CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

EPILOGUE

Arara tugged at the collar of her black sedyu uniform while she shifted from foot to foot. Standing on two legs for a long period of time was harder than it looked. Next to her Yegra’s wagging tail brushed her back.

<Stop fidgeting during the Queen’s speech,> Yegra gefired her. A thick tail thumped into her back again. <You don’t want Tukura to notice your attention has wandered. Again.>

At least the summer heat had finally broken. Fluffy gray clouds blocked most of the sun’s rays; the first of the fall rains. A light breeze caressed her fur. A fly buzzed by her face and she flicked her ears impatiently trying to drive it off.

“We would like to extend an invitation to our northern Yakan neighbors, a hand of peace.” The Queen announced. “Too long have we been torn apart by war. As a gesture of that peace, we’d like to present you with the Flower of Heroism, to be presented by sedyu Arara of Last Home.”

The Queen gestured to Arara. Arara took a deep breath and stepped forward to slip the loop of red ribbon over Ottont’s head. Attached was a red flower, one of the Queen’s own blooms. It was an honor only bestowed on a select few. The magically preserved flower had been set into a dark wood disk inscribed with the Sebaine family’s royal crest. The dark wood and cherry red contrasted with Ottont’s snow white fur and cream leather vest.

Ottont presented his neck to the Queen and then to Tukura to a flurry of howling and Kin foot stomping, then turned away from Arara and Yegra to move off the stage. As he passed Sels, hidden just out of sight on the far end of the stage, he inclined his head in a gesture of respect.

*****

SELS TOOK A BIG BREATH, closed his eyes and counted to ten to steady his nerves, then moved out in measured steps across the stage. His left leg still ached, and the weight of his ceremonial robes made it worse, but he did his best to hide his limp. Recka followed along behind him holding up the train of his long robes.

The Queen bent forward to kiss his cheek, giving him an earnest smile as she straightened before pivoting to face the audience. “My son, Prince Lsander of Sebaine.”

The audience howled and stomped. The Queen stood, smiling, for a moment, letting the crowd celebrate, and then raised her hands. Everyone went still.

The wind picked up, flapping his heavy robes and plastering his pants against his legs. Behind him Recka struggled to keep the train from blowing away. The Queen smiled and raised her arms higher, leaning back. Her own robes barely fluttered as the wind rippled around them.

The clouds parted and a circle of sunlight speared the stage. Sesay floated down, seemingly lighter than air. Her yellow dress streamed up and out behind her like cloth sunlight, revealing her bare roots and shapely legs. She landed next to the Queen with a flutter, her dress falling in perfect frilly layers around her. The diamonds sewn in the hems glittered, refracting the sunlight into rainbows that shimmered randomly about the stage each time she moved.

Sels suspected his own vine-do and robes were worse for the wind, and felt shabby next to his beautiful cousin.

“My niece, Princess Saywyn of Sebaine.” The Queen announced. “I hearby announced the two of you officially married.”

The announcement and the cheering brought him back to the present and he realized he’d been staring at Sesay. She smiled and he blushed, and then shyly smiled back at his new wife.

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MADISON KELLER lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. When not writing they can be found bicycling around the woods of Oregon or at the dog park with their adorable Chihuahua mix.