The coronation took place one month after the battle. The palace had been cleaned and restored, though it would take years to fully heal the wounds of war.
Elara stood before her people, no longer a frightened princess but a queen who had earned her crown through courage, sacrifice, and compassion. The crown of starlight sat upon her head, glowing softly in the morning light.
"I stand before you not as someone who was born to rule," she said, her voice carrying across the assembled crowd, "but as someone who has learned what it means to lead. I have seen the cost of tyranny. I have felt the weight of loss. And I promise you, on the memory of my family and the sacrifice of all who fell to bring us to this moment, that I will be the queen Astoria deserves."
The crowd roared their approval. These were her people now. Her responsibility. Her purpose.
After the ceremony, Elara found Kieran on the palace balcony, looking out over the city.
"Avoiding the celebration?" she asked, joining him.
"Needed some air," he admitted. "All those nobles bowing and scraping. It's not my world."
"It's not really mine either," Elara said. "But it's the world we have to live in."
Kieran turned to face her. "What happens now? You're queen. You have advisors, guards, a whole kingdom at your command. You don't need a disgraced former soldier following you around."
"Don't I?" Elara asked softly. She took his hand. "Kieran, you've been at my side through everything. You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. You taught me to be strong. You saved my life more times than I can count."
"That was my duty," Kieran said.
"No," Elara corrected. "It was your choice. And I'm making a choice now too." She took a breath, gathering her courage. "I'm asking you to stay. Not as a guard or a soldier. As my partner. As someone I trust more than anyone else in this world."
Kieran's eyes widened. "Elara, I'm not nobility. I have no lands, no title—"
"I don't care about any of that," Elara interrupted. "I care about you. And if you'll have me, if you're willing to face whatever comes next together, then I want you at my side. Always."
Kieran was quiet for a long moment, and Elara felt her heart hammering in her chest. Then, slowly, he smiled the first truly unguarded smile she'd ever seen from him.
"I've been yours since the moment I found you in that forest," he said. "I just didn't think a queen could want someone like me."
"This queen does," Elara said. "Very much."
He pulled her close, and they kissed as the sun rose over the city, painting the sky in shades of gold and silver.
When they finally pulled apart, Elara looked out over her kingdom. There was so much work to do. So many wounds to heal. So many challenges ahead.
But she wasn't alone. She had Kieran. She had Sera, and Lyra, and all the loyal people who had fought for her. She had her magic, her courage, and her determination to build a better future.
The stars had guided her this far. Now, she would be the light that guided her kingdom forward.
Queen Elara of Astoria, the Starlight Queen, stood at the beginning of a new era. And though the path ahead was uncertain, she faced it without fear.
For she had learned that true strength came not from power alone, but from hope, compassion, and the courage to keep fighting even when all seemed lost.
The darkness had been defeated. Now, it was time to build a new dawn.