The maids continued to prepare me for the banquet. Last-minute preparations and check-ups before heading out to the ballroom.
After Ashwin visited, I remained inside my room until a bunch of people went inside to prepare me for my banquet.
“Princess, you are almost done. Ser Wayne is already waiting outside to escort you.” Cecil smiled excitedly at me.
She then carried me and as usual, made me look at myself in front of the mirror. The pastel pinked dress looks so good on me. Since my hair is already long enough, they braided my hair and added little flowers on my hair.
Then someone knocked on the door.
“Oh, that must be Ser Wayne,” Cecil looked at the door as one of the maids opened it.
“His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Ignis de Sanguis Draconia,” Someone announced, and then the emperor went inside the room making everyone stop what they were doing.
After recovering from the shock of the sudden appearance of the emperor, all of them made their greetings, including Cecil.
“Is the princess ready?” The emperor looked at me from head to toe.
“She is good to go, your Majesty,” Cecil bowed her head as she presented me to the emperor.
“Good, I will be the one carrying her to the ballroom.”
With that, the emperor took me from Cecil and carried me by himself. I saw the surprised look on everyone’s faces, especially the maids who dislike me.
The emperor raised me up and inspected me one more time from head to toe, then did something that made everyone more surprised.
He smiled at me, “You look extra cute tonight.”
He then looked at the maids who prepared me for tonight, “You all did well,” and then he nodded and left the room.
The knights followed a few feet behind us, while Lord Earl followed a little closer.
“Is everything ready?”
“Everything is ready Your Majesty, everyone is already waiting for you and for the princess.”
I looked around and noticed that Alaric is nowhere to be found.
“Who are you looking for?”
The emperor asked without looking at me.
“Dragon?”
He looked at me and raised his eyebrow, “Dragon? You mean Alaric?”
I nodded, “He and the others are inspecting the area, making sure nothing is out of place and that nothing-“
He stopped and looked around then looked at me again, “-seems suspicious.”
He then stopped in front of huge double doors guarded by two knights standing beside each side of the door.
When they saw the emperor, both of them bowed down and greeted the emperor then opened the door.
Cheerful conversations and music greeted us as the guards opened the door, then someone announced,
“His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Ignis de Sanguis Draconia, and Her imperial highness, Princess Flizeria de Sanguis Draconia!”
With that, everyone stopped what they were doing – the cheerful waves of laughter, conversations, and music. And one by one until everyone is now bowing their heads, acknowledging our arrival.
From up here, the crowd looks like a garden full of pastel-colored flowers, but no one is wearing the same color as I am.
I looked around the ballroom and the designs are also in color pastel. Fresh flowers are used to decorate the handrail of the stairs and balcony we are standing on. I can also see fresh flowers located everywhere in the ballroom.
The emperor scanned the ballroom, then inhaled deeply.
“Arise my fellow citizens of the Draconian empire and welcome to my beloved granddaughter’s 2nd birthday!”
Everyone in the room stood up and looked up at us.
“I personally thank everyone for gracing the imperial family with your presence and for being part of my granddaughter’s birthday celebration.”
“Don’t worry, I will not bore and hold you long with a lousy speech,” and then the emperor laughed, everyone, looked shocked to see the emperor laughed, nevertheless they also did the same.
The emperor waited for everyone’s laughter to die down before proceeding.
“As you all know, a few months ago, my son, the late crown prince, Prince Flizer died due to unknown reasons. And even with his last breath, he did everything to bring his daughter, Princess Flizeria, safely home. May his soul rest in peace and maybe delighted in seeing his only daughter being loved by everyone here.”
The emperor looked at me then smiled, “I truly believe and know that this baby in my arms, our precious Princess Flizeria, is a blessing to the whole empire.”
Everyone applauded and the emperor raised his hand making everyone stop clapping, “Again, thank you for gracing us with your presence. May you accept her as your princess the way you all have accepted the imperial family as your ruler and protector. Happy birthday and all hail, Princess Flizeria de Sanguis Draconia.”
Everyone applauded and chanted, “Happy birthday and all hail, Princess Flizeria de Sanguis Draconia.”
With that, the emperor went down the stairs and made his way toward his throne.
Someone then announced, “It’s time to grace the Princess with your gifts.”
Soft music continued playing as everyone parted and made way for us to be seated.
From then on, each family graced me with their birthday greetings and gifts.
First who came forward is Ashwin and Ashnor’s Family. They all gave me a present except for Ashwin since he had already given me his. I touched the necklace around my neck in which he smiled when he saw me wearing it.
Second, Nix’s family, the three of them gave me their presence and offered words filled with blessings.
I looked around and noticed that when the Duke of the East, Duke Phil Orientem stepped forward, Finnian is not with him. Where is Finnian?
The Duke continued speaking but I’m too busy looking for Finnian, where is he? After this, I’ll go and find him.
I guess the sequence is from the highest title a noble can have to the lowest. Some even introduced their children to me and offered words like they could be my friends, inviting me to future tea parties for the children.
Then I saw a familiar girl greeting us gracefully. She was accompanied by her father and brother.
“Your Majesty, Princess Flizeria,” the father greeted us.
“We wish you a happy birthday!” They gave their gifts to the servant who is assigned to receive and put the gifts in one area.
“These are my children, the oldest,”
The girl stepped forward and introduced herself, “Your majesty, Princess, I am Lady Astrea Clifford,” with that she curtsied again.
Oh, that’s why she looks so familiar, she is the owner of the children’s parlor. The one who got in trouble with the boys. How is she? I can still remember how she trembled in fear in front of the boys.
I looked at her more closely, she doesn’t seem to have recognized me. That’s good.
They continued talking for a while and then made their exit.
Everyone is followed by each family until everyone is finished.
I still don’t know much about this empire’s traditions, but I do know that giving gifts that way is very tiresome and is without a doubt a waste of time.
After the gifts, the emperor stood up and excused himself. With that he handed me to Ser Wayne, saying he has some things to take care of, and told everyone to start dancing.
“Where do you want to go, Princess?” Ser Wayne asked me, but before I could respond someone is already shouting my name from afar.
“Fifi!!!”
“Ria!”
The twins are running towards me causing people to look at us even more.
“Happy birthday!” Ashwin looked up at me.
“Put her down,” Ashnor told Ser Wayne.
“Of course, your highness,” with that Ser Wayne put me down.
“Ria, let’s dance!”
“Eh! I want to dance with Fifi, too!”
“But I asked her first!”
People are now looking even more closely at us. Children also stepped forward, either looking shy or looking for an opportunity to introduce themselves to us, or maybe even both.
“It seems that the princes are fond of her,” I can hear whispers from the crowd.
“I wonder if Duchess Emilia accepts her as part of the imperial family.”
“I heard that she despises her.”
“Maybe that explains why Prince Nix is only standing at the corner not involving himself with her.”
“I do bet that he also dislikes the princess.”
“Is she even a princess?”
Whispers can be heard beneath the music but the twins did not hear them, they only continued to argue with one another.
“But I want to dance with her too!”
The both of them continued arguing so I stretch each of my hands to the both of them.
They stopped arguing and looked at me.
“Together!” I smiled at them.
So the both of them took my hand and we swayed to the music and then walked in circles. We laughed as we continued in a clockwise direction, stopped, then continued in a counter-clockwise direction.
“Can I also join?” We stopped and looked at Nix, being shy.
“You can but I will remain to hold Ria’s hand.”
“Same here! I will continue to hold Fifi’s hand.”
People around us gasped as Nix joined us.