Putting Forcadel back together was a task so large I wasn't sure I could do it in my lifetime. People who'd lost their homes wanted them back, and people who'd taken them wanted compensation for it. Businesses needed start-up money to function again, and considering my treasury was nearly gone, I had very little to help them with.
But as these things do, eventually order came back to the world. Our newly negotiated agreements with Kulka and Niemen meant food was flowing freely into the trade capital once more, and thanks to the new trade route along the Ilarian river, there was now a market for varo. The Niemenians found it a more precise explosive ore for their mining purposes and paid a pretty penny for it. Extraction was dangerous, but the Severian engineers were hard at work coming up with new safety measures, with my blessing.
For now, Severia remained a part of Forcadel, but I didn't know how long that would last. We were slowly replenishing the money Ilara had spent by charging a half-silver tariff for every pound of gold made within Severian borders. One day, when Forcadel had been paid back, we might officially sever ties.
In the meantime—
"Brynna," Katarine said, walking into my office. "It's time."
I made a noise and scribbled my signature on the payment for the merchants. "I still think this is a waste of time—and money. Nobody needs this."
"We all need this," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "Now hurry up. I'm already going to have to scrub the ink off your hands as it is."
I put down my quill and sat back in my chair. "If you insist."
"I do."
Knowing she would drag me by my elbows if I resisted, I followed her out of my office, pursing my lips. She led me up the stairs to the royal suite then to my tower. I'd honestly become so used to the place that I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else, and I'd moved my official residence up there. The former royal suites would be used for something else—a decision I'd put off for as long as possible.
There, in the tower, Beata was waiting, an assortment of hair jewels by her side. The children were playing tag in the space, all of them wearing their best tunics. But with one word from their mother, they stopped their horseplay and straightened up.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," they chorused in unison.
"Has Felix been working on them?" I said, taking a seat on the pouf in front of the mirror.
"He's not the only one who knows how to bow," Beata said, brushing my hair. She'd taken to her life as a housewife and mother of seven with ease, but had agreed to style my hair today as a personal favor—and because I hadn't found another maid yet.
"Are you nervous?" she asked, deftly braiding my hair the way she used to do.
"Why would I be nervous? I've been doing the job for months now."
She smiled, nodding to the open window. "There's quite the crowd out there."
The roar was deafening, even all the way up here. "Still, they're my people."
"You could be nervous that you'll trip and fall on your face."
"Thanks, Elisha," I said, glancing at the teenager. Unlike her brothers and sisters, she wore a white dress similar to the one I would be wearing. "I hope you don't trip and fall on your face. Figured out how to wear that dress yet?"
"I can't see why I have to wear one of these," she said, fussing with the hem. "I can bring you your crown wearing a tunic and pants."
"You most certainly cannot," Katarine said, looking around. "Where did you put the crown?"
"It's right over here."
"Don't you dare lose it."
"It's kinda hard to lose a big, honking thing."
"Don't be sassy to your mother," Beata snapped, nearly sticking me in the head with a pin. "Or else I'll throw out your tunics and make you wear dresses all day long."
"Don't tempt her, Elisha," I said, as Beata turned to apply rouge to my cheeks. "She'll do it."
After she finished my makeup, she and Katarine dressed me in a white number, a dress that had been made for me some time ago that I'd never gotten to wear. It had been adjusted to my royal "burn all the corsets" decree, but it still reminded me of that fateful day nearly two years before when I'd last worn it.
"Are we ready to go?" Katarine asked, looking at her pocket watch. "Elisha, do you—"
"Yes, Mom." She held up the crown that had been placed on a red pillow. "I got it."
Katarine and Beata beamed as they took us in, standing side by side, and it was hard not to grimace along with Elisha. But I simply cleared my throat and motioned to the time.
Katarine and Beata held my hands and the rest of the children carried the train of my immense dress as we carefully walked down the staircase to the bottom story. There, waiting in his finest dress uniform, was Felix.
He stepped forward, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You look beautiful."
"I look like I'm wasting money."
"Our little princess has grown up," Katarine said with a soft smile before looking behind me. "Elisha, you're going to drop that thing if you aren't careful."
"If I kiss you, will it mess up your makeup?" Felix asked, tilting his head down toward me.
"I don't think it's prudent for my general to kiss the would-be queen," I said. "And I think Beata might murder you if you smeared my rouge."
He lifted my hand and gently kissed my fingertips, reminding me of the previous night and why I'd gotten no work done. My cheeks reddened but I kept myself together, as there was an audience.
"We're ready to walk," Katarine said. "Felix, you stand with me."
As we walked into the main hall of the castle, headed toward the open doors, lining the hall were a fresh crop of Forcadelian cadets that Aline had been running ragged. Their youth made me excited for the future, and I couldn't help but feel like Jorad would approve.
The young soldiers pulled out their swords and pointed them to the sky as I walked through them. Aline was at the end, her gaze sharp on her soldiers. But as the three of us passed, she winked and gave me a small nod.
The Forcadelians crowded the square, but the soldiers at attention—the ones who'd been by my side since Neveri—kept them at bay. There was a space every few soldiers to mark one we'd lost, and my gaze lingered on the gap at the front, where Jorad would've stood. Felix reached down to squeeze my hand as we passed.
The church had been decorated with flowers and ribbons, the doors flung wide open. The bell tower, too, no longer my secret hiding spot, was similarly adorned. A blue sky shone overhead, though only a hint of summer remained in the air.
Inside the church, Felix and Katarine fell out of step with me, but Elisha scampered in front, the crown steady on the pillow. She grinned at me, and I smiled back. As soon as the music began, she took her first steps out, and I followed.
I walked alone, accompanied by the chorus of young voices and music playing. Seated just to the right of the dais was the Niemenian delegation—Luard and their sister Erlina. Ariadna hadn't felt it right to make the trip, but she'd sent me a heartfelt letter extending her blessing for my rule. To the left of the dais were Ammon and his wife, who I'd had the pleasure of dining with the night before. She was as lovely as he was sour, and we agreed to remain in regular contact. The Kulkans had also come bearing a letter from Ammon's father, although it was much less heartfelt and much more concerned about the tariffs on Kulkan ships coming into the Forcadelian bay.
Filling the pews were business leaders, merchants, and everyday people who'd been selected from a lottery. I'd wanted the entire audience to be comprised of lottery winners, but my Council thought otherwise, considering the help certain people were giving to rebuild the city.
My gaze landed on a pair of familiar faces, and I smiled. Kieran hadn't come asking for his solid gold statue yet, and Jax hadn't come looking for his money. But I'd heard the two of them were causing trouble in the Kulkan waters, and I did my best to avoid crossing paths with them.
In front of me, Elisha waved at her fellow thief, causing the crown to bobble, and behind me, Katarine sucked in a breath. But I just snorted, especially as Elisha steadied herself and kept walking.
At the front of the church, standing on a dais, was Mother Fishen. Jax and the vigilantes had made sure she was safely ensconced in a small town to the north, and once the coast was clear, she'd returned to her ministry to cheers and cries of relief.
I walked the two stairs to the dais then knelt before her.
"Are you ready to be queen, Brynna?" she asked softly, so only I could hear. "Officially?"
And, swear to the Mother, I could honestly say that I was.