Kole looks me over suspiciously.
"Who are you supposed to be?" He says critically. I smile.
"It's me Ardis. I've come home." I say. Kole raises his eyebrows.
"Well you certainly don't look like a princess." He says. My dress is ripped and dirty, and my delicately braided headband has fallen out. Dirt is smudged on my face. I just laugh.
"I never look like a princess. I was always dirty." I say, remembering the many times Kole had covered for me as I snuck into the castle with my dress torn.
"True. But what proof do you have that you are really Eadu?" He asks skeptically. I was expecting this. I take a deep breath, and pull the necklace out. The flame pendant glitters in the light.
"The fire that was put out when I left, has been rekindled. The flame is alive, and stronger then ever before." I say, reciting the words my mother told me to say if my position as princess was ever in danger.
Kole's eyes widen. He pulls a worn letter out of his pocket and reads it, then stares at me again. I know what the letter says. It says that if a person ever came foreword claiming to be me, that Kole should ask them for proof and that the person will say what I just said, and show him the pendant.
Kole looks at me, his eyes brimming with tears.
"I'm home again." I whisper. He nods, incapable of words. Then he clears his throat and turns to the assembled pheasants and Seatadors alike.
"People of Faiyria, I am proud to announce that our beloved Eadu is home once more." He says. Then he steps aside to reveal myself to the court.
Applause and cheering roars in my ears. People are screaming, crying, and clapping. I get choked up slightly at the sight of how happy they are. I never knew they cared this much. But I am their princess. I am their Queen.
The official coronation happens right away. A muddy Briss walks up holding the sparkling clean tiara.
"I never knew. And I tried to kill you. Forgive me my queen." She whispers, kneeling at my feet.
"I never told you. And you helped me more then you hurt me. There's nothing to forgive." I tell her. She smiles and stands. Then she bows and hands the crown to Kole.
His eyes shine as he places the crown on my head.
"I give you Queen Eadu-the Risen Queen of Faiyria!" He shouts.
If I thought the applause was loud before, then the applause this time around was deafening. I smile and wave. Then I motion for the musicians in the corner to start playing a traditional Faiyrian folk dance. People immediately start to dance. I mingle with my subjects, nodding graciously at the people that bow and cry. Derrin immediately walks overs to me.
"Are queens and servants allowed to be friends?" He asks, his eyes sparkling. I smile.
"Your not a servant anymore. You live in my castle as a nobleman." I tell him. His face lights up with a smile. He gives me a hug. I'm tempted to never let go. But a pointed cough from behind us makes us jump apart. Standing there is Gai, looking less then happy. Derrin mumbles something about helping the kitchen staff and disappears.
"So. Your actually Eadu?" He says as a question. I nod.
"Never less, you made a promise. I'm homered to be at your service." He says. I nod again and go onto the elevated platform my throne sits on. The musicians stop playing at once. The room falls silent. I take a breath, and begin.
"Thank you for being here today. I have a couple changes to make. My first act as Queen of Faiyria is to relieve Sir Barl O'Connell of his position of Head Seatador." I say. Cheers echo around the room. Nobody likes O'Connell. He scowls harshly at me, before being pushed out of the room.
"Next I would like to replace him with Sir Gai Fynn." I tell my audience. Gai beams as he takes the ring that just minutes ago was on O'Connell's finger, marking him as Head Seatador.
I bite my lip before continuing my speech.
"I would also like to charge Gai with the murder of Queen Ebony, King Lochlan, and Prince Mithil. And the attempted murder of myself four years ago. Also the attempted murder of three girls, including myself again." I say calmly. The people gasp. Gai glares at me.
"How do you know!" He whisper-shouts. I smile.
"I'm not as bad of a reader as I let on. I found that you used the oil of the Dervish Flower, which is a slow acting poison. You had the leaves in your office. It can take up to a week for the poison to attack, killing you instantly. You poisoned my family when you had them for dinner." I say harshly. He glares at me.
"I have no connection to Eadu." He snarls. I barely contain my rage.
"Oh yes you do. The people that attacked the ship I supposedly was on, were hired. They are the only ones, besides you, with access to the Dervish Flower. You also had my crown which supposedly went down with the ship." I yell.
Gai's face twists into a ugly snarl.
"If I go down you're coming with me." He hisses. Then he lunges at me. I draw my knife, Ignis, and counter his attack. Within seconds Ignis is at his throat.
"Arrest this man and strip him of his title." I tell my guards angrily. They roughly take him from my hands.
"Beware Eadu. Someday..." Gai screams. Then he is dragged out of the room.
My people stand there in shock. Then clapping starts again. I'm not finished talking though. I clear my throat and speak once more.
"People of Faiyria. I don't know what's coming. There's no guarantee that it will be pleasant. But you are guaranteed that I will be there right beside you. I will always be with you. Tonight though, is a celebration. I have returned home. Tonight Faiyrians-we dance!"

That's it. The end of The False Princess. I just want to say thanks to all my readers. I wouldn't be able to do this without you. You guys are all amazing.
Though this is the end of The False Princess, it's not the end of the story. Not by a long shot. The Runaway Queen comes out August 2014. I will be posting the first chapter on here in the next week or so. So stay tuned!