The Banquet Part 1

The banquet hall was beautifully decorated. It exuded a feel of class and elegance yet still fun.The room was large enough to accompany all, with enough space to still walk or dance around. There were also places available for guests to lounge.There were several medium-grade light stones used to keep the hall lit. Light stones like other magical stones were separated into four categories, being: low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade and superior-grade. The higher the grade the more magical energy stored. As there were very few that were able to practice Light magic, these stones, rather than being used for energy absorption often became a replacement for lanterns or simple decoration. The light stones were strategically placed to not only illuminate all areas of the hall but were also used to create a chandelier in the form of a swan. The swan was a symbol of the royal family and had been used since the beginning of the kingdom's establishment.

The Queen also had the best foods prepared. There were items prepared that even some nobles couldn't afford. Aside from the servers present, there were also musicians, a few singers and a dance troupe. The Queen personally selected the best people for the event. The dancers would perform both foreign and local dances which piqued the guest's interest. The foreign dances were from ally kingdoms such as Vileenia and Norden, and they were more sensual and intricate respectively. As a way to get the guests involved, some dancers would pick random guests to dance with. The music played and songs sung were also varied. There was never a dull moment.

While the Queen oversaw the banquet, the King and Crown Prince spent most of their time greeting the various household heads. The King and Queen had decided to host a somewhat smaller banquet compared to other royal events, as a result there weren't any foreign diplomats present. All the elite houses of the kingdom were present. In the kingdom, there were various titles to identify individuals of a certain class. At the top of the list was the royal family then the titles of: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron and commoners in that order. Although the position of some was higher than others, the Crown Prince did his best to get as many of them on his side. The Crown Prince was only certain of the support of the Rosenn family. They were a strong source of support as they had a flourishing dukedom even without their connection to the royal family. Along with the Rosenn family, the Snow Family was another powerful dukedom. They had always been loyal to the royal family but even more so to the Blossoms, as their rise was in large part due to them. William may have had the title of the Crown Prince but he couldn't help but worry about what could happen in the future. Since the Blossom was now synced with the second prince that could influence those who supported him, if it was discovered.

"We heard the summoning ritual had been completed. Why isn't the Blossom with you? When will we see her?" asked Duke Arthur Snow. His presence was imposing. He was in his early sixties, tall and had black hair with streaks of grey. He had a muscular build, largely due to his time in the military.

William, recalling the events from earlier, wasn't able to answer confidently. Duke Snow gave him a disappointed look.

"You seem to be a bit impatient Snow. It's the Crown Prince's birthday after all, other matters aren't as important," interjected Duke Hemway Rosenn. He was equally imposing and was often described as a silver fox. Duke Rosenn Like Duke Snow was in his early sixties but in his case, he had a slim build.

"Oh my, I didn't realize that you spoke for the Crown Prince. If he can't even answer such a simple question on his own, I wonder if he'll be able to manage this kingdom… or would you be managing it in his stead?" asked Duke Snow as he smiled.

"How impudent!" retorted Duke Rosenn.

"Ha, you're one to talk Rosenn!" replied Duke Snow.

The two had started a commotion as usual. The Crown Prince was stuck in the middle, fearful of offending either party. The Queen first took notice and urged the King to intervene. At first he was hesitant, he wanted William to resolve things on his own, however, once he realized that he was out of his depth, he stepped in.

"It seems there isn't anyone who could grab attention like you two!" said the King in a jovial tone. He wrapped his arms around each Duke's shoulder and laughed.

They both decided to leave things be and not raise a further fuss. The King had the servers bring them all drinks, he ensured that the beverages matched each Duke's taste. With this they became more relaxed and went their separate ways.

As the King looked over at William he turned away. William clenched his fists. He was ashamed that he wasn't even able to settle such a simple dispute. He kept feeling blows to his confidence. The King started to approach him but stopped himself. He sighed deeply then left to socialize with other nobles. Upon seeing a server with alcohol, the Crown Prince took two drinks and went to sit at a nearby table.

"What a mama bear you've become!" said a familiar voice.

The Queen turned to see Marquess Stefan Snow, Duke Snow's son. The Marquees was a childhood friend of hers. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in the kingdom and a general in the kingdom's army. He had a muscular build, short black hair and dark brown eyes. He wore a well tailored suit that complimented his figure. The Queen felt nostalgic the moment she saw his face, however, that feeling didn't last as her attention quickly turned back to her son.

"Ouch… I don't even get a hello?" teased Stefan.

The Queen had her personal guard leave to give them a few minutes of privacy.

"Is this how you should be addressing me?" asked the Queen as she raised her eyebrow and took a sip of her drink.

"You're right… I've missed you, Lizzie," he replied.

"You… you know that's not what I meant."

Elizabeth tried to hide her flustered expression. Stefan couldn't help but laugh. She punched him on the arm as he did so. He gradually got closer to her. Before she realized it, he had taken her drink and finished it in one go.

"I didn't expect you to like this tart flavour."

"It's your favourite, isn't it?"

Before Stefan could respond they were joined by another.

"Stefan, I didn't realize that you were here! That's a lovely suit! When did you get back? It's so great to see you! Have you been well?" rambled Gretchen.

"Thank you for your concern and kind words. I'm afraid I must go but it was a pleasure seeing you both, Lizzie, Lady Baulm," said Stefan. After responding he quickly left. Gretchen wore a sombre expression. She watched his figure until he was out of her view.

"Why are you here?" asked the Queen.

"O-oh yes, your Highness, I've placed the storage container with the flowers in your room. I've also checked and all twenty night lilies are intact," said Gretchen.

"Good, at least he didn't ruin that. You're dismissed," replied the Queen.

"Yes, my Queen."

As Gretchen walked away she kept turning her head in all directions, trying to find Stefan. Like the Queen, Gretchen knew Stefan since childhood. Despite the Dukes' attitudes towards each other they managed to become good friends. After Stefan entered the military at nineteen, he spent most of his time with the army. As a result, it was rare to see him, even during celebratory events. Gretchen believed that the summoning of the Blossom may have been what brought him back. Regardless of the reason, she was delighted that he was back and wanted to spend as much time with him as she could.

"Found you!" rejoiced Gretchen as she placed her arm on male figure's shoulder.

"That you did," he replied gently.

"Oh… you're not the person I was looking for. Excuse me," said Gretchen as she quickly sped off. The man watched her until her figure could no longer be seen.

Despite the mistake Gretchen continued to search desperately through the crowd.

The Princess spent little time greeting the heads of the various households as she didn't care much for the politics of the kingdom. The Princess spent some time walking around the hall. She would normally dress plainly but for the banquet, she had changed into a more formal off the shoulder blue gown with spiral patterns around the hem. For her hair, she put it in a simple bun and wore a floral hair accessory with jewels. She looked ravishing but no one seemed to notice. While everyone was occupied the Princess left the banquet hall and went on the balcony close by. She was able to slip out easily without anyone noticing. She leaned over the balcony and looked up at the moon and "Celestial Sphere". Although the Blossom's realm was known as "Heaven's Garden", the "Celestial Sphere" was the planet on which they and other higher beings lived. The Celestial Sphere was about half the size of the moon and was close in proximity to it. It was most visible at night. During the day it would emit a faint pink glow and as it got later it would change to a rich fuchsia. The two made for a bewitching night light. The night air was cool and gently brushed by the trees. It was perfect, yet Cecilia felt listless. Despite not synchronizing with the Blossom, her first brother was still a powerful fire magic user and even her second brother was able to use earth magic and was a good fighter yet she had nothing to show. The amount of effort her mother put into her brother's party reminded her of how little she paid attention to her. In that moment, Cecilia was resolved to do whatever it took to gain her parent's and kingdom's recognition.

"Here you are! I had a feeling you'd be here." said Delima as she approached the Princess. Delima was also dressed in formal wear, however, it wasn't as extravagant as the other guests.

The Princess smiled, she was elated that Delima came. Her mood had now improved further. The two talked for a moment until something caught the Princess's attention. She found herself mesmerized by the sound of a harp. It was the same melody that had been played for years. The song being played was called "Rising". That song was an indicator that the Blossom had arrived.