Chapter 26: The solstice ball

The king made an entrance. An old sickly man adorned in overly flashy robed but held the air of dignity and royalty. The pressure he gave off demanded servitude and awe. The presence of a king.

Behind Selbach Severa, were a few of the most influential people in the kingdom. They held the most power and swayed the crowds very easily. The Dukes held power only second to the King while his sons and daughters with their spouses were the same.

The only odd one was always the Duchess. Marrianne was in a blurry line of being above royalty but served them nevertheless. She had enough authority to stand on par or above the king if she wished. That was the influence of the Astalles Duchy.

Marrianne's presence made an uproar in the crowd you could almost feel sorry for the King. Selbach didn't seem to mind.

However, there was a new face in the group. His eyes were a unique red pigment as they blazed neon crimson. He had jet black hair which was darker than night pushed back highlighting his smooth forehead. The pearl white milky skin was pale but fine. He had a slender physique with a slender waist and long legs.

That was not the most striking thing about him. His gaze was sharp and cold. He lacked emotion similar to his mother but he gave a slight smile. The slight curve of his lips with a glimpse of his teeth for a short moment gave him a devil appeal. The audience was enthralled by him much more severely, the ladies who seemed spellbound as they were dazed at his handsome face. His presence was registered positively by the majority female audience.

Beside him was the infamous unfavored princess. It took some time to notice who she was. She looked different. Her former sickly pale appearance was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes were clear and full making her violet indigo eyes more noticeable, and so were her rosy cheeks. Her pink rose hair fluttered freely as she walked. Her calm demeanor steamed grace and sophistication.

Her body was more bewitching. Her small waist was highlighted by the dress which took all attention at the ball. She had not reached full maturity but it was evident that she was a top-class beauty. She rivaled the top beauties in the ball even in her youth.

That brought the attention back to Marrianne. Marrianne who was mostly absent from public affairs was specially present for the ball. She was dressed in a very provocative manner. Blushing men could be seen but none dared lust after her. If anything they averted their eyes so as not to dare lust after her. Few were immune to her charms, but the credit to that was the fear instilled deep within them. They cast such thoughts away and decided to view Marrianne not as a woman but as a tool. A tool for the kingdom. One that might as well flatten the kingdom if messed with. She could not be considered human. Her presence was unignorable.

She stood nearest to the odd pair of the former unfavored princess who was last rumored to be marrying her imaginary son. Her…son. This brought more attention to the one standing beside her. Théoden. A slightly shorter man compared to her tall poster. Marrianne's previous cold atmosphere had been replaced by a calm expression with a slight smile on her pursed lips. Did she seem oddly…happy?

"Thank you all for attending the annual Solstice ball. This day marks the day when our Kingdom united after the long war. We now face the demons while united and thus will celebrate the day humans came out victorious." The loud clear sound caught the attention of the entire audience, "I will announce a few things first. A joyous day had dawned upon us where our princess and my daughter, Helen Priscila - and Théoden Andras, the Southern Duchess, Marrianne Lisna's son have gotten married. Shall we toast to that!" Selbach Severa announced with a big smile plastered on his face.

His speech was the opening of the ceremony. The crowd cheered a bit confused and a bit curious. The ball started with the announcement of the marriage of the two hottest topics in the kingdom.

"Another huge event from her former heir," Selbach continued.

Everyone gasped.

'Was there a former heir in the Astalles Duchy?'

'What happened to him?'

'Did they decease so young?'

The king waited for the commotion to die down before continuing.

"Théoden Andras Casimir, the son of Marrianne the 20th successor of the Duchy shall take on official post and duty as the 21st successor and Duke of the Astalles Duchy. Today is his debutante so get acquainted with him."

There was dumbfounded silence.

That was when Théoden waved and all the attention was on him once more.

'I feel uncomfortable…' Théoden thought under the intense stare of the crowd.

Théoden had expected this to happen but the experience made it even more pressuring. His mother had handed him over a huge responsibility he had no way to suddenly cope with.

'No room for mistakes…This is the jungle. Slip up and you get eaten alive.'

Some self-pep talk got him to maintain the stoic face he had painstakingly cultivated.

The sight of Helen and Marrianne gave him the motivation to stand on his very weak feet. Théoden was nervous and self-conscious as the center of attention. He was good at socializing but not the center of it all.

Selbach kept up his announcement.

"The kingdom has received yet another victory against the demons...The agricultural yield in the farmlands have being reduced thus the taxes must be increased….The trade between the kingdoms is progressively better."

After a quick briefing on major issues of the kingdom, the king retreated as his body was weak. He was accompanied by his main wife and the other two wives remained to preside over the ball.

Théoden, Helen, and Marrianne settled in the assigned sitting area. A small lounge with a view to the main ball hall.

The song started and it was time to dance.

"Theo, Are you ready?" Helen looked over to Théoden.

Truth be told he was still registering all the former events. He hadn't had the chance to ask his mother what he was most curious about but he didn't know how to ask it either. Théoden who was lost in thought responded. He had an awkwardly forced smile which he soon fixed up at the dismissal of disrupting thought.

"Sure, Honey." He pushed a loose strand of hair on Helen back meeting her gaze. Her amethyst eyes shone with concern but he wouldn't grant her wish nor explain himself. "May I have this dance, my wife?"

Helen smiled brightly. "I would be honored." She reached out her hand to meet Théoden's outstretched hand.

'Playboy…' Helen blushed ever so slightly with a

They walked to the main dance hall where they were given the entire space as every other pair dispersed and stood on the sidelines. The coward looked at the newly wedded couple with interest. They would be the next biggest topic in the Kingdom and they had no idea.

"Helen," Théoden called out.

Helen thought it was something he was curious about. He could as well be nervously been in the spotlight. However, Théoden smiled as he stared into her eyes.

"Yes?"

"You look Beautiful."

Timed seemed to have stopped as she stared back into his eyes and saw a familiar pick shine that glowed brighter within his crimson eyes.

A new piece of music was played. A slow and beautiful melody rang in the hall. The scene was beautiful. Their white silhouettes paced in coordinated steps on the dance floor. Their loving gazes held the audience's attention as they seemed to be of a different dimension altogether.

'They look perfect together.'

This was the only thought that could be registered in anyone who saw them. No one uttered a word and there was a silence which was filled with symphony.

Helen's hair flowed down her hip as she sway while Théoden led her to his rhythm.

Once they were done they left the hall. They seemed to be smiling with mischief as they walked away.

This is what happened before they left. A few minutes before the music stopped.

"Hey, do you want to get out of here?" Helen asked.

"I will follow you wherever honey."

"Sure. Follow me when we are done."

The crowd was left with a lot to talk about. They had the chance to resume their dances as well.

"The princess is lucky to be married to the Duke."

"That ugly duckling is much prettier than the rumors say."

"I wonder why the Duchess hid her son from the public eye."

"I could be something fishy. No one has ever found anything from him over the eyes she said she will marry her heir to the abandoned princess."

"She is probably overprotective. To keep him hidden for so long….very overprotective."

An abandoned princess who struck lucky and married into the Astalles Duchy and a child of the chancellor of the kingdom who was hidden from public view until he had grown up into a young man. It felt like a romantic fairy tale.

A sought of rumors were spreading and fanning the creation of other rumors. There was no end to it.

Marrianne gave an intense stare making all the chatter on the two stop.

'This is enough to spread the news.' Marrianne.