"Congratulations, your Highness." Reginald said, in a ninety degree bow. "If I had known that something so important and joyous would've happened today, I would've prepared an appropriate gift."
Magnus, Julian and Isadora were now seated on their thrones. With Magnus in the middle and the two of them on both sides of him.
Magnus' intimidating throne from earlier was gone, and its place was a smaller, more comfortable, seat. With soft red cushions and golden accents on the armrest, but still magnificent.
Julian and Isadora's was of the same design, but with lower backs.
"And welcome to the family, Prince Julian and Princess Isadora." Reginald added with a broad smile. "I promise that I will serve in the best of my ability."
"There will be a time for gift giving, Reginald, and then you can give whatever gift you deem appropriate." Magnus said. "And if I told you, than it would have ruined the surprise. But fret not, Reginald, the day is still young and there is still much to look forward to.
So, please, eat and drink as much as you can."
"I shall do just that, your Highness. And again, congratulations to you and your family." Reginald added.
"Thank you, Sir Reginald." Julian and Isadora thanked.
'This is getting tiring.' Julian thought.
Duke Reginald were only the seventh person to come to them and give them their well wishes and congratulations, and he was already tired of it all.
'It seems like it's going to be a long day.' Julian mulled, seeing the size of the crowd, which totaled about three hundred vampires. 'I just want to awaken already.'
He was looking forward to finally awakening, but this holdup was making him impatient.
'Hmm?' Julian thought, as an interesting figure stepped forward.
"Your Majesty," Rubiette, last of the eight Grand Ducal houses. But something about Rubiette was strange; her hands was clasped tight as if she was fighting against something.
Her shoulders were shaking, she bit hard on her bottom lip and her eyes were slightly teary.
"I-I must congratulate you on the... birth of your offspring, your Majesty." Her voice was breaking. "This is completely news to me, to all of us actually. So sudden, but I'm h-happy t-to see that things are going well for you."
A single tear dropped from her eye.
Magnus was silent for what felt like forever, trying to find the right words.
"...Thank you, Rubiette. And, I'm sorry."
Rubiette turned on her heel and walked away, tears falling from her eyes, onto the marble floors.
Meanwhile Julian and Isadora were giving Magnus the death stare, while Magnus acted oblivious it.
Even though they were locked up since birth and had no real contact with the world, they are still able to recognize a broken heart.
"Did you have an affair with that lady, Father?" Isadora's tone made Magnus sweat.
"Of course not." He said, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "It's a long story."
Julian signaled for Mila to come over, since it looked like his father weren't going to tell them anything.
"Why is she crying?" He whispered in her ear.
"Everytime a new patriarch comes into power, he has to take one of the women from the 8 Grand Ducal houses as his main wife.
And this time it was the Bloodbane House's turn.
Duchess Rubiette and his Majesty have been engaged for centuries, but they never got married–for reasons I'm not aware of–but 11 years ago, his Highness suddenly broke off the engagement without giving an explanation.
And with Your Majesty and Princess Isadora's appearance here today, we now know why.
And based off her reaction, it seems Duchess Rubiette truly loved His Majesty."
"Damn, that sucks." Julian looked over to where Duchess Rubiette was sobbing and noticed that she was being comforted by two other woman, one of them being Nala.
"It seems she and Nala is close." Julian remarked.
"Best friends, my Prince." Mila responded.
'Guess this is why she always had an attitude with us.' He noted. 'Having to raise your best friends ex-fiance's kids? Yeah, that must've sucked.'
Julian felt bad that something like this happened to the Duchess, but on the other end, he was actually happy his father did that, otherwise he wouldn't have been born.
And beside, even though Duchess Rubiette was beautiful, she doesn't even come close to his mother in terms of looks.
And there was no doubt in Julian's mind that his father loved their mother, so he understood the choices he made.
"And who is the other lady that is with them?" He asked.
The woman in question had the same features as Rubiette: long, smooth black hair, a pale face, small nose, red eyes, and with ample assets.
But she was way younger and more beautiful than the Duchess. Dressed in tight black gown, that accentuated her figure.
"That is Lady Brianna Bloodbane. The younger sister of the Duchess." Mila said, attentive as ever. "And might I add; I think that she will be your future Empress."
"Hmm?" Julian hummed, his gaze never leaving Brianna. "And why do you think that?"
Hearing that he will marry a woman he saw for the first time wasn't a shock to Julian, since he knew that that is an obligation that comes with the title, and is something that will have to happen eventually and he most likely won't have a say in the matter.
"I don't think the Duchess and His Majesty is going to get married. And even though that is the case, it is still House Bloodbane's turn to have a woman from their bloodline as the Empress.
So once you become Emperor, you will marry Lady Brianna and she will become your Empress.
In fact, I think they will push for the two of you to get married before you even become the Emperor, in fear that you may pull the same stunt as your father."
"I think you might be on to something." Julian said, making eye contact with Brianna, who felt his intense gaze on her. "But isn't she a bit too old for me?"
Julian saw Brianna's face turn to a scowl, as if she could hear them speaking.
And she could hear them. Everyone could hear them.
The whole throne room turned silent the moment the Duchess stepped up to congratulate them, and they didn't make a sound the entire time, which allowed them to hear Julian and Mila's conversation loud and clear.
"No, my Prince. Lady Brianna is but a mere 120 years old." Mila answered Julian's last question, unaware that they could be heard.
'Shit.' Julian cussed in his mind.
Ahem.
Magnus cleared his throat and only then did Mila realize that everyone could hear their conversation.
She inclined her head to Julian before stepping back. Unbothered. Because she did nothing except answer the questions the Crown Prince had.
"I think that is enough with the well wishes." Magnus announced, rising from his throne. "It is time to move on to the next event.
Coincidentally, today is also the tenth birthday of my children, which means it is time for their awakening."
A knight walked in pushing a rolling table and on the table was a smooth circular ball that had different colors swirling inside of it.
"Isadora, step forward and place your hand on the awakening stone." Magnus instructed and Isadora did as told.
Isadora reached the awakening stone and closed her eyes as she placed her left hand on the stone, expecting the same sensation to occur as the first time.
But she opened her eyes when she felt nothing happening and saw that the stone was not reacting to her touch.
Whispers started erupting from the crowd, all of them shocked that something like this is happening, causing Isadora's nerves to shoot through the roof.
Just as she was about to remove her hand and cower it shame and embarrassment, she felt a comforting touch on the top of her hand.
Standing next to her was Julian, giving her the most reassuring smile she has ever seen. That smile instantly evaporated her nerves and a broad smile appeared on her face.
"Together." Julian said.
"Together." Isadora repeated.
The stone reacted to their joint touch.
Enveloping them both into light that was swirling with different colors–and levitating them into the air making them appear as ethereal.
Not only that, the two of them were undergoing drastic physical changes. Julian's hair changed color: from jetblack to a pure snowy-white.
His limbs elongated to the point that the suit he wore shredded. His face lost their cuteness and took on the handsomeness of a young man.
The red in his eyes dimmed, turning faint. His skin turned even paler and smoother than it was before, appearing as if he had never felt the rays of the sun on him.
His hair lengthened, red earrings in the form of katanas appeared on both of his ears. On the point finger of his right hand a black ring formed.
Isadora also experienced changes: her long white hair grew in length and became even purer.
She became taller, fuller, stretching her dress to the maximum. Her face aged, making her look like a 15 year old.
On her right hand appeared a silver bracelet with red gems and on her left ear an earring in the shape of a staff appeared.
But what no one noticed was the single tear that dropped from her eye.