Author: Loki<3
The grand banquet of Alvareth lasted three full days — a celebration of divine favor, of royalty, of fate itself unfolding before the eyes of nobles, envoys, and emissaries across the continent.
Day One was solemn and ceremonial.
The blessing of Prince Caius by Saintess Seraphina sent waves through the upper courts. A child of prophecy, anointed by the heavens themselves, was now confirmed to be on the path toward sainthood.
The royal ballroom glowed in soft candlelight, echoing with the clinking of crystal and quiet reverent music. Caius was seated between his parents, regal and golden, while Seraphina sat not far from them — with Auren at her side, silent and observant.
Though unannounced, Auren became the most talked-about guest in whispers behind fans and wine glasses.
Day Two became more lively — a celebration of music, performance, and storytelling.
Caius dazzled the court with a demonstration of his swordsmanship and elemental affinity, invoking both flame and wind with grace unexpected of an eight-year-old. The nobles cheered, prideful and reassured.
Yet Auren, standing near Seraphina with a plate of sweet cakes, watched quietly… and the prince watched him too.
An unspoken awareness passed between them, as if both boys sensed something they didn't have the words for.
Day Three turned festive.
With the formalities done, the atmosphere turned lighthearted. Nobles brought their children to greet the Saintess. Auren — now dressed in elegant clothes tailored to near-perfection — responded with polite bows and soft-spoken thanks.
He smiled. He laughed once. He looked, for a moment, like any other noble child.
But those with sharper eyes noted the way his features mirrored Seraphina's too perfectly.
And so the questions that had remained beneath silk and etiquette began to twist through the marble halls like vines:
"Who is he?"
"Why didn't she announce him?"
"He must be her son. There's no other explanation."
Inside the high council chamber of the Alvareth palace, golden light spilled in through tall windows, casting long shadows across polished stone. Seraphina sat in dignified stillness, Auren beside her like a mirror carved in flesh and spirit.
Before her sat King Elfred and Queen Seraphine. The room was quiet, filled only with the faint crackle of the enchanted hearth.
"Saintess," the King began, "once again, we are honored by your presence. Prince Caius… has been glowing with divine energy since your blessing. We are beyond grateful."
"He carries within him the touch of something sacred," Seraphina replied softly. "The light always finds those destined to carry it."
The King nodded, then leaned slightly forward, lacing his fingers together.
"As agreed, Prince Caius will be delivered to the Holy Empire for his education after his eighth birthday celebration."
"Yes," Seraphina said, her voice warm but calm. "Such is the path all bearers of light must walk."
Then came the pause — deliberate, weighty.
"And this child you've brought with you…"
His gaze shifted to Auren. "You've said little about him."
Auren stiffened, but Seraphina laid a gentle hand over his, still looking at the king.
"That is because little can be said," she answered softly. "His origins are… veiled, even from us. The Holy Empire has declared his circumstances confidential."
A flicker of surprise crossed the Queen's face, and even the King blinked once.
"You brought a child of mystery into a royal court?" he asked, not unkindly — but pointedly.
Seraphina offered a small, composed smile.
"The Holy Empire does not encourage rivalry between children chosen by fate. Our teachings guide us to protect the weak, to nurture the lost, and to fight darkness — not each other."
She then extended her right hand to Prince Caius, still seated with innocence in his eyes… and her left to Auren, who was watching her with silent wonder.
"Light is not a weapon to turn against one another," she said, voice rich and gentle like morning sun. "It is a gift to be shared. A torch to guide — not a fire to consume."
Her words floated through the chamber like incense, soothing yet firm.
The Queen exhaled, easing into a slight smile. But the King… his gaze lingered on Auren.
"He looks like you, not just because of the symbol of sainthood.... he resembled you quite suspiciously." he finally murmured.
Seraphina tilted her head slightly.
"There are many things in this world that defy simple answers, Your Majesty."
Seraphina did not answer directly. Her words drifted in circles, deliberately vague, as though she sought to deflect the question rather than confront it. To the royalty gathered, it appeared as if she wished to maintain her composure, but the truth was far more complex. Long before this very gathering, Seraphina had already acted. The very day she laid eyes upon the strange child, she had written to the Holy Empire in secret, sealing the letter with her personal crest and entrusting it only to her most loyal courier.
In that letter, she urged the high priests to conduct a thorough inquiry into the boy's origins. His striking features—his golden eyes that gleamed like shards of sunlight and his silver hair that shimmered even beneath the faintest torchlight—were far from ordinary. In fact, such traits were not only rare, but considered to be a divine marker, a sign of providence that mortals could neither dismiss nor easily explain away.
The church, diligent as ever, spared no effort. Records from every temple were scoured, from the smallest rural chapels to the grand archives of the capital. Names of the abandoned, the lost, and the orphaned were searched. Witnesses were questioned, even rumors pursued. And yet, to the astonishment of the Empire, there was nothing. Not a single scroll, not a single parchment, bore the boy's name or hinted at his existence. It was as though Auren had emerged from thin air, untouched by mortal history.
The lack of information unsettled even the priests. The Holy Empire, which prided itself on its meticulous records and divine authority, found itself confronted with silence. They debated endlessly over the matter. Some dismissed him as an insignificant child, a soul so ordinary that he left no mark upon the world. But others—those more cautious, more suspicious—proposed a darker possibility. Perhaps Auren's origin had not merely been overlooked. Perhaps it had been deliberately erased.
There was unease in that thought. To erase a record so completely required influence, power, and purpose. Who would go to such lengths to conceal a mere child? And why? Was Auren truly as innocent as he appeared, or was there a truth hidden so grave that even the Holy Empire dared not speak it aloud?
For Seraphina, these questions lingered in the back of her mind every time she looked at him. Auren's quiet demeanor, the way his presence seemed to still the air around him, was unlike any other child. His existence itself was an enigma, one that even she, the revered Saintess, could not unravel.
And so, as she stood before the royalties of Alvareth now, her silence was not ignorance—it was caution. She knew the truth was beyond their comprehension, for even the Holy Empire itself had found nothing. Whether Auren was a forgotten orphan, a concealed heir, or a divine mystery placed in her path, only time would reveal. Until then, Seraphina would keep her answer vague, guarding both the boy and the secrets that surrounded him.