Chapter 62:
First Selection Event - The Banquet
The large banquet hall of the Yursinean Palace was unrivaled in its beauty, decorated with the finest ivory pillars, delicate white stone flooring, and even a large gold and crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the room, where the dance floor had been prepared as a performance stage for the candidates to demonstrate their talents in an effort to wow the royal family and more importantly, Prince Clarence.
The time before the presentations was prepared for the candidates and the nobles to chat amongst themselves, building relationships between their respective countries. While most of the candidates were flurrying around the room, circling the banquet hall like a flock of geese, Olicia and Charlotte were standing to the side of the room together, discussing something quietly between them. Though Olicia's expression seemed disinterested, her eyes moved back and forth between the various plates of hors d'oeuvres with a starved expression.
"Olicia, if you are hungry, why don't you call for one of your servants? They are not part of the decor, I'm sure." Princess Charlotte wore a blush pink, Bethellian styled dress. The gloves on her hand were off white, made of a delicate lace that highlighted the lightness of her long fingers.
Olicia retracted her gaze at the banquet tables and returned it to Charlotte, her eyes narrowed as she sighed, patting her tight navy corset with a frown as she stated in a low tone. "If I eat any more, I may not be able to fit in my corset tomorrow." All of the candidates had been painstakingly dressed by their maids in their best jewels, fabrics, and makeup, donning their hair in flattering, modern styles in reflection of their style. While Olicia was not interested in the selection, her maids painted her lids a flattering dark brown, framing her styled curly hair stylishly.
Princess Charlotte was decorated similarly, except her cheeks were a rosy shade of pink, highlighting her olive tone. Her large eyes were shadowed with a plum shade, and her lips were warm and rosy as her rouge. The princess's dark curls had been styled, resting flatteringly at the sides of her face as her green eyes burned with a flurry of energy. The other candidates were much the same, pursuing the most attractive appearance to enter Prince Clarence's eye.
"You shouldn't worry about something so inconsequential." Charlotte said with a sweet smile, her fan held gently in her hand as she brought it in front of her face, her eyes moving over the beautiful, glistening room, "If you are hungry, you should eat. Never let a corset stop you from enjoying the simple pleasures of life."
Olicia smiled and nodded while she glanced over the room. Her handmaid, who had insisted Olicia did not eat before the banquet began, so she would not ruin her dress or painstakingly applied makeup, was momentarily distracted speaking to one of the fellow servants, so Olicia grabbed a few of the hors d'oeuvres, trying to eat gracefully as she quickly ate. Charlotte watched Olicia in her attempt to eat without catching her maid's attention, and Charlotte could not help but laugh, to Olicia's embarrassment.
"Maid," Charlotte called out to Olicia's handmaid, stepping away from Olicia, "I think your mistress would like some water. Could you please go get her a drink?"
"Of course!" The handmaid snapped to attention, curtsying before she hurried off.
"Now you can eat in peace, at least for a moment." Charlotte whispered, returning to Olicia's side.
"Thank you." Olicia said with a shy smile, swallowing her food.
"Please don't thank me." Charlotte said, returning Olicia's smile with a brilliant confidence, "When you live in a place like this, you get quite adept at ridding yourself of your servants. Especially the ones your parents picked to watch your every move." Charlotte fanned herself as she glanced around the room, "It seems it will not be much longer until Prince Clarence joins us. Once the performances begin, please get Sagara. I will make sure to get Philomena. We can meet at the food table."
"Right." Olicia said with a determined nod, her mind running over the plans Charlotte had shared with them just a few days before.
"We will speak more then." Charlotte said as her ladies-in-waiting collected behind her. With a final nod, Charlotte went on to mingle with more guests. Olicia watched her walk away, momentarily admiring the young Princess, while also being grateful for not having been raised in an environment like Princess Charlotte's. Olicia shook her head and returned to grabbing more hors d'oeuvres.
It had already been ten minutes since the start of the banquet, but Clarence had yet to appear. Many of the candidates were trailing around the room, whispering about the prince in quiet breaths as they speculated quietly. "Do you think something is keeping the Prince from the banquet?"
"Maybe? I can not imagine he will make everyone wait much longer though, with the Senate and the candidates waiting patiently. He must be late getting ready, that's all"
Just as the voices were growing in sound, there was the sound of the large, ornate doors opening with the booming voice of the announcer calling out, "Her Majesty, Queen Racliffe, enters." Even the instrumental accompaniment in the room was stopped as the Queen's dress was lifted by her servants, following closely behind her as she stepped into the room, looking tall and dignified as she moved to the front of the room, standing in front of the throne with her hands clasped in front of her. The ivory gold dress was tailored to her figure, threaded and embroidered delicately with fantastical patterns that would make even the best of seamstresses jealous.
No one could notice the paleness in her face, covered by the rouge and powders prepared for her by her maids.
"There's the queen. Look how beautiful she is." Some of the candidates looked up to the queen, while others looked at the aging woman with envy. All they could think of was taking over her position and becoming the queen of the Yursinean Kingdom, standing beside the next king, Prince Clarence.
As the queen stood in front of her throne, to the right of the King's throne, Clarence was announced and entered the room with a light smile on his face, his styled bangs showing his clear forehead and warm complexion. The collar of his suit was taught, unwrinkled and decorated in the Yursinean style with gold embroidery and accents. The buttons and cape had similar simple embellishments, making him look more refined than gaudy. Though his blue eyes were somewhat cold, barely maintaining the warmth necessary to greet his subjects, as if they were dead within his eyes, nothing but flies.
As Clarence finished his entrance and sat to the left of the King's throne, there was only a step away from the entirety of the power of the Yursear Kingdom, soon to be in his grasp. As little as Clarence cared about the marriage candidates, he did hope that one of the candidates would suit his needs and play along with him as he took over the kingdom.
After Clarence had entered, Alywin had followed behind him by a short distance, keeping his head high with a taut expression as he entered, his white suit unwrinkled and decorated with a touch of a high-standing noble. His curly hair had been styled to the side, making him look youthful and handsome, and standing near the prince's side, he was not at all out of place.
The room had quieted significantly, and it was easy to hear the sounds of shoes tapping and short coughs in the distance. Shortly, Clarence smiled, still standing in front of his throne chair as he said a short welcoming speech. "Thank you all for coming," Clarence began, all of the eyes in the room on him, eyes of adoration, admiration, and even some of envy and anger, "Although there have been some unfortunate incidents in the beginning of this wonderful encounter, the world has been left to witness the strength of the Yursear kingdom and its allies. But let's not waste another breath on such negative talk, when we are surrounded by such happy times! Please, everyone, enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"
The audience clapped, the noble council standing in their seats to the side of the banquet room with respectful expressions. Their eyes gravitated from the prince to the entire room, watching the candidates closely with sharp gazes. However, the sounds of the orchestra returned and the crowd became lively again, mingling and dancing with smiles, laughs, and elegance. Queen Racliffe was not interested in the event, but rather the attendees, so she sat on her throne, monitoring the floor below. Clarence sat on his throne, leaving Alywin to stand at his side and speak to him in a small voice, attempting to appear discreet as the event continued in full swing.
"How are you feeling, Clarence?" Alywin stated quietly, the smile on his face held taught as he spoke to the prince, who seemed rather disinterested in the event itself.
Clarence, dressed in a dark black suit with golden accents, smiled as he glanced around the crowd once again with a disconcerting eye. "It's interesting." He stated, looking to the side towards Alywin for a moment before he turned his gaze forward, "Most of the candidates are staring at me, trying to catch my attention, but it seems like one of them has no interest in me at all. Instead, they seem very interested in you." A rare laugh escaped Clarence's lips as Alywin's face fell slightly.
A chill ran up his spine as he shot back a quiet, "Quit saying such nonsense, Your Highness. There is nothing of the-" There was an abrupt stop of his words before his expression tightened even further. Seeing Alywin's expression, Clarence smiled. In the front of the room, not far from Clarence and Alywin, was a blushing, embarrassed Philomena.
The light pink and white dress on Philomena was decorated in lace, making the youthful princess appear cute and bright. Her blonde hair had been curled at the ends, making her hair appear shorter and softer. The blush on her face was highlighted by the flush of her cheeks, and her painted eyes were fixed on a figure standing next to Clarence with the look of a young woman in love. Even if she were to appear foolish, Philomena could not take her eyes away from the young, beautiful man next to the prince. But as her heart raced, and her cheeks flushed, she realized she did not know who this reincarnation of Adonis was. She had not ever seen him before at any of the other events that had been held, but if he was beside the crown prince, he had to be someone of great importance.
Excusing herself from the nobles she was speaking with, Philomena hurried to the one person who would, without a doubt, know who the stunning man next to Prince Clarence was. As Philomena approached, trying to keep her demeanor calm, she hurried around the large, watching knight and wrapped a vine-like hand around the arm of Princess Charlotte, who turned with a surprised smile.
"Princess Philomena?" Charlotte said with a surprised smile, "What do I owe this pleasant greeting?"
"I'm so sorry to pull you away from your conversation, but I need the help of someone with your expertise for a particular problem." Philomena said, her grip on Charlotte's arm tightening.
"How pressing!" Charlotte said, gasping. She then turned to the Yursinean nobles she was speaking with with an apologetic nod, "Please, if you could excuse me."
"Of course, Princess Charlotte. It was lovely speaking with you." The nobleman said with a bow. Princess Charlotte and Philomena nodded their heads, then Philomena almost dragged Princess Charlotte to a corner of the room, Charlotte's knight not far behind them. When they were finally alone, Philomena glanced around and leaned towards Charlotte.
"Who is that? The man standing next to Prince Clarence?" She said in a hurried whisper, her eyes darting back and forth between Alywin and Clarence with heated curiosity. She could not restrain herself from asking.
Charlotte looked towards Alywin with a small, sideways glance before she turned back to Philomena with a smile on her face as she said knowingly, "That's right, you have not met him yet, have you? Though he has not made himself exactly a consistent presence. That is Marquis Alywin Cyneric. His father is one of the most powerful dukes in the kingdom. The marquis is also a close friend of Prince Clarence's." Her smile was sweet as she added, "His family is very influential in the Yursinean Kingdom, and their territory covers the central plain of the kingdom."
Philomena hmph-ed to herself quietly as she said, "Anyone that is able to catch my eye must be at that level, at least." Though her words appeared sharp, there was a trace of softness in her tone as she looked back at Alywin, who looked unearthly as he stood proudly next to Clarence.
While Charlotte was distracted trying to answer Philomena's questions, Olicia continued to enjoy some of the smaller hors d'oeuvres and as she walked around the banquet room. Her light steps tapped against the beautiful, polished floor, enjoying the beautiful orchestra music as she listened to the gossip around her. Nobles exchanged thoughts on the succession of the throne and the future queen in low tones between glasses of wine. Others danced and played, as if the go-ons around them were unimportant, and some watched in disdain at the behavior of the other nobles, some even scoffing at the selection event in general. But none were vocal enough to support Duke Malcolm, Clarence's older cousin. Prince Clarence had already begun to display his strength with a heavy hand, following Queen Racliffe's ascension to the throne after the king's illness worsened.
Olicia had been following the events of the palace closely since before her arrival. The Faelfierian people were carefully watching the neighboring kingdom with bated breaths, unsure of the passing of power. Though Olicia had agreed to help Princess Charlotte become Prince Clarence's fiancée, she found herself questioning her decision. Even with her help, there was no real guarantee that Princess Charlotte would become the future queen, or that she would follow through with the promises she made to them when they agreed to help her. All Olicia could do is help Charlotte for now and see how the situation was unraveling.
After losing herself in thought, she found herself noticing a familiar figure approaching from the side of the room with a small, friendly wave.
Donning a delicate red and gold sari wrapped around her body, Sagara approached Olicia. The fabric of the dress draped around her shoulder and arm in a fashionable way. The dress had been embroidered in the pattern of the Khymal Empire's royal family, sparkling delicately on the expensive fabric. Sagara's long, dark hair had been tied up behind her head, decorated with small embellishments prepared by her maids.
"Sagara, it's so nice to see a familiar face." Olicia said, shaking off the crumbs of a cracker she had just eaten off the bottom of her dress. "Do you plan to dance with the prince?"
"I agree with that sentiment." Smiling, Sagara looked towards Clarence, and then directed a short gaze towards the council members before she said, "And yes, I do plan to at least speak with Prince Clarence tonight. Though we may have agreed to help Charlotte, there is merit to be earned by getting to know the prince, even if it is not romantically." Sagara glanced over at Olicia, who was frowning, "Are you worried? About Charlotte?"
Olicia looked up in surprise, but then quickly glanced away, "I guess a little. I just hope I didn't make a bad decision by agreeing to help her."
Sagara smiled and put a gentle hand on Olicia's shoulder, "I'm surprised you are wavering. You were so determined to help Charlotte when she asked us. Your determination was what ultimately made me agree to help Charlotte." Sagara's hand slid off Olicia's quivering shoulder and returned to her side, but her eyes remained tender, "Do not run from the face of difficulty, or you will run your whole life without reprieve." The usually soft Sagara's expression tightened as she spoke, her words striking a chord with the unusually wavering Olicia.
The music began to quiet as the sounds of voices dimmed. "We will now begin our special performances," Someone said in the distance with a booming voice, directing the attention to their figure near the front of the room.
Sagara and Olicia turned towards the stage, where it was announced, "It's time." Sagara said softly, "Now is the time to make your choice. You won't be able to go back after this." Olicia's eyes met Sagara's, and Sagara smiled one last time before she went around Olicia. Olicia watched her go, noticing Charlotte and Philomena began making their way towards the back of the large room. Olicia watched them go too, and she stared down at her ornate dress, holding the fabric of her skirt in her balled hands, suddenly feeling small and naive surrounded by the large group of guests. It was as if her figure was lost in the sea of people.
As she stood, feeling lost, there was a voice that called out to her. "Miss Olicia!" A personal maid called out to Olicia, her hands wrapped around a glass of water, "I'm so glad I finally found you! The crowds suddenly became horrible with the entrance of the queen and crown prince, and I couldn't-"
"It's alright." Olicia said, her head still down as she added in a low tone, "I don't want the water anyway. Go get rid of it please."
Staring at Sagara's disappearing back, Olicia's face fell into contemplation as she sent away her maid, her feet pointing in the direction of Princess Charlotte's distant figure near the front of the room, surrounded by Philomena, her knight, and soon Sagara, who smiled as she stood by the Bethillian princess's side.
…
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Thank you to Hunny for studying French and telling me how to properly spell hors d'oeuvres. I really am trilingual, I promise! I'm just a terrible speller :D
Thanks to you all for your patience! I am currently sitting at work right now, doing work! haha This chapter update was supposed to be up earlier but I got two work calls at the same time on my personal and work cellphones, so life sucks. But, I fortunately have enough time to post and get cracking on the next chapter! The anniversary special will be posted next week as well ;u; Again, I appreciate all the feedback you all have been sending us!
We may be a little inaccessible during October as we are moving homes, but Hunny and I will try our best to keep up our comments and such! >u< Have a good one, all~!