The evening settled over House Greythorne with the rich amber glow of candlelight illuminating the vast stone corridors and opulent bedrooms.
Servants hurried from one end of the manor to the other, their footsteps soft on the polished marble floors, carrying shimmering silks and trays of jewels, preparing the family for the grand event that awaited them.
In his room, Luke stood before a mirror, adjusting the gold tipped cuffs of his finely-tailored suit.
His garments were crafted from rich, dark hues that complemented the rest of the black suit.
The tailor had lined the edges with gold thread that glistened in the light, and a cloak of deep black hung from his shoulders, clasped with the family's sigil—a silver gryphon.
"Are you nervous?" asked Arielle, her eyes shining with excitement as she watched him.
Dressed in a gown of soft lavender, Arielle looked radiant, her blonde curls framing her delicate face.
"Hardly," Luke replied with a small smile, hiding his own anticipation.
"It's just a ball, after all."
Arielle laughed, knowing her brother better than that.
"Only you would think of it so simply. This isn't just any ball—it's the first time House Greythorne will formally introduce you as a member of the family."
"You're getting introduced as well sis," he replies.
Arielle slightly blushes, but doesn't push the subject.
When they were ready, they descended the grand staircase, joining their parents.
Selene looked stunning in a gown of dark emerald, a jeweled tiara adorning her auburn hair, while Cedric's tall frame was clad in a black suit with gold trim and adorned with the Greythorne crest.
Together, the family climbed into the waiting carriage, which carried them through the winding, cobbled streets of Eldoria.
The ball was held in the vast banquet hall of the castle.
The hall's high arched ceilings were lined with delicate engravings, tracing stories of Eldoria's heroes and myths in silver relief.
Enormous chandeliers, each dripping with crystals, cast a brilliant glow over the room.
The air was alive with the scent of roses and rich spices, and guests dressed in hues as varied as a painter's palette filled the hall, their laughter and conversation mingling with the strains of music that floated from the orchestra at the far end.
Luke's gaze fell upon Lady Victoria Ravenshade, whose beauty drawed many eyes.
Dressed in a gown of dark crimson, Lady Victoria held herself with a poise that spoke of both elegance and pride.
Her daughter, Elysia, stood at her side, a picture of youthful grace in a gown of silver and pale blue, her hair, just a dark as her mother's, falling in delicate curls that framed her face.
Elysia was strikingly beautiful as well.
She had an air of mystery in her dark eyes that seemed to draw people in.
As the Greythornes entered, whispers rippled through the crowd, and Lady Victoria's gaze found Cerdric's.
"Lord Cedric," Lady Victoria greeted him, her voice smooth and practiced, yet carrying a genuine warmth.
She inclined her head in a graceful nod, and Cedric responded with a respectful bow.
"Hello Victoria," he replied, his tone courteous but confident.
He turned to Elysia, whose calm eyes observed him with a hint of curiosity. "And Lady Elysia. It's a pleasure."
Elysia extended her hand, her fingers lightly resting in his as he bowed over it.
"The pleasure is mine, Lord Cedric," she said, her voice soft yet captivating.
Cedric looks back at his family.
"Please ladies, let me introduce my family. You already know my lovely wife, Selene."
Selene sets forward and slightly bows to Victoria and Elysia and they return her bow.
"It's lovely to see you again Victoria," she says.
"Yes of course," Victoria chirps to her.
Cedric then motioned toward Arielle.
"This is my beautiful daughter Arielle."
Arielle takes a few nervous steps forward and bows slightly.
"I-Its very nice to meet you Lady Victoria."
Victoria returns the bow and then smiles brightly at her.
"It's lovely to meet you little one, you're just as beautiful as your mother."
"T-Thank you!"
Arielle blushes then retreats to her mother.
Cedric then smiles and motions towards Luke.
"And lastly my eldest, Luke. He's about to be 9 very soon."
Cedric let that last part out very slyly and gave a hinting look towards Victoria and Elysia.
Luke then steps forward.
Victoria then offers her hand, which Luke takes in his and they both bow to each other gently.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Victoria," he replied, his tone courteous but confident.
"It's so lovely to finally meet you. Your father speaks very highly of you."
Luke smiles to politely and then turns to Elysia.
Her eyes observed him with a hint of curiosity.
Luke steps over to her and holds out his hand.
She puts her hand in his and they bow to each other gently.
"And Lady Elysia. It's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is mine, Lord Luke. I've heard much about you," she said, her voice soft yet captivating.
Now that Luke can get a closer look at Elysia, he sees that she's very close to him in age.
They seperate and Cedric bows to them one last time before the family goes around to enjoy the festivities.
But before the family could step away, the music shifted, signaling the beginning of the dances.
Cedric turns to his wife, bows, and offers his hand.
"Would my loving wife honor me with a dance?"
Selene blushes brightly.
It's rare for Cedric to be romantic and especially in public.
She bows gently and offers her hand to his.
"I would love to dance my love."
They both smile lovingly to each other as Cedric pulls her in to start dancing.
Luke then turned and offered his hand to Arielle, who smiled, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"Would my dear sister love to dance?"
Arielle giggles as she puts her hand in Luke's and they grow close to start dancing.
They stepped onto the polished marble floor, joining other couples who swayed and spun to the lilting waltz of the music.
As they danced, Luke marveled at the beauty of the ballroom.
The walls were adorned with draped silks and glimmering tapestries that added warmth to the vast hall, and the soft light from the chandeliers cast a golden glow over everyone.
The floor beneath them sparkled, polished to perfection, each step reflecting the elegance of the night.
Arielle moved gracefully, her lavender gown twirling around her as she followed Luke's lead.
They danced effortlessly, sharing light laughter as they weaved among the other couples.
The music swelled, and Luke couldn't help but feel the joy and pride of being part of House Greythorne in that moment, his family surrounding him and his own presence acknowledged.
As the song came to an end, Arielle curtsied with a beaming smile, and Luke led her back to their parents, who looked on with approval.
But his moment of respite was brief; the music began again, and this time, Lady Victoria appeared at his side.
"Would you honor my daughter with the next dance, Lord Luke?" she whispered in his ear.
"I will Lady Victoria, it'd be my honor."
Victoria smiles at his response and then leans back in one more time.
"She's also your age my dear."
She pulls away smiling gently but also slyly.
Luke blinks and blushes very quickly, but then shakes his head to empty his thoughts.
His eyes met Elysia's and he extends his hand once more.
Elysia's touch was cool as she took his hand, and together, they moved to the center of the ballroom.
A fresh tune filled the air, more haunting and complex than the previous waltz, and the two began to dance.
Elysia's grace was mesmerizing.
Her movements were fluid, each step perfectly aligned with his as they spun across the floor, and the flowing silver-blue of her gown caught the light, making her appear almost ethereal.
Luke matched her steps, his focus entirely on the dance and his partner, feeling an unexpected ease as they glided together.
"It must be different for you, being introduced to society like this," Elysia murmured, her eyes fixed on him as they turned.
"Very much so," Luke replied, meeting her gaze. "But I am grateful for it. I didn't expect Eldoria to feel like home so quickly."
Elysia's lips curved into a slight smile. "Perhaps it's because you belong here more than you realize. The way you carry yourself speaks of someone who understands duty and responsibility."
They twirled once more, the world around them a blur of colors and music.
Luke felt an intensity in her words, a quiet understanding.
He was struck by her insightfulness and elegance, sensing a depth beneath her calm exterior.
"You got all of that from just a moment of time with me," he whispers.
Elysia smiles gently.
"Some say I have a talent to be a good judge of character, others say I have sharp eyes."
Luke takes a moments to look into her dark eyes.
There was something there that spoke mystery.
The music swelled to a crescendo, and they completed a sweeping turn, their steps perfectly synchronized.
"You know, I know much about you."
Luke is curious at her remark.
"By what do you mean," he asks.
"I have a tattoo mark as well, same place as yours."
Luke is taken aback by this.
"How do you-"
"I have it covered by my gloves of course."
Luke looks at her again.
Elysia is wearing elbow gloves that complement her beautiful dress.
"B-But how-"
"Do you not feel that weird tingling feeling in your arm where the mark is?"
Luke then feels it as he thinks about it.
He had not noticed it before, probably because he had been overwhelmed by the new sights and festivities.
The music starts to get ready to end.
"The only reason why I figured this out is because I once had a dream and a goddess visited me."
Luke looked her curiously.
"The only thing that I can remember is that she said that when I got close to someone else who had a mark in the same spot as mine, that I would know it, and I would know they were just like me."
As the dance drew to a close and the music ended, Luke held Elysia's gaze for a lingering moment, his mind turning over her words.
She released his hand.
This caused Luke to break out of his small daze and they both stepped back, offering polite bows to one another.
As the evening progressed, Luke felt a certain ease settle over him, a confidence that grew with each introduction and every exchange.
He began to understand the subtle dance of words and gestures, the unspoken language that ruled Eldorian nobility.
Every nod, every smile held layers of meaning, and while it was his first formal appearance as Lord Luke of House Greythorne, he navigated it with a sense of familiarity he hadn't expected.
But he continuously found himself thinking on Elysia's words.
It was driving him insane that he couldn't find time to think on them.
He finally was able to get away from the festivity for a few moments and found himself near one of the tall windows, gazing out into the gardens beyond, deep in thought.
The stars shone brightly in the night sky, casting a silvery light over the sprawling grounds, and he could see the shadows of hedges and fountains in the moonlight.
"A moment of peace, or perhaps reflection?" Elysia's voice came softly from behind him.
Luke turned to find her standing there, her presence quiet but commanding.
Her gaze held the same calm intensity from their dance, a quiet observance that felt both reassuring and enigmatic.
"A bit of both, I think," he replied, giving a small smile. "It's quite something, being introduced in such a grand way. And then being told important information as that."
Luke then felt it the weird sensation on his arm as Elysia drew closer.
He puts his other hand onto the spot where the mark was and rubbed gently, but the sensation doesn't cease.
Elysia tilted her head, her eyes glimmering with curiosity. "I can imagine. There's a strength about you, Luke, a resilience I don't often see among nobles here. If I didn't know better, I'd say you weren't born into this life."
Luke's pulse quickened at her suggestion.
He grew curious as to why she would say something as audacious as that, and he didn't understand it, but he merely inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"I suppose I owe that resilience to my family. They've taught me much."
Her gaze softened as she studied him, and after a moment, she spoke again.
"I don't often find myself intrigued, but you have a certain… gravity about you. The way you carry yourself makes one wonder what stories lie behind it."
Before he could respond, a familiar laugh sounded nearby.
Victoria joined them, her smile warm and courteous as she laid a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Elysia, you have held Lord Luke's attention for quite some time now. I hope you've not overwhelmed him with questions," Victoria said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with a touch of pride.
"On the contrary," Luke replied, turning to Victoria, "Lady Elysia has been a wonderful conversationalist. I feel like we've begin to somewhat understand each other."
Lady Victoria's smile deepened, and she nodded approvingly.
"Indeed, Elysia has always been insightful. I've taught her to see beyond appearances. But forgive me, Lord Luke, I didn't mean to interrupt."
Just then, Arielle reappeared, her face glowing with excitement.
She linked arms with Luke, casting an admiring glance at Victoria and Elysia before looking up at her brother.
"You're quite the popular guest tonight, Luke! I was beginning to think I'd lost you to Lady Elysia's charms," she teased, her laughter light and innocent.
Luke laughed, glancing back at Elysia and Lady Victoria with a polite nod.
"Not at all, Arielle. Lady Elysia has graciously shared her time with me, that's all."
Elysia offered a faint smile, her eyes holding a hint of amusement.
"You're to generous, but I'll take the compliment."
"Come brother, father has asked for you. He says he has someone else for you to meet."
Luke bows respectfully to the two ladies and enters back into the ballroom with his sister.
Just when they gained sight of their father and mother, some royal knights are seen entering into the ballroom and positioning themselves by the doors on the other side of the room.
As they passed the orchestra playing, they waved them to cease playing.
Then another man walks in.
He's dressed in royal garments and he carries a trumpet with him.
He positions himself by the door as well.
He then puts the trumpet up to his lips and plays a very loud noise to draw attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he bellows out, "Her royal majesty, High Queen Adrian Eldoria!"
All of the lords and ladies give a polite applause and queen Adrian enters into the ballroom.
Queen Adrian enters in with an aura of regal authority, which earns her an awe from some of the guests.
She wore a gown of deep, midnight black that shimmered like the night sky, each stitch threaded with glints of silver that caught the chandelier's light.
Her golden blonde hair was swept back into an elegant braid, adorned with a delicate crown of crystalline sapphires that gleamed against her pale skin.
Her eyes, a striking shade of ice blue, swept over the crowd with a calm, penetrating gaze.
As she walked, her steps were deliberate yet graceful, and a quiet strength radiated from her, marking her as both a beloved ruler and a powerful figure who inspired both respect and reverence among her subjects, those who supported her that is.
She walks over to where the orchestra is at and the applause ends.
"Benevolent friends of Eldoria, thank you for coming tonight. I hope that you've enjoyed yourselves so far with the music, dancing, and drinks. We still have yet more in store for tonight, so I ask that you continue to enjoy yourselves here, but also join me in celebrating my son's coming of age."
Adrian waves towards the man with the trumpet.
He then makes the same sound, commanding the attention of everyone.
"Ladies and gentlemen! His royal highness, Prince Ethan Eldoria and his escort her royal highness, Princess Gwenevere Eldoria!"
The doors open up and everyone begin to applause.