Flashback

Rose glanced down at the names of the creatures on the list she had made next to a seating chart while the creatures gathered around. She began checking off the names. "Dwarves? Check. Elves? Check." She looked up to see the Orcs and Dragons walking up behind the Elves and Dwarves. "Orcs?" Rose continued. "Check. Dragons? Check.

"Zed….?" Rose paused when she saw the name she had begun to read. Adrianna, who stood beside Rose, noticed her friend pause. She decided to take a look at the list over her friend's shoulder. "Who is Zed?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Zed is the High Wizard of the Witches," explained Rose.

"Witches?" Adrianna asked. Rose nodded. "I'm surprised to see Zed's name on the list, since the Witches were the reason why the Phoenix's grandfather went into hiding.

Rose looked at the seating chart as the last of the creatures arrived. "The Dwarves, Elves and Humans will sit at the tables covered in orange and yellow table cloths." She pointed to the tables in the center of the square. "Orcs and Dragons will sit at the table far side of the square opposite the table closest to the houses. Kings of each race will sit at the table far side of the square opposite the table closest to the houses. When the Phoenix gets here, he will sit in the center of the table with the kings."

Adrianna nodded along with the other women gathered around. Rose checked off the names of each race while Adrianna and the other women began leading everyone to their seats. Adrianna walked back up to the front; spotting Lilian, one of the other women, finish filling the long table with dishes of food with each dish given to her by the kings of each race before the other women led them over to the far table while some of the women led their people to their seating areas. She spotted the Orcs and Dragons being led by the men to their seating places. Adrianna couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips. Orcs and Dragons were taller, so they had a more intimidating look between their height and muscled body structure. Adrianna walked up beside Rose and noticed a tall thin man accompanied by a woman, making their way towards them. "Who are they?"

Rose looked up from her seating chart to the approaching man and woman. "That's Zed, the High Wizard, and Marthina, his wife."

"Witches?" asked Adrianna, noticing there were only two. "I thought Witches traveled in groups?" Rose nodded. "They do - did." She saw the questioning look on her friend's face. "Later," she added.

Zed and Marthina stopped before Rose and Adrianna. "Good evening, Rose." Zed greeted ever so politely. "Are we late?"

"Hi Zed." Rose greeted with a broad smile. "No, you're not. We just started seating everyone."

"Thank you. I'm glad to hear that." Zed let out a relieved sigh as he said that.

"You're welcome." The smile on Rose's face turned to a look of confusion. "Though I'm surprise at you being worried, Zed."

Zed raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes. You're always saying 'a Wizard is never late. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

Zed let out a booming laugh. "That's true. But tonight is an exception." Zed spread his arms. "I mean how often do we get to see the Phoenix, hm? Not too mention tonight is a huge deal for my people and I since Thairdon went into hiding all because of the Witches. His grandson, Thrain, will be showing himself tonight since there is peace between all of us now, and I want to personally make amends to him and his family, since my own people fought against one another during the war all because of wanting to harvest Thairdon's father's tears."

Rose nodded in complete understanding.

Zed turned his attention to Adrianna. "You have become a beautiful young woman, Rose. Who also be this beautiful young lady?"

"Zed, this be m' other daughter, Adrianna." A deep familiar voice spike up and a big burly man appeared behind both girls. "She an' Rose have been friends since they was kids. Lost 'er parents when she was young. So m' wife an' I take 'er in an' we raise both girls."

"Adrianna, this is Zed, m' bes' friend."

"Hello, Adrianna." Zed greeted warmly. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Zed - and Marthina."

"What a sweetheart. You raised her well, Thanuel," replied Marthina; pleased.

While watching their father walk with Zed and Marthina to the table for the kings, Adrianna turned to Rose when her older sister spoke. "The Witches don't show dare show their faces after The Massacred War they brought on due to trying to harvest Thairdon's father's tears, killing him in the process many years ago. A lot of the Witches fought against their own kind in The Massacred War, and surrendered afterwards, not wanting anymore bloodshed. But the damage was so great that Zed's grandfather, who was the High Wizard at the time, was the only Wizard to attend The Mid Summer's Eve Party every year as a way to show the Witch's' support during the peace treaty being signed many moons ago after The Massacred War."

"Wow!" exclaimed a shocked Adrianna.

Rose nodded her head in agreement. "Wow indeed."

Rose continued checking names off the list. "Werewolves? Check. Goblins? Check. Trolls? Check. Fairies, Leprechauns, Nymphs? Check, check and check. Everyone is here. The only one to still show is Thrain," Rose declared, finally able to put her list and seating chart to the side.

Adrianna followed Rose over to the long table with dishes littering the top. She and the other women began dishing up food and passing the plates out to everyone. Soon the night was filled with distinct conversation and laughter while everyone ate good food and drank good ale.

Rose and Adrianna began passing the remaining plates out to the other women when they came back. One by one, the women filled their plates with food and went to go join their men at the tables. Rose soon went to go take a seat beside Thanuel.

Finally grabbing a plate for herself, Adrianna began dishing up her own food. The atmosphere of buzzing conversation instantly turned to stunned silence! She turned around to see everyone stood up, facial features full of respect, kindness and warmth. Adrianna saw who everyone was looking at: a tall man with long brown hair with multi colored strands of red, yellow, purple and blue painted against his natural brown hair. He had black eyes, ivory skin covered by a sleeveless earth-tone-green tunic tucked into earth-tone-brown trousers, his feet bare of any shoes. He wore a warm smile as he came to a stop before her.

Adrianna's mouth slightly parted as the man gave a polite bow and politely said, "good evening. My name is Thrain. I am known as the Phoenix. At your service."