The Lantern Festival (Part 9)

Our fun filled lunch was about to end when all of a sudden one of my classmates asked me if I knew any traditional songs of Astoria since I know Traditional Calligraphy they jumped to the conclusion that I knew a lot about Traditions involving Astoria.

"Well there was this lullaby that was always sung by my mother to me when I couldn't sleep. She said that it was one of Astoria's oldest lullabies." I answer sincerely as I recall the lullaby my mother used to sing to me.

"Can you sing it to us?" Someone requested.

"I am not that good a singer though." I confessed

"It's alright, no judgments here." Another chimed in.

"Okay." I conceded to their requests since the mood was so lovely, I did not want to be a sour puss.

I closed my eyes trying hard to remember the lyrics to the lullaby my mother used to sing.

"Close your eyes little one and sleep in my arms. . .I am here. . . I will hold your hand . . .

Close your eyes little one and sleep in my arms. . . Dream of the days you run in the sun. . .

Close your eyes little one and sleep in my arms. . . I will love you until I am gone. . .

Close your eyes little one . . ."

A small tear fell down my cheek when I opened my eyes. I remembered the times my mom carried me in her arms and lulled me back to sleep whenever I barged into my parents' room when I had a nightmare. The last time she did that was the night she died alongside with my dad.

"Wow! Christie that was so heartfelt. . . ." A girl from my class sniffling while talking.

"Yeah, it must be a lovely memory, the one that made you cry. . . " Our class rep. mentions

"Uhm. . . Yes. I just remembered my mother. She used to sing this to me all the time back when she was alive." I tell everyone.

"Thank you for sharing that with us." The class rep. consoles me. "Well then let's try and capture their hearts once more and put Astorian Letter Writting back on the map.

"Yeah!" A collective response from everyone.

After that rather invigorating lunch with all of my classmates, I feel refreshed and have reset my entire mood for this afternoon's shift. Today, I will only be here until 3 in the afternoon because at 5 all GABC members need to be in the studio for our final preparations for tonight's Opening Gala. It might be unusual to have the Gala Night on the Opening Night of the Lantern Festival itself but since it's birth the GABC has always been hosting the Gala Night during the Opening Day. I guess the principle behind it would be that the GABC's performance would be the cherry on top of a wonderful day of and will set the mood of the entire Lantern Festival.

The three of us take our respective places in the adjacent room as we hear the usherettes' voices guiding our next clients just outside our door. The door opens and I was rather surprised to see nicely dressed people coming in one by one then I realized that I recognize the last four to enter except the man at the end. A man in a sharp black suit was Henry's older brother, then a man in a sleek black suit was Lord Archer himself and the third man to enter was Henry in his beautiful blue suit followed by Amelia wearing a lovely red dress only coming up to her knees. But the last person who entered exuded a very intimidating aura a fine contradiction to his pristine white suit . He must be Amelia's father and my uncle.

"Hear ye! Hear ye! You are in the presence of the Queen. Pay Homage!" The guards standing beside me speak out to signal the start of this session. But as soon as they finished, we could clearly see the expressions on Lord Archer and Lord Reinhard. Their brows were furrowed and were glaring at the boys pretending to be royal guards. Until one of them spoke up.

"What sort of nonsense are you saying? Queen? Hahaha!" Lord Archer mocked the three of us.

"Why would I pay homage to an imposter? Don't you know who I am?" Amelia's father spouted rather cockily.

The two boys beside me were trembling a little in fear of this man who clearly was here to intimidate us and not enjoy this session of lessons. I try to calm my nerves as well before I do something stupid then the older brother of Henry spoke up.

"Oh my, these people really don't know who you are Lord Reinhard. What should we do to them?" His brother seems to be adding fuel to the fire.

"Hmmm. . .I didn't know that the students of Graceland are this incompetent." He glared at us and then looked at me head to toe and I see a hint of him recognizing his own grandmother in me, at least how much I resembled her.

"Oh my, my, my. . ." Henry's brother continues to add fuel.

I see Henry walking up as if to calm everyone down and I see Amelia smirking at me clearly she finds all of this amusing. I look at Henry as if to apologize for what I am about to do and he gives me a pleading look not to do anything but I can't just let them insult me and my classmates when we all have worked hard to make this booth possible. They are just a bunch of snobby aristocratic wannabes.

I slam the folded fan in my hand on the table itself as if a mantle of a judge to call for everyone's attention. Just like how my grandpa King Charles used to tell me about his grandmama Queen Martha. This evidently startles everyone. I glare at the three aristocratic wannabes and I start to speak in the exact mocking tone I know my Grandpa Charles does when he wants to put someone in place.

"I did not know that Martina had raised such an insolent child. I always told that child of mine to be firm when it comes to discipling her children but I think she might have gone soft on your father Loiuse to have bore such a discourteous grandchild? You must have inherited that from that Reinhard? Sigh! Your actions and words alone are the reasons why I was against Martina marrying that social climbing scum and yet here you are claiming to be someone who is more noble than me? My child, my blood might be running through your veins as well because of my daughter Martina, your grandmother but your nobility is as tainted as mud with your name Reinhard to begin with." I now directly spoke to Lord Reinhard who was surprised at my knowledge of his heritage. Since this information was not something you can easily get from history books only those who truly know of the royal family and have seen the royal records know of it. I see him seething with anger as I expose just how noble he thinks he is when I already know the different sides of my own heritage. Nana made sure that I was thoroughly educated and of course I did my own research as well to better prepare for this role.

"You! (I point to Lord Archer). . . Who exactly are you? Are you this impudent child's posse? Do you always follow him around with your tail between your legs? I tell you now, nothing good comes out off people like the two of you." I took a swing at Henry's father next."

"Hurry and leave, take your possies with you, I no longer want to breathe the same air as a Reinhard." I wave my hand at them. These men were about to pick a fight with me but Henry stepped in.

"Brava! Brava! You truly are astounding. My apologies my Queen. . .(bows down to Christie)." Henry's older brother was the only soul to speak up to me.

But I also recall how he added fuel to this already chaotic mix so I also let him have it. "Apology not accepted, leave at once." I turn my head to the side as if to dismiss them further. I truly am scary sometimes if I say so myself. This is how I remember my grandpa Charles when he dismisses people he doesn't like. To think this comes naturally to me because I am his grand daughter is scary.

"I think we have overstayed our welcome. You came here to experience the traditional Astorian Calligraphy did you not? But have insulted them instead and now you have nothing further to say. I think it best we leave gentlemen, my lady while the Queen is still being gracious to us." Henry tells them off as well.

The group lead by Lord Archer left with out another word from them. I've really dug up my grave now, to think I picked a fight with Henry's father and my own uncle. If they wished it, they could erase me on this Earth and bury any evidence I ever existed.

"Uh. . . Christie. . . .(voice almost cracking) you were awesome! I really thought that we were done for the boy to my right spoke.

"Yeah! I thought they were going to chew us up for just this pretend set up." Seconded by the boy to my left.

"Who knew that, that Lord Archer and that Lord Reinhard would be so mean."

"You said that right. But is it really okay for you to do that to them Christie?"

"Actually, I don't think that they'll let this one slide but rest assured I will take full responsibility for everything. After all I was the one who spoke all those nasty things to them." I tell them.

"By the way, how did you know all those things about Lord Reinhard's heritage?"

"Yeah, Christie. . . How did you know?"

Well I can't exactly tell them how but, "I just did a little in-depth research for this role."

"Oh. . .wow! Talk about dedication."

As we were talking, our class representative came in running. "Are you guys alright?"

"Class rep. !" Both boys shouted as if in want to be consoled.

"I heard from someone what happened here but it seems like you handled things here already." Our class rep. said.

"You should have seen her, she really put those thugs in their place. . .I was about to cry when they started to intimidate us but Christie came to our rescue."

"Oh it was nothing. I just don't like people who mis-use their authority and power over those who they see are weak. It makes me sick to my stomach." I recall how absolute power absolutely corrupted my grandfather. I loved him but I also know of how he suddenly became corrupted by the sickness that comes with it.

"Hmmm. . You can say that again. But to be certain we will close earlier for our Traditional Astorian Calligraphy private lessons for this afternoon but we will keep the Cafe and the post office open until the cut off period. This isn't because of you of course, I just want to make sure that nothing like that happens again. We don't want anyone in our class being disrespected like that."

Kudos to her for being such a stable and strong leader for this class anyone in her position would just easily put the blame on me for disrespecting two of the most popular and rich people in Astoria.

What do I do now? Might as well go to the GABC dance studio and try to relax before we get ready for the Gala Night Performance.