Only when the sun shone through the paneled windows of the stable did Alera and Jere final rouse to being their day. She was thankful for Jere's forethought with additional blankets, and though she was in his arms for warmth throughout the night, she made note that lying naked on the wooden floor of a stable would not be her ideal sleeping space in the future. Occasionally, she would not mind it, but definitely not as a permanent resident. And by the way Jere groaned and stretched, his naked sking and beautiful muscles basking in the dawns light... it seemed he had a difficult night sleeping as well. Not that they slept much.

And as thoughts of their night together continued to run through her mind, Alera was quick to dress and have Jere bring her to his cottage nearby, now vacant with his father remaining in the forest village, where the continued their private engagement celebrations with a bath for two, breakfast and an additonal round of lovemaking before they decided they needed to remove themselves from the cabin or else nothing would be accomplished. Reluctantly she agreed, especially since she knew her father was awaiting her— and Jere— for his announcement to the kingdom.

She may have left out the detail about her father wanting to name him Captain of the Guard, but she was distracted and rightfully so. She knew Jere would understand.

Once Jere was finally dressed in a clean white shirt and black pants and boots, and Alera controlled herself from tearing off his clothes again, they retreated to the palace, through the back doors as she always used when she was trying to sneak out to the stables without anyone marking her absence. The halls of the palace were quiet, and she hoped it was because everyone had already gathered outside in preparation for the announcement rather than fearing to return to their place in the castle. For the moment, however, she didn't mind it. It allowed her and Jere to maneuver through the castle without interruption or questions or blessings or thanksgivings, and all she wanted to do was get dressed and have this ceremony over and done with so that she could return to beginning the rest of her life with the man next to her.

She dressed in a simple dress of black velvet, in memorium for the lives lost or altered because of Nicholas' cruel acts. But the clasped her red cloak around it to promise the hope she would bring to her people, and knew it would need to be a staple as well as a symbol as she came into her rule over Palazia.

It was strange, not having her mother's locket around her neck, and she touched the bare skin of her chest where it had rested so often. But the glimmer of the ring Jere had given her reminded her that it was in a better place now, and she glanced over to see if it was hanging around his neck instead. She smiled as her glance caught his eye, and the look he gave her in return, the same one that glanced down to admire the ring on her finger, had her toes curling in her shoes.

But she linked her arm in his and led him from her room, down the hall and towards her father's quarters where, she realized everyone had already gathered. Servants and guards and everyone else huddled outside of the door, but they parted and bowed once they saw Alera and Jere make their approach. But no one shied away. There were even a couple who took her hand in greeting, which was an odd, strange and new sensation for her. So often had she had been feared, shied away from, and avoided— this new change was going to be something she would need to get used to, but she wouldn't mind it. To finally be perceived as normal as anyone else. Even Jere sensed the change, squeezing her arm with reassurance.

Once they were in the room, Alera had a better view of the balcony where they would be presented to the people, and she could see from her vantage point that it had already been decorated with the familiar green vines she thought she had torn away during her fight against Nicholas. Even in the darkest of times with the most desperate of reasons, life does find a way to continue on...

"Ah, Alera— there you are."

At the sound of her father's voice, she spun towards the bed, but he wasn't lying down. Instead, he was seated in one of the plush armchairs on either side of the large bed. He moved to stand, and one of the nearby attendants offered an arm to assist, but the king brushed them away. Alera, however, cleared the room, and offered her father her arm, and she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

Even when he gripped her arm to stand, the strength in him had her relieved. The color in his face and the light in his eyes had all returned, and he was even dressed in his formal finest complete with his crown upon his head. Without being aware of what had happened to the King of Palazia, there would be no way to tell that a mere day before he was at the mercy of the darkest magic Alera had ever seen.

Jere met them at the balcony door, a formal bow at the waist for his King. "It is good to see you up and about your majesty."

But the king tsk'ed and placed a hand on Jere's shoulder, urging him to rise. "Come Jere, I'll never be able to have conversations with my new Captain with your attention on my shoes."

"Your Captain, sir?" The confusion on Jere's face was evident and Alera bit her lip.

"But of course, the new Captain of my Guard." The king looked between his daughter and the former stableboy. "Didn't Alera tell you?"

She looked apologetically at Jere. "I may have been slightly distracted... with all else going on. My apologies," she said too formally she knew, and she did her best to hide her smile.

He opened his mouth and she knew he was about to say more, but the trumpets and cheering that announced the beginning of their celebratory ceremony cut him off.

"We can discuss this later," the King promised, letting go of his daughter's arm to offer her to Jere. A silent approval passed between them that made Alera's heart flutter, and she took Jere's hand in hers as her father made his way out onto the balcony.

"Captain of the Guard?" Jere leaned in and whispered into her ear.

She smiled and looked at him. "You're going to need something to do until I make you my King."

He returned the smile with his own. "And here I thought warming her highness' bed would have been sufficient."

"At night, it will be."

She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss, which was interrupted by a cheer that could be heard through the balcony doors. Alera and Jere both turned towards the eruption where her father stood, turned, already looking at them. His arms motioned for them to come out, to join him. She looked at Jere skeptically, he shrugged, and they were moved to join her father outside.

The crowd in the courtyard below the balcony was enormous, more than Alera had ever thought she'd seen assembled in all her times in the public eye. And every eye was on her and Jere as they emerged, their arms still linked as they approached the railing. It was overwhelming to say the least— the shift from discontent to absolute adoration. Without Jere at her side, she wasn't certain she'd be able to continue on, but he gave her a reassuring squeeze and raised his hand to wave. The cloud responded in time, cheering for him which convinced Alera to raise her hand all the same. The reaction was tenfold, and she actually was smiling. Had this been a dream come true she never knew she wanted until that moment? There was a very good chance it was.

Her father stepped forward then, his hands in the air to quiet down the crowd. They immediately obeyed- he was their king, after all, and they hung on every word he would say. And as her father stood before his people, he looked stronger than ever— no one helped him stand. No one was forcing him against his will. It made Alera consider how long Nicholas had had his claws in him, maybe even before he told her she was to marry the prince from Abignor.

"Today is a glorious day," the king announced. "And though there were hardships that we had to endure, the strength of Palazia is now ever stronger against the darkness and shadows that would threaten to dim our lights."

Another applause from the crowd as the King motioned to Alera. "It is because of that I am here to declare Princess Alera, my only daughter and offspring, as my sole heir and future ruler of Palazia."

Another eruption from below, but the king motioned with his hands that he needed quiet to continue. "It is for this reason that she will have absolute and complete control over who she will spend her life with, or who she will rule with, from this day, and every day forward."

The response from the crowd was somewhat different with this announcement. But not in a negative way. If Alera was as intuned with the crowd's emotional state as she was her own, she could have sworn it was a sense of relief she felt. One of finally agreeing with a decision made, and a positive outlook towards the future. That her father's decision to have Alera married off was not the will of her people, especially to Nicholas, whether the sentiment was felt before during it after their conflict. That energy was what convinced Alera the future was going to be something to look forward to even more now, and she embraced it as she stepped to the railing next to her father.

The crowd silenced without request, and each face was upturned and expectant. Alera let out a small breath and began.

"Some of you may remember my mother, Queen Vessa, and some may have only heard the stories and rumors that surrounded her and her people. But the days of ignorance and misunderstandings are over. For I have visited the people of the forest— I have lived with them and learned with them, trained with them and shared with them. And I believe there is much that can be learned when our knowledge is shared instead of feared.

"No longer will there be walls between us, stone or wood. There will be no more uncertainty about one's blood or beliefs. No more superstitions and no more prejudice. And I will promise this to each and every one of you, and to the fae of the forest as well, that we will protect one another through times of peace and in need."

Once again, a celebratory cheer erupted, and that was Alera's queue to reach back, take Jere by the hand, and pull him closer next to her. She could feel him tense beside her, as though hesitant to be standing alongside the Princess and King, regardless of who they were, but it was now her chance to give him a reassuring squeeze to remind him that she was there and was never going to let go.

"As you heard, my father has announced that forever more I would be his heir and free to choose who I wanted to marry if I so chose to do so." She turned her attention fully and completely to Jere as she continued, "And I choose Jere, son of Palo of Palazia and Nyla of the Forest, and Palazia's new Captain of the Guard."

There was another cacophony of cheers and celebration, but this time she knew it was all for Jere. She smiled proudly and was about to coax him into saying something to the crowd, when a guard who had been standing near the balcony door took a step forward and whispered something in Jere's ear. His features dropped into that of neutrality but she knew in his eyes once he turned to look at her that something was... off.

Just as the guard had leaned in to speak to Jere, so too did he lean into her.

"Brigette is here," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "And she's asked to speak with you."