"-Connect the four corners at the center. Good, good, then tape. Perfect, and now top it off with the ribbon! Excellent, Soleil!"
"Mom, I think I got it... I literally have done this 9 times in the past hour." Soleil pressed the ribbon on the gift box she had finished wrapping. "Also, isn't 10 a bit much for a single birthday?"
Empress Pyrea quickly scanned the box; weight distribution was good, the green and reds worked well, and the creases were just right. Passable, near perfect, but more than serviceable for Soleil's young age. Her powdered face held a satisfied smile.
"No, no, no. Nonsense, Sunbeam! The Solanran royal family prides itself on extravagant gifts to our peers, especially for those who have risked their lives for our sake! This is the least we can do to pay our respects."
"One for each year she's been alive with each gift ramping up. It's how your mom has always done birthday gifts, Soleil." Her father assured with a resigned chuckle. As he adjusted the fit of his suit and corsage, he placed a hand on Soleil and gestured to his beloved with dramatic flair. "The only thing she's ever half-assed is kicking mine."
Pyrea gave a playful smirk, "Oh, shut it, Alain. I'm not THAT bad." She protested as if she hadn't had her current crimson attire tailored just for the 'We must accompany Soleil to the birthday party of a close friend' occasion.
"I beg to differ." Emperor Alain motioned to himself and Soleil, dressed as if going to a gala or meeting a critical diplomat and not a birthday party for said friend. "You are and always have been a bonfire. Powerful, warm, beautiful, yet dangerous if you stand too close."
"Oh hush, you dashing flirter."
"And you wouldn't have me any other way." He wrapped his arm around Pyrea's waist and kissed his wife's cheek, earning a giggle and a peck on the cheek in return.
Soleil groaned in disgust and loaded the last gift onto a cart, "Can we head out yet? We've got people waiting, and I don't mean Lola and her parents."
"GOOOOOOD Morning, your Majesties!"
"Yeah, hey, we're here."
A Lion beastborn guard and a mantis chitinian maid bowed before hoisting the cartload of presents, ready for the trek outside castle walls.
"Ready to roll, lord and lady, your majesties, Sire and Madame and Soleil! Andre ready for gift carrying service, Yay!" The lion, always eager, announced with a grin as the mantis rolled her eyes and started forward.
"I wish I got 10 presents on my birthday. Being friends with royalty must be nice." The mantis mused as she walked.
"Yeah, well, not when you're the one doing most of the wrapping, Lucille," Alain responded. Causing Lucille to look down at her arms. She never learned how to handle things with claws that didn't evolve, stabbing or slicing.
"Ya know, fair."
"If we are all ready, then let us be off. Shall we?" Pyrea pulled her hair up with a bow and led the way out the castle grounds. Alain followed close behind, both husband and wife taking elegant and purposeful strides, almost as if in slow motion.
... Because they were purposefully walking dramatically slow.
Soleil looked to them, then to their servants. Lucille shrugged, and Andre gave a boisterous thumbs up. Both walked ahead; if the crowns get lost again, it's on their goofy selves… And the 3 crown-guards who were likely following out of sight.
*
Lola watched out the window, eagerly wagging her tail and counting each tick of the clock; she was practically bouncing in her seat.
"Lola, please sit still and help me tidy up. You'll break something or get stuck in the cushions. Again." A slender lizardfolk, Crocodile Skink in appearance, asked, nearly pleaded. Of course, the first friend her daughter ever brought home would be not just royalty but THE princess of Solanra herself. Their humble home needed to be spotless. The royals couldn't dare know that her family was less than perfect in their interior design and care. Especially not Nyx, the Solanran Postal Services™️ premier courier. The only thing worse than being gossiped about is being gossiped about by the bluebloods.
"Awww, why do I have to help? She's gonna be here any minute!!!"
Nyx tugged Lola's arm to grab her attention and gave her daughter the stare. That signature 'I didn't ask for your protest, I asked for help' stare.
"Oh... Yes, mama." Lola popped up from the couch and skittered to help set the table. Her birthday steak lay in the center, with one seat for both lizardfolk and the princess and tableware for each. All the clutter was out of sight; they had their most admirable gowns on, and everything was pristine. So long as it was just the princess, little Kalolarach's 10th birthday would go off without a hitch.
A chime on the front door signaled a visitor at the front door. Kalolarach perked up and bounded toward the door the moment she heard it. Nyx caught her daughter's hand and stopped her, looking down at her thoughtfully.
"Please remember your manners, my little hunter. First impressions last far past your initial meetings."
"Yes, ma'am! I will!"
Lola opened the door and greeted her new friend, "Hihi, Soleil, you made it! And you brought your parents too!"
"Parents?" Nyx's heart sank. Her house could barely handle a third. Let alone five people with three adults.
"You have four parents!? I don't even have 2!"
Nyx nearly fainted; there was no way she could accommodate 7 whole people. She knew Royal families tended to branch out wide, but shouldn't they RSVP for nearly triple the initial party size?
"Oh, those two aren't my parents; that's maid Lucille and my Mobility Guard, Andre." Soleil clarified.
That only made Nyx feel a bit better. But she was still uneasy as she saw the small horde of presents that the two were carrying.
"Hey 'sup." Lucille waved nonchalantly
"Ohaiyo Gozaimasu!" Andre flexed, posed, and saluted with a flamboyant grin. "I hope my draconic is up to par, madame!"
"Oh, um, Right!!" Soleil stuttered and quickly adjusted her garments before curtsying towards the elder Lizardfolk. "Thank you for hosting us in your cast-cottage-home ma'am. We are forever grateful."
"My apologies for the unplanned guests," The empress offered with a more regal-looking curtsy. "It shall just be the three of us, but I pray it won't be too much trouble, Madame Anaugi." Pyrea bowed slightly.
"Heya Nyx, how's it going." Alain waved with a signature grin.
"Alain, long time no- ALAIN?! From the COVEN!?" Nyx couldn't believe her eyes. Little 'Spellcache Alain' From back when she was a witch!? Now, the EMPEROR, somehow? "What in Sorceries Shadow..."
"Hold up. Nyx Anaugi? As in 'Magebane Nyx'? Oh my gods, girl, it's been too long!! I thought I'd never see you again when the coven broke up!"
It'd been ages since the two had seen each other... Or even really thought of each other. Yet now their kids had found each other as if by some fate or destiny and were best friends no less.
They could only stare, speechless, lost for words before Nyx and Alain shared a tight embrace and laughed like old pals reuniting from college after far too long. The kids looked on, confused, and Pyrea cleared her throat for attention.
"Hi, hello, Empress Pyrea again. I have decreed that you nor anyone else is allowed to steal my husband from me; please don't get comfortable or attached, as I would hate to incarcerate Soleil's new best friend's mother. Alright? Yes, good." 'Bonfire' Pyrea gave a chilling but warm smile while keeping firm eye contact with the Postwoman.
"PFFFTHAHA- ME WITH NYX? HAH! Yeah, no, honey, Nyx is way out of my league, hahaha… So are you, but you picked me, so I’m not looking that horse in the mouth." Alain laughed heartily and ran his hand through his locks as he lovingly patted his wife's shoulders. "No, I wouldn't want anyone else other than you, though. Make no mistake, Py-py."
"Oh, dear. I could never, as exotic as humans are, they're not my 'thing.' Besides, I thoroughly enjoy having my head attached to my neck and not wanted by many royal assassins." Nyx smiled playfully in return with crossed arms. But leaned into Pyrea's ear. "Never threaten me again, even indirectly, or I will fold your clothing while you still wear them, Your Majesty." The lizard woman kept an unnaturally pleasant tone. She smiled at Pyrea yet also showed no fear in her yellow eyes despite being a simple courier speaking to the most powerful person on the continent.
"She honest to God will, Py-py," Alain muttered quietly. "'Magebane' is not just a nickname from our Coven.... she actually counteracts magic. Like she has this kind of innate ability to literally punch the spell away from her and then break the caster's wrists with martial arts."
"Mom, please don't fight Lola's mom! She sounds super nice!" Soleil begged but had the tone like she was scolding a cat.
"PLEASE don't fight each other. Nyx scares me and has delivered people to HELL with same-day delivery. And Pyrea has done the same with her bare hands." Alain pleaded to both mothers.
"I'd love to spar, your Majesty. I'd love to see if the tales of you having no less than 12 weapons on you at any moment are true or exaggerated." Nyx mused with a sly grin and mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Fight, Fight, Fight! Kiss, Kiss, Kiss!" Kalolarach cheered and egged on excitedly from Soleil's side.
Pyrea blinked owlishly in surprise but simply chuckled under her breath and pulled out a paper fan, holding back the urge to snicker. "I like this one, I always love someone with some SPICE to them. And also, yes, the rumors are very true. Watch!" Pyrea unlatched a secret compartment in her sleeve to reveal two crossbows, a dagger, a rapier, an axe, a shotgun shell pouch, 8 throwing stars, a blow dart container... A wide variety of weapons somehow fit under a single sleeve. "Overprepared and overprotected are my middle name. Which reminds me, you two can leave. Take the rest of the day off. I've got security handled."
Lucille and Andre were watching the antics from a safe distance perked up. Lucille immediately lit a cigar, and Andre gave a dramatic victory pose. "Huzzah! Come, Lucille, let us celebrate another job completed! WHOOSH!" Andre propelled off gracefully toward town despite being fully clad in armor.
"Yeah, sure, I could drink. Night Bosses, see ya Soleil, bye civs. Oh, and happy birthday, kiddo." Lucille muttered with a half-assed salute to everyone present before following behind at a slower pace.
Nyx sighed wistfully. "Ahhh, gods, Alain Sinclair; now the EMPEROR, somehow? You always did like making your life difficult. But we can catch up later, we have a birthday to celebrate after all! Come in, come in. Make yourselves at home!" Nyx cheerily invited Pyrea, Soleil, and Alain into her cozy, tiny home, with Kalolarach eagerly following behind as they all carried the presents inside.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
*
Lola blew out the candles on the birthday steak to the sound of cheering applause and some magical flare. "Happy Birthday!"
Kalolarach carefully cut the first piece of steak, isolating the bone and giving herself a nice fatty chunk for her portion before passing it to Soleil.
"So, not that I'm complaining... But any reason in particular we're eating steak instead of cake?" Pyrea flatly asked the question on her family's mind.
Alain pondered at the nice choice of chuck being passed around. "Oooh, maybe it's one of those cakes that just looks like a piece of steak? That was a fun gimmick with patisseries a while back!"
Soleil passed the steak on after cutting herself a piece. Then promptly ate it with a discontent look. "Nope, that's a steak. Beef, juices, fat, and all."
Lola immediately noticed her friend's down look, having swallowed her whole piece. "Do you not like it? We have some... Mom, what do we have for Soleil?" She turned to her mom, desperately trying to play it off.
"No-no, it's okay! The steak is delicious, in fact! Thank you, Ms. Anaugi! I just uhhh...-" She blushed and poked her fingers together, clearly not wanting to come off as rude.
"Soleil has a sweet tooth," Pyrea explained for her daughter as the steak got to her seat. "You should see her in the castle; every meal is accompanied by a few scones or cookies and a glass of yak milk to wash it down." She mused fondly, getting an elbow nudge from the princess while cutting small cubes and passing the remainder of the steak to the head of the house.
Nyx had a perfectly sized portion for her share and cut it into strips, as she answered. "Funny how things work. Kalolarach here is the opposite. She doesn't like sweets."
"Haha yes, a Kalolarach... I know what that is..." Pyrea eyed desperately around the room for her family to clue her in.
"It's the little alligator's full name, honey." Alain caught her frantic glances. "It's ancient draconic for-"
"Winter guiding hunter." Everyone, sans Pyrea, recounted. Nyx as if she were an official translator, Kalolarach as if she's heard this a thousand times, Alain like he was recalling it for Soleil, and Soleil like she was announcing it to a classroom.
Pyrea was upset that she was the only one who apparently didn't keep up with ancient forms of a modern language long gone to time.
Nyx continued, "She makes up for it by being completely insatiable for fish and beef. She's my little carnivore through and through. Apologies if the tradition is a bit unorthodox."
"We should try that with our caretakers. Cake nearly every month when we thank them for their continued service gets so tiring." Alain noted.
"I disagree," Soleil cut in after finishing her steak.
Kalolarach had put her plate in the sink and washed her hands by now, and now that the birthday brunch had finished up, she was looking towards the stack of presents frantically. "Mom, I can go open my presents now, right?"
Nyx glanced over to the 10 boxes of various sizes that was once her living room. She wanted to protest about appearing rude in front of royalty but gave her daughter a nod. "If their Majesties don't mind. They did bring all of them for your special day."
Pyrea wiped her hand on a handkerchief and gave her palms a light clap. "Oh, absolutely. The immaculate wrapping is just for show. Please indulge, little lady... Preferably in ascending order of size... But I'm not your parent."
Soleil instantly perked up and scooted over to the gift pile, picking up a decently sized one with orange wrapping and a pink bow. "Open this one first! I picked this one out myself, so I hope you like it!"
Lola beamed, took the present, plopped down, and started ripping apart the packaging. Within was a strange piece of clothing, almost like a wide sleeve that narrowed a bit and was lined with fur.
She had no idea what this was. But for what it's worth, she loved the feeling of the material; it must've been a fancy brand!
Soleil, thankfully, quickly elaborated. "It's a tail wrap! I noticed you hold your tail above the ground so it doesn't drag on the dirt or snow... So I had our tailor make this for you so it'll be more comfortable and warm! It's also good for posture since you lean forward to balance the weight. Now you won't have to!"
The lizardfolk beamed again and tried the tail sleeve on. Gods, it was even softer than it looked! And were these PURE COTTON on the inside?! Oh, OH! It even stretches to accommodate her tail scutes and has a zipper! She could even wear it at the base of her tail! Lola gave a few whips of her tail to test the fabric's flexibility and durability. Then, she did a little flourish toward the adults. Each gave an affirmative thumbs up or a small clap. Nyx looked like she was fighting for her life at how cute her daughter looked with her first friend's gift.
Soleil smiled, seeing that Lola liked her new garment. Even more so that everyone else liked it. She wasn't the best at gauging people's interest, but one-for-one is a perfect score in all regards!
Such a perfect score elicited Lola to bounce Soleil into a snug hug. "ILoveIt ILoveIt ILOVEIT!!! Thank you so much!"
The affection caught Soleil a bit off guard, but she returned it in equal measure as she was jostled and nuzzled by her more petite, scaly friend.
*
The afternoon was as delightful as Lola could have hoped. A relatively small gathering, a quiet celebration, but more than she could have ever expected. Mainly cause of the nine other gifts of various furnishings, vouchers for fancy shops, garden kits, a radio, connecting block kits of her favorite monster collector, RandEncocounts! and so many other wonderful gifts. Each one was icing on the metaphorical birthday cake.
The afternoon grew darker, and dusk quickly approached. As much as the adults enjoyed the relaxing day of politicaless cheer and joy, Nyx had an after party to clean up, and the Solanran Empire would need its rulers. Pyrea already shuddered in fear of the paperwork, ordinances, and bills that needed to be taken care of in the few hours she'd been gone.
Pyrea clasped her hands and rose from the balcony where the parents had gathered to watch the girls play under the darkening sky. "Well, Ms. Anaugi, visiting your home and celebrating young Lola's birthday has been a wonderful time. Please invite us over again. I missed being on the outskirts, not surrounded by stone and steel." Pyrea stood and bowed.
Soleil heard the words among the chaos of playing 'Catch the Beetle ™ ' with Lola. "Awwww.. already?"
"Yes, already, Sunbeam." Alain said, "It's almost time for your skin routine after washing up. But it has been a time and a half, Nyx. It was great catching up! Glad to see our kids got along better than we did when we first met. Haha... So many broken ribs..." The emperor's face went from a warm comfort to a grim recollection of days long gone and surgeries long passed.
Nyx bowed to the royalty in return. "Absolutely, absolutely. My home doesn't make for the best spot, but I know many good places within town that make for good playdates. And if you'd ever need me to host Soleil, Kalolarach would love the sleepover."
Lola recalled her pet beetle and mentally noted the 'Catch the beetle' score. (10 to 2 in her favor). Then, once her beetle was back in her enclosure, she pulled Soleil into a hug. "Thanks for coming, Sunny! This was the best birthday ever. Oh!" She separated from Soleil and then skittered to the adults' knees. "Thank you, miss Pyrea and Mister Alain, for all the gifts. Please let Sunny come over and play again! I promise I'll protect her from any bad guys!!!" Lola looked up to Pyrea with her saddest, beadiest, most pleading eyes.
Alain gave a worldless smug look and nudged his wife.
"Aah- W-well. Soleil has many studies, you see. She is quite the busy little princess, so provided- if and ONLY if she finishes her classes, letters, and lessons with ample time, I don't see why she couldn't-" Another nudge broke through Pyrea's practiced but shaky spiel.
"Come on, dear. Sunny's a much more put-together kid than either of us at her age. We can give her a LITTLE leeway to be a kid while she's still a kid. You don't need to be your mom and dad, and I DEFINITELY won't be my old man."
Pyrea could argue that their parents had SOME points about how the old empress and emperor should have been more strict with a much younger, more rebellious Pyrea. But Gods knows that the seed of nefarious ne'er-do-welling was planted early in her life, and it only germinated by her parent's disapproval. And Gods know she wouldn't allow a second her in the world.
"AHEM! Like I said... If Soleil keeps up her excellent work, as she's done so far. I do not see why she shouldn't be allowed an equal amount of downtime. In fact! As to not impose on Miss. Anaugi, too often, I could arrange for her and Lola access near the castle grounds with an escort. But it would be the least we could do to return the hospitality you've shown us. And for saving our little Soleil not so long ago. So decrees Pyrea and all that."
The lizardfolks shared an ecstatic glance at the invitation, and Nyx sighed in relief that she wouldn't have to make her home presentable as often. And she'd get to indulge in the pleasures of the high life now and then! This mail courier was going places.
"If your Majesties would oblige us, absolutely! And, of course, we'll be sure not to intrude too often. You've enough on the plate with the entire continent." Nyx gave a bow.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll visit whenever you allow, and I'll be super polite all the time, and I'll walk Soleil home from school and help with her science homework! and- and-!" Lola had to be reminded to breathe and settle down with a quick pat on the head. Nyx couldn't help but chuckle seeing her daughter's excitable self.
"Haha, good kid, good kid... Keep that up, and you'll be one of Soleil's guards in no time." Alain half-joked.
"DO YOU PROMISE!?" Kalolarach nearly begged with a wide, toothy grin, her tail whapping against the floor.
"Easy, kid, worry about that when you're 17. Jumping into noble lifestyles is a one-way bullet train to stress and burnout." Pyrea warned with a thousand-yard stare. "Regardless... We must be going, and do visit as often as you may. Stay bright."
"We'll see you around, and it's always been a delight, Nyx. Come along, Sunbeam!" Alain gave a wave and motioned for the princess to follow.
Soleil followed after giving a bow to the elder lizardfolk and giving her friend another hug and a pat on the horn for Buggy, the Beetle. "I'll see ya later at school! Thank you for inviting me, and happy birthday, Lola!"
The royal family regrouped and departed into the night from the humble cottage of a humble Lizardfolk family of two. Mother and daughter waved goodbye as moonlight illuminated their home after a day well spent. Nyx sighed and led her daughter inside.
"Well, that's one way to celebrate your double digits... Next year, how about a nice and simple beach party, huh?" Nyx half-joked.
"Oooh, can we!? Wait... The beach is cold in Winter... But we could have a snow beach party!"
"Hey now, hatchling, easy. Let's worry about that at least 11 months from now. For now, it's time for bed. You wash up while I clear out your gifts; you'll want to be up early to make it to that nice craft district before it gets packed tomorrow."
"Okay, ooh, I'll get to show off the scarf Sunny got me!! And the coat and the perfume, I can't wait!" The younger lizard skittered away, eager for the little birthday adventure tomorrow. Meanwhile, her mother stacked the leftover wrapping paper and boxes to be thrown out in the morning.
*
Night fell, a house cleaned, and a little alligator tucked in bed with her brand new weighted blanket. Nyx patted her daughter's head and kissed her on the cheek.
"Goodnight, my little hunter. And happy birthday, pleasant surprises and all. Sleep well."
"G'night, Mom." Lola yawned through her pillow, nearly asleep already.
The door shut behind Nyx, and the home was once again a familiar calm and quiet.
Within castle walls, once all the guards and maids were relieved of their duties and Empress Pyrea saw to a quick missive while Emperor Alain read Princess Soleil her bedtime story, Pyrea finally rejoined her family for a moment.
"Soleil, Alain, my family. I return. It was a simple report from the harvest fairs. An easy letter to cap off a wonderfully easy day." Pyrea sauntered in, nearly collapsing onto Soleil's bed in relief.
"Oh, excellent. At least the start of winter has been calm... Relatively... No more scares, young lady. Or you might get the academy shut down." Alain nudged his daughter, another jest. But knowing Pyrea, they were both surprised she hadn't ripped the school staff a new one by now.
"Well, nearly drowning wasn't so bad-" Soleil began.
"Drowning is horrible, Soleil, easily the top 2 worst ways to go. You're too young to be thinking like that." Pyrea cut in to nip that behavior in the bud.
"-I got a friend out of it... Like an actual friend, not some powdered nose who cares more about my name than my character. It's nice... I can hang out with her again soon, right?"
"I like that little lizardfolk. So I don't see why not, and her mom has a good head on her shoulders. Doesn't take people's shit if she doesn't need to." Pyrea gave an assured nod. "Like I said, keep up your good work; you can have her over whenever you want. And if you decide to have a day out... Well, I know some good scouts to keep an eye or 5 on you." She admitted very quickly.
"Won't say I'm not biased, but better Kalolarach than any other noble dealings. Soleil's got a point; we're tired of having to walk on eggshells with our blue-collar neighbors. If it wasn't for the knight thing, she barely even seems to think we're the ding dang Solanran Empire."
"Ahhh, Soleil's first future retainer~ It's always the close friend within the royal bloodline. They even have little nicknames for each other!" Pyrea reminisced about her time as a young royal and the stories she recalled of her family's various retainers, advisors, and guardians, who had been their closest confidants since they were all fledgling sovereigns.
"Mom, you're doing the 'planning my entire future to be the opposite of yours' thing again."
"It's a coping mechanism, Soleil. It's healthy for me, and it gives you insight about how to be better than me!"
"You always say that... But everyone likes you as the empress. I want to be liked."
Pyrea rubbed Soleils cheek with her thumb. "Not everyone likes me. They just pretend to. Like the Ganbarian royalty and Hellmerican 'God-King-President-Dictator-Emperor-Despots' for example."
"Hey, not all of them pretend. I'm 72% sure Queen Chrysta likes you; she just has B.P.D. or something, methinks." Alain reassured. "But that's enough pre-bedtime politics. Bedtime while we can still secure a solid and healthy 8 hours. Lights out, Sunbeam, Nigh-nigh."
"Sweet dreams, Soleil. I shall wake you at 7 Am sharp for Breakfast, okay, hun?" Pyrea dragged herself across the bed to hug her daughter past the comforter-lined bed.
"Okay, Mom, Good night. Love you both, rest well."
"Love you." Pyrea turned the lights off as Alain secured the door with a security spell before heading to bed. A rare, quiet, and even relaxing day for the royal family, the first of many for the season, they would hope. Not to mention, Soleil coming out of her shell was a nice change of pace. As a princess, a good friend is worth more than 100 allies, especially her age.
They could only hope that she would make just as many friends in the future in less dire circumstances.