TERRITORY WARS: The Royal Ballads (On Hold)

Chapter 4: Only a conjuror's trick

Chapter4: Only a conjuror's trick.

The lights in the hall were not candle-lit. Belgwen wondered if she was the only one who noticed it.

"Mother, I’m telling you, those are not candle lights," she said.

Belgwen's mother, who was deeply engrossed in a talk with a friend, looked to her side and gave her a forced smile.

"Belgwen dear, Like I said, it's only a conjuror's trick," her mother said.

Belgwen growled and folded her arms defiantly. "If father were here, he would know what it was."

"You mean, he would agree with you; it was magic."

"Yes, because it is!"

Her mother sighed, "Whatever you wish to call it, dear," and went back to talking with her friend.

I wish father were here.

But her father was far away from the castle, hunting in the lowlands. She wished she was with him, pulling the strings of her bow and loosing arrows. She loved that; the feel of her oaken bow in her hand which had an exquisite bend to it. She could feel the vague euphoria of letting arrows fly at galloping animals. Belgwen wished she was anywhere but here.

Her family was not a noble one but they were part of a noble clan and also close relations to a noble family, therefore they had to be present. Their table was on the third podium. The king and his officials had the first podium, the families of high lords, and the second. The third raised podium, which was the widest, had the minor lordly houses before the ground floor where the castle workers sat.

The conjurors took to the floor entertaining guests with little tricks. The only trick that caught her attention was when a conjuror made the cups on a table disappear; only to later reveal them glued underneath the base of the table. Belgwen watched the Prince from her seat.

He's just as bored as I am. He wants to do something else like me.

The Prince caught her staring with a frown and Belgwen dug her face in a cup feigning interest in her drink.

Better not to let him get the wrong vibes.

It was no secret that the Prince liked Lyna, the daughter of Lord Gune. They had even been caught many times kissing. But that was years ago. She had even heard rumors that the King and Lord Gune had agreed on a betrothal soon. Belgwen was just fifteen, what did she care about betrothals and marriages? Although, the law stated young elf-women should be betrothed before the age of twenty, Belgwen was keen on snubbing the law. Not everyone followed the rule.

Her friends ate together at a table two spaces away; Alanna with her wispy blonde hair, Ridian with his auburn eyes and spiky golden curls. People who didn't know Ridian and Alanna would think they were related but they weren't. There was also Fat Tamil with his patted brown hair. Most of the young elves from noble families had been kept at that table.

"Can I go join my friends?" Belgwen asked, hoping that her mother would let her. Her mother brushed aside her raven hair to look at her. She still looked a maiden in her years of flowering.

"Sure sure." The permission granted was wasted when her cousin came in and her chance to leave was gone. "Oh!" shrieked her mother. "Your uncle's here and your cousin too, stay- Sit Belgwen."

Belgwen grudgingly did so. Great, there goes my opportunity to at least have some fun. There was no entourage of guards or other family members with Lord Gerick and his son, Malik. They entered in the same manner two strangers traveling from a far place would. Straight to the throne where the king sat, they went. Lord Gerick was cool in his traveler's cloak and protruding red fringe. His beard was a short uncombed thing which made him look weary; a tall and chin-up man overall. Her cousin was less calm; He was, looking everywhere with his dark grey eyes sparkling with interest. Malik was short - too short for his age. Belgwen towered over him with a foot and half although she was a year older.