Proud

Andrew stepped onto the raised dais, accompanied by Leo and Grandmaster Erasmus.

He came to a stop at its centre.

Dressed in immaculate royal attire, Andrew stood elegantly with both hands resting upon the head of his cane. His posture was straight and commanding, but there was nothing stern in his expression as he looked out over the enormous gathering before him.

For once, the smile on King Andrew’s face was not the carefully measured smile of a monarch receiving his subjects.

It was genuine. Warm and kind.

His vivid green eyes travelled across the sea of faces below, taking them in clearly.

And the affection reflected in his expression was immediately returned.

Cheers rose from the crowd, spreading across the grounds until thousands of voices seemed to merge into one. Some waved towards him, others applauded, and Andrew’s smile only deepened as he stood before a kingdom that was clearly just as happy to see its king as he was to see them.

“My people. Men and women, young and old, and every child standing among you today—welcome.”

His voice carried warmly across the grounds, magnified by magic.

“Today, I stand before you as a grateful king. Grateful for your loyalty, for your trust, and for the love you have shown me and my family through the years.”

Andrew paused, his vivid green eyes travelling across the gathering once more.

“I have several announcements to make today. And for once, I am very happy to say that they are all good ones.”

A ripple of anticipation moved through the crowd.

Andrew waited until it settled.

“My first announcement concerns someone whose absence from this kingdom has been felt for far too long.”

His smile softened.

“Your Queen, Natalie Savant, has returned.”

For a moment, the crowd seemed unsure whether they had heard him correctly. Then murmurs swept across the grounds.

Andrew allowed them to spread before continuing.

“After a thorough investigation, Queen Natalie has been cleared of every charge brought against her. Her innocence has been established, and from this day forward, she will resume her rightful place and her royal duties.”

The murmurs vanished beneath an eruption of cheers.

People rose from their seats. Applause rolled through the gathering, growing louder as the news travelled towards those standing farther back.

Andrew remained silent and let them have the moment. His hands stayed resting upon his cane, but the smile on his face had changed.

This one was for his wife.

When the cheers finally began to settle, Andrew raised one hand.

“And there is something else.”

The grounds slowly quieted again.

“For some time, many of you have known that my eyesight was failing.”

His fingers tightened slightly around the head of his cane.

“That is no longer the case.”

Confused whispers moved through the gathering.

Andrew smiled.

“My sight has been restored.”

He raised a hand before the whispers could grow.

“And for that, I owe my gratitude to a remarkably young and powerful witch.”

His gaze shifted briefly towards the rooftops.

“One who has already strengthened this kingdom greatly with her presence, and to whom my family owes more than most of you could possibly know.”

His smile deepened.

“I will not embarrass her by saying much more than that.”

For one heartbeat, there was silence.

Then the crowd exploded.

People shouted. Hands flew into the air, and some began clapping above their heads while others simply stared at their king in disbelief.

Andrew laughed softly.

For the first time in years, he could see every bit of it.

His vivid green eyes travelled across the faces nearest the dais, then farther into the enormous gathering beyond them—the smiles, the waving hands, the people cheering for him.

He had stood before crowds like this countless times, but it had been a very long time since he had truly seen one.

Andrew let himself look.

Only when the cheers finally began to settle did he raise his hand once more.

This time, his expression grew more solemn.

“And now, I come to the most important announcement I will make today—one that directly concerns the future of Etheria.”

The grounds quieted.

“For many years, this kingdom believed that my son and rightful heir, Prince Edward Simon Savant, had been lost.”

Andrew paused.

“Today, I have the extraordinary privilege of telling you that he was not.”

He looked across his people.

“Prince Edward Simon Savant has returned to Etheria, and with his return, the line of succession will be restored.”

His gaze moved towards the great doors.

“Prince Edward will resume his rightful place as Crown Prince of Etheria.”

Andrew continued.

“As a consequence, Rowland Longbottom has formally renounced his position as Crown Prince.”

His gaze shifted towards Zeena.

“For years, Rowland carried a responsibility that was never meant to be his, and he carried it with dignity, loyalty, and an unwavering commitment to Etheria.”

Andrew’s expression softened.

“For that, he has my gratitude.”

He turned his attention back towards the crowd.

“Rowland, however, will continue to serve this kingdom in a different capacity. His title may be changing, but his place in Etheria is not.”

Andrew stepped slightly aside and looked towards the great doors.

“And now, I believe it is time you saw them both.”

The doors opened.

Sammy emerged first, dressed in ceremonial gold and off-white, the colours catching brightly beneath the afternoon sun.

Rowland walked beside him in black and maroon.

And for the final time, the Crown Prince’s circlet rested upon Rowland’s head.

The crowd finally erupted.

Cheers thundered across the grounds as the two young men made their way towards the dais. Sammy tried his best to maintain the dignified expression expected of Etheria’s returning prince, though the smile threatening at the corners of his mouth made the effort increasingly hopeless.

Rowland, by contrast, looked remarkably at ease.

They climbed the steps and stopped before Andrew.

Then another figure emerged.

Queen Natalie stepped into view in a flowing lavender sequinned gown that shimmered beneath the afternoon sun. Long sleeves fitted elegantly along her arms before opening into sweeping lengths of fabric that draped towards the ground with every movement. Her black hair fell around her shoulders in elegant curls, and upon her head rested a magnificent gold crown adorned with diamonds and deep blue sapphires.

For the first time in years, Natalie stood before the people of Etheria not as an exile, nor as a woman accused of betraying her kingdom, but as their Queen.

The cheers swelled again, but Natalie kept her eyes on the two young men before her as she approached.

She stopped in front of Rowland.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Rowland bowed his head.

Natalie reached up and carefully removed the circlet from him.

Rowland straightened.

And smiled.

Natalie turned towards her son.

Sammy’s earlier struggle to appear dignified vanished. He stood completely still as his mother raised the circlet and carefully placed it upon his head.

Prince Edward Simon Savant had returned.

And the crown had returned to its rightful line.

Among the crowd gathered near the dais, Zeena had barely moved. Her eyes had followed Rowland from the moment he appeared.

For years, she had prepared him for a crown that had never truly belonged to him. Every lesson, every expectation, every impossible standard she had imposed upon her son had been aimed towards this one future.

And now, she had watched him surrender it willingly.

Rowland’s eyes found hers. For a moment, Zeena’s expression remained unreadable before she gave him a small nod.

But there was something else in her eyes, something Rowland had been craving to see for a very long time.

She was proud of him.

His face broke into a smile, one that reached all the way to his eyes, and before Zeena could possibly prepare herself, Rowland stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

She stiffened for only a moment before her arms came around her son.

“Get away from me, boy. The ceremony is still going on.”

“No.”

Rowland held her tighter.

Zeena sighed.

But she didn’t let go.

Around them, the celebration continued.

Music rose across the grounds as the formal ceremony finally gave way to festivities. Tables stretched beneath colourful canopies, servants carried trays laden with food and drink, and children darted between laughing adults while musicians competed with the noise of thousands of conversations.

For the first time in years, the royal family stood together before the people of Etheria.

A Queen had returned.

A lost prince had come home.

And a kingdom that had endured years of uncertainty finally had something worth celebrating.

The celebration would continue for two more days.