Elwin stayed too long, and by the time he got downstairs the castle was vibrating with people. Some were castle staff, heading into the main hall with food and drinks, or ushering in guests. And there were a lot of guests.

This must be one of the big ones. Elwin's world being small ordinarily, he had no interest in keeping track of such things. Yet here he was, trapped in the middle of it.

As he was considering retreating back upstairs (he had spent plenty of overnights in his friends room when they were younger and maybe this was just the time for another one), until the coast was clear at least, one of the kitchen helpers grabbed his arm and urgently put a tray of wine goblets in his hands.

“Work the party, please, one of the kitchen ladies has gone into labor.” He said, whisking back away toward the kitchen without giving Elwin a chance to protest.

He looked down at himself. He was barely presentable with a clean enough tunic and pants, drab and nothing like the crisp forest green uniforms of the other staff. Oh well, maybe no one would even notice.

Elwin figured he could make a quick round of the guests and empty his tray, conveniently forgetting to go back for a refill. He felt obligated to at least do that much.

Elwin slowly wound his way through the crowd, sometimes forgetting the preferred blank faced no eye contact look of the staff, and giving a little smile here and there.

The main hall was decorated with gauzy silk streamers in the queen's favorite colors of dark green and rose, edged in metallic gold thread, and gilt everything. It wasn't bad considering this morning everything had looked as usual.

The king with his ever stern face, that Elwin wondered how much of was just for show and how much indicated a complete and total lack of good humor, the queen with her up tilted chin and her raven hair done up in gold netting spread throughout with jewels, were sitting behind the big table, flanked by guards who seemed bored. The younger prince sat beside them looking himself like he wanted to fall asleep in his soup bowl, though the night had barely gotten started, and the little princess, leaning forward, desperately wishing to join the dancing that had taken up in one corner, but not having been given permission to do so.

The guests looked like they were having fun, and Elwin supposed that's what it was meant to be about.

A young woman looked like she was trying to catch his eyes, but alas, the wine tray was empty and that was his cue to go.

Elwin had too much grown up in the middle of all this to be at all impressed or interested.

If Prin were somehow here he would have made it fun. And had a lot of fodder for one of the stories he told.

Elwin, distracted by that thought, almost ran into someone who had just slipped in through what should have been the exit door, unguarded as it was by servants wishing to help you with your cloak or announce your presence.

A slender figure with a black velvet cloak covering them from head to foot hurried towards the center of the room.

Under other circumstances, perhaps the crowd would have shied away from the mysterious figure, causing a parting through the center of the room. Which seemed to be what the person wanted.

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As it was, the merry and already half drunk crowd of noble highborn folks, jostled and elbowed obliviously, one even spilling a little bit of their goblet of wine on the person.

This seemed to be the last irritant to be stood for, and the stranger flung their arms wide, cloak back, revealing the frizzled white hair of an old woman. “Excuse me! Your highness?” She declared above the din, in a load and clear voice that seemed incongruous.

Elwin moved to the side to better see her. It had just gotten interesting.

She had layers of chains and amulets around her neck, over a long black dress, and her gnarled sharp nailed fingers were decorated with rings of all sorts. Her face was that of someone who may be the oldest women you have ever met. Ceasing to be a particular gender even, maybe aging away from her very humanness.

The queen clutched her large diamond pendant to her chest, as though afraid it would be stolen right off her person and in front of a crowd of people she herself had invited. The princess shrunk back into her seat, promising to herself, no doubt, to never do evil again. And the prince was the one to lean forward this time.

However the old woman saw only the king, her narrow black eyes locked onto his, as he sat unflinching, having not moved or changed expression in the slightest.

“Yes?” King Callimodeus did not seem amused, but neither did he seem any other way in particular.

“I have news for you! Grand news!” The old woman declared in a booming tone.

Elwin wondered if she could speak in any other way, then as a crier at the market trying to hock their wares.

The king raised one eyebrow in response. “I believe I am well abreast of any news from my kingdom and it's surrounds. But do go on.”

The party goers had gone largely silent when she first spoke, but they were beginning to lose patience already, shuffling their brocade slippers and sniggering underneath their breath.

The old woman, sensing her momentum was faltering, quickened her pace. “I have brought with me a great healing power. I have traveled far and wide to fetch it's ingredients and now I put before you the news that it is a good thing you already have a party at your disposal, since it is a moment of great celebration! Your son will be cured!”

Oh, so she was selling something after all. Elwin narrowed his eyes. He could vaguely remember from when they, himself and Prin, were very young and there were many such people clamoring around, eager to make use of a reward that had been offered for a time. Before the king lost interest in his eldest and began to focus on the already well son he had at hand. These witches were mostly charlatans and quacks, with a sprinkling of well meaning boobs amongst them. And some of their treatments had been agonizing and traumatizing for young Prin.

Some of the party goers looked around themselves in confusion, eventually settling their eyes onto the son at the king's side, as though wondering what could be wrong with him that needed curing? Or making an elaborate show to have forgotten the other one, if it pleased his highness. Others looked directly from the king to the witch, not even feigning to not know what she was talking about but, a bit impressed with her for daring to bring it up. How would the king react?

“You must bring me to him right away!” The witch called up the room in his direction, clearly having not read the room.

The king's expression changed so subtly that only those in the know of him, could tell it was a glare. Queen Illianna Crystalwise put her elegant hand on the king's arm.

“Or, I suppose it could wait.” The old woman said. Finally, as they say, getting the picture.

“Give this woman food and drink.” The king said. “And do not let her leave this place.” He added sternly.

A guard came to the woman's side and took her elbow, kindly, as though she were his own grandmother and led her toward the kitchen.

Did this mean the king was going to entertain her foolishness? Or simply speak to her for a moment in private before kicking her out the door.

Elwin had a bad feeling about this, and he realized it had been growing since the moment she had walked through the door.

*

Elwin tried to follow her into the kitchen, but the crowd swelled up around him, causing him delay. By the time he was able to get there, she was no where in sight.

He felt fairly certain that nothing else of note would happen tonight, but still he went home and went to bed and tossed and turned all night. With dreams so disturbing that he prayed that they meant nothing and that he wouldn't remember them.