That evening, the palace came alive for the new Tributes' arrival banquet.
Instead of the West Wing dining hall, where the new Tributes would dine going forward, a private banquet was held in the East Wing where Bellatrice and her ladies in waiting lived.
As the Tributes entered, she rose from her place at the head of a long dining table. Her grace, Princess Bellatrice.
"Welcome to Ardenne, my Lady Tributes," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "You have each come to serve a greater purpose, to lend your strength to the Shield that guards us all. On behalf of Ardenne, I thank each of you for being here."
She embraced each Tribute, looking magnificently radiant in a gown of gold that contrasted with her dark hair, twisted into an elegant crown. Every movement she made was deliberate, graceful, commanding.
Bellatrice swept her gaze over the new arrivals, polite yet assessing. She had already read the reports on each one. Her eyes lingered on Princess Rowena who was as sweet-looking as the descriptions claimed. She looked like someone who was still learning what it was to be a lady not a girl. Big brown eyes, the sort that would melt many men's hearts, but not Elarion's. She was not his type.
Alarie, the blonde from the Fjords was also as expected, bold and self-possessed. Bellatrice's smile tightened; she'd known her kind before.
Then her gaze landed on Noelis — the Tribute with no history. Noe felt the weight of that look, the warmth of Bellatrice's smile that never reached her eyes.
Rowena curtseyed low. "It's an honour, Lady Bellatrice."
"Princess Bellatrice," Inaya corrected. Rowena flushed crimson, and Noe felt a pang of pity for her. All Tributes, royal or not, were simply Lady Tributes. Only Bellatrice, engaged to Elarion, carried the title Princess.
Bellatrice turned toward Inaya with a broader smile and open arms. "It's been too long, Inaya. I trust your family is well? I hope they're not in too much mourning over losing their daughter to the Tributary cause."
"Good to see you, Bellatrice," Inaya said with the first genuine smile the other Tributes had seen. "Ardenne must be treating you well, you're glowing."
She had dropped the Princess title despite correcting Rowena. The two women embraced, and Inaya was seated closest to Bellatrice.
As they sat, the meal unfolded with delicate dishes of grilled fish, ham, fresh bread, cheese, and wine. Music hummed softly from a hidden quartet.
To the untrained eye, the evening was pleasant, a warm welcome full of grace and laughter. But beneath the surface, the currents shifted.
Reading the room was something Noe had learned long before the Academy; when you're unwanted, you learn to be perceptive.
Bellatrice's attention never lingered long, yet she missed nothing. Turning to the borrowed Tributes from Prince Calen she noted, Faelynn Feiber, the daughter of a renowned diplomat — unruly as her reports stated and no threat to Bellatrice. Inaya was a princess from the same inner circle as she. Inaya would never do anything to cross Bellatrice.
But Noelis... Bellatrice watched her with quiet intensity. There was something in the girl's stillness that unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
Noe, for her part, tried to focus on her food. Her Mark, faintly aglow beneath her robe, thrummed in quiet protest and soon, she understood why.
The chatter dimmed as Elarion entered the hall. He ignored everyone else, going straight to Bellatrice. Planting a soft kiss on her forehead, he silently took the seat beside her, leaving Bellatrice to preside over the rest of the evening.
As the evening neared to a close, Bellatrice got to the crux of their gathering. She shared a few golden rules to which they would be subject as new Tributes.
"As new Tributes, you will experience some changes in the next few months. The Heat will start gently at first, but once it reaches its peak, you won't be able to ignore it — and you will need to release it."
Elarion's jaw tightened, his face remaining solemn.
Bellatrice laid out on the table, the items that had been selected by the victors before the bonding ritual at the Autumn Equinox. The new Tributes hadn't seen these items since.
"When the Heat begins, these items will start to glow. Ordinarily, the keeper of these should be Elarion, but he has entrusted them to me. So when the time comes, we will make the appropriate arrangements for its release."
She never said it explicitly, but they all knew what she was intimating. Elarion would be the one releasing the Heat.
"The first Heat must be with Elarion." They all noticed how she dropped his title — a deliberate reminder of her special position.
"But after that, when another onset comes, you are free to release it with whomever you wish. Ordinarily, that would be the case, but I'm sure you've all heard about the current situation with the Shield."
No one had explained it to them, but the discussions among the victors the morning after the bonding had revealed enough.
"We ask that you share your Heat with a man of the bloodline, or one of Elarion's men — someone of our choosing."
Faelynn said with a tinge of mocking, "I'll try my very best to adhere to the rules, my Princess."
"You will speak to my future Queen with a bit more respect," Elarion growled.
Unaffected, Bellatrice continued, "Ah, I should also clarify — for Ladies Inaya and Faelynn, your first Heat need not be released with Elarion. In Prince Calen's absence, we will find other suitors when the time comes."
With that Elarion stood and ended the dinner.
"I think that's enough for today. Ladies, I trust you are all tired from the long journey here, I wish you a pleasant night."
***
Back in their shared atrium, the Tributes reflected on the information Bellatrice had just shared. Inaya was the only one absent — she had stayed behind to speak privately with Bellatrice.
"Elarion's not the prince charming I heard him to be. And Lady Bellatrice, who is she to determine who I decide to release my Heat with?" Faelynn didn't hide her dislike for their hostess.
"The Heat... releasing it... Elarion..." Rowena mumbled.
"Are you asking or confirming? Please don't tell me you're that naïve," Faelynn said, rolling her eyes. "Yes, when that Heat comes on, you and Elarion are going to f—"
"It will help stabilise your growing power," Alarie cut in, giving Faelynn a sharp look.
"Well, I wouldn't mind rolling around with Elarion, especially when he gives us that deliciously sullen look. But it seems Princess Bell wants him all to herself. Pity for her that the celestials decided to twist the rules — and not in her favor," Faelynn added with a wicked smile.
Alarie continued to explain. "It doesn't have to be him, but Elarion is best placed to get you through the first Heat as he's the one who bonded with us, who awakened our powers. Don't worry, the first time is always the worst. It'll be less painful next time"
Rowena shot a worried look at Noe — Rowena seemed more concerned for her than herself.
Noe remained rather impartial to everything Bellatrice had revealed. Her body had yielded to Elarion during the bonding, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. A part of her yearned to experience it again, though her head insisted it was only to understand the Heat and her new powers — nothing more.
When the servants arrived to prepare their baths, each Tribute retreated to her chamber and took to a warm bath, lost in thoughts that carried them through the rest of the night.