The Roar of Andora: Book One

Chapter Thirty: The Crowning of King Jarod Evershield

Torches burned around the castle grounds. The Andoran guards instructed the street cleaners to hasten their pace. Kain Evershield and the Scouts took positions around the perimeter of the courtyard to be on the look out. Inside The Ancient Oak castle the orchestra hurried to gather their numbers and arrange the ceremonial ballad. In the private quarters of the Evershields, the servants dressed the women and groomed the men.

After an announcement made by the Evershield's official messenger, the people were granted admission into the castle grounds and rushed in under the arches and into the courtyard. The men from the warrior families wore their heirloom swords and all the women put on their best dresses for the occasion.

After all the attendees were allowed entry and found their places, the trumpets sounding the Lower Andoran anthem announced the arrival of the noble families. The people bowed. And on the conductor's dictation, the Higher Andoran anthem blared from the horns as banners adorning the Evershield crest rolled from the balconies on the second-story esplanade and the Evershields made their entry onto the terrace. All of the citizens of Andora bowed beneath them.

"This way, Prince Evershield," George said while guiding him through the concealed passages the Scouts used, leading him to Kain.

"Kain," Aaron said.

"You've certainly stirred some shit Aaron." He urged them to walk. George bowed and left them.

"I'm sorry."

"Do I look like I care?" Kain said and then caught Aaron's frown in the corner of his eye. "I think this is as ridiculous as you do. And I'm talking about my comrades," Kain said with a sarcastic smirk. "Arresting you and Jorje."

The cousins navigated the passageways and took a ladder up to the lower southern watchtower. Up on the stone platform, they looked down at the crowd gathered in the courtyard below and at their family standing at the same elevation on the terrace vertically across from them. The torchlights flickered in the wind.

Although the sun had descended and the moon did the opposite, it wasn't very late in the night. The air was chilly, but the enigmatic warmth of the wind made the cold bearable. It was warm enough that night that if the clouds brewed overhead their weight would break with rain, not snow.

All of a sudden the brass instruments swung into a higher wail, blaring the Arrival of the New King, a song not heard in Andora since King Adonis I had been crowned. When Jarod had emerged on the terrace at last, the people cheered louder than before.

"I cannot believe this," Kain uttered to himself. Hearing Kain's disproval lifted Aaron's spirit. "Never would I imagine it would come to this." He scoffed at the crowds. "Bunch of idiots. How stupid must these people be?"

"Very," Aaron agreed. From across the courtyard, concealed by the distance and the shadows, the cousins watched. Watched as Jarod slowly raised his arms high above his shoulders, encouraging the clamouring rave.

"Dignitaries and subjects of Andora!" Jarod bellowed. The crowds cheered louder. "'Tis with—silence! Silence!" The hurrah from the crowd softened until all was quiet for the new King. "'Tis with a heavy heart that thou Lordship take the seat of thine father's on this eve. The sorrow carried in thy's heart for thy brother's passing to yonder twilight 'tis one no brother should hast bear."

Rumblings emerged from the crowd. From the back of the courtyard where the lower-class citizens stood, Aaron overheard scoffing; an insult made about his father.