The ballroom was a vast open floor room with six large scalloped styled pillars along the sides. With three large floors to ceiling windows on the three outer walls.

The first wall had two doors on the far left and right. This was where the guest usually came in from. In the centre was a large marble staircase used for the entrance of the noble family and special guests.

Dominic stood just on the other side of the door, looking from side to side at the guards waiting for the nobles in the hallway. Standing up more, his head turned to Milovan, who was standing a few feet back.

"Good Luck", he mouthed before taking his leave to join the guards on the outer wall of the castle keep.

With a deep breath, giving command for them to announce his arrival for the guest on the other side of the door.

The two sizeable dark wood doors were opened; like a wave, the loud chatter of the already bustling ballroom rushed into the attached hallway.

A man with sharp ears similar to an elf but whose height was much closer to a stunted dwarf walked in with his head held so high up that a bird could have flown up his pointed nose.

He strolled in and the doors shut behind him. It wasn't but a few moments until Dominic could hear his booming voice quite the room on the other side.

The time it took for him to enter and start speaking; was about the same time it took for the doors to reopen and the Prince's official entrance.

Dominic looked over the crowd of people scanning their Appearances, soaking in what he could before moving down the steps. Attempting to spot the more critical guests as he moved along.

Though he was having a minor difficulty spotting out the people he needed to speak with to keep a good grace with on behalf of his family, he did spot his mother in the far left of the room; she was wearing an elegant formal dress with the gold and red colours. Her hair was up, and a matching tiara was placed on her. She looked rather lovely and as if she was ten years younger, which was a feat for the woman who barely looked as if she could have two adult children naturally.

As he reached the bottom step, the crowd came around him, making their greetings as he did to them. There were nobles for several different lands and some lesser ones from his own nation here. Anyone who was of any notable name was standing in the royal ballroom on this day. He passes this person and that person, making his way further and further back until he broke into a clearing where he could reach his mother with no issue.

"You look lovely tonight, Mother." He said, bowing as was expected of him on this night. When he raised his head, she was smiling softly with a bit of sorrow in her eyes.

"Oh, baby, you look grand in that outfit and so much like your father when I met him." She said, reaching her hand out to grab him; he walked closer, allowing her to place her arm on his.

"Thank you."

"Have you met the boy?" She quickly straightens her mind and changes her face to hide her emotions.

Dominic shook his head, "I know he came in a few nights ago. Casper came and saw me told me a few things about him. Other than that, I still am completely ignorant about him."

The former Queen nodded her head slowly, "I met him yesterday and only for a few moments. He is small yet quite intelligent; he will make for decent conversations at the least."

"As Casper also said." Dominic looked out to the people who were drinking and snacking on small hor deuirvs; he hadn't any appetite this morning, and the ale was making his stomach turn. He probably should have eaten, and yet even then, the butterflies he felt still wasn't allowing him to even think about placing food in his mouth.

His mother hummed to herself, something she always did when she was nervous. She did that a lot when his brother was at war and when his father became ill.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Are you alright?" He turned his head to her, scanning her features. She was nipping at her lower lip to the point it was a bit puffier and redder.

She took a deep and loud breath, "I do worry for you and your brother. Mostly you right now, with everything going on. You don't have the same responsibilities as your brother, and yet you carry all the same burdens."

"I will be just fine."

"That is what both you boys say; your father would always say the same thing." She smiled, looking up to the ceiling, "You think being the queen as long as I have that, these burdens would feel less like such and more like just annoying meaningless chorus."

"Yes, I understand."

They stood in silence for a while, just enjoying the moment with each other when the Queen spoke again.

"I hope you and your soon to be Shïra will get along. Your Aunt never loved hers and was never happy, and the Uncle you never met treated him like it was human trash. Just treat him well, and I pray he will treat you well."

Dominic could hear the plea in her voice like she wasn't speaking to him but someone beyond something he couldn't see.

"As he had no choice in this, I will do what I can. From what I have heard, I can probably in do time learn to love him."

His mother started to beam with that statement, and before she could say anything in return. An instrumental cadence sounded loudly over the chatter of the room, turning everyone's head.

"Go, you must be upfront when your brother and the boy enters," Dominic's mother ushered, pushing him gently forward.

Dominic weaved his way back to the front of the crowd; this time, people moved out of his was making his trek forward easier than when he came through. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, he had made it just in time for the announcer to step forth.

"If I would have all your attention please, as I would proudly announce, His Majesty King Nicodème of Noaria." The announcer stepped backwards and to the side, bowing as the two large doors opened, revealing Nicodème as he stepped through.

He stood tall and proud as he always did, towering over everyone like a living Giant. Though this was no surprise to Dominic, and for himself, he was trying to sneak a peek at the one who stood behind him.

As his brother, the King stood in the doorway greeting the open room. Dominic leaned back as he noticed someone standing behind him, only catching a glimpse of the dirty blond hair that was swept back. Before the Prince could get a look at his face, the doors closed, and the King stepped forward to the front of the stairwell. Calling the attention of the room with his voice.

"I thank you all for being here today, as you all are aware that two big announcements will be made. One stands on the other side of that door." He stopped just long enough for the mummers to start up. This was his typical speech making short statements and then waiting for the people to say a few words among themselves before continuing. Something that had always annoyed Dominic.

"Before I get to the announcements, I would like to take this time to say a few words. Firstly, my brother." He pointed to Dominic, and he now felt all eyes on him, something he pretty used to. Yet, his brother seemed to have something up his sleeve, and he didn't like it.

"Some days, I still see him as a small child. As he was always and will always be my dearest younger brother. Someone I looked forward to seeing during my time at war."

Ahhh. Dominic thought; he is pulling the sympathy card with the audience. His mind still wondering what motive he could have for this.

"That, however, is no longer the case, still dear to me, yet he stands a man among us all—a man who is about to follow a very long-held tradition dear to the heart of royal life as we all know that a Shïra is an essential part of royalties ways of life. As a long-held tradition, it keeps the peace between siblings, cousins, aunts, and Uncle. It allows true love to pierce the veil of society that otherwise may never feel due to duty. Even occasionally allowing peasantry -commoners into the life of the better so for a time we can understand how to forward our lands."

Dominic was still waiting for the over sympathy to play in, but he started to feel like that might have just been a long play strategy. Now, he felt his chest tighten as the reality of what was to happen was becoming real.

"With that, I would like to announce the chosen Shïra of Prince Dominic formally. Tacitus Uzi."

The crowd erupted in applause; he even heard a few congratulations, but his mind reeled on the name Uzi; there was no possible way that it could be the family he was thinking of. They weren't even from Tanbori, where his Shïra was supposed to hail from. Yet, that name repeated in his mind over and over.

The applauding started to quiet as the doors opened one last time.