New Dawn
Epilogue

Thecathedral was echoing with footsteps and whispered conversations, along withthe rustling of hundreds of guests taking their seats. All had come to see thewedding of the couple so special that the King had given permission for them tobe wed in his cathedral. Benho waited anxiously at the altar, hopping from onefoot to the other.

“Do I lookall right?” he asked Maicee, anxiously, smoothing down his already wrinkle-freeblack robe.

“You lookfantastic,” said Maicee, trying not to laugh at his friend's nervousness. “Juststay cool.” He patted Benho on the back. “You can do this.”

Benhogrimaced and darted a look towards the towering cathedral door.

“I'm gladyou're here, Maicee,” he said quietly.

“As am I,”Maicee said.

But hewondered how Benho would feel when he, inevitably, found out about his secret.He hoped he wouldn't be too angry. For the moment, though, there was no need totell him, and Maicee wore the same masculine black robe as his friend.

Benhoseemed about to say more, but then the arched wooden door of the cathedralcreaked open, and all heads turned as a smooth flugelhorn solo began toannounce the arrival of the bride. Sa-li shivered in the doorway, nervous to bethe centre of attention, but Major Ulsa'hi calmed her.

“Breathe!”he ordered.

He'd beenglad to agree to give the young orphan away, though he wasn't exactly paternal.Sa-li felt a little more like she was taking part in a military drill than awedding; but then, this tall, brave man with beetle eyebrows had always beenkind to her. She had wanted to ask Kabi, but then ... then she couldn't. It wasthe only moment of sadness that had marred her beautiful day.

Then it wastime. With a deep breath, Sa-li allowed herself to be steered down the aisle tothe shouts and cheers of all gathered. She was trailed by her bridesmaids,Lucia and Falorni, and showered with flower petals as she slowly made her waytowards Benho.

“I wish,”whispered Ausanne to Niku, “that my sister could be here to see this. It's sobeautiful.”

Nikusnuggled closer to her princess but said nothing. There was nothing that shecould say.

Reachingthe altar, Ulsa'hi handed Sa-li over to Benho, and the wedding began inearnest.

Maicee wassharing a celebratory glass with Benho when the tinkling voice of Ausanne spokefrom behind him.

“I've got asurprise for you,” she said.

“Again?” hegroaned. “I'm not so sure I like your surprises.”

Benholaughed as the princess stuck her tongue out at his best friend.

“Here,” shesaid, holding out an envelope with the King's seal.

Maicee tookit, looking puzzled, and was about to slide it unopened into his pocket whenboth Ausanne and Benho protested.

“Fine,fine, I'll read it,” he said, slitting open the seal. Then his mouth droppedopen. “It says here that the King of Britannia is conferring upon me the titleof Duke!”

Ausannegrinned, and Benho slapped Maicee on the back.

“Looks likedrinks will be on you for a while, then,” observed Benho. “What with you beinga Duke, and me being a married man with responsibilities and all.”

All Maiceecould do was shake his head in amazement.

Aftersaving the princess twice, the King of Britannia had said, making Maicee a Dukewas the least he could do. And with the title came land, of course, a sprawlingvilla just outside of the capital. Maicee was sitting at his new, rather largedesk a week after the wedding and wondering what exactly he should do with hisday when a servant approached. He’d thought about asking to remain undisturbed,but, to be honest, with Lucia back in Carooine attending to some personalbusiness and Ausanne busy at the palace, Maicee was growing a little bored withthe life of luxury. So he bade the servant to enter and accepted the letterthat he was given.

Thehandwriting looked oddly familiar, he thought; and a shiver of premonition,that old feeling of danger, niggled at the base of his spine. With a knife, hecut the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.

I will be coming to Britannia in two weeks,along with Lucia and her crew. We have much to talk about. Until then, practicewhat you have been taught, for the war is not yet over. It has barely evenbegun.

Kabi.

And Maiceeclosed his eyes, letting tears slide unchecked down his cheeks. Kabi was alive.He should have known.

Above theskies of Archeonis sat twelve large ships under the command of the real New Dawn. Sitting in the captain's chairof the command ship, the Supreme Emperor waited impatiently, his fingers drummingon the armrest.

“YourMajesty, target is in sight, beam cannons ready to fire,” came the report.

The Emperornodded, then stood, his robe billowing around him as he turned to face thosegathered on the bridge.

“The timehas come,” he announced, “to retake that which is ours.”

Those onthe bridge roared with approval.

“Signal toall ships. Fire at will!” declared the Emperor.

In amoment, the velvet darkness of space was ablaze with beams of light andexplosions. The Divine War had begun, though some, in later years, would referto it as the War of the Mad Emperor.