In a different part of the palace, performers lined the road leading up to the entrance of the great hall where the masquerade would be held. Some juggled fire while others danced with long flowing pieces of silk that caught the light in brilliant flashes like the scales of fish beneath the water. Near the statues of heroic figures, a few musicians could even be heard, singing songs about ancient glories and great victories.
A long line of elegant and decorated carriages stretched all the way to the palace gates as more and more notable people arrived at the grand event. The palace itself blazed with light as every available lamp seemed to have been lit for the occasion. Large iron firepits ringed the statues and fountains in the grand plaza, burning with bonfires that cast a flickering golden glow over the entire square.
