Hikaru
Chapter Six: The Acquaintance
The vast hall of Fanelia's finest building filled up with guests, the lights on the walls shone beautifully and the atmosphere was bubbling with conversation. Yet, one problem… the King of Fanelia himself, was no where to be seen. Milerna, who had gained an even more striking resemblance of her elder sister, Marlene, over the years, stood there eagerly greeting guests, whilst feeling embarrassed by her host's failure to turn up, as one by one they entered the stunning room.
Pretty ladies in waiting entered with their fathers, notably the seven daughters of the Earl of Kamanyak, their presence filling the room. No one would have guessed that this thin, sickly Earl could have produced such fine daughters (this was sure to spread rumours!), each with an invaluable splendour unique to her own. Kamanyak princesses had a reputation for their gorgeousness and were from different wives. The eldest was named Alya of one and twenty years, she was the fairest pearl and indeed a rare sight. Her light blue eyes glimmered in the light, and her extraordinary long, beautiful brunette curls danced enticingly. Her full sister, Channa, was a year younger, and shared similar features, but she was somewhat taller and lankier (taking after her father slightly more) but had much deeper coloured eyes. They were both dressed in dark pink, silk dresses embroidered with mountain flowers, to honour the culture of their mother who came from the Northern Mountains of Anatolia. There were two daughters of Kamanyak who came from different mothers and who were all eighteen, Sara and Chinyo, the younger two daughters of seventeen, the twins whose mother was related to the Duchy of Chid, the timid Alicia and eccentric Maricia, and lastly, Sanye who was Van's age. On arrival, these ladies graced the court, and many of Van's subjects were already chatting amongst themselves, making wagers on who he would choose and setting up plans about how they would grace the potential women. There was also the Earl of Kamanyak's sister's daughters, who were not so pretty but were known for their intellect, they were all quite thin, but attractive in an odd way. These were by no means, however, the only candidates for marriage. Quite the contrary, for Van had been seen to be the one behind the end to Gaea's wars. Even the royal family of Zuriel were keen to propose a suitor, despite hearing rumours of Van being half-Draconian, in order to gain such prestige.
Allen stood at the end of the hall, waiting to see whether he could sneak a peek at his son, the Duke of Chid. Even though he knew that it was too early for Chid to arrive yet, he was getting impatient. "Speaking of impatience…" he murmured lovingly, Allen saw that Milerna was becoming more and more anxious. Her movements became quite odd and erratic, as she kept peering over heads to check whether that black haired male over there was Van. Van had not shown for some time. Yet, the music was lively and engaging enough to keep such important guests occupied. Six of the daughters of Kamanyak were definitely the life and soul of the party, yet one wandered off…
The Royal Gardens of Fanelia
Van could not be bothered to make an appearance at the ball. He did not feel quite right out of his red shirt and outdoor boots. Merle had gone to 'help' in the kitchen with the grand banquet. Van could not resist her when she begged him so, even though the royal cooks protested to it. He sat on the cold grass, watching the wonderful sky above him, whilst the music from the halls sounded lightly in the back of his mind. The Mystic Moon was strangely, even more wondrous than usual. This sight urged him to take off the amulet that Hitomi had given him and fiddle with it in his hand. He heard a rustle behind him.
"Who's there?" he demanded.
Another rustle. His eyes diverted to the lavish bushes next to the steps going into the garden.
"I order you to come out!"
A chuckle could be heard from the bushes.
"Well, well… if it isn't the King of Fanelia himself."
Author's Note: Hmmm… wonder who could that be? Thanks so much for your reviews!