#Chapter 438 – Coronation Ella
Sinclair and I wake up only a few short hours later, our clothing spread out all over the bed and floor all around us, because today is the big day.
I groan a little when I feel Sinclair stir.
“No,” I murmur, wrapping my arm around him and pulling him back down. Or, I should say that he lets me pull him back down. Because there’s no way I’m strong enough to physically make my big scary Alpha do anything he doesn’t want to do.
But he is sweet, and obliges me.
“I know,” he murmurs, cupping my face in his gigantic hand. “I’m sorry, trouble. But we’ve got to get up and look pretty for our big day.”
“Let’s just go ugly,” I sigh. “Really… lower expectations for the rest of your reign. You can rule in sweatpants and t- shirts. They’ll call you the Comfortable King.”
He laughs, and I can feel him shake his head. “Come on, Ella,” he cajoles. ” Don’t you want to look pretty to match the crown?”
I crack an eye open, tempted. Because honestly, I forgot about the crown. I’ve been very much looking forward to the crown.
He laughs again, looking down at me. There she is,” he says, smiling at me. ” My little magpie. Come on, gorgeous.”
“Fine,” I sigh, sitting up straight with a pout. “But I am having two cups of coffee today, which means that that one-” I say, pointing to the baby, “is going to be all jittery all day.”
“A compromise I think we can accept for one day,” Sinclair says, pulling me close. I turn my face up to him, sensing that he wants it, and Sinclair kisses me long and lingering. As he does he passes feelings to me down the bond pride, and happiness, and a great deal of contentment.
And I pass him back my own feelings much the same, as well as a great deal of hope and pleasure to see him lead this nation for which he’s fought for so long. When Sinclair breaks our kiss, he beams down at me.
“Thank you,” he murmurs, shaking his head at me in wonder. And I smile back. “You’re going to be a wonderful King, Dominic.”
He wraps his arms tight around me, taking a deep breath, simply accepting my faith in him. And I let him hold me tight and warm, pleased to the end of me to see this day finally begin.
We only let go of each other when Rafe gives a little squeak, wondering why we’ve let him lay alone in his little crib for so long even though we clearly know he’s awake.
Sinclair and I both laugh.
“He wants in on the love,” I say happily, crawling away from my mate and getting out of bed to gather my little baby in my arms.
“It’s a big day for him too,” Sinclair says, likewise getting out of bed and coming over to the two of us, kissing Rafe on the head. “He’ll be a Prince, after all, once the day is done.”
“Hear that!?” I say to the baby, laughing a little. “Little Prince Rafe! Cutest little heir to the throne that there ever was!”
“True, ” Sinclair murmurs, dropping a kiss to my head too and then moving towards the bathroom as I take Rafe to his changing table to get him ready for our big day.
The day, as predicted, is…incredibly long.
I starts with a great deal of formality as Sinclair leads me into a room that is a strange mix of auditorium and conference chamber, with the kind of stadium seating all around that looks more like…I don’t know, a college lecture hall?
But instead of there being a stage at the front of the room, the seating is on three sides of it, with an elaborate table on the fourth side of the room and a narrow empty space at the center. Sinclair seats himself at the center of elaborate table, with me to his right and his father to his left. I look behind me and grin when I see Cora and Roger come into the room, dressed in the traditional formal clothing of nobility of Moon Valley.
Sinclair and I are likewise formally dressed, with me in a burgundy velvet gown with a matching cape and Sinclair in a sleek black jacket and pants with a blue sash over the front as well as a great number of medals. I don’t know what any of the medals mean, but he does look dashing.
Which, honestly, is all that matters to me.
I grin down at little Rafe, who is dressed like his father no medals, though – and he grins up at me, giving a little squeal. I smile at him, laughing. “Are you excited for the big day?” I whisper, giving him a little pulse of curiosity down our bond.
He sends me a happy pulse back, letting me know how he feels. A little thrill goes through me, as it always does, to be able to communicate so effectively with my son even though he is so young. And he laughs as he looks up at me, almost as if he’s happy about it too.
I give him a big hug, pressing a couple of kisses to his soft hair, before I feel Sinclair’s warm hand on my back.
“Ready?” he asks, and I beam up at him, giving a single nod.
What happens next takes…hours, and a great deal of patience. But as each of the governors of the distinct provinces of our nation comes forward and affirms Sinclair as their choice for King, I remind myself that this is actually the important thing. The elaborate coronation will come next, but this? Where first the governors and then the individual packs consent to be ruled?
I glance at the smaller cohort of five Atalaxians just visible at the back of the room, knowing that this is not their process: that they rule their people by force and sheer will.
And even as I’m bored to the ends of me over the extent of this hours-long process and have to work every minute keeping the boredom off my face so as not to insult our citizens, I recognize the importance of this, of the people having a say in their ruler, even a King.
Their recognition that this man is the best one to lead us.
So as each governor and pack leader pledges their fealty and support, Sinclair gives a deep nod of recognition, and I follow suit, trying to look them all in the eye to let them know that they’re seen, that they’re heard, and that we will truly do our best.
Still, as the final delegates come forward, I can’t help shifting in my chair just a little bit because…it has been a long time. I look jealously down at the little bassinet by my side where Rafe naps, giving a little sigh through my nose.
Must be nice, to be a little baby prince, sleeping through the biggest day of his life.
But then, finally, it is done, and Sinclair takes my hand and helps me to my feet. And as the people cheer he raises our joined hands in a sign of victory.
Our people have elected, unanimously, to support Sinclair’s claim for the throne. There were some who took the opportunity to make their doubts known – which is their right – but overall the support was enthusiastic. And I smile out at our people, incredibly pleased that they see what I see in my mate: a warm, dedicated, powerful man who will be good for this nation for all of us.
Rafe sends me an eager little pulse down the bond, letting me know he’s awake and a little afraid of all the noise. I drop my mate’s hand to pick up the baby, and the crow cheers anew when they see Rafe in my arms, blinking around at all of them confused.
Sinclair wraps an arm around my shoulders, smiling at both of us. ” Ready for what’s next?” he asks, eager.
“Yup,” I say, grinning up at him. ” Time for the crowns!”
