A glorious day to be happy.
It's finally the day for the Imperial Ball. The ball we've all been waiting for.
"Isn't the tiara a bit too much?" I asked Petunia when they opened the amethyst box Father sent to me. It contained a golden tiara filled with rubies and gold.
Petunia shook her head. "You're a princess, my lady. There's nothing wrong with wearing a symbol of your nobility."
"Still---"
"Besides, it is a gift from His Grace. How disappointed he will be if you don't wear it when he specified it."
"But---"
Myrtie who was the most gossipy among my personal maids tilted her head as though reminiscing what she heard from the others. "I heard His Grace went to great lengths for that Tiara. He bought it in the Nefera Auction House."
[ He did what?! ]
"That's in Khasrun's territory?! How could he do such a reckless thing?!" I exclaimed, mortified by his actions. Khasrun's Pharaoh has bad blood with us because we continue to shield his brother. Any Phedorian who dares step on his territory reaches a bad end.
"My lady, you seem to always forget who he is." Nova, who is the bluntest among them interjected. "His identity is enough to make that good-for-nothing Pharaoh get down on his knees."
Zola who's always with her older sister nodded her head in agreement. "Sister Nova is right. No one in this continent would dare beast him in a battle...because it will be futile."
"You're all too preoccupied by his title," I commented. "Even if he's a hero, I will always worry. Father is...Father."
"Then let's make your Father happy, my lady," Petunia suggested before showing me once more the tiara that Father dared to buy in enemy territory. "Your chosen jewelry will go well with it."
Helplessly, I just allowed them to do whatever they wanted. Petunia and Nova who are the most proficient in hairstyles looked the happiest with my decision to go with the tiara.
"You better hurry up," Norine, who served as my maid and knight at the same time, suddenly said. She was guarding the door, making sure no one would come in unannounced. "I hear Artie's clumsy footsteps."
"Your escort must have arrived already, my lady." Zola beamed in excitement. "Lord Raylan sure is early. He must be excited to see you."
"Raylan sees me every day. What's there to be excited about?" I genuinely asked. With how often we meet, he must even be disgusted with seeing my face.
"Oh, he should be. We worked hard so if he doesn't get excited, we will beat him up for sure." Nova said as motioned Myrtie and Zola to bring the big mirror close.
[ Leon's influence sure rubs off. Nova is now speaking like a thug. ]
"You look beautiful, my lady!" Norine complimented which is rare. She's built like a knight so her words are as minimal as possible and compliments are hard to come by.
"Truly, no one would be more beautiful than you during this ball!" Zola beamed once more alongside Myrtie. "You'll make all the men fall for you, my lady."
"Please don't speak of such scary words," I muttered. That's the thing I dread the most. There's no reason to add more names in Father's battle diary.
I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled thankfully at them. I understand why they would react as such. They did wonderfully well. "You surely went beyond."
Since the gown was filled with gold and the white sleeves reached my wrist, the only jewelry I had was a collar necklace and earrings with ruby centerpieces. As expected, they made sure the Tiara would be emphasized. Instead of a complicated hairstyle, they simply parted my hair and tucked the front, allowing the Tiara to take hold of it.
They only used light makeup so as to not overshadow anything in the design of the ballgown. They appreciated the gown as much as I did.
The gown has a narrow, fitted bodice that emphasizes the waist, and a full, voluminous skirt colored in white and a red center. The bodice was tightly fitted to the torso, featuring a basque waistline and a low sweetheart neckline that showcased the décolletage.
"I'm grateful."
The girls smiled in satisfaction. As soon as they set the mirror back in place, three knocks came from the door and as expected, it was Artie. "Lord De Claire has arrived, my lady."
"Shall we?" I said which prompted my maids to stand and nod their heads. Artie took hold of my hands like the gentleman that he is and escorted me with the others striding proudly behind us.
"You've grown taller again, haven't you, Raylan?" I heard Father ask as we neared the stairs.
"I was following the regime you gave, Your Grace. It worked wonders."
Father laughed boisterously at this, delighted that his student appreciated his effort. "I should test your strength then! See if it worked wonders."
"I hope you're not planning on doing that now," I muttered as we began descending the stairs. "You do remember where we should be heading at this moment,"
Both of them turned our way and watched in agape. The girls snickered in amusement and satisfaction. Petunia whispered from behind me. "See? We expected this, my lady."
"How lovely!" Father exclaimed in excitement. He hurried to the end of the stairs and waited for Artie to hand me over to him. "You look lovely as ever, my princess."
Father's compliment was sincere and I know he wasn't simply overreacting this time around. He looked at the girls behind me and nodded his head in appreciation. "You'll shine the brightest."
"The Emperor is the star of today's show. Have you forgotten?"
He shook his head, revealing one of his stupid lovesick smiles. "My princess is the star of the show wherever she goes."
I simply smiled while shaking my head. [ If I refute that now, he'll find 50 more reasons why he considers me the star of the show. We don't have time for that. ]
"Ray?" I called out to make sure Father had no time to begin his never-ending blabber. When I finally got the time to look at him, I couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. "You're going to take away everyone's breath this evening."
"You took the words off my mouth," he said as he strode towards me. He sought my hands and I gave it to him without much thought. Raylan placed a tender kiss and smiled widely at me. "You look beautiful, Reese."
*cough*
"I hope you did not forget about me," Father suddenly interjected forcing Raylan to release his grip from my hands. "I would have cut you if you didn't compliment my daughter, but wasn't that too much?"
"No words are enough, Your Grace. Your daughter will surely take the spotlight this evening with how beautiful she looks," he said, hoping to lighten Father's mood. However, his face remained soured so Raylan decided to take his compliment to another level.
"I can't help but notice her Tiara. Is it a gift from Your Grace?"
Father smiled immediately upon hearing this. "I bought that one from Nefera! The moment I saw it, I knew it was made for my Therese. The luster and opulence of the gem suits her hair, don't you think?"
"It compliments her well and truly befitting Therese, Your Grace."
He nodded his head in satisfaction. "The people will know she's a phoenix. I want to hear only compliments about my princess this evening,"
"Again, the Emperor should be the one complimented this evening," I interjected to cut off their competition. "It will not do well if we arrive much later than the celebrant, don't you think?"
Father, being shameless as he is when it comes to the royal family brushed off my remark. "Lucian will forgive us if that ever happens."
[ Sure he will. But society wouldn't. ]
"Your Grace, we require you to return to your chambers," Monsieur Darcy, our butler, suddenly said out of nowhere.
I looked at Father skeptically and saw him avoiding my eyes. "Are you done with your preparations, Father?"
He didn't even dare answer me. When silence was all that he could answer, I turned to Darcy who wouldn't dare lie in this situation. "Is he done with his preparations, Monsieur?"
"Not yet. There are still many things we need to finish before he appears presentable enough to stand beside Royalties."
"You do know that I'm---"
"I am not kidding this time...Your Grace." Darcy muttered without restraint. Father could only look away in response because when Darcy issues such a domineering voice, it means he is done pleasing Father and is now working as the head butler given the authority to uphold the image of the Liechtenstein family.
"We need to finish preparations before you incur the wrath of both the Holy Palace and Royal Family."
"Oh hush, Darcy. I should be savoring this moment with Therese. Just look at her?! Isn't she dazzling?"
Darcy sighs at this as he knows their conversation will not end if he doesn't do something. With a determined look, he began to divert the flow of the conversation. "I agree. The nobles will envy you for having such a lovely daughter, Your Grace."
"We should hurry now, don't you think? The earlier you get there, the more you can present the current achievements of the princess. I'm sure everyone will be glad to hear that she's going to become the president of the student council." Darcy ushered as he began walking away.
Like a month drawn to the flame, Father followed suit, excitement evident on his face. Of course, he did not leave without a warning directed at Raylan. "You know the drill, Raylan. She needs to be home before 12, without a scratch nor a single tear shed."
Raylan simply smiled. "We will await you in the Palace, Your Grace."
Father nodded, hurrying upstairs so he could finish with his preparations. With him gone, I took hold of Raylan and started leading him out to the front. There's no more reason we should delay our departure anymore.
"You look really beautiful tonight, Reese." Raylan complimented once more as we got inside the carriage. He was staring at me, his smile wide in satisfaction and I could tell, he was genuine on this.
His stare made me embarrassed for some reason and I found it hard to reply as quickly as I normally do. "Thank you, Ray."
As I glanced back at him, I noticed that his cravat was crooked. "Ray, can you come here for a second? Your cravat got crooked."
It didn't even take him a second to respond. Before I could even tell him my reason, he was already seated next to me which made me chuckle to myself.
Slowly, I reached out and undid his red cravat. I was careful enough not to accidentally damage the rubies on his clothes so the process of tying it back took longer than expected. The carriage was silent with only his breathing and scrapping of the cloth ringing in my ear.
[ Will Everard really be there? ]
That random thought made me momentarily stop what I was doing. The whole of Eisenstatt was abuzz about his arrival that I no longer doubt any of the gossip.
"Reese?" Raylan called out which brought me out of my trance. Hurriedly, I finished tying his cravat so he wouldn't suspect anything.
"There, all done," I muttered and pulled away so I could see if it was no longer crooked. "I wonder who amongst the young ladies and young men would get captured by your beauty, Ray."
He dismissed my teasing and looked at me in concern. "Are you thinking about Everard again?"
"No,"
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not,"
"I can tell when you're lying, Reese," he muttered as he held my hand. "It's okay. Are you worried he would be there?"
"Why should I be worried?"
Raylan refused to believe in my confidence—partly because my voice trailed off on the latter part of my question. "Reese."
"I don't care if he is there, Ray."
I look at him directly in the eye and I could see he was still skeptical. Nothing can be hidden from him.
"If you're that confident, then tell me what you're going to do once you see him there."
My brows immediately raised at his question. "What am I supposed to do?"
"I could only ignore him, Ray. He was the one who cut off communication and I'm unaware of what even went wrong. If I were to give him even the slightest reaction, I would be seen as desperate." I let out, anger now creeping into my voice and my emotions a bit haywire.
Raylan offered his arms which I took without hesitation. He gently caressed my hair as I indulged in his embrace. "Sometimes, I wonder if my temper is a factor to why he cut contact."
I felt his body vibrate in a chuckle which made me pull away pouting. Raylan quickly appeased my temper by fixing my hair and tucking it at the back of my ears. "Reese, if someone can't handle nor accept your temper, then they're probably not the one for you."
"They need to accept you for all that you are, not just the good part. Besides, that temper of yours is a testament that you're human."
"Ray," I called out as I hugged him once more. "You really know how to make me feel better."
He chuckled once more, but his laughter trailed off. "That's because I'm your best friend."
"I'm glad that you are," I answered back, offering him a wide smile. Having Raylan in my life is perhaps the greatest gift the Celestials have given.
*****
"I hope nothing happened on their way here," I muttered when I took Raylan's hands as he guided me outside the carriage. I worry Leon and Violet quarreled along their way and another heap of drama awaits us.
Raylan hummed in response. "I don't think so. Look over there."
As he said this, I followed his line of sight and sure enough, Leon was smiling as he held Violet's hands towards the entrance. "Am I dreaming right now?"
"Looks like peace finally settled between the two."
"I sure hope it stays for a long time...or would remain for the whole duration of the ball."
Raylan laughed heartily as I said this and slowly began to walk, guiding me to the entrance of Ashima Palace which is only used in special occasions requiring the blessings of the Popes. The white hallowed entrance was decorated with the faces of the Celestials Helios, Selene, and their great mother, Theia.
The Imperial Butler, Ludovico, who is already in his old age of 58 greeted both of us with a smile as soon as he saw us walking closer to the entrance. His successor, Lionel, who works now as the temporary herald and stands beside him clears his throat, ready to announce our arrival.
"Lady Theresia Liechtenstein von Volkerbirn and Young Lord Raylan De Claire van Vierleme."
On cue, Raylan and I walked inside and were greeted with the most exquisite ball of the year. Ashima Palace was built out of marble and gold and was filled with the statues of the Celestials. The ceiling was so high and the magical image of the stars bursting forth here and there with the sun at its centerpiece brought out a fantastical feeling of connection to the beloved Celestials.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the stare of the crowd. Most of them were familiar faces as only a handful were invited to this event. There were notable figures around who weren't of nobility and some uprising talents whom the empire deemed valuable assets.
"Lady Theresia, it's been a while. Your dress looks marvelous as always." Lydia said, Count Falone's daughter. With her words, the young ladies started to slowly cruise around and mingle with us.
By this time, the young men who found interest in the future Duke of House De Claire flocked around Raylan. [ Well, this is a social event so socializing is a given. ]
I looked at Raylan just as he was staring me down with his jeweled ruby-red eyes. He gave me a reassuring stare coupled with an endearing smile before ushering me closer to the girls.
"I'll find you later. Enjoy your time with the young ladies," he whispered before walking where the young men were gathered.
"Lord Raylan is the epitome of a gentleman." someone commented which was immediately agreed upon by everyone, myself included.
Raylan sure has a lot of fangirls fawning over him. It's a pity that he does not reciprocate their feelings nor show any sign of taking an interest in women.
"Therese!~" a familiar voice called out causing all of us to turn around.
There stood Leon, frowning as he desperately called out for my attention.
"Then there's Lord Leon," one of the ladies muttered in dismay—comparing him to Raylan as they are the complete opposite of each other.
I could only laugh awkwardly at her comment since Leon is indeed a jerk in all of their eyes. There's already been a saying that 'In marriage prospects, any man is better than Leon Liechtenstein'.
"Please excuse me for a second, ladies," I muttered before walking towards him who was now fuming in anger. "What is it again?"
"I can't stand escorting that woman anymore," he stated which made me sigh for the first time this evening.
[ Dear Celestials, what did I do to deserve this?! ]
"The Emperor isn't even here yet and yet you quarreled already?"
"This is her fault."
"Where is Violet? What did you bicker about this time around?"
"I---"
"You're really a piece of art, Leon." Violet's voice echoed from behind Leon. I glanced at her and saw that she was also pissed which means Leon is the one at fault this time around. "You're planning on twisting the story to Therese again, aren't you?"
Leon quickly turned around but before he could retort any form of insult to her, the trumpets rang loudly, playing the fanfare for the Grand Dukes.
All of our attention was caught as the two Grand Dukes appeared in each flight of the bifurcated staircase. On the right was the Guardians of the Throne, and on the left was the Guardians of the Holy Temple.
"His Grace, Lord Alphonse Liechtenstein, Grand Duke of Volkerbirn,"
Father stood solitary on the right side, wearing white and red—symbolizing his role as the Guardian of the Throne by bearing the heraldry of the Red Phoenix.
"His Grace, Lord Andreas Vyron and Her Grace, Lady Adelaide Vyron, Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Zollinier."
Lord Vyron looked dashing with his raven-colored hair and light blue eyes shining with the lights. He and his wife were wearing white and blue—symbolizing their role as the Guardian of the Holy Temple by bearing the heraldry of the Azure Eagle.
As soon as they got down from the bifurcated staircase, the fanfare blared once more, only this time, the timbre was much serene and slow. The blaring signaled the arrival of the Popes and just in time for Raylan to return to my side.
The entrance of the Popes and their cardinals was something heart-wrenching.
Watching them descend the right stairs in their white robes in a procession made everyone instinctively bow their head. Two of the six Popes appeared before us, each carrying a scepter with a crystal white jewel with different characters inside them.
"His Excellency, Pope Avilius of Divine, 1st Pope of Rosenlingen,"
The first pope, Avilius, had 'Divine Power' in his scepter. Like all of the Popes, he had white hair, a symbol of their divinity, and Ivory eyes that reflected his soul and purpose. The first pope who is known to be the right-hand man of the Stellar of Selenia has eyes reflecting purity.
"His Excellency, Pope Athanasius of Mercy, 5th Pope of Rosenlingen,"
The 5th pope with them is the oldest and the only one left of the previous Papal lineage, Athanasius. His scepter had a much dimmer glow in it with the word 'Mercy' engraved inside. This means he has little time left and it is time to search for the next chosen Pope.
"And Lord Theoross Vyron, Stellar of Endymion."
On the left stair descended one of our dearest friends and the representative of the Celestial Endymion. Like his father who was the previous Stellar of Endymion, Theoross possesses raven hair and light blue eyes symbolizing his connection to the beloved Selene.
As they halted in the main staircase, the two Popes faced the crowd and released their divine powers, creating a shower of golden sparkles around. "The undying love of the Celestials be with you all."
The people happily received their blessings and gave greetings to the holy people of Selene.
"May the heavens bless the Moon of the Sky," everyone chorused. "And light the path of the Holy Palace."
Usually, they are seated on the highest pedestal, a high balcony only royals and popes can access. But during events involving the Celestials and the church, they seat on the side, opposite the place of the royalties.
They remained standing in their designated places as the fanfare blared, regal and grandeur. This time, it was the Imperial Family who descended with the lead of Zachary, Kethra, and their youngest twins, Princess Nesta and Princess Shandri. With them was my aunt, Empress Manoe who was holding the hands of the twins.
Lastly, came down the main celebrant of this ball. With blonde hair like a golden thread and golden eyes of the purest gold, the replica of Zachary, and the father of this nation, all of our attention was on him.
"Presenting, His Majesty, Lucian Helios Hyperion, Emperor of Phedora Theocracy."
The emperor had a full smile on his face. This palace is where the blessings of the Celestials are the strongest and as their representative, it is where he feels the most power so the smile and the ease on his face were given.
All of us bowed our heads at him. "Glory and bounty to the Sun of the Sky."
Emperor Lucian had a mellow voice but due to the magic crystals surrounding the place, his voice could be heard even to the end of the ballroom.
"May the stars guide your path, blessed citizens of Phedora," he muttered and signaled everyone to raise their heads. "I'm delighted to welcome you all in celebration of the blessing bestowed by the Celestials, the continuous prosperity of Phedora, and the birth of their Stellars. Today not only marks my birth but also the blessing of the Celestials that serves as our reassurance…that to this day and in the coming years, we will be blessed by them. I hope you enjoy this evening."
Everyone in attendance clapped their hands for the Emperor and watched in awe as he offered his arms to the Empress, slowly guiding her to the dancefloor. As per tradition, the first dance always goes to the highest-ranking noble in the ball.
Auntie looked dashing in her golden gown. I could see her glow more and even had a shy look on her face as Emperor Lucian muttered something only she could hear. I couldn't help but get captivated by how they were smiling.
From the way the Emperor gently offered his hand for a dance, to the bashful smile that sat on my Aunt's face, all of us could tell how deeply in love they are.
With the Emperor's lead and Auntie's graceful moves, their dance captivated all of us and sadly ended while we were still in a trance. The Emperor kissed her hands once more before leading her up to their seat, signaling for the next dance to begin.
This time, it was time for the Crown Prince to dance. However, as Zachary refused to have a partner this ball, his part was skipped－and sadly, Theoross followed suit as though it was his move to prove his loyalty.
As such, the next dance according to tradition goes to Leon and I, who came from the Grand Ducal House. On cue, Raylan offered his arms with a gentle smile sitting on his face. I accepted without haste and took the dance floor alongside Leon and Violet－both having a fake smile masking their soured mood.
"You seemed concerned," Raylan muttered as soon as the song began. He has been my partner in social events ever since…Everard left. He is good at leading the dance and like what anyone would expect from an heir to the Duke, he dances with grace and an air of confidence and serenity follows him around.
I followed his lead and took a careful peek at the other pair on the dance floor just as Raylan twirled me around. "They were fighting earlier."
"Leon has been in your mind more than once this evening."
"He has been in my mind and the subject of my worries, all my life." I honestly stated before flashing him a teasing smile. "You're next in line though,"
"I doubt that," he retorted seriously. I was taken aback by this but quickly recovered when Raylan chuckled at me. "But do tell me why you believe so. What did I do to earn such a place?"
"Well, I'm worried about your love life, just as I worry for Leon. You're the complete opposite of him though, which I think is quite hard in its way." I began, dancing faster than before since Raylan quickened his pace, adding more twirl than he should. "Ray? Are you not interested in anyone?"
For the first time in a long while, Raylan fell into silent contemplation. The dance proceeded and he led flawlessly, but I could tell from the small glimmer in his eyes that he was in deep thought, his focus was elsewhere.
I remained silent, allowing him time to think for himself. [ Maybe he is interested in someone already, he just won't tell. ]
When I noticed the song nearly ending, I gently squeezed his hands so he could snap out of his trance. Raylan's eyes seek mine and he twirled me gracefully one last time before kissing my hands.
"Ray?"
"Well," he trailed off as he began escorting me back to the crowd. I did not hear the compliments of the guest as both my eyes and ears were focused on him. "Let's just say she's out of my league...and I've been rejected before it could even begin."
"What---"
"How about you then? Are you not interested in anyone?"
I retracted my words and stayed silent for a couple of seconds. "I prefer the company of my friends at the moment,"
Raylan chuckled at my reply which caused my heart to relax. After all that silence and seriousness, I could finally hear his angelic laughter again. He looked me in the eye, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "The prince will be proud once he hears you say that. You're basically two peas in a pod."
His charming smile caught me off guard. [ Really, how could someone reject this man? ]
I began surveying him from top to toe as I thought of this. To whoever rejected him, it would be such a waste on her part.
"Reese?"
"Hold on," I said when I noticed his cravat amiss once more. Luckily, we managed to return to our spot earlier and the dance for the married couples had already begun when I noticed that it was crooked. "Let me fix your cravat once more, Ray."
"It got crooked again?" he innocently asked as he leaned down, allowing me to untie it as I did earlier in the carriage.
"It's not a surprise. You danced quite vigorously in the latter half of the song,"
"And yet you still managed to keep up," he mused causing me to look up at him, his smile still switched on.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" I teased as I continued correcting his cravat. He better wear a tie the next time around. "Our times dancing under Madame Prudence would be all for naught if I cannot keep up with you,"
"You're her best student after all,"
I chuckled while shaking my head at him. "Don't be humble. All of us know you're her best student. Until now, she cannot stop preaching how much of a good gentleman you are thanks to her teachings."
"That's not true."
I lifted my head and looked him in the eye before flashing him a smirk and patting his cravat which is now neatly tied. "Oh, dearest Raylan. The line on her doorstep is mainly men. Everyone wants to be just as good as you are...hoping they could woo just as many women as you do using only their dance."
"You make them sound like ostriches."
His comparison to the mating dance of the ostriches caused me to erupt in a fit of giggle which I tried so hard to suppress. "More like flamingos and you're the leader of the band."
Raylan was chuckling now alongside me. However, he suddenly stopped and turned serious which caused me to halt as well. "Ray?"
He did not hear me call out his name so I followed his trail of sight and caught myself tongue-tied as well. There stood just a few feet away from us—visible in our sight thanks to the people who parted their way for him—the esteemed heir to the Morgensteirne Ducal House.
"Therese," he called out as he got closer to us, acting as though he just returned from a short trip.
Acting as though he never ignored my letters and trampled on my feelings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Behind The Scenes: (Darcy's POV)
Being a butler is tough...especially when you're serving a Lord who is a fool for his daughter.
"Your Grace, I don't think you will be needing that," I muttered when I saw him shoving a recording crystal ball in his magical pouch—which is surprisingly filled with mementos from his wife and daughter.
"I need to let them see just how much my princess achieved in her Electives!"
As if they don't know that yet. He practically announced it to everyone by buying the front page of the daily newspaper and placing Lady Theresia's face there with her achievements.
I looked at my clock to check how much time we wasted already and couldn't help but sigh. "We're running beyond late, Your Grace."
"Lucian will---"
"By the time you get there, everyone will be obliged to dance already...and you will have to wait for all the dances to end before you can talk freely to the other nobles...or even to the Emperor and Empress," I said, bringing out my trump card. "I bet only a handful knows that the princess will become the President of the Student Council."
I know the Grand Duke all too well.
He is never boastful about himself, but it's a different matter when it comes to his wife and children's achievements.
Especially when his youngest and only daughter is involved.
"What are you waiting for, Darcy? Let's go!" he demanded, now far away from me and only bringing with him the edict that assigns Lady Theresia as the President of the Student Council instead of the crystal balls he was preparing to bring earlier.
Serving the Liechtensteins brings great rewards...and great hurdles.
"Darcy!"
"Coming, Your Grace."
Another day as the Butler of House Liechtenstein.
[ When should I retire? ]