I was stood separated from the main crowd in a very large hall room full of extremely well dressed people, nobles to be precise. I spotted someone looking intently at me, someone I didn't wish to be noticed by: First Princess Alicia Xanderwood.
After seeing that her gazed was entirely fixated on me, I slowly moved back towards the crowd while watching where her hawk like gaze would go as I moved.
I joined in with the crowd, blending, but her gaze didn't seem to falter. This action of hers had attracted some who had also been watching her, and seeing the object of their affection looking so intently at another didn't sit too kindly with them. I felt like I was at a loss as to what to do.
Suddenly, there was a light tapping of metal on the floor that got everyone's attention. Everywhere had become deathly silent by the time I got back to where Father and Leanna were. They both looked at me with eyes that demanded to know where I had been. Truly Leanna was every bit of Father as I knew, if only she were sword trained, perhaps she would also be as good as he with the sword by now.
I avoided their gaze as I looked to the tall platform where the King stood with a glass of wine in his hand. It seemed it was time to make a toast. I quietly took a glass from one of the butlers standing around with the wine.
The King waited a bit for all to settle before he began his speech.
"People of Xander. It is a great honour to have you here with me today. As you all know, today of all days, we celebrate the coming of age of my first child; my daughter and her, Alicia." He stopped for a bit and looke ld around as he allowed our lot to sink in all he had said.
"Today, my daughter, the future Queen will have lived fifteen summers and winters. And as is the tradition of our fathers and their fathers before them, she will be considered an adult. I'm sure you all know what this means. But that is not our reason for coming here today."
"Today, we are here to celebrate. To celebrate and congratulate the princess on her birthday." He looked in Alicia's direction for a moment. "To my daughter, Alicia. Hear, hear!"
"Hear, hear." Everyone responded, almost at the same time.
"Please, if you have gifts for the Princess, endeavour to personally give them to her." The King added, before walking down that dais to meet with some high members of state, with which he exchanged greetings.
"Come son, the high nobles will want to give their gifts last so they would leave a lasting impression on the Princess. We should stay out of their way and be among the first to present our gifts. Come, Leanna, you as well." Father said to us both, carrying with him that huge box he had brought from our home a long ways from here.
We waited in line for a few before we got our chance to greet the Princess. At that time, we appeared in front of her, all three of us, bowing slightly before rising to our feet as she gestured us to.
"Your Majesty. I am by name Ser Tetra Xilmoa." Father said, beginning the introductions. "These are my children; Leanna and Jason. We have come from far away to wish you a splendid adulthood."
"Mmm. I thank you for this gesture of your Ser Xilmoa. I will make sure to never forget it." She replied, with a very tender voice, younger and much more beautiful than I remembered. If I wasn't guarded against her, I probably would have fallen for the allure of her voice already.
"I, um... I have prepared a gift for you, Majesty." Father said.
"Yes, I can only assume. Tell me, what is it?" She asked. Father took the beautiful box and opened it in front of the Princess. It revealed something that shocked even me.
"A gift befitting someone as blessed by the gods as you are. I had it made with the hardest and oldest oak mage wood I could get my hands on." Father said. It was a delicate and beautiful mage staff, looking as expensive as the whole of our mansion and also exquisite in itself. I had wanted to own one of these since I was littler but I never declared a gift.
"Truly a beauty. Thank you very much for this." She replied, before turning to look at me. "Jason, was it?"
I flinched a little before swiftly arranging myself so it would not be noticed.
Ke ke. Is the other human making you tingle inside?
A voice as clear as day sounded in my head. I knew who it was. The culprit was on my head. Literally.
'Would you shut up for once?' I screamed intensely in my head.
What did you just say to me,human? I am someone far above your station. You have no right whatsoever to issue commands to me.
'You can hear my thoughts? How is that possible?' I asked in my head except this time around, there was no response. I quickly snapped back to what was right in front of me before it was too late.
"Jason Xilmoa at your service, Your Grace." I said to her.
"Ah, Jason. Do see me after all of this. I feel like we have a lot to talk about."
"Your Highness, you humor me. What could a man of my status have in common with a goddess such as yourself?" I asked, trying to butter her up as I would anyone more powerful than I. No one in their right senses would feel the urge to anger another of higher station in a nation such as this.
"Do come by. If we have nothing to talk about then, we can just make up something to talk about." She replied. "Thank you once again for this splendid gift." She said to my father.
Alicia waved her hand and a servant came and received the box from Father before taking it away as they did all the other presents.
Meanwhile, on my side, I was having a mix of emotions. Did I always have to be mixed up with her? I remembered clearly all she had done to me the last time. It certainly wasn't good. This time, I must try as much as possible to keep my distance.