"Your Highness, I do hope you reconsider as to not make a poor impression with my kinsn." The tone of the pudgy party guest only brightened slightly with a forced smile while he noticed his audience.
"How odd for you to speak for the entirety of our kinsn, Balor, as I do not think half of them might even know your na." Sir Gavin parted the gathering crowd. His tall stature accentuated his kinsn's height.
"Sir Gavin, I did not an..." The chubby troublemaker was interrupted.
"Should not I be the offended party, as next in line to the sword of Aves? The Princess has suffered a harsh rebuke from our clan from her inferior with such elegance and grace. Endearing herself to us much more than any dance could. My apologies, your Highness" Gavin kept his tone even. He was pure refinent.
"And as future Swordsman, you do not speak for all your kinsn yet either." Balor interjected.
"But at one point, I will have the responsibility of leading. With responsibility cos the accolades and the rebukes of everything under your charge. I hope by the ti my kinsn are under my leadership, I will not have to make ands for their behavior." Gavin turned to Alina and bowed. "My apologies, once again, Your Highness"
The chubby man turned red and said nothing further. His scowl indeed confird, he was not sorry but would not push the issue. Sir Gavin might not be in charge yet, but he probably had so pull with his father. If the stout offender wanted a good position in defending Ensis, he should stop offending his future leaders.
Gavin had grown a foot since I'd last seen him. He turned 19 earlier this year. He was always so rigid. At least with Carrion, he would tease to show the world he had so personality. Pious and always proper, our childhood upbringings were polar opposites. To this day, I am not sure Gavin ever got to play or if everything was just duty and decorum. Clearly his parents did sothing right, since his speech mollified the offender in contrast to my inadvertent escalation.
"Thank you, Sir Gavin. How refreshing it is to see you again. Maybe once the orchestra...", Alina was cut short by the fanfare of trumpets. I cut my eyes to see Alina's hopeful smile. She was hoping for a different dance partner. The king rose to address his audience.
"Good countryn, ladies, and honored guests, thank you for joining us in celebrating the 18th birthday of our daughter, Princess Alina. Each one of you has honored us deeply by your attendance. We would love to return the favor and end the evening with a display seen from the garden and terrace." King Caderyn bood.
I shot a look to the girls. Alina let her Princess mask slip montarily. I saw the look of disappointnt that the evening would be ending sooner than she had planned before it was replaced with the facade of excitent. Fireworks were always exciting.
"Sir Jacobson, please escort Princess Alina and lead the way for my guests." I blanched. Why was I always in the line of fire tonight? I could feel the weight of unwanted eyes. Sir Pudgy, whose actual na had already escaped , quietly gave a look that spoke volus of his discontent.
I put out my arm and Alina took it. She was much better at her role than I was at mine.
Gavin gave an unreadable look before nodding a slight bow and side stepping out of the path to the garden. I heard the footsteps of soone falling in behind us in step, probably of Cali and Carrion.
Once we reached the staircase down into the garden, Alina stopped and turned to those behind her, pulling my arm with her. Alina started a chorus of "Thank you for coming", "So great to see you" and "Hopefully we will see each other again soon". Getting stuck by my side was not what she wanted out of tonight. I couldn't bla her. We regularly see each other and tonight was supposed to be special.
Looking out over the garden, I saw just how many throngs of people had been squeezed into the ballroom. The weight of our eting tonight hit . There is no way to know if all of these people actually ant well for our kingdom. How easily soone could slip in claiming to be on the invitation list. I squird in my own skin as Alina saw to the last of her guests andering into the garden.
Suddenly the sky was bright with hues of green, gold and blue, followed by red, pink and bright white. The thunderous claps would be unnerving if not for the inviting nature of the colorful bursts. My eyes devoured the sight they had unknowingly been craving. The lights overwheld in a glorious feeling of celebration. Alina was special enough to deserve this and more.
I glanced at the woman on my arm, and my heart, which had been soaring, sank to the depths of the sea. The vision of the gnos was exactly before my eyes in every detail.
The fireworks behind her. The radiance on her face. The tendrils of her hair slightly blowing in a breeze. The breeze was cool as the autumn evening was beginning to nip at the heels of winter. Instead of that breeze refreshing from the overcrowded ballroom, it froze to my core. The hairs on my arm stood on end.
When the fireworks ended, our radiant brunette princess jovially looked my way. I could not bring myself to say anything, but I'm sure my face said volus. Her expression twisted from curiosity to sothing I was unfamiliar with.
"Sir Jacobson, you look as though the day has worn on you. We can discuss it more tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, my princess." I feebly mumbled out. She turned on her heel and headed toward her room. I figured out her expression from her somber tone. It was duty and tonight she earned her crown.
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