@majus
It's been three hours, Elena notes, and only now has the procession come close to the emperor's podium. In the past three hours of Elena's triumph, countless men and women have been marching through the streets of the capital, the procession snaking its way slowly in the direction of the palace, the air filled with fireworks and confetti as the populace rejoice, either out of patriotism, or just the love of a good party.
Finally, Elena's float, a lumbering monolith decorated in religious symbols, reaches the huge platform erected for the emperor and his court. As the float comes in to dock, she sees Carius in a resplendent uniform, on a podium to face the crowd, finishing up a speech. "All hail sister Elena of the Jade Rose, who's leadership saved Ietra! Long live our glorious empire!" The crowd goes wild, chanting Elena and Carius' name. As Elena moves to step onto the platform, a slave whispers in her ear "Remember, despite all this, you are not a god..." As if a holy woman needed to hear that, but it's tradition.
Behind Elena step Thrax and his new Jade Rose wife, both resplendent in uniform and nun habit respectively, the latter wearing the Jade Rose garb in honor of her former order. Carius moves from the podium back to his throne, inviting Elena to sit next to him, and enjoy the festivities.
"Not a bad celebration, right?" The young man smiles up at her. "Will you be making a speech yourself?"