InsaneJournal

December 1
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A Gala at the Palace


It had all gone better than they could have hoped. Azyebel Salicar literally turned the tide of the war with the Danaan by simply being what she was. A Chaldean had always been a symbol of Sidhe strength, and care was taken that she never seem frail to the public, no matter the occasional truth of it. Morale was everything and with their leaders united, for a time at least, there was a shared sense of hope among the fae inhabiting this side of the Veil. By December, there were no more full-on battles taking place. There were still skirmishes here and there, pockets of resistance, but it seemed the end was within sight. The Danaan were a tribal folk, so victory would not come with a single surrender, but the most powerful of their own leaders had been taken, killed in action, or forced to retreat.

It had been months since the palace hosted a gala, a think which it had once boasted each and every month. Mikino insisted it was overdue and Queen Salicar consented to him seeing it done. This was a chance to show off the renovations to the palace and gardens, a display of Sidhe prosperity and perseverance. And more than that, it was a time to emphasize that unity they still enjoyed. Two ballrooms were opened for the duration of the night, but of course the gardens were a part of it as well, with no portion of them restricted. The theme was, in a sense, that there was no theme.

House colors were discouraged, as were insignia, though neither was outright forbidden. Tonight, there were to be no titles for any save the Queen herself. The nobility was to enjoy the novelty of a night playing at being anyone they liked, and the commoners were expected to do the same. Dukes would dance with tavern maids and no one would bat an eye. Some were more recognizable than most, as was always the case. No matter what shade he wore, no one was likely to mistake Mikino Alcaeyn. He was not the only notable figure in attendance, either. But for the majority, there was an exciting sense anonymity.

There was an area dedicated to each region as well, with food and entertainment suited to their particular culture. A guest could enjoy a glass of Galicia’s famed wines while dancing in the soft fall of snowflakes where the gardens had been adapted to mimic the climate of the north (though notably milder than a true winter). The lack of insignia bore by the rest also served to emphasize the splendor of a Queen who had spent her whole life feeling the burden of being “plain”. Mikino had insisted she stand out, and unless she had gone against his suggestion, she would be symbolic in all the ways he believed a Queen should. He may not have forgotten about Sidonie de la Sidra, but he saw to it that the rest of the world may as well have. This new young Queen would be made into something more dangerous than she already was: an ideal. It was not destined to make her life any easier, but the people would always love her for it, and they would never forget her.