Slowly, the pieces are put into place, ready for their final moves.

Dewi, waiting for her mother to make an appearance. Flora, imprisoned somewhere, waiting for our help. Angus, waiting for the Morrigan’s signal to attack. And me, waiting for my coronation.

Everything has been prepared. The feast, the dress, the crown. The only thing that isn’t ready is me.

“This is a massive mistake,” I mutter against Arc’s chest. He’s been holding me for the past ten minutes, trying to calm me down. “I can’t be Queen.”

“Ye can,” he repeats for the umptieth time. “Ye were born ta be Queen. Doubting that is part of yer strength.”

I laugh bitterly. “It doesn’t feel like a strength.”

“It is. Ye think yer nae worthy, and that’s the right way ta think.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

He rubs my back with one hand, the other stroking my hair.

“Believe in yerself, Wyn. It will all be fine.”

I wish I had the same confidence in myself that he seems to have. I’m not made to be Queen, but I seem to be the only person who sees that. I’m not strong enough, not clever enough, and definitely not ruthless enough. I pretend to wiggle my way through all the obstacles thrown in my way, but one day, people will see through the pretence. They will see that I’m weak and they’ll regret crowning me.

The door opens behind me, but I refuse to look. I don’t want this moment to end. Arc is warm and comforting, and even though he’s not managed to calm me down completely, it’s better than I would be without him.

“They’re ready,” Storm announces. “Everyone’s assembled.”

I shudder. No, this isn’t happening. This is a nightmare.

“Even Beira is there.”

That makes me peek around Arc.

“Beira?”

“She’s going to be there for the coronation. She believes in you and she supports you, Wyn.”

I step from Arc’s hug, regretting it immediately when his warmth disappears from my skin.

“My mother shouldn’t be out of bed. She’s too weak.”

“Then we better get this over with quickly so she can lie down again.” Crispin has joined the other Guardians. “But don’t worry, she’s feeling a lot better today. Maybe it’s because the weight on her is being lifted. Now that you’re about to be Queen, she can give up some of her responsibilities and focus on her recovery.”

I hadn’t thought about it like that, but it makes sense. Even though I’ve been taking on most of her tasks, Beira has still been consulted about matters of state. Hell, I’ve come to her for help and advice almost every day. I doubt that I’ll stop doing that, but still, she’ll be under a lot less pressure.

I smoothen my dress and straighten my back. Coronation, here I come.

The Great Hall is filled with far too many people to count. Every inch is packed with visitors, all of them eager to spot a glimpse of their new Queen. Beira is sitting in the front row in a chair covered in blankets. She’s pale but Crispin was right, she looks a lot better than she has in the past few days. The throne on the dais is empty, and I’m not going to sit on it just yet. Tamara has gone over the ceremony again and again to make sure that I’ll not embarrass myself in front of the crowd.

I refused to walk along the aisle, so instead, I’ve entered the hall from a door close to the dais. My dress is making it hard to walk and I clutch its skirts, desperately praying that I won’t trip. That wouldn’t be a good start to my reign, although it would be a fitting one. This is going to be one big stumble after the next.

I take my place in front of the throne – don’t sit down, Wyn, don’t sit down – and wait for Thor and Lucifer to join me. It took us a while to decide on who should be crowning me, but eventually, we decided on those two. They’re both very powerful Gods and good friends of my mother. Hopefully, they’re going to be there for me in the future when I need advice and moral support. I suppress a laugh. Having Lucifer for moral support, sure. Not quite what people on Earth would think of him. He’s really quite sweet though, especially the fact that he takes human wives and stays true to them until they die, never leaving their side even when they become old.

Loki is here as well, but he’s not as strong as his brother, so he’s watching from the audience.

Both Gods bow in front of me, then take their place by my side. I wanted my Guardians up here with me as well, but Tamara voted against that. If they were my husbands, then that might have been possible, but as they’re not, I need to send out the message that it’s me who’s ruling and that I’m not being influenced by anyone. I’m the Queen, and while I’m allowed to have romantic partners, it’s expected that they don’t get involved in politics. I hope they ignore the fact that Storm is part of the Council.

Even Dewi has come, along with several other dragon shifters. Nobody knows yet that she’s the Goddess of Autumn, so she’s not in the first row along with the other important Gods. We’re keeping it a secret for now, not wanting to show our hand to Angus. There’s no doubt he has spies here at court.

Gwain appears at the other end of the Great Hall, carrying a crown on a dark blue cushion. He’s dressed in his most formal uniform, dozens of medals blazing on his chest. He looks formidable despite his age. Behind him are the other Council members and a few representatives of the military. Most of them look familiar, but I likely wouldn’t be able to name them all. They’re just there to look pretty, according to Tamara, who’d licked her lips when she said that. She seems partial to a man in uniform, and who could blame her. I look down at my Guardians, all dressed in the uniforms of the Royal Guard. If I could, I’d teleport us all into my chambers and rip off their clothes.

Sadly, I don't think that would go down well with all the assembled dignitaries. Or with Tamara, who's looking at me as if she knows exactly what I'm thinking. She's sitting beside Frost, wearing a dress that looks entirely too modern for someone her age. Well, who am I to judge.

Gwain is slowly making his way towards me. He's far too slow, I don't think I can stand the tension for much longer. There's an orchestra playing in the background, but I can't focus on the music. It could be hard rock or Beethoven, for all I care. My eyes are fixed on the crown. It's a beautiful, intricate design that isn't as heavy as that of my mother, nor as big. It's a bit of a mix between my current Princess crown that's not much more than a diadem, and the current crown of the Winter Queen that resembles rows of upturned icicles. Whoever made it deserves my thanks. It looks like I can actually wear it for several hours at a time, as I will have to do.

"You'll be fine," Thor whispers under his breath. "After the ceremony, you can party and let your hair down."

I don't tell him that I have no intention to do so, because Gwain has finally reached the dais. He stops in front of us and bows, the crown wobbling precariously on its cushion.

"Your Highness," he says quietly, before turning around to the assembled crowd. As one, they all get up. Great, that increases the pressure even more.

He clears his throat before lifting his voice so everyone can hear him. I'm sure there's magic involved to make sure that even those at the very back of the hall know what's going on.

"We have assembled to witness the coronation of Wynter, Daughter of Beira. She has proven that she is worthy of leading our Realm in good times and bad." He turns around again until he's looking at me.

"Is your Majesty willing to take the oath?"

"I am," I reply loud and clear.

Bright, golden magic flares into life, a fiery circle surrounding Gwain, myself and the two Gods flanking me. This magic will assess the truthfulness of my words. I swallow hard. Already, I'm being judged, and I've not even been crowned yet.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this Realm according to our laws and customs?"

"I solemnly promise to do so," I say, just like I've practised over and over again.

"Will you to your power cause law and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgements?"

I almost cringe at the overly formal language. This is taken directly from the British coronation oath. I think they wanted it to feel familiar, but it’s not helping.

"I will."

"Will you preserve the magic that sustains this Realm and our people, and strive to use it for only good?"

"I will."

The magic around us lights up even brighter, before exploding into a thousand tiny stars. They fly up to the ceiling and stay there like a night sky looking down on us. It's beautiful and magical and entirely choreographed by Tamara. I bet she's looking very satisfied with herself just now.

"Then I shall pass this crown on to my superiors so that you may be crowned." Gwain hands the cushion to Lucifer and then retreats, walking backwards for a few steps before bowing and turning.

Finally, I sit down on my throne. The seating area is short, forcing me to sit upright. I can't imagine this being very comfortable for long. No wonder my mother is always cold and impatient when she's sitting on here.

The two Gods take their places behind me. The big moment has come. I'm going to be Queen. I suppress the urge to run and fly far, far away. There's no turning back now. This Realm needs me.

I can feel Thor move closer and I know he's about to hold the crown above my head.

"May this crown be the symbol of our trust in you, our Queen," he says in his booming voice. "May your rule be long and prosper."

Slowly, he lowers the crown until it touches my head. I shiver at the gravity of this moment. When he takes away his hands and the crown sits on my head, pressing against my skin, I take a deep breath. I am Queen.

Queen. Monarch. Ruler.

I'm the Queen of an entire Realm. How did it come to this?

There's applause and shouts, but something is happening. A blackness is covering my vision and I let myself fall back into my chair as I'm ripped from my body and into nothingness.

"Wyn?"

A familiar voice is calling to me, but it takes me a moment to place it.

"Flora?"

I open my eyes but there is nothing but darkness around.

"Where are you?" I ask, stretching out my arms in case she's somewhere in the room with me.

"I'm not sure. Everything's dark."

"Hello?" A new voice. It seems Autumn has joined us.

"Dewi?" I call back. "Is that you?"

"Yes. Does anyone want to explain what's going on? I was watching your coronation and suddenly, I'm here."

"I have no idea. Flora?"

"Not a clue either," the Spring Goddess replies. "But I'd rather be here than in the cell they're keeping me in."

"Have they hurt you?" I ask, a little embarrassed that I didn't think to do so right away. "Is it the Morrigan who took you?"

"I'm fine. Nothing that can't be fixed." She sounds resigned. "And yes, it's her. She tricked me. I should have known better, I knew about the Crispin doppelgangers, but I was foolish and well... now she's got me. I've not actually seen her though, and to be honest, I’m glad about that."

"We're going to get you out of there," I  promise. "She'll regret this."

"We'll make her regret a lot of things," Dewi adds grimly. "She'll pay for what she's done to our Realms."

"Are my people safe?" Flora asks.

"Yes, nobody has tried to invade," I reassure her. "I've sent some extra troops there just in case."

"Thank you," she whispers and I feel terrible that she's thanking me. I should have protected her better.

Suddenly, someone clears his throat. A man. "As touching as all of this is, could someone please explain what's going on?"

"Angus!" Flora shrieks, confirming my suspicions. "How are you here?"

"Same way you're here. I have no idea what's happened. Good to finally meet you, Winter Princess."

I sneer. "I can't say it's mutual. And that's Queen for you, I just got crowned."

"Ah, yes." He chuckles. "I was going to send flowers, but then decided not to. I'll send some for your funeral instead."

Now that's just rude.

"And who is the other woman?" he asks, but I cut him off.

"None of your business."

"Then I better go, if you're not going to answer my questions."

I wait for him to disappear, but a few seconds later, he protests, "Let me go."

"I'm not keeping you," I explain calmly. “But I think I know why we're here. To talk. To discuss what's going on."

"There's nothing to discuss," Dewi shouts. "I'm not going to talk to an ally of the monster who tried to suppress my people."

"What are you talking about?" Angus snarls back. "Who are you?"

"I am Queen Dewi, the Ruler of the Dragon Realm," she announces haughtily and I suppress a sigh. That was supposed to stay a secret for now.

"Dragons? I have nothing to do with dragons," the Summer King replies, confusion lacing his voice. "I didn't attack your Realm."

"No, but your girlfriend did!" Dewi shouts hysterically.

"My... girlfriend?"

I start to laugh. "She didn't tell you, did she. Oh, she's far too clever to tell her allies all her secrets. Especially not those stupid enough to trust her."

"I'm sure there are reasons," Angus splutters. "Maybe she's hadn't had time to tell me yet."

"She took over my Realm three months ago. I'd say she's had enough time to let you know." Dewi's voice is dripping with poison, but also with a hint of satisfaction. We're at an advantage now. We've planted seeds of doubt in the Summer King's mind, and even though this meeting has come completely unexpected, it's just what we needed. We were planning to have Bridget be the chisel that could divide Angus and the Morrigan, but now we're able to do it from two fronts.

"Sometimes, a true leader has to keep secrets, even from her allies," Angus says, but he doesn't sound as confident and brazen as he did before.

"Maybe ask her what other secrets she's keeping from him?" I suggest lightly. "There might be a few."

"Did you know she was going to kill my husband?" Flora suddenly asks, reminding us that she's here with us as well. "We were your allies, yet you discarded us without a second thought. Is that what she's teaching you? To let go of all alliances and betray the people who trusted you?"

Angus doesn't reply. I bet he didn't know about the assassination before it happened. Yet another seed planted.

"It's not too late to turn your back on her," I tell him urgently. "She doesn't trust you with her plans, what stops her from betraying you? What has she promised you in return for your help? Or is she helping you, using you?"

"We're equal partners," Angus barks out.

He's getting emotional. Good. Now we just need him to think about it, then the doubt will hopefully fester. If only we can get him to change allegiances, then half the battle is already won. Or is that me being too optimistic and hopeful? It's not like I know Angus like all the others do. I'm new to this game of thrones and war, and I don't have any experience I can draw on. I'm hoping that at least this makes me unpredictable.

"I still don't know why we're here," Dewi complains. "I have better things to do than to talk with him."

"Believe me, the feeling is mutual," Angus mutters.

While I'm really glad to have escaped from my coronation for a bit, this is becoming strange. Is it the balance causing this? Are we supposed to do something here? I wish this job came with an instruction manual. 'In case you're abducted and put into a dark room with both friends and enemies, go to step 4B.'

I still don't know where we are. Am I still sitting in the Great Hall and is it only my mind that's been transported here, or have I disappeared from the coronation completely? That would certainly cause some gossip. The newly crowned Queen disappears into thin air the moment the crown touches her head. People would be talking about that for years.

"Is anyone else feeling a little light-headed?" Flora suddenly asks, but before I can answer that I am indeed starting to get dizzy, the darkness disappears, finally letting me see where I am.

Wow. I'm standing in a winter landscape, a forest on the horizon, a few snow-covered shrubs around me. Snow is falling in thick flakes all around me, but it's... wait. It's not falling. It's flying upwards. It's leaving the ground and rising towards the clouds. Exactly the opposite of what should be happening. And why can I see the horizon with so much snow? There's something seriously wrong with this place.

"Hello?" I call, expecting the other Gods to be nearby. We were just talking, they must be close.

"The leaves are turning from brown to green!" Dewi shouts. It sounds as if she's right beside me, but there's no one there. She must be in my head. Does that mean we haven't actually been in the same dark room together? Was it all an illusion?

"The snowdrops are turning into snow." Flora sounds as if she's close to tears, but again, I can hear her as clearly as if she was standing only a few feet away from me.

"What about you, Angus?" I shout, before remembering that I probably don't have to. "I assume you're in a summer world?"

"Everything's burning," he whispers, but it's loud enough for me to hear. "The grass is burning, the trees are burning. It's too hot, the sun is killing it all."

"Is this what could be happening if the balance is disturbed?" I ask into the empty landscape. "Could the world turn into this?"

Most of the snow around me has lifted into the air, and still the snowflakes are rising. What's going to happen next? Will there be more snow? Will everything thaw?

"That balance is a myth that your mother likes to draw on whenever I do something she doesn't like," Angus says angrily. Funny how he describes trying to invade her Realm as something 'she doesn't like'. I'd have some much stronger words for that, but I doubt the Summer God is going to want to hear them.

Dewi shrieks in alarm and I turn in the direction of the scream, but of course, there's nothing to see. We're all both separate and together. Yet another metaphor?

"It's... everything's turning into mud!" she screams. "The leaves, they're falling, but before they touch the ground, they turn into sludge. The trees are melting... get me out of here!"

Flora starts screaming as well, and Angus begins to curse.

"Angus!" I shout. "Do you see what's going to happen if we don't keep the balance? This is a warning, a vision of what's to come. We need to work together to stop this from happening, please!"

He doesn't reply, only curses more. What's happening wherever he is?

"I'm ready to talk and negotiate," I tell him urgently. "If we join forces, we can beat the Morrigan and then fix what's been broken. Please, Angus, listen to reason!"

There's a noise behind me, a roaring sound, and I swirl around. Two tornados are coming towards me, one filled with snow, one made from pure, burning flames. They're destroying everything in their path.

I need to get out of here. 

And I am. As soon as I think that thought, I'm back in the Great Hall, the crown weighing heavily on my head. Nobody is staring at me any more than they did before. It seems it was all in my head.

Kind of. Dewi meets my eyes and nods slightly. Yes, she saw it too.

It was very, very real.