"Snowfairy Queen's flower." He looked straight into Luna's eyes.
"I'm sorry?" She asked, confused.
"You're like that flower." He clarified. She tilted her head with a smile, "Snowfairy Queen? Because of my hair colour?"
"Not precisely. There's a legend that the home of the Snowfairy Queen holds a beautiful red flower that enchants everyone who feast their eyes on it."
"I do hear a lot that I'm attractive." She wasn't amused in the slightest.
"Do you want to know why you're like that flower?" He leaned towards her.
"It better be worthwhile."
"It holds the ability to cure all ailments."
"So it's a panacea?"
"And a lethal poison." He gestured with his hands. He paused, "Depending on its usage. Normally, it releases a sweet fragrance alluring others towards itself but the fragrance itself is a slow poison."
"So my uncontrolled aura seeping out is as deadly as the fragrance of the flower. Is that what you're trying to say?" Luna scoffed at his daring words.
"I didn't mean to upset you. I was alarming you." He noticed a slight tension between them.
The sound of trumpets announced the arrival of the royal family and the two had to leave their conversation at that. They stepped out of the room and stopped at the handrail that led down the ceramic tiled stairs. The two were a distance apart, Luna nearer to the stairs while the other a bit further away.
The Emperor, crowned and with bright red hair, led the procession. He was followed by the Empress (a darker red shade) and the blonde Queen. Trailing them were the vicenarian Prince and the little Princess, both bearing the hair color of their respective mothers.
One thing that was common in the Clematis, the royal family, was their golden eyes. All three (the Emperor, prince and princess) had bright golden eyes- a symbol of royalty of the Evimeria Empire.
The Emperor's eyes searched the crowd for the main guest of the banquet. He caught sight of Rezef standing next to the duke of Bouvardia- two childhood friends together although the picture was incomplete.
"Greetings, your majesty." The two bowed as the Emperor reached. "To you as well." He responded. The two smiled at the awkward silence that followed.
"You know very well that I don't like beating around the bush. In the war against Eisenschap, your meticulous leadership made it possible for our army to infiltrate their lands and rescue Princess Olivia from the sadistic hands of their prince. Not only that, you've also come to make a treaty that benefits our Empire."
"It wasn't only me, your majesty. Your men played an important role as well. Not to mention Princess Mathilda and Prince Gustav who accompanied me." Rezef humbly smiled.
"Not everyone is able to lead an army at that." The Emperor waved his hand in dismissal, "Alongside the bounty that is given to every knight, I want to grant you a wish of yours."
The man and Luna watched from above as the tension drew in Rezef's inner mind. All eyes and ears were fixated on him thinking of what he would demand.
"Name your wish."
Rezef took a deep breath and looked at the Emperor knowing fully well that this was the time and he wouldn't get another chance. Duke Bouvardia glanced at him and knew he was about to bring forth chaos with his request.
"The conscription of the second son of Lily's....I want that abolished." He stood on his grounds ready to face the backlash. The centuries of silent control, of being kept on a leash, was now being wagered on a single, impossible request.
"Abolishing the conscription you say?" The Emperor couldn't believe his ears.
"That's correct." Rezef's voice didn't waver.
"You do know that the conscription you speak of was to save your necks from what happened." The emperor clarified his question.
"That happened about three centuries ago, your majesty." Rezef emphasized.
"Killing the emperor is a serious offense. But your family was pardoned from the punishment with that conscription for the second son."
"The person you speak of was punished by the heavens. Is it necessary for the next generations of Lily to amend for his wrongdoing?" Rezef remained firm although his insides were a storm.
The man, who had been keenly observing the conversation alongside Luna, grew bored of their conversation knowing it was going nowhere, and discreetly left the banquet hall.
The emperor wouldn't budge on Rezef's argument. "Divine punishment. That's what it was called when the lightning struck him down on the guillotine. That man no longer exists and so does his generation. The ones facing the consequences are his brother's generations, not his."
"Is not the great father of the Lily duchy the father of that man as well? Your kin didn't even remove him from the family registry. If you had done so, then maybe your family's second sons would've been pardoned." The emperor tried to guilt-trip him.
"I see the Emperor wants to hoist with his own petard." Luna, who had enough of their argument, walked down the stairs confidently gaining everyone's attention.
"Whatever could you possibly mean by that?" The emperor asked, enraged by her words.
"Forcing someone to work in the military when they clearly don't want to. What do you think would happen?" She asked, reaching to the two. After a brief pause, she continued, "Their morale would be low and wouldn't work as efficiently as they would've done voluntarily. And in the worst case scenario, that man might harm his own nation in spite."
Luna raised her eyebrow asking if the Emperor was getting her point.
"Are you implying we would harm our own nation for personal reasons?" Rezef asked, offended by her words.
"Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean there isn't a possibility. One gets tired by the master who puts him on a leash." She turned her head from Rezef to the Emperor, "But of course, they can also be tied with the leash of gratitude instead of punishment. That way, they'll remain loyal for a long time."
"I appreciate your insight, duchess Oleander, but I can't unanimously make a decision. I'll discuss this matter with the noble families in the next royal council." Luna smiled subtly at the Emperor's concession.
"Anything else that can be given to you at the spot?" The Emperor asked Rezef.
"You're willing to grant me another wish?" Rezef inquired with surprise.
"Of course. Anything that is less demanding than the previous one." The Emperor's words stung with contempt.
"There is one actually." Rezef reached out for the inner pocket of his coat and took out some papers. "We're adding another to our family. Hope you could approve the adoption."
"I did hear rumors about the Lilies adopting a person in their family. Didn't think it'd be true." The emperor was amused, "After all, your family cares about pure lineage."
"Have to break the stereotypes at some point." Rezef handed the papers to the Emperor's stretched hands.
"Say, what's this lucky man's name?" The emperor asked, genuinely intrigued.
Rezef's smile faltered from the question. He reluctantly spoke as the Emperor read the papers, "O..wen. His name's Owen."
Silence spread like disease in the hall. A name that hung like a sword on everyone's neck.
"Owen?" The emperor inquired rancorously, "Like the man who killed Emperor Callisto three centuries ago?"