or make those out.
“The Festival of Light is today. I had to look the part,”I explained silently.
“The Goddess herself would be envious of your looks.”
“Don’t say such things. She may hear you,”I remarked.
I could hear his faint laughter in the back of my mind as I reached the top of the staircase. My family stood at the bottom,
dressed to fit the theme of today. Mother looked as glamorous as always next to Father, who was wearing his crown. Events
like the festival were normally the only time he wore it. Norok was in a similar suit as Father’s, with Lady Gelda hanging on
his arm. She wore a bright sun coloured dress. Talia stood near the door waiting for it to open.
“May I visit you this evening?”Shadow man asked me, drawing my attention away from my family for a moment.
“I would enjoy that, very much,”I replied as I descended the staircase, feeling a blush rise in my cheeks.
Each of us were adored with a tiara or crown, to show our status and importance of the day. And as the bell struck in the
tower, the heavy wooden doors were pulled open. Talia ran back to her spot behind Norok and I quickly joined her side. We
were greeted with a roar of excitement, happiness, and cheers.
Let the festival begin.
C onsidering it was the middle of spring, there was a slight chill in the air as we took our seats at the tournament gallery.
Father had agreed I would be the one to open the first match and to select my champion. I’d already decided it would be
Lord Cole. One of the reasons being it would annoy Mother greatly by picking him. The other being it would show the other
males in the audience and those who competed, who I’d publicly picked as my chosen lord. For more than just the tournament,
if I had it my way.
It saddened me that we may never become husband and wife, having to stay only friends. I hoped one day after many life
lessons, we would grow to become something more. I would make it my mission to beg Father to allow me to marry Cole
instead of some lord I did not know or care for.
Once the opening parade started, each knight and lord marched through the arena on horseback. Every single one of them
adorned their family crests and colours. They all nodded in a symbolic bow to their king and queen.
Talia couldn’t quite contain her excitement as she bounced from her chair waving and smiling at many of the nobles. When
Norok rode in, Gelda was overly pleased and just as enthusiastic as Talia at the sight of him. His horse was dressed in royal
purples and blues. Norok’s cape contained our sun crest that had been knitted beautifully on the fabric. It also adorned the
metal shoulder protectors and the horse’s saddle.
He would make our family proud today.
When the horn blew, silence covered the arena. Everyone watched with delight and as the nobles dismounted their horses