the cathedral. The news quickly spread along the streets that the king and queen were returning to the palace, and indeed, not very much time had passed before Anna saw the procession coming down the street once more. Circlets of gold rested on the heads of both the king and queen, and a mantle of ermine hung from the king’s shoulders. In his hands he carried the orb and scepter of the kingdom, which he held up for the crowds to see. They moved quickly along the route towards the waiting barge, and the crowds broke up as they disappeared from sight.
Anna was hot and sticky by the time they arrived at Drake House, and the children were complaining that their legs were sore, their heads hurt and they were hungry. Even Bronwyn seemed to be miserable. The problem with the city, Anna thought to herself, was that there was no escape from the heat and smog – no shady woods to walk in and no cool lakes to dive into.
Aaron and Keira returned to Drake House soon after, and Keira eagerly shared the details of the ceremony. “It was very solemn,” she said. “The king swore an oath that he would serve and protect the kingdom according to the law of the land, before the archbishop recited a very long prayer and anointed him with oil. Then the royal mantle was placed on his shoulders and the crown placed on his head, and he was given the orb and scepter. The queen didn’t swear an oath, but she was also anointed with oil before being crowned. They kneeled throughout the ceremony, their eyes downcast, even when Prince Frederick started crying.”
Anna smiled in amusement. “What happened?”
“He was hot and bothered, I suppose. Prince Rupert was sitting behind the children, and he gave his nephew his dagger to play with.”
Anna looked at Keira in shock. “You’re jesting!”
Keira laughed. “I’m not! It was a ceremonial dagger, but still very sharp. However, it did the trick. Frederick spent the rest of the ceremony scratching the wooden pew.”
Anna laughed. “I’m sure the archbishop appreciated that! How old is the prince?”
“Frederick or Rupert?” Keira smiled. “Frederick is four, and his uncle Rupert is about twenty-five. You will see him at the banquet tonight. Speaking of which, we should probably start getting ready.”
All the city noblemen and merchants had been invited to attend a banquet on the palace grounds to celebrate the coronation, and Anna had been included in the invitation as well. New gowns had been ordered and delivered earlier in the week, and Anna had purchased a new pair of slippers for the event.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a flurry of activity as the women hurried to prepare themselves for the royal banquet. Maids hurried between the rooms, hauling water and bringing linens. Hannah, Cathryn’s personal maid, rushed between them, helping pull on gowns, don jewels and dress hair. Anna’s gown was a pale yellow silk, which hung in gentle folds from her hips, accentuating her narrow waist. The long sleeves were tight over her upper arms, and then flared wide, ending at her wrists over the front of her hand, but hanging down low at the back. Her new slippers peeked out from beneath the hem of the gown, and around her neck hung a simple string of pearls, a gift from Aaron and Keira on her twenty-first birthday. Seed pearls, tucked into the long braid that hung down her back, sparkled in the afternoon sun.
Aaron and Keira were waiting for her when she walked into the hall a short time later.
“Ready?” Aaron asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Then let’s be off,” he said. “Favian and Cathryn will meet us there.” He picked up a shawl from the bench, and with a flourish, draped it around Keira’s shoulders, before heading towards the door.
Chapter 9
It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at the palace, but the sun was still high in the sky. The river was a highway of boats, with ferrymen poling their way around each other as they strove for the
Anna was hot and sticky by the time they arrived at Drake House, and the children were complaining that their legs were sore, their heads hurt and they were hungry. Even Bronwyn seemed to be miserable. The problem with the city, Anna thought to herself, was that there was no escape from the heat and smog – no shady woods to walk in and no cool lakes to dive into.
Aaron and Keira returned to Drake House soon after, and Keira eagerly shared the details of the ceremony. “It was very solemn,” she said. “The king swore an oath that he would serve and protect the kingdom according to the law of the land, before the archbishop recited a very long prayer and anointed him with oil. Then the royal mantle was placed on his shoulders and the crown placed on his head, and he was given the orb and scepter. The queen didn’t swear an oath, but she was also anointed with oil before being crowned. They kneeled throughout the ceremony, their eyes downcast, even when Prince Frederick started crying.”
Anna smiled in amusement. “What happened?”
“He was hot and bothered, I suppose. Prince Rupert was sitting behind the children, and he gave his nephew his dagger to play with.”
Anna looked at Keira in shock. “You’re jesting!”
Keira laughed. “I’m not! It was a ceremonial dagger, but still very sharp. However, it did the trick. Frederick spent the rest of the ceremony scratching the wooden pew.”
Anna laughed. “I’m sure the archbishop appreciated that! How old is the prince?”
“Frederick or Rupert?” Keira smiled. “Frederick is four, and his uncle Rupert is about twenty-five. You will see him at the banquet tonight. Speaking of which, we should probably start getting ready.”
All the city noblemen and merchants had been invited to attend a banquet on the palace grounds to celebrate the coronation, and Anna had been included in the invitation as well. New gowns had been ordered and delivered earlier in the week, and Anna had purchased a new pair of slippers for the event.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a flurry of activity as the women hurried to prepare themselves for the royal banquet. Maids hurried between the rooms, hauling water and bringing linens. Hannah, Cathryn’s personal maid, rushed between them, helping pull on gowns, don jewels and dress hair. Anna’s gown was a pale yellow silk, which hung in gentle folds from her hips, accentuating her narrow waist. The long sleeves were tight over her upper arms, and then flared wide, ending at her wrists over the front of her hand, but hanging down low at the back. Her new slippers peeked out from beneath the hem of the gown, and around her neck hung a simple string of pearls, a gift from Aaron and Keira on her twenty-first birthday. Seed pearls, tucked into the long braid that hung down her back, sparkled in the afternoon sun.
Aaron and Keira were waiting for her when she walked into the hall a short time later.
“Ready?” Aaron asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Then let’s be off,” he said. “Favian and Cathryn will meet us there.” He picked up a shawl from the bench, and with a flourish, draped it around Keira’s shoulders, before heading towards the door.
Chapter 9
It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at the palace, but the sun was still high in the sky. The river was a highway of boats, with ferrymen poling their way around each other as they strove for the
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