The Only Winner

The visuals ended at that point and Leonardo waved a hand, dismissing the virtual monitor.

Candi took a deep shuddering breath.

"I hope she and Jenna are not badly hurt."

"They have been healed and returned to their delegates. Speaking of which," he stood up and took her hand.

"We're still here at the First Celestial Platform. I need to get you back to your delegates. They're all anxiously waiting for you."

"My delegates?" Candi shook her head. As far as she knew, she had no delegates. She'd been trying to avoid them for weeks.

"The Erenveil Princes." Leonardo chuckled as he led her back out into the sunshine of the front gardens where his transport pod was waiting for them. "They have a surprise for you."

Leonardo did not take her back to Dante's Moon or Slate's Castle. He brought her directly to the Royal Palace towards a section that she had never been to.

It was a tropical paradise that had been recreated under a glass dome the size of a small sports stadium. At the moment, the dome was completely opened to allow sunlight and the warm ambient air to enter.

The tall tropical palm trees and huge showy hibiscus, heliconia, bird-of-paradise and climbing bracts of bougainvillea flowers that had been planted everywhere lent their tropical air to the place.

Misters had been set to shoot cooling streams in various places, increasing the humidity level of the tropicals and lending extra water for the various wild orchids that were growing all around them.

There was a series of large sparkling swimming pools connected to a main waterway with a very deep pool.

Around the shallows were structures at the center where servants were waiting to serve drinks and any variety of snacks a person could want.

"Ah. There's the Brilliance and Intellect's only winner!" A voice called out.

From between the pink hibiscus bush, a very muscular Emperor Rex strode out, wearing nothing but a pair of swim short and a bright smile showing all his gleaming white teeth.

He held out two long-stemmed flutes of some pinkish yellow concoction topped with a wedge of pineapple and handed one to each of them.

"You both are looking smashingly inappropriate!" He eyed Candi's blood-smeared torn gold muga silk dress and then turned over to a bloodied bruised looking Leonardo with blood-encrusted royal robes.

"As much as I like muga silk, I think you both are a bit overdressed for this event."

He clapped his hands and two attendants emerged from around the hanging fuchsias.

"Take these two delinquents and put them into swim gear. And hurry it up. The boys are almost done with their barbecuing and I'm starving!"

Leonardo grinned and took her hand.

"Let's go!"

Ten minutes later, she was 'appropriately dressed' in a baby pink two-piece bikini with a garland of perfumed pink and gold plumerias around her head.

Feeling like a Hawaiian hula girl, she followed the attendant out to where the rest of the royal family was hanging out.

"Candace!" She heard Slate's familiar voice ring out. As she turned to greet him, two bulls in a china shop ran to her and picked her up, carrying her on their shoulders.

It was the green haired twins.

Candi laughed and held onto their necks with nervous hands.

Please don't drop me, she silently prayed. But of course, they had her legs gripped tightly and would not let her down until they reached the barbecue area.

"The goddess arrives!" The Twins announced with joy, as they came through, parading her around for a bit longer.

Everyone called out her name in greeting as they stopped whatever they were doing to wave and smile at her.

Candi looked around.

All the brothers were here, dressed in various colored swim shorts and nothing more.

They had obviously been swimming as they waited for her because their hair was either damp or downright dripping on their tight muscular bodies glistening with the oils they had rubbed on themselves.

Slate and Byron were manning the barbecue pit while Dante and Lucas laid out the plates and silverware on the table that had been laid out.

Since she had been carried in by the Twins, the only Prince who was still missing was Leonardo.

He showed up minutes later, also dressed in some tight swim trunks that showed his entire taut body in relief.

From the swimming pool area, the Emperor and Empress emerged, dripping wet.

Behind them were several girls of varying ages. They smiled brightly as they saw Candi, surrounded by the seven Princes.

Candi bowed to the Emperor and Empress, who waved their hands in greeting.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything, one of the girls ran towards her, arms outstretched.

"Candace!"

"Lyra!" She smiled and gasped as the tall girl swooped her up and swung her around like a rag doll.

"Put her down and let me talk with her!" A small girlish voice called out.

Lyra set Candi back on her feet and turned to the little girl who had called out to her.

"You'll get your turn. I just wanted to greet my sister."

The little girl was no more than seven or eight and had short blonde curls framing an angelic cherubic face with pale aqua eyes and a cupid bow's mouth.

"Can I give you a hug?" She gave a shy smile.

As Candi dropped to her knees in the grass, the little blonde girl reached out and hugged her. The scent of sunshine and wild flowers enveloped her as the little girl clung onto her neck.

"Thank you for saving my brother."

Candi murmured something appropriate in response, feeling a bit like a fraud. She truly hadn't saved Leo at all since he never needed saving to begin with. But the little girl was insistent and fierce in her hug.

"I didn't know Leonardo had such a sweet beautiful sister." Candi laughed.

Leonardo tapped the little girl on the head.

"That's enough, Daisy. Loosen the grip a bit so Candi can breathe."

Everyone laughed as the little blonde clumsily stepped back, away from Candi.

"You've met Lyra, Slate's little sister. This one here is Daisy." Leonard pointed to the blonde. "And that one with the teal pig tails is Ariana."

"Is she Jason and Jared's sister?"

"None other." Jason grinned as he yanked on the girl's pigtails. She looked to be no more than about ten or eleven and stood, staring at Candi with bright cheerful curiosity.

The Emperor and Empress hung back until introductions had been done but Emperor Rex had been swimming and he was now starving.

"Enough of the chit chat. Let's eat!" The Emperor called out.

"I'm starving and it's been awhile since I've eaten any food my own boys cooked for me. Let's take this conversation to the dining table, shall we?"

He turned bright gleaming violet eyes to Candi.

"Congratulations again, Candace Farrah, on being the ONLY winner of the Brilliance and Intellect Event."