The Feast Hall was silent as everyone arrived in their new garments and sat down in the seat they were directed to. Xia soon found herself at the center of the right side sitting between a boy and a girl. The girl was dressed in clothes a lot like her own just with more armor. Her long black hair was tied over her shoulder with a rope braid laddered on it and bright blue eyes peered out from under her side swept bangs. She took notice that the girl had slightly pointed ears and skin that seemed to glow.
The boy on the other hand had dark skin and hair so short that it looked black. His steely grey eyes flickered towards her and he gave her a playful smirk. Xia rolled her eyes and looked at everyone else around the table; they all looked so different and had on clothes that fit where they were from. Before she could finish studying them all the servants walked in with the food. The feast was made up of dishes from all over the land of Draniues, she didn’t recognize more than half of the food. A large plate of meat was sat just a few inches in front of her and she reached out and took a piece. It had no aroma and had a smoky yet woody taste to it.
“It’s Whelpling meat.” The girl next to her said as she looked at her, her voice was laced with an accent that Xia had never heard before and found to be beautiful.
She swallowed the meat in her mouth before she spoke, “What’s a Whelpling?”
The girl picked up her glass that a servant had finished filling with some kind of fruit drink and played with the rim, “It’s sort of like a dragon, but much smaller. The biggest size they get is the size of a hunting hound.” She took a sip and then continued, “They are stupid little pests that eat and burn everything in sight, but their meat is good.”
Xia nodded in agreement and sat the meat down, “I’m guessing they come from your land? Which would be…?”
“My land is the Kingdom of Verchiate, and I am Stella by the way.” She smiled a little at her.
“I’m Xia, from the Kingdom of Shiraon.” She fiddled a little with the meat.
Stella’s smile faltered a little, “I have never heard of your kingdom… Its small isn’t it? But who cares if it is, you’re still stuck here with the rest of us.” She grabbed an odd looking fruit from a plate at random, “And even if it’s small, at least you’re not human.”
“What’s wrong with humans?” Questioned the boy on Xia’s other side, venom laced in his voice.
“They are conceited and only care about looks.” As if to make a point she motioned down the table at a larger boy that was covered in muscles and was flirting with the girl next to him, “and why are you so worked up? You’re a Shikai, not a human.”
“I could be…” He muttered as he stole Xia’s meat off her plate just to get his hand smacked by her spoon as she took it back.
“Peter, just shut up.” Stella looked at him with a vicious look before she bit into her fruit.
Peter rolled his eyes and rubbed his hand before speaking to Xia, “I’m Peter, the prince of thieves and I’m a Shikai as you can guess. Stella there is a Kaaz Kiir, they aren’t very nice.” He finger waved at Stella as she shot him another bitter look.
Xia nodded at this new information, understanding now why they both looked the way they did. Slowly she looked at the others again as they all ate and talked with each other. By looking at how they were dressed and looked she was trying to figure out where they are were from and what they were. A part of her told her to just ask Stella but before she had a change the High King walked in and the room fell silent. They all put down what they were eating and drinking and watched him as he walked to the head of the table and sat down.
