Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1502 - 101 : The Coronation

*Saoirse*

The sun was shining down on Rhys and me, illuminating the Great Hall with its warm color and light. Yet, it was nothing to the glow coming from inside of me.

Inside of me was a bright mass of excitement and reverence as I beheld the grand elder of Egoren stepping forward to begin the coronation ceremony. He stood tall and graceful, a beacon of sunlight and the light our new reign would bring.

There was silence as all that gathered waited for him to speak. The room as a whole seemed to collectively hold their breath.

“Welcome all to the coronation of the future king and queen of Egoren,” boomed the holy man’s voice, carrying over the full but silent Great Hall. “We are gathered in this hall to witness the swearing-in of the two who stand before me.”

He paused and smiled at the two of us.

“They have proven, without a doubt, that they are the sole rightful heirs to the position and understand the weight of the roles they take from here on out,” he continued in the same booming tone. “Now take witness to this historical day.”

The grand elder stepped closer to us both and gestured at us with his hands.

“Kneel before me.”

We responded without hesitation. My hand found its way to rest on my pregnant belly as I lowered myself in my extravagant dress. Rhys watched me closely as he kneeled beside me, but I kept my attention on the grand elder. As queen, I couldn’t always rely on Rhys to help me.

“Repeat after me,” the grand elder said.

I quickly swallowed, but my mouth was dry. Hopefully, my voice would come out clear and strong as I hoped and intended.

“I, speak your full name.” We did as he asked, both of our voices thankfully steady as we spoke at the same time. “Vow to serve and protect the people of Egoren as king and queen.”

We repeated it back, in sync as always.

“I vow to govern with compassion and wisdom and to uphold the values that have made our kingdom a beacon of hope and prosperity.”

I straightened my back as I repeated the words, pride surging through me. This was my land now, my people. And just as with my previous pack, I would do anything to protect them.

The babies kicked at my hand, which still rested against me. A smile crossed my face as I thought of the lives growing inside me—a perfect representation of the new life we were beginning and the future we were building together.

“I vow that until my death or until a successor is crowned, I will dedicate my life to the crown.”

The grand elder gestured to a young boy in a robe behind him who hurried to bring forward a large plush purple pillow with the two crowns resting upon it. When we finished repeating the vow, the grand elder grabbed Rhys’ large, domed crown and held it above himself.

The sunlight streaming in the windows hit the crown beautifully and reflected in sparkles across the hall. There was a pause as we all took a moment to admire the crown and the symbolism behind it.

“As grand elder, I hear and accept these vows from you today as truth. As a result, I declare you King Rhys of Egoren from this moment forward.”

I watched in pride and adoration as the crown was placed on Rhys’ head, settling into place as if it had always belonged there. He seemed to sit up taller, bearing the weight of the crown by strengthening himself. The crown might have made him the king officially, but it was clear to me that he always had the stature of a king.

The grand elder twisted back to the pillow and grabbed the delicate, jeweled crown set with rubies the color of my hair. He turned back to face the crowd and held it up as well. When the sun hit the rubies, it appeared as if small flames danced around the hall. I heard gasps of awe behind me, and a smile crossed my face.

The crown couldn’t be more perfect for me.

“As grand elder, I hear and accept these vows from you today as truth. As a result, I declare you Queen Saoirse of Egoren from this moment forward.”

I held my breath as he lowered the crown slowly and set it on my head. The crown weighed practically nothing, yet my neck still flexed at the weight being set upon me.

It was the weight of a country.

A surge of emotion passed through me. I wasn’t sure what to feel. I felt humility and purpose. Above all, I felt a fierce determination to prove myself. The grand elder smiled warmly down at me. I could sense the approval and respect emanating from him, lifting me back up.

I was prepared for this. The beloved Queen Lena had been diligently preparing me for this moment, and I was ready to step into the role. With such a great role model and with how much effort I was making, it would be easy to transition over.

King Xander and Queen Lena ruled with grace, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to their people, so they would be a hard act to follow. No, I didn’t want to think like that. Their success would teach us how to be even better.

I made a silent promise to myself to honor their legacy by being a just and compassionate queen, guided by the principles they had instilled in me.

“Please rise,” the grand elder echoed out.

Again, Rhys and I did as instructed without question.

“Now turn to the people, your people,” he instructed.

I found myself holding my breath again as we both turned slowly around. However, instead of angry, irritated faces like I was used to seeing in Hunters Glen, I was humbled to see beaming faces. It was the faces of people I had lived with smiling and crying as they gazed upon us.

I fought back tears as I straightened even further, if that was possible.

“It is my pleasure to pronounce for the first time, King Rhys and Queen Saoirse,” the grand elder practically shouted to the room. “Long may they reign!”

“Long may they reign!” came the responding boom of voices.

King Rhys reached over and grasped my hand. He held it up in the air, proud and victorious. Cheers erupted from the crowd. I was sure a grin was stretched across my face, but I couldn’t feel it. I was numb.

At least this time, it was the result of positive emotion.

Rhys turned. Keeping ahold of my hand, he gave a small bow of respect to the grand elder before turning and leading me up the stairs to the two thrones that stood stark against the back wall. When we reached them, we turned and faced the crowd again, still clapping away, and took our seats in unison.

As soon as our bodies hit the chairs, the floodgates seemed to release. First to rush up were the visiting dignitaries from the allied kingdoms. The guards hurried to make a sort of precession line so we weren’t ambushed and could speak with each person who chose to come up in turn.

My eyes widened at how long the line had already grown. It appeared that my first act as queen would be surviving this day.

“Lord Vale and Lady Astelle from the Light Realm,” the guard at the front of the line announced.

Two well-dressed and graceful people stepped forward. If I had to guess, they were a decade older than Rhys and I, and they showed that maturity in the way they walked and the political smiles on their faces. The two bowed just as gracefully as they reached us, and then each handed us a small box.

“Congratulations to the new king and queen,” Lord Vale said in a silky voice.

“As a sign of our support, we brought you some of the rare enchanted crystals mined from our realm,” Lady Astelle said in a high-pitched, feminine voice. “We hope you will accept them as a sign of our continued loyalty.”

I slipped the lid of the small box I was holding and gasped as I saw the beautiful crystal within. It was a moonstone, the most perfect moonstone I had ever seen.

“We figured that you, Queen Saoirse, would appreciate the moonstone and behold it as a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself,” Lord Vale stated, noticing my wonder.

“Thank you. It is indeed lovely. It’s too lovely that I daresay it would be impossible to not accept such a gift,” I told them. “It is clear that you are experts in your field, and it is no wonder that the Light Realm is revered as the most beautiful of our lands. I look forward to seeing it soon myself.”

The two people in front of me swelled up with pride.

“We would love that, Your Majesty,” Lord Vale said.

“Then it shall be arranged,” Rhys said from beside me, a tranquil smile covering his face. “I will contact you once I know the details of the visit.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lady Astelle said with a grin of her own.

The guards guided them away to make room for the next set of people in line. Rhys took the moment of silence we had to reach over and squeeze my hand, which was resting on my lap.

“You are truly amazing, you know that, right?” Rhys asked as he gazed into my eyes.

My heart fluttered. Before I could reply, we were being introduced to the next set of dignitaries, who happened to be from one of the neighboring human territories. However, Rhys didn’t take his hand back. I squeezed it gently to show him my gratitude.

I couldn’t have asked for a better life partner.

Some of the staff came forward to grab the crystals and gifts that the human dignitaries had left before the next came through. I could barely keep track as I saw exquisite works of art, chests filled with gold, more jewels, extravagant foods, silks, and even a large harp.

Rhys and I accepted each offering, understanding that they symbolized the strengthening of diplomatic ties and goodwill toward the new monarch. King Xander and Queen Lena had fostered these relations for years, and we couldn’t falter to start.

A country was only as strong as its people. Divided we fell, and together we rose.

I was so focused and preoccupied with each person I was talking to, trying to make sure that I said something personal to each of them, that I didn’t notice the familiar large contingent until they were walking in front of me.

For the first time, I had to remind myself to remain seated as Axureon, Saphira, and a whole group of dragon shifters walked up toward Rhys and me on our thrones.

Rhys’ hand squeezed ever-so-slightly. I could feel his tension, but I did not feel those things. Axureon was smiling at me, actually smiling at me, and I was grinning right back. There was no doubt that he could feel my emotions still, and I knew what he must be feeling vicariously through me right now...

Pure satisfaction and bliss.

As they got to the last step, the horde came to a stop. With Axureon in the lead, they all kneeled respectfully before us. I felt Rhys’ hand relax in mine. I looked over to see the smile on his face as well.

It was crazy to think about how the men had first met and how they were meeting now. I never would have thought that the two would look at each other with such levels of respect.

But the dragon’s presence also brought the shadow of Pyroth’s threat.