Court of Snakes: This Desert Cage

Celebration - The Palace | December of the Second Year

Well, Terran, he thought to himself as he sat up on the morning of his birthday, you've been doing this for two years. You're seventeen. How does it feel?

He chuckled to himself and stood, using the card to change his appearance. It had been over two years since his parents' deaths, and he was not sure if he should be sad or excited. After he spent time combing his hair and getting ready for the day, a heavy knock resounded across his door. "Come in!" Terran called.

A servant scuffled in bearing a large box covered in white paper and an enormous white bow. "This has arrived for you, My Lord."

"Huh," Terran mumbled and took the box from the man. "Thank you."

After the servant left, Terran opened the box and sorted through the contents. On top of mysterious lumps covered in glittering paper sat a small card.

Terran,

Another year older. Hardly, but finally seventeen. You still have a lot of growing up to do, physically and mentally, so don't get your hopes up. This isn't my way of giving you free rein or jurisdiction over anything. Yet. Inside are things for you. I know you like blue and white, so... there you are. I'm having armor fashioned for you. Stop by when you have the chance to pick it up. Oh, and there's something in there from Vena, too.

Happy Birthday,

Lexus

Terran could not believe The King had actually remembered his birthday. He grinned as he lifted a new set of clothes from the box. They were in The King's fashion but were in Embassy colors. Far too audacious for everyday Embassy wear. He knew he would not be able to put them on until the card wore off. Rune certainly—

"What odd clothes."

Terran jumped. Parisa stood at the door and Terran dropped what he was holding.

"I saw a servant bring it up, and I wondered who it was for," she continued. "Don't tell me you wear things that ostentatious every day, Lord Guildenhart."

"Oh! N-No... of course not," Terran recovered, folding the clothes and putting them in his dresser. "They're for a costume party."

"Costume party?" Parisa asked and raised her eyebrows in curiosity. Terran regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth, and he did not understand what it was about her that made him say outright stupid things. Parisa prodded, "Why haven't I heard of it?"

"Because I haven't announced it yet. I'm planning on holding it this month."

"Well! I hope I'm invited. What's it for?"

"To tell you the truth, it's my birthday."

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen," he lied.

"And who are these from?"

Parisa sat down next to him, her arm brushing his. He didn't like her, no. Not like that. The fear of saying something wrong and blowing his cover was what made him fumble.

"A friend of my father's." Terran told her the truth. The King had always told him that the best lies stemmed from a little truth. "And his wife."

Parisa watched him pull out a leather journal with gilded pages. "Do you write?"

"No," he muttered and read a small note on the front. "But I might now."

He lifted a book out of the bottom of the box titled Black Thorn. Terran recalled reading a book by the same author in The King's study when he had gotten bored. Parisa's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "You enjoy McGullen's works, too?"