One Year Old( Part 2)

 Rumius finished, looking up at Isabella's positively astounded face with an uncertain smile.

" Oh my, why are you so shocked? Are your own children not capable of such a simple thing? I do remember you boasting so proudly to me but a month ago?" Reverie snickered, face partially covered with a foldable fan.

Isabella broke from her daze, her expression sour.

Rumius heard the crack of a fan snapping open. 

" If tou think this is enough to impress me then I'm afraid you are mistaken." She growled from behind the fabric. Reverie raised an eyebrow.

She rounded on Rumius, bending a knee as her head dipped ever so slightly. Delicate hands pulled up the hemline of her dress as a form-perfect curtsie bloomed like a rose. The jewels on her neck gleamed a brilliant ruby, as red as her gown and her eyes. 

The boisterous young lady had shed her smile and the person that stood before him was undoubtedly a true lady of the court, all glamor and mystery.

Rumius felt his breath get taken away. 

Even her words had elegance and courtesy down to a fault. " I pray you not be so courteous milord, the honour of attending this event should belong to me."

" You are too kind lady err- Milady." 

The side of Isabella's mouth twitched. Whether in amusement or mockery at his attempt at noble courtesy he didn't know.

"How rude of me. I've not introduced myself." 

" My name is Isabella del Arvaness, First Lady of the Arvaness household."

 The name sparked a memory and as the information clicked in his head, Rumius gulped slightly.

The Arvaness household. Not was it probably the most politically active, most influential and the most powerful noble house but their clan head was also the current king's right hand.

" It's my honor to make your acquaintance Milady."

Rumius bowed again, his nerves getting to his actions.

" Hey. Don't bully my kid." Reverie said, stepping in and nudging her friend with an unpleased look.

" I'm not doing anything!" She protested.

" Baby, please go and find Rennie and ask her how the rest of our guests are doing. Make sure that they are all well taken care of." Reverie ignored her friend. 

Rumius felt his head bobbing quickly in agreement, silently thanking his mother for saving him before and bowing to the two ladies before walking off briskly. 

Isabella waited until he was just out of earshot before letting her shoulders fall and in the same instant, her noble facade crumble like a sand castle hit by the incoming tide.

She turned, facing her friend, shock and bewilderment was plain on her face.

" What in the flying heathens did you feed that kid?"

Reverie gazed blankly at Rumius's petite figure, tracing it up until the moment it disappeared from view behind a churning sea of people and multi coloured fabric before replying.

Her face bore a ghost smile of helplessness.

" Truly, I have no idea either."

______

The rest of the night went smoothly for Rumius. 

He'd met his mother's acquaintances and curtsied so many times that his legs were beginning to ache. He'd thanked his lucky stars that he'd paid good attention during those tiresome lessons of etiquette: they were definitely coming in handy now.

 Then there were the rumours.

" There he is…"

" Did you talk to him?"

" The kid's a genius."

" Genius? Hold your tongue, we don't know yet!"

" Yeah.. who knows if he could be…"

It wasn't obvious and neither were the majority of guests partaking. But it unmistakably was there but would scatter the minute Rumius turned to look. Perhaps it only made sense since no one year old would normally be able to talk like such to a noble, much less obey all the common courtesies and etiquette.

Rumius tore his gaze away from a group of four who were in the midst of dispersing, he felt rather good about himself right now, and walked away himself, following his mother. 

His longing gaze fell upon the feasting table, laden with delicious pastries and freshly roasted meat and toasted bread. The glistening shine and saliva inducing smell was almost too tempting to bear. His stomach rumbled but all he could do was hang his head.

He could neither risk diverging any further from the norm nor could his barely developed digestive faculties handle such a heavy load.

Signing, Rumius tried to pry his attention away and refocus. The next distraction afforded to him...was the conversation that his mother was having.

" …. It. Yes it appears to be so."

" Yes indeed, if quakers could talk then it would certainly be so."

The group shared a laugh, the man who had cracked the joke guffawing the hardest…..at his own joke.

It was a deep and thick sound, coming from a tall and muscular man who wore a head of short hair and a cleanly trimmed beard. He was probably in his 50s and was dressed in a black tuxedo looking outfit. 

Despite the long scar that stretched across his left cheek, barely visible even in the bright light of the chandelier above, he still had a handsome, cool air about him.

The man stood alongside a pretty woman who was dressed in a gown the design of a peacock.. Her gown shone emerald green just like the gem embedded in her silver necklace that hung heavily from her neck. 

His Maman and the man continued to have a chat for a considerable time before the man mentioned something about getting dinner. Both sides curtsied and walked away, Reverie holding Rumius by the hand and leading him off to the next attendee she planned to visit.

Once they were out of earshot, Rumius heaved a tired sign and couldn't help but whine. 

" Maman…are we done?" His voice filled with fatigue.

Without looking back, Reverie continued walking.

" That man just now was the lord commander of the King's Fourth Army, Lord General Kardstark. His strength is renown all over the kingdom and…." Maman didn't answer his question so her rant was cut out by his tired groan. It took all his willpower to keep a straight back.

" Come on, all these people came all the way to see you! Doesn't that fill you with strength?" She asked.

Rumius shot his mother an incredulous look but all it met was her back. 

' Well, I mean it is good connection making..' Whispered a silent voice in his head.

' Yeah.. if only generals made connections with one year old children..' shot back another.

" No?"

Rumius could see his mother's slight smile as she turned her head ever so slightly to look back at him.

" You'll get used to it. We have these events often enough."

Rumius groaned but had his mouth promptly covered and the sound stifled by his mother's hand.

Reverie smiled abit wider.

" Stand up straight. Don't drag your feet. We're going t-"

The doors exploded open on their hinges and the sudden blaring of trumpets in unison burst through the air.

The gaze of everyone in attendance instantly swung towards the doors and in that instance, a multitude reactions arose form the crowd. 

Eyebrows shot up, mouths dropped and nearly half the population of attendees dropped to their knees as the voice of the announcer rang through the air.

" Presenting her royal highness, second born of his majesty Iglis Glaria VII, Protector of the southern lands and the lady of flowers, Her royal Highness, Princess Yvonne Glaria!!"