Awakening Of Magic

🌄🔆 Chapter 28 🔆🌄

Evening came, and with the setting of the sun, a royal guest.

Everyone donned their finery for the welcome dinner. Including Aurelia, whose thoughts strayed to the King's gentle touch from that morning as she put on the silver gown he'd requested her to wear that night.

She met Alexan - in a fantastical, chic suit - at the top of the stairs, and they descended together. In the main hall, all of the courtiers invited to the dinner that evening were gathered by the doors.

When the opened, a herald called out, "Announcing King Baltazar Kahnrey of Devos, The Dark Elf Kingdom."

All the courtiers bowed as the imposing, powerful man entered. He was tall, about the same height as King Kaidan. He wore all shades of black and grey, making his many pendants and rings stand out in sharp contrast. A circlet adorned his salt-and-pepper black hair, a fiery gem at his brow. His eyes seemed to have an identical gleam of fiery gold, sharp and shrewd as he appraised the gathered crowd. 

King Kaidan greeted him with a graceful bow. Clearly most in attendance chose to respect the Dark Elves' preference for dark colours, and the king too wore a black suit with a blue cape and sharp gold epaulettes. "Welcome back."

King Baltazar returned the gesture with a bow precisely as low as the one he'd been offered. "Many moons have passed. I see new stars have risen in your court." His fiery eyes flicked to Aurelia in the silver gown the king had chosen for her. "You must introduce me."

Her heart started to pound. She hadn't even noticed him see her as he walked in, but he singled her out so definitely. Granted, her and Alexan's partially white ensembles were somewhat out of place amongst the darker fabrics.

Kaidan agreed with a brief second of apparent reluctance. "Of course. Lady Liryn, you know. I will entrust the comfort of your stay to her, if you agree."

As they came closer, the humans tried to tame their nerves.

"Very well. My lady."

"Your Majesty, it is an honour to see you again."

Once his eyes met theirs, Alexan and Aurelia bowed.

Kaidan gestured to them gracefully. "These are the humans that were somehow brought here from the non-magical realm. Aurelia Hale and Alexan Carter."

"King Baltazar." As she rose from her curtsey, Aurelia gasped as suddenly he took her chin in his hand. He held her gaze closely, her green eyes widening.

The elf muttered a single word in the elvish language as he considered them both briefly, then nodded. This seemed to be a signal that he was ready to move on, and the dinner party began.