A Tale of Two Crowns

[admtrap]

Shimata Manor, Lirath, Dolgaria; November 27, 3022

"This meeting of the House is now called to order." Sara Shimata, the elder sister of Hiro and Aunt to Hikaru, sat at the head of the table, as the head of her branch of the house. Seated to her left and right respectively were Aurora and young Georges - Georges technically ranked Sara, but as a young child, giving him the chair would be a problem; indeed, like any six year old would at such a meeting, he mostly ignored the proceedings entirely. Likewise, Aurora also had theoretical seniority over Sara, at least with respect to the current Queen, but the realities of the current political situation (including the fact that her mother was now known to be alive), plus Aurora's relative newness at the Table, acted together to make Sara the Chair essentially by default, having succeeded Soria in the role. Around the table, eleven more distant cousins, mostly collateral heirs of Ai's siblings, representing the lower nobility (although Aurora's next two neighbors were fellow descendants of Soria the elder, and therefore ranked in the upper portion of the Family, but were discredited because their grandmother had been deemed unfit for the crown by reason of insanity, and were passed over in favor of Alexandra.)

The room itself, the Grand Hall of Shimata Manor, was itself brand new - as was the Manor itself, having only recently had this first portion of the building mostly complete. The sounds of construction, a constant accompaniment for the previous year, were absent today, in deference to the Manor's first real event. Away from the central table sat many of the relatives who were not senior to their branch of the family, including Hiro (whose sister Sara had that honor) and Aurora's brother Jon. Those two were standing as the guards to the chamber (albeit more of an honor guard than anything else, as neither was armed; surely Hiro would be able to defend the room, but Jon was useless in the role.)

There was a certain tension in the air, as this would in fact be the Duchess' first meeting. She ranked seventh in her own branch, behind Sara's children and her father, but the Table had spoken for her, and was, for the most part, quite happy with their choice; certainly, Dolgaria was looking well, the Shimata-Kuzaki feud had passed with Aurora accepting her position with grace (her mother's absence surely being largely responsible for that!), and even the situation in Kizenia seemed to be improving, albeit only slightly.

"The fifth item on our agenda is a special request from the Duchess of Sodali. Do I have a motion?"

Aurora rose. "I move to permit the Duchess to address the Table as a Peer, and make her request known to us."

"I will second that," said one of the collaterals, a fat man smoking a cigar whose fumes merged and mingled with the rest of the table's, creating a thick cloud that hovered above the table, despite the ventilation system's efforts to keep up.

"Are there any who would object? Naturally not, let it be ordered then. Hiro, please open the doorway and admit your daughter."

"Yes, sister," Hiro said, as he stood and opened grand doorway. Hikaru, dressed in a military-cut uniform, strode in, followed by Iveta as her second. Iveta, of course, spoke no Kizenian, and would therefore not understand a word spoken in the meeting, but her place was here, given her appointment as First Minister to the Duchess.

Hikaru walked to the head of the table, and in a slight breach of decorum ruffled Georges' hair, before presenting a short sword to her aunt. "I come armed by custom. I respect the Table, and therefore give my blade to you in peace."

"I accept your peaceful intentions, and return your sword to you, Duchess." The tradition of offering and declining the sword went back to the days of Ai, although it was seldom exercised by the Duchess of Sodali. Ironically, the only previous Duchess to have so done was Silvia, when she reigned as de facto Regent during Alexandra's last years. "The floor is yours, should you desire it."

Traditionally, Hikaru should have sat in Sara's chair, at the head, while Sara stood behind her. But Hikaru wanted to make a statement, and tweaking the traditions was one way to do it. She remained standing. "You have grown fat and lazy."

A murmur of protest rose about the table. Hikaru raised her voice to match it. "Hear me! You have built a foundation here in Dolgaria, but how many of you speak the Dolgarian tongue? And what have we done for our subjects in Kizenia? Our progress is not sufficient! Silvia remains virtually beseiged, our people suffer, and our Dolgarian brothers grow concerned over our intentions. Aurora, daughter of Soria, you would speak?"

"I would, Duchess. I find your indictment of the Table to be both right and wrong at the same time."

Hikaru smiled. "Would the Daughter of Princess Soria care to enlighten me?"

"You are correct that our subjects in Kizenia still suffer. You are correct that we have built a foundation in Dolgaria. And yes, you are correct that few of us may speak the Dolgarian tongue fluently. You are correct that Silvia remains beseiged. You are incorrect, Duchess, as to the mind of our Dolgarian brothers, and I invite your First Minister to inform you of the Dolgarian opinion of the Duchess."

Hikaru looked briefly at Iveta, who smiled sickly. She then turned back to the Table. "I would invite her to speak, but few of you would understand her words. Would the Daughter of Princess Soria care to speak in her place?"

"I would. The people of Dolgaria wholeheartedly approve of the Duchess, and furthermore seek her protection. They wish her to be Empress of Dolgaria."

Hikaru nearly stumbled. "Empress? I thought it was Queen," she whispered harshly.

"Her Grace did say that Empress sounded 'tougher,' as I recall," Aurora answered, smiling broadly. "Her future subjects agree with her, it seems."

Hikaru shot Aurora a glare, then turned back to the Table. "Once before, I have declined this offer, despite the protestations of this Table. Would the Table have me decline it a second time?"

At this, the table gave a shout in the negative, followed by Georges' clear "nay" as well. Hikaru ruffled the boys' hair again. "Then the Table will hear my request, for I have Conditions."

A murmur arose about the Table again. "What possible conditions could there be?" Jon said, breaking decorum by speaking despite not being seated at the table nor addressed specifically. "You've been stringing our family along and both countries."

Well, that broke the script entirely. Aurora winced, and Hiro and Hikaru simultaneously scowled. So much for keeping things on-track.

"I apologize for my brother, and beg Her Grace not to kill him where he stands," Aurora said; even she wasn't entirely sure what the decorum was, and a chuckle arose in part of the room somewhere. Jon ignored it, and strode forward. "No, this little twit will not dare harm me. I say to the Table now, Hikaru has failed us entirely, and we must seek a new leader."

"And you would nominate yourself, I presume?" Sara asked, frowning. "For surely both Aurora and myself would decline, and my children are too young for such a burden, as are Silvia's."

"If I am the only sensible alternative left, is that a fault of mine?" Jon retorted.

Hikaru placed her sword on the table, loudly. "Jon, you twisted fat smug little pervert. You introduced yourself to me by groping my breasts, and treating me like a servant wench. Then you dared to compound your error by thinking you could force your will upon me. I wished to accept your challenge on that day, cousin, but fate intervened. Today it shall not."

"Oh please. You forget yourself, pilot girl." Jon stood proudly, his full height a full foot over Hikaru, and his mass double hers. "You would suggest a brawl?"

"A brawl? Surely not. I would suggest an execution."

Jon frowned. "You.. want me to kill you? That would be a waste, cousin. Surely if you want to surrender to me, I will..."

Hikaru grabbed Jon's neck with her left hand. "I would die before surrendering to your charms, Jon. Fortunately that won't be an issue."

"'Karu!"

"Oh, fine," Hikaru said after a moment, as she shoved Jon by the neck away from her, sprawling to the ground. "A challenge, then, dear cousin Jon. You and me, right here, right now. You win, you take the throne. You lose, you surrender your place as a member of this House. Be aware, you will have to kill me to win, for I will not surrender." Hikaru cracked her neck, then her knuckles. "This is hardly a fair fight, after all, isn't it? Here." Hikaru grabbed the sword off the table.

"You," Jon squeaked, as he tried to get to his feet. "You with a sword against me unarmed? How would that be fair?"

"You misunderstand me," Hikaru answered, as she threw the sword at Jon. "You armed, against me unarmed. You should have a slight chance at surviving long enough to surrender to me that way."

Jon fumbled with the sword, and looked to Aurora, who turned away from him, and spoke to Hikaru. "I beg you, Duchess, please only cripple him. My brother can still be useful, even if only as a servant."

"What are you saying?" Jon yelled, now angry. "You think she'd still win?!"

Hikaru hissed. "Say nothing, I want this!"

Aurora turned back to Jon. "I would bet my very life on that fact, brother. Be sensible for once in your sorry life, and kneel before your better, before you lose your family and your limbs."

An eternity seemed to pass, as Jon's ego warred with what he was being told so forthrightly by his sister. Surely she was exaggerating. Surely, armed against unarmed, he could overcome Hikaru's combat talents. Surely the Gods themselves would support him...

Hikaru took a combat stance. "Make your first move, Jon."

That settled it. Jon knelt. "Duchess, I apologize for my effrontery."

"Damnit, Aurora," Hikaru turned to her cousin. "You never let me have any fun."

Aurora stuck her tongue out, cheerfully. The tension in the room dissolved as suddenly as it had come, the challenge was over.

"You had conditions, Duchess?" Sara prompted.

"Fine, fine. Damnit, Jon..." Hikaru took back her sword, and slammed it angrilly on the table. "My Minister will be giving you a list of names. Those named will be assigned to work to restore Kizenia, and will surrender their places in the various businesses we now own, turning them over to competent employees and agents as listed by my Minister. In exchange for that, several of you, those who work the hardest and best for the goals of our family; to grow here in Dolgaria, and to restore law and order to our subjects in Kizenia, will be rewarded in a way we have never before done. Some of you will be elevated to the higher branches of the family. It seems to me that there are several natural ducal titles to award other than Sodali, and when I sit on the Dolgarian throne, I will have the power and duty to award those seats."

The mood at the Table was somewhat relaxed, which threw Hikaru briefly. "However, this Table itself will also change. No longer will the Table have the power to decide the Duchess of Sodali. Instead, the new Ducal seats will confirm the succession to both the Dolgarian and Kizenian thrones. I speak now for myself, and for the Queen, who approves of this change, with the caveat that one of her sons must be amongst those so named. I therefore name Georges the Duke of Tilarnia. And for her service to me, I also name Aurora the Duchess of the Island of Karzon, effective upon my taking the throne as Queen... sorry, Empress," she said, shooting a brief glare at Aurora, who giggled at the gaffe, "of Dolgaria"

One of the lesser nobles frowned. "You are breaking our traditions!"

"I am amending them! Consider all of you... there remain seven Ducal seats to award; the four mainland territories of Dolgaria, plus Kuzaki, Kutohaderia and Tiania in Kizenia. And once I ascend the Kizenian throne, Sodali will also become available, for my own heir will be designated differently. It will motivate you, for those who are successful and diligent will advance, and those who are not... are dead weight at this Table in the first place."

Hikaru turned to Sara. "I have made my conditions known, and as the tradition demands, I now leave, so that the table may deliberate upon them, and decide. Decide well, for the future of both nations rests here with you all."

--

Hikaru was napping when Aurora and Hiro came out of the meeting. "Hey, sleepyhead," Hiro said, shaking his daughter's shoulder, and nearly getting a black eye for his effort. "Your training is slipping, daughter."

"Yeah yeah... so?"

"They have agreed to your demands, but only if you will agree to theirs," Aurora said, with a light shrug. "First, they will not accept me as a Duchess, until you take the Throne of both Dolgaria and Kizenia. I think they think that opens up one more seat for them."

"Doesn't matter. You'll make the cut anyway, and they know it," Hikaru said, shrugging. "Second?"

"Second, you must agree to take the Imperial Throne no later than August of 3023."

Hikaru nodded. "I figured they wouldn't let me float... heck, I thought they'd demand sooner."

"It will take time to arrange the plebicite to make the whole thing legal, Empress."

Hikaru groaned. "I was only kidding about the Empress thing! Damnit..."

"Perhaps you were kidding, daughter, but you were still right. You are forging an Empire here, uniting two crowns - Dolgaria's and Kizenia's, upon your head. Four, if you include the subsidiary crowns of Kuzaki and Sodali, which you seem to have already devolved if you're going to name new Ducal thrones there."

"Empress Hikaru, though? Don't sound quite right."

"You'll get used to it, 'karu."

[admtrap]

(The long-delayed finale)

Jannuanais, Lirath, Dolgaria; August 16, 3023

In her bedroom in the West Tower of Shimata Manor, Hikaru fussed with her coronation gown, shooing away a servant as she did so (would she ever get used to those? "When did I become an object to be fussed over in my own home," she wondered.) Down in the grand hall, camera crews and dignitaries waited, albeit patiently; she was not scheduled for another twenty minutes. Somehow, Aurora had managed to convince a museum out in Dolgarburg to loan over the crown that Kirzon himself, the last hereditary monarch of Dolgaria, had been crowned with at his coronation. The "elected Emperors" that succeeded him had not held that badge of office, nor had the pretenders to Kirzon's throne in the intervening centuries had it. Of course, Hikaru would not and could not actually wear Kirzon's crown - the thing was a thousand years old now, and both fragile and invaluable historically - but the symbolism was, Aurora assured her, important.

As important, it seemed, as Aurora's proof that Hikaru was, indeed, a descendant of Kirzon. Albeit, through generations of farmers and merchants, migrants and pirates, and at least two "less than legitimate" links - the pretenders to House of Kirzon (all nine of them, depending on which version of primogeniture and religion exclusionary laws you followed) did not recognize Hikaru's right by reason of birth, naturally, but Aurora soothed things over with them somewhat, as Hikaru's real claim was through Kizenian paths, which were at least somewhat less disputed, ultimately.

Still, that news had made Hikaru wonder at night a few times... what would her mother have thought of her own slight drop of "blue" in her own blood, had she known? Surely Hikaru had never before really suspected that she had any Dolgarian ancestry to her at all, much less ancestry that traced to the millennial nobility. Still, given that old Kirzon had at least 150,000 documented descendants living, it wasn't all that rare.

She stood up, still fussing with her gown, and walked to the window overlooking the airfield. It would be a nice day for a flight...

"Duchess, you have a special emissary," called out one of her new servants. Technically, no one, not even that meddlesome Aurora or her oft-annoying father was to be allowed in today... but, Iveta did hire smart girls, so that implied... oooh, perhaps a pre-crowning visit from a certain someone?

Hikaru casually unbuttoned part of her gown, to allow a bit of cleavage to show, and walked to the door, with a broad smile. "Goddy, what a sur... gack!"

Standing there, looking far better than she had in months given the intermittent TV appearances and video calls, was Silvia, Queen of Kizenia.

"Dear me, Hikaru, but your palace is so... strange!"

"Highness!" Hikaru gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"Let us sit, Hikaru, and I will explain," she said, motioning to a couch. "I have left Soria.. in charge as my acting Viceroy so I might attend this one event, and spend this one day away from... well, the late troubles at home. Surely even I have earned a short vacation, no?"

Silvia remained standing, so Hikaru did as well. "Of course, of course. Uh... I heard that there is at least some progress of late?"

"A few of the more remote communities have asked our protection... it's not much, but it's at least a small core of civilization. I did not come to brief you on these matters, however, this is mainly a social call dear." Still, Silvia remained standing, by the couch.

"Um, the couch is fine, yes," Hikaru said after a hesitation. One did not sit before the Queen did.

Silvia shook her head slightly. "My, you are new to this," she said with a smile on her face. "This is your home, not mine. And while I may not be much of a head of state at the moment, admittedly, the protocol of the land you stand on governs who has precedence. Unless, of course, they are being obstinate or overly courteous, both of which should warn you of difficulties ahead with whomever you deal. The former is belligerent, and the latter is trying to set you up for something."

"Um.. I'm not.. oh hell, can we just sit down at the same time?"

"That's fine," Silvia said, trying not to laugh at Hikaru's obvious discomfort. "Shall we?"

Both ladies sat, and Hikaru turned to Silvia. "More protocol junk to get used to?"

"It never does quite end, dear," Silvia answered. "I still have a little to teach... I suppose both by positive and by negative example."

"So... uh... what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I never did give you this," Silvia said, reaching down into her handbag, and pulling out a tiara. "I'm sure you recognize it."

Hikaru did, and gulped. "The crown of Sodali."

"Which is yours as her Duchess. Albeit, after today that title will be effectively gone, subsumed into your new role." Silvia placed the tiara on Hikaru's head lightly, then pulled it back off.

"Huh? What was that for?"

"You've been crowned, Duchess. But you will not actually wear this downstairs, dear, for today is about Dolgaria, not Kizenia." Silvia pressed her thumb against the large emerald in the tiara, popping it out. "But as the territory is yours, this jewel will fit nicely with the others in the new Dolgarian crown. So long as you remember, my dear Empress, that two more jewels will be yours eventually, and I hope you will keep them in your heart, just as you must keep Dolgaria there."

Silvia pressed the emerald into Hikaru's hand. "If you will excuse me, Empress, I do wish to visit my sons. It will break my heart when I must return home."

"You... could stay. Heck, Soria always wanted the old castle anyway, right? Let her have it, come live here with us... I..."

Silvia shook her head sadly. "Duty, my dear, is a very harsh mistress, and my duties do require me to leave again soon."

---

The ceremony itself was, to Hikaru, boring. She walked in, in a procession, and sat. Then she listened to a speech, then another. Then her Vadītājs, Dorina Cosma, knelt before her, and proffered the Crown of Kirzon (in its glass case), which was placed to Hikaru's side. Then a minister blessed the new crown, and placed it upon Hikaru's head. Finally, it was time for Hikaru to speak. Before she did, she slipped an emerald into the brim of the crown, to be set in a fitting later. Her set speech, she set aside on the podium; today, she would speak from the heart, at least at first.

"I was granted this honor by you all to serve as protector of the nation. Duty... duty, as I was so recently reminded, is a harsh mistress. All... all I can say to you tonight is, I... I will keep this land and its people in my heart. I will act, when I must, to protect this land, and to protect its people, from those threats which I can act against. And to answer a question raised... no, I will not seek to shed Dolgarian blood to restore Kizenia. The problems in Kizenia must be solved by Kizenians uniting to demand a functional government. While we will support them as we can, we will not ask young Dolgarian men and women to bleed, merely because we disagree with the direction Kizenia is taking."

"My promise to Dolgaria is to always keep Dolgaria's interests first in my heart. I was reminded by... a very wise woman recently, that this is not about me, it is about all of you. I may make mistakes, and I trust you all to... politely tell me I'm wrong." Hikaru's face wrinkled as a light chuckle rose in the crowd. "Especially you, Godric. Oh, don't pretend you haven't been studying this language," she said, turning to one dignitary in particular.

Her face set. "My speechmaker wrote something, I suppose it would be rude not to read it to you all after all the work he put into it," she said, as she glanced down at the paper. "I did read it first, by the way, so this is what I mean to say!" Another chuckle rose, as Hikaru adjusted the crown (thank goodness she wouldn't be expected to wear it all the time!) "Um... ah. Yes. Visiting Dignitaries, my friends, my countrymen... today..."

---

"You did alright," Iveta assured Hikaru, after her speech. "Ok, minus three points for the clumsy ad lib, but plus five for it too, I think. Just don't go into a comedy career."

"I'll keep that in mind," Hikaru answered, dryly. "Where's Godric?"

"Oh, he's talking to some of the other guests. Aurora's talking that poor boy's ear off."

"Well, it's time for me to talk his off instead. Give this letter to Aura after he and I leave."

"A letter, Empress?"

Hikaru nodded. "Formally appointing her royal ambassador to the IML, yadda yadda yadda. Oh, show it to Silvia, she'll sign off on it too. Don't give me that look - she's the best person for the job. She can charm a goat in his own language."

"I think I've seen her try," Iveta answered, sourly. "Do you really want me to interrupt Silvia's time with her sons?"

Hikaru looked out towards the lawn, out the side window. "No. You're right, it can wait. I'm going to miss that crazy old lady."

"You don't think she'll be back."

"She won't be. Duty... well, not unless something changes, anyway. Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to perform MY duty. Rescuing my Goddy from Aura's awful chatterbox."

----

"..so then, my awful brother says, get this, he says... Hikaru!"

Godric and Aurora both looked at the Empress, as she walked in straight for them. "Aura, please quit bothering my boyfriend," she said, in passable Hulstrian. "Godric, please, let me show you around this place some, now that the ceremonies are over. Oh, Aura, do go see Iveta, she has some work for you. Bye!"

Aurora huffed, until Hikaru's back was turned and she and Godric were making their way towards the private quarters. Then gave a small smile. "Yeah... guess it's back to work."