Ruby Red

Chapter Twenty-Five

Today was the day. The day the whole kingdom had been working toward and looking forward to for five years was finally upon them. This year had taken a lot of toil and strife to get through, but it was now the afternoon of the Vault ceremony. People from all over Cordavis dressed in their best clothes and headed toward the palace as early as they could so they could get the best seats. This was a moment no one wanted to miss.

The hall leading to the Vault was locked for the majority of the year. Only certain nobles and members of the castle staff had access, and even then, entrance was rare. With gilded golden columns and rows of wooden benches, the elegant room was open to the public once again. People flocked in to claim their spots. The nobles scattered throughout the first couple of rows, but the few rows closest to the gigantic golden doors to the Vault were reserved. On the left side of the hall, the places for the royal family sat empty for now. On the right, the Financial Council—overseers of the Vault and its contents—mingled amongst themselves.

Alana leaned against her crutches on the outside of one of the Financial Council's rows. The queen had insisted she sit there for the time being since she couldn't perform her guard duties properly while she was healing. It was strange not having her friends by her side as she was stuck in the never-ending crowd of nobles and strangers.

She looked to the front of the room at the Vault. There were three guards standing alert on either side. It was a good thing; it would take three of them to open it once the queen unlocked it. The rose insignia of the royal family fluttered on banners draped from the doors. No matter where she turned her attention, whispers brushed by Alana's ears. I can't wait to see what's inside. I've heard this year has been one of the largest amounts yet. It's a good thing Queen Marjorie took care of those criminals, what if they used the Scepter and got in there before she did?

Movement from the side of the hall caught her eyes. A large set of doors sat off against one wall, leading into the castle. Two familiar faces smiled at her: Karis and Fallon. Fallon winked, and Karis gave her a short wave and mouthed, "You look great." Alana had complained earlier about dressing up to fit in with the Financial Council. She felt her face grow hot and she grinned back at Karis.

A second later, the doors Fallon and Karis guarded opened. Lady Leela stepped out in a crimson saree edged in gold, pausing to alert the guards about what was happening. Alana saw Karis nod, then he snapped to attention.

The nobles noticed the queen's lady-in-waiting walk into the room and go over to her seat on the royal family's bench. They quickly quieted their conversations and took their places. The Financial Council followed their example, and soon, the people caught on, too. The hall grew hushed with anticipation.

Karis and Fallon leaned down and opened the doors again. From youngest to oldest, Princess Harsha, Prince Victor, and Princess Lévian walked through the doors. They were all dressed in varying shades of red and gold, with Harsha opting for a neat vest and pant ensemble, Victor wearing a sherwani in the same traditional style as Lady Leela's saree, and Lévian dazzling in a burgundy gown. The children walked over to their seats but remained standing as their mother entered the room.

Queen Marjorie's red dress fanned out around her feet with every step. A sheer cape attached at the shoulders flowed behind her with a long train. Her golden crown studded with rubies sat tall upon her upheld head. In her hands, the Scepter glittered in all of its glory. The red of her dress matched the rubies perfectly as if it was made from the gems themselves.

The queen stood right in front of the Vault and scanned the crowd. She held up the Scepter for them to see, and a few gasped at its beauty as it caught the sunlight. "In my hands, I hold the key to the next five years of our kingdom's prosperity." A brief round of applause scattered throughout the echoing hall. "Cordavis implemented the Vault over one hundred years ago. Ever since, citizens like you have put your hard-earned money into a kingdom-wide fund dedicated to making Cordavis the best it can be. All of our well-being can be attributed to our people, and it makes me so incredibly proud to be your queen."