Wings, Beasts and Claws: Violet Embers

Ch. 5 : Gifts and Family

Our son Cal woke us up much earlier than normal, his excitement to open his gifts making him impatient as his siblings sluggishly followed behind him. He would ask us over and over as we helped the kids get dressed if he could go into the minor banquet hall to look at his gifts. And his pout grew as both Dorian and I told him that he needed to wait until after lunchtime to go in there.

The rest of our morning progressed like normal, with Dorian being stuck in the office while I became trapped in the Grand Ballroom, where the main celebration was going to take place.

All the décor and the furniture needed was being set out today so I needed to be present to ensure that everything was running smoothly. And slowly, as the minutes ticked by, things began to fall into place and the color scheme the birthday boy had chosen soon filled the massive room.

There were deep black silk ribbons adorning the walls with a beautiful assortment of deep red and warm orange flowers spaced out in between the dipping fabric. Tall vases with crystals in the shape of winter trees were placed in the corners, catching the light perfectly and spreading a brilliant crystalline shine across the room. The table cloths alternated in color, going from red to black and each held a small vase of small, yellow winter flowers at their center. The chairs had seat covers and a large ribbon was fashioned into a bow on their backs to match the rest of the décor. A large space at the center of the room was left empty to give everyone a chance to dance beneath the hundreds of twinkling clear winter crystals that looked like stars once the rooms light dimmed. And the area where the musicians would play was all set up and prepared for their arrival.

The silverware, cloth napkins, plates and glasses were all double checked and counted before they were sent to be cleaned and polished. The curtains that framed the large floor-to-ceiling windows were taken down and replaced with brand new ones that went along with the colors of the banquet. Long carpet runners were pulled from storage and dusted so they could be placed at the entrance of the ballroom, acting as a guide to all guests on where to go. And the long, old and ornately carved table used by all Royal family members was checked for chips, polished and moved to its rightful place against the far wall of the room, facing the main entrance.

Everything was falling into place and I felt revealed and truly grateful that nothing had been sabotaged by the Nobles that followed Duke Zenan. Since they had made it difficult for me during past banquets and holiday celebrations, this one moment where everything fell into place was filling me with pride.

I was showing the Head Maids how I wanted the place settings at the tables to look like when Morina came in to let me know that it was time for lunch. So I quickly finished my demonstration and followed her out of the room, stopping a few other servants and checking on some other details for the banquet as I went.

I quickly spotted Cal nearly bouncing out of his seat when I arrived in the dining hall, his eyes wide and filled with excitement. His cousin Reya sat next to him, looking nearly as excited as him while they wondered aloud what he would find inside his gifts. I took my seat to the right of Dorian with my father-in-law across from me and smiled as the food started to be served. Arden was seated on the other side of Cal and Reya and Morina across from him. Our sister Rosanna took up the seat next to him with her husband next to Morina and the glamoured King and Queen of Azuren took up the last two seats at the table between my sister-in-law and father-in-law. The rest of the children, being much too small and still learning proper dining etiquette, were seated in another, smaller table behind me with Ivy watching over them so they didn’t make too big of a mess.

Everyone of us was set to follow the eager birthday boy to watch him open his gifts, so we all eat just a little bit faster than normal to help Cal with his growing impatience.

“Just wait until you see what our gift is.” Arden said, glancing down and winking to our son who had started stuffing his little cheeks in a hurry. “Slow down though Cal, if you get an upset stomach from rushing like that, I’ll take it back.”

Cal stiffened, frowning at his Uncle before slumping down in his seat, slowly chewing his food.

“Are Lanalee and Calix joining us?” I asked my husband, feeling the now icy glare of my brother digging into me.

Lanalee was Dorians adopted cousin that worked as the Head Librarian within the Central Palace Library. I had met her and her son Calix while I was competing as a Queeness when I first came to the Capital. Calix is now fourteen and a Squire within the Royal Fafner Knightage. He had completed his Primary Academy courses early and started begging his mother to allow him to begin training as a Knight under the Commander of the Royal Knights when he was twelve. He needed her permission since he was still a minor and hadn’t made his Social Debut yet. So Lana, trying to postpone it, kept telling him that he was too young to start training in something so physically demanding. But, after begging and pleading for months, Lana gave in and allowed him to begin training just before he turned thirteen.

Arden and I had been very close with Calix since we first met him when he was eight and Calix looked up to Arden for being a Knight. But after Arden and Morina had their daughter Reya, we all started to notice how… protective Calix was towards her. He stuck close to Morina while Reya was a baby, and when as she grew he began to shadow her and Cal whenever he was able. He would give her flowers when he’d see her in the gardens, give her books on her favorite subjects that he’d find in the library, and spend nearly all of his allowance buying her a gift for her birthday.

Naturally, Arden wasn’t too happy about this and wanted to avoid admitting what the rest of us were thinking, saying that they were too young to even say the words aloud, much less think it possible. And he had been happy to hear that Calix, now a Squire and training under the Commander, had to travel with his mentor to improve his Swordsmanship.

“No, Calix and the Commander won’t be back until late tonight so we’ll see him and his mother at the banquet.” Dorian said, chuckling at my brother who visibly relaxed.

His daughter Reya, on the other hand, looked deflated and a little teary-eyed, which prompted Morina to kick her husband under the table so he would see how the news affected his little girl. He frowned again and sighed, looking conflicted while the rest of us enjoyed his struggle.

When everyone was finally finished, Cal lead the way through the Palace with Reya and the rest of the kids close behind him. They burst through the double doors and rushed towards the mound of gifts that had been stacked on or next to a white wooden table. We all took seats around the children as the servants set out tea and sweets for us while the kids tried to help Cal pick which gift to open first. Of course, Cal followed Reya’s suggestion above all the others and opened the gift she pointed out, pulling out a box with a metal and wood train set that was charmed to move on its own once the tracks were placed.

After the first gift was opened the mound of boxes steadily began to shrink and the kids all helped Cal set his new treasures aside or began playing with them while he continued.

A few of the boxes contained cards that Cal would hand to me or Dorian and each held the crest of a Noble family that had sent that gift. A few of them were even gifts that held a hidden meaning to them that the kids wouldn’t fully understand. Like the formal dark grey cape that held the Du Pleasant crest on its back. This was a blatant message that was aiming to mark the future Crown Prince as a wolf Shifter like our father and mothers families, instead of the Fafner dragon that he was. Pointing how, within many other families, there was doubt that Cal, or any of our kids, would turn out to be dragons.

Thankfully, those types of gifts were quickly glanced over by the children as Cal began to open the gifts his family members had gotten him. He got riding gloves and outfits for when he starts horseback riding lessons. Large canvas portraits of family members that he doesn’t get to see often. There was a few books on things he had taken an interest in as well as colorful maps and images of subjects he was learning about. A practice bow with flat tipped arrows so he could start learning archery if he wanted. And a handful of toys for bigger kids so he could enjoy them as he got older.

But the last gift in the pile was a box that wasn’t too wide and looked to be as long as Cals forearm that surprised everyone.

Inside the box were a pair of twin curved daggers with black leather sheaths that protected the blade. The blade itself was made of the strongest black metal in existence called Arctus that is extremely hard to find and mine. And the hilt was a twisted swirl of steel and Arctus that ended with a deep amethyst gem that matched Cals eyes. Arden had apparently reached out to some of his old friends months ago, looking for a large ingot of that black metal to have it forged in time for our sons birthday. And the reason he had had a twin pair made was so that his daughter Reya could carry the second dagger, since the children were so close and acted/looked as though they were twins.

Cal immediately agreed with his Uncle and smiled as he handed the second matching dagger to Reya who was beaming as she took it. We still didn’t know why Reya was the only one whose Inner-Light showed what animal she would Shift into. Especially since no one else but our kids had had that happen to them after they were born. And the nearly indestructible bond that Reya and Cal formed when they were just beginning to crawl was making us even more lost as to what it would all mean.

Who would’ve thought that the banquet was going to reveal the reason, and stun every guest and family member present.