Today was the day.
"Could he be any worse?" A young lady with auburn locks and fair skin lamented as she threw the letter in her hand into the burning fireplace of her bed chamber and dusted off her palms as if making a statement.
She walked to her dresser and took out emerald earrings from her jewelry box, putting them on in front of the mirror.
She scoffed. The audacity Reagan had to send her a personal invite to his birthday banquet on the morning of the event.
Her face morphed into a delicate frown. "I would not have even thought of attending if it wasn't for father…"
A knock sounded on her door startling her slightly. "Are you done, Lady Ashelia?"
Ashelia's lips thinned as she stared at the door. "Is that you, Lyra?" She asked. "Has father arrived at the foyer yet?"
"Yes, My lady." Her maid, Lyra answered. "He was the one who sent me to get you."
When Ashelia heard that, she hurriedly shoved the blue pendant hanging around her deck behind the high neckline of her emerald green ball gown, straightened out her dress before she rushed toward the door and opened it, coming face to face with Lyra.
Her green eyes were wide. "Let me see my mother first, then I will come with you." She told her before she hurriedly left the room.
Lyra was slow to react. "My lady!"
But Ashelia was already at the end of the hallway by the time she called. The maid sighed. 'How does she move so fast?'
Ashelia made her way to the other hallway at the eastern side of the manor as fast as she could. She walked toward the double doors at the end of the corridor and slowly pried them open.
She peeked into the room from the small crack and her face fell. A sickly pale woman lay still on the bed at the center of the beautifully decorated room, with intricate art carved into the walls and ceiling. The woman looked like she was dead, but the slow rising and falling of her chest said otherwise.
'She is still asleep…' Ashelia thought with a frown. 'Looks like I will have to collect another dose from Reagan today.'
She let out a small sigh and shut the door before walking down the staircase toward the grand foyer of the manor.
She could see her father below from where she was, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, a silver embroidered grey vest with pants of the same colour, an overcoat hanging over his arm and a sword hanging at his waist. His dark hair was tied back neatly since it was a little long.
Ashelia's lips twitched. 'Looks like father is going to turn heads at the ball again tonight.'
As if he sensed her behind him, her father's head swerved around to meet her and he broke into a wide smile.
"My lovely, Shelia!" He praised her excitedly. "You look as beautiful as always!"
"Father!" Ashelia swallowed the urge to groan in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed. 'Not this again!'
It was as if her father's smile became even wider. "Do not shout at your old man like that, my dear. I was only complimenting you."
Ashelia giggled. "This is just another one of your jokes, isn't it, father? You don't look a day over thirty!"
Her father laughed, took her hand and planted a small kiss on the back of her palm when she was close enough to him. "What took you so long?" He asked.
"Oh…" Ashelia avoided his eyes. "I–I went to check on mother…"
The man's face fell. "I see…"
"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat, breaking the awkward silence between them. They both turned toward the sound to see a man standing at the entrance of the foyer.
He was a tall, lithe man, with neatly parted hair and grey eyes, wearing a butler's outfit with his hands neatly clasped behind him. He was the manor's head steward and her father's most trusted aide, Elias.
"You will be late for the celebration if you carry on with this, your Grace." Elias said in a flat tone.
Ashelia's father let out a sigh. "I understand." He answered as he reached a hand out toward his daughter and she took it. "Let us depart."
….
The palace grounds were rowdy, one could tell from the moment they sighted the large golden gates.
Ashelia watched as their carriage went ahead of other carriages on the long line toward the entrance. She could see the envious looks other nobles gave them as they rode past.
She felt like her heart would burst from pride. "Hmph, in your next life, pray to be born into the only Ducal house in the kingdom."
Her father frowned at her slightly. "Shelia, compose yourself."
Ashelia stiffened. "I'm sorry."
As soon as they got to common ground, the Duke got out of the carriage first and held out a hand to help his daughter down. Ashelia took it and they walked arm in arm toward the entrance of the ballroom.
Before they could get past, a steward holding a silver tray stood in their way, and the Duke had to drop an invitation into it before they walked past.
"Try to mingle with the other nobles today, Shelia, please." The Duke asked softly. "I know I am to blame for your… introverted nature, but you need an ally other than the second Prince."
Ashelia pursed her lip, then she gave her father the best smile she could muster. "I will try my best, father. So please do not worry too much."
The Duke let out a silent sigh. "I hope I can trust you on that, my dear."
"Announcing His Grace Alistair de Orlan, Duke of Wynford and his daughter Ashelia de Orlan, heir of the house of Orlan!"
The herald called out so loudly that it almost rendered her deaf. Still, that was beside the point because the next thing that came were the stares of envy, admiration and curiosity.
As they walked toward their assigned table in front, she heard someone comment softly from the crowd, "This father-daughter duo, they are as lovely as ever. A pity the Duchess is never in their midst."
Ashelia stiffened but instead of scolding her, the Duke's grip around her arm tightened a little like a form of assurance.
"Raise your head high, my dear." He whispered firmly. "You are my daughter. Meaningless phrases like that shouldn't faze you."
Ashelia let her eyes drift shut, after a moment she opened them again and they were full with determination. "Yes, father."
Suddenly, there was a series of instruments playing and the unbelievably loud voice of the herald from the hall's door.
Alistair frowned slightly at the entrance. "It seems like we were the last of the relevant families to arrive."
"Announcing the royal family, His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of the Empire of Dalniar, Garius von Dalniar, his wife, Her Imperial Majesty, The Empress of the Empire of Dalniar, Deneria von Dalniar,
The Crown Prince, Cedric von Dalniar and the Second Prince, Reagan von Dalniar!"