Questions
The sun continued to shine brightly blessing Domino with its warmth. The banquet in the Red Grove Garden was to start soon, and the royal family was busy getting dressed for the occasion.
Lady Thorne, the Envoy of Relations, and Lord Clark, the Grand Chancellor, were given the responsibility to care for the needs of the visitors till Oritel's chief of staff, Lady Seraphine, could take over. (1)
Per their orders, the volunteers had been settled inside the west wing of the palace in Domino – a large suite for the representative and multiple shared rooms for the rest. Decorated with rich tapestries and ornate furniture, the suite housing Representative Constant, was a frequently used location to host Domino's important guests.
"Come in," said Representative Constant as he welcomed his unexpected guest inside. "Please, sit down," he said, pointing towards the chair by the window. Peering out of the window, one could see the beautiful rose garden of the palace in full bloom.
"Thank you for meeting me before the banquet, Representative," said his guest as she waited for him to sit first.
"How can I assist you today, Sapphire?" he said as he scratched his grey beard, his tone polite but impatient.
"Thank you," Sapphire said as she seated herself opposite to him. "I am here to ask you for some advice, Representative"
"Get on with it now, or we will be late for the banquet," he urged, glancing at his watch.
"Well, you see, the United Realms has recently updated their policy, to allow only fairies who have earned their Enchantix to work as volunteers," she continued.
"Yes. I am well aware. I was in that meeting, child, when the decision was made. I voted for it," Constant replied, his tone clipped.
"I see," Sapphire said, her emerald green eyes flickered with worry. "Well, I just found out, and–"
"What about the rule, child?" prodded the representative interrupting her.
"You see, I am adopted, and I don't have my Enchantix yet, and–" Sapphire started again.
"Sapphire, what can I do in this matter?" asked Constant interrupting again.
Third time's the charm, Sapphire thought as she began, "Well, I was wondering –" before being interrupted a third time by knocks at the door.
"Hold that thought," said Constant raising his finger. He opened the door, to find Lady Thorne, who peered in, her gaze briefly falling on Sapphire.
Ignoring the young girl, Lady Thorne announced, "Their Majesties would like to invite you to come down for the banquet, Representative Constant."
"Of course. If you could give me a moment, please," said Constant giving Sapphire a pointed look. Understanding her cue, Sapphire rose from her seat.
"I shall take my leave, Representative. Thank you for your time," she said, ducking out of the room and offering Lady Thorne a quick nod before slipping out. She couldn't shake off her worries as she made her way to the banquet, where the royal family was preparing for a grand celebration.
"Thank you. Let us go," said Constant, adjusting his jacket as he followed Lady Thorne out.
As Representative Constant made his way down towards the Red Grove Garden, a gust of wind interrupted his thoughts on the kind of reparations Domino might need. Wind? Inside the palace? he wondered. This led to his quick discovery of the broken glass windows from the last battle.
"A lot of work to be done," he said to Lady Thorne.
"Yes, Representative. We appreciate all the help you are here to provide us," agreed Lady Thorne.
As he observed more closely, he noticed the scuff marks from the last battle, and on even keener observation, faint scars left by dark magic. What did these people face, he shuddered.
"Feeling cold, Representative?" inquired Lady Thorne.
"Yes," answered the representative, deciding his first thoughts should be for his majesty. He continued to make his way with Lady Thorne and soon reached the ground floor. The anticipation and excitement of the banquet was palpable in the air.
The Red Grove Garden buzzed with excitement at the banquet as Princess Bloom made her way through the corridors of the royal quarters. She found it eerie walking alone through the damaged palace she knew nothing about but now called home. What is that? Bloom thought as she ran her fingers over the marks on her parents' doors. They look like burns from lightning Stormy makes, she gasped. This must be from when the ancestral witches attacked. But the sight of reconstruction and the scent of fresh paint served as a reminder of the future they were all striving toward. Bloom knocked hesitantly at the door and was warmly welcomed by her mother.
"Ah, Bloom. We are so happy to have you here," Mariam said as she opened the door wide for Bloom to step in. Mariam was wearing beautiful cream robes with ornate gold work. Underneath the robes could be seen a hint of a red gown.
"Your crown is very pretty," Bloom commented as she entered the antechamber to the royal suite.
"It's called the Dragon Tiara. Not a creative name, is it?" Mariam laughed as she lightly touched the tiara.
"Is it holding an egg?" Bloom wondered aloud, as she observed the tiara more carefully.
"I thought you would catch that detail, Bloom," Mariam said. She had been impressed with Bloom's attention to detail. "This tiara was created as a representation of the nurturing nature of the Great Dragon." The tiara, made of gold, was a delicately sculpted dragon with diamonds for eyes. In the hand of the dragon, was an intricate, patterned egg that was partially obscured by the dragon's body.
Mariam opened the door to the bed chamber, and the two made their way in, hand in hand.
"Ladies," Oritel acknowledged with a smile. He, too, was dressed in an elaborate cream robe adorned with jewels.
"And this is the Dragon Crown," Mariam said indicating the crown her husband wore.
"It looks just like the one the statue had," Bloom commented, noticing the gold dragon. But this one has sapphires for eyes, Bloom thought. One eye. Where did the other go?
"Why, yes, Bloom. They say this crown belonged to our ancestor, King Arandoch, and has been passed down through the generations," Oritel said, interrupting her thoughts. "One day, it shall be yours. It does have only one eye, though."
Bloom blushed at the thought of ruling over Domino one day, and anyone who knew Bloom would agree that she was a born leader. Her excitement about this symbol of her family's legacy mirrored the excitement and responsibility she felt about her future role.
"You wore the dress we sent for you," said Mariam, noticing the red gown Bloom had chosen for the banquet. "Red suits you, dear."
Bloom had decided to wear the gown her parents had sent for her for the banquet. It was made of a deep, vibrant red fabric with a series of gold rings encircling her slender midriff. These rings, adorned with intricate patterns and delicate filigree, added a pop of colour that contrasted sharply with the red. The top of the gown boasted an unusual design with an asymmetrical neckline that curved and dipped in unexpected angles. One shoulder was adorned with a cascading ruffle that seemed to defy gravity, adding a touch of drama and flair.
"You look beautiful, Bloom," added Oritel.
"I have just the thing for you," Mariam said, walking into her closet. She pulled out a beautiful wooden box, intricately carved. "This tiara belonged to your grandmother, Queen Agni," explained Mariam as she opened the box and set it on the bed. Inside was a beautiful gold, dainty, tiara. It had three arches, all adorned with diamonds, that formed a harmonious pattern. The gold band beneath was slender yet sturdy, ensuring the secure placement of the tiara.
"It was the first tiara she owned. Would you like me to fit it for you?" asked Mariam. She was sad as she had always dreamed of doing this one day with both her girls, but at least she had the opportunity to do it with one. Bloom sat on the bed, as Mariam adjusted the crown and pinned it in place.
"Beautiful," Oritel commented. "Let us go now; Representative Constant must be ready, and waiting."
"This now belongs to you, Bloom," said Mariam cheerfully. "Let us go."
The grandeur of the Red Grove Garden came alive as the royal family, with Representative Constant, made their entrance. The guests had all taken their seats and prominent members from Domino could be seen dressed in their finest garb.
As Queen Mariam, Princess Bloom and Representative Constant seated themselves, King Oritel remained standing. In his hand was a glass flute filled with golden wine from Domino's famous vineyards.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to start my little speech by welcoming our guests today to Domino," Oritel began, his eyes sweeping around the room. Princess Bloom, however, was focused on one particular volunteer – Sapphire.
"Representative Constant, and his volunteers – thank you for coming. Please enjoy this banquet. Let us do great work together. For Domino!" Oritel raised his glass and was met by his guests in a collective cheer, "For Domino!" everyone repeated.
As soon as the King sat down, the food was brought out. The menu comprised eight individual dishes. The first was the hors d'oeuvres, made of crispy fried sesame tofu with a hundred-leaf clover, along with grilled sawtooth mushroom with miso (2). As the dishes were placed in front of the guests, Bloom saw Sapphire animatedly discussing something with the volunteer next to her. I wonder what that is about, she thought.
"Where were you?" hissed the volunteer named Mila, who was seated next to Sapphire. "Group Leader Lyminge was very curious about your whereabouts. I had difficulty swatting him away this time"
"Lyminge? What did he want?" Sapphire asked. Lyminge was one of the more senior volunteers who, according to Mila, had a crush on Sapphire. Mila always loved teasing Sapphire about it.
"What did he want? What did HE want? Where were YOU?" responded Mila.
"Really, Mila. So theatrical of you," Sapphire commented rolling her eyes. "I was trying to talk to Constant about the new Enchantix rule."
"You're still worried about that?" Mila asked, sipping the golden wine. "Mmm... we need to find a bottle of this tonight!"
"Yeah. As a fairy, I would need to check that box for the next job," Sapphire responded, her gaze distracted.
"Would they kick you off this one?" Mila asked.
"I had not considered that yet," Sapphire said worriedly. As she looked around, she noticed Bloom staring at her but returned to the conversation as Mila continued.
"You'll get your Enchantix in no time, Sapph," Mila reassured.
"How am I to earn my Enchantix if I don't know where I'm from? You know that's the whole reason I joined the volunteer force to begin with," said Sapphire.
"Maybe you'll find a loophole," Mila encouraged. "Not everyone on the force needs an Enchantix."
"But fairies do. You don't get it because you're not a fairy," Sapphire accused. She glanced towards Bloom, who seemed to be watching her with curiosity.
"Big difference! Besides, with your experience, they'll be lucky to have you," said Mila as she sipped her wine. "You can always marry, Lyminge." The girls laughed. There was good food and a good mood all around.
Domino had offered an elaborate menu and the meal was delicious. The various flavours of ingredients danced inside the mouths of the guests. The hors d'oeuvres were followed by lobster soup, and the mains – jewel meat with rosemary and eye of the tiger. This was followed by the salad course. (3)
"It's so weird, I keep catching her staring at me," Sapphire commented.
"Who?" asked Mila as she poured some dressing over her honey cabbage colossal shrimp salad (3). "Gosh, this meal is so good!"
"The Princess," Sapphire said.
"The Princess?" asked Mila, a bit surprised, bending forward to take a look. "Isn't she talking to her mum?"
"Yes. But I keep catching her staring at me," Sapphire repeated.
"Why don't you ask her after the last course? After the dessert, it says mingling with Lava Wine and Spring Sake (3). Maybe we shouldn't drink all this golden wine," Mila commented. Sapphire did not respond.
"Wait, do you think she likes you? Like Lyminge?" Mila asked.
"How much of the wine did you have?" Sapphire questioned.
"A little," Mila laughed and turned to speak to Elliot, one of the other volunteers.
After the scrumptious meal and the mingling that followed, the royal family retired to the palace. The guests had slowly started to disperse, and the volunteers found themselves retiring to their rooms for some rest, with some spending their time in the rose gardens.
Later in the evening...
The royal family was waiting in the Blue Tea Room for Representative Constant to join them. The Blue Tea Room earned its name from the colour scheme used to paint the walls. Unsurprisingly, the furniture was also blue. If one looked closely, one could find white dragons painted along the skirting.
"This might have been the one room that was left untouched," remarked Oritel as he looked around.
"Sit here, Bloom. This tea room was your grandmother, Queen Agni's favourite; she designed it herself," explained Mariam to her daughter. Bloom, who was admiring the crystal egg on the desk, turned to join her mother on the velvet sofa.
"It's lovely," she commented. "Should we ring for some tea? The representative might be here soon," she suggested.
"The tea is already here," said Mariam as she stood up. "You need to push this little ledge to open the dumbwaiter," she explained. And like magic or good engineering, the dumbwaiter opened and inside was a beautiful blue tea set with steam coming out of the pot's snout. The smell of freshly made biscuits and tea wafted around the room, creating a welcoming environment.
"This is amazing!" Bloom exclaimed. As she looked around, the corner of a painting hidden away behind a cupboard caught her eye. Before she could bring this up, Lord Clark, the Grand Chancellor, and Sir Roland, the Royal Herald, knocked and entered the room and bowed.
"Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness," Sir Roland bowed his head. "Lord Clark and Representative Constant." As soon as the representative entered the room, Lord Clark stayed but Sir Roland left, closing the door behind him.
"Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness," Constant greeted as he bowed, his voice respectful and formal. "The banquet was lovely. Despite having so little on your return, you have given us so much. Thank you for your hospitality!"
"We appreciate your kind words, Representative," thanked Mariam.
"Please, have a seat," said Oritel as he welcomed the two men. "Have you had the chance to tour the palace, Representative? If not, we must arrange for something with Lord Clark."
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Constant settling into his seat. "I have already started to plan where to start and how to go about the renovation. I have submitted formal requests to the United Realms to send in important experts in their respective fields to help with this, and also a teacher to educate the Princess."
"Me? I graduated from Alfea!" Bloom pointed out; a bit surprised.
"Yes, your Highness. Whatever your circumstances, you were brought up on Earth and you are currently first in line to the throne. You would require a different education for your position," Constant responded. "Next, Technological advances will also be brought in and set up, including the latest security measures for the palace."
"What kind of security measures are we talking about here?" asked Bloom.
"As you would remember Princess, and of course all of you since you have faced him as well, there was an issue with one of our escaped prisoners – Valtor," responded the representative. "He had a way of making it into the palaces and bewitched many royals to do his bid. We cannot have anyone else getting the same ideas."
"Sounds like a good plan so far," Oritel said, nodding his head in agreement. "Lord Clark, I would like you and Lord Thorne to work on logistics for the representative's suggestions and present them to me tomorrow so that Domino can have a say in these matters. I think, as the representative has pointed out, Bloom's education for her new role is important. We will add teachers from Domino, including myself and Mariam. Thank you."
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Lord Clark. He bowed and took his leave.
Oritel's tone grew serious as he continued, "You see, there is another rather important matter I would like to discuss as well."
"What is it, Your Majesty?" asked the representative.
"Lady Thorne, my Envoy of Relations, has given me some rather disturbing news that I want to confirm. We have received messages of warm welcome from everyone in the magical universe, but none from Zircon."
"Zircon? Are you asking about Queen Euclasia?"
"Yes, Representative. She is Oritel's sister. We are quite worried about this," said Mariam.
"You would like to sit for this, Your Majesties," Constant suggested, as he exchanged concerned glances with the family.
Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading this story.
(1) I keep repeating their jobs because it is hard to keep track.
(2) If you know the anime Toriko, this dish is inspired by Chef Setsune's full-course meal.
(3) More food from Toriko. This was a great show based on food and had very creative ingredients. I first watched it in 2017 during my medical school training. When I wrote the banquet scene, I wanted it to be a full-course menu from Toriko. Of course, it is inspired by multiple characters' full course. Domino would not have everything the same as Earth, and the Gourmet Age ingredients served as a great inspiration.