Part 2
Upon seeing the skies clear over Ammangoan, General Ryul decided to give the signal and enter the city anyway. The elite Royal Ranger Corps, Syndra's personal rangers, spearheaded the search mission. When they reached the palace walls, even Ryul was left speechless by the devastation. The gates were gone, as if they never existed, and so was most of the roof of the palace.
"Spread out! Find Princess Valmaris!" Ryul shouted, rushing through the archway.
The rubble covered the entire courtyard, and while the Usurper King's head was found quickly, causing a lift in the mood, the search to find Syndra took longer, until they found her under a collapsed door. She was breathing softly, and holding the Royal Blade in an embrace.
"General! I've found her!" The Ranger shouted, causing everyone to rush over immediately.
"Out of the way! Move it!" Ryul shouted, pushing through the crowd.
Syndra slowly opened her eyes as she heard Ryul's shouts, and saw him standing over her looking concerned.
"Ryul... I did it. He's dead. Tarron is avenged." Syndra said, laughing weakly.
"Syndra..." Ryul said quietly, barely loud enough for the other Rangers to hear. "So you're..."
"Queen." She whispered. "The Queen of the North. I'm tired, Ryul. Take me home."
Ryul nodded and gently lifted up Syndra in a princess carry.carry, and slowly walked out of the palace grounds. Syndra whispered something, and they disappeared in a gust of wind.
Syndra rested in Ellren Serine for several days before returning to the capital, and while her energy seemed to have returned, her face was still sad and melancholy. The citizens had returned to the city, and works were underway to repair the palace. Rumour spread of an announcement to be made by Syndra, and eventually she had to choice but to make one, if only to quiet the whispering. So there she found herself, at a podium in front of the heavily damaged palace, with about one hundred elves in front of her, and Syndra wondering how she got herself into this mess.
"I thank you all for coming. This has been a tiring war, for all of us. So many of us have lost loved ones, friends, comrades, and more to get to this moment. It was loss that had set us on this path, and it was loss that defined it. But we will not let loss define our future." Syndra paused and surveyed the crowd. So far they seemed to agree with the speech but she had to be careful. "With that being said, I proclaim myself Queen Syndra Valmaris, the Queen of the North. Let the killing cease, let the crescendo of iron and blood draw to a close. My husband would have never wanted it."
Syndra paused to cry at the mention of her husband. She missed him terribly, but she remembered his words. The North needed a strong ruler, now more than ever. However, she needed him more than ever, and that pain would never go away. As she wiped away her tears, she looked up and saw the looks of concern on her subject's faces. She cleared her throat and continued.
"I don't know how many years I have left, but I will strive to be a fair and just ruler for all of those years. When I finally go to Eadola, do not weep for me."
The elves clapped in response, seemingly satisfied by the relatively short speech. Syndra bowed, and re-entered the ruined palace. As she turned a corner into a corridor, Ryul stopped her.
"Gave the speech you didn't want to give, ma'am?" He asked.