The Palace (1)

The carriage hoped once from a nasty pothole. Bellavarn barely noticed as he kept readjusting his clothes. They were tighter than usual. He wore a light grey overcoat with blue trimming. His father wore a similar style suit; only his was a shade darker. Black was a color only used for war, and white was for weddings. Thus the mostly grey apparel.

Trisha Sallow wore a more silverly gown with accents of green mixed in. Green was good luck when it came to children. People were very superstitious regarding color in high society. It made little difference to Bellavarn, though. He would rather have worn a formal business suit from back home than continue to wear this flashy outfit.

Why was he dressed this way? Because he was meeting a King. And meeting the king required him to be dressed all fancy, even though they were celebrated new additions to the Sallows and not the Lionels.

"Don't be so nervous, dear; you look dashing."

"I feel like someone used me to play dress up."

"We all feel like that, Bellavarn, but we are meeting the King."

"Still, we are a ducal household. I had hoped that we needn't be so formal when it is a private dinner."

Braster shook his head.

"You still have much to learn, Bellavarn. The King is the King. Even if he wasn't, King Francis is a stickler for tradition."

Bellavarn became quiet then. Anything he said would either come out wrong or was needless banter. King Francis Lionel is old. How old? Old enough that he can no longer be the surrogate for future children. He was lucky enough to gain four children at an advanced age.

Why didn't he create any earlier? No idea. Maybe he was impotent and then suddenly became blessed by God. Maybe he is secretly in the closet but needed to have an heir, so reluctantly made some children. Or perhaps he lost the love of his life young and never married until he was older.

The queen had actually passed about three years ago. Bellavarn remembered attending the wake. So... Now it was just Francis Lionel at the old age of 68 and his four children. The oldest two were the male heirs, and the youngest two were both princesses. All of them barely a year apart.

The poor queen must have been exhausted from half a decade of being pregnant.

"Henry and Krev are following along, right?"

"Along with your mother's personal attendant, yes. It would be rude to bring more, implying we don't trust his majesty."

Bellavarn was glad to have the two with him. Kerv and Henry are the two he trusted the most other than his parents.

"We'll have to make sure Krev doesn't open his mouth in front of others."

Braster rubbed his temples and his mother looked ill. Bellavarn only smiled wryly.

=

The ride was short from their own home in the center of the country. It only took several hours as opposed to days if they were at their ancestral home.

The palace was grand. It was laid on flat ground surrounded by a vast lawn and garden. It cast a shadow across all those entering, serving to intimidate and impress. The long walk towards the entrance served as deterrence to intruders and a way to give guests time to appreciate the structure in all its glory fully.

They arrived just as the sun was setting, which made the castle glitter in the light.

"It really is beautiful."

Bellavarn tugged at his collar, trying to get some air. Trisha looked back at him with a motherly smile.

"Be sure to repeat that to his majesty. He never tires of hearing it."

The current king didn't build this palace. It was much too large to be built in a single generation. Maybe if you rushed it, but then it wouldn't be as magnificent.

"We arrived a bit early, so we may have to wait a short while."

And they did.

When they arrived at the entrance, at last, they were guided to a waiting room where the second princess, Anne Lionel, greeted them. Father and Mother both bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

"Princess Anne, thank you for taking the time to greet us. You're acquainted with my wife, the Duchess, aren't you?

Princess Anne curtsied, her billowy pink dress being held up with small hands. Duke was one of the highest positions in the Kingdom next to the King. They commanded respect, even from the royal family.

"It is my pleasure. Father is still tied up with work, so I thought I would come early and be the first to congratulate the Duchess."

"Thank you, princess. It has only been a year since we've last met but you've grown even more lovely."

The second Princess smiled brightly. The image of purity and grace. Her platinum blond hair waved down her back. The Duke turned slightly to introduce Bellavarn, who stood slightly behind his parents.

"You two haven't seen each other since you were little so I'll reintroduce him. This is our son Bellavarn."

Bellavarn felt himself sweating slightly but handled himself with as much grace as possible and bowed his head and back. Not reverently. Respectfully. Just enough.

"It is nice to meet you again, princess. I regret that I don't remember our previous encounters."

A small nod was his reward.

"It is nothing. I, too, fail to remember moments from so long ago, even without any amnesia."

Crap. She knows?

It wasn't like he was still missing any memories. In fact, he had double. But he couldn't say that. Instead, Trisha spoke for him.

"Oh, you've heard about that princess?

"Only in passing from my brothers. It must have been difficult."

Bellavarn shook his head while giving a restrained smile.

"It was, briefly. I regained most of my memories shortly afterward. I can't say with certainty that they all returned, but I feel complete, as it were."

"Wonderful. It would have been a tragedy if it caused any trouble or misunderstandings."

"Indeed."

Bellavarn fell silent after that. Not wanting to press his luck. The princess likely heard a bit more than she was letting on but was kind enough not to say anything else.

Or simply biding her time...

She and Trisha got together and started talking while Bellavarn stood next to his father near the entrance.

"Don't worry too much. There will be a few uncomfortable moments, but things will pass."

"Mm."

Bellavarn hoped.

It was maybe twenty minutes before the doors finally opened. A man who could only be a prince walked in. He had platinum blond hair as well. Fair skin and elegant features. A perpetual mask of indifference was cast across his face.

The second prince was the same age as Bellavarn. Since every heir was born in quick succession, they were all a year apart.

The First Prince, Tristan, is 20.

The Second Prince, Kly, is 19.

The First Princess, Lecil, is 18.

Finally, Anne is the youngest at 17.

"Anne. Father is finished with work. He sent me to fetch everyone."

The Second Prince looked around the room while noting everyone inside. Bellavarn saw the prince's eyes last a second longer as they passed over him.

"Thank you, brother. It was kind of you to fetch us personally."

"No need for thanks. I came to congratulate the Duchess."

Kly took the Duchess's hand and kissed it lightly. The action was fluid for how empty the gesture felt.

Formalities over with Kly led them away through the interior.

=

The corridors were tall and long. Fantastic artwork and lifelike sculptures lined the walls while being broken up by the occasional tapestry or door leading to another room. Tall mosaic windows gave off their own light as the world outside was darkening.

Following behind Kly, Bellavarn felt eerie foreboding. The palace felt quiet and empty. They passed very few others on their way to the dining room. Those they did pass stopped and bowed reverentially.

The spaced windows imitated prison bars, feeling suffocating.

Kerv and Henry separated ages ago. Staying behind, not being worthy to stand in the presence of royals. It just made him more anxious not to have them by his side.

A grandfather clock struck seven as they passed it. Chiming its own tune among the others that started to ring throughout the structure. The seven chimes spaced out across a few minutes, separated by clicking tunes.

The clocks seemed more mocking the longer they went. It didn't seem to bother anyone else how long it lasted.

Bellavarn tugged at his collar again. He felt like he was being choked and couldn't breathe properly.

Something was wrong.

This palace. This place...

The way the princess seemed to fawn over her brother, who remained taciturn and unemotional.

Wrong.

It's wrong.

This place is all wrong.

Something was going to happen tonight. Bellavarn just didn't know what.