Chapter – 157 - The Coronation Ritual of the Gavarnum's

The Coronation of the new Gavarnum's were held two days later.

On this day, all the people within their cottage complex woke up with the rising first sun. A low thread of excitement and anticipation was running through the crowd, as everyone got dressed, and slowly left their rooms to be guided to the place where the Coronation would take place.

The residence of the Gavarnum's was an entirely separated place from the four Major Clans. It was right at the back-center of the Core City, Flanked by two Major Clans on each side. The other two Major Clans were in the front right and left of the Gavarnum's residence.

The Gavarnum Residence and Office were in the same building, completely separated from the rest of the four Major Clans. In fact, the Gavarnum Residence had their own people, who had been a part of the Gavarnum Residence for generations. These people had no connections with the Four Major Clans. All works related to the Gavarnum were carried on by these people.

Even the two Gavarnum's, the In-Place Gavarnum, and the Assistant Gavarnum, all four would have to bind themselves with the Gavarnum Residency for the next 200 years. This Spiritual contract would not allow them to keep any personal contact with their home-clans for the time of their Gavarnum tenure.

However, the Gavarnum Residence was even more strictly protected than the Main Family Residences of the Major Clans. No one without authority was even allowed to enter the premises. Even today, they were being guided to the Divination Temple of the Gavarnum, which was a bit separated from the actual area of the Gavarnum Residence.

The temple was at back of a very large cleared area. The entire place was filled with a strange blue grass, trimmed short to look neat. And the grass was speckled with tiny dots of red, yellow and white flowers. It looked like an artist had sprinkled color from an airbrush on a vivid blue backdrop.

At the back was a three storied tall building, which would have been a cathedral save for its absolutely flat roof. Four thin pillars stood on top of the roof, and a large, harp like instrument was floating in the middle of the four pillars.

The entire building itself was floating a few meters above the ground, and a long series of short but wide steps led from the ground up to the building. At the foot of the stairs, was a circular cleared area, filled with red earth.

Two huge, semi-circular open-sided pavilions bordered the grass on both sides of the open area. This was where the spectators would be standing, and they could only enter from the back of the pavilion.

Only one path led through the grass area to the circular area before the stairs. It was quite broad, and was paved neatly with sparkling silver-white stones.

All the people who had come to watch the Coronation were slowly being led to the two pavilions. There was no arrangement for sitting. One had to stand to watch the coronation. Apparently this was a form of respect, since civilians were supposed to stand before the Gavarnum's.

A light music was playing in the air. Though Rihanna couldn't see anyone actually playing the harp-like instrument. She wondered if the player was playing it from a distance, or if there was a kind of array which could make the harp play music for a certain time. These people had truly created all different kinds of arrays and combinations for harnessing the power of different elements!

At the start of the silver-white path, a golden light grew out of the ground, and a teleportation screen gradually emerged. The two Gavarnum's, the In-Place Gavarnum and the Assistant Gavarnum, all slowly walked out through the teleportation screen one by one. In perfect harmony, they walked towards the circular area before the stairs.

At the same time, a person slowly walked out of the central door of the building at the back. A tall, thin man, with skin as white and smooth as white porcelain walked out. He was dressed in dark blue robes which floated in the air at the hem, and the tail of the coat dragged on the ground to almost 2 meters behind the man himself.

Large silver embroidery decorated the sleeves and hem of the cloak. His head was covered with a long silver piece of cloth, which had a lot of finely painted inscriptions at its borders. He was carrying a water crystal, floating over the two palms joined together as he walked down the long stairs.

"That is the High-Divinatory of Madsa-Tamu. Every country, except Feyin-Damaya, has a High-Divinatory. They hold very important positions in the country, though they are not allowed to directly affect the governance of the country."

"Why not Feyin-Damaya?"

Ye Luo looked at Rihanna in confusion.

"Ummm....because the High-Divinatory is from the Divination Sect of Feyin-Damaya?...Oh! Haven't I told you this before?!"

Seeing Rihanna shake her head seriously, Ye Luo paused.

"So....every country has a representative of the Divination Sect of Feyin-Damaya. These people have exceptional divination powers, and have been invited by the highest governments of the four countries to come and take a seat in our country. They have high positions, are highly respected, and enjoy a lot of perks. However, they are not allowed to interfere with the governance of the country."

Rihanna frowned, nodding. This was a rose with thorns. Foretelling the future would always bring about changes in the path of the country. And that in turn could always be interpreted as interference.

Though they spoke very softly, Rihanna felt a few stares coming her way. Turning in confusion she saw the people around them glaring softly at them. She pursed her lips and turned back forward obediently.

The people here considered the Gavarnum Coronation as an auspicious event. Thus no one talked or sat during the coronation as that would be a sign of disrespect. Coronation was not a festivity.....it was a ritual. She should be grateful they were only glaring and had not kicked them off the pavilion already!

Since both the groups were moving very slowly, it took a long time for them to reach the circular area. Rihanna squinted her eyes. She had paid attention before, but just now she caught a flicker of light being reflected above the red earth. Glancing around, she lifted a finger and poked Ye Luo on his arm.

"It's the Dadicatvus. It's transparent. Will tell you about it later."

Rihanna nodded, then quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed as she straightened herself once more.

There was some form of a membranous orb planted in the middle of the red earth, half buried under the earth, half above the ground. The membrane was transparent and almost invisible. Only when the bright light of the two suns fell on it, could one see a purple-gold reflection at the edges.

The Gavarnum group came to the front of the Dadicatvus and separated into two lines on both sides. All four kneeled down on the ground, facing the Dadicatvus. Cupping their palms placed on each other, they stretched out their hands, then bowed down to the earth, placing their hands on the ground before them.

The High Divinatory walked down the stairs to the other side of the Dadicatvus and stood behind it. Raising his joined palms, he brought it over the transparent orb. A thin stream of milky white liquid drizzled down from the water ball floating over his palms, falling on to the orb.

The Dadicatvus started absorbing the milky white liquid into itself, and gradually the transparent membrane of the orb turned a dark golden-purple color.

The Gavarnum of Policies stood up first, moving to stand right in front of the Dadicatvus, before placing both her palms on the membrane of the Dadicatvus. Then she gently released her energy into the membrane. The silver-gray of metal and wind merged into the membrane, and Rihanna could see the energy particles circling through the outer layers of the membrane.

Gradually the purple and gold particles of the Dadicatvus merged with the silver and gray particles, forming a dark golden-red color. Then a stream of this golden-red colored energy floated out of the orb, entering the glabella of the woman.

A strange three-lead shaped pattern emerged on the forehead of the woman in the same golden-red color. The mark was a symbol of the Gavarnum's position, and the color denoted her powers.

In a similar process, one by one, the others too went forward to get their mark. The Gavarnum of Trade was a beast head in silver-blue color. The In-Place Gavarnum was a five-petal flower in blackish-blue. And the Assistant Gavarnum was marked with a two-headed snake in dark green.

Rihanna was mesmerized by the entire process. She didn't know what coronations of kings in ancient times were like back on earth. But she wondered if they could be more spectacular than this. The magic and mysticism wove through the somberness of the ritual, making her strangely elated!

Someone poked at her shoulders and her strange mood broke as she turned to blink at Uncle He. All three of them had accompanied Rihanna and the two boys to the pavilion. Looking at her awestruck face, they couldn't help chuckling. Uncle He leaned over.

"The Coronation is already over and the Gavarnum members have all gone inside the Temple. What are you still waiting here for?"

Startled, Rihanna turned to look around and noticed that people had already started leaving the pavilion. No one was allowed inside the Temple. For the spectators, the Rituals of Coronation were already over, so people were slowly leaving. She scratched her head awkwardly, then grinned at her Uncles.

"Then....should we go see what they are serving for lunch?"

Indeed, the Coronation being such a massive event, taking place once every 200 years, the four Major Clans and the Gavarnum Residence had turned the rest of the event into a festivity. After the Rituals of Coronation, there was to be a lavish spread of lunch for the spectators.

Finally coming out of the solemn mood of the Coronation, the group slowly made their way towards the area where lunch was going to be served. The excitement of the event had finally broken through the somber mood of before, and people all around were in a highly excitable state, chatting and gossiping about what they had just seen.