Chapter 104

MILA

As if the last few weeks had not been chaotic enough, Felix had to plan and attend a coronation. It was scheduled for a week after the trials ended, two weeks after his 30th birthday, two weeks and a day after our wedding. He would be crowned King, and the kingdom would move forward together from the tragedies at Barlow.

The battle against Charles’ army had solidified King Ivan’s plan to step down in favor of his eldest son, and now that Felix was married, there was security over the royal line. Security, of course, only if I was able to conceive before the curse consumed Felix whole.

I was trying to keep my chin up and maintain a positive attitude, but it was difficult when I saw the pain and paralysis Felix dealt with on a daily basis. I knew he was keeping the truth of the curse’s effects from everyone, including me, but every day brought more difficulty.

To put it bluntly, we were running out of time.

Felix refused to try for an heir, saying that he did not want to rely on a contingency plan. I felt hopeless and distraught. My whole life felt like it was barreling towards tragedy, and I had no way to stop it.

Marie dressed me for the coronation. I wore a light blue silk gown with a large train and layers of lace petticoats. Marie swore I looked like a queen, but I felt far from it. I felt like a failure.

Why wasn’t I enough to stop Felix’s curse? What was I doing wrong?

“What’s wrong, Mila?” Marie asked, seeing my distraught face. “Do you not like the dress?”

“Oh, no!” I rushed to reassure my friend. “I love the dress, Marie, I really do. It just feels odd to have a celebration at a time like this.”

No need to go into the curse.

Marie’s eyes flooded with sympathy. “I know the battle was horrific. I’m so sorry you had to witness that, Mila. That is not at all what Fresonia stands for.”

I nodded slightly. “So many men died, Marie. It broke my heart to see Felix alert the families. He did it himself, you know. He reached out to every family personally to let them know that their soldier had died on the battlefield.”

Marie’s voice was sorrowful. “I had no idea Felix did that.”

I bit my bottom lip. “He blames himself so much for the war, but it’s not his fault. How was he to know what a terrible person Charles turned out to be?”

Marie placed a comforting hand on my arm. “He’s very lucky to have you by his side, Mila. Truth be told, the entire kingdom is lucky to have both of you as our next King and Queen. You are the perfect people to lead us out of this tragedy.”

I hugged my friend. “Just because I’ll be queen in a few hours doesn’t mean that I’m done with girls’ nights. I think I’ll need you and Isla more than ever in the next few weeks.”

In more ways than one. If I lost my husband, I would need the support of my friends to keep my head above water.

Marie smiled. “You’ll always have me, Your Majesty. We’re best friends for life. Nothing will ever change that.”

Her words gave me the heart I needed to attend the coronation, despite the sinking feeling in my chest.

Felix’s coronation was long and mostly in Fresonian. I tried to put on a brave face, but truthfully, it was difficult to summon courage when things felt so hopeless.

The gathered crowd for the coronation was apparently the largest in Fresonian history. Felix was the most popular King in centuries, and the people adored him. I knew, if nothing else, he was proudly carrying on his family’s legacy through his work. He had already defended his kingdom on the battlefield. He was already a legend.

I sat on a platform facing the crowd alongside the dowager King and Queen and a high-ranking bishop who was actually the one crowning us. Even though I felt beautiful in my dress, and even though I could feel the outpouring of love from the citizens of Fresonia, I still felt a bit lost. What was an American commoner doing on the Fresonian throne?

After all, I had received a crown and a title upgrade of my own. I was now firmly cemented in the history books as a Queen of Fresonia, and I wished desperately that I had the strength to fulfill what was expected of me now.

Felix approached a podium on the platform, poised to address the crowd. They all cheered at the sight of him, and the sound of thousands of people expressing their love for my husband warmed my worried heart for a few moments.

“People of Fresonia,” Feelix boomed into the microphone, “it is the honor of a lifetime to be your King. I am so proud to belong to this kingdom, and even prouder to be the one to lead it into the future. I promise that I will spend the rest of my days fighting for you, your peace, and your prosperity.”

My eyes filled with tears at that sentiment. I swiped at them ferociously.

“The treachery and violence that happened last week at the southern border must never be repeated,” Felix continued. “Next week, we will hold funerals in the capital for the civilians we lost in Barlow, as well as for the brave souls, both Fresonian and not, that gave their lives to protect us all.”

I knew he was thinking of Albert. His friend’s death weighed heavily on him, a reminder of the cost to take down his brother. War was impartial, it took bad men and good men. And Albert had not just been a good man, he had been one of the best.

I knew his family was here today, representing the South Smyth Islands. They were in a succession crisis of their own, not that both their sons had been killed in battle. Felix and I were planning on traveling to the Islands in a few weeks to pay our condolences personally and offer our services in a smooth transition of power. It could not have been easy for those poor parents.

It certainly wasn’t easy on Ivan and Rowena, and both of their sons had survived the struggle.

“We will only move forward past this dark hour if we move as a united people,” Felix went on. “Allow me to be your guide, your general, and your friend in these coming weeks. We can get through this, together.”

The crowd burst into applause, and I could not help but clap along myself. Felix was a natural-born leader, the perfect king. The people adored him, and so did I.

“And please join me in welcoming the newest member of the royal family,” Felix said. He extended a hand in my direction and shot me a tender smile. “Queen Mila!”

The crowd started chanting my name. I blushed and rose to take Felix’s hand.

The bishop stepped up to the microphone, and proudly gestured in our direction. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, for the first time, Felix and Mila, King and Queen of Fresonia!”