Thoughts. Constant thoughts just running through my head. Some good, others bad, but all clouded my mind as I woke up that day.
I was just starting to get use to my new room, but occasionally woke up confused about the difference.
My senses were sharpened, it was only my mind which eluded me.
Getting ready for the day ahead of me felt like a mundane routine which I didn't realized I had done until I stood in front of the mirror staring at my reflection.
"Remember to breathe, remember your lines, remember to..."
Some many thoughts.
I stared down at my ring, absentmindedly toying with it.
"Today is the day everything I've ever wanted is given to me. I should be glad, I should feel relieved."
A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. I didn't even have to guess to know who it was.
"Hey."
I continued to stare at my ring, not responding, only pondering. She sat next to me on the bed and held my other hand.
"How did you sleep last night?"
"Awful." I stared at the top of the canopy all night.
"You know, I'm still having a hard time remembering where everything is. That's me; takes a while to get adjusted to something new."
She was trying to make me feel better, but nothing could ease me at that point.
Finally she forced me to look at her.
"Why are you so nervous?" Her voice was firm, but the look in her eyes were tender.
"I couldn't give you an answer if I tried." I stared back down at the ring again.
"I guess getting everything you've worked so hard for can be scary, huh? Kind of feels like a dream. You're afraid you'll wake up and find yourself back in that same, helpless position- still fighting for what you want."
It was as if she knew what my mind was saying even when I didn't.
"Are you ready?"
"I've been ready for so long." I said.
Her smile returned and she messed up my hair like when we were young.
"There's the fire."
She takes my hand and I take hers as we head down the hall towards my future.

The Ceremonial Hall was in hushed whispers by the time we arrived.
I wanted a private coronation, but the law stated it had to be held in front of the lesser rulers- village and city sheriffs- as well as a small minority of commonfolk.
The moment Emmony let go of my hand the anxiety returned.
Since the Djuma was believed to be blessed by the Fates, he was the only one that could declare me king.
The ceremony shouldn't last anymore than ten minutes- they were usually very brief- I knew my lines and actions, but everything felt so surreal.
Once I knelt before the Djuma the coronation would begin.
My heart was beating so loud it echoed in my ears, but I took in a breath and as the Djuma began his opening pray to the Fates, I was tempted to look behind and search for Emmony.
I knew every word he was going to recite, but I didn't pay much mind to them until it came my turn to speak.
"Under the Fates and under oath, do you promise to uphold the moral law and order as long as your blessed reign prosper?"
"Under this oath I do swear to serve the people and land under the just law of man and the Fates."
"With this I ask the blessings of the benevolent Fates of the universe to-"
Then I felt it. It had been there all morning, but now it was rising to the surface like a treacherous boil. The darkness. I knew that the chances of being able to control it would be little to none. My mind was telling me to flee, but I remained knelt in front of the old Djuma.
"Hold it in, hold it in. It's almost over, just a little bit longer."
I realized how quickly I was losing the battle to suppress them, though. Fortunately the time had come for the last part of the ceremony.
"Not here, not now." I wasn't going to ruin this for myself.
I knew I was strong enough to suppress them for a few more minutes. My hands were burning and I had to cross them to keep others from noticing the violent trembling.
"Rise and take the balance of order and the cast of blessing." He said.
I stood, terrified, and turned to take the objects.
"Ten seconds, you can hold them for at least ten seconds."
Letting out a shaky breath, I reached for the sacred objects. The balance was just that, a small, golden balance to represent order. The cast on the other hand was a glass box filled with water from the Fates' fountain- it represented the blessing of the Fates over my rule.
They felt heavier than they should as I held them. My hand trembled uncontrollably, but I tried in vain to maintain my composer so that no one noticed.
"Benedictio et verum autem quod Fata quia-"
I could already see the dark mist as it begun to rise from my hands. It was going to become noticeable if I didn't act.
The Djuma was still droning through his lines of blessing, but my hands were trembling too badly and my heart felt as if it had ceased beating.
"Faith, prosperity, and power be to the Fates' appoint-"
The shattered sound of glass broke the silence in the room and cut off the Djuma. It shattered in harmony with the crashing sound of the balance as it hit the floor.
I crossed my hands again, quickly, slightly embarrassed of interruption I'd made. The sacred water ran down the steps, fleeing its prison.
There were gasps from the crowd- albeit hushed- but also a tense silence in the air. Even the Djuma seemed taken back for a second.
"Continue." I commanded sharply.
This brought the Djuma and audience back to the moment as he cleared his voice to continue.
"With the Fates' authority, I crown you now as King Xalale Balian Domshov of Edalirwen."
Nothing brought me more relief to know that the deed had been done. It was now sealed, I was king.

I had ordered no celebration after the ceremony. All I wanted to do was be alone and away from everyone.
I needed time to reflect and relax- my days were going to become hectic soon enough.
My bed chamber was my safe haven, a place to let down my guard and rest. But today I was pacing back and forth furious with myself.
The knock on the door almost went unanswered due to my occupied thoughts.
"What's wrong?"
I stopped pacing at the sound of Emmony's voice, but it didn't stop the anger rising in me.
"Why are you upset?"
"I made myself look like a fool." I spat.
"Why worry about trivial things?" She said. "You're king now."
I ignored her comment, starting back up my persistent pacing.
"She would have known. She would have picked apart every mistake." I said this more to myself than her, but that didn't matter.
"Are you talking about your mother?" She questioned.
I didn't have to respond for her to know the answer.
"Why are you so concerned about what she thinks of you? She's not even here."
The anger in her tone is what made me stop pacing. Emmony was rarely ever angered. She could become frustrated, but it was something new to hear her crossed.
Her tone became less strict once she knew she had my attention.
"You base too much of yourself on how she thought of you. You can't keep seeking acceptance from somebody who won't accept you as you are."
She closed the distance between us and held my hands, her eyes searching the ground instead of mine. Her voice had returned to its usual tone but her volume was lower.
"Your mother...she wasn't a very kind woman and has done many vile deeds during her rule, but-" She looked up at me. "But you don't have to be like her. I know you wanted to for the longest time when we were younger, but now you can make your own path. You can change everything."
I sighed, finally letting my frustrations fade away.
"Why do you even bother to deal with somebody like me? I get so disheartened so easily, yet you always know what to say to relieve the fear."
"We all have weaknesses, we just need somebody to strengthen us when we have them."
Her whisper in my ear stirred something inside of me. I held her close, listening to her steady breathing.
My mouth gazed her ear as I asked, "What's your weakness?"
Not responding right away, she rested her head on my chest, eyes closed with a small smile on her face.
She was beautiful everyday, but she was remarkable in that position. So calm and peaceful. I could feel her warmth as it spread through me.
Without opening her eyes, she softly responded.
"I think my weakness is you."
"That's a rather tragic weakness."
I kissed her forehead then her cheek. Her eyes slowly opened and she stared at me with an intense gaze that I had never seen in her eyes before. Her lips found mine and I held her closer, with a more tighter grasp. She held me back, leaning into my embrace.
"It's not tragic at all," She mumbled between breaths. "It means you're my strength as well."
Her words and her actions caused my heart to be lifted in a way I had never experienced before. This whole experience was new and I ravishing in every second of it.
"How could I possibly strengthen you? You're already so strong."
She pulled back breathless, a mischievous smile on her face.
"You help me become selfless. If I don't keep my pride in check it'll destroy me someday. You're always there to humble me."
I took her breath away again. We stood there, in each other's embrace, for a good minute before we pulled back.
I wanted to go again, but instead she broke out of my embrace and took my hand, leading me to my bed.
Her eyes were filled with passion as intensely as it was felt in my soul. I wanted her so badly, I craved something I'd never had before.
Our hands were on each other before we even hit the bed. My shirt off, her dress on the floor, my pants following behind.
The heat of the moment enraptured us both like a wild fire. I was scared I was going to mess up, that I would make a fool of myself. But she was my strength when I felt weak.
Secretly I was reserved to the thought at first, but then I thought about my mother, about something she mentioned before.
"Be pure until marriage. A king never rushes what should wait."
I think that's what increased my pleasure as my body and soul became one with Emmony. The thought of rebelling against my mother's rules in so many ways- it showed she had no control over me- I had broken her wishes for me to stay chastened until marriage and I had done it with the woman she didn't favor to be around me.
Emmony was perfect, flawless in every way I could've ever imagined. I just hoped I was the same for her.
I reached a climax I didn't even know I could obtain, with Emmony following just a few seconds after.
Breathless and exhausted yet at the same time exhilarated, that was something I'd never felt before. I could tell she felt the same.
We laid there for a few moments, catching our breath and staring at the canopy above us. Like usual, she broke the silence.
"Do you think anybody heard us?"
"Probably not. But if they did, let them wonder."
The afternoon sun gave the room the perfect lighting. Her smile shone the brightest in the fading sunlight.
We returned to another brief stretch of silence. Our breathing had calmed down and my heart was at regular pace again.
She leaned over giving me one more gentle kiss on the lips before resting her head on my chest.
"I love you."
The words were so foreign that they took me back. I hadn't heard them spoken to me in so long I'd almost forgot they existed. Out of all the things she could've said she chose those three simple words.
I held her close as we both started to drift off.
I was finally king and in control of what I wanted. This was the first time in a very long time that I felt I had everything in the world.
The most shocking part day was I responded.
"I love you too."