The banquet

It was an outdoor banquet in the palace, nobles chatted among themselves,the tables and chairs were placed down while the king position was up,which the consorts and concubines tables were set beside him, it was like a half diamond style, three tables set his left and the other three set by the right.

In a royal banquet, all nobles, consorts,the king sons and daughters are to arrive before him. Even the food and drinks are not presented till he arrives. And no one is to sit until he arrives.

The princes and princesses did not sit with the king.

The consorts and the concubines.They sat in the lower floor  but still higher than the nobles that their tables were set on the ground.

The whole place was lit with rushlights, fire torches and lanterns. You could smell the roasting of beef and different delicacies been prepared.

"Consort silverline has arrived!",her chief guard announced.she walked with her son,prince aris who is sixteen years old and her daughters,princess ruby,who is fourteen years old and princess anna who is thirteen years old.Consort silverline comes from a family that is rank 1 in nobility. The guest bowed as they walked.

" Consort labyrinth has arrived!",her chief guard announced.consort labyrinth is the mother of prince karl who is sixteen years old and prince nate who is twelve years old,but she only walked with prince karl,prince nate was not present.she comes from a family with the lowest rank of nobility,rank 8. The guest bowed as they walked.

"Consort whitelotus has arrived!",her chief guard announced.She is the mother of prince jers who is eleven years old and she's from a family of rank 1 nobility. The guests bowed as they walked.

"Consort herl has arrived!",her chief guard announced. She is the mother of  prince keystone who is fifteen years old.shes from  a family with rank 4 nobility.The guest bowed as they walked.

"Imperial concubine pomel has arrived!",her chief guard announced. She is the mother of prince tasus who is twelve years old and princess merry who is eleven years old. She was a palace servant with no family background.The guests bowed as they walked.

"Imperial concubine Olivia has arrived!" Her chief guard announced. She is the mother of prince timus who is twelve years old and she is not a noble.The guests bowed as they walked.

Prince nate was not present and prince kylis waited.

"Maybe he's dead",prince aris laughed mockingly.

"second prince,prince karl,won't you check on your little brother?",prince aris kept laughing.

"He's not my brother",prince karl said.

"His majesty has arrived!",the chief of all imperial guards announced and the guests,consorts, concubines, princesses and princes went on their knees and bowed to the ground as he walked,being escorted by the chief of palace guards and some of the red eagle warriors.

As he sat on his chair,he raised his hand,"you can stand".

"His majesty said you can stand!",the chief of imperial guards announced.

And they all stood up.

"Which of the royals is not around",the king asked the chief of imperial guards.

"The seventh prince,son of consort labyrinth,prince nathius,your majesty".

The king furrowed his eyebrows,"They can sit and order the food and drinks to be served".

"I will heed your command,your majesty",the chief of imperial guards bowed.

" His majesty said you can sit and food and drinks should be served!!",the chief if imperial guards yelled.

The palace servants came from left and right in a line,all dressed in green palace maid garment with the first delicacy and presenting other delicacies afterward.

By the king left,consort labyrinth sat beside him and behind her was royal concubine pomel and royal concubine Olivia while by the king's right was consort silverline,consort whitelotus and consort herl.

"Consort labyrinth,why is the 7th prince not here",the king asked labyrinth with a voice that causes fear.

She knelt in front of him," your majesty,as you know,he has banned me from his residence,he does things on his own will, your majesty,if you punish him,I will not beg for forgiveness,but as am the mother of such son,punish me",she bowed.

Prince nate arrived in his princely clothing,wearing a fur coat as he was cold and escorted by his chief guard,ivan who is seventeen and his personal maid,ari who is twelve.

The guests turned to see him.

He knelt down an bowed to the ground facing the king,"greetings your majesty".

He knelt and bowed to the ground three times,"forgive me your majesty,I know I have done wrong by coming after you,even though my health is too blame,I don't wish to make excuses,I will serve any punishment given to me",he bowed his head to the ground.

The place was silent,prince aris smiled as he waited for the king to announce his punishment.

Consort whitelotus knelt in front of the king",your majesty,please forgive the seventh prince",she bowed to the ground.

" Why?", the king asked with a straight face ,no one could guess what the king was feeling as his face was always like that.

"Long live his majesty,you are the mightiest lion,I hope you can be merciful towards the seventh prince,we can't blame the seventh prince from being poisoned with the most deadly poison,he didn't poison himself,it must have made him to stay back a little,your majesty please forgive the seventh prince,prince nate",she bowed to the ground.

The king held her hand and raised her up as he stared at her,"the seventh prince can stand".

"The seventh prince can stand!",the chief of imperial guard announced.

"Your majesty is merciful!",nate bowed again to the ground.

" His majesty Is merciful!",the guests chorused and bowed.

They stood up and prince nate to walked to where his royal siblings sat and bowed to prince kylis.

"What is this?,you only bowed to the 1st prince,what about your other older brothers?",prince Aris glared at him.

Prince nate glanced at prince aris,adjusted his clothes and sat down.

"I didn't just bow to any prince, I bowed to the crown prince of this kingdom",prince nate drank the water from his cup elegantly.

Prince aris laughed mockingly, "crown prince of our kingdom? What if his majesty changes his mind?".

Prince nate laughed and picked his cup to drink from it again, "even though his majesty changes his mind, it can never be you, prince aris".

Prince aris slammed the table, stood up and pointed at nate, "you low rank!".

"Prince aris, comfort yourself, do you want to anger his majesty",prince kylis commanded.

"Who are you to tell me what to do!",prince aris yelled. He laughed, "you don't even know if you'll be alive for a long time, you can't protect that position!".

Prince nate dropped his cup forcefully on the table and stood up, "how dare you!",he yelled.

The guest chatters reduced as they turn to see the drama that was unfolding before their eyes.

"Your majesty, should I stop them?",the chief of imperial guards asked.

"No, let them continue" , hThe king said with an annoyed but calm face.

Prince nate was furious, "how dare you ask him who he is!, tommorow he'll be coronated and you dare to ask him who he is?!,and what was that?,he may not live long?,I'll slice your throat the moment you hurt him! ".

" Your mother is from a family with the lowest noble rank, and you dare talk back to me!?, My mother is consort silverline from a rank 1 noble family and I am prince aris, the third prince! ".

Prince karl, the second prince stood up," leave my mother out of this and prince nate, stop talking back! ",He yelled.

" Comfort yourself, prince aris! ",Prince nate commanded.

" And so what if your mother is from the highest noble family, my mother may be from the lowest rank noble family, but am still the son of his majesty, the seventh prince!,am also a prince!",prince Nate yelled.

Prince nate smirked and spoke in a calm. Voice, "unbelievable, you empty vessel, that call yourself, prince aris, His majesty held this banquet for the success of the 1st prince for quelling the enemies and you dare to be raising you voice here".

"How dare_",prince aris was cut off  by prince nate.

" While prince kylis was risking his life out there with other soldiers, you were pleasuring yourself with liquors and whores, if someone like you is to be chosen as the crown prince that will be the beginning of the downfall of this kingdom, by then, I won't be blame for treason".

" How dare_",prince aris was cut off again by prince nate.

" Sit down!,that's enough!, Prince aris! ",He yelled as he was fuming with anger.

Prince aris looked around and found out everyone was silent and sat down.

The guests continue to chatter as they drink and eat.

"Prince nate",prince karl ,prince Nate's brother called but nate didn't answer.

"Answer me or not but you're bleeding from you nose",prince Karl said.

Ivan saw it and gave him a handkerchief to wipe it but he was still bleeding.

Prince nate stood up, "forgive me, 1st brother but I have to take my leave, once again congratulations".

Prince kylis stood up, "wait I'll help you back, ivan, ari, summon the royal physician to my residence, it is nearer".

"Yes, your highness",they chorused.

Prince jers joined prince kylis to escort him back and the other princes laughed.