Autumnian Ball

Three Days Before the Ball

Autumn's capital was growing more and more busy at every passing hour. Decorations were being set up in the large ballroom in the palace, the cooks were discussing what food to bake, and all around Oktuber there were tailors and seamstresses hard at work.

That's where King Caspar, Queen Nikoletta, and Princess Shazi were riding on horses, socializing with their subjects.

Oktuber was an amazing city- fallen leaves always blew around in the streets, sometimes getting caught in whirlwind currents and spinning around a person before blowing away again.

Some streets were worn cobblestone, some were simply packed dirt. Most of them featured markets, tents lined up on either side of the road selling all sorts of goods- lanterns, carpets, silks, food; anything an Autumnian might need.

The homes of Oktuber varied greatly. Some streets would have magnificent tents set up, and when a breeze blew by the flaps would open, revealing lush pillows and carpets inside.

Other houses were made of stone, weathered down from wind and rain, with stained-glass windows that were commonly open to the crisp autumn breeze.

One thing stayed constant in Oktuber- the trees.

In front of nearly every home, growing in every alley, there were trees young and old constantly shedding leaves of magnificent colors.

In the distance one could almost always hear music playing. Stringed instruments would be played by performers to create a mystical feeling in the streets. Other times there would be drumbeats echoing around the city, giving the air a more powerful and upbeat tone.

Other rare days, both types of music flowed like a river through Oktuber. Musicians would all come together on special occasions and roam the streets playing, letting everyone in the ever-changing city know that there was something to celebrate.

Today was one of those days- the royal family was visiting Oktuber.

King Caspar and Queen Nikoletta rode chestnut horses side-by-side. Nikoletta rode with Princess Shazi in her lap.

Every once in a while, the princess would need to burn energy. Shazi would hop off the horse's sadle (it had taken a while for Nikoletta's horse to get used to the spontaneous actions, but now it hardly took notice) and she would run around, waving to people and greeting those she would one day be ruling over.

The king and queen made an effort to go and walk around Oktuber at least once a month. It was a good way to meet with the people and see more of their city- the job of ruling a kingdom was very time consuming, and the king and queen could rarely take a moment to take in all the beauty of the kingdom they loved so much.

"Hello, Your Majesties!" a young boy said from a tent. The small of pumpkin tarts wafted through the air- Shazi sat up and waved to the baker.

"Hi!" she exclaimed. "Awe you selling pumpkin tawts?"

The young boy laughed and nodded.

"I just finished a batch, yes! Would you like one?"

Shazi looked up at her mother with pleading eyes.

"Please?"

Nikoletta smiled and nodded.

"You can go have one," she said as she lifted her daughter up and set her on the street.

Shazi hopped up to the tent, watching happily as the young boy reached over and handed her the small pumpkin tart.

"This one's on the house- consider it a birthday gift, Princess!" he said. Shazi beamed at him.

"Thank you!" she laughed as she hurried back to her mother, who picked her up and set her back on the horse.

Nikoletta suddenly grabbed Shazi's arm before the princess took a bite.

"Can Mommy have a little bite?" Nikoletta asked. Shazi nodded and held out the tart, and the queen took a small bite. It tasted amazing- cinnamon and pumpkin spice. After a few seconds, she smiled and nodded, looking at the baker.

"You're very talented, young man! Thank you!"

The baker's face turned scarlet with the compliment from his queen.

"T-thank you! Have a nice day, Your Majesties!"

~~~~~~~~

"What was that about, at the baker's?" King Caspar quietly asked his wife.

The sun had set and a silver moon hung in the sky. Caspar and Nikoletta were walking down the halls of the Autumnian palace, heading to bed after a long afternoon in Oktuber and an evening of planning for the ball.

"It's going to sound awful, Caspar, but for a moment I had the most paranoid thought that there would be something wrong with that pumpkin tart!" Nikoletta said quietly with a laugh. "I've just been so worried for Shazi. She's only a little girl- what if Spring tries to make sure Autumn won't have its female heir?"

Caspar stopped walking and rested his hands on his wife's shoulders.

"Spring would never make a move like that," the king assured. "And remember, we have Cordellan support. Don't worry, Nikoletta- you know I won't let anything happen to Shazi."

Nikoletta nodded and embraced Caspar in a tight hug.

"I know. I just want her to be safe and happy," she murmured.

"I know," Caspar said quietly. "One day, she'll be strong enough to make that happen."