Before dinner started, the Royal Physicians came back and did a more thorough exam on the King's body. After all initial exams came back clean, everyone really knew that the King was going to be alright. They were only waiting on the blood tests to see if he was completely cured.
Basically, the King was well enough that he did not need his Shadow Guards to help him up and walk around a little. By the time he was checked off to walk by himself, he felt hungry, a feeling that he has not had in weeks.
In celebratory fashion, the Royal Family decided to have a feast. One was for the Crown Princess that had saved the King, and second was that this would be the first family dinner since the wedding. Prince Zander would be attending and was only told that the King was doing better as he had taken new medicine that agreed with his constitution.
When eating with the King and Queen, it is proper etiquette to wait on them and never have them wait. As the younger generation, Prince Zander, Crown Prince Maxen and Crown Princess Aphra were sitting in their assigned seats, waiting for the older royals to make their appearance.
Prince Zander began some polite conversation with his cousin and cousin-in-law. They would talk quietly amongst themselves while they waited for their elders. Once announced, they quieted down and waited for the King to let them continue on with their conversation.
The three royal adults sat in their proper seating before the King signaled the servants to serve the food. The servants elegantly served them their food before taking a step back and making themselves appear like they were not there.
The King was the first one to pick up his utensils as everyone else soon followed his cue. After taking the first bite from his food and swallowing, he began the conversation.
"We heard that you three were talking amongst yourselves before entering. Mind sharing with Us what it was that you were discussing?"
"Royal Uncle, we were talking about the fact that my birthday is coming up soon and that soon after that would be my Royal Cousin's birthday. Then I asked when Princess Aphra's birthday was so that we could celebrate it together," said Prince Zander with a polite smile while addressing the King's question, making the three adults ponder over his words.
"That is right, Prince Zander's birthday is within two weeks. We also did not have time to properly welcome him back when he first came, due to the Royal Wedding preparation. We should do something special for his birthday," said the Dowager Queen as the Queen seemed to agree with her words.
"That does make sense. As our Royal Nephew, what do you wish We do?" asked the King with all the dignity a King could give while Prince Zander seemed to ponder over what the King said.
"If it is all well and good, my dear Royal Cousin just married and I thought that it would be better that my party was not so extravagant. I am sure that having another party so soon would not look good on the Royal Family," said Prince Zander, making the adults stunned to hear his words.
"Are you certain? If We remember correctly, you will be turning eighteen, a grand occasion to celebrate," said the King.
"Yes, you only turn eighteen once in your life. We want to make sure you know what you are doing," said the Queen as they kept their eyes on Prince Zander while taking a few bites of their food here and there.
"It is because I am turning eighteen that it makes sense not to celebrate so grandly. No social gathering should outshine the Royal Wedding of the Crown Prince this year. Besides, I would much rather like a quieter gathering with a few friends," said Prince Zander in a pious manner, making the adults feel a tad guilty.
"Prince Zander seems to understand the weight of what it means to be part of the Royal family. Your contribution shall not go unnoticed. We grant you your quieter gathering with friends. Is there anything else that you would want?" asked the King who seemed to be appreciative of Prince Zander's selfless sacrifice.
"I would just like to be in charge of the entertainment, if you do not mind," said Prince Zander as he seemed to look at Elizabella with a wide smile. "Actually, I would like to be shameless and ask the Crown Princess if she could prepare a special presentation for my birthday."
"Oh, you wish for me to perform something? What would you like to see?" asked Elizabella as she felt like he put her on the spot, making her nervous as to what he would ask from her.
"I have heard that you can dance. Is it too much to ask for you to dance something for us?" asked Prince Zander, still with his polite, gentleman smile, making Elizabella want to secretly roll her eyes but just returned his smile.
"My, I would not mind, since you asked. I will begin something soon," said Elizabella as she continued to smile and then take a bite from her food, hoping that Prince Zander's attention would not linger too long on her.
"I will be waiting in anticipation," said Prince Zander with a smile as he continued to look at Elizabella.
"I did not know that you could dance," said Prince Maxen as he did not seem to know that he had successfully deviated the tension between his cousin and wife.
"Yes, there are many things that you do not know about me," smiled Elizabella, making Prince Zander's smiled widen as his pupils seemed to constrict and he clutched his eating utensils.
For the rest of the dinner, the Royal Family joyfully continued on with their festive mood. Prince Zander had excused himself to return to his room. Once inside, he felt his perpetual smile on his face change one to indifference.
"That idiot Maxen. Of course she can dance! Who has not heard that Lady Elizabella would dance in front of the Queen of Edalelia all the time? Though, all of those dance performances were private and I never got to see them live, but now she will perform for me at my birthday! If the others only knew that I got the Marchioness Blakeloch to dance exclusively for me, that would make them turn green from jealousy!" thought Prince Zander as he moved to sit on his sofa. "If mother ever found out, she would feel so elated as well..."
**********
Prince Maxen had gone to his room after he had dinner with his family. He still had not answered Margarette's message and continued to wonder if he should answer her. He wondered if he answered her too quickly, would he sound desperate? What if she was only feeling this way since she saw him get hitched with another girl?
Is she really serious?
That was the question that he really wanted to know. He had remembered that they had made future plans to study together and that he would see every one of her dance shows until she was famous world wide. He wanted to make her happy by letting her make her wish come true... but now everything has changed.
He is married, with another girl, not Margarette, who does not seem to like him as much as he does not like her.
"This marriage is for show. I like Margarette. We promised each other, before I married that we would have a life together. Now, that is only a dream that will never come true at this rate," mumbled Prince Maxen as he sat on his sofa and ran his hands over his eyes then hair. "Should I continue to keep the promise that we made together, or just forget about them? Why is this so hard?"
Prince Maxen sighed as he rested on the sofa and looked at the high hanging chandelier that was recently installed after he bought the engagement ring. He happened to like the flow of the fixture so he had ordered it to be placed in his room so that he could look at it when he looked up. It seemed to have a calming feel.
The chandelier resembled a large, dark dome-shaped rain cloud, with strings of beaded light hanging from the bottom that resembled rain drops and zigzag wiring that seemed to come down like lightning. The wiring would twinkle when one looked at it from a different angle.
Prince Maxen stared at the fixture as he contemplated. He took a deep breath and sat up.
"I will not answer her back. At least, not tonight."
He decided that he would call it an early night and headed to his bedroom.