The Elven Slayer Princess

The Search for Hope

Several weeks later...

    As a new layer of snow fell in New Manteau, it had decorated much of the city as people went into hiding in their homes after the beasts appeared. The King put out a decree no one shall be out past curfew at night. The streets were covered with snow within hours of the announcement. Pretty soon the flurries of snow turned into blizzard like conditions. Olivia's father, King Leonidas, after the decree, told his Royal Guard to wear the armor over their clothes to be protected. And to be on alert for more of the beasts. 

Some creatures had been seen as far as the plains in Wildbourne, several had been seen south in Denbrook and in western Manteau, but few had been seen north of the city. So, the King and his royal attendants felt safe to conduct their gala in the Ashview castle. The Feathers Wing Ball was this day. And all the royal staff were prepping the kitchen with food.

Among the attendants of the staff were Olivia's stepmother Violet, who was pacing franticly, for word about her stepdaughter. A member of her personal staff handed her the staff menu in order to have it verified. She skimmed it knowing very well that certain members of the staff had a particular stance on not serving any food after a certain time. 

"Well, some of these vegetables are hard to get after the recent drought. Take this back and make a new list of reliable ingredients and have someone in your staff get them for the dinner tonight. This totally will not do! Go, Go, Go! We are running late!" The attendant rushed ahead almost knocking into several other royal servers. 

After this happened, Violet noticed her phone hadn't beeped yet. 

"My dear Olivia, what heavens will I do with you?" she sighed.

She walked over and sat in the chair in the dining room hall. The place had been wonderfully furnished with chairs and tables set up in the center of the hall, and the entertainment crew was set up right next to the stage. The music was being handled by the audio crew, sans her input about it. But she trusted the source of the young people in the community. 

She remembered her stepdaughter even suggested several bands, "No, that's so Roc Heavy, Vi..."

 "Roc Heavy, I assume that means boring?" Her stepmother asked. 

Olivia nodded. Liv stated in her young and energetic voice. 

"Well, if you're asking. If you want to appeal to the crowd, you have to have something with a beat. Live is always better!" She replied.

 "Are you sure dear, it looks a little unruly."

 She showed her a video of young rock band at a live show. "That's just the way it's done."

 The video showed the crowd moving towards the band in motion of the song. "It should be something that will make us move and shake our butts, so we'll want to stay out there!" She pointed to the band on the video.

 "There, that's them!"

Liv showed the pop/rock band 'Just Phenomenon', a recently popular band that the current gen liked, that Liv knew would dance and groove to. 

"They are kickin'! They are hot! Yeah!" She giggled.

 "If you say so...," said Violet. It was a cute boy pop/rock band. They had several songs in the top 10 rock charts. The crowds at their shows were electric. All of them were sold out. "This will set the stage on fire!" As she said this the band on the video struck a guitar chord loudly and the crowd erupted.

Just then the royal aides stepped down the long twisting stairs. Down those long stairs there were decorated flourishes of art along the walls and on where they stood in credence to the King. He demanded such things. He loved artistic expression. He had paintings in the entrance to the dining hall. He had several in the rooms above and some below. He encouraged outings for young folk in the spring to experience all the benefits that art provided. This was a sometimes neat bonding experience for him and his daughter. But with his current duties as King and as a willing diplomat to the free world, those experiences were few and far between.