“I think it is about time for us to head back,” he said. “I was having so much fun that I forgot how late it was getting. The sun is almost directly over us.” The High King paused but then continued with a smile. “I need to get back so I can change and eat before Baron Mikel and his son arrive this afternoon.”
“They are arriving today!” Kalista exclaimed in excitement before catching herself.
“Yes they are, dear, though I did not think you really cared when they were coming.” The High King chuckled as he began to make his way back towards the city with his daughter following close behind.
Kalista did not really care that she had slipped. She was too excited and nervous to worry about that. Gavin was arriving today. What a day it was turning out to be! Not only had she gotten her first snow lion, but the man who might be her future husband was also arriving. She had known today was going to be special but not this special! After weeks of being stuck with Frieda from morning until evening, she had finally passed all of her tests and had been freed from her boring studies. Her father had promised to take her with him snow lion hunting today in celebration of the completion of her studies. She was so happy. She had known that Barron Mikel and his son would be arriving sometime soon since the winter ball was only three days away but had thought it would still be a day or two since her father had not said anything about them. She would have to get ready quickly when she got to the palace. She wanted to look her best when the baron and his son arrived.
Kalista held onto the reins with one hand and clasped her cloak tight with the other as their horses plodded through the deep snow towards the city. Upon reaching the small south gate, she set both hands gently upon the reins and made sure she was sitting perfectly straight. She had been taught by her mother that she must always look regal when in the presence of her subjects and had never forgotten it. Kalista also noticed her father straighten slightly in his saddle as they passed into the city. The people on the streets stepped off to the side and lowered their heads in reverence as the High King of all Kalia and his daughter, heir to the throne, rode past them. They rode in silence down the street between their respectful subjects as they made their way to the Grand Palace. Upon reaching the busy square, the crowd parted and bowed their heads in silence. As soon as they were within the gates of the palace, the people in the square erupted back into motion, going about their daily errands.
Kalista pulled up in the quiet palace courtyard behind her father. Servants were immediately at their sides helping them dismount from their horses before leading the animals to the royal stables. She followed her father up the steps and into the palace. She let her hood drop with a smile as she felt the warmth of the palace fires warming her numb cheeks. She began to head off towards her bed chamber when the captain of the City Watch bowed to her in passing and strode over to her father. She stopped to listen to his report. Over the last few weeks there had been a rash of killings within the walls of the city. At first there had been one and then after a few days another. The reports had been disturbing but not unheard of in such a large city. That changed, however, when several days later there was another murder followed by another later in the week. The City Watch had been increased and an investigation started, but the murders had not ceased. In fact, now they were happening almost every night. Kalista was anxious to hear if the Watch had learned any information about the murderer.
“You may speak your report freely,” the High King said to the captain of the City Watch, raising him up from his knees with a flip of his wrist.
“Thank you, my High King. I fear that I only have bad news to report. All of the murders appear to be random. This deranged killer has dealt equally with barmaids, children, and stablemen alike. I am sad to report that last night an old man and his wife were killed in their very beds. The only thing consistent about the murders is that all of the victims have their throats cut neatly with no other markings on their body, and nobody around the victims has ever even glimpsed the killer. With last night’s double murder, the total number of victims is now up to fourteen. I am sorry to make such a dismal report, my High King.”
“It is not your fault,” the High King said as he laid a strong hand on the captain’s shoulder. “However, this must come to an end. I will not have the inhabitants of this city living in fear. I want you to take recruits from the army and double the watch at night. You are to issue a proclamation declaring that anyone wandering the streets after midnight will be arrested. Also add that everyone should make sure to secure their doors and windows before going to bed at night and that no one should traverse the streets after dark alone. I want these murders to stop and the killer found.”
“Yes, my High King. It will be as you command.” The captain then bowed before departing to fulfill the High King’s wishes.
Kalista watched sadly as her father turned with a troubled look on his face and headed slowly towards his own chambers. She could imagine how he must be feeling. She herself was greatly troubled by the rash of killings. Never before had something like this happened in Calyn. She shook her head in frustration as she made her way to her chambers. She hoped the increase in the Watch and the new proclamation would cut down on the murders until the killer could be found. The killer could not hide forever. Sooner or later he would slip up and the City Watch would find him. Kalista dismissed her thoughts about the killings as she waltzed into her room.
“I need to look perfect,” she said to her chamber maids upon entering her sitting room. “The Baron Mikel and his son will be arriving shortly, and I want to look my best when I meet them.”
Both of her servants hurried behind her into her room with knowing smiles. They quickly got her out of her hunting clothes and into one of her favorite dresses. The long blue dress slashed with cream fit her perfectly, and the color accentuated her bright blue eyes. Kalista sat impatiently while her servants deftly braided her hair into one long, intricate braid with a blue ribbon woven through it. When they were done with her hair, her servants put a simple golden necklace around her dainty neck. She thanked them as she looked over herself in the mirror and walked over to the window. She wanted to be able to see them before they arrived so that she could get down to the throne room just before they were presented to her father. As she stood looking out the window, one of her servants asked her if she would like them to bring her midday meal. She quickly refused the offer and turned back to the window. She was too excited to eat anything.
After waiting next to the window for almost an hour, she watched eagerly as a procession finally entered the square. It was headed by twenty soldiers. They were followed by three carriages that were then followed by another twenty soldiers. Kalista watched eagerly as the procession passed through the palace gates and into the front courtyard. She wanted to wait and catch a glimpse of the occupants of the carriages as they got out but needed to hurry down to the throne room if she wanted to be there when they arrived. She turned away from the window and with a quick gait made her way to the throne room. Upon arriving, she found her father already sitting upon his thrown patiently waiting for the arrival of the Baron of Candus. He brightened when he saw Kalista enter. She quickly walked over to him and took her place, standing to the right of the throne.
“I was not sure if you would make it,” the High King whispered to his daughter. “They are already being escorted to my presence.”
“I know that,” Kalista whispered back.
The doors to the throne room began to open, and Kalista turned to face them anxiously, but not before she noticed her father’s mischievous grin. She watched as the large bronze doors opened to expose the waiting party. Her heartbeat quickened at what she saw. The Baron Mikel of Candus stood foremost of the group with his wife at his side. Directly behind them stood Gavin, looking even more handsome than she remembered. He was the same height as she remembered and had the same jet black hair. He had the same hazel eyes and the same firm jaw. However, he was better muscled and had more of a commandin
g air about him. She felt her face grow warm as all three of them approached and bowed before the High King.
“Your humble servant the Baron Mikel of Candus bows before the great High King, may he live long and prosper, in answer to his majesty’s summons. With your majesty’s blessing, I ask that I be allowed to rise with my wife and son.”
“You may rise to speak with your High King.”
“Our humblest thanks to . . .”
Kalista tuned out the rest of the welcoming ceremony. She did not know why it had to be so long and boring, but that was the way that it had always been. Instead of listening to the ceremonial words, she stole glances at Gavin. He was as good looking up close as he had been far away. Gavin glanced up at her, and she quickly averted her eyes, hoping that he had not seen her looking at him. When the ceremony was over, the baron, baroness, and their son left the throne room to rest from their journey and get cleaned up before dining with the High King for dinner. Kalista watched them as they walked back out of the room. She sighed as the doors shut.
“I am glad that boring ceremony is over with,” Kalista said, leaving her father’s side and heading for the private entrance to the throne room.
“I am not sure if I believe you,” the High King said. “It looked like you were enjoying staring at the baron’s son.”
Kalista missed a step as she left the throne room. She felt her face color as she walked down the hall back towards her chambers. Behind her in the throne room she could clearly hear her father chuckling cheerfully.
22
Kalista looked at herself in her bedchamber mirror and was greeted by her radiant reflection. Her chamber maids had done a beautiful job with her hair. It was pulled up on her head in a pile of golden curls with a few curls straying from the rest to frame her face. A sapphire sat on her forehead dangling from the silver thread that helped to hold her hair up. Around her neck was a silver chain cascading with firedrops. She took a step back from the mirror to admire the dress that had been made for her to wear to the ball. The dress stretched all the way to the floor. It was made of bright blue silk and fanned out from her small waist. At the waist, the dress was clasped by a thin belt of small silver flowers linked together. From the long, tight sleeves of her arms, white lace fell to envelope the tops of her hands.
She turned from the mirror with a smile on her face. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Tonight would be her big chance to get to know Gavin better and win his love. The only times she had seen him in the past few days were at dinner. However, she had not been able to talk to him because he sat far from her, and her father and the baron carried most of the dialogue of the conversations. Tonight she was guaranteed to have him for almost the entire ball since he was her escort. After tonight he would be hers forever. At least that is what she hoped. One of her chamber maids had bought a perfume for her that was guaranteed to enchant any man. She pulled out the small bottle of the sweetly scented perfume and dabbed some on her wrists and neck. After putting the bottle down, she checked in the mirror once more to make sure that everything was perfect. She then gave her golden curls one more pat before leaving her bedchamber and walking through the sitting chamber and out into the hall.
At the bottom of the stairs of the southwest tower, she found Gavin waiting to escort her to the dining hall. He looked absolutely dashing in his white pants and dark blue shirt. His silk shirt, almost completely covered on the front in beautifully embroidered golden thread, seemed to shimmer in the light of the chandelier as Kalista gracefully descended the staircase. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Gavin stared back at her for a moment before snapping out of his daze and offered her his arm, which she gracefully accepted. He then led her slowly towards the grand banquet hall. Kalista walked alongside her dashing suitor with a pleasant smile.
They were soon seated at the head of the banquet table just to the side of the seat reserved for the High King. The baron and baroness were on the other side of the chair. After a few moments the High King made his grand entrance, and everyone rose to their feet. After thanking all for coming, he sat down. The High King then clapped his hands. Everyone resumed their seats, and the food began to flow into the immense room. The silent air was soon full of melodious chatter and the clanking of silver on china.
The servers brought in foods from all over the land. There were dishes from Balthus, Selbus, and the far parts of Kalia. There were also many traditional dishes from Calyn itself. There were spiced wines to drink and creamed soups to spoon. There were breads and fruits. But the best of all were the meats. There was roast, ham, chops, turkey, duck, fish, and lobster to name a few. The vigilant servers were ever ready to slice off whatever the guests wanted. The grand table soon became a smorgasbord of brilliant colors and smells.
Some of the guests devoured great quantities of food while others seemed content with just a bowl of soup and a freshly baked roll. Kalista was one who ate little. She had been quite hungry earlier but was nervous of eating a lot in front of Gavin. She decided it would be best to only eat a little now, and later she could request some of the leftovers for a late night snack. She was immensely enjoying the aroma and atmosphere of the table. Tonight, all worries were forgotten as the guests lost themselves in the food, drink, and cheerful conversation. Kalista was slightly jealous to see everyone at ease and so happy. She was quite happy but still had butterflies in her stomach. She really had not had the chance to talk much with Gavin and was anxious for the opportunity to get to know him better. Her chance would come once the food was taken away and later when the festivities moved to the ballroom.
While taking a furtive glance at Gavin, she saw her father’s beaming face watching her. She quickly turned back to her food. She sliced another small chunk of ham from the thin slice on her plate and popped it into her mouth. Her mind floated off with the anticipation of what the rest of the night would bring. As her thoughts returned to the present, she noticed that even the most avid of the eaters were beginning to slow down. The High King also noticed and signaled for the servers to take the food away and refill all of the glasses. The guests would now have time to let the food settle and to talk before they would all follow the High King into the ballroom. Kalista shifted in her chair and began a conversation with Gavin. She knew her chance had come at last and had been practicing what she was going to say for the last couple of days. She hoped that when their conversation was over and they headed out to the dance floor, Gavin would be all hers.
* * * * *
The High King smiled grandly once again as his future son-in-law turned toward his beautiful Kalista and gave her his full attention. The High King had noticed them stealing glances at one another during the entire meal and was sure that by the time the night ended nothing would stop the marriage. The High King chuckled and began to pay attention to his new in-laws, leaving Kalista and Gavin engrossed in whatever they were talking about.
After listening to several amusing stories about hunting trips and lost bows, the High King decided it was time for the dance to begin. He excused himself from the conversation and gathered his dignity. Standing from his seat, he waited as the room quickly quieted down.
“Honorable Guests and Friends,” he began. “Let the annual Winter Ball begin!”
At his cue, the large doors connecting the dining hall to the ballroom were swung wide open, and the guests were bathed in light and music as the orchestra began to play. The High King walked nobly into the ballroom and was quickly followed by everyone else. He sat down in his throne and with the nod of his head, the orchestra changed from their intro into a magnificent waltz.
Soon the room was full of swirling dresses and even grander smiles. The High King sat contentedly in his lavish throne watching his subjects enjoy themselves. Balls always had a way of making him cheerful. Seeing the happiness of others under the brightly lit chandeliers chased away his worries, at least for a while. As the night went on he was even happier to notice that Gavin and Kalista were still dancing togeth
er with smiles on their faces. They had not stopped to rest since the ball began. Things were working out wonderfully! The High King settled back in his chair but then jerked back forward. Gavin and Kalista had stopped dancing. What had happened? After watching for a moment, he settled back down with a mischievous grin on his face as Gavin and Kalista walked into a private side room, hand-in-hand, with smiles still on their faces. Things were working out better than wonderfully!
* * * * *
Traven peeked over a fountain that stood towards the middle of the grand square and watched as another noble family arrived for the grand ball. He had been watching all evening as the endless line of carriages rolled up to the palace, were relieved of their owners, and continued on. Earlier in the evening, the most elect had arrived for the feast, and now many others were arriving for the grand winter ball.
All of the students of the academy were free of their classes. They had finished their winter exams and had a week off before the next phase of classes would begin. Traven had heard of the grand ball from many of the wealthy students of the academy and had come to get a look at all of the excitement. He had been studying so hard for the exams that he hadn’t had any time to enjoy himself for a while. His monotonous studies had only been interrupted by several trips into different parts of the city on his free days. After watching for a while longer, Traven heard movement behind him. Turning around, he saw the City Watch coming into the square. He knew that he was not supposed to be wandering the city after dark and decided to slip up closer to the palace to avoid any unnecessary problems. He nonchalantly made his way over to a group of servants that were just outside the palace to the side of the front gate.
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