The murmur and chatter of tens of dozens of people, the shuffling of feet and clatter of glass. Violins playing softly, then energetically. Clanking armor and flapping robes, scrolls and pens whittling across the pages. Slight laughter, slight yelling, slight crying. All of it, all with some echo though very little within a grand hall.
This hall, decorated brilliantly with many a tapestry and flag, coats of arms hanging upon many pillars and walls. A long stretch of tables in eight columns from front to back of the room. Streamers, hanging from the top. To the West side of the room a ninth table lined with a fountain, finger food spread, larger platters of assorted meats and sides.
The walls, decorated in golds and whites with dashes of blue. Lanterns attached to the walls and hung from chains on the ceiling. Bouquets attached to the sides of the various pillars and all else, white and blue flowers primarily with some reds and yellows. Round tables remained scattered throughout the room around the main lengthy row, all lined with glassware, plates, and cutlery. Candelabra sat aflame in the middle of each round table with several along the length of the long ones.
People stood in knight armor around the walls of the hall, twenty up and down long ways with several at the front of the room and back of the room. Between all of them, a mass crowd of people dressed in fine garments. People in dresses and suits, people in military uniform with multiple medals, servers, even more knights mingling through the crowd. To the East, many dressed in party attire with violins which they were playing. Many wandered, many stood, some dining and others simply chatting; a few even appeared to dance to the violins being played.
To the far wall from the vast doorway sat several in thrones with a fair few others standing nearby. Two massive thrones stood with two individuals in each, a man and a woman dressed heavily in rather fashionable garments, each with crowns on their heads. Around them were smaller thrones with other individuals dressed somewhat differently, with one in a cleric robe and another in basic combat armor with hanging fabric. These individuals also bore crowns, smaller though significant regardless. Around them stood others in military uniform with multiple medals and some in ceremonial robes of their own.
The majority simply stared off into the grand hall, watching as people mingled and enjoyed themselves. The youngest of those in the thrones turned his head left to look at the individual next to him, “Indra, how much longer do we have to sit here?”
“It won’t be long now sweetie,” came a reply though not from the man next to the boy, rather from further up stream.
The Queen had her head turned, now facing the young boy from her large throne, “We can begin just as soon as your sister arrives.”
“Speaking of which, where even is Dawn?” came the voice of another from the other side of the queen.
Her head turned just as everyone else did, gazing at a young man a fair bit older than the first, “She should be here by now right? Rollo isn’t the only one getting tired, I can tell.”
“Well Raikor, I would like to think she should be coming. She said she had some last minute studies to attend to,” came the comment of a blue haired girl next to the young man.
“Lani, studies or improper training?” Raikor mumbled.
“Hahaha! She’s just like your mother, eh dear?” commented a man sitting in the large throne next to the queen.
“Zeke, please. Dawn is nothing like my mother.”
“Queen Solaris,” came the voice of a man in front of the group.
A man in black robes with silver lining stepped forward, arms behind his back, standing tall as he spoke, “I’m afraid we can’t wait much longer for the Princess. We’ll need to proceed soon.”
“Ugh, very well Illiago. We will begin the ceremony shortly.”
“By your command, my queen,” the man said with a slight bow, proceeding to turn and walk down several steps to the main floor.
Raikor’s head turned yet again to the queen, “That wise?”
“Well in these times, probably not. But we simply need everyone together on this. Celina, I may need you to go out and find Dawn if this keeps up.”
BANG!
At once the room began to quake with the floor shaking, the sound of a blast coming from outside the East wall. All at once the glass panes of the wall shattered as a figure flew straight in and crashed. Fast and swift the figure tumbled across the ground and slammed into Illiago, stopping just before the Queen as Illiago fell backwards and crashed to the floor. Shouts and screams could be heard echoing around the room as the guards all stood at the ready.
“Ah, there she is,” Raikor murmured.
“Ugh,” Solaris sighed.
The individual, now identified as Dawn, stood with a cough. Soot fell from her outfit which was torn and ragged, “Dangit! I was so close that time!”
“So close to what?” Zeke questioned.
It was at that point that Dawn turned her head, a touch of red visible around her cheeks as she looked at her family who simply returned a somewhat annoyed look. Solaris and Raikor were most certainly annoyed, Lani confused, Celina shocked, Zeke and Indra and Rollo laughing.
“Oh uh, h-hey guys uh, you know just practicing some self-defense again,” Dawn chuckled.
“Uh huh, that’s why there was an explosion right?” Raikor grumbled.
“Self-defense? More like practicing your magic again,” Lani said with a sigh of her own.
“Yeah well, maybe magic will help with my self-defense in the future eh?”
“Dawn,” Solaris sighed, “You were practicing your fighting again. I’ve told you before, there’s absolutely no need to train to fight.”
“But-”
“Dawn, please. Self-defense comes with the title of monarch but not fighting.”
“Raikor is a general and Lani is a Lancer. Explain that!”
“It is the duty of the future king to fight in the event of war. And Lani only Lances because that is her hobby. You want to fight so you can adventure; that’s not what a princess does. Young heirs do not need to train in anything other than politics and hosting. Now young lady, you’ve created quite the uproar. Go and get yourself cleaned up and get seated. I’ll have a talk with you later.”
Dawn glanced around quickly, noting that everyone in the room was now looking at her. With a groan, she looked to the queen and bowed. “I will be a fighter mother, you can’t stop me from being what I want to be.”
With a turn towards the window she had come through she jumped heading straight out.
“Ugh, through the window again. Lovely. Illiago, have the servants clean this mess up,” Solaris muttered standing, “I’m going to go and have a talk with my daughter. Everyone, please continue the celebration. We’ll begin the ceremony in another hour.”
Illiago slowly stood up with both arms back and his hand on his back, groaning in discomfort, “Y-yes your majesty. Ugh, that kid I swear-”
“Now dear, maybe we should humor her.”
“What do you mean dear husband?”
“Maybe we should show her what soldier life is truly like. That’ll knock this phase out of her system.”
“If you think so. I’ll have a talk with Xerneas and see if he can educate her on the matter. Where is he anyway?”
“Why, meeting some guests at the border as I recall.”
“Guests?”
“I know it’s strange. Whoever it was sent word to him but not me, haha.”
“I wonder… could it be that? No- no that wouldn’t be. Alright then. I will return. Try to keep the festivities bright if you would Zeke.”
“Gotcha hun, will do.”
“Zeke-”
“Er, um yes, yes dear. I understand.”
“Alright then, I’m off now.”600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqswxOV83F2
