set of robes that he had been required for the ceremony. It seemed as if the pages of the book were worn and torn, but carefully taken care of with love. "I, Aroyo Ceydea, do solemnly swear-"

"I, Aroyo Ceydea, do solemnly swear-"

"To rule over the planet Ceradicia with honesty, kindness, and passion." The advisor continued, Alora watching as Aroyo continued to kneel before the people, pride slowly swelling up in her chest as she watched her older brother. This was the moment that she had been watching him work towards his entire life- why would she not be proud?

"To rule over the planet Ceradicia with honesty, kindness, and passion."

"I also swear to maintain the balance between the ruling family and the common people, allowing for a prosperous planet and government of Ceradicia." Advisor Cherton read off the pages of the book, looking back down at Aroyo for him to repeat the words that he had just stated.

"I also swear to maintain the balance between the ruling family and the common people, allowing for a prosperous planet and government of Ceradicia."

"Finally, I swear to uphold the history and memories of the rulers that came before me, and to maintain the well kept history of the Ceydean family." The advisor closed the book that was inside of his hands, his eyes now just staring down at his close friend.

"Finally, I swear to uphold the history and memories of the rulers that came before me, and to maintain the well kept history of the Ceydean family."

"With these oaths that you have taken, I now crown you the King of Ceradicia." The advisor smiled, a small stool that had been placed to his side during the oath containing a small golden band, the crest of the Ceydea family inscribed upon it. The man took the small band and rested it upon Aroyo's head, the final words that he had spoken now crowning a new ruler of the planet. "Rise, King Aroyo, and greet your new subjects."

Aroyo smiled up at his advisor, one of his mentors and friends that he had trusted in since the beginning. He rose from his kneeled position on the balcony, Advisor Cherton placing his hands on his shoulders for a moment, a small gesture of pride as he turned Aroyo around to face the now roaring crowd.

"Presenting for the very first time, King Aroyo Ceydea, the new ruler of Ceradicia."

Happiness seemed to surge throughout everyone in that moment, Alora whooping with pride and joining in the cheers for her oldest brother. There was a bright glare in the sun, but Alora thought nothing of it at that moment.

Roki, however, knew better. Squinting his eyes at the glare, he realized that someone atop another roof that was high up in the sky of the capital was aiming a long-range sniper blaster at Aroyo and Advisor Cherton. Roki leapt into action, screaming out a warning to everyone on the balcony. "Everyone get down! There's a snip-"

A shot rang through the loud chaos of the joyous celebration, striking a target atop the balcony.

<~•~>

mayhaps ,, mayhaps I did give up on writing this chapter because this coronation ceremony thing was a pain in my ass

I figured that I should keep it short and sweet and not try to drag it on for too long, which is why this chapter is shorter than some of my typical ones if you've read some of my stuff before.

regardless, these first two chapters were just setting up the foundations for everything to start happening, so the ball is rolling and the action is coming!

I hope you liked the Roki and Alora interactions, because those two and Aroyo definitely are the closest out of the bunch. their prank wars might be a fun little key point in all of this, although Alora and Aroyo are the closest.

regardless, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one!