The Arcane Awakening

A Royal Surprise

It was a splendor they had not seen even when the Regius family was at its peak.

Entrance into the manor provided a view of the grand hall, adorned with tapestries, banners, and heraldic symbols of the family's heritage. A massive chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting a warm, amber glow over the polished marble floors. Musicians greeted the flocking guests, as they played from a balcony above. Servants hustled around, arranging floral displays and lighting torches to create a picturesque ambiance.

The library's walls were lined with teeming bookshelves, interspersed with glorious portraits of the Regius ancestor, from the great Helena to the late Henry and Genevieve. All these, it was rumored, were bought back tenfold by the present patriarch from the scheming, grubby hands of collectors. A roaring fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows across the room, their dark hands sweeping here and there. The guests lounged in plush, velvet armchairs and sofas, sipping fine wine and nibbling on delicate hors d'oeuvres that were served on silver trays.

The drawing room itself was opulent. Intricately carved furniture, sumptuous fabrics, and gleaming brass fixtures littered the place. Below a painting by a renowned artist from the capital (depicting a mountain that swelled into the reaches of heaven) one of the guests reclined on an ornate, upholstered sofa. He smiled, listening to the talented musician that fingered the grand piano on the corner.

In the dining hall, the long banquet table was set with fine china, crystal glassware, and polished silverware. Innumerable candles flittered around, floating in the air through magic, and casted a warm, almost romantic glow. The scent of fresh flowers entered the guests' nose, from the elaborate floral centerpieces that filled the room. Roses, lilies, orchards, tastefully arranged in silver vases. The servants moved quietly about, serving them a sumptuous feast of roasted meat, savory pies, and decadent desserts.

"Well," Sybil said, "what do you think?"

Ford grabbed the roast venison, licked the juniper berry off, and devoured it. "I think it's a hell of a good meal!"

"Mind your manners, Ford." Sybil indulged in a spirit, nodded to Ford's conclusion. "But that's not what I meant. The whole mess, I mean."

"I think everything's in right order,"

"You..." Sybil sighed.

"The boy's a genius. What do you expect? Have you seen the theses he'd written?" Ford gazed at the buttered trout, thought better of it, then thought worse of it. He greedily retrieved one. "Disproves even Aetherius' greatest scholars!"

"Interesting, to be sure. But not in matters that deal with arcana, of course,"

"Still as suspicious as ever!"

Sybil snorted. "How could I not be? The boy was deemed incapable of magic! It was a total rejection of arcana by his body, as Lycan himself said."

"Speaking of the man, where is he? Last I heard of him was almost three months ago." Ford's plate had dwindled to traces of sauce. He dabbed his cheeks with the napkin, smoothed his graying hair, and covered his mouth as he used a toothpick. "Away on business, I suppose?"

"The boy couldn't manage a matter as head of the family. Details I'm unaware of even as head newswriter."

"Because of his supposed impotence?"

Sybil nodded. "Valoria asked for Lycan to come in the Regius' stead. A fine knock to the pride of the whole family, I'd say. He finished a month ago; that was the last I heard of him, anyway."

Ford's face was grim. "I have no longer any trust in Valoria."

"Why this sudden confession?"

"I fear they have been unfair to the boy,"