When the golden rays of the sun kissed Lorian's eyes, he woke up to a new day. He walked toward the window and inhaled the fresh morning air. In the brightness of the day, yesterday's dark events seemed like a distant past, or a fever dream. But Lorian knew it was not a dream, but a harsh reality. His father, Lord of the City, was no more. To the world, he was killed by a cabal of rival houses and evil conspirators, but only Lorian knew that his father had decided to martyr himself to save the city and his family. Because of this, while the whole city was going to mourn for the next nine days, Lorian would have to work hard and give his two hundred percent. He loved his father, and he would pay his respects not by mourning like everyone else, but by moving on from grief to fulfill his father's will.
He freshened up and went straight to meet his mother. The guard outside her chambers informed Lorian that the Lady had gone to the garden, and Miss Selena was with her. Lorian rushed to find them. The poor lady was sitting by the fountain, lost in thought, while Selena stood by her side. Selena looked helpless, having no idea what she should do to comfort her. Lorian walked toward his mother, who remained oblivious to her son's approach until he hugged her from behind. Seraphina came out of her stupor as a tear rolled down her cheek. She promptly wiped it away before turning to her son and patting his head. But looking at him, she could not control herself. Lorian had his father's eyes, after all; the boy reminded her of the partner she would never meet again.
Selena grabbed her shoulder from behind. "What we had agreed yesterday, My Lady? We would not cry again, right? Why then?"
"Sorry," Seraphina offered a faked apology and playfully stroked Selena's cheek, "It won't happen again!"
"She is right, Mother," Lorian told her, "Father wouldn't like to see you sad. And he would be angry at me again;- angry that I am such a worthless son that I cannot make my mother smile in his absence!"
Seraphina patted his cheeks, "Your father was never angry at you. He was immensely proud of you. The truth is that he had very, very high expectations. He would feel sad when he felt you were not tapping your potential, for he had great dreams for you. His only regret would be that he could never tell you how much he loved you. He was not a very expressive person, and he died with that regret…"
"No, Mother!" Lorian hugged her tight, "I knew how much he loved me. Do not be sad, for he told me that as well!"
Seraphina seemed pleased. She kissed her son's forehead and placed her hand on his head, "Now, prepare yourself. You have so much to do. I won't keep you." Selena smiled at Lorian, "Do not worry, I am with my lady. You go, your duty beckons!" Lorian stood up and bowed to both, "Thank you. Now I bid farewell for now." He cast a quick glance at Selena and, with his eyes, gestured a heartfelt thanks, which she shyly acknowledged with a smile. Suddenly, Lorian felt he did not need to worry about internal matters anymore. He decided to work on the immediate issues- organizing the national mourning and the transition of power.
He summoned an immediate meeting in the Onyx Gallery- the underground sanctum where the Inner Circle would sit and discuss matters before appearing in the Royal Court of the Gilded Nave. It was the first time Lorian would set foot in the Gallery. This meeting in Onyx Gallery was meant to give a clear message- the King is dead, but the Kingship of the Thrones is alive.
Lorian felt overwhelmed as he entered the room for the first time in his life. The air was heavy with the scent of wax and old parchment. Unlike the rooms of the outer palace, this was like a hidden vault made of dark stone with low ceilings. The walls were lined with polished black onyx that reflected the light of the candelabras, creating the illusion that the room stretched infinitely into a dark, mystical void.
Lorian stood at the head of the long obsidian table. He did not sit on the chair reserved for the King; instead, he stood behind it, resting his hands firmly on the backrest. Before him sat the Inner Circle. This comprised the 'Old Guard,' the five pillars of the throne- Gravil Fartom, the High Seneschal of Law; Lucien Lehance, the Lord Commander of the Land; Vorlag Vane, the Lord Admiral of the Sea; Theron Valerius, the Lord Chancellor of Coin; and Lady Anya Vesper, the Grand Syndic and Voice of the People[1].
As was customary for Veridian leadership, Lorian's five retainers were also invited- Kaelen Strong, Jax Nightclaw, Zara Sunstreak, Eldard Alsnow, and Rylan Fartom. Usually, they would be included in the circle to learn from the Old Guards so that when a ruler eventually handed over power, the retainers would fill the void. But in these circumstances, there was no proper transition. Lorian was going to accept the kingship, but his retainers would not immediately take on new responsibilities as they were not yet ready. The Old Guard would carry on with their duties while the retainers remained in training. However, Lorian did not introduce Grisel Gabon. Grisel was his hidden weapon, and Lorian was not going to reveal his identity or existence to the world, at least not yet.
The first agenda today was the Decree of the Nine-Day Obsequies, designed to transition Lorian from a grieving son to a mandatory leader. The mourning period, observed in Veridia for nine days as the 'Cycle of the Fallen Seed,' was officially called 'The Proclamation of the Ashen Silence.' It began with a mandatory observance called the 'Great Hush'. During the first three days, all trade would be suspended and taverns would remain shuttered. No metal-on-metal work was permitted, as the clashing of steel was considered an insult to the peace of the dead.
The Inner Circle decided that the Cycle would be divided into four phases.
The first phase, which would be observed for the first three days, was called The Vigil of the Blood. It was designed to let the reality of the loss sink in and to stoke the anger of the populace against the 'assassins'. At dawn of Day One, the Shrouding of the Founders would begin. Every statue in the city square would be draped in translucent violet silk, symbolically blinding the city to signify that without a Lord, Veridia has no vision. Elmsworth's body would be placed in the Hall of Pillars, where the Throne Guards would stand in four-hour shifts. They would not speak or blink, holding their polearms in the Inverted Guard with the blades toward the floor.
The second phase, The Procession of the Supplicants, would take place over the next three days. This phase was about political consolidation. Lorian had to appear to the public as 'broken but present.' House Throne would open its granaries, and large communal tables would be set in the lower districts. The poor would be fed 'Mourning Broth' and 'Heavy Bread,' ensuring they did not riot and instead associated House Throne with their survival. The Masters of the Coin, the Masons, and the Silk Merchants would march past the casket. Each guild master would lay a tool of their trade at the foot of the bier, symbolically offering their service to the vacant seat. Once a day, Lorian would walk from the Spire to the Hall of Pillars wearing no crown, only a simple violet cloak. He had to look like a man carrying the weight of the world, making the people feel protective of him.
The third phase, The Lamentation and the Trial of the Sea, would be observed on the seventh and eighth days. In this phase, the mood had to shift from grief to cold, controlled anger. State-sponsored speakers would stand on every street corner, speaking not of Elmsworth's life, but of his sacrifice. They would weave the narrative that he died to protect Veridia from 'Imperial Vultures'. On the evening of the eighth day, a massive wooden galley, representing the Bistro and the pirates, would be burnt in the harbor. It was intended to be the moment for the mob to release their suppressed emotions, turning their sadness into a desire for a strong leader who would bring fire to their enemies.
The fourth and final phase, The Day of Confirmation, was set for the ninth day. This would be the most critical moment for Lorian, where hereditary formality met the Council's choice. At dawn, the body of Elmsworth would be moved to the Royal Crypts in a silent procession attended only by the family and the High Council. At noon, the Council of the Iron Chair would assemble. Then would begin the customary ritual of the Three Denials, where, upon the third and final request by the city, Lorian would officially accept the crown and become the new Ruler of Veridia. With the program chalked out, the Inner Council started making plans to ensure the transition was smooth and unopposed, ready to take any measure necessary for success.
[1] Introduced in Chapter 7 -The Gathering https://inkstone.webnovel.com/novels/chapter/edit/32761828508025905/88027004133237343