“You’re going to do amazing, darling,” my mother said as she placed a soft kiss on my cheek.
“Thanks, Mum.”
My father stepped up in front of me and placed both hands on my shoulders, giving them a light squeeze.
“I’m very proud of you, son.” His voice cracked. “I have full confidence you are going to do amazing things.”
“Thank you,” I answered, trying not to let the sudden surge of emotion choke my words. Intellectually, I knew my dad had always been proud of me, but it was something else to hear the words. He was a good father, but he had spent most of his time with Xavier while we were growing up, no doubt passing along the knowledge he thought my brother would need to become king. It wasn’t something I had ever resented, but hearing him voice his pride andconfidence in me made my chest tight in an unexpected way.
Mum slipped her arm through Dad’s as they walked to the fourth carriage in the line. Once they were inside, the procession started, each carriage setting off slowly down the cobbled drive.
Adelaide stood beside me, silent but comforting in her presence. I let out a relieved sigh, glad that it would be just the two of us for this next bit.
“Ready?” I asked in a hushed tone.
“Are you?”
I huffed a laugh. “Sure. As I’ll ever be, I suppose.”
I reached for her hand, and we walked down the stairs to the remaining carriage, the grandest of the coaches. The footman opened the door, and I repositioned my hand to help Adelaide balance as she stepped up. I didn’t care that the footman would typically do this; I wanted it to be me today.
We made our way into the heart of Altborn, the streets lined with people cheering and waving our country’s flag—a trio of blue, white, and green vertical stripes, with the white center stripe featuring a pair of two gold lions standing on their hind legs, facing away from each other.
Our family’s processionals always drew crowds, but I had never seen one quite this large. I blinked, trying to process that they were here forme, to witness history asIwas crowned King.
My stomach dropped as I ran a hand over my face. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
Adelaide took my hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I inhaled and exhaled once more. “I just…” I squeezed her hand and cleared my throat. “It’s just a lot. I think everything is just hitting me in a new way. Like, this is all really happening.”
“I can’t even begin to imagine the weight you’re feeling, Ollie.”
She adjusted her hand, lacing her fingers through my own. It felt even more intimate than our hookup at the gala had been.
“Hey.” She gave my hand a few squeezes. “Look at me.”
I met her captivating gaze and felt my shoulders, which had somehow been raised up halfway to my ears, sink down a few inches.
“You deserve this.”
“Ha!” I laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Adelaide’s look was unwavering. “Oliver,” she replied sternly, “you do. You are kind, you are caring, and you are exactly what this country needs. Don’t sell yourself short.”
My mouth twisted wryly. “You have more confidence in me than I have in myself.”
“Look out your window.” She raised her free hand and pointed to the people lining the sidewalks. “Those people right there, they believe you deserve this, too.”
I waved to the throng, pasting on a smile. The cheers grew louder. “They don’t even really know me, though,” I said through my teeth as I continued to smile and wave. “I was never in the spotlight nearly as much as Xavier was; most of what they know of me has been from the last few months. I don’t want to disappoint them.”
“Well, if you need to borrow some of the confidence I have in you today, then go right ahead. It’s yours.” She squeezed my hand again and waved to a little girl who shouted her name.
This woman. God, she had no idea that she was quickly becoming the cornerstone for me in all of this. How couldshe not know that there was no way that I would be able to do this without her? She spoke of the crowd believing in me, but it was clear that they also adored her.
The coach slowed, coming to a stop a few blocks away from the House of Lords. I knew that Knox and Birdie would be exiting their carriage to enter the expansive neo-Gothic-style building. I took a few more deep breathes as we inched slowly forward.
From where I sat, I could just barely see over the spectators to catch a glimpse of Rosie slowly climbing the stairs, followed by Gram, the cheers of the onlookers drowning out the clicks of the cameras documenting every moment. The country adored them both: their beloved princess and former queen, the bookends of the royal family.
