STEEL BORN

THE FESTIVAL

"Open this", the soldier commanded, pointing to the covering behind the carriage, Bogina was carrying barrels of wine made from the vine trees in his garden. He and his family were visiting the capital for the harvest festival, he intended to present the barrels of wine to his majesty - King Raul, as a gift. It was the custom to visit Worth bearing gifts for the throne, and he didn't want to be left behind when others gave their various offerings. The wine had taken him years to save from the ones he brought to the market. Bogina was a remarkable wine merchant, he was well known by the soldiers on the bridge, but this was a different season, almost all the visitors will be going to the Royal city, security was paramount. There was a long queue of carriages, horses, camels and chariots, some were on foot dragging the donkeys bearing their belongings and gifts - mostly produce from their farms. The festival will last for seven days and the visitors traveled prepared. Bogina lifted the curtain covering the two barrels of wine and was permitted to proceed to the gates of the capital. His medium sized carriage carried his son - Santux who was visiting the Great city for the first time, his wife - Maya and their belongs, They were prepared for the week. Celebration of different festivals happened every year, but it required proper planning for people such as Bogina and his family to be able to attend, instead of celebrating within the confines of their hometown. He had saved for years to give this gift to his son for his seventeenth birthday.

Santux could not withhold the excitement he felt, he couldn't wait to see the city his father visited yearly to sell his wine - the capital of his beloved Xion. Faro and his family had attended the festival of light last year and he wouldn't stop making him envious with stories of buildings so tall and bright, the dance, the wine, the pretty faces of young women, and the Princesses. He had never set his eyes on the Emperor of his great nation and he looked forward to the experience. This year, Faro's family couldn't attend, he had asked Santux to bring him a souvenir. There were soldiers everywhere on the bridge, he was amazed by their shiny plate armor, he wondered if his master had trained all the soldiers in the capital, "father, I would love to be a soldier", his father's face was suddenly creased with lines of worry, he dreaded loosing his only son to the King's army, but he responded amicably, "You can be whatever you want Santux, you are already the protector of Ludia... Is that not enough?", Santux saw the sudden change in his father's countenance and understood there was more beyond the shiny armor of the soldiers of the capital. "It is father". Bogina smiled. He had made provisions for lodging at the Inn closest to the Royal city called De Ion, few months ago when he had come to sell in the market. They entered the gates.

It was evening, there were many carriages and horses in front of the large lnn, Bogina joined the line and when they got to the back, one of the uniformed squires hurried up to them, he checked out the papers presented by Bogina and directed them to where they stopped. He directed Bogina to the common room and waited with Maya and her son. There were many squires redirecting people either to a corner or out of the environment. The rooms at De Ion had been spoken for many months before. Many people preferred the inn, not because it was the best - it wasn't, but because it was close to the Royal city, one could glimpse many glistening tall buildings beyond the gates of the Royal city from the environment.

"What is that shiny building?", Santux questioned the squire pointing towards the Royal city. "Which of the shiny buildings do you mean?", the squire responded with a dubious smile. Santux laughed shyly when he saw his expression, "relax my friend you shall see them all, there is a booklet in every room including yours, describing every building in the Royal city and how to get to them." The squire was a tall man, but he had never seen a boy so big and heavily built such as stood by him, he secretly admired the young man. "Of course", Santux responded looking down at the squire. "You are one interesting young man, young sir, what shall I call you?", "Santux, my name is Santux, sir".

Bogina reappeared, they began carrying their belongings to the allocated room, the squire led the way. Santux carried the two medium sized barrels of wine, surprising the squire even more. The squire carried Mrs. Bogina's belongings and Bogina carried the rest. Their room was located at the third floor of the four storey building. There were two large beds, a clothes line on a corner of the wall, a rocking chair, a table and two small stools. Santux had to bend a little to enter the room. The management of the Inn had refused to allocate more than one room to each customer, it was their business season, they didn't care if you were going to be hundred persons in your one allocated room. Some of the rooms were large with two large fur beds, the ones in the first and last floors were smaller with a single bed. Santux went to the window at once, from their room he could see half the beautiful Royal city, there were large animals and few people could be seen loitering about within, he was pleased. The squire bid them farewell, "and if you need anything, ask for Mangu at the common room", he added as he left to feed their horses.

Maya set about arranging their clothes in the clothesline, Santux grabbed the booklet on the small stool between the beds and followed his father out. They went to the common room where other men were sitting in circles drinking and talking loudly. A silence descended in the room as they entered, heads were turning towards them. Bogina and Santux ignored them, they were used to the reaction. They took a seat at the far corner, ordered for a pitcher of wine and spoke for dinner to be brought to their room later that evening. Two young men approached their table and introduced themselves, shook hands and sat with them. "I haven't seen your kind before around Worth", one of the men said to Santux, "yes, this is my first visit to the capital", he responded. "Well my friends, let us make your acquaintance during this glorious festival, I hope you are planning to attend the opening ceremony at the great hall tomorrow night... It is rumored that the Princess will be making her first appearance", the second man added. "Yes we will, I don't intend to miss anything", Santux responded looking at his father who nodded in agreement. Cards were exchanged before they dispersed.

* * *

Santux entered the great hall for the opening ceremony of the harvest festival, he was towering over the crowd walking slowly towards the stairs leading up to the bleachers above in the hall, where the commoners were supposed to seat. He was flanked by the two young men who they had met at the Inn yesterday evening. His parents were also somewhere in the hall. From where he was seated, he could see the people below. Lights came from central fireplaces, candles, rush lights, flaming torches and lanterns, the hall was as bright as day.

Bang... they all became silent, focusing towards the sound. A short stout man stood on a platform situated at a corner of the area his new friends had explained was for the Royal family. "That is the Royal orator", one of his new friends whispered in his ear.

"Behold Raul, son of Karrh, son of Cush, King of Xion", the stout man shouted with a voice larger than his size. Everyone arose, including Bogina and his new friends, as the King, dressed in a glittering sea green robe on black harem, exposing his entire chest all the way to his abdomen which was crisscrossed with golden jewels, a golden crown on his head walked into the hall. He was accompanied by Kudo who was as tall as Santux himself, he was walking behind his King hands tucked beneath his gray robe. The crowd bowed, as the King raised the golden scepter and sat only after he was comfortably seated on the golden throne. There were four other empty thrones beside him, the throne area was set apart on the elevated platform in front of the great hall, he was seated on the farthest one. It was impossible to behold him properly from where Santux and his friends were seated above. Kudo stood beside the throne.

Bang... The cymbal rang again. "Behold, Talish daughter of Zachary, Princess of Katia, the first Queen of Xion." the orator was saying, Santux was watching him with keen attention when one of his friends pointed to a different direction, "there", a form Santux considered very beautiful appeared at the head of the staircase above the entrance of the hall. They all arose and bowed as she began to descend. She was dressed in a blue apparel, with a golden crown on her head. Her dress seemed endless as she got to the end of the stairs, she began walking towards the throne. At the end of the dress, a man followed, hands tucked under his gleaming robe.

When she was seated on one of the thrones, there was another bang, "behold Wicca daughter of Sherub, Princess of Ishikawa, the second Queen of Xion". Another very beautiful fair woman appeared at the same place the first had stood and began descending the stairs. The crowd bowed and arose to watch her as they had done before, she was dressed in a beautiful red dress similar to that of the first Queen and a golden crown stood on her head. At the end of her dress was another man similar to the one that had followed the first Queen.

When she was seated, there was another bang, "behold, Euria a daughter of the city of Meal, born a commoner, the mother of the Princess of Xion, the last Queen of Xion", another pretty slender form appeared at the same spot the others had stood and began descending the stone stairs, the crowd bowed and arose to watch, she was dressed in a floating black and white dress similar to the other Queens, a golden crown on her head, she was also clutching a small golden scepter and when her dress finally ended, Stud followed behind. Santux noticed that two thrones were empty beside the King, one on his left another at his right. The other Queens were seated on the outermost thrones, the men whom his friends later explained were Royal eunuchs standing far behind them. Queen Euria sat on the throne by the left side of the King.

The crowd settled and the first round of drinks began to go round, the glasses of wine were carried on large trays by hundreds of almost n***d slaves - they wore a covering only on their waists and head, even the upper parts of the females were exposed, their breasts were enticing. The spectators began to talk with each other again expecting the next program. Many wondered where their Princess was, especially Sia the Princess of Worth. Santux was receiving lectures from his friends on the various symbolisms of the things he was witnessing when they were interrupted by the loud bang of the cymbal.

The crowd went silent at once. "Behold, Cara daughter of Raul, Princess of Xion, she by who's scepter we shall one day bow". Santux thought he had seen beauty when he beheld the Queens of Xion. But what stood at the spot where the Queens had stood looked like a goddess in his sight. She glittered in the lights of the candles above her. They all bowed. Santux bowed but couldn't take his eyes off the graceful form breezing gently down the stairs. She had no smile on her face, she was tall for a fifteen year old. There was a small golden crown on her head, she was wearing a golden long apparel revealing her long legs all the way to her waist, there was a seemingly heavy golden chain on her waist. Her arms were also revealed. The top of the apparel covered her breasts to the chain on her waist, her cleavage to her belly botton was revealed. From the golden chain, a golden linen flowed like an endless river behind her, covering the wide stone stairs. Santux didn't notice his mouth was open and that his wine was spilling from his cup. She walked towards the throne, Sia was almost fainting with envy looking at the reaction of the people around her. At the end of her linen came Amand, hands tucked away beneath his glistening silver robe, he was looking smaller than he actually was, overshadowed by the Princess. She got to the beginning of the seven stairs leading to the thrones and ascended. Apart from the fact that she was not yet crowned hair to the throne of the Empire of Xion, therefore couldn't seat on the empty throne by the right of the King, a section of the elevated throne area had been well decorated in preparation for her first outing. It was a few feet away from the triangular arrangement of the thrones. There she sat after Amand had carefully removed the golden belt and the floating linen, as the other men had done for the Queens, handing the clothe to a servant.

* * *

"Welcome to the harvest festival"... The orator declared.

The entrance to the great hall was thrown open, a dance group appeared, making music on different sizes of instruments. There were young women dressed in different colors of uniform, dancing on the wide walkway, young men somersaulted repeatedly from within the group, they were moving towards a clearing before the throne. Behind them followed a giant elephant, it was decorated with ropes made with flowers of different colors, a small mahout sat on its head smiling widely. The elephant trumpeted on intervals within the music. It was carrying a woman seated on a golden throne. The woman was dressed in vegetables, her breasts were covered with green melons, her shoulders, hands and stomach were bare. From her waist to her ankles, she wore a skirt crafted with leaves. A semblance of pineapple was placed on her head, it looked like she was holding a long staff made of fresh slim tree. She sat upright crossing her legs and looking forward. Behind the elephant, six young women dressed in white dresses patterned according to the same fashion as the woman on the elephant, with nothing on their heads followed. They were dancing to the music coming from the men behind them.

"Those are the ones from whom a replacement will be chosen when the Priestess retires", one of Santux's new friends explained pointing towards the ladies in white. "Who is the woman on the elephant covered in vegetables?", Santux questioned in amazement. He had seen a few elephants at his village, but nothing like he was witnessing. Faro had called the festival he had attended the previous year, indescribable, and Santux was beginning to understand why. "She is the Priestess of Denim - the goddess of harvest". Santux was excited. "Those are not actual vegetables, a friend of mine who works at the new parkesine establishment told me they could form anything with parkesine and paint", the other friend added. A small argument arose between them and the people seated around, many were of the opinion that they were actual fruits and vegetables, others agreed with Santux's companion. They had to shout to be heard.

The group danced for a time, performing different kinds of tricks to which the crowd applauded. They left as they had entered when they were done.

Another group entered, announced by the sound of a great trumpet. They were all young men dressed in different uniformed colors, some were juggling balls, others juggled flaming sticks, different tricks were being performed with different instruments. They were accompanied by others dancing, singing and making music.

When they left, another group appeared, they were young ladies twisting and turning to the rhythm of the music coming from a few young men following them from behind. When they got to the clearing before the throne, poles mounted on something heavy were pushed in and some began climbing up and down with lightning speed, it looked like they were taking turns to fly about. They danced, performing tricks that left the crowd in awe.

When they left, another group replaced them. There were so many people among the the new group, making music, singing and dancing. They were preceded by two tall masquerades, swaying this way and that. Sometimes they grew shorter until they looked like dwarves, then began growing taller almost reaching the chandelier of candles above. Ropes where attached to their form which were held with seeming difficulty by men surrounding them.

The crowd was so jolly, people were dancing about where they were standing, some clapping in rhythm. A young woman literally climbed onto the shoulder of a man beside her, screamed and opened her dress exposing her beautiful breasts. The people around cheered. The man brought her down, drunkenly kissing her. Santux was amazed, it had happened before his very eyes, the couple were just few feet below them. He was laughing with reckless abandon.

The wine never stopped coming, the slaves were everywhere among the spectators both below and above. They were moving around, removing empty cups and serving fresh ones, so that by the time Santux left the ceremony accompanied by his friends, he was drunk. Only wine had been served at the ceremony.