The Banquet Part 2

After leaving Viola with his mother, the second prince rushed off to his room to get ready. His room wasn't close to his mother's but like his mother's, was not close to the royal family. His room was, however, much larger than his mother's as he was a royal heir. As soon as he got there, he undressed and went to take a bath. After taking a bath, he was surprised to see a black suit already laid out on his bed for him when he returned. There were also shoes in his size. He wasn't sure if he had overlooked it when he first entered. The suit grabbed his attention as it looked somewhat similar to a suit he had seen the King wear. At first, he was curious about the suit's origin but as he was short on time, he didn't spare a second thought and quickly got dressed. He neatly brushed his hair back to have a more polished look. Once he was done he set off to meet Viola. While thinking about Viola, his face turned red. There were many thoughts rushing through his mind. He wondered how she would look, what style his mother would put her in, if they would dance together, among other things. He was both anxious and excited to be attending the banquet with her.

Back in Amelia's room, Viola was almost done getting ready. The last thing was the dress. Shortly after Alexander had left a servant of the King delivered a white gown. The gown was prepared especially for Viola using measurements of previous Blossoms. As a result, it didn't fully match Viola's figure. Luckily, Amelia had some skill in sewing and was able to make alterations to the gown. The alterations took some time to be completed. As it got darker, Viola used her magic to strengthen the low-grade light stones that were in the room. The stones had now been upgraded to high-grade light stones. Amelia was so focused on her task that she didn't notice. While she waited, Viola also used her magic to upgrade the low-grade fire stones that Amelia had stored to middle-grade. A knock on the door gave Amelia a scare. The guard informed her that Alexander had arrived.

"We're almost done, just a few more minutes," advised Amelia.

"Okay… I'll be right here!" responded Alexander as he started pacing.

Once Amelia completed the alterations she helped Viola get dressed. The gown perfectly outlined Viola's figure. It was a long, off the shoulder gown with small straps. Within the design of the gown were small swam motifs. Amelia had Viola's hair pinned to her left with loose curls throughout. She used her finger to gently apply a rich rouge onto her lips. There wasn't much need for other make-up. The more she looked at Viola, the harder it was to stop. Her blue eyes were clear, reminiscent of the ocean. As Amelia examined Viola's ensemble she realised that shoes weren't prepared. Amelia quickly pulled out a pair of black heels she had. Once Viola tried it, they fit perfectly but once Viola tried to walk in them she staggered from left to right.

"I don't think this will work," said Viola as she looked down at the shoes.

Amelia chuckled as she pulled out a pair of black flats. Although they were more on the simple side they were enough to complete the look. As the shoes would be covered, Amelia felt it was better for Viola to be comfortable.

"You look gorgeous! I wish I could see their faces when you arrive," said Amelia as she adjusted Viola's hair.

"Why aren't you coming with us mother?" asked Viola.

Viola's expression reminded her of Alexander when he was a child. She was rarely permitted to attend royal events so he had to face it all alone. As he got older he would stop asking.

"Are you okay?" asked Viola as she wiped a tear from Amelia's cheek.

"Oh, yes! I'm fine, don't worry about me," said Amelia as she wiped her cheeks.

She didn't realize that the memories were still so painful for her. Although she tried to assure Viola, she could tell that she wasn't convinced.

"Things can be a bit… complicated in the castle but knowing I have Alexander and you here for me... there's nothing to worry about," said Amelia.

Viola now felt at ease.

"It's getting pretty late guys," said Alexander.

As he turned to knock on the door it was already open. As he looked inside he saw Viola. She was breathtaking. Alexander blushed but he couldn't look away. Viola stared at him blankly.

Amelia snapped her fingers by Alexander's ear, causing him to break from his daze.

"You have a little drool here," teased his mother.

"What?! No there isn't... I don't know what you're talking about," said Alexander as he feigned ignorance.

Amelia laughed.

"It's getting pretty late, you guys should go now," advised Amelia.

Alexander and Viola headed for the banquet hall. Amelia continued to watch them until they were no longer within her view. As she went back into her room and closed the door she noticed something different.

"When did it get this bright?" asked Amelia aloud. She was confused but grateful for the change.

As Viola and Alexander arrived, the sound of the harp echoed. All eyes were now focused on them. Those that were seated were now on their feet. Seeing them, the Crown Prince rushed off to meet them at the foot of the stairs. Alexander clumsily took Viola's arm and linked it with his. As they descended the stairs, the guests were able to get a closer look at Viola. She was alluring. Her hair stood out even more against the white gown. The Crown Prince also took notice. Despite what had happened, he wasn't opposed to the idea of taking her as a concubine. While the Crown Prince was focused on Viola, Alexander also attracted the attention of others. Alexander looked quite dashing in his black suit. They both garnered many compliments, however, questions quickly arose. There were various murmurs coming from the crowd.

"Why is the second prince escorting the Blossom?" asked a guest.

"Wasn't the Crown Prince the one who synced with the Blossom?" asked another guest.

Once they got to the foot of the stairs, the Crown Prince tried to hold Viola's hand. It was futile as Viola was like a statue. Realizing it was useless, the Crown Prince ceased his efforts so as to not attract unwanted attention.

The Crown Prince had everyone remain silent for a moment so that he could speak. The Crown Prince took a deep breath before speaking.

"I would like to thank you all for attending my birthday banquet. I am proud to stand before you as the Crown Prince and I will do my best to ensure that our kingdom will continue to rise. In order to remain a strong kingdom, we also need to be a united kingdom. In order to do so, I've tried something different. I'm sure you're all curious to know why I didn't take the Blossom with me, so I will set the record straight. I've decided to have not only the Blossom, Viola, but also the second prince by my side to show our kingdom's strength. We shall work together as a united front to accomplish our goals," said the Crown Prince.

A thunderous applause followed. It was a rousing speech. The Crown Prince spoke with such confidence that all the guests had for him was praise. The Crown Prince smiled brightly as he looked upon their faces. At the same time, Viola and the second prince stood next to him trying to look the part.