The Party

When he descended from the stairs, he saw that the hall was getting a little crowded, Maids and servants were running everywhere preparing for the party that was to happen an hour later. His parents were sitting in one of the sofas, just looking at the preparations as they were going down. Will looked at them, and then at the hustle. He went to the sofa that was adjacent to the one his parents were sitting on, and sat with his legs crossed. He took a book from the rack next to him, and started reading it.

"What were you doing upstairs? Did your grandfather call you?", Raphael asked.

Will clenched his jaw, and lied outright. "I just wanted to see something in grandfather's study, but he was still in, so I came back."

"Aren't you the trouble maker? Don't do that ever again. You don't know how mad that gets them."

After a while, the three were still seated, with Will reading, and his parents just looking at the hall in its full glory.

"Well then, it seems that it is time for the guests to arrive.", Raphael said, getting up.

Daphne got up as well, and looked up at Will. She came up to him and told him to get up. "You are getting restless. Look at your shirt. It is a little messy. If I didn't see this, imagine how embarrassing it would be in front of the guests. Your grandfather will scold you again. You don't want to cry like your last birthday, right?"

Will immediately pulled back, and set his shirt straight himself. "Thanks for pointing it out, mother. I will be going to the study room and call grandfather if the guests are coming.".

"Yes, you should do that.", Raphael said, as he was stretching his legs and arms.

Will nodded, and went back to the study room. He ran up the stairs, and through the corridor upstairs to get to the study room. He knocked on the door, and asked, "Grand father, may I come in?"

"Yes, come in. Close the door behind you.", the same familiar voice said out. Will complied. He went inside the room to see his grandfather completely, looking exactly like Will's great grandfather in the portrait, with the exact same suit.

"Grandfather. Why are you wearing a suit that is just like Great grandfather's in the portrait?", he asked subconsciously.

"Oh this? This is the suit that the head of the Monroe family wears for important occasions, and when there are important dignitaries gathering. It is a symbol of the Monroe family. Look at the Qilins that were engraved within all of the sleeves. The gold coloring you see is actual gold threading."

"Actual gold on cloth? Won't that be very uncomfortable?", Will asked.

"When you are at my stage, no matter what you wear can be comfortable. Did you not learn about the different commercial enchantments?", Arthur countered.

"Oh! I forgot. Forgive me grandfather.", Will said. He nodded, and then remembered,

"Grandfather. The guests have begun to arrive. Will you be receiving them?"

"Guests? The ones who have arrived now, or arriving now, are just those people who are desperate to get on our good side. The important ones will be coming much later. Tell your father that he is enough to greet them.", Arthur scoffed.

Will nodded, and went back downstairs. By now, the whole hall was fill with tables and chairs, and each seat was reserved. There was a plaque at every seat, with a name. Some of the seats were slowly filling, and it seemed that Raphael had already take up the mantle of receiving the guests without being asked to.

Will went up to Raphael and said, "Grandfather told me to tell you that he will be late, and asked you to receive our esteemed guests on his behalf.". Seeing another guest appear next to him, Will chose his words very carefully.

"Oh, did he now?", Raphael doubted. He saluted the guest and directed him to a seat. With the both of them now alone, he asked Will, "What did he really tell you?"

Will hesitated, but he said, "Grandfather said that these people were just getting on our good side, and that you are enough to greet them. He said that the important guests were coming much later, and that he will be coming then."

"Ah! Why am I not surprised? Well then, you should have a seat. Doesn't make sense to show off the main attraction so early into the day.", Raphael said, and showed him where his seat was. It seemed that looking at the preparations for the entire morning had paid off. But, to be more precise, it seemed that Raphael was prepared for his father not welcoming the guests.