Chapter 153: A BAD OMEN
Lumina walked slowly, her steps guided by Aria’s light touch at her elbow, as they approached the grand courtyard where the First Flame Festival was to be held.
Eyes turned to her as she walked by, and several whispered especially about her beautiful dresses.
Daughters of the lord couldn’t help but be house of her dressed and Aria smiled with pride after all Ashen had made her get all the fabric used, seeing the way people praise and are jealous of it made her proud
Ashen had already been summoned away by the king to prepare for the royal procession.
He would be entering alongside the king and his brother, and Lumina would need to stand with the princesses until the ritual began.
The venue was exactly as she had imagined it when she planned it weeks ago.
The open courtyard had been transformed into a living shrine to the dragons that no longer walked their skies.
Lanterns of every size floated above, suspended by invisible threads of magic, glowing in shades of gold, crimson, and deep ember-orange. Braziers lined the edges of the great stone circle, their flames casting a warm glow across the faces of the nobles gathered. In the very center, a massive fire pit waited, filled with unlit coals.
Above it hung a great carved dragon head of black iron, the ceremonial vessel through which the first fire was supposed to breathe into the night.
As Lumina crossed the threshold, her shoes barely making a sound, a voice finally welcomed her.
"Welcome," Rhynera greeted though Lumina could feel the irritation in it.
"Your dress looks... expensive... and stunning." Rhynera let out before she could control her lips.
There was a brief silence, and then the faint murmur of a few attendants as they turned their heads toward them.
Lumina’s lips curved faintly, "Thanks for the compliment though I cannot say the same for you," she replied a bit sassily making everyone pause.
"For I cannot see. But as the Crown Princess, I am sure you must look radiant enough to outshine me."
Gasps rippled through the nobles standing nearby and Rhynera stiffened.
She had known Lumina would look beautiful but she had not expected her sister to be so well dressed.
The knowledge that Lumina’s dress was finer than her own only deepened the sting, and Rhynera’s heart twisted with something hot and ugly.
"Lumina," she called out, her voice cooler now. "Do not forget yourself. It is your handmaidens and attendants who sacrifice their time for you. The least you could do is not use that kindness to look down on others."
Several heads nodded in agreement with the crown princess’s words.
Lumina only grinned in return.?"I have never looked down on anyone," she said quietly. "I am only fulfilling the expectation placed on me to appear as the lady I am meant to be. You, sister, are the Crown Princess. No one will ever outshine you, not in title nor in power."
Rhynera faltered, unsure whether to take the words as flattery or an insult. She turned away sharply now ignoring her sister.
"Let us finish the inspection. The king will be here soon." Lumina only smiled faintly and let Aria lead her forward.
As they walked deeper into the courtyard, Lumina asked Aria.
"What do you think, Aria?"
"My lady," Aria said, awe clear in her voice, "I have seen many arrangements, but this... this is perfection. The colors, the symmetry it feels as though the dragons themselves are watching."
Lumina’s heart warmed at that. Stella should have been here to hear it, but she pushed away the ache of missing her girl’s presence and focused on the sound of music tuning somewhere near the far edge of the venue.
Then, the herald’s voice rang out.
"His Highness, King Aden of Drakonia! Her Highness, Queen Sephora! Crown Prince Adam! Prince Ashen of the Last Flame!"
The entire courtyard fell into reverent silence as the royal family entered.
The king led them, his robes heavy with gold thread, the dragon crest on his chest gleaming. Beside him, Queen Sephora walked like a carved statue, already irritated at the fact that she still couldn’t stop Ashen from attending the ceremony.
Adam was next, tall and smiling faintly, as he acknowledged the nobles who bowed to him.
And then Ashen followed... several nobles and attendants fluttered through the crowd.
This was the first time many had seen the youngest prince in a public festival, and certainly the first time he had walked beside the king in ceremony.
His black ceremonial attire glimmered with gold dragon scales and his expression was calm, there was something feral in his eyes that made more than one court lady flush.
"He looks so much like the dragon statues..." someone whispered nearby.
Ashen ignored them all. His gaze swept the courtyard until it found Lumina.
He crossed the space between them, bowing his head briefly before taking his place just behind her.
King Aden raised his hand, and the murmuring crowd fell quiet.
"Tonight," King Aded announced, his deep voice carrying easily, "we honor the First Flame, the breath of the first dragon that gave life to this realm!!"
A priest stepped forward, bowing low, and an attendant carried forward vessels of sacred oil, which were poured into the great fire pit. The smell of spiced smoke filled the air.
The priest raised a staff, chanting in some words and a hush fell over the entire courtyard.
Then came the moment everyone waited for the breath of fire that would ignite the pit, the ritual meant to call down the blessing of the dragons for another year.
The carved dragon head above the pit was heated with fire magic until it glowed faintly red.
Everyone held their breath waiting for the fire to blow out but after a few minutes, there was nothing.
The crowd shifted uncomfortably. The priest tried again, chanting louder this time but still no fire came.
Gasps rippled through the nobles as the priest finally yelled it out.
"It’s a bad omen!"
For the first time in years, the fire had not been lit. Lumina’s hands tightened on the folds of her dress, she understood at once... they were about to play their dirty game against her husband.