Claude did not sleep well for days until Harvest Day. He heard a knock on his door and Mary comes in bringing him his usual morning coffee. He groaned as he half stood on the bed while Mary sat beside him.
"Good Morning brother" she happily greets him
"Good Morning"
Her sister poured a few cubes of sugar, two to be exact in his cup, she doesn't usually put sugar on his coffee but why now? [She must be experimenting, oh well, let's try how it taste] Claud thought
Mary offered him the cup and still feeling dozy, Claude takes a sip and was surprised about the taste. It immediately made him wide awake.
"Is this --- Milk?"
Mary smiled at him "Yes"
"Is this mother's --"
"Oh? Really? Do you think it's hers? Wow. I take that as a compliment"
Claude got confused, Mary laughs at his brother's reaction "I made that"
"How did you know about this?"
"Mother told me, I met with her the other day in her room, she was busy making a necklace, she's supposed to give it to someone she said, I wonder to whom"
Claude looks at the small box on his table but Mary did not seem to notice it and kept silent.
"Anyway, she told me you were never fond of coffee, why didn't you tell me? I felt bad when I heard it from her and it's been years I've been serving coffee to you"
Mary pouted while Claude gave her a warm smile "I'm sorry, I never said I hated coffee, I'm not just fond of it but I got used to it, I couldn't say no to you, you know that right?"
When Mary saw him she let out a huge sigh "Well, there's nothing I can do about it right? I love you too much brother. Starting from now on, I'll be serving you milk"
"How did you get mother to tell you her recipe?"
"She said there wasn't any until recently"
"Recently?"
"Yap, a little bird told her about it and since it works on you, I'll keep that secret ingredient a secret, hahahahaha!"
The two siblings laugh together for a while when they began to hear noises outside of the palace. Mary stands up and takes a peek at the window and saw how their servants were busy preparing the garden for later's events.
"It's finally harvest day," she said
Claude came back to his senses, he almost forgot about his preparation due to his sister's visit. "Yeah, should you be preparing already? You are still a princess, don't forget that"
His sister looks at him from the window "Yeah, a princess with a big belly", Mary heard Claude chuckle when she said those words, she took a deep breath and clenches her fist and nods to herself.
"Brother, I love you"
Claude who was enjoying his drink pause and looks at her, he can see her sister shaking looking at him with her sparkly pink eyes.
"I love you too, Mary and I also love my future niece "
She smiled from ear to ear "I hope you'll find someone you could say those words to brother"
Claude grunts "Did mom told you anything about me getting married?"
"Hahaha! I heard I heard! But that's not really the reason why I said that" she goes closer and sits beside him, she leans her head on Claude's shoulder as she pats his back.
"Thank you for loving me and your future niece brother, thank you for everything you have done for me, for letting me love who my heart chooses, I'm so lucky to have you and this baby too, both of us are"
"Why are you saying this to me?" Claude puts down his cup
"It's nothing really, maybe it's just one of my mood swings, just want to let you know that's all"
"C'mon were both adults now"
"That's exactly why I'm doing this, I don't know when will have another chance like this"
"What do you mean? You can always annoy me like this every morning and if that belly of yours pop, I'm expecting two of you will come rushing inside my room" Claude takes another sip from his cup.
Mary bit her lip and laugh quietly "Right, you're right, whoo!" she stands up
"I better go, you know how princesses prepare during this time and talking about one with a big belly" she caresses her stomach "See you later brother"
Upon she reaches the doorknob she turns around facing Claude "And Claude, I don't mind Tayne being my sister in law you know. You have my approval" and she left the room.
Claude was in a state of awe about what Mary said (What is wrong with my family lately?) he wondered.
Tseng and Caleb came in a few minutes after.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready for later's Harvest"
"Good and my people?"
"They are currently putting up food stalls and decorating at the center to witness the harvest"
"Very Well" Claude places his cup on the table beside him and stands up. Caleb was staring at him with an eager look.
"Do you want to say something?"
Caleb must have realized what he was doing that he yanks from surprise "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare too much"
"It's fine, I'll be preparing now, what time will the duke arrive?"
"He is expected to arrive after lunch, your majesty"
"Will Vincent be the one attending?"
"I apologize but there hasn't been any confirmation yet"
"I see"
Claude took a black coat and goes out of the room, outside waiting, a group of maids aligned to both sides greeted him.
"Good Morning, Your Majesty" they bow their heads together
"Hmn"
"I'll go check the preparations for the banquet later, your majesty, for the meantime please take your time"
"See you"
---
It took two hours for Claude to prepare, mostly because of how he will dress for the occasion. Although this kind of thing bothers him the most, Queen Cecil was very particular about it.
He wore a black fitting tunic, with silver buttons aligned on the front to his neck. A silver sash was placed around his right shoulder to his left hip, he also wore a black trouser and black ankle boots. To complement his entire look the maids arranged a series of medals symbolizing his achievements for the past few years.
"Sigh, why do we have to wear clothes so grand for such occasions" he complains once he got out of the dressing room and meets up with Tseng. He looks at his bodyguard and without any problem, he only wore their usual black and white suit.
"Let's go meet with my father before going underneath the palace, he must be done dressing as well"
They walk in the hallways and up to the second floor to his father's studies, he saw Tayne coming out from his room. It was clear the girl's reaction was in a state of shock and dismay but eventually comes back into her senses when she notices Claude approaching her.
"Good Morning, Your Majesty" she greeted him
Claude was surprised by the way she suddenly addresses him that he couldn't greet her back instead he shows her an annoyed reaction.
"Do you have something to put that huge weapon of yours aside for?" he points at the huge bag she's carrying.
Tayne shakes her head "I apologize if it may appear informal to you but it is the only weapon I am comfortable fighting with"
Claude's brows furrowed, he was not sure but he's starting to get bothered seeing her silent and formal.
"What are you doing in my father's study?" he asks her
"Nothing, just making my patrols before escorting you, your majesty. His Majesty and Queen Cecil are both inside if you are searching for them.
"Both of them? Did they say weird things?"
"What do you mean?"
"They didn't say anything?"
Tayne shakes her head again "No"
"Hmmn"
The door from the King's study opens and the King and Queen came out, they were surprised to meet the two together that Queen Cecil can't stop smiling in front of them.
"I hope we're not disturbing anything important" she teases
"No your majesty, we just met here"
"Ohhh, I see"
"Ahem" Claude coughs to get their attention
"Are both of you ready?"
King Blythe took Queen Cecil's hands and wrap it around his arms, the queen smiled at him "Were ready, let's go"
All five of them went to an elevator located at another part of the floor area that leads underneath the palace. As they get closer to the location King Blythe grabs Claude's shoulders and everyone was put to a stop.
"I apologize, my love, Tseng, and Tayne but can we have a father and son moment please?"
"My, the two of you really" Queen Cecil chuckle, Tseng offered her his arm in replace for King Blythe's and they continued to walk inside.
"What is it, father?" Claude asks his father
King Blythe took something from his pocket and revealed the Cerulean necklace he borrowed from him.
"Finished modifying it, here" he places the object on Claude's palm.
"What can this do?"
"Hmmm... Nothing really, but I hope it can protect you in times of grave danger" he pats Claude's back
"Now let's go start the show shall we?"
Waiting for them to arrive was Mary and Caleb who was already standing in the area. Claude and his father came and the whole royal family was complete, Claude took the time to observe his surroundings, and as planned Tayne and Tseng were already guarding beside them. The other guards were all outside patrolling the palace for any suspicious characters and he also equips himself with guns to prepare for a battle, just in case.
Now, all they have to do is wait for the duke to arrive and everyone heard the sound of the elevator descending. Claude and his father were both watching as they saw that Duke Elizar came out from it, not Vincent.
"Am I late?" Duke Elizar ask them "I'm surprised all of are present already"
"My, my, we just finished earlier than we expected. Hahaha" Queen Cecil answered
"Where's Vincent?"
"He is still very ill and requested for me to come to attend in his stead I hope you don't mind, your majesty?" he looks to Claude who was giving him an exasperated stare. King Blythe notices the tension and moves forward to greet the duke, offering him a handshake.
"Of course we don't, I am more glad I got to spend harvest day again with you Duke Elizar," he said with a smiling calm expression.
"Hahahaha. Indeed, indeed, it's been a while since I last came here and it's still magical as ever" He diverted his gaze at the center of the area where a circular glass wall that reaches to the roof covers extracted Etheria.
"It's still beautiful" Duke Elizar uttered
Claude had an urge to shoot him there but was stop when he looks at his father shaking his head. He took a deep breath and moves forward to greet the duke.
"Thank you for coming here in Vincent's stead, Duke Elizar, this event wouldn't be the same without your family's presence"
The Duke gave him a cunning smile "Of course, it has always been a pleasure, your majesty" he steps backward to be with the royal family and once they were all in a short distance from the glass wall, King Claude moves closer. When he reaches almost touching the glass a podium ascended from the ground, it was a mechanism to controlling the Etheria to be released outside the Kingdom.
Everyone closes their eyes to offer a small prayer for the Kingdom but this prayer was different than the previous ones they shared, for everybody felt that they were praying for something different but the same. Mary takes a peek to look at Duke Elizar and the Duke wasn't even praying, instead, he was looking at the Etheria glowing beautiful inside the glass wall and he was smiling from ear to ear and it frightened her.
When Claude opened his eyes, he grabs a handle from the podium and levered it down and the Etheria inside starts draining.
"What's happening?" Tayne ask Tseng
"Using the mechanism from the podium, it drains the Etheria inside" he points to a tube connected below the glass and traces it upward to the roof "Etheria will run to that tube leading outside the palace's tallest tower and spreads across the entire kingdom, that's the harvest" Tseng explained
"Ah, I see"
"Etheria doesn't look like glowing liquid once they touch air, it crystalized itself creating small particles, so when this amount of Etheria will be released outside it will most likely appear like glowing snowflakes. That's what the people of the Kingdom are excited to see, only the people inside knows its true form"
After Claude releases Etheria, he clicks on a switch and the room suddenly changes its appearance, it was holo, the entire dome-like area was replaced into a huge veranda located at the topmost of the palace where they see their people gathered outside lining up until the center of the Kingdom waving the family's flag. It was a beauty and when the people saw them they all cheered loudly to the royal family.
"They can see us?" Tayne's eyes widen
Tseng nods "This is a different kind of holo, although we are still underneath the palace visual figures of us may appear real-time for them, that way we won't miss the Harvest, look" Tseng points to the highest tower of the palace and small particles of snowflakes like object came out covering the entire kingdom. The people proar as they saw the beautiful crystals falling to them.
"Wow, it's beautiful"
"That's why this became a tradition for the royal family, this was his majesty Claude's idea, the kings before him only stayed after they released Etheria outside but Claude wanted to see his people smiling that's why he and Duke Vincent created this upgraded holo."
Tayne looks at Claude, who for that moment may have forgotten about the threats of Duke Elizar and appears to be a King smiling as he watches his people enjoying the event. She laughs at the sight and couldn't stop smiling as she clenches her fist tight "So he can smile like that, huh?"
---- End Of The Chapter.