Four Paths- Liberation Series- Book One

Chapter Twenty-Three...

Two steel like carriages and a short grumbling man welcomed them off of the docks. He cleared his throat as the group of them stopped in front of him.

"Those are some intriguing carriages," said Allyssa cheerily. The large black steely framed carriages had no beasts to guide the front. The man huffed and cleared his throat.

"Welcome to Feronia, I am Grant, the Royal family's attendant and your guide. We are honored to blah-blah-blah let's go the ball has started," in a rough and chalky voice.

"I like him," said Allyssa with a chuckle.

They made their way through the outer villages and into the capital. The streets were bustling with dancers on tables, half-drunk men with giggling women on their laps, children running around a large water fountain with sparks in their hands. A two headed hound sculpture spouted gold water tinted by the surrounding lanterns. Their carriages were greeted brightly by the people on the streets.

The royal castle faintly reminded Violet of her home, she sighed again pleading to the heavens to get things over with. The outer gardens glowed from the violently bright fire lilies, a flower native to the land.

"Grant, why is everyone wearing masks?" asked Violet looking at the entering guests wearing their large dresses, extravagant hair and detailed masks.

"I forgot to mention that it's a masquerade ball. Our queen has a fetish for old human culture," replied Grant.

"We don't have masks," Allyssa pouted and stomped a foot. Amaryllis pinched her shoulder.

"Actually someone has prepared a few for you." He gestured to a woman dressed in an all black dress and a full face mask with a small black velvet covered box.

"Well we clearly know who the green and silver is for," said Allyssa quickly snatching the mask.

"Thank you for preparing these," said Amaryllis.

"I didn't, a friend of the Crown Prince picked them. I don't have a bone of sense of style in my body," said Grant. Violet arched an eyebrow at the masks. She turned to Daunte looking intently at the slanted cut, black mask rimmed with black and gold.

"What's wrong?" asked Violet.

"Nothing, just admiring the details," he said with a half smile.

The large ballroom drenched in golds, reds and a touch of black as the Royal family's symbol, a double headed hound- draped proudly amongst the curtains. Violet took Daunte's hand making their way down the main stair well with undesirable stares. Whispers barely covered by the strings of violins hardly eased the tension of the room. Grant guided them directly to the Royal family seated at the far back of the hall. Violet straightened and prepared her thoughts. The man at the center of the family oozed power. His intimidation was to that of her father's. Similar in build too, the intimidation poured through the two small holes of his full face black and white mask. The woman next to him was about Violet's height but her curves profoundly showed through the sparkling red slim fit off the shoulder gown with a red jewel and feathered mask. A young girl and two other gentlemen each stood a foot shorter than the other. The puff in their chest showed they were the Princes and the little girl dressed innocently in light pink kicking her legs happily in one of the son's arm made her either his daughter or sister.

"Your majesty, the heir of the four lands and her party has arrived," announced Grant.

The man rose and stepped to her. The platform profusely increased his height had added to the wind of intimidation he tried to brush over them. His brown eyes stared adamantly through his mask. His intimidation could never faze her, Violet knew her mother is more intimidating than anyone she'd ever known. Violet releases Daunte's arm and steps forward.