Chapter 111: Crowned Queen Rowena
Rowena’s heart was pounding so hard she felt it in her throat. Her thoughts were a jumble. This is too fast. Why is she declared Queen out of the blue? None of this had been discussed. None of this had been explained to her beforehand. She felt the weight of every eye in the room pressing down on her. But beneath the panic, another feeling stirred, deep and hot.
"Kneel," he said quietly.
Rowena’s body moved before her mind could protest. The heavy skirts of her gown pooled around her as she knelt on the cold stone floor. She kept her head up, her back straight.
The hall remained silent.
Zareth stepped closer to her, his movements deliberate. He placed the crown on her head, adjusting it until it sat properly.
"This crown marks your authority. You will wear it as Queen of Drakwyne." He said.
The weight of the crown on her head was immediate. She had to tense her neck to keep it steady.
He took the scepter from the second pillow and placed it in her right hand. Her fingers closed around the cold metal rod.
"This represents your rule. Your word will carry weight. Your decisions will matter."
Finally, he lifted the amulet from the third pillow. The blue light reflected in Rowena’s eyes as he leaned forward and placed it around her neck. The moment it touched her skin, a strange warmth spread through her chest.
"This binds you to the throne and to the power that comes with it."
He stepped back. "I crown you, Rowena, Queen of Drakwyne." He announced, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
Rowena remained kneeling for a moment longer, her hands gripping the scepter tightly. The full weight of the moment pressed on her. She was unsure. She was afraid. She felt like an imposter in a play. Her heart was pounding, not from fear, but from something else, something that felt heavy and thrilling at the same time.
"Rise as Queen," Zareth said.
Rowena stood. The crown tilted slightly. She adjusted it with her free hand, an awkward gesture. Her posture shifted. Her shoulders straightened. Her chin lifted somewhat higher. Something inside her settled into place, as though she had been waiting for this moment without realizing it.
Her face, which had been a mask of stunned uncertainty, changed. The tension around her mouth softened, then settled into a new line. A small, smug smile formed on her lips before she could stop it. Queen of Drakwyne. The words echoed in her mind, not as a question but as a fact.
Rowena looked out at the sea of faces and, for the first time, she did not see threats. She saw subjects. She had spent her life being Aveloria’s shadows. She had yearned for a place, for necessity, for a name that commanded respect instead of pity or fear.
This was it. A surge of pure and fierce possession washed over her. This was hers now—the title, the throne, and power without force.
It was sudden. It was Zareth’s doing. Though dangerous, it was also real.
As if commanded, movements swept the room. It started with the guards holding the pillow. They went down on one knee, bowing their heads. The coven members followed, a wave of black cloaks bending. The elders knelt. The wolf leaders and soldiers also knelt.
Everyone present in the room bowed their heads except Zareth.
Then a voice from one of the coven members near the front rang out. "Long live the Queen!"
It was picked up immediately, and a chorus from dozens of throats filled the hall. "Long live the Queen."
The sound washed over her. Rowena felt it settle into her bones—Queen of Drakwyne. The title felt strange and right at the same time.
Zareth watched her. His knowing look had returned. He extended his hand to her. Rowena looked at it, then placed her left hand in his. He led her the few steps up to the dais. His grip was firm, possessive, guiding her without asking. He led her to the smaller stone throne and waited as she arranged her gown and sat.
Zareth sat down, reclaiming his place on the higher stone throne. Then he returned his gaze to the kneeling assembly.
"You may rise," He said.
The people stood. All eyes are on her. Rowena kept the smile on her face. Inside her, the turmoil had already settled, replaced by a single, focused thought.
"Now, I hold something too."
For the first time since she had entered Drakwyne, she felt like she truly belonged there.
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The hall of feasts was already prepared by the time they moved from the great hall. Long wooden tables filled the space, each one crowded with platters of roasted meat, bowls of stew, loaves of bread, wheels of cheese, fruits, and clay pitchers of ale and wine. Servants moved quickly between the tables, refilling cups and clearing empty plates.
Rowena sat on a raised platform beside Zareth, slightly above the rest of the gathering. Below them, the other men and women of Drakwyne gathered in groups. Some sat and ate with little restraint, while others stood in clusters, drinking, laughing, and speaking loudly. The tension that had filled the great hall earlier was gone. Faces were relaxed. Voices were louder. The mood had shifted into something almost celebratory.
Music played softly from one corner of the room. A small group of musicians strummed strings and tapped light drums, keeping the sound steady but not overpowering. It blended into the noise of conversation and laughter.
Rowena picked at the food on her plate at first, still adjusting to everything that had happened. She watched them for a moment, then she leaned closer to Zareth. Her voice was low.
"Why didn’t you tell me you were going to crown me tonight?" she asked.
Zareth took a drink from his cup before answering. He turned his head toward her, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Were you planning to reject the title?" he asked lightly.
Her eyes widened. "No," she said, the answer coming quickly. "Of course not."
"Then why would I warn you?" he said, his tone playful.
She shook her head and let out a small breath. "You could have given me some time to prepare."
Zareth leaned back slightly in his chair. "You handled it well without preparation. Too well, if you ask me." He said.
She glanced at him. "You think so?"
"I know so. You must enjoy being called Queen."
