Day 169 (147th)

Day 169 (147th) Wedding Day:
It was strange. The city was busy, yet no business was done. Some people arrived around the stage very early in the morning and never left. Others flitted around without staying or leaving. Since our inn was so close, we watched from the roof. Just after lunch, large items were carried to the stage. Massive flower pots with those awful smelling flowers in them. A trellis-type arch and podium was also set up. As more stuff arrived, so did people and soldiers. Around early evening, "important" people assembled: generals, high clerics, Cornwall's "special" household members, and others.
 A few hours before sunset, the weird horn blew. Like a swarm, the rest of the city raced to be as close as possible. Our friends took up their positions. The cleric performing the ceremony came out with a large book. It thudded on the podium and shook the stage. In a monotone, he began to tell how Maalicus had received the holy words and the revised history, according to the Baalocs. Many people were falling asleep. When he had finished, he closed the book with a loud thud. That woke everyone and signaled a quartet to exit the palace. I didn't know the music, but it was poorly played. They were followed by other clerics, soldiers, then Cornwall in a tacky version of Droland's royal attire. They arranged themselves on the right side of the stage, facing the crowd. The officiating cleric turned his back to the crowd to face Cornwall. Once they were settled, Cornwall signaled the quartet, now off-stage to the right. They began another poorly played melody. Raval soldiers exited the palace, followed by wizards, clerics, servants, and, finally, Lehand and Mary side-by-side. Her dress was amazing. The clean white of it showed how gray and dirty the city was truly. The train was so long that she was a third to the stage before it left the door. They arranged themselves until Mary faced Cornwall with Lehand behind and between them. Lehand gave some formal announcement of Raval, as Selvis' guardian, giving Mara to seal the throne of Selvis by Mara and Cornwall. He, then, joined the soldiers off the left of the stage. We got off the roof and made our way through the empty streets to the wedding. We stood a few yards behind the furthest person and waited for the appropriate moment. Cornwall was making grand promises of the glory their union would bring to the world. We took it as a cue when he said, "Not even the Seven Sisters can stop our glorious reign."
We clanged our swords and brought all eyes to us. Cornwall went red as we stole his thunder.
In one voice, we said, "Your reign ends now. This wedding is over."
Our friends emerged from their places, shouting obscenities and saying we should die. They threw the fire powder at us. It burst just as we planned. Our magic kept it from harming us. As we started to make the illusion of it getting bigger, Tharinzar appeared on the stage and ordered the fire to destroy us all. It flared over our heads and around us. Still, our magic held and we were safe. We heard Tharinzar laugh and pronounce our deaths. We produced our armor and stepped through the fire.
"Not dead yet," we called out as one.
Tharinzar nearly choked. People ran screaming. Baaloc soldiers fled, dropping weapons and armor as they went. Raval soldier mounted the stage and Lehand drew Mary into their protective ring. Cornwall staggered to Tharinzar's side.
"Finish them, Master. Destroy these evil bitches."
Tharinzar's arm lashed out and knocked Cornwall on his butt. Standing over him, he shouted, "I did, you fool! My master said that would kill them! That was my strongest magic!"
Cornwall lost all color in his face as he realized his god had nothing stronger to take us out. We advanced and began the vanquishing spell. The Raval wizards and clerics took up the chant.
Tharinzar spun back to us, "NO! Not that spell! How do you know that one? All copies of that were destroyed!"
I answered as everyone else continued, "There is one among us who wrote that spell a thousand years ago. His memory is untouched."
I, then, took up the chant again. Tharinzar growled and moaned as we plus five wizards and five clerics continued the chant. Cornwall, getting to his feet, tried to save his master. Mary, from somewhere in that massive dress, drew a sword and plunged it into Cornwall. Apparently, since Tharinzar was weakened, his handiwork was also weakened. Cornwall stared at the sword sheathed in his chest. He tried to speak, but only bubbled up blood.
He collapsed as Tharinzar went to his knees, "My master... will see... all of you... dead for this! I will...be...avenged!"
Just like the demon flesh in the stone people's village, Tharinzar shrank. His human guise fell as he could no longer maintain it. Our friends had begun gathering trusted associates to secure the palace once Tharinzar was gone. At the edge of my vision, I watched scribes writing the event as it happened. Hopefully, this would be accurate years from now. Tharinzar shrank to the size of a cat then bellowed something. It was answered by a ground shaking roar from the palace. It ended as the tiny Tharinzar exploded. We were all still as we waited for a retaliation. Nothing came. Rono and the rest cheered and raced to the palace. Callie called to Leo to come retrieve the eggs. We helped Mary out of the dress as she had a uniform on underneath. Mattis magicked it back to the inn.
 As we headed inside, we expected chaos. Fortunately, Rono and the rest were all business. Slaves were given their freedom. Servants were permitted to leave or stay. Obviously, they had planned this out as they, in an organized fashion, took control of the palace. We were told they were forming a temporary council until the real Mara came to claim the throne of Selvis.
We were heading to the egg chamber when Leo called to us, "Ladies, I need directions. Where are they?"
"Do not be cheeky with us either, young ones," came Falcon's mind voice in a playful tone.
We directed them as best we could. We arrived at the chamber and heard the roof being torn away. The setting sunlight burst into the dark room as it finally gave way. Falcon, Leo, and a few other dragons with their riders looked down into the room.
"Well done, my dears. That was the cleanest coup I have ever seen. Only two death and one escapee. Not bad," Falcon said, smiling.
We all smiled and begun handing the eggs to dragons and riders. None moved. I began to doubt my dragon was here, as did everyone else. Then, I felt something from the corner. I told everyone to be quiet. Searching, I found a large egg, larger than the rest, rocking under a table far from the others. Tearing more roof, Falcon brought light to the egg. Unlike the others that sparkled and reflected rainbows, it was a solid green-gray. They must have thought it worthless and tossed it over there. I grabbed it and walked back to the others. It was almost twice the size of the other eggs. Falcon moved back.
"No, that's not possible. They are only legend. Surely that can't be," he muttered in awe.
We did not have time to ask what he was going on about. I sat in the floor and held it as it rocked. Shards began flying. A dark tail flopped out of a hole. Dawn had joined us and sat beside me. My sisters gathered around as well. The tail thrashed and cracked the shell lengthwise. The halves fell and revealed a moss green dragon with nearly black wing skin. It raised its head and stared at me with brassy-gold eyes. I was in love. He had ram-like horns circling above his eyes and curling over his ears. His smooth face highlighted his shining eyes.
"Hello, my name is Sarroset. Who are you?"
"My name is Kayla. I am your rider."
"I am glad to be with you. Who is the other one?"
"I am Vanity. I am a sentient sword also bound to Kayla. She is one of the Seven Sisters and the heir to the Faerie Queen."
"Wow, then I do belong to you. The gold one will tell you again, but I am what is known as an emperor dragon. Like my queen sister, we are unique, but I happen only once in a long time when a very special person is born. Someone like you, Kayla."
I began to cry. I wanted to tell Sarroset that I wasn't special or unique, but none of my voices would say the words. I looked up at my sisters, Falcon, Leo, and all the others.
"Well," said Callie, "what's it's name?"
"His name is Sarroset," I croaked, "and he is..."
"An emperor dragon!" interrupted Falcon, "I would not have believed it. Only you, only this group, could uncover and bond with an emperor. I have seen those colored eggs lain, but they never hatch. Due to their color, they are referred to as 'poison eggs'. Our queens will be happy to hear this news. Let us find Sarroset something to eat."
"Yes, please, I am famished."
I could feel his hunger as if it were my own. Leaving dragons and riders to finish the gathering, we all headed to the kitchen. Rono and company were taking inventory. They stopped when they saw what I held. Those who had witnessed a hatching began calling for meat. The cold room was found and Rono expertly sliced pieces the appropriate size for Sarroset to eat easily. I sat with him as I gave him a piece at a time, even though he begged for all of it. Our armor had faded by now and only our swords marked who we were.
Freed slaves returned with news of the city in turmoil. Loyal Baalocs were trying to rally the people to retake the palace. The sight of dragons tearing apart the roof had slowed that activity. High clerics were trying to herd the people for a mass prayer to return their god to the mortal plane. Five of those had been killed as false teachers of a false god who could not kill seven girls with "flashy" swords. People were demanding answers from within the palace. The freed slaves could only say as much as they knew, which was not a lot.
Since Sadal had the loudest voice, he was chosen to go to Cornwall's balcony and address the people. To get every one's attention, Falcon and Leo went to the area in front of the palace and roared loud and long. With Sarroset now asleep, quite full and happy, I could feel the city turning its focus on the palace. We alerted Sadal when the majority of the population had assembled.
"People of Baaloc Prime! Tharinzar is dead! Cornwall is dead!"
Shouts of pleasure and rejection mingled from them. Voiced unified into a chant of "Who rules now?" Waving his hands for attention, Sadal continued.
"A group of merchants and citizens are holding the place of ruler until Princess Mara of Selvis can be properly crowned and Baaloc territory is returned to Selvis Kingdom. Every piece of land the Baalocs took from Selvis will be returned to Selvis rule when the princess becomes Queen."
Dead silence.
I could feel the turmoil of emotions. A thousand years of Baaloc rule gone in moments. A kingdom dead for almost twenty years when Mara's parents were killed. Many below had never known anything but Baaloc rule.
"I understand your confusion," Sadal's voice broke the silence, "but we are strong. Even though Mara is young, she had many skilled advisers. King Droland of Raval, the dragon riders of Demagram, and the Seven Sisters of the Swords are her allies and are the allies of the reborn Kingdom of Selvis."
The people were still unsure. Sadal did not know what else to say. Falcon took a few steps forward.
"Good people," he began as the crowd reacted in shock from hearing a "dumb beast" speak, "this is a time of change. Have scribes write your questions, doubts, fears, and uncertainties, or write them yourselves. Present them to these learned men and women. This is the time to pull together, not be torn apart. Reclaim your voices as citizens, not chattel of a tyrant. Be heard and make Selvis a name known far and wide."
Falcon's power as a speaker became clear as people clamored for pens and parchment. Our friends' cleric and a few of his associates took up the task of receiving the people's inquiries. Some they answered right away while others were told their questions required investigation or council or some time before an answer could be given. Baaloc soldiers were rounded up and given the option of being Selvis soldiers of finding other jobs. A dragon rider was dispatched to bring Mara as swiftly as possible. Mattis did not feel transporting her his way was necessary. We all agreed that the people, for now, did not need to know Mara was never in Baaloc Prime. The people were sent home well after dark to sleep and ponder their feelings over the new rule.