Out of the Ashes Ch. 23

Chapter 23: A crown lifted by many hands

(6,1k words, futa, dialogue, plot chapter, size comparison, size praise, wholesomeness, grand scene, mini-gts, hyper curves, bbw, female muscle, pregnancy)

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Margaret fiddled nervously with her fingertips as kingmother's speech ended with thunderous applause. She waited outside her throne room with the ornamented gate separating her from the clapping epicentre of her kingdom. Once more did they come together to celebrate a day that demanded their attendance and respect. Nobility, the ones craving this power and the one paying the price for such ambition, all came together for a coronation that came earlier than anyone would have expected just a year ago. How much had changed in the last few months she thought, while caressing her rounded stomach. Whatever would await her past this gate and would follow onto this day, she would never regret the journey she took, not with her daughter growing within her.

King Margaret smiled and looked down at her daughter, who she knew was with her throughout this last hurdle. The almost 10ft royal tensed when she heard the roughened voice of the herald echo past the gate. Like many before her, she celebrated today's coronation like it was her own or like she feared such an occasion would never ever arise again. Hopefully she would be right about the later.

The blonde's tight-fitting dress snug her curves and almost robbed her from her breath as she waited for the herald's introduction to be finished. There was no reason to feel anxious, she was aware of that fact. Her preparation was thorough, to the point of almost driving her insane even. Everything she and her mothers worked for would assure that today's ceremony would be remembered for many, many years. Sill, Margaret would have given an entire kingdom's weight in gold to skip just this single day. For almost everybody in her throne room this day would be a day of pride, joy and wonder, to her it felt more like a funeral. A funeral to the normal life she could have had ... in maybe another life.

"... the new protector of our people and warden to the eldertree, the woman who will leave her mark on history today as our Highking."

Margaret took a deep breath and rose her chin the second the gate opened to reveal the ocean of gold, marble and silk inside accompanied by the tune of silver trumpets.

The eyes of every noble she had welcomed over the last few months greeted her long before they bowed down as she passed by them. As well as a small contingent of humans who dared to attend this ceremony -- amidst a maelstrom of former enemies. The soon to be crowned king was thankful for every single soul that took that troublesome journey and knew how many eyes rested on them. Here and back home.

Margaret slowly walked past the separated rows that were reserved for the humans. She chose specifically a spot for them near the entrance to the hall, but slightly elevated and with a great angle to see past the taller visitors standing between them and the throne. She knew her own people would not have taken that into consideration. Not that they looked too thrilled about the visitors in the first place.

A smile almost escaped her powdered cheeks when she saw her friend's eyes resting upon her. Gretchen gasped loud enough to make it past the natural sound of hundreds of visitors dressed in plentiful decorated robes or clad in steel. She always reacted this way when she saw Margaret's green dress graced with gold. Ever since she moved in with her three cats at the palace, as the first human for many years, she had this sense of awe on her face. Especially when she got to know some of its residents, particularly those who shared her passion for fashion.

Gretchen wasn't idle either. She was tasked with assuring that her people would leave a good impression during their first clash in fashion and grace, not in blood and fire. And they indeed represented their people gracefully, every single brave soul that showed up, but still one of, maybe even the bravest shone with absence -- despite his new title as mayor which would have required his presence. Margaret forced herself to channel her thoughts away from such grimness and back to the beauty of Gretchen's efforts before her.

She did truly a remarkable job, Margaret acknowledged silently without lowering her chin or letting her expected, stoic face slip. Every single one of the good four dozen human visitors shone in colours she could not remember ever seeing when she lived amongst them. And neither could she remember seeing so many of them wearing coats of fur and ermine that more than certainly stemmed from the royal families' personal hunting grounds. A part of her wanted to stop and hug every single one of them, but she knew that her people would not tolerate any interruption of this holy ceremony -- especially because of "just" humans.

So, she walked on, slowly, her blue eyes calmly addressing the onlookers without neglecting any of the two races that gathered today. Only for a few precious moments she addressed Ricky and Agatha who stood at the front of their comrades, both allowed to fill the halls with their warm smiles. Unlike Margaret.

She nodded gracefully, her lips unmoving and as a whole seemingly unfaced by everything around her. Only her fingers kept resting on her daughter who was only a few more weeks away from being greeted into this kingdom. Her future kingdom hopefully.

The pregnant king took the last few steps, accompanied by the royal guard lining up on each side of the purple carpet that separated the crowd and room into two. The rows closer to the throne were reserved to the people which casted the longest shadow onto it. The ones that more often than not had major influence on who sat on it -- or how long one would last on it. Archduchess Theresa and her daughter stood out from the dozen other duchesses and their heirs that complemented the highest level of concentrated power within the kingdom. But Margaret only searched for a person who, just like her, wished to sink in the depths of the ocean for just the next few hours. And eventually she met the grey eyes she would not want to miss for a single day of her life. Her cheeks almost quivered and she looked away just in time.

Margaret could feel Theresa's chilling eyes follow her, but seeing her bow like all the others around her was testament enough that she now learned her place. The former princess nodded towards her and before she could see any new hostilities arise within the lioness, her eyes moved forward to the last two people that stood between her and her throne.

Anastasia, dressed in her red and highly decorated military uniform accompanied Euridike, who shone in her azure blue dress which would rightfully birth a few more ballads in her name, regardless of her age. Both stood in front of the two thrones they claimed as their own for decades, with the royal sceptre and crowns displayed on a crested mahogany stand next to them. Neither them, nor anyone else in this hall expected their reign to end this suddenly. Very few could imagine a world where Anastasia's crown would have been ripped from her head before she passed away, but tomorrow they and everybody else in the kingdom would awake in such a world. Such a bizarre world, Margaret kept repeating in her head.

Her steps felt heavier again when she climbed towards the slightly elevated thrones. Each moment closer to feeling the crown on her head inched her towards waving farewell to that good, innocent life she would have wished for her own family. She sighed when she stood before her mothers, with all the trumpets and mumbling ceasing as king met king.

As always Kingmother managed to keep her emotions under control, but Queenmother next to her sported a smile that bordered onto crying with joy.

"Don't feel disheartened Margaret. This is a day to be proud about," Anastasia whispered cautiously with barely moving her lips.

"It does not feel like it," Margaret said while her mother and former Highking "Anastasia the Great" grabbed the ornamented crown she wore for so long for the final time.

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you will look back at today and smile with all your heart, my child. We are proud of you and one day you will allow yourself to feel the same pride," Anastasia said.

She managed to bring a genuine smile to Margaret's petrified face and made Euridike whimper as her lips and eyes quivered.

Anastasia lifted her hand which held her former crown and drew all attention to her and away from her emotional wife and child.

"Today, my friends, I will address you one last time by the title that was given to me by those who chose me as their protector. As king. Today, I cede this and all other titles, but my duties to protect will not be dismissed. I have fulfilled my oath with the wisdom and strength I was given, with the dignity and humbleness all of you could rightfully expect of anyone wearing a crown handed by all of you," Anastasia began.

Some disgruntled growls and words erupted from the human sector, who clearly disagreed about ever handing her any crown in the past. Anastasia, as always, remained unfazed and in control, while many of her former vassals and comrades started to return the angered voices with angry calls of their own.

"While this was the highest honour ever bestowed upon me and my family, I remained merely a servant. A servant to the people. A king might feel the weight of the crown on her head, but the crown shall never a sign of power. It shall be a reminder of a promise. A holy promise to look after those who deserve to be protected. For those who need to be protected. A promise that they and who followed after them could look at the rising morning sun with hope and in anticipation about what the next day might bring," Anastasia said upon pausing before the next lines which Margaret knew would pain her mother.

"This was my duty and my life. My promise to all of you. And a promise I can no longer keep. The last months made me realise that my journey as your protector came to an end the moment, I have encountered a warden more compassionate and wiser than I will ever be," Anastasia said in her thunderous voice without any other noise rivalling her in a hall full of hundreds of mouths.

"I was just a fool for not realising it earlier," Anastasia whispered, just for Margaret and Euridike to hear.

Margaret, facing the crowd with her back, looked up at her mother in admiration and with a growing smirk, before she raised her voice again.

"This woman, may the gods and goddess be praised for it, is from my own blood. A successor that will outshine my light tenfold and bring all of you, all those I looked over and the ones I neglected the peace and prosperity you deserve. May her reign be as righteous and enlightened as I know it will be," Anastasia said, raising her other arm and presenting the crown directly above Margaret's braided, golden hair for everyone to see.

"This marks the day, my friends, when your children and their children will look back at and rejoice as the day the foundation to their golden future was laid. The day when king crowned king and when Margaret, fourth of her name, took over the mantle of a servant who shall return to serving those with the holiest of duties."

Margaret's heart was almost pounding out of her plentiful chest by the time she felt the weight settle on her head. She was lost in her mother's green eyes who never shone with such motherly warmth and pride before and somehow didn't notice Queenmother presenting the ebony sceptre to her.

"By the power given to me and as my last decree I present to all of you, my successor. My daughter, my king. Margaret IV."

Her voice echoed through the marble halls and concluded a ceremony unprecedented in history. Never, in their shared existence, did a king, human or hermaphrodite, crown their successor before. And never would a king with such a legendary legacy have done so with a genuine smile on her face.

"And from now on, also my king," Anastasia said as her growing smile broke through her sternness and bowed.

Euridike, who fought with all her strength against giving into her emotion was only saved by following her wife's example. She presented the royal sceptre and with a shaking hand her king accepted her offer.

Margaret IV could hear the room bow behind her. The dozens of guards, in their suits of steel rattled loudly, just like the heavy jewellery around the eagerly presented necks and cleavages of the richest and most beautiful of women in the kingdom. Even the cloaks and fur of the human guests somehow mixed into the tsunami of noises.

"I thank you, both of you. For everything," Margaret whispered to her bowing mothers.

"No, we have to thank you. For your forgiveness," Anastasia returned before lifting her head first.

Euridike rose as well, with her tears slowly dripping down her red cheeks. Her blue eyes were drowning in happiness no words could describe -- not even such an accomplished wordsmith like her.

The former royal couple bowed one last time before walking past their new king. With their hands binding them together as mere wives and no longer held back by their crowns. They left their thrones behind and joined their ranks with all the other subjects their daughter would from now on rule over. Anastasia took her place amidst her sisters in arms and next to Lyssa who remained in charge of the royal guard despite offering her role to Anastasia. While Euridike returned to the vacant space next to Sybilla and Alexia who both pulled her in a tight embrace as her joy grew too powerful to control.

Margaret looked over them before she took a slow, deep breath as she returned to facing her visitors and friends -- for the first time also as subjects.

Her fingers dug into the ebony grip of her sceptre, her legs searching and finding a solid footing to stand on, while her free hand remained softly resting on her dresses' stretched midsection. She had rehearsed this speech a hundred times already, memorized every word, went through each small and big gesture countless times, but still her knees felt weak.

It was not the curious and demanding eyes piercing her, which robbed her from her confidence. Now after her mother's last speech as king, the doubt she could never follow her footsteps nagged on her -- more than ever before. She would never reach her height, now that her growth spurt had stopped and left her 2 inches short of 10 feet in height. A fitting allegory to describe her deepest fear Margaret thought. She was not only in competition with her mother's size though, but also her even grander reputation. Neither of which seemed within Margaret's grasp she felt, regardless of how warm her mothers' words or how loving their gazes were.

But who was she to disagree with women so much wiser than her? If even two women so legendary in their ability and intellect in their own rights, deem her worthy, then she owed it to them, to at least try as hard as she possibly could. She had to.

"My loyal vassals. My dearest comrades. My friends and family. It is true, that today's events will be remembered as more than a mere exchange of crowns from mother to daughter. Today shall not be limited by just the gold, emerald and metal that now graces my head instead of my mother's. Today shall instead mark the renewal of a promise far more valuable than any jewels, any insignia, any titles will ever be," Margaret said in a voice befitting to Anastasia's successor.

She opened both her arms up, almost like she wished to embrace her guests, while also introducing them to her unborn daughter, which she seemingly shielded from them until now.

"My mother called fulfilling this holy oath an act of servitude. I think of it as more than that. I deem it motherhood. And while I have yet to birth life into this world, I already feel like I got two hearts beating in my chest. One for both children I came to nurture. To see them grow up as siblings. And to assure they live in the happiness any mother would wish for them," Margaret said before pausing.

Her eyes travelled over the filled hall, visiting and leaving many of the wide eyes that welcomed her. Some much more moved than others, some much less hospitable, but all eager to listen.

"Sadly, that wasn't the fate the gods chose for these two children. Nor themselves. Daughter and son grew distant over the years. Their quarrels ever louder and more violent until none of their mutual affection and respect remained. Daughter and son became rivals, opponents and in the end sworn enemies. A tragedy without equal that left its mark on both to this very day," Margaret said firmly.

"Which mother would have wished such a fate upon her children?" Margaret asked while shaking her head while balancing the crown on her head.

"None I have ever met, neither the ones who raised me themselves. No mother would like to see her children suffer and see their children suffer ... and their children. It is the duty of a mother to put an end to a quarrel that changed the fortune of her children for the worse. This will be my promise to you and everyone else in my kingdom: I will no longer allow for daughter and son to keep robbing each other from their future. This shall be my oath by which I will be held accountable to every single soul I came to nurture. From this day onwards I shall take care of daughter and son with all the care and love only a mother could provide. This I swear to every single one of you, to the gods, to the goddess and by the name of my house and who came before me. This shall be the Highking you see coronated today."

The blonde king saw the reaction in the eyes of her onlookers. The growing confusion in many of her own people, especially those who did not know what to expect from their young ruler up to this moment. Experienced leaders and veterans of both wars who wore grim expressions and many which were still unable to make sense of the words they just heard. Only a fool could have hoped for a different reaction.

While the hermaphrodites had yet to come to terms with these first words from their new king, the human visitors in their secluded sector, surrounded by guards, looked overjoyed and stunned. Margaret was aware that many were sent by either their lords or by comrades and leaders of underground communities which waged war against her mothers for many years -- and were therefore rightfully wary. Yet, even they dropped their hostilities and hatred during Margaret's first part of her speech. She smiled upon spotting the change in their faces and claiming her first victory as king.

"Thankfully I am not alone on my quest to reunite daughter and son. For I have found a soul as compassionate and equally as maternal as the mother I strive to be. A woman who proved her worth more than any I ever had the pleasure of admiring and later on even loving. A woman who knows the importance of motherhood or at the very least will learn it soon with me. I introduce to you all, under the eyes of the gods and all souls which might be watching, my queen and the mother of the child under my heart," Margaret said with a smile she could no longer hold back ever since she focused solely on her loved one.

Her gesture was wide, inviting, with her sceptre guiding the countless eyes of her visitors to the woman that looked like she would have wished for literally anything but their attention.

Lexi smiled although she was growing red, more so after Sybilla and Queenmother embraced her as the sister and daughter who they had already accepted months ago. It was a bizarre sight to see Sybilla standing taller than Lexi already, but also looking weaker somehow. While the princess chose her most decorative and still certainly tight-fitting uniform, Lexi had the displeasure of wearing a dress for the first time in many years. With her hulking arms, shoulders and back at full display for everyone to see.