ELRETH

Her heart hadn't stopped pounding all evening. She'd barely been able to eat, but she'd received the people that approached her as best she could. For the meal, Dargyn was at her right again, Gwyn at her left. Rak next to Dargyn, and Huncer with Gwyn, to represent the council.

Lhorn, who'd taken over for Brant in the Elders and Security Council during her father's reign, sat alongside Rak, though he looked less than impressed being seated next to the young males and she suspected he would retreat from the stage as soon as the Cohorts were called.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She wasn't usually nervous about speaking to groups. But not only did her heart pound so hard she could hear it in her ears, she was having trouble breathing deeply.

She kept turning to her right, expecting to see Aaryn, and having a second of shock when she found Dargyn's handsome face. She'd even signed without thinking once, when she was looking away. Dargyn had asked her if she was itchy.

She kept looking for Aaryn, but couldn't find him in the packed crowd below. Knowing him he'd found some corner at the back where he wouldn't be noticed. It wasn't a problem. Not really. She knew he wouldn't miss this, even if they had had a fight. And once she called his name, he'd be up there.

She just wished he was up there now. She could have used his steadying presence.

Maybe she needed to tell him that.

She filed through all the things she would have done differently over the past day, and before she'd even made it as far as that morning's breakfast—when Aaryn had apparently taken one look at her and turned to leave—she gave up.

Then Huncer stood and Elreth's heart banged so hard she wondered if the others would hear it even over the noise in the market. She nudged Dargyn who'd been able to whisper something to her—he seemed to like to do that—and the others all turned in their seats.

Huncer taking this role was a break from tradition. Usually the King's second would call the Cohorts, but under the circumstances…

"Good people of Anima, we celebrate our new Queen—our Dominant Queen tonight. Tomorrow the sun rises a new Dawn in the WildWood!" A roar of voices, caws, cries, and cheering rose, and Elreth's heart rose. Perhaps they did want her.

"Tonight," Huncer continued, "We begin the path towards history with our new Queen, Elreth Gahryn Hyrerhyn, the eighth in the royal line to hold the throne.

Elreth looked at her parents then, stood on the side of the Market, behind all the tables. Her mother's eyes were silvered with tears, and her father's shone with pride—and may have had a touch of shine to them also. She tried to smile, but she wasn't sure it worked.

"Queen Elreth, your people would hear from you—are you ready to answer to your court, to your people?"

"I am!" she said as loudly and clearly as she could. Another brief cheer rose.

Huncer smiled. "Would you address the people and tell them your hopes for this new phase of our Kingdom?"

Then Elreth pushed her chair back and stood, turning to scan the crowd before she spoke. "This is, indeed, the dawn of a new age in WildWood," she said, her voice clear as a bell across the market. "An age that will bring new unity, new strength, and yes, new challenges to the Anima. You have my vow that I will lead in strength and peace wherever possible. But I will not sway from my goals to bring all of Anima together—and I will not overlook those who would stand in my way.

"I am thrilled to stand before you today. Thank you for your acknowledgment. You are my people and I serve you—I will serve you to the very best that I have."

Applause rose, and a few chirps and whistles. Elreth smiled and looked at her parents again, who were both clapping their hands above their heads.

Huncer eventually raised her hands for quiet, then turned to face Elreth again. "Queen Elreth," she called, "Will you name your second?"

Elia swallowed and clearly recited the words from memory. "As my Second, and the female to stand in my stead, I choose Huncer of the Pride."

It wasn't unexpected. Thought they hadn't discussed it directly, it made total sense to Elreth—and she knew Huncer had the backbone not to be overrun by the males. There had been some question whether her second should be male, in the event of her death. But Elreth did not intend to allow tradition to stand in the way of her best judgement.

There was no one in the WildWood—except her mother—that Elreth would entrust her people to more than Huncer.

Huncer bowed her head, smiling her acceptance as the people cheered. Then she raised a hand to quiet them. "And now your heart's companion… Do you have a sister to name?" he intoned.

"Yes. I ask Gwyn of the Pride to stand with me and weather the storms," she said clearly, and smiled at her friend.

Gwyn's eyes went wide, but she shot out of her chair and threw her arms around Elreth, clearly genuinely shocked. Elreth smiled. She wasn't excited about Gwyn, but she was the smartest of Elreth's friends—and difficult to fluster when Aaryn wasn't involved. Things weren't always easy with Gwyn, but her friend had always stood by her when things were difficult, and she knew that was the kind of strength she needed around her during her rule.

Huncer smiled and nodded her approval. "And the last of your people—who will you choose to advise you?"

Elreth beamed—certain not only of her choice, but of how amazing he would be. And that this would bring them back together with something to celebrate, instead of fight about. "I would ask Aaryn of the Fang to be my Advisor," she said, loud and strong. "He has shown both loyalty to me, to the good of the Anima. His wisdom is beyond his years."

There was fierce applause and cheering in some pockets of the market, and hesitant clapping in others.

But entire groups in the market sat silent, and stunned.