"You look stunning."
Soria and Varin gasped when Opal stepped out from behind the screen where she dressed. Her hair was adorned with a set of green jade accessories. It stood out beautifully in her white hair. She wore a black dress with gold flower embroidery and a veil that matched.
"This is too extravagant. Don't you think?" Opal asked but they both shook their heads. "Not at all! It's quite simple but you fought us for a simple dress, so we decided that your accessories should show your status." Varin said to her quickly.
"If you say so." Opal gave in. She knew her daughters meant well, so she decided to go along with their wishes.
Varin wore a dress that faded from gold to silver with black embroidery of a depicted battle running down the train of the dress. Her hair was pinned up with gold accessories, and she wore a gold beaded veil.
Soria wore a white dress with black embroidery of a smithy forming a sword running down the back of her dress, similar to her sister's. Her hair was adorned with silver hair accessories, and she wore a silver beaded veil.
A knock sounded on the door. "Come in." Varin turned to see Sena and Sera poke their heads through the door. "Wow." Sera pushed past her sibling, aunt and mother as he rushed to Opal's side.
"Grandmother! You look beautiful!" She walked around Opal, her eyes shining as she looked at her grandmother. "It's been a while since I've seen you dressed up like this." Opal smiled. "Thank you. Now enough with the flattery and let's go. We are late already."
Sena and Sera also wore something simple. Black with simple silver flower embroidery and silver hair accessories. They wore black veils to match. Their facial structure was exactly alike, down to the way they behaved. They mirrored each other perfectly.
With the veil covering everything except their eyes, it would hard for others to tell them apart. Rain and Kain stood in the front yard, waiting.
"They might try something at the banquet." Kain said. He didn't trust Regila or those in it. "When they do, if we don't show them some color they'd think we got dark from just lingering in the sun." Rain replied. Kain chuckled. "Good one." Rain smirked.
Dasa, Opal's personal guard, placed a cloak around her shoulders the moment she stepped into the yard. "You look beautiful." Rain looked at Varin as though he wanted to eat her.
"Stop looking at her like that, the children are present." Opal's voice cut him out of his stupor and apparently Kain as well. She smiled, shook her head, pulled the hood over her head and walked past them towards the carriages waiting outside.
The twins clicked their tongues at them twice while shaking their heads. "We'll be sitting with Grandmother." Sera said smugly. Kain reached out and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her back gently.
"You'll be sitting with your father and me. We have some rules to go over." Sera sighed dramatically. "Fine." Kain chuckled and released her. "Come on."
Despite her joyful attitude, when Opal got into the carriage, she felt uneasy.
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This banquet is a welcome banquet for all the representatives of the other Kingdoms, but everyone was present except for those from Ojun.
"Are they not coming? How rude." Lia said as she looked at the empty seats to the right, just below her grandparents. "They informed us that they were going to be late. Mind your manners, Lia." Kai scolded her gently.
"Your brother's right, Princess. Mind your manners." A voice came from the large doors of the banquet hall as they slowly opened. "First Princess Varinas, First Prince Consort Raiden Jade, Second Princess Sorinae, Second Prince Kaiden Jade, First Young Princess Seniane, Second Young Princess Seraniae and Madam Jade of Ojun Kingdom have arrived!"
"Such long names, next time do as I said and used the shorter versions." Kain said softly before stepping into the banquet hall. The group walked in as though the palace was their own.
Many gasps as they saw the back of Soria and Varin's dresses. They were masterpieces that told a story. Rain looked at Kaelia. "Do you have a problem with us, Princess?" He asked Lia. His eyes made her uneasy.
"No, First Prince Consort." Rain looked around at those present and was about to say something else when Varin placed a hand on his arm. "Alright." This one word seemed to tone down his annoyance.
Varin bowed her head to Kasian and he did the same. "I wasn't aware that you were coming Princess but nevertheless, the numbers haven't changed. Please, have a seat."
Rain narrowed his eyes at Lia once more before turning away. Varin and Soria sat with Opal at the first table while the girls sat together and their fathers sat at the table next to them.
"I heard them announce someone in your group called Madam Jade. Which of these young ladies is her?" Kasian asked, even though his eyes were on Opal as Soria poured her warmed wine.
"Your eyes answered that question, so why ask me?" Varin answered. Kasian opened his mouth to say something more, but Lia clapped twice and music started.
Opal didn't look in Kasian's direction, nor did she speak. She was here to keep her sons in check. They were annoyed with the royal family the moment they sent people in the shadows rather than formally coming to them.
A woman stood up from the other side of the hall and walked through the dancers before stopping in front of Opal's table. "Princess Varin and Princess Soria. Accompany me for a drink. As acquaintances, I think we can do that. Right?"
"Meeting once in passing barely counts as acquaintances Princess Palari, besides as you can see my sister and I are not drinking." Soria replied to her with a smile.
She picked up her teacup. "Still, we can use tea in place of wine to drink." Palari didn't seem to like Soria tone. "Are you trying to insult me, Second Princess?" Soria lowered her cup. "How is that insulting you? Not even basic greetings as you approach us, is insulting."
"What is insulting is that you brought this unimportant woman to this banquet and flinging her in front of my brother-in-law. That is insulting to my sister." She spat out, glaring down at Opal who didn't bother to look in her direction.
"Mother is here to represent Ojun in the meeting your brother-in-law set up. If you have no problem offending our Ojun Kingdom, I have no problem leaving completely cutting off Regila, Palk and Lino because of you."
The hall fell silent.