As soon as Okab stepped out, the crowd cheered for him loudly. He raised his hands up to acknowledge them with a grin on his face. He took his sword out and raised it up and the audience went mad.
When Rigel walked outside to join him, the crowd cheered all along but there were few who jeered at him. They started passing demeaning remarks. Rigel knew that they were all strategically planted by Meissa and Okab. He ignored all of them and focused his energy on Okab. He came to stand next to him, a few feet apart and faced the podium where the king was sitting on a red cushioned high chair flanked by Meissa on the left and a vacant chair on the right. His mother chose not to come.
Meissa was leaning forward as excitement surged in her eyes to see Okab. When her gaze locked with Rigel's, her orbs turned into cold ice.
