17 Dinner Party Part II

(Boredom can be a wonderful thing.)

I slid the door open and smiled. "Behold…" I turned and struck a grand pose like I was presenting a piece of art. "Casa Callum."

They were silent. Neither of the two boys had ever seen a room that looked like this. Although it was abnormal, they both had the same thought. It just worked.

I had furnished my room with a modern style. The bedframe was already quite boxy and not ornate so it fit well with the room. The color of the frame also matched the things I bought. The room was primarily grays, whites, and navy blue. I put a large, square rug at the foot of the bed, two rectangular runners on the sides of the bed that met up with it, and then another runner that went to the door. They were navy blue.

I placed several beanbags around the room. They were gray and made the room look cozy. I replaced my desk with a painted wooden desk. The chair was gray and quite comfortable. It also had wheels. Next to the desk was a white chest with a vertical handle. It was enchanted with an ice formation so it was essentially a magical mini fridge.

I replaced my bedding as well. Rather than the white, it was now a blue blanket with white sheets underneath. I also replaced the bedside tables with navy blue ones.

In the center of the square rug, a table that matched the desk was standing. Six chairs surrounded it that matched the color of the table. To finish it all off, I hung a few canvas prints on the walls that I thought looked cool. I even had a small plant that resembled a bonsai tree on the desk.

I smiled, anticipating their reaction. "So, what do you guys think?"

Jacob shook himself out of his stupor. "I've never seen anything like it. Where did you get this style?"

I shrugged. "It just came to me."

Yanni was slowly walking around the room, brushing his hands along the furniture. "These sharp edges, the dark colors, the contrast, the eccentric seating… This is revolutionary."

I tilted my head in confusion. "I don't know about all that. I just thought it looked cool."

Yanni shook his head and laughed. "I don't think you know what you have just created. This style is the perfect balance between elegance, functionality, and good taste. Although this room was designed to be a place to relax, the concepts of this style could be applied to an entire home! Do you mind if I show this to my father? He has been dying to renovate our home for years but never found a suitable style. I think he would love this! He would also become the talk of the kingdom in high society."

I shrugged. "First, I don't think I have ever heard you say so many words at once. Second, I ain't stopping you. I'm not sure how it would be received by the other nobles though."

Yanni blushed as he shook his head again. "Jacob, don't you agree?"

Jacob nodded his head, wearing a satisfied expression. "Just standing in this room makes me feel less stuffy and more comfortable. Normally this feeling would come from humble and common furnishings, but this is anything but!"

I rolled my eyes. "You two are overreacting. This is nothing special."

Jacob laughed. "I have an idea. Let's see what Anna thinks about it. She is the one with a real eye for this stuff. She is a princess after all. If she agrees with us, then you'll help us redecorate our rooms."

I contorted my face. "How is that even fair? Even if she agrees with me, I get nothing out of it."

Jacob shook his head. "Either way, you will be known as a pioneer of a new interior style. Your name will be written in textbooks at academies for the arts!"

I sighed. "That sounds SOOOO special. Anyways, how long do we have until the dinner party?"

Jacob nodded. "Fifteen minutes. It's a short walk though. Get ready and then we'll head over. I'm sure they won't mind us getting there early. I would bet that they are drinking tea and gossiping right now."

Yanni laughed. "That sounds about right."

I nodded and walked into the bathroom. I decided to let my hair down rather than tying it up. When I pulled the hair tie out, I noticed something different about my hair. It was extremely soft and silky. Letting go of the hair that was trapped in the tie, it gracefully fell down and looked as if it was just styled by a professional.

Running my fingers through it, there were no knots, only loose strands flowing past my fingers. I put my hand down and gently shook my head. My hair swayed back and forth as I turned my head. Seeing this made me smile. It would seem that my hair had also changed along with my body.

I walked out of the bathroom and nearly fell to the floor laughing from Jacob's reaction.

He was standing with vigilance, looking as if he'd pounce on me at any moment. "Who are you and what did you do with Callum?"

I shook my head as I laughed. After catching my breath, I was able to reply. "I just let my hair down. Do you not like it? And you can call me Cal by the way. I kinda like that nickname."

Jacob nodded as he relaxed. "You look like a new man. If I weren't engaged, I don't know if I could stop myself." All three of us laughed at that comment. "Let's get going. It's rude to keep ladies waiting."

I nodded and walked over to the door, sliding it open. "After you."

Jacob and Yanni walked out and I followed them after locking my door. As Jacob said, the walk was quite short. Anna's room was located in the next block over from mine. It seems that all four of us were placed on the border between the male and female dorms.

Jacob knocked on the door. A reply came from the other side. "Coming!"

The door slid open, revealing Anna. Her hair was done nicely and had some light makeup on. She didn't really need much since she had considerable natural beauty. "Please, come in."

She stepped to the side, making room for the three of us to enter the room. The inside of the room was almost identical to Jacob's room. The table had six chairs around it, two of which were currently occupied.

The five people that I was now in the room with were without a doubt above average in terms of appearance. I had never really paid too much attention to what everyone looks like. However, I realized that taking note of appearances can be quite useful.

Jacob was the spitting image of the king. He had a lean build but didn't lack muscle mass. He had flowing brown hair that was combed across his head. It was kept short on the sides. His green eyes contrasted with the dark hair. He had a small nose and tight lips. His jawline was sharp but gentle. He just reeked of majesty and pride. He was of average height being about 5'2".

Yanni had an appearance similar to that of an Eastern European person. His jet black hair was messily brushed over his head. His eyes were a dark brown and didn't stand out. His cheekbones were sharp and almost came to a point. He had slightly thick lips and a small nose. The shape of his head was very ovular so his jawline was not too pronounced. He was also quite tall for his age being 5'5".

Anna looked just like the queen. She had a domineering and powerful presence, but came off as gentle and welcoming. Quite suiting of a future constable. She had wavy brown hair that reached down to just below her shoulders. Similar to the other two girls, she had started to grow her curves despite the young age. The body must mature faster due to the presence of mana. Her face was quite the contradiction but it was still beautiful. She had sharp facial features but soft curves on her cheeks and jaws. She was the same height as her twin.

Anna gestured to the two girls sitting at the table. "I believe some introductions are in order since we have a new guest. Callum, these two are Rebecca Vemoux, Jacob's fiancee, and Jillian Walker. Girls, this is Callum of Shellham."

I took a few moments to observe the two girls. Rebecca was beautiful, but nothing special. She was a blonde with deep blue eyes. She had a very feminine appearance. She was of average height at about 5'1" but looked considerably mature for her age. She must have been tempered by constant interactions with other nobles. Her appearance contrasted with Jacob's but they definitely looked good as a couple.

Then I turned to look at Jillian. I froze as I noticed something about her. She was exactly my type. She had soft features and gentle eyes of a hazel color. Her light brown hair flowed over her shoulders like a cascading fountain. She was also slightly tall for her age being 5'3".

I smiled. "You can call me Cal."

They nodded. Rebecca spoke first. "It's nice to meet you, Cal." Jillian didn't speak. She was silently observing me. I could only wonder what Anna told them about me.

I started to walk towards the table. As I walked, Jacob and Yanni sped by me. Jacob sat between Rebecca and Jillian, and Yanni sat between Anna and Rebecca. That left one seat for me between Anna and Jillian.

I pulled the seat out and stepped in front of it. I then pulled it in and sat down. The table was already set. There were cups of water, tea cups, placemats, napkins, silverware, and plates. In the center of the table was a pot of tea on what appeared to be a hot place powered by a crystal.

There was silence for a moment but Rebecca broke the ice. "So, Cal, tell us about where you come from."

I nodded. "It's a nice town. It's not too big, but had everything I needed as I grew up."

Jacob laughed. "What's it like there? I've never been to a town like that."

I thought for a moment. "Well, I don't really know anything else so I am not sure what you want to hear."

Jacob sighed. "What do people do there?"

I nodded, understanding him now. "It's nothing special. There are people doing all kinds of things. There's guards, a blacksmith, a few bakeries, some restaurants and pubs, an inn, a tailor, and then some guilds."

Yanni tilted his head in confusion. "Guilds?"

I nodded. "Yes, guilds. My father told me that they are organizations that will do jobs for you. They stretch across the kingdom and cover a variety of trades. There are adventurers, herbalists, miners, lumberjacks, and many others. They issue the jobs they receive as quests to their members."

Yanni nodded. "Ohhhhh. So they are similar to the Mage Council but for things that aren't magic related."

I contorted my face. Mage Council? "What's that?"

Everyone, Yanni included, wore a surprised expression. "How do you not know about the Mage Council?"

I shrugged. "You guys are forgetting that I come from the boonies."

They all laughed. Yanni sighed. "You are right. The Mage Council is the governing body for the mages of the kingdom. Every country has one and they are connected. The general term for them is a mage association If you are in good standing with your association, you can visit any other mage association's locations. Sometimes your life will take you across the world so this is very useful to gain safe passage into other countries. Everyone who graduates from the royal academies is automatically given a membership."

I nodded. "I see. What happens when wars break out?"

Jacob cut in to answer this. "Since mages are the citizens of their respective countries, that allegiance is held before that to the mage associations. Thus, the country can call on their mages to support their campaign. However, not every mage is an active member of an association. Many choose to join the military rather than become involved in the association. Each country's military is where a majority of mages find their work. Mostly freelance mages that don't wish to align themselves with a country work with the associations. I already have my path paved for me so I don't have a choice. Do you have any idea what you might do?"

I thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. I know I want to see some of the outside world but only time will tell."

Rebecca nodded. "That is a great thing to do. Traveling gives you perspective on life. What do your parents do?"

I sighed. I forgot that I had never mentioned that the two people who I call mom and dad are not actually my parents. "Well, I lost my parents to a dragon a few years ago. Their friends adopted me and kept me fed."

The mood in the room turned gloomy. Everyone realized that they might have just opened a can of worms that shouldn't be touched.

Yanni, on the other hand, was glowing with surprise. "A dragon? What was it like?"

I laughed. "Only you, Yanni. It was massive and scary. It lit half the town on fire before the Dragon Corps arrived. Each time it roared, the ground shook. I hope no one ever has to experience that."

Yanni was amazed. "Wow. It's amazing that you survived an encounter with a dragon! Not many people who aren't a part of the Dragon Corps can say that."

I laughed nervously and scratched the back of my head. "I barely survived. If it wasn't for James, I would have died. Oh, James and Sonia are my adoptive parents."

Rebecca sighed. "I'm sorry for asking."

I shook my head. "No, it's totally fine. James is a guard captain and Sonia mostly takes care of the house."

Jacob shook his head in pity. "That sounds like a hard life."

I scrunched my brows in ridicule. "Says the Royal Prince." Everyone laughed. Internally, they all agreed with Jacob but they knew that I was not raised the same as them.

A knock came from the door and Anna shot up from her seat. "Oh! Food is here!" She strode over to the door and slid it open. Outside was a man with a cart. The cart held several covered dishes. The smell that spread across the room made my stomach rumble.

The man rolled the cart over to the table. First, he spread the skirt and pulled out two bottles of what appeared to be wine.

I shook my head in confusion. "Wait, what's the drinking age?"

Everyone in the room turned to me like I was speaking another language. Jacob laughed. "Drinking age? This is wine. Only liquor has an age restriction of 16. Most parents don't let their children have any alcohol until they are ten though."

I sighed. "Okay." Four more years! At that time, I could enjoy some scotch, or whatever they have here.

The man pulled out six wine glasses and placed one in front of each of us. He uncorked both bottles and set one down on the table. He then poured the wine into each of our glasses.

Then he started removing the covers from the dishes. The food that sat before my eyes made Okami groan with desire. There were two porterhouse steaks, lobster tails, a slab of grilled salmon, roasted potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and a bowl of fresh bread. Is this what it's like to be royalty?

Not wanting to be rude, I sat patiently, waiting for someone else to take food first. I didn't want to break any table etiquette. To calm myself down, I took a large gulp of the wine. It was a red wine that had a deep and bold aroma. As soon as the wine hit my empty stomach, I realized my mistakes. First, I was drinking on an empty stomach. That is just a plain old rookie move.

The second, but more important mistake, was that THIS BODY WAS ONLY 12! I completely forgot that I no longer had my late teen body that could tank a row of tequila shots in Mexico.

The alcohol went straight to my head and I began to feel a bit tipsy. It was too late to go back. I could only hope that I wasn't a disruptive drunk.

To my respite, Jacob grabbed food first. He elegantly served himself. Anna followed him up, then Yanni, then Rebecca, and then Jillian. I noticed that they served themselves in order of their status. Thus, I concluded that I should go last. Fortunately, this only applied to the first serving as after I served myself, Yanni was already grabbing another piece of bread.

I wasn't sure if it was due to the alcohol, but every bite of food was euphoric. The steak just melted in my mouth as I chewed. I stayed away from the seafood since I was drinking red wine. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft within. The vegetables were also perfectly seasoned and cooked.

Jacob giggled when he saw how I was sitting. "You good there?"

I perked up. "Wuh?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Have you ever drank before?"

I nodded as I finished the last of my second glass of wine.

Jacob shrugged and started flirting with Rebecca.

Suddenly, I felt an elbow jab my rib cage. I looked over and Anna was very close to me. She whispered. "Talk to her."

I wore a drunken smile as I nodded and whipped around to face Jillian. "So, where did they make you?"

Jillian wore an appalled face as if someone had just attacked her. "Excuse me?" Everyone went silent. They were all watching to see how I would reply. One thought went through all of their heads. That thought was that I totally whiffed the first impression.

I smirked. "I was just wondering where I'd have to go to find a girl as beautiful as you. Lucky me though. I have one right in front of me."