Five years later, in Valentine City, capital of the Drakethorne Grand Duchy.
The roads bustled with carriages, children darted down the streets, and vendors enthusiastically hawked their wares.
Today, Empress Catherine Fairwind and Princess Eva Evernight will arrive at the Valentine to meet members of the Drakethorne house.
It was an especially significant day for the princess. This would be her first visit to Valentine. For the first time, she would meet her fiancé.
Lucy, the knight commander of Drakethorne house, stood at the gate, inspecting each knight in turn and adjusting their postures as needed. After checking each formation, she gave crisp orders to the squads.
All the knights and soldiers wore gleaming armor and spotless uniforms. The streets overflowed with people, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of the empress and princess. Meanwhile, children played and chased each other nearby, hardly glancing at the commotion.
Lucy paused, then turned to the servants standing nearby. Approaching them, she asked, "Are the flowers and magic circles all placed correctly?"
The servant, startled when Lucy briskly approached, nearly lost his balance. Regaining composure, he stood at attention and replied, "Yes, all the magic circles are imbued. Servants are stationed at each designated spot, ready to throw flowers at the carriage as it passes," he said.
Lucy nodded, then walked briskly back to the city gate entrance. Since morning, she had paced along the perimeter, inspecting guard posts and issuing instructions, determined to ensure the welcome for the empress and princess did not fall short.
Knights and troops guarded every point of the path from the gate to the entrance of the Drakethorne palace. They were stationed to keep people away from the carriage and block any intruders.
A knight hurried to Lucy and announced, "Commander, the royal carriage is approaching."
Lucy straightened her posture and instructed the gatekeeper to open the Valentine City gate to allow the entry of the royal carriage. The city was encircled by a fortified wall that repelled attackers and demons.
Knights surrounded the carriage on all four corners atop their horses. Mages sat on their own horses, while other warriors followed from the back.
The carriage was made of expensive material and featured a silver-and-gold pattern, with a huge emblem of the Evernight Empire at its center. A pair of huge black horses with great strength drew the carriage. The coachman, who steadied them, radiated a grandmaster's aura.
Their entry alone was enough to inspire awe and respect.
The carriage slowly entered the city. As its wheels passed over each magic circle, they ignited, releasing vibrant elemental motes and creating an ethereal spectacle. Servants stationed at intervals tossed flowers at the carriage. The display alone left the commoners in awe.
Children who had been playing nearby stopped mid-motion and turned their heads toward the spectacle, some breaking into cheers and waving, while a few stood still, mesmerized by the sudden burst of color and sound, unable to look away.
Inside the carriage, the empress sat at one end, while the princess sat at the other; they were the only ones inside.
Empress Catherine Fairwind wore a crimson dress that accentuated her waist. She appeared to be in her twenties, though she was already in her forties. Her silver hair cascaded freely, immaculately combed. She had deep black eyes and fair, flawless skin.
Princess Eva Evernight wore an elegant, long white dress that stopped just above her feet by a few inches. Delicate floral patterns adorned her attire. Her silvery moonlight hair, which reached her neck, was perfectly styled. Her black eyes sparkled with mischief, and her skin was luminous and fair.
Princess Eva Evernight leaned forward and pressed her forehead lightly against the carriage window, gazing at the passing scenery. The windows were crafted so only those inside could see out; from the outside, they appeared obsidian, revealing nothing of the interior.
"Mother, Valentine seems prosperous, like our city, though it's not as grand as our capital," Eva said, watching the children, her laughter mixing with their delighted shouts. "Look at those kids—they're so happy."
"Certainly, they're prosperous. As one of the only four grand ducal houses, they hold great power. They come close to our own powers but fall shortly behind," the Empress replied, glancing at her daughter, who was busy sightseeing.
"They have power compared to us? Didn't you say no one is equal to us in this empire?" Princess Eva Evernight, having just finished sightseeing, turned sharply to her mother. She fixed her with a pointed look. "So what makes them so special?"
Empress Catherine Fairwind slowly touched her daughter's cheeks. "Eva, they have three paragon rank warriors. We have more, but even among paragons, there are differences. After your fiancé Alex Drakethorne was born, their house gained a new paragon—Alex's father, Shane Drakethorne. Before, they had only two. Now they have three. Alex's grandfather grew even stronger after his birth. He could now be called one of the top five strongest in the empire; before, he was in the top ten."
Eva gently pulled away. "Mother, please, don't treat me like a little kid. And, father is still the strongest in the empire."
"Uff, my daughter! Only five, yet acting so mighty," Empress Catherine said, pressing her hand to her chest with a playful, wounded look.
The princess huffed at her mother's words and turned to look out the window. She saw a grand palace as they approached it in their carriage.
Empress Catherine Fairwind laughed as she watched her daughter stubbornly cross her arms and pout. Eva, despite being only five years old, insisted, "I'm not a little kid!" Catherine could never understand why Eva hated being treated like one. Maybe Eva just disliked the cage and restrictions that come with being a child and wanted to live freely.
Empress Catherine Fairwind sighed at her daughter's odd behavior, then turned to look out the window at the scene outside.
- - - - - -
Inside the palace, Shane Drakethorne and Sera Azurestorm adjusted the small bow tie around their son, Alex Drakethorne. Shane, wearing a white suit embroidered with silver floral patterns and a small black dragon design etched near his right shoulder, carefully held the bow tie while Sera straightened it.
Shane's hair was combed back, his face radiated youth, and his black eyes were focused. He had long ago stabilized himself at his paragon rank.
Sera Azurestorm wore a white dress that fit her waist closely. Hand-painted flowers and petals adorned its hem. A diamond necklace graced her neck, with matching earrings sparkling in her ears. Her blue hair was swept into a bun, and her azure eyes followed Alex as he stood nearby. Alex, uneasy in his suit, fidgeted as his parents adjusted it and smoothed his hair.
"Mother, Father, I can do this myself. You should go ahead, and I will come after getting ready myself," Alex protested, reaching for his bow tie to demonstrate. His parents, however, smiled and shook their heads, refusing to let him get away just yet.
"Oh! So my little son wants to dress by himself now? I still remember when you were four. You came running into our chambers at night, crying because of a bad dream," Sera Azurestorm said, reaching out towards Alex's face to slowly hold his face with both her hands.
Shane Drakethorne, standing beside Sera, smiled warmly at their son. Alex's cheeks flushed deep red as he remembered. "I really did cry all night, didn't I?" he muttered, recalling how he had eventually fallen asleep in their room.
After Alex turned three, Shane and Sera moved their bed back to their own private chambers. They felt Alex should be able to sleep by himself then. Before that, they always slept in his room and mostly tended to him by themselves.
Sera Azurestorm finished combing Alex's hair with gentle strokes, then gave his bow tie one last straightening. Stepping back, she examined his appearance with a nod of approval.
Alex Drakethorne, heir to the Drakethorne grand ducal house, wore a white suit, matching his parents' outfits. His black hair, tinged with blue at the ends, was neatly combed back, and he had a fair complexion. He wore a necklace crowned with a crimson diamond, sapphire earrings partially covered with petals, a golden bracelet on his left wrist, and a black ring on his left pinky finger. These gifts were given to him during his first week's naming ceremony.
The dragon egg was still inside his left hand in the form of a tattoo, and it was hidden by his long-sleeved shirt and suit.
Sera Azurestorm hurriedly took Shane and Alex to the mirror. Sera stood between them, guiding each by the hand. Together, they gazed at their reflection. All three had fair complexions. Alex looked like a combination of his mother and father. Their outfits matched. Smiles spread as they saw the reflection of their loved ones.
- - - - - -
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