It was breaking dawn, and the sun was rising over the Royal Palace of Sekhe.

The pathway to The Golden Oak temple was set in front of the entrance of the palace gates. People were already standing outside in excitement to watch her majestic journey from the palace to the temple.

Rehema was already up and ready. Her make-up, gown, and equipment were all set. She was waiting in the carriage for Esi, with Chike who was also ready. Chike wore a traditional black and gold king-length agbada. In the center of the agbada was a neatly and detailed embroidered elephant with a flat kippah.

It was a last-minute change that Chike was grateful for since it was Rehema's idea and was special to her. The night before the coronation Rehema had stopped by his house to pass down a special item.

"I know this is late notice but can you do me a favor and wear this agbada to the coronation instead," Rehema put forth.

Chike was stunned at first, "Is this your late highness Ikenna's..."

Rehema nodded with a smile. Chike didn't dare to object, "Our course my majesty, it would do me great honor to wear something of such value. I don't deserve such," Chike stared back at Rehema still in shock, who gave him a soft smile in return. She placed the Agbada on his grand bed gently.

"Yes, this belonged to the father I never knew, and my mother's first love, it's what he wore to her coronation, and since you were my first love, I thought it would wise to pass it down to you."

Chike thanked her excessively that night falling to his knees and hugging her from her waist, and luckily for him, she stayed in his house that night and slept with him. But when he woke up Rehema was gone and Chike was alone in his bed that morning.

He later bumped into her when he finished getting dressed and was heading to her study. He came across her in the hall and froze.

She looked stunning. Her gown reached her ankles, it was mainly gold and silver and had a pale pink hue. The dress was embroidered with different motifs that represented domains of the African lands that were now in her rulership.

Pyramids and desserts of the North. The free jungles, rare goods, and the waterfalls of the Central. The sea, fabrics, and gold of the West. The mountains, savannas, and lakes of the East. And the landscape and diversity of the South.

Dragon blood trees and baobab trees were printed neatly at the bottom of her gown, which shinned in green thread, and then juggles and deserts were across her waist, and printed patterns of faint gold pyramids were shaped along the gown, and lastly, on her sleeve shoulders were faint blue waterfalls.

Rehema also wore a long purple silk royal mantle, that trailed on the ground. The mantle on her back showed the animal that always represented the Eze dynasty back when it was just a small clan, the longhorn white rhino. It symbolized the clan's sacred leadership and history of tolerance, freedom, ancient wisdom, stability, and a sense of ground.

Rehema walked over to Chike in her high platform shoes that added five inches to her height. Her hair was braided into five neat jumbo cornrows decorated with gold dreadlock cuffs.

"You look stunning," Chike said kneeling quickly to properly greet her. Rehema told him to rise and helped him up. The only thing missing was her crown, which was waiting for her at the temple.

"Do you like the dress?" Rehema asked her tone slightly high with excitement. She wanted to give him a twirl but it was nearly impossible since the extra weight from the royal robe she had on her back made it hard to twirl.

"Like? This beyond just liking... your majesty, how did the royal office of wardrobe come about such a perfect design?"

"Oh stop it, the royal dressmaker had about ten different designs he presented to me. All of which were excellent, so it was a hard decision. When I selected this one, he chuckled letting me know I chose the most expensive and hardest option. He had to travel to the Asian lands to get the fabric he needed, and the European lands for the thread he need. Took over a month but with some help from the entire department he managed to finish it just yesterday night," Rehema shared with him. It was from there that they went together to go to the carriage outside of the palace gates. Servants helped carry Rehema's royal mantle that trailed on the ground.

Now inside the carriage, Chike stroked Rehema's leg softly with his lace-trimmed gloves on as he noticed that she was getting jittery from waiting for Esi who was running late as usual.

"It's okay, I'm sure she will be here soon, and you will be fine," Chike reassured her.

"I'm not so sure about that, her behavior can be quite inconsistent," Rehema groaned getting annoyed. Outside of the carriage, they started to see more crowds start to form from behind the blocked pathway which was a clear road for where the carriages would be riding for Rehema, her assembly, and the harem.

Rehema suddenly noticed a figure coming their way, and the coachman opened the carriage door.

"Good morning my queen," Esi said in a silly tone. She was dressed in a stunning dark red Iro and Buba. The fabric draped over her shoulders had stripes and gele head tie was decorated neatly with jewels.

"Just hurry up and get in here," Rehema motioned her arms for Esi to enter quickly.

"You're lucky I'm this early actually," Esi snarked, fixing her dress as she sat down next to Rehema in the carriage.

"It's been a while, your majesty Princess Esi," Chike said bowing his head to her gently.

Esi gave him a lazy smile, "Yeah nice to see you too Chike." Esi's eyes then widen noticing the agbada that Chike was wearing.

"You let him have Ikenna's royal agbada?" Esi asked in disbelief, knowing how important Ikenna's items meant to their mother.

"He is just wearing it for the coronation," Rehema snapped. "Just like my real father did for our mother's coronation."

"Okay," Esi said holding her hands up in defense. Well damn, I never knew she loved Chike this much..., she thought to herself.

As the carriage started to make its way, they kept one window open to be able to wave to the people in the crowd as they cheered.

Esi was surprised by the crowd, "Wow they showed out didn't they."

Rehema shifted in her seat nervousness started to rise in her chest, this many people were counting on her leadership, "Yes, the crowds are even more than we expected."

Esi could hear people chant in the crowd, "A thousand blessings to the new empress! Long live the Empress! May Queen Amina bless her leadership! "

Esi turned to her sister after getting annoyed from waving and smiling, "Hey today is your day. Everyone is here for you, so don't think much about it and let the ceremony go by naturally, I'm the one that should be nervous, picking up ancient Etrili after so long is much harder than one would expect."

Rehema chuckled, "You worked hard, thank you for your support in this, and I will be glad to give you a break when this is all over."

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the marble statue water fountain of goddess Drelheia the goddess of judgment, which stood a couple of feet in front of the entrance of the temple. Water was gently pouring out of the marble bucket the Drelheia was posed holding over her head.

Rehema took a glance out of the carriage window. The temple stood, firm and grand with neat cold grey bricks. It was a dome-shaped building, with a main green dome roof, and numerous turret-topped ribs across the roof. The green limestone shined on the roof of the dome building.

The temple was two stories with a wide shape. Rehema's mother once told her, she took all her children there when they were infants for their naming ceremony, and it was where her coronation and other empresses of the Eze dynasty were held as well.

"You ready?" Chike asked her gently, noticing her staring out of the carriage window.

"Of course, this is our destiny," she grabbed his hand and the carriage doors flung open. Rehema smiled at the crowd and waved as the coachman took her other hand to help her off the steps of the carriage.

Chike exited behind her, helping her with her mantle, as well did Esi right after. They could hardly hear anything with so much cheering.

Giving Rehema space as she walked to enter the temple, Chike and other helpers of the royal court, let go of the lavish purple mantle and let Rehema walk on her own. The temples entrance door flew open from the two female guards and Rehema entered making her way down the nave pathway of the temple

Behind her Chike and Esi stood next to each other and followed. Ekon was already inside and standing by the priestess at the end of the aisle.

Sitting in the aisles where members and allies from high ranks of noble houses, clans, and titles, Rehema's entire court council was seated at the front. Everyone's eyes were not only on Rehema but her gown. Its message of unity and leadership spoke for itself.

From a quick glimpse, Chike noticed Omari's elder sister, the general of the Dalli soldiers sitting in the middle area of the aisles. He noticed she was underdressed and didn't seem to be paying attention at all. It was surprising that she came to attend at all.

He quickly diverted his attention back to the front and noticed Ekon

Esi noticed Bello sitting in the back row and smiled at him gently and he gave a soft embarrassed smile back with his cheeks turning slightly pink.

As Rehema made her way forward music played from the drummers that were stationed near the front.

The prestress was holding two items, Queen Amina's Blazing sceptre, and the golden orbe of Pangaea. While rested on a velvet pillow was the crown. The crown that the most powerful African dynasties have passed down to each other. Its star shined in the front, while horns were pointed upright around the band of the crown. The red rhinestones on the band of the crown glistened on the pillow, and jewels dangled from threads attached to the band of the crown rested gently on the side of the pillow. Rehema couldn't help but think of her mother at the moment. She remembers her wearing this crown often for royal duties growing up. And now here it was being passed down to her.

Next to the crown sat the throne that Rehema would be sitting it throughout the whole coronation and ceremony.

The entire temple was fallen to silence. Rehema gently made her way to sit on the throne that was between the crown and the prestress, facing the whole audience. Chike, the emperor stood behind her in the throne seat, while Esi

Rehema tried to glance around to see where Ekon might be and could not make him out in the sea of faces. She noticed some of the concubines seated in the back row.

It was after her majesty's morning depart that the concubines and entire harem started to make their way to the royal temple.

Starting with the highest-ranked concubines to the lowest they made their way to the ceremony, across the city. Omari got to have his own carriage as the imperial noble consort. The noble consorts Jafari and Emad had to share a carriage, the nobleman Darbir and Jahi shared a carriage, and the rest of the second-class concubines shared charges in groups of three or four.

Sang-chul stayed with his mates Apophis and Ivan waving to the crowds as the carriage drove them.

They had gotten to the ceremony when Rehema was making her way down the aisle to sit on the throne. Sang-chul didn't have the best view from the back seat of the temple, with the rest of the second-class concubines, but he was still proud to be there and felt proud of Rehema.

Besides the emperor, Omari was the only one allowed in the harem to have a front-row seat.

Everyone was now viewing the Priestess gently moving the crown onto Rehema's head. Finishing the process, she took a step back and did a formal bow to Rehema, and turned to address the audience.

"We welcome you all today," The priestess began to speak as soon as she finished crowning Rehema. "We welcome you to another blessing of the African lands. Another daughter of excellence, another great leader has been blessed to us by the goddesses. The Eze Dynasty has blessed us with another Matriarch of our great lands. Rehema Eze of her name shall lead the African lands, with integrity, truth, honor, and love. We come today to crown Rehema Eze, and put the faith of the African lands in her hands, to unite us all, and to honor the sacrifices and accomplishments her mother and many others that came before her did as well.

One thousand blessings to Rehema Eze, and peace and unity among Pangea!"

Everyone got up from their seats and bowed to Rehema in the temple, repeating the Priestess's final sentence, "One Thousand blessings to Rehema Eze, and peace and unity among Pangaea!"

It was now time for Esi to recite her prayer in Etrili. She approached Rehema, standing in front of her, and bent to her knees. She stood on her knees in front of Rehema and began the prayer.

"Magnificent Mother protector of life I ask of you in your name Grant me your presence So I may be lost no longer I beg in your most holy name this of you o giver of love Grace me with your sacred soul."

You hold our faith of us in your hands and share with our new ruler too. We ask you to provide guidance to our new mother in rulership by guiding her, protecting her, and fighting for her. Give our Empress the strength to remain, strong, healthy, and well. Help our Empress smile bright and keep her safe in your loving light."

O goddesses of Pangaea, help our empress protect our lands every day as we sleep, and work."

Protect her from harm, and from all they fear."

We thank you magnificent goddesses for protecting us for all centuries to come. We trust in your aid, so mote it be."

Bless our land and may peace dwell within."

Esi rose her head after she was finished and stood to stand in front of Rehema. The Priestess held a small marble bowl of ash, which Esi dipped her fingers in and smeared it gently on Rehema's chin and forehead.

Once it was done there was a round of applause. Esi felt a weight come off her shoulder, the fact she was able to recite the whole thing without a Sutter of a mistake was a miracle for her. She scanned the room and her eyes met Bello who grinned at her with pride. Esi smiled back at him, proud.

The high priestess went on to say more chants in Etrili. Rehema kept her eyes stern and stared ahead, feeling prideful, and lifted. When the chant was over Rehema rose from her throne, and the priestess handed Rehema Queen Amina's Blazing sceptre and the golden orbe of Pangaea. Rehema stood in front of the audience holding both important items in each hand, and they kowtowed in return.