Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 134: Coronation(1)

The day of the coronation had finally arrived. In the weeks leading up to it, the realm had been thrown into chaos, its once-relatively-stable order now shattered beyond recognition. Nobles found themselves entangled in a whirlwind of events so baffling and swift, few could make sense of what was happening.

First came the shock of their prince's death. Rumors spread like wildfire—killed in an engagement with the very mercenaries he had hired. Some claimed it was a betrayal, others said that the prince was the one that ordered for the head of the commander in a fit of madness. But before the nobles could process this, news arrived of his daughter, Jasmine, seizing control of the throne. To their astonishment, she not only pardoned the mercenary captain responsible for the prince's death but re-hired him into her service.

Lord Ormund, one of the realm's most powerful nobles, had rallied his forces, perhaps in outrage, perhaps to seize the throne for himself. Yet, he and his son were cut down in an ambush before their intentions could be fully understood. The princess declared them traitors, accusing Ormund of attempting to usurp her rightful rule, a claim met with murmurs but mostly believed as everyone knew of the bad blood between Ormund and Arkawatt.

And at the top of it , an order came from the capital, summoning all nobles to swear allegiance to the new princess.So in a month the status quo built upon one decade and half of rule , came short all from the arrival of one man.

Had the civil war not been swiftly cut short, many lords would have likely declared neutrality or remained on the sidelines, waiting for the most advantageous offer before choosing a side.

 In such times, loyalty often went to the highest bidder, and alliances were as fragile as the promises that forged them.

But the war had ended as abruptly as it began, and with only one true contender for the throne left standing—Princess Jasmine—there was little incentive for the lords to continue hesitating. What many thought might drag on into a prolonged conflict had been resolved with brutal efficiency, leaving most nobles with little choice but to accept the new order. Recognizing that there was no more room for divided loyalties, they sent their messages of allegiance to the capital, knowing that defiance or neutrality would now only bring bad things for the future

As the lords and ladies of the realm made their way to the capital, many harbored their own ambitions. They brought with them the hope of strengthening their positions through a royal marriage, eagerly anticipating the possibility of offering their sons as candidates for the hand of the eligible princess.