Note to the Readers:
Sorry this chapter is late, but I have been taking time off from writing to find a way to respond to a reviewer. Also I thank all my readers for staying with Beltasus Saga and being patient. If you have any sugestions to where the story should go next or Ideas please PM me my mail box is always open.
As for you reviewer who told me to "Clean up this mess of a story."
"The Problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem. Do you understand?"
Captain Jack Sparrow.
And with that I bid you Adieu, and a huge thank you to mpowers045 without you this story wouldn't be where it is now.
'
Chapter 25: Feasting and Dancing
Two weeks passed,and a feast was to be held in celebration of the founding of the Kingdom. All the lord's, Mountain Clan leaders, and all the citizens in Veluca were invited to the feast that would be held at the newly built Council hall.
Movan came into the hall where Marius was eating his morning meal.
"Morning father." Said Marius looking up from his plate of eggs and sausage.
"Marius who was that girl you saved the one who's father had something to show me?" Movan asked as he sat to his own plate of eggs, and mead.
"Pyra." Marius responded.
"Ah yes Pyra, you should ride out with a few of your men since you can't seem to go into the forest without someone trying to kill you and invite them to the feast tonight." Movan said happily jokingly."It would be a good chance for me to see this whatever you called it."
"Arquebus." Marius said.
"Yes the Arquebus I want to see a demonstration of it at the feast." Movan said eagerly
"I'll ride out after breakfast." Marius said happily. "What about Borak he tends to get jealous."
"Well you and him can dance as much as you want at the feast." Movan said with a smile
"I'm actually surprised you embrace that father, in most of the kingdoms it's forbidden for men to be with each other as lovers ." Marius said intrigued.
"My son If we are to be a kingdom different from all the others we must embrace new ideas sure some might not like it but they will have to deal with it in our kingdom." Movan said. "I once had a male lover." Movan smiled.
"You?" Marius asked surprised
"Oh you know him he is one of our lord's, but enough about me you have business to do." Movan said quickly changing the subject
"Right I should get going." Marius said as he stood and walked away.
He gathered several men, and saddled his horse and rode out to the strange house in the forest.
He dismounted and walked to the door. Again the door opened and Pyra's father answered holding his arquebus aimed at Marius's face.
"Goodmorning to you to." Marius said unfazed.
"Oh it's you Prince…." Said Pyras father.
"Marius sir." Marisu said.
"Ah Marius come in come in." Said Pyras father.
"I have to get back, I have come to tell you that you and your daughter are invited to a feast being held, and my father would like you to bring your Arquebus to demonstrate for him during the feast." Marius said.
"I see, we will be there at the king's request yes." Said Pyras father nervously.
Marius picked up on the nervous sound in Pyra's father's voice. "Is something the matter?" Marius asked.
"No my boy it's just we don't get out often anymore." Said Pyra's father.
"I will see you at the feast then." Marius said as he turned and mounted his horse and rode away with his men.
That evening Marius was dressed in a black and red tunic with a belt around his waist he wore a red half cape made from velvet, and dark brown knee high boots. the Mountain Clan leaders wore their clan kilts and nice shirts. Marius the feast was being held in the large courtyard of the council chamber since it was decided that there wouldn't be enough room to fit everyone in. Outside there were tables that lined the main street where many more of the kingdom's people sat and feasted on the finest food. Through the gate of the courtyard Marius caught a glimpse of a woman wearing a long red dress lined with gold. Movan came up to Marius escorting Pyra who wore a red dress that showed her shoulders, and lined with gold. The entire courtyard stared and whispered at the fashion of the dress.
"I'll let you handle things from here Marius." Said Movan with a big grin on his face.
Pyra released Movans arm and locked arms with Marius.
"I will leave you two alone I have business to discuss with her father." Movan said before turning and leaving the two of them alone.
"Well come on are you going to ask me to dance?" Pyra asked.
Marius blinked then bowed and extended one of his hands.
"May I have this dance my lady?"
"Of course." said Pyra smiling and taking Marius's hand.
The two crossed onto the dancing area and began to dance to the music.
"You look lovely tonight." Marius said as they danced.
"I always look this way I just put on a pretty dress." Pyra said acting offended.
"I didn't mean to offend." Marius said quickly.
Pyra turned and laughed. "Relax Marius you are so dense." Pyra said with a smile. "So is your lover jealous?"
"A little." Marius said Looking at Borak who was glaring at Pyra
"This is a fancier party than I'm used to I usually prefer to party with the common people." Pyra said.
"Yes I miss those days." Marius said. "We had little but we made the most of a celebration."
"What do you mean weren't you born into royalty?" Pyra asked with a surprised look.
"No I was an orphan, the King found me and adopted me despite the que…" Marius stopped mid sentence the memory of Bernatys saddening him.
"What is it?" Pyra asked looking at Marius troubled.
Marius stopped dancing and walked away and into the council hall tears beginning to well in his eyes.
Behind him he heard the door open again and footsteps follow him.
"Marius are you alright?" asked Borak from behind Marius.
"He was telling me about how the king adopted him and…" Pyra began but was cut off by Borak.
"You brought that up." Borak said loudly.
"He and I were talking about going and partying with the commoners then he broke down." Pyra said.
Marius continued to walk away from the two of them as they continued to argue. Marius went through a side door and into one of the rooms and sat for a few minutes alone. He heard Borak and Pyra looking for him in different areas of the hall. The door opened and Pyra walked through and shut the door behind her quietly as she could. Pyra sat down next to him and embraced him.
"You don't have to say anything about that if you don't want to, Borak told me the whole thing." Pyra said sympathetically. "My mother died when I was very young."
"So we have both lost people." Marius said raising his head. "Just out of curiosity what happened to her?"
"Remember when I told you about the people who use element of fire?" Pyra asked.
Marius nodded slowly. "Well one night after mother had put me to bed a group of drunk firebenders broke in and began to torch the place with their firebending My shielded me from them and they burned her. After they had left My father came and got me out of the burning house. Later father and I learned that it was the Firelord who ordered the men to do it as punishment for defying him since the firelord wanted a machine built that could destroy an entire city in one blow. My father left with me and left the power hungry firelord and came here." Pyra said.
"My original mother and father died of the plague when I was five and I was alone. Then before a tournament In Praven where I was born a Man stopped and we spared that man was the man I now call father I found my way to Veluca and here I am now." Marius said. "My new mother the Late queen Bernatys doing her brothers will tried to have me assassinated so that her brother could be the next heir. My father forgave her and when we were forced from Veluca by the Swadians she was captured. Then Father hatched a plan to capture back our home and rescue here, but Delinard killed her before he gave up his hold on the kingdom. Until recently Delinard was at large until Father killed him in a duel a few weeks ago, I feel relief that justice was done, but I still mourn for her loss."
"It takes time to recover from something like that, although in a way you never get over losing someone." Pyra said comfortingly.
Marius leaned against Pyra and Pyra embraced him. "Come my prince we mustn't keep your lover waiting poor man will run himself hoarse if he keeps yelling for you," Pyra said helping Marius to his feet.
Marius and Pyra left the room and found Borak in the hallway. From there Borak, and Marius locked arms and danced the night away, Pyra got a few dances in herself. As Borak and Marius danced together many of the guests whispered among each other about the two of them. But they didn't pay any mind to them all that mattered was that they were together.
Later that evening Pyra's father gave a demonstration of his Arquebus to a mesmerised crowd of people. They all watched as Pyras father used a horn to poar black powder into the hollow tube, then taking a small cloth put it over the barrel and then placed a round ball on top of it then from under the tube he pulled out a rod and shoved it down the barrel several times then pulled it out and put it back from where he had pulled it out then he poured more black powder into the side and closed a small lid,then he lit a rope that hung down with only the lit end hanging out over where he poured the other powder. he aimed it at a target that had been set up he waited for a moment.
The tube let out a puff of smoke and bade a loud sound which caused several people to jump in fright. A dull thunk could be heard as the projectile hit the target. Movan rose from his chair and clapped and shook Pyra's father's hand.
"A most Magnificent device, I will speak to you at a later date about building more of them." Movan said grandly.
The rest of the evening was spent with whispers and wonder about the curious weapon, many of the merchants began to talk to Pyra's father about the device. Pyra's father refused to talk to any of them and sweated profusely and nervously as more and more people asked questions. As the party wined down Pyra and her father left the party and Marius, Movan and their guard went back to the keep and retired for the night.