THE PRINCESS & THE PIRATE

Chapter 14: The Banquet...

After Reanna and King Sebastian, followed by a scowling Quentin who was angry at not being the centre of attention, had made thier progression across the hall and had taken thier seats the guests were finally permitted to rise.

As the guest arose there was a moment of awkward silence that emulated from King Sebastian's bold and provoking choice of seat.

The guests knew that the throne King Sebastian had deliberately sat in was the place of honour, as it was meant to seat the highest ranking and most powerful person at a Royal banquet - traditionally the reigning King of Kingdom they were in so the guests couldn't help but look nervously at King Quentin to see how he would react.

King Quentin felt anger engulf him.

His usaul urge to violently lash out began to arise with in him, but, the knowledge that King Sebastian was not one of his subjects that he had the power of life or death over and indeed may be the only person alive more cruel and powerful than himself, kept him from lashing out.

With the warning of King Sebastians status and dark reputation ringing in his ears, Quentin took a calming breath to try and think how to respond without looking weak in front of his subjects or risking a fight with Sebastian.

King Sebastian meanwhile used the time Quentin was taking to assess his future brother inlaw. He saw the anger in King Quentins expression and noted how Quentin despite his reputation for his eratic and violent behaviour, restrained from allowing his anger to take over.

Sebastian could not help but smile smugly at Quentins response. It was good to know that even fellow Kings feared his wrath.

Time passed slowly and the banquet guests continued to stare towards the high table, watching the exchange between the two powerful Kings with fear and anticipation, as the atmosphere in the room grew heavier with tension as each second passed.

With no resolution seeming forthcoming Reanna was forced to do something she loathed- come to her brothers aid. She did so however, not just for him but to ensure the situation didn't escalated and jeopardise the safety of everyone gathered and the future of Avlington.

As Quentin and Sebastian glared at each other in a silent battle Reanna gracefully stood from her throne.

" Your Highnesses, Lords, Ladies and honoured guests my brother King Quentin was gracious enough to allow me the honour of welcoming you all this evening. We thank you for accepting our invitation to this banquet, that my brother thoughtfully organised in honour of our esteemed guest, his Majesty King Sebastian of Meccador. It is our privilege to welcome you King Sebastian, to the Kingdom of Avlington. My brother King Quentin has been keen to have you grace us all with a official visit for some time and he, like the rest of us, is delighted that you have finally accepted our invitation. King Quentin earlier today personally expressed to me how he wished for your visit to be the first of many and how he hopes that your Kingdom and ours can form a strong bond of friendship, which will benefit both Avlington and Meccador and allow both Kingdoms to have a prosperous futures full of wealth, harmony and good health for all thier citizens. My brother therefore has generously offered you the seat of honour this evening to publicly declare his feelings. " Reanna smoothly lied making Sebastian smile again at her wits and her brother look at her with an expression of shock .

" I therefore, thank you dear brother on behave of all Avlington people for making such a kind and gracious gesture in an effort to make King Sebastian feel welcome this evening and for taking the first step in building a friendship between our two Kingdoms." Reanna said gracefully before she lifted her cup. " A toast, to our honoured guest King Sebastian and our magnificently gracious host King Quentin."

The guests gathered visibly relaxed, fooled into believing that the seating arrangement was preplanned. They lifted thier glasses in a toast before ,with King Quentins permission, they were finally seated and the banquet officially began.

Despite the merriment of the guests around them King Quentin, King Sebastian and Reanna sat in awkward silence.

Reanna could feel the gazes of both her brother and Sebastian boring into her back. She knew this evening was going to feel like it would never end, so she made a plan to help get threw it with as little pain as possible. She quickly downed her wine and reached for jug, intending to drink herself into a tipsy stupor to help survive this abysmal evening, when suddenly her hand that gripped the handle of the jug was clasped by none other than her brothers firm hold.

Reanna braced herself for a lecture about her speech and the unladylike way in which she guzzled her last cup of wine followed by an order she was allowed no more but her brothers next words and actions surprised her instead. " Allow me sister dear..." King Quentin said as he refilled her glass for her in a rare display of chivalry.

" Thank you... Sire," Reanna managed to reply after she overcame her shock.

" I know it is unimaginable for a King to serve one of his subjects but ..." King Quentin leaned closer to Reanna and finished his words in a whisper. " After you unexpectedly came to my rescue with your pretty speech earlier, I believe you have earnt such a privilege...just this once." And with the completion of his arrogant statement Reanna was snapped out of her illusion that her brother could ever carry out a genuine chivalrous deed.

" Enjoy your evening sister dear, let's hope that your pretty speech does come true and a 'friendship' between Avlington and Meccador is indeed formed tonight," Quentin said loudly this time for all around them to hear as he gave Reanna a meaningful look conveying his hidden meaning clearly, that Reanna was to seduce King Sebastian.

Before Reanna could reply to her brother he turned his back on her dismissing her.

Reanna clenched her fists under the table at her brother, but she knew she had to be mindful of her surroundings and keep up her act of being meek and obedient, so, she took a very large gulp of wine before she turning her attention to King Sebastian as her brother had ordered her too.

However, she had no intention of seducing him, her aim was to simply converse with him so her brother could not accuse her of not at least attempting to do as he bid. She would follow her plan of being polite yet formal and whilst she was conversing she would take the opportunity to subtlety learn more about King Sebastian and see if there was a possibility that he did indeed possessed a heart and could change.

The banquet went by quicker than Reanna had predicted. Every guest seemed merry and was enjoying the bountiful feast, free flowing wine, pleasant conversation of those around them and the delightful music that played in the background.

Even Reanna had to admit the evening was not as abysmal as she had thought it would be.

King Sebastian had acted the complete opposite of his seedy and dark reputation and had been a perfect gentleman all evening. He had refilled her cup, placed food on her plate for her and surprisingly entertained her with intresting conversation.

Reanna may have been pleasantly surprised by Sebastian's charming persona but as the evening progressed she noticed that Sebastian only made an effort to be charming towards her and his friend Gabriel, which meant that even if he did have a heart that it was unlikely he could ever expand its love to all his people, like a good King should.

Reanna therefore knew despite how gentlemanly he treated her knew that Sebastian would never be the type of man she could love.

The best she could ever hope for, if she did end up forced into a union with King Sebastian was that over time they developed a sort of friendship based on mutual respect and because of his respect for her that Reanna could encourage him, with some success, to be more merciful towards his people and hers, and one day she could hopefully persuade him to allow her out of thier union without him harbouring any ill will towards her or her Kingdom because of thier union ending.

It was a big ask Reanna knew but if it came to it and her first plan failed, she would do everything in her power to ensure she kept herself and her Kingdom save from King Sebastian and not stamped permanently with his ownership.

" You look deep in thought..." Sebastian whispered into her ear bringing Reanna quickly out of her daydream about the future and crashing back to reality.

" Forgive me, I am just a little fatigued and lost track of our conversation," Reanna replied sweetly hinting that she wished to retire soon making Sebastian smile.

" If you are bored of the banquet Princess and wish to leave you may say so frankly. I admit if not for your and my companion Gabriel's company this evening that I would not choose to be here either..." Sebastian said loudly un caring if his comment offend the people around him.

Reanna smiled at the people around them apologetically for Sebastians rudeness before she refilled her own and then Sebastians cup. She waited for him to continue thier conversation, by telling her why he would not chose to attend a banquet but instead the conversation suddenly took an unexpected turn.

" You are not like other Princesses or ladies of good breeding..." Sebastian said in an amused tone as he accepted the offered cup of wine with gratitude.

" Oh, how so your Majesty?" Reanna asked unsure if she really wanted to hear his reply.

" Well your appearance of expensive clothing, being flawlessly groomed and exceptional beauty scream of your nobility and good breeding but your personality and mannerisms are very different of those of typical Princesses and ladies of good breeding..." King Sebastian claimed.

Upon hearing his words Reanna took a large gulp of wine and braced to hear the rest of Sebastians explanation, that no doubt would sound familiar to the critism Reanna often heard from her brother.

" But in my opinion that is a good thing...." Sebastian continued making Reanna nearly spill her wine in shock.

" Your personality is an odd mixture of strength, courage and genuine warmth. You have shown me as much when you courageously came to your brothers defense with your quick whitted speech and of course when you threw a pillow at me and berated me for entering your chamber without permission earlier this evening...showing your courage and strength. You have also displayed your warmth all evening in the way in which your treat everyone you encounter with respect, even those who are below your station..." Sebastian finished looking pointedly at the people around them who attempted to listen to thier conversation.

Sebastian smiled at Reanna before continuing. "Your mannerisms are graceful and demure as Princesses or Ladies of status are meant to be and yet underneath you are not as demure as you portray, which is shown occasionally in your experessions, tone and flashes of temper that accidently slip out..." Sebastian remarked in a odd tone of approval that made Reanna look at him with curiosity.

It was again equally as impressive as it was worrying that Sebastian seemed to see threw her meek disguise.

Reanna had tried all evening to keep her obedient and demure persona after she discovered earlier that Sebastian was intelligent and very perceptive but clearly her act had not been good enough. The fact King Sebastian clearly knew Reanna was not the timid and obedient woman that she pretends to be could be very dangerous and she had to find out what his opinion on such a discovery was so she could guest what he planned to do with such knowledge.

" And you think those personality traits and mannerisms are a good thing?" Reanna responded in a formal yet curious tone.

" As I have stated they are different from those expected of you and yes I find that very...pleasing. Admittedly before I met you I had the more traditional opinion that a women should be obedient, demure and that thier intelligence was un important as long as they were pleasing in appearance but you have changed that opinion. " Sebastian replied offering Reanna more wine which she politely declined.

" Oh? How so your majesty?" Reanna boldly asked, still trying to figure out if Sebastian having such knowledge was a threat to her or not.

" You have not only the grace and beauty that a man looks for in a wife or a King looks for in a Queen, but also intelligence, a strong will and courage that makes you worthy to be MY Queen. For you Princess Reanna maybe the only woman or even person that could ever be seen as my equal. And not not worry, your secret is safe with me. "

Reanna smiled at Sebastians compliment. It felt good to have her assets other than her beauty noticed and she could not help but warm to Sebastian slightly, not because he flattered her with words but because his words conveyed a underlining respect for her. He was after all, the first man ever, other than her/ the hoods loyal men and private army, who saw a small glimpse of the real her and seemed to admire her for it, rather than being fearful of a woman with power or being disgusted as most men would.

" Your words are kind Sire and I appreciate your honesty. It seems that I am not the only one with a hidden side other than my reputation suggests." Reanna smiled politely, feeling confident that he would as he promised keep her secret.

" Perhaps you are not. Although whilst I am being honest and we are sharing secrets... I admit that the rumours you have most likely heard about me being merciless, cruel and dark in nature are probably true, however, from the moment I met you foreign feelings of wishing to be gentle, kind and ...loving started to emerge and I sincerely hope that we will have the opportunity during my visit to know each other better and that these feelings grow."

Sebastian and Reanna spent the next hour conversing openly and the more they conversed the more Reanna ,with her niave innocence, was fooled into believing that Sebastian may not be the dangerous man his reputation suggested and she at least was safe in his presence.