Chapter 15: Chapter 15
CHAPTER BANQUET 3
"The beginning is connected to an end, the very end is rounded to another new beginning, may this year's moon banquet bring peace and prosperity to your majesty, the great emperor and empress of Ambrose."
A woman dressed in pure white standing at the very end of the banquet gates walked slowly with her attendants at the back following the regal woman of eighteen seasons, her hips swaying in rhythm as her hands were conjoined in a silent greeting, green eyes focused right infront had a potion of seduction deep as if engraved in one's bones.
"Sub commander Lady Nevix, princess of Daxtros Empire." The attendant at the back announced the arrival of the woman with boundless beauty.
She walked at the front standing right beside Lilith the same moment her and Azarios was retreating and people had the chance to compare. If Lilith was pearl at the top of General Azarios's head then Princess Nevix was the most precious diamond in Daxtros empire, not only their beauties rivalled each other but the mannerisms too were somewhat similar.
But how do you compare a princess with a woman who appeared to have nothing yet displays the bearing even higher than any empress.
"This Emperor welcomes the Royal Princess, her highness Nevix." The princess curtsied before turning her head a little to look at the people standing beside her. Her greens clashed with the goldens of Lilith who watched her in indifference and then moved above her head to take a glance at Azarios whose face was as if the otherworldly matters did not bothered him.
The smile which was gracing the seductive face vanished for a second before appearing once again.
"This princess has heard a lot about the beast of Ambrose, one is fortunate to meet in person." Azarios gazed at the forest irises lazily before curtsying a little and leaving to go at his own position right beside the nobles in court after entwining Lilith's fingers with his.
Nevix took her seat beside Princess Quare but not before watching the conjoined hands of the couple.
"Sub Commander Liex, please present father's tribute to Ambrose." Liex who was standing at a corner bowed before indicating his men to bring forward a veiled object before the people in the banquet.
Golden threads covered the draping and the veil itself costed more than some of the emperor's bestowed gifts.
As soon as the commander dressed in navy blue leather of panther removed the veil gasps were heard all around.
"This princess has heard that the people of Ambrose worship goddess Riera and thus brought a clope glass statue, this one belonged to my forefathers and was said to bring blessings upon those who had the possession of it. Once in Daxtros, a calamity broke out ten years ago ,the skies raged continuously for a month and many villages were submerged under the flood.
A priestess of seven years old was called and she breathed life into the statue from her pure soul, after that the last priestess disappeared and even after long search my father was unable to find them." The words were soft as if dew drops falling from the veins of bamboo leaves but the indication was clear.
That now this statue was of no use other than decorative purpose thus Daxtros empire gave it as a gift but the emperor did not had too much attention dedicated to it since the clope glass in itself was expensive enough to buy cities.
"This Empress expresses her gratitude." Seycea smiled magnanimously before indicating the people to start the fire show designed specially for entertainment. One moment the hall was thrumming with brightness and the very other it went partially dark with patterns of flowers and scenery start forming on the ceilings of the great palace.
The people were in awe as they have to crane their neck up to enjoy the show as if a second of delay and they would miss out the fire borne deer running or the butterfly fluttering her wings.
What started as a small display of various figures morphed into the ancient story of Ambrose. It was said that the very first emperor to establish the dynasty had to go on a war with the neighboring countries and have encountered a majestic beast in the forest that helped him win the battle.
The beast was a wolf depicted by fire and the king himself was a shadow.
The nobles had their breath taken away but there were some that rolled their eyes at the childish thing they called a great act.
"You like the show?"
"Not bad"
"This general will bring the artisans to display it every month with different colour fire. Would you like that?"
"This wife would love that." When Azarios smiled delightfully looking at the carefree look of Lilith many of the onlookers were stunned. The man was made of iron and steel and yet when looking at his wife, his look was full of warmth.
The show had not ended but the low voice of his had resonated to far off ears of the emperor and the prince and princess who had completely lost their interest in the fire act and were just looking at the couple without blinking.
Men gritted their teeth while Seycea was fuming in rage. The countess were no better. Among this unimaginable chaos the only one to remain calm was Princess Nevix who watched the two keenly observing every word and expression and then there was Prince Baez who looked frostly as if finding the interaction especially disturbing.
The brightness returned but very few cheered at first making the others remember to follow the course.
But why did Prince Baez felt this way, as if something belonging to him was ripped apart from him by force and then it is now bound to never be his again.
General Lady Lilith who are you truly?
To make the prince feel this way, what qualifications do you have?
The dam of emotions in Jillian's heart broke and like a wounded beast she smiled charmingly bleeding blood in her heart and stood up before bowing a little.
"This countess would like to display one's singing skills." And soon without any invitation, a competition broke.
CHAPTER BANQUET 4
Chapter dedicated to Sweetheart ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Flows elegant as the waterfall of heavens made the people sigh in intoxication, euphonious voice was enough to drown men and women alike. Countess Jillian was a siren among common folks, she sang till the doves flew inside the banquet halls and encircled her, flapping their wings in response to the melody. Jilllian was the heart of many men in the country, one of the most talented maidens and a beauty worth mentioning.
This was art and culture that the virtuous women of Ambrose had.The moment her singing stopped a roar of pleasantries and praises broke free.
"This Emperor is impressed with your unparalleled skill Countess Jillian, bestowing three carriages of gold." The Countess bowed, her lips forming a smirk as if the trouble she had caused before was completely forgotten and a new courage surged through her body. Even Empress mother looked so impressed of her.
Crimson satin shined with every moment she made, a piece of red diamond encrusted on the top of her hairpin, she looked like a flower nymph straight from the heavens.
"This Countess has heard that General Lady Lilith is beyond comprehension and non-comparable to other talents like this Countess, may general lady display her skills so this one can watch and learn." The provocation was clear as ice yet nobody stopped the woman from creating waves.
She smirked knowing extremely well that how come a coarse woman coming from such background can compete with her, even if she sings graciously she would never compare to her level of skill.
Jillian motioned a woman at the back to bring a musicial instrument.
"This Countess has heard the General Lady's maid saying that one is incomparable in Fiora, so this one tried to arrange the best quality instruments for Lady Lilith."
Reginia smirked in the background before coming in between the grand ceremony carrying a water bath encrusted with wooden enhancement and three silver wires. The instrument of Fiora was said to be from the eastern region of Guin mountains and only the people in the palace could afford to hire teachers to teach them how to play the particular water born symphony.
Regina had visited Countess Jillian when she failed to establish any connections to Empress Seycea through her chief maid Lemen and right now her heart was blossoming in all smiles watching her mistress losing her face infront of the nobles of the entire nation.
This was her revenge.
Lilith rose calmly coming infront of the emperor at some distance to the rivaling Countess while Azarios looked somewhat interested, as if looking forward to the show that she would present to him, since the day she had married into his Lotus mansion not even a single night has passed without something entertaining.
Toady also he hoped to see something otherworldly, nothing bothered him knowing that his wife has such deep schemes and cute ways so he just sat and drank wine.
Cute ways! the people of the court will bleed if they heard his thoughts.
His eyes were however glinting in cruelty as he looked at the maid smirking in the background, if she went home intact today Azarios decided to feed her to hounds alive and towards this Countess Jillian he would let that dirty wench be treated by his cunning wife.
"This General's wife would like to apologize to your ladyship Countess Jillian but this one is prohibited to sing." An uproar in the banquet was bound to happen, hushed whispers and murmurs were saying that the lady was a fool, she just looked good and nothing else. Yet the courage to reject the invitation to sing was like a slap to the royal family's face thus Empress mother was not happy.
"This empress mother wants to see General lady's skill but the one refuses, may I know the reason of such rejection." The words were sharp as blade but the woman standing infront was nonchalant as if a dog had barked. Lilith calmly raised her head a little and replied.
"I am the last priestess of goddess Riera, singing in any form other than to nature is considered unpure, this lowly one begs for forgiveness but the oath of goddess, this lowly servant will uphold till last breath."
The Empress mother could not help but stagger back a little, the people present in the banquet gasped in astonished. The Emperor's heart thumped while the others were speechless when a voice called out in a rude way.
"Liar! Right now just Princess Nevix told everyone that how-"
"Yeous mevore fiage' ios derop'?" The said princess ignored the blabbering countess and asked Lilith a question.
(The beast bestowed by the goddess, you accept?")
"tiras'"
(yes)
The people were unable to understand a single word so the princess sitting on the throne explained.
"His Highness Emperor Alexander has many rare gems in his country, this princess just asked the General lady if she can prove to us what she claims and she has replied affirmatively."
"Then prove by blessing the clope statue like you did in Daxtros ten years ago." The countess seethed.
"That cannot be done" Emperor Alexander had his temper flaring after hearing that polite tone but before he could order the woman to do as Countess Jillian said, Lilith continued.
"The statue of clope is not required, even the statue in the great shine that all the people of Ambrose have prayed infront of today would have been suffice but the moon and sun have passed the threshold, now even if one tries to bestow blessings it would be futile."
"She is making up tales empress mother!" Countess Cinthia watching the whole play seethed.
"Countess thinks that this General's wife is someone lower to her stature?" Azarios spoke a sentence and the entire hall fell into a hushed silence, it was as if the people were reminded that even though he was listening to them but Lilith was not someone they should go after if they did not wished to have a bloodthirsty General to come after them and peel of their skin from flesh.
The look he gave to the countess made the people be entirely silent, even the Empress mother did not opened her mouth after that and the countess to whom the words were directed felt pale, her body trembling.
"True, the day when you blessed Daxtron empire it was the right time of praying, we waited for two months and only when the time was right then the little priestess came." Princess Nevix concluded neither showing warmth nor her frosty attitude......she was lethal when in war.
This was a beginning of a war
"The question that remains is that are you the true priestess or you are making tales to bother the imperial ceremony." Empress Seycea who was sitting quietly whispered neither too low nor to loud and thus the doubt blossomed into the hearts of listeners.
"May the Empress allow this General's wife." Lilith closed her eyes and raised her head towards the ceiling as if calling out to the goddess above.
As soon as the golden irises opened, a roar so majestic made the castle grounds tremble that even the Emperor was left wide eyed.
The footsteps were soundless, yet the fears instilled in the heart of onlookers was even higher than the northwestern mountains that touch the skies.
"The goddess has heard us."
Azarios smirked as if saying....no my wife's beloved pet has heard you.