Forum Thread

We are pleased to present you with this invitation to the Snow Gala!

The first ever Snow Gala will be hosted this December 21st at the palace! As our prestigious guest, you will be treated with luxurious food, enchanting music, and a splendid tour of the palace! Come enjoy yourself all night long with other distinguished individuals!

A butler is awaiting your reply at the entrance of Glittarius Street, who will also be your servant for the Gala should you accept this invitation.

See you at the Gala!

---

Rei was just in his room, just chilling. His parents and himself lived in a small castle among the hills purely cause of their large wealth. Thats when a maid gave him a peculiar letter from "A princess". Curious, Rei quickly skimmed through the letter before giving it to hid parents cause every decision made for him had to be approved by his own parents. They were both in awe. Their don? Going to the Snow Gala of Princess Athena? This was a wonderful opportunity for Rei getting into a forced marriage with a noble to them! Immediately they went shopping for clothes then, December 21st came. Rei was dressed in fancy clothing, of course, but on the carriage ride to the palace, he had snuck in a mask. He just felt to much anxiety at the thought of trying to sway any girls to fall inlove with him.

---

Out far away from the main capital, surrounded by forestry and nature lies a huge resident. Inside the residents was Ayran Herpich, the former-general of the army and current commander of the Royal Knights.

In his hands, was a letter made out of good quality paper and fine ink with the royal seal implemented. His mouth was shaped in a frown as he read the letter multiple times, before finally sighing and letting it burn the the faint candlelight flames.

"Ursa!" He called out.

The maid who was standing right outside of the study came in, and bowed, "Yes Sir Herpich?"

"Prepare to set off to the main capital in a 2 hours" Ayran said in a single breath, with no emotions in his voice.

Ursa's eyes widen, "...I-in 2 hours my lord?!"

How could she, a hardworking maid, prepare not only a stunning outfit for his lord, but also a carriage and others! Ayran lips finally quirked up, "Yes, 2 hours."

Ursa really wanted to faint right here and now.

---

Theo skimmed through the letter, reading the important words outloud. "...didn't think I was that important." He muttered. His parents were the important ones, why was he invited? Oh well, he shouldn't really decline an invite to a royal event.

While he was not usually one for formal outfits, his parents had bought him one a while ago in intent that he would use it. Has he used it before now? Nope. It was the first time he was clad in a formal outfit, fit for a prince.

He was...excited. But a bit nervous.

---

Unfortunately Ursa was unable to faint at the moment, but fortunately, Ursa with her other fellow sister-in-arms were able to dress up the grumpy Ayran Herpich in fine military uniform, made out of comfortable and fine materials.

With his coat hanging on his shoulders he looked out of the carriage and out into the bustling capital, even though he was the Commander of the Royal Knights, he rarely had to go to the capital himself, so seeing such noise was almost foreign.

It was funny, Ayran thought to himself. he was used to be a solder in the battlefield should be used to noise... it seems like it truly has been a while Ayran sighs.

In the distance, Ayran could see the Royal Palace in it's full glory. He shook his head in a helpless smile, it seems like it was time for him to go up onto the stage once again.

---

Athena stared out the window at a little bluejay flitting among the treetops. The Gala started tonight. She would have to start preparing in a few minutes. For now, she let her mind wander. The Gala was all a cover story. What her parents really wanted was to find a suitable noble to marry their daughter with. She had no intention of letting that happen...

"Princess Athena!" A loud knock on the door. There was no reply. "Princess Athena!" Slowly, the door creaked open. The room was empty.

A leap, a sprint, out through the hole in the wall. She would be free. Peering out from behind a bush, Athena's heart clenched. No, no, nononononono! Guards were swarming the place. There was no possible way she could make it out. She'd left too late.

Forcibly swallowing her anger and disappointment, she sneaked back the way she'd come. But instead of through the window of her room, she used the window of her restroom instead. Changing out of the villager's outfit and stashing it in a secret nook, she opened the locked door. Thank goodness it was locked, otherwise her cover story would've been blown.

Her faithful servant, Katrina, was waiting for her in her room, along with dressmakers and other servants, carrying her specially designed outfit for tonight. Athena almost vomitted at the amount of frills and beads and crystals adorning the hodgepodge of silver and gold.

Soon, she was slathered in that mess. Mind you, she looked pretty as can be, a glittering bodice, thin waist, silver tiara sparkling with jewels. Sure to charm as many nobles as her parents could ask for. Smiling bitterly at the thought, she risked a glance in the mirror. And immediately regretted it. The dressmakers really had gone overkill on this one.

The horde of servants and dressmakers left. Leaving a young princess to contemplate her situation. She should have known there would be guards! Should have included it in her plan. Stupid, stupid, stupid. That was pretty unroyal thinking.

Three hours. She would give them their Gala.

---

In the closest village, which was a distance away, Kaori opens the letter that had arrived in the mail. She read through the letter multiple times, trying to make sense of what she was reading. Why had she been invited when she was only the daughter of a merchant who sold and collected flowers?

But scratch that. Her father needed to know this, as he was going to make the decision whether she was going or not. He was the one that made all the family- and by family, it mean just Kaori and her father- decisions. He was the eldest and only male, so he had the highest authority out of the two of them.

---

Kaori ran downstairs, from her room, to the dining room, where her father sat, watering a flower pot. She handed him the letter and asked, "Am I going, Father?". Her father read the letter carefully and muttered to himself. Muttering about what might happen at the ball, muttering about what would happen at the ball, muttering about what to do at the ball. Muttering this, muttering that.

After about 30 long minutes of consideration, he finally came upon a decision. Speaking in his hoarse, raspy voice, he said, "Kaori... you may go. On a couple conditions though...

1) You will not go into the palace gardens. You are banned from going there.

2) You will not associate yourself with the princess, much less go near her. You will not taint the feeble strand of ego this family has.

3) You will not do anything except what you are told to do." Kaori paled a little at these specific instructions, but nodded. She would have to be careful, as if she broke any single one of these conditions, she would be marched straight home and given another lecture. As if she hadn't had enough already.

---

Kaori ran back upstairs to her room, where she dug through her closet. She could've sworn that she left her dress in there somewhere...

...

There it was! Carefully folded inside a bag. A bag that was almost full to the brim with accessories that Kaori had collected over the years. Shining combs and hairpins, sparkling necklaces, jangly bracelets, she's got them all. Most of them were gifts from when she was younger and used to travel with her father. The others were the ones she collected and polished.

Lying underneath all of the jewelry was Kaori's dress. Made out of soft lilac silk, laced with white string. Quite expensive, too. But it was perfect for the occasion. But she would need some accessories to go with it...

Kaori carefully looked over the jewelry she had, and narrowed her list down to two things. Her usual cherry blossom hairpin and her most prized possession, her fiber-ed twig bracelet with small pink flower charms.

---

Soon, Ayran arrived at the grand entrance of the Royal Palace. He steadily stepped down, while his hand adjusted his cuffs as his eyes gazed up and admired the palace.

He has been to the palace more times than he'd liked for, but everytime he comes, it grandar view of the palace leaves him breathless every time.

Standing not far from him was the butler who has been waiting for the guests. It seems like he'd came right on time, as he was not the first nor the last.

Seeing Ayran, the butler widens his eyes, and immediately came up to him, and bows. "Welcome Commander Herpich!"

Seeing the butlers actions, Ayran sweatdropped, he quickly motioned for him to stand up. "...Thank you, please stand up."

Faced flushed from all the blood rushing to his head, the butler pat down his crinkled uniform, and politely gestures to Ayran, signalling for him to follow him.

"Please follow me this way, and I'll guide you to the ballroom Commander Herpich."

Ayran nods, and smiles politely, "Thank you"

With the carriage parked outside, Ayran followed the butler, with a few of his own servants followed behind him. At first he didn't want them to come, but since they insisted, he could only relent.

Walking down the much more grand than it needs to hallway, Ayran suddenly thought to himself, This Gala.. what was the purpose of it?

The Royal Family wouldn't spend this much time for nothing.. unless it was for the princess...

Ayran's eyes widen, the princess!

If it was what he think it was, Ayran frowned, then things will get messy for many people.

It wasn't long before they reached the ballroom.

"Welcome Commander Ayran Herpich!" The announcer announced at he stepped into the ballroom floor, instantly, many people's gaze turned towards him.

He frowned, he didn't like many people staring at him all at once, especially he didn't like the meaning behind those gazes, it remind him of bad memories.

Bad memories of that place, Ayran shook his head gently he didn't like thinking about things that didn't relate to the battlefield, much less this.

Sighing, he decided to ignore those gazes completely, and head to the corner of the ballroom, and grabbed a plate of cheesecake instead, immediately lightening his mood the moment his bit down.

---

Theo fixed his outfit a little before leaving. He didn't need his parents to accept the invitation. He was fine on his own, plus he had disappeared multiple times before and his parents had not questioned him.

But this time he would be gone for longer than just his average trips to the library nearby. While he wanted to go to the library and indulge in the ink-covered pages that told stories, he did not. He head straight for the palace.

Eventually he got there. He had visited the palace a few times in the past, but he was usually accompanied by his parents.

Oh well. He was practically an adult now, he doesn't need his parents anymore. He just admired the castle for a bit, before he heard someone clearing their throat.

"Mr Hodge, if you would follow me to the ballroom."

There stood a butler infront of Theo.

"Uhm- oh! Uh, yes. Please, lead the way." Theo responded, following the butler. He was awed by the inside of the castle.

And he nearly had a panic attack. The ballroom was packed full of other people. He wasn't expecting this, but he should have been. He quietly stood in a corner, not really wanting to deal with interactions at this moment.

---

Kaori got dressed and left the house, waving 'goodbye' to her father. She walked down the street, carefully stepping around mud, dirt, and things that I will not say out loud because this is the medieval times and they have disgusting things on their streets. She walked slowly and carefully, making sure that nothing splattered on her dress. But despite her attempts to keep herself non-dirtied and clean, they all failed when Kaori started hiking up a trail to get to the palace. The trail was filthy and had more of those icky-unmentioned things everywhere.

Let's just say that it was... a mess. When Kaori reached about a mile away from the palace, she had some dirt smeared on her cheek and the bottom of her dress had mud splatters. She instantly sat down and started scrubbing her dress, pulling a handkerchief out of her bag. She scrubbed at the mud stains and the dirt on her face. Soon, she looked good as new- enough.

Kaori walked the rest of the mile left and soon reached the palace, where a butler seemed to be waiting. She bowed, and said cheerfully, "Hello!". The butler said nothing except for, "Please follow me to the ballroom, Miss Kim.". Kaori cringed at the use of her last name and followed the butler inside, into the ballroom, which seemed to be crowded like crazy. People were everywhere, moving about, chattering their mouths off. It was quite overwhelming, and Kaori sat down at an empty table in the corner to make sense of what was happening.

But she lost her train of thought when she looked at the table. There seemed to be a vase on the table, and the vase had a bouquet of flowers in it. Kaori immediately focused her attention on the flowers and stopped paying attention to what was happening at the ball.

---

One of the first people to arrive was Rei. He had his mask on and once he exited the carriage, he was shocked at how gigantic the palace was. Not knowing what to do he approached the door and lightly knocked it.

---

"Hello Mister Rei. Let me escort you to the ballroom." A butler appeared beside him, looking slightly disapproving of Rei's actions, then quickly covering it up with a smile.

---

Bronlyn is a young lady and also a nurse, as she prepares herself for the upcoming Snow Gala, she wonders what will happen there, "I hope this Snow Gala will help me be more calm and relaxed but at the same time help me be more positive, I always wonder who am I going to meet", Bronlyn said. As she got herself ready with her elegant blue dress, she left the workplace and began to depart for the Snow Gala, continuing to walk she sees the beautiful lights that surrounders it, soon she arrived to the palace and knocked on the door calmly hoping that someone will answer.

---

"Welcome, Miss Ferrell! This way, please." A passing lady glanced disapprovingly at Bronlyn and Rei. Palace doors weren't to be knocked on. Hadn't they seen the butlers waiting to escort them in?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Presenting... Princess Athena Luminia Lediana!" King and Queen Lediana beamed brightly as their daughter walked down the steps. The gems on her dress and accessories glimmered like stars, brighter than the moon. She walked with such grace, a perfect mixture of delicateness and confidence. Their pride and joy, soon to have a fitting husband.

---

Bronlyn entered the palace and she was amazed at the beautiful setting, then she sees the princess and she knew immediately that she must impress the princess with respect, "I don't want to embarrassed the princess, I need to remain calm but at the same time I want to enjoy the snow gala", Bronlyn said.

---

Kaori pries her attention away from the flower on the table to her surroundings. The queen and king were announcing their daughter, Princess Athena. The main purpose of the ball, the pride and joy of the royal family. Kaori could hear the gasps of the people in the ballroom as the princess walked down the stairs with an air of elegance and confidence. Traits that weren't as popular down in the village. In the village, people were more of... ruffians and shufflers. Stealing, hiding their face- those were what the people were like, down in the village, miles away.

But here, in the ballroom, people were different. More diverse, more well-mannered. Less temperous, more controlled. It gave off sort of a relaxing vibe, which was something that Kaori was not used to. She was used to being high-back and rigid, like stone. Here, she could be more simple, relaxed, like her favorite flowers.

Speaking of flowers, Kaori looked around, and noticed that most people were dressed in lighter colors, like snow. She stuck out like a black sheep, wearing a lilac dress. Almost as conspicuous as wearing a black sweater in a crowd of neon.

---

Bronlyn walked around the palace and she was amazed at the setting, she sees a beautiful green house that was filled with beautiful flowers and as she progressed she sees a photo of the king and queen with their daughter, "The princess looks absolutely beautiful", Bronlyn said in a positive manner. Soon afterwards, she sees other people in the Snow Gala, "I hope I can find someone who works in a same profession as I do", Bronlyn said.

---

Athena smiled at the assembled guests, the one upside of all this was seeing all their awed expressions. The crowd began milling towards her, showering her with praise and compliments. Still smiling and thanking them, she stuggled to push down the regret rising up yet again. Not right now.

---

Bronlyn continued to walk around the palace, soon she made it to the hall where there were chandeliers hanging from up above, "This is incredible but also beautiful, it makes me so calm and relaxed", Bronlyn said. Then she continued to walk around and saw beautiful paintings, "I'm so amazed by those paintings", then she sees the painting that was done by the Princess, Bronlyn started to smile and said, "The Princess did such a wonderful job doing those paintings, it really feels like it's telling me a story which is so elegant and amazing".

---

"Miss Ferrell." A servant appeared next to her. "Let me escort you back to the party." Bronlyn didn't seem to be doing the best job of impressing the palace. But the servant stayed silent, it was his job. Still, it was extremely rare to see a guest leave the ballroom unauthorized. Much less not greet the royal family.

---