The Taralei Diamond

The other Princes rose to their feet except for Slate who was stuck in his hover chair. Dante and Leonardo reached out and pressed a kiss onto the backs of the Empress' hand.

"You are stunning as always, Empress Mother." Dante greeted.

"You look younger and younger every day, Empress Mother." Leonardo spoke up at the same time.

Empress Clarissa glanced back and forth Between Dante and Leonardo. "All my boys look so handsome. I heard a fight broke out among the women trying to get close to you all."

She turned to Slate.

"And you are looking as if you've almost recovered! I'm so glad." She breathed. Reaching out, she patted his hand. "I have been praying every day for your recovery, my son."

"Thank you, Empress Mother." Slate nodded.

The Emperor cleared his throat.

"I see we have the Earth Avgo Female here at the Royal Banquet Table tonight." He raised his eyes in feigned fright. "I was afraid it would have been the other Earth Avgo Female."

"Father, there is only one Earth Avgo Female and that is Candace." Slate retorted.

"Yes, but we had dinner with the other Earth female a few days back," the Empress cleared her throat, and stared at the ten karat emerald on her finger. "Lucas brought her to the palace for a few days."

"She was so tacky." The Emperor grimaced. "Wasn't she, Clarissa?"

"Don't say such things in polite society, Rex." The Empress gave a mild frown at him.

The Emperor bared his fangs.

"Well you were the one who said she was tacky!"

"Oh hush." She turned her head and took a chair that Byron had pulled out for her.

The Emperor made a disgruntled face behind her back and promptly sat down next to her.

"Speak of the devil." Dante murmured, looking out across the ballroom.

Through the doorway, they could see the Third Prince of Erenveil walking into the ballroom accompanied by Dahlia Halloway.

Lucas was a mega star. His blond hair had been highlighted with pink waves that made him look visually striking on visuals.

In real life, he was even more stunning. His face was that of a beautiful god who just happened to be frolicking down where the mortals lived.

As amazing as he looked from his neck up, he wore basic black robes with no decorations, all the way down to his basic black leather boots.

His escort Dahlia Halloway was tall and stately, with long red hair falling in waves that radiating around her shoulders.

She had bright green eyes and lush full lips painted in a brick red color. Her deep green ballgown accentuated every curve and made her large breasts even larger.

On her feet were black heels, giving extra height to her already impressive six feet tall stature. Although Lucas was no slouch, at 6'1", she towered over him with her heels, coming in at 6'4".

The Emperor saw the height discrepancy and began cackling as he slapped the arm rest of his chair.

"What a tacky girl. Hehehe." The Emperor wiped tears of mirth from the corners of his eyes. "Couldn't she just wear some flats for the night so Lucas wouldn't have to look up at her?"

"Behave yourself." The Empress mumbled at the Emperor and turned towards the couple as they made their way to the table.

"Lucas! Dahlia! So glad you both could make it!"

"Empress Mother." Lucas mumbled and kissed the Empress on the cheek. He nodded at his brothers and shot Candi a quick glance before looking away.

"Have a seat here, Darling." He touched Dahlia on the arm and pulled out a chair immediately across from Candi.

Dahlia sat with the regal air of a queen and ignored Candi's proffered smile.

She, of course, was the de facto Princess of Earth, so she had been trained in the ways of what Princesses should do at an event of this magnitude, which obviously did not include hobnobbing with the commoners.

But Lucas was not having any of this.

"I'm sure the both of you met already, on the first day at the Avgo Event, but formal introductions are necessary if we are to have a good time."

Candi almost chuckled out loud. Of course they had already met, and in the most extenuating of circumstance. This was the woman who had torn up her ankles trying not to get pulled into the maelstrom whirlwind.

"This is the front-runner Avgo Female at this time, Candace Farrah." He indicated at Candi. "And this is Dahlia Halloway, my escort for the evening."

"Hello Dahlia." Candi smiled. She was seated at the Royal Banquet Table. She needed to extend at least a modicum of civility, even to one such as Dahlia.

"Candace." Dahlia muttered with disinterest, looking away as if she did not want to waste her time on such a nobody.

The Empress sniffed, disdain written all over her face. Seeing the Empress' haughty exterior, Dahlia gave a discrete smile. Even the Empress did not want to have anything to do with this plebeian.

She turned to Lucas.

"Is there any red wine?"

In answer, Lucas snapped a finger at one of the Attendants who came and began serving Dahlia.

"Wait a moment," the Emperor raised up his hand. "Is that the Taralei Diamond on your dress?" He pointed at Candi's dress front.

Candi looked down at the huge diamond pin that Dante had placed on her. She wasn't exactly sure if this was a taralei diamond but it seemed to be rather important.

From the other side of the table, Dante spoke up.

"You have sharp eyes, Father. That is, indeed the Taralei Diamond."

"How did this Earth Avgo Female get her hands on it? Don't tell me she stole that one too, just like she stole the Avgo gemstone." The Emperor roared out his laughter and pounded the Empress on the back.

She coughed at his boisterous back slap, trying to keep her composure.

"Darling, you know the Avgo cannot be stolen. It is a physical impossibility." The Empress cleared her throat.

"It's not an impossibility." Dahlia corrected the Empress. "The girl actually stole it from the event where it was supposed to have been presented to me."

The table fell silent at Dahlia's insulting tone at the Empress but she was oblivious to the sudden frosty glares that all the Princes shot her.

The Empress ignored Dahlia's outburst, looking away.

Dahlia gave a half-lidded look at Candi, her lips turned up in a satisfied sneer.

"It is tolerable, I suppose, since she is allowed to keep it for the duration of the Avgo Events. Once it concludes, all her earnings will come to me." She turned and eyed the Taralei Diamond with a coveted look. "Including that huge bauble on her dress."

The Empress' face blanched even as the Emperor roared with laughter, banging on the table with his meaty palms.

"Hahahahaha!!!" He guffawed. "You hear that Dante? Your Mother's huge bauble, the Taralei Diamond is going to be forfeited over to that Earth woman Dahlia Hollow-something. Hahahahaha!!!"