Out with a bang

"Your Highness, I do hope you reconsider as to not make a poor impression with my kinsmen." The tone of the pudgy party guest only brightened slightly with a forced smile while he noticed his audience.

"How odd for you to speak for the entirety of our kinsmen, Balor, as I do not think half of them might even know your name." Sir Gavin parted the gathering crowd. His tall stature accentuated his kinsmen's height.

"Sir Gavin, I did not mean…" The chubby troublemaker was interrupted.

"Should not I be the offended party, as next in line to the sword of Aves? The Princess has suffered a harsh rebuke from our clan from her inferior with such elegance and grace. Endearing herself to us much more than any dance could. My apologies, your Highness" Gavin kept his tone even. He was pure refinement.

"And as future Swordsman, you do not speak for all your kinsmen yet either." Balor interjected.

"But at one point, I will have the responsibility of leading. With responsibility comes the accolades and the rebukes of everything under your charge. I hope by the time my kinsmen are under my leadership, I will not have to make amends for their behavior." Gavin turned to Alina and bowed. "My apologies, once again, Your Highness"

The chubby man turned red and said nothing further. His scowl indeed confirmed, he was not sorry but would not push the issue. Sir Gavin might not be in charge yet, but he probably had some pull with his father. If the stout offender wanted a good position in defending Ensis, he should stop offending his future leaders.

Gavin had grown a foot since I'd last seen him. He turned 19 earlier this year. He was always so rigid. At least with Carrion, he would tease me to show the world he had some personality. Pious and always proper, our childhood upbringings were polar opposites. To this day, I am not sure Gavin ever got to play or if everything was just duty and decorum. Clearly his parents did something right, since his speech mollified the offender in contrast to my inadvertent escalation.

"Thank you, Sir Gavin. How refreshing it is to see you again. Maybe once the orchestra...", Alina was cut short by the fanfare of trumpets. I cut my eyes to see Alina's hopeful smile. She was hoping for a different dance partner. The king rose to address his audience.

"Good countrymen, ladies, and honored guests, thank you for joining us in celebrating the 18th birthday of our daughter, Princess Alina. Each one of you has honored us deeply by your attendance. We would love to return the favor and end the evening with a display seen from the garden and terrace." King Caderyn boomed.

I shot a look to the girls. Alina let her Princess mask slip momentarily. I saw the look of disappointment that the evening would be ending sooner than she had planned before it was replaced with the facade of excitement. Fireworks were always exciting.

"Sir Jacobson, please escort Princess Alina and lead the way for my guests." I blanched. Why was I always in the line of fire tonight? I could feel the weight of unwanted eyes. Sir Pudgy, whose actual name had already escaped me, quietly gave me a look that spoke volumes of his discontent.

I put out my arm and Alina took it. She was much better at her role than I was at mine.

Gavin gave me an unreadable look before nodding a slight bow and side stepping out of the path to the garden. I heard the footsteps of someone falling in behind us in step, probably of Cali and Carrion.

Once we reached the staircase down into the garden, Alina stopped and turned to those behind her, pulling my arm with her. Alina started a chorus of "Thank you for coming", "So great to see you" and "Hopefully we will see each other again soon". Getting stuck by my side was not what she wanted out of tonight. I couldn't blame her. We regularly see each other and tonight was supposed to be special.

Looking out over the garden, I saw just how many throngs of people had been squeezed into the ballroom. The weight of our meeting tonight hit me. There is no way to know if all of these people actually meant well for our kingdom. How easily someone could slip in claiming to be on the invitation list. I squirmed in my own skin as Alina saw to the last of her guests meandering into the garden.

Suddenly the sky was bright with hues of green, gold and blue, followed by red, pink and bright white. The thunderous claps would be unnerving if not for the inviting nature of the colorful bursts. My eyes devoured the sight they had unknowingly been craving. The lights overwhelmed me in a glorious feeling of celebration. Alina was special enough to deserve this and more.

I glanced at the woman on my arm, and my heart, which had been soaring, sank to the depths of the sea. The vision of the gnomes was exactly before my eyes in every detail.

The fireworks behind her. The radiance on her face. The tendrils of her hair slightly blowing in a breeze. The breeze was cool as the autumn evening was beginning to nip at the heels of winter. Instead of that breeze refreshing me from the overcrowded ballroom, it froze me to my core. The hairs on my arm stood on end.

When the fireworks ended, our radiant brunette princess jovially looked my way. I could not bring myself to say anything, but I'm sure my face said volumes. Her expression twisted from curiosity to something I was unfamiliar with.

"Sir Jacobson, you look as though the day has worn on you. We can discuss it more tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my princess." I feebly mumbled out. She turned on her heel and headed toward her room. I figured out her expression from her somber tone. It was duty and tonight she earned her crown.