As Silver and Silas entered the grand dining hall, they were greeted by the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread, and the sound of laughter and conversation.
The hall was vast and cavernous, its towering stone pillars reached the vaulted ceiling like ancient sentinels guarding the secrets of the past. The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of battle and triumph. Each thread was woven with the sweat, blood, and tears of generations of Spartans.
At the center of the hall stood a long, rectangular table hewn from the finest marble, its surface polished to a mirror-like sheen. Carved into its surface were intricate patterns and symbols. At the length of the table were rows of high-backed chairs, each one adorned with the Morningstar glyph, a symbol of the royal family's lineage and heritage.
Seconds after the duo entered the dining hall, the room went silent. All eyes were upon them, from the members of the royal family to the servants who stood in attendance.
At the head of the table sat Abel Morningstar, the father of Silas Morningstar and the King of Sparta. He was a venerable figure, with silver hair and piercing blue eyes that reflected the wisdom of his years. His presence commanded respect, and his voice carried the weight of Sparta's history.
To his left sat Silas's four wives. His first wife, Helena Morningstar, was a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair and emerald green eyes. She was the mother of Gabriel Morningstar, the eldest of Silas's sons.
His second wife, Isabella Morningstar, was a woman of striking beauty with long, flowing chestnut hair and hazel eyes. She was the mother of Nathaniel Morningstar, the third of Silas's sons.
Sophia Morningstar, his third wife, was a woman of gentle beauty with long, flowing blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. She was the mother of Sebastian Morningstar, the fifth of Silas' sons.
Eleanor Morningstar, Silas' fourth wife, was a woman of radiant beauty with long, flowing silver hair and amethyst eyes. She was the mother of Silver Morningstar, the sixth and youngest of Silas' sons. Her face lit up with joy as she saw her son enter the room.
Meanwhile, to Abel Morningstar's right sat Silas' present sons- Gabriel, Nathaniel, and Sebastian.
Silas took his seat at the table, and Silver sat beside his mother. They bowed at Abel Morningstar, and the servants began to serve the meal, and the family began to eat.
No words were spoken and there was a tenseness in the air that made Silver a little uncomfortable. He looked at his father who was the source of the tense atmosphere. He wanted to say something to diffuse the atmosphere, but a firm grip on his hand from his mother dispelled such thoughts.
He decided to just enjoy his meal in this grim hall.
"Before you came, the atmosphere was not tense at all."
The tense atmosphere was immediately dispelled by the words of his grandfather. He looked up, and he saw his grandfather's eyes were on his food even as he spoke.
Clang
"How can you be so calm even with all that has happened?"
For the first time in a long time, Silver saw his father angry.
He subtly observed his father, and he noticed that his father's eyes were filled with a rage that was about to erupt like a volcano. Just by the way his father threw his fork and knife on the table, it was obvious that his father was restraining himself greatly.
"One of our commanders died. A Grandmaster died. Don't you know how serious this is?"
Abel Morningstar calmly wiped his lips with an unbothered expression. "Of course, I know how serious this is. Probably even more than you do."
Silas's expression changed slightly. "What do you mean?"
"We did not only lose a commander. We lost all our future prospects. All the rising stars of Sparta were targeted and killed."
Silas frowned deeply, but before he could question his father, his father interrupted him.
"Anyway, we'll give Commander Kael a proper burial. We'll also make sure to provide and take care of his family no matter what. He was a true Spartan Commander who never gave up to the end and fought for Sparta with his life."
Abel Morningstar calmly drank from his large mug. As he drank, he glanced at every single Morningstar in the dining hall.
From Silas' first wife to all his children. Even Silas himself was observed with a glance, and a glint flashed in Abel Morningstar's eyes. His eyes then moved to the youngest in the room, and a light smile appeared on his lips.
"So Silver, why don't you tell me what you've been up to recently?"
Silver who was battling with a turkey leg paused and blinked comically at his grandfather. At first, he wasn't sure if he heard it right, but when he perceived the stares he received from everybody in the room and his mother's soft grip on his thighs, he came back to his senses.
"Well, I did the usual." Silver rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I ran on the rooftops while swinging and jumping at every chance I got. I noticed a few things like how there were more traveling merchants than before."
Abel nodded softly with a 'hmm.'
"Also, I saw some guards slacking off so I played a prank on them. They chased me, but obviously, I was too smart and quick for them." Silver shrugged nonchalantly, and Abel chuckled.
He signalled one of the servants to come closer, and he whispered some words to the servant's ear. The servant nodded, then he left the dining hall.
Silver didn't think too much of it.
"But during the chase, I fell from a rooftop and almost injured myself, but luckily for me, I was able to save myself at the last minute. I thought I was going to get caught by the guards, but that was when Dad arrived. So, I got lucky."
"Hmm." Abel stroked his beard with a light smile. "Luck can also be considered a form of strength."
"As long as you don't get caught. Then it's all good and well." Abel gave a nod of acknowledgment to his youngest grandson, and Silver's eyes lit up.
That was basically his grandfather, the king, acknowledging his pranks. How could he not be happy?
But before Silver could revel in this sensation, a voice flowed into his ears, and he was immediately stunned.
"I plan on making Silver undergo his rite of passage."