Forbidden Queen
Chapter Fifty-One – Preparation

Katy

I feel like it has only been a few minutes since I closed my eyes before Martha is shaking me awake.

“Time to get up your highness. I have brought you a large breakfast, you will need to eat it quickly so that we can start to get you ready for the ceremony.”

“I am really not that hungry” I tell her. Now that my coronation day is here, I am so nervous, I can’t face the thought of food. I can feel butterflies in my stomach.

“You need to eat your majesty. It will be a long time before you will have the chance to eat again, and you will need all your strength. Today will be a very tiring day.”

I know she is right. I pick up the knife and fork and start to eat the bacon and eggs that she has brought me for breakfast.

While I eat, she bustles around the room, laying out the white dress and the red velvet ceremonial robes I will wear during the coronation. Next, she opens a large chest, and takes out a jewellery box, which contains a pendant with a large diamond, surrounded by sapphires, and a matching ring.

“If you have finished with your breakfast your majesty, please take a shower and then we can start on your hair and make-up. We only have two hours before you need to leave.”

Two hours! What was she planning to do? I was still getting used to the fancy dresses and elaborate hairdo’s that went with being queen.

I do as I am told and go to the bathroom and get washed. When I am finished and return to the bedroom, Lily and Anna have arrived.

“We thought you might want some company while you get ready. I know how much you hate getting dressed up” Lily says.

“Thank you, you are the best. I replace all this fuss boring and uncomfortable” suddenly nervous that I might have upset Martha I say, “Sorry Martha, I must sound really ungrateful, you are doing an amazing job.”

“Don’t worry about me your majesty, I haven’t taken offence. It will be good to have your friends here while I get you ready for the ceremony. Now please take a seat and we will start on your hair.”

“This is going to be fascinating, I have always wanted a makeover by a professional, I will be watching you Martha, to see if I can pick up any tips” Lily says warmly. “Anna have you ever had a professional make over?”

Anna starts laughing, “I had never even worn make up before I came here. This is all completely new to me.”

“Well once we have finished giving Katy our moral support. I will help you get ready. I love getting dressed up and going to parties.”

I am so pleased that they are getting on so well. I knew that Lily would do all she could to make friends with Daniel’s mate but seeing them together they really seem to have hit it off. Anna deserves to have a family that care about her.

“I have been telling Anna all about the Lunar Eclipse Pack.”

“All the gossip you mean!”

“Gossip gives you a better understanding of what a place is really like. You learn things that you would never get from the boring official facts” Lily protests.

I laugh and nod my head.

The door opens and Emma runs in, her eyes wide she says to me “you look so beautiful.”

“Thank you. You will soon look beautiful too. Martha has made a gorgeous dress for you to wear today. I am not going to be able spend very much time with you today, but Lily is going to look after you.”

“OK” she says with a smile.

The next two hours pass more quickly than I would ever have thought possible, as I listen to Lily giving Anna a gossipy history of the pack.

………………

When Martha has finally finished, I don’t recognise myself.

I have never worn so much make up before, but she has still managed to make it look natural. She has enhanced my natural features. My skin looks flawless, she has painted my lips a deep pink colour that makes them look fuller, and my eyes look larger and brighter than they have ever done before. She has curled my hair so that it flows loosely in waves down past my shoulders.

Martha helps me into my heavy velvet robes. They are a bit uncomfortable, but I feel regal. She then places the diamond pedant around my neck and hands me the matching ring to put on.

“Wow, you look amazing. Truly a queen” Lily says.

Anna nods in agreement.

“We better leave you now so that we can get ready. You are going to be brilliant today. I can’t wait to watch you being crowned” Lily says.

“Thank you.”

Having Anna, Emma and Lily stay with me while I got ready has really relaxed me and made me forget about my nerves. I finally feel as though I might even enjoy my coronation today.

Once they have left, I thank Martha, and make my way down the stairs to meet Alex and my advisors.

I hear Alex gasp as he catches sight of me. “You look so beautiful.”

“You truly look like the queen you are your majesty” Joseph tells me. The others nod in agreement.

“We need to go through with you one last time what is going to happen today. What the security arrangements will be” Alex tells me.

“You and I will travel in the royal carriage to the sacred circle where the coronation will take place. We will be travelling through the town, so that the ordinary wolves who have not been invited to the coronation will have the opportunity to see you.

This will be the most dangerous time during the day, it will give Lucius the best opportunity to launch an attack before the ceremony starts, so we won’t be taking any chances with your security. We will have warriors in the crowd, and the carriage itself will be surrounded by guards.

I nod.

“When we reach the holy ground, all the guests will already be present. Your advisors will walk you across the holy circle to the alter where Kirsty will be waiting to perform the ceremony.”

“It is normal for all the royal advisors to escort you, but as you haven’t appointed a wolf to replace Karen as your chancellor yet, I will take her place.”

“Alex has been picking up all her duties since your return from the northern territory. He is to all intents and purposes your chancellor. We can formally announce his appointment after the coronation” Aaron says.

I look at Alex searching his face to make sure that this appointment is something that he wants. I can’t think of anyone I would rather have as my chancellor, but he is the Alpha of the Lunar Eclipse Pack and may not want to be tied to the royal kingdom in this way. He senses what I am feeling and gives me a reassuring smile which is enough to make me relax.

“We should get going. We need to travel through the main streets of the town which will take almost an hour. if we don’t go now, we will be late for the coronation. Kirsty has impressed upon me the spiritual importance of you being there at the appointed time” Joseph tells me.

“I am ready, let’s go” I reply confidently. Now that this is happening all my nerves and worries are gone. I am ready to be crowned queen.

………..

The journey through the town passes uneventfully. The streets down which the coach travels are crowded with thousands of wolves who have turned out to see their new queen. I wave and smile as they cheer me on.

As much as I enjoy the experience, I am relieved when we reach the holy grounds safely. Lucius has not attacked, and although in theory he could launch an assault at the ceremony itself this is highly unlikely. With so many wolves in attendance, almost all of whom are trained warriors, they would be difficult for him to defeat.

Besides, no werewolf, even those who do not religiously follow all the teachings of the Moon Goddess, would choose to fight on the holy ground. This would be seen as an assault on the moon goddess herself. Even if Lucius was prepared to risk the wrath of the moon goddess it is unlikely that his warriors would follow him.

Alex helps me out of the coach and the other advisors line up behind me. Finally, after all these weeks of preparation, I am going to be crowned and my reign will formally begin.