Chapter 6 - The Welcoming Ball

"Yes. Lady Lira Vale. Is there a problem?"

She asked quietly.

"No no. I am just surprised. As you know your grandfather has not been to court in many years, we weren't sure he would honor the invitation."

Lira resisted the urge to heave a sigh of relief. He was probably just curious.

"We live far away from the palace. It is a three day journey from the mountains. My grandfather's health wouldn't allow him to make such a long trip, but he sends his good wishes."

"I see..." The Royal Instructor murmured.

"Well welcome Lady Lira. You may go to the grand hall. The welcoming ball has already started. I wish you luck."

Finally, she thought as she walked away quickly, before he called her back for something else. The grand ballroom of the royal palace was ablaze with light as the evening approached, its towering chandeliers casting soft glows over the sea of noble gowns and polished suits.

"Lady Lira Vale?" A court attendant called out to her.

"Yes?" Lira replied meekly.

"Here. Every lady in the Dragon queen Selection has to wear this rose. So that they will be recognized as ladies of the Selection." 

The court said as she slowly pinned a rose to Lira's emerald green dress.

"Okay. Thank you."

The court attendant looked at her weirdly before bowing her head slightly and leaving.

The court buzzed with excitement, the tension was electric as the girls were escorted into the heart of the palace for their first official appearance. It was the Queen's Selection welcoming ball—a glittering event that would set the tone for the competition ahead.

Each girl, dressed in their finest silks and adorned with jewels that gleamed like stars, was given a single red rose pinned to her dress to identify them as the contenders. The symbol of the selection, the rose, represented not only their eligibility but also the fierce competition they were about to face. The palace staff moved quickly, arranging the girls into neat rows, making sure they looked every bit the part of future queens.

Lira Sutton, her heart beating with every step, could feel the weight of the red rose upon her chest, a silent reminder of the façade she was maintaining. She had picked the best of the dresses she could find in Lady Lira's wardrobe, but even at that, it didn't measure up to what the other girls were wearing. With no handmaiden or no previous experience of doing her hair and makeup, Lira had left her face bare and managed to put her curly brown hair in a braid. The other girls—graceful, poised, beautiful, and ambitious—stood with heads held high, exuding confidence and elegance, but Lira's thoughts were a thousand miles away from the pomp and circumstance of the night. Every glance, every word, and every movement was part of a bigger plan. She wasn't here to win the prince's affection—she was here for revenge.

As the last of the girls were arranged, the doors to the ballroom swung open, revealing the royal family. The room fell into a hush as King Edric Valemont and Queen Seraphina entered, their presence commanding immediate attention. Behind them, Crown Prince Cassian walked with the air of a man who would rather be anywhere else. His disinterest was palpable, his sharp features betraying little emotion as he surveyed the room of eligible women. He was just as they said. He was handsome. Devilishly handsome. Part of Lira could understand why women fell at his feet.

The Queen made a brief but graceful address.

"I welcome you all. One of you here is the future dragon queen of Aurelia. One of you stands a chance to marry the Crown Prince Cassian and rule alongside him. One of you will be his bride. One of you will become a dragon rider. And I must warn you, the stakes are very high."

Cassian's thoughts, however, were far from the Queen's speech. He stood off to the side, barely paying attention as his friends—nobles from various influential families—gathered around him. They discussed the girls with fervor, pointing out the contenders they found most promising.

"Lady Calista Harthwell is a top contender," one of his friends said, leaning in with a knowing smile. "I hear she has fire magic. Taheer might like that. Besides, her father's influence cannot be ignored. Half of the founding family and the council bow to her father, Lord Gareth. You would be mad not to make her your queen."

Cassian's lips twitched into a half-smile. "She's certainly well-prepared," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "But there are other contenders. It's not about how powerful you are you know. At the end of the day, the dragon trials will decide." His eyes flickered over the other girls, his expression unreadable as he scanned the room. "She'll have her work cut out for her."

Another friend chimed in, "And what of Lady Vivienne Trevanne? Brute strength. The strength of a hundred men. She's sharp, confident—I heard she's very intelligent. Quite a rare trait in a woman."

Cassian arched an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. "I don't know; I've heard she can be a little aggressive. I'll have to find out myself," he murmured, his gaze settling on Lady Vivienne for a moment before moving on to the next group of girls.

"And of course who can forget Lady Elora. The poor girl is very timid, but her father's name makes up for that." His friend said again.

Prince Cassian looked towards Lady Elora's direction. She was beautiful no less, but shy, so painfully shy. His friend was right about her being timid.

"I know my parents would be impressed if I married someone like her. The Dorne family is arguably the richest in Aurelia. They control the crops and they farm our lands. But there are a lot of contenders and I fully intend to give every girl here a fair shot. Anyone of them can be my queen."

His friends quickly shook his head.

"Oh no. Not just anyone. It has to be someone worthy enough to ride a Dragon. Do you think everyone here is equal? No, we aren't. You are a prince, a dragon rider. You are bonded to the most powerful dragon known to man, Taheer. In terms of ranking, we are not equal. Whoever you pick to be your Queen should be a woman of equal or near equal standing."

Cassian was about to argue that he didn't care about all that, but his thoughts were soon interrupted as he was pulled toward a brief line of introductions. The girls were presented to him one by one, each one trying to make an impression, to catch his attention with their grace or their charm.

"Your highness! I am Lady Juliette Crestfall. It will be an honor to be selected to be your Queen!"

One of them practically screamed in his ear. But Cassian remained aloof, his mind clearly elsewhere. He nodded politely and exchanged pleasantries, but his eyes rarely lingered for long.

"Lady Elora Dorne, a pleasure," he said to the timid, soft-spoken girl, offering a cool smile. "I trust you're finding the event to your liking."

Elora nodded quickly, a nervous smile crossing her face. "Y-Yes, Your Highness. It's truly an honor to be here."

Cassian's expression remained neutral. "I'm sure you'll do well," he said curtly, before moving on to the next.

"Your highness. Lady Cassandra Evernight."

One of the girls said. Cassian knew that name. He remembered that name. He turned, and he found a striking young woman in a low-cut gown. The gown was low enough for him to see her cleavage. Cassian hurriedly looked away from her bodice.

"Lady Cassandra. Forgive me, but I was under the impression that you were married."

Lady Cassandra smiled demurely.

"I was. My poor husband, God rest his soul, died before our marriage could even be consummated."

She said coyly.

Cassian raised his eyebrows.

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear that."

"A tragic loss indeed. But I am glad for the opportunity it has awarded me. It brought me close to you your highness," Lady Cassandra said demurely.

Cassian smiled tightly, excusing himself immediately after.

As the night wore on, Cassian found himself growing increasingly bored with the proceedings. Each girl seemed to blend together in a haze of polite conversation and rehearsed smiles. They were all so... eager. So desperate to prove their worth. He couldn't help but find the whole thing tiresome.

His friends continued to discuss the ladies of the Selection, but Cassian's sharp wit and sarcastic remarks betrayed a growing sense of disdain for the entire process.

"Do you think one of these girls can truly handle being a dragon rider?" he muttered under his breath, his gaze sweeping over the sea of faces. "Do you think they've ever seen a dragon up close before?"

His friend, Lord Reginald Hawke, chuckled softly, but his amusement was tinged with an edge of concern. "I imagine Lady Trevanne wouldn't be one to shy away from a dragon but for the life of me I cannot imagine Lady Elora Dorne riding a dragon. You do have your work cut out for you. You have to pick a woman good enough to be queen and strong enough to be a dragon rider. It is your duty."

Cassian snorted, his eyes darkening with a mixture of frustration and rebellion. "Duty," he repeated bitterly, as if the word itself left a bad taste in his mouth. "I'm well aware of my duty. But what good is duty when I'm forced to choose from a group of women I barely know? All of them trying to be something they're not, pretending to be someone they think I want them to be. How can I be expected to make the right choice when they're all putting on a show for me?"