Autumnian Ball

The Ball (Part One)

"Are you excited for the ball tonight, Princess Shazi?" Catalina asked as she worked on buttoning the princess's dress. The princess nodded rapidly, causing her small crown to fall lopsided. Catalina quickly rearranged the gold crown and the veil sprouting from it.

"I'm weally excited! I can't wait to have the wing! And thewe's gonna be lots of food!" Shazi exclaimed. Catalina nodded.

"I've heard the pumpkin tarts the cooks made are incredible," she said as she stood, the princess fully dressed. "I'll look forward to eating some, if there's any left by the time I get there!"

Shazi giggled. "I'll save you one," she promised.

"That would be lovely," Catalina said. "Well, you're all dressed! The necklace you'll be wearing from now on is in the box with the conduit, so you won't need to worry about that. Otherwise, you're all ready for the ball."

Shazi pointed to Catalina's set of drawers.

"Can I have some of the spawkly eye stuff?" Shazi said. "It looks weally pretty!"

Catalina paused for a moment, uncertain. But the princess looked up at the tailor with dark, wide, pleading eyes.

"Ah, okay. Just a little," Catalina laughed, walking over to her wooden drawers. She opened one and pulled out a small container of golden glitter, a gift from an old Summerian friend.

Catalina got the tiniest amount of glitter on the tip of her finger and dabbed some on each of Shazi's eyelids. It was hardly noticeable, but when the princess studied herself in the mirror Catalina had leaned against a wall, she seemed pleased.

"Ooh, that colow's pwetty!" Shazi exclaimed. "Thank you Catalina!"

"You're welcome, Princess Shazi," Catalina chuckled. "Now, why don't we go head to your parents' study to show them your dress?"

Shazi nodded rapidly, following Catalina out the door and into the hall.

The hallways were calm, eerie compared to yesterday's madness. The small palace's gates opened in one hour, and thirty minutes after that, the ceremony of passing down the conduit would officially start the ball.

A few scattered servants passed, all greeting their princess and well-liked tailor. Otherwise, the two walked down the carpeted hallway alone. The two finally reached a pair of wooden doors, bare except for a few maple leafs carved into them.

Catalina knocked four times, then swung open the doors. Shazi ran inside, Catalina shutting the doors and following behind her.

"Good evening, Your Highnesses," Catalina said. "She's all ready for tonight. There were no problems with the dress and I admit it, she convinced me into putting a tiny bit of glitter on her eyes," she admitted with a laugh. Nikoletta and Caspar, sitting together at a table, beamed.

"Thank you for everything, Catalina," Caspar said. "Shazi looks incredible."

~~~~~~~~

"Autumnians, I welcome you to the palace of Oktuber."

King Caspar's voice rang across the crowded ballroom. The windows were open to the night breeze, and the sunset outside lit the room up magnificently.

Nikoletta and Shazi waited behind a door cracked open enough for them to hear what was going on in the ballroom and the balcony that Caspar was making his speech on.

The queen held a scarlet box tightly in her hands- Autumn's conduit. Even with guards at every door- even two guarding either side of the door the royals stood in front of- she still found herself nervous.

Golden leaves, I'm so wound up, Nikoletta thought. Deep breaths. Stay calm. We've put so much work into the security of this ball- all will go smoothly.

"The kingdoms of Primoria are not in the state of peace they once experienced. However, through these difficulties, Autumn has managed to remain whole. We have steadily made progress towards healing our kingdom, and tonight we make a step in our progress," Caspar continued.

Nikoletta smiled down at her daughter.

"Are you ready, Shazi?" she asked. Shazi looked up at her mother, her face filled with determination.

"Yes," she said confidently.

"I present to you, the princess and female heir of Autumn, Princess Shazi."

"That's our cue," Nikoletta whispered, swinging open the doors.

Shazi walked in first, her hands neatly folded in front of her, Nikoletta following behind, carrying Autumn's conduit. She clutched the box so tightly her knuckles were white. Nikoletta looked over their audience- a sea of fall colors stared up at their royal family.

Shazi took her spot in front of her father, and Nikoletta stood to his right, handing him the box.

"Princess Shazi, of the Kingdom of Autumn, do you swear to use the magic of the royal conduit to benefit your kingdom?" Caspar asked.

"I do," Shazi responded levelly, sounding much older than she actually was.

"Do you swear to never use the conduit of Autumn to bring unnecessary hate and bloodshed?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to never turn your back on your people and use the conduit if Autumn for selfish desires?"

"I do."

"Then I present you, Princess Shazi of Autumn, with your kingdom's magical conduit," Caspar said.

He opened the box and pulled out the ring, connected to the golden chain. Nikoletta took the empty box from his hands as he slid the ring on Shazi's finger, who clenched her hand in a tight fist to keep it there while her father wrapped the golden chain around her neck.

The royal family turned to face the crowd, which went up in applause. They all let out a sigh of relief- everything had gone smoothly.