The end of the banquet was near, and miraculously, no one had been executed.
A true accomplishnt, considering the sheer level of chaos, intimidation, and barely restrained murder attempts that had occurred throughout the evening.
The nobles, realizing that they had sohow survived the night, looked relieved. So were still reeling from the psychological damage of witnessing my family's idea of affection. Others were debating whether they should count their blessings or flee the country before my parents found another excuse to restructure the noble hierarchy.
But despite everything despite the threats, the ridiculous displays of power, and the absolute certainty that my parents would be discussing executions at breakfast there was an air of celebration in the hall.
The food had been devoured, the gifts had been presented, and now, the final event was about to take place.
A grand firework display.
Because, obviously, nothing says "Happy Birthday" like detonating magic in the sky.
Verania stood from her throne, raising a hand for silence. The hall imdiately obeyed.
I an, of course they did. She could snap their necks with a thought.
She smiled, the kind of smile that sent chills down the spines of lesser beings. "Tonight, we celebrate not just my daughter's birth, but the future of our empire."
The nobles clapped, mostly because not clapping would be a death sentence.
Sylvithra rose next, her icy gaze sweeping the room. "You have all done well to make this evening… entertaining."
A few nobles shuddered at the implication.
She glanced at , a glint of amusent in her violet eyes. "And now, to end the night, we have prepared a spectacle befitting our daughter's presence."
A flick of her fingers.
And suddenly, the grand doors swung open, leading to the open-air royal courtyard.
Servants hurried forward, guiding the guests outside. The nobles moved like sheep being herded, their survival instincts compelling them to comply without question.
I followed, stepping onto the vast marble balcony overlooking the courtyard.
Zareth and Seraphina flanked , with Riven trailing behind, still looking vaguely traumatized.
[ He'll get over it. Or he won't. Either way, entertaining. ]
I exhaled, glancing up at the clear night sky. "So. What exactly are we expecting?"
Zareth grinned. "Sothing loud, probably."
Seraphina sighed. "Sothing dangerous."
Riven muttered, "Sothing expensive."
Honestly? Probably all three.
A sudden pulse of magic filled the air.
The servants, sensing what was about to happen, quickly retreated to a safe distance.
That was probably a bad sign.
Verania, standing beside Sylvithra, snapped her fingers.
The sky exploded.
Bright bursts of arcane fire shot into the heavens, weaving intricate patterns of silver and violet light. The sheer magnitude of power behind each detonation sent shockwaves through the courtyard, rattling the very air itself.
And yet, this was not just any fireworks display.
No, that would be too simple.
Instead of ordinary magical bursts, each explosion ford shifting shapes dragons coiled through the sky, their bodies made of crackling blue and gold flas. Ethereal phoenixes burst into existence, their wings stretching wide before dissolving into cascading sparks. A massive serpent of fire slithered across the heavens, its glowing eyes locking onto the crowd before vanishing in a final, dramatic explosion.
The nobles gasped in unison.
Even Zareth looked impressed. "Alright. I'll admit. That's incredible."
Seraphina, despite her usual composure, blinked. "That's… complex magic."
I smirked. "Of course it is. My parents don't do subtle."
Riven, standing slightly behind us, stared up at the sky with the expression of a man who had given up trying to comprehend the absurdity of my life.
"…So this is normal for you?"
I turned toward him, raising an eyebrow.
"Riven."
I gestured vaguely at the palace, the banquet hall, the terrified nobles, the warbeast egg, and the armory-sized collection of enchanted weapons I had been gifted.
"Do I look like I have a normal life?"
He hesitated. "Fair point."
Another burst of golden fire illuminated the sky, this ti forming a grand crown of flas.
Verania and Sylvithra watched with pride.
They didn't even bother hiding the fact that this was just as much about intimidation as it was about celebration.
I sighed, shaking my head. "This is ridiculous."
Sylvithra looked amused. "We are ridiculous."
Verania nodded. "And you love us for it."
I didn't dignify that with a response.
Another series of explosions rocked the sky, this ti forming a massive silver dragon.
Its piercing golden eyes locked onto .
A mont later, it let out a silent roar, then dispersed into thousands of glowing embers.
Zareth whistled. "Dramatic."
Seraphina exhaled. "Over-the-top."
Riven just muttered, "So much money."
[ Honestly? I love it. ]
I crossed my arms. "So. What now?"
Verania smirked. "Now, we drink."
I stared.
"…I'm five."
Sylvithra chuckled. "Fine. You can have juice."
I rolled my eyes, but followed them back inside, where glasses were being passed around.
The nobles, now that the terror portion of the evening had subsided, were cautiously relaxing.
Zareth took a drink, grinning. "So, Elyzara. Happy with your birthday?"
I thought about it.
About the insane level of spectacle.
The weapons, the warbeast, the estate, the fireworks, the fact that Riven sohow survived.
And then I thought about how, despite all of it, I had no control over my own life.
I smirked.
"I'll allow it."
Zareth laughed.
Seraphina shook her head.
Riven, already accepting his fate, just sighed.
And above us, the last firework burst into the sky a final, brilliant display of silver and violet flas.
A declaration to the entire empire.
That I was here.
And I wasn't going anywhere.
The final burst of fireworks lit up the sky in a dazzling, almost blinding explosion of silver and violet flas.
For a brief, fleeting mont, everything seed perfect.
A loud, ominous crackling echoed through the courtyard.
I blinked. "…What was that?"
A panicked servant sprinted past.
Then another.
And another.
I turned just in ti to see a section of the palace roof engulfed in flas.
"…Oh."
Zareth, staring, grinned. "Now that's a finale."
Seraphina sighed deeply. "I knew this would happen."
Riven? He just groaned into his hands. "Of course. Of course this happened. Because why wouldn't it?"
One of the nobles shrieked. "The palace is on fire!"
Verania humd. "So it is."
Sylvithra took a sip of her wine. "How festive."
A team of mages imdiately rushed to contain the blaze.
anwhile, my parents and grandparents stood there, entirely unbothered.
I rubbed my temples. "Can we, just once, have a celebration that doesn't involve fire, destruction, or potential fatalities?"
Verania arched an eyebrow. "Why would we?"
I groaned.
The flas were quickly extinguished, but not before half the eastern wing was reduced to smoldering ruins.
Sylvithra, watching, sighed. "At least it wasn't the throne room this ti."
I stared at her.
"…This happens often?"
"Oh, all the ti."
Riven let out a long, suffering sigh.
I just laughed.
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