The Kingdom of Lies & Gems 3

The previous day had shed its skin and made way for the next one in order to reveal itself. It was now June 8th, the day that the Aegis Iory celebration of Vierizen’s first city ever built was taking place.

Given how it was the Avilla family that took charge centuries ago and made Vierizen throughout the years a complete country, they felt the necessity to celebrate that with no reservations whatsoever. They wanted to give their people a sense of union, a sense of all being one with each other and them.

Of course, they tried to accomplish that through their everyday activities, but this day also meant something for the Vierizians as well; the birth of their home place and its current so-loved king and queen as well as their family tree.

It was now morning and Gabriel, with a proud smirk on his face and a body accompanying that attitude, began talking emphatically to Aaron by the castle’s entrance.

“Everything should be in order, my dear brother. I think it’s now the best time to just sit tight, and wait for everyone to come and enjoy their time with us!”

Aaron looked at him deep into his eyes and while processing Gabriel’s words, he threw his hand at his shoulder.

“Yes, brother.”, he answered to him as if he was still pondering, “Let’s give our family and its people a time they will remember for the rest of their lives…”

Then, they both stood at the entrance’s sides waiting for their guests to arrive and welcome them into the enormous castle. They had decided to be the ones to be there to show the people around and thank them in person for their company.

After a brief amount of hours passed, several people started appearing at the door by feet, horses, or even carriages, as the knights showed them their way or helped them get them into the castle’s outer perimeter.

At the people’s sight, Gabriel and Aaron rushed to them, giving them words of gratitude and making postures with their bodies to show them toward the main area where the celebration was hosted.

The main hall was decorated with several standalone round tables with generous food portions on top of them. The food varied from small delicacies like shrimp to gently cooked oven beef rolls with potatoes on their side.

Moreover, the maids and butlers were constantly on the run to serve the guests glasses of red wine, either sweet or semi-sweet, depending on the guests' tastes while explaining to them that prince Aaron himself handpicked it.

The atmosphere was light and anyone could hear the brimming noises of some people talking to each other as well as the riveting laughter of others enjoying their time to their fullest.

Some of them had also decided to grasp the opportunity to visit the castle’s various spaces, of course, with a knight accompanying them so as not to enter facilities or rooms they shouldn’t be.

Gabriel and Aaron seemed to enjoy their time speaking with other people at a table beside an empty one in the center of the hall, while suddenly they heard a deep voice coming from afar.

“My fellow and beloved Vierizians. Welcome!”, a man with a white beard and luxurious attire voiced out energetically, “To another celebration for our wonderful country!”

A woman of late age stood beside King William and after he voiced his last words, she began talking with the same demeanor as him.

“May our goddess Sliusy bless you and this country for ages to come! Thank you for joining us, and please, have a wonderful time!”

Everyone in the room stood silent as they heard both of their speech. And in a matter of seconds, after King William and Queen Melissa finished talking, the atmosphere in the hall swiftly changed to a more energetic one.

Let’s toast! To King William and Queen Melissa! Banzai!”, they all shouted simultaneously in a cheerful manner.

The room was rimmed with even more vitality as everyone there raised their glasses and clunked them together as their tinkle echoed throughout the hall’s interior.

A dusk color covered the previously brightly blue sky as the moon had shown its majestic figure in the middle. It was a full moon today, a usual occurrence for the Aegis Iory custom, making it another mark for the Vierizians to believe that Sliusy celebrated alongside them.

As per tradition, when the grant revelry in the main hall gets quieted down as people return to their homes, only the stronger drinkers stay behind and accompany the Avilla family to the castle’s balcony on the upper floors.

That is because a special event happens there; everyone looks up at the dazzlingly lit sky due to its numerous stars and whenever one drops and more than two people see it, they all call it and drink their wine glasses in one swoop.

Usually, most people that stay at such late hours are members of the other two families that help Avilla govern Vierizen; Irnalid and Endemia.

“It’s been another great night, my fellow friends, and it’s all thanks to you all for participating!”, said King William with a grandiose voice.

“Honey.”, Queen Melissa spoke with a concerned look on her face, “Are you sure you want to participate in the Aegis Iory night? You have been drinking for some hours already…”

“Muahahaha”, another figure burst out in laughter as he put his arms around King William, “Maybe you have outgrown the traditions my friend William.”

“Is that so, Jake? I don’t remember the head of the Endemia family being way younger than me. So, let’s see who really can go on. It’s a standoff between us too, my old friend!”.

The people standing behind them burst into a peal of vivid laughter that filled the space with a fun and exciting atmosphere. Everyone hugged someone beside them and stared at the night sky with contemplated looks on their face.

“Before we start.”, King William spoke again, “I would like to specifically thank my two wonderful sons. I know they have tried their best to accommodate everyone and create a celebration like never before. So, let’s begin our night with a toast to them!”

Aaron and Gabriel looked at each other and then back at him with a “you didn’t have to do this” expression on their faces. Their mom, Queen Melissa, nodded in response to their gazing as if telling them telepathically to let King William have it for tonight.

“There, there! I saw a big one. Please tell me someone else saw it as well!”, a young voice said at the far end of the large balcony. “I saw it too, my fellow mate!”, another yell came from the right side.

“Then,”, Gabriel barged in, “Our goddess has spoken. Bottom’s up everyone!”

“Hurraaaay!”, everyone shouted, as the gulping sounds of wine glasses filled the area till they became as empty as they were before they were loaded up with it.

The second everybody’s glasses became clear, the maids rushed in to pour more wine into every empty glass. As they did, another shout about a falling star interrupted them, only this time it was different than the one before.

“Another one is falling fellas! You see th…wait…Doesn’t this seem like it's falling dangerously close to us?”

Aaron then lifted his head and began smirking at the image of a giant meteorite plunging toward the balcony everyone was currently placed at.

This is a side story featuring characters Vierizen Kingdom from my work-in-progress novel, "In The Ashes of Forgiveness", originally published on Medium.

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