"Oh, our grand-daughter looks so lovely in her gown. I know how much she hates them but she is so stinkin 'cute in them. Oh look at little Cella. I cannot wait until she turns of age like her big sister." The woman exclaimed. She had one golden eye and one silver eye, with brown skin and burnt sienna hair. The smile on her face was bright as she looked down at the young woman gilding down the staircase in an electric blue gown and silver accents and jewelry. "But I think she needs a crown, something with both of her heritages, what do you think Ialantha? Should we add that to the gift pile? Xiddron, already added a sword of course. My mate forged it himself of course. Golden God Steel, only the best for our eldest grand-child of course."
The woman next to the goddess rolled her eyes, "I say that we hide it in the realm that we created and make it a quest for her to go and pick it up, that way we can add some extra cool effects to it. But if we send it in the pile you know that Votona will remove anything remotely powerful and useful for our little girl." She paused for a moment, "We should make quests for each of the girls, and add some heritages to it too that will only unlock as they enter the next stages of power. That should get Votona's approval for sure. She loves those kinds of things. She should have been the Goddess of Games rather than Destiny really. What about that Tairleirth?"
"Good idea! With the system we all built for our bloodline it will be very useful to do it that way. And although Votona is a video game addict it has given us some useful ideas of how to help the girls and our races all grow a bit. Evolving with the times is hard for us old gods and Votona's youth paves the way for us to become more modern while holding onto tradition. Plus with her addiction she's easy to talk into things so long as we put things into the terms she will enjoy."
"Yes, yes, all good things. I will send her a message right now. As well as one to Belanor, he's been refining the necklace we are giving her from our side since she was born the first time. He's even added some magic tut...tut...what did Votona call it." Ialantha paused as she tried to consider the words that the young goddess had used. She pursed her already perfect pursed lips that made her high cheekbones and piercing seafoam gaze stand out even more. Her creamy skin was as flawless as that of the Goddess next to her . A sudden look of understanding gawned on her features as she worked her mouth around the strange word, "Ah, tutorial. That was it. With her rebirth her abilities and magic abilities are both limited and so she will have to learn everything over from the start, well other than what she can do on accident. It might make it worse or better. Not sure. There's a small world that has a library for learning everything anew."
Tairleirth looked at her sometimes friend, "WHAT?!?! I want in on that gift he had better include things on dragons and combat in there are I am going to protest to Votona about this. She's our grand-daughter too. Not just yours and Belanor." Then she grumbled, "Stupid fey always trying to one up everyone."
At that moment a young woman with silver hair and silver eyes appeared and shoved herself between the two women, "SHHH, I got your message and already put the quest in the realm. Also, MOVE OVER, give me some room. And shut it. I wanna hear everything that is about to happen. You guys are super lucky I am in love with your grandchildren otherwise I would not have put so much freaking work into all of this." She said that but her face told a different story, and both gods next to her knew she was enjoying this more than anyone. "Ah, here she comes! I will send the gifts down at the perfect moment and then I have a raid to get to but I should be done before her coming of age ceremony. Can someone get some snacks by then because I do not want to miss that."
The older goddesses glanced at each other before simply leaning over the moon pool and continuing to watch the world inside it. But both of them quickly sent messages to their mates about the snacks. The young god was doing them a huge favor after all, but did she have to hog the moon pool!
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Hexi had come down the stairs as gracefully as possible. She was for once glad for the lessons her mother had insisted on, but considering the bombshells she had had today and the vast number of them she wasn't really all that surprised at this point. When she thought of royalty she thought of the British royal family, but turned out she should have been thinking more of the lines of her own freaking family. So far she had gathered her mum was a Queen, and her Father a King, which made her and her sisters freaking Princesses in whatever world or land her family came from and if that wasn't enough of a shocker, they weren't actual humans. She wasn't entirely sure what they were but she certainly knew for a fact that humans did not grow wings and look like they were made from freaking fire. Magic had never been a question in her life, she understood on some level that their magic was strange in this world. But she always assumed there was some truth to the idea that they were just abnormal humans. Well, that idea was a complete bust at this point really.
She had tried, and failed to convince everyone to cancel this party and just let her digest all of the information that had been thrown at her in the last 12 hours. No one had agreed to it and Alexis had all but shoved her into the gown and shoes before an army of stylists decided upon me to make me up for this utterly ridiculous party. Thus, I was now standing in the center of the room full of my school mates and their families and each and every eye in the room was on me and Alexis as if they had never seen us before and were now stunned to see us now.
"You look lovely Hexi, please try to enjoy this bit of the celebration. Do keep in mind that to stay calm we will start the toast bit." And with that she moved to the center of the ballroom and stood there clicking her glass, as if on cue the room went silent and servants moved into present glasses of liquid to the guests that were of appropriate ages.
"Thank you all for coming to my eldest daughter's birthday gala. In my family's tradition this is the day a young woman becomes an adult. A time when her choices matter and are hers to make. With this in mind, today, we honor her ascension into womanhood. Now join me in a small toast if you will. To Helixii, we wish you wisdom and intelligence as well as luck as on the day of your 16th birthday. We welcome you to the annals of our family's history of strong women who lead the way for the futures of our house. To Helixii!"
Most of the guests just went along and joined in with 'Heres' and 'To Helixii' However, for the few who knew better gave a small bow with their words and toast, including my mother. At that moment I felt like I was going to suffocate from the pressure.
I managed a practiced smile as I accepted their well wishes. I knew that this was the public party. After all the normal guests had left the remaining would hold the ceremony and witness my actual addition to the annals of our literal history and what my mother had told me would be an awakening of some kind. It was only after all those traditions were observed she would have a strong few words with my Grandfather and Father for what they had done.
"This is all a bit much, isn't it?" I turned to Alexis, who like a faithful friend stayed by my side.
"Not really, your highness. Trust me it can be much much worse. Your mother is trying very hard to keep you from seeking to run away from the party." She replied. It did not take a genius to know that Alexis was more in the know than I was on everything. Not to mention that she was the normal eighteen years old that most high school seniors would be. Thus she had already had her awakening and ceremony.
"Can we drop the 'highness' bit when it's just the two of us at least. People will think we are being weird and start questioning things." I rolled my eyes as I spoke. Regardless of how much I still needed to digest my status and the truth of it all, I understood that my title was a reality and it was in honor of my ancestors and parents that I had it and thus used it. And if my dreams were any indication, not only had I once earned that title with my blood and sweat, so had my people. I was a Princess of the Fey and as one I had watched people die for me, slaughtered for me, and fought to stop it. If nothing else was true, that dream told me that truth, to discard the title for my own personal comfort was both selfish and irresponsible.
"We are not alone. Our hearing is much better than 'normal' peoples' by a massive amount. Also, the 'normal people' will simply think I am teasing you. You do, after all, live in an old style English countryside house that was brought to America painstakingly for your family. You even have horses! Which reminds me, we are definitely going riding some time, your highness. To Americans, might as well be a Princess especially when you go all Brit Kit one them." She paused for a moment as she noticed something. "Ah, we have incoming your highness."
A young man with dark topaz eyes and deep chocolate hair came over to us. It should be mentioned that my gala was a black tie event and thus this like man, like all guests were dressed in either a gown or tuxedos. The young man was smartly dressed for the occasion and more importantly, I knew exactly who it was, Nathaniel Gothan, otherwise known as the second place for valedictorian, the Salutatorian.
"Helixii, you look rather lovely this evening. My family and I are grateful for the invitation to your gala this evening." He spoke very formally, though it was not smooth, and sounded practiced.
" You look rather smart yourself Nathaniel. We are glad to have you and your family in attendance." I spoke then motioned to Alexis. "Nathaniel, have you met my best friend Aleixis Dupont? Her family and her just moved to town recently though just in time for our graduation. We are all from the same class."
"Charmed, to meet you Mr. Gotham." Alexis offered up
"As well to meet you Miss Dupont." He replied and utterly butchered her last name. He had taken German rather than French.
"Well, now that we have gotten the boring things out of the way. What do you want Nathan?" I asked, the smile on my face barely remaining. He had been competing to keep up with me since I joined the school, and when he couldn't win through pure effort he resorted to barbed assaults when he could.
"I understand that you are still young Helixii, but one should try to be kind when they can. I just wanted to offer my thanks before we left. My mother came out of the politeness of her heart but my father is sick at home, thus we need to be off." He returned. "It is rather magical to have been able to enter the famed 'Witches Manor' of town. In any case we are off." And just as fast as he came he was gone.
"What an asshole. Just like his mother frankly." I spoke after he was gone, returning my attention to Alexis.
We stayed with one another as we moved around offering pleasantries and conversation where we went until the gala was over officially and the real party began.