— CHAPTER FIVE —

  A Picture Show

  I draped a swatch of emerald silk over the chair arm, then held a silver-threaded sample beside it. The fabrics shimmered beautifully, but neither made my heart sing. Twenty different color combinations lay scattered around the parlor. The room was scheduled to undergo renovations, and we needed to select a new palette.

  "Perhaps the azure with gold accent, Your Majesty?" suggested one of the seamstresses, holding up yet another swatch.

  I sighed and tilted my head. "It's lovely, but it doesn't feel... right."

  The winter sunlight was already beginning to fade. Outside, the gardens had gone dormant. We were in the depths of the Forgotten cycle - the last seasonal cycle of the year. The blossoms of the magnolia trees had closed for the cold weeks, leaving the branches skeletal against the gray sky.

  The door swung open, and Lady Marigold entered. The staff immediately straightened their postures.

  "I see we're still selecting fabrics, but I bring more pressing matters. The council has decided we shall host a masked ball to welcome the new year, 833."

  The staff exchanged excited glances while I set down my swatches. A ball was far more interesting than upholstery.

  "Oh! What shall be the theme?" I asked.

  "That, Your Majesty, is for you to decide. It will be, after all, your ball."

  "I shall give it careful thought."

  "Very good. We'll need your decision by tomorrow morning to begin preparations." She turned to the staff. "That will be all for now. Her Majesty needs time to consider."

  The staff gathered the fabric samples and quietly filed out. I wandered from the parlor into the long corridor.

  A theme...

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "Seasons? No, we did that three years ago. Classical legends? Too stuffy. Animal masquerade? Lord Bentley would come as a peacock again, and nobody wants that."

  I turned a corner and nearly collided with Ariella.

  "Oh!" she exclaimed, catching my shoulders to steady me. "Where are you rushing to, Lavinia?"

  "I'm not rushing, I'm thinking. Lady Marigold says we're having a masked ball for the new year, and I need to choose a theme."

  Ariella's eyes lit up. "A ball! How wonderful."

  "Would you have any ideas?"

  "What about magnolias?" she suggested.

  "Magnolias? Again?"

  "They're a good flower! And you have such a fine collection - you, your mother, and your ancestors have been cultivating those gardens for centuries. Nowhere else in the world, and I wager either world, has as many colors as have been bred here."

  "I mean, yes, they're our national symbol, and of course they're beautiful, but I want something... different. Something no one here has experienced before."

  Ariella pursed her lips. "A fairy tale theme? Foreign lands?"

  "Too childish. Too vague." I shook my head.

  We continued our meandering path through the palace. As we rounded another corner, a familiar voice called out.

  "Your Majesty, Lady Winters! What has you both so animated this afternoon?"

  Raphael approached us from the direction of the guest wing.

  "Ambassador Bellamy." I greeted him. "We're debating themes for a New Year's masked ball."

  "Raphael, please." he corrected me with a bow. "And a New Year's ball? How splendid. I attended a ball last year, but I daresay it paled in comparison to what I have seen of your country."

  "Oh? How did you celebrate?" I asked.

  "I was fortunate enough to be on the isle of Sekr during their Stardust Festival. By day, enormous balloons shaped like dragons and sea creatures float above the city while their new biplanes perform acrobatics between them. At night, glittering motes fall from the sky - not unlike the diamond dust we get in the foothills of Alba Colles, but much brighter and warmer. They say it is dust from the stars, and brings good fortune for the coming year. The entire bay lights up with the most spectacular fireworks, reflecting in the water until you can't tell where the sky ends and the sea begins."

  "The stardust itself is quite remarkable." he added. "It tastes like sugar and dissolves on your tongue. Children run through the streets with their mouths open to catch it."

  "I wish I could see that." I said.

  Raphael's face brightened. "Perhaps you can - in a manner of speaking. I have photographs from the festival. If you would like, I could show them to you."

  "Photographs? Yes! I'd love to see them!"

  Ariella shifted beside me. "Your Majesty, shouldn't we continue our discussion about the ball?"

  I turned to her. "But we're getting nowhere on our own! Let's let it stew, and perhaps we can draw inspiration from this!"

  The corners of Raphael's mouth turned up in a smile while Ariella's expression cooled slightly.

  "I would be honored to provide a glimpse of Sekr's celebration." Raphael said with another bow. "Shall we find a suitable room for viewing?"

  I nodded. "Yes, please!"

  Raphael offered his arm. "After you, Your Majesty."

  I hesitated only briefly before taking it, feeling Ariella's gaze follow us as we moved toward a nearby lounge.