The Royal Heir - The Valtoria Diaries 2

Victory is mine

The dream team were heading into the Costume Gala like total bosses this year. Announced in by the palace herald fashionably late, Jen could feel many eyes on her and her squid-suited spouse as they strutted down the staircase and into the ballroom.

"Anniversary of first time getting announced in together too, you know," she pointed out, her hand tightly in his.

"Oh yeah! Wait, should I have got you a gift?"

She giggled. "The gift of you on my arm is all I need tonight, babe."

It wasn't very long before Hana, Drake, Bertrand and Savannah had gathered around to greet them.

"What a clever idea," Hana said, gesturing to Jen's dress. It was a full length navy blue gown, and where her bump fell there was a beautifully embroidered, lighter blue section, peppered with sparkly bubbles which illuminated a little pink baby squid at its core.

"I couldn't quite squeeze into my Bo Peep costume," Jen giggled. "Anyway, this one wanted to relive last year's glory."

"Yes, and he's definitely succeeded there," Savannah said, stepping forwards.

Jen counted to three in her head, doing her level best to keep calm, after Maxwell's recent revelations on the Savannah front.

"Thanks, Savannah!" Maxwell chirped, giving Jen's hand a supportive squeeze. "You look lovely! And... oh my gobstoppers, is that a new suit I see upon my brother dear?"

"It is," Bertrand admitted, with a proud smile, brushing it down; he looked particularly suave in a navy blue two-piece, not unlike Maxwell's favourite black suit, but completed with a traditional tie.

"Well, it's no costume, but I see Hana and Drake have got more into the spirit of things!" Maxwell stood between the two of them, and flung his arms around them. "Why, Lady Hana, you make a remarkable Egyptian Queen!"

"Why thank you, Your Grace," Hana said. "I thought I'd channel my inner Kamilah Sayeed."

"And Drake.... you're.. um..." Maxwell was speechless. "Yes."

"Yes, I'm a walking whisky bottle." Drake said, deadpan. "Hana's idea of a joke when I didn't get a costume." He looked hilarious. A tall hat served as the rim of the bottle, with a gap for his face, the bottle itself was a tabard around him down to knee level.

"I'm just shocked that you managed to convince him to wear it," Jen pondered, wondering if the ever-changing-relationship-status between these two had changed. Again.

"I told him I'd buy him a real one if he did," Hana explained.

Maxwell's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "What, the same size?"

There was a loud fanfare; the room went silent, all eyes on the herald by the door.

"His Majesty Rick Rys of Cordonia and Duchess Olivia Nevrakis of Lythikos."

Jen gasped, as their two friends appeared at the top of the staircase.

"Well this is new," Maxwell said with an eyebrow raise in Jen's direction, before joining 8n with the resultant whooping and clapping. "Wooooooo! Rick and Olivia!"

Jen also applauded, trading surprised expressions with Hana and Drake. "That's one way to make a statement."

Rick was adorned in a spectacular, no doubt authentic regal costume that seemed more medieval than the renaissance era costume he'd sported last year. Meanwhile Olivia was proudly modelling a new red dress, and a new red necklace to match, every bit as ornate as the precious sapphire necklace she had acquired from her Aunt Lucretia, much more Olivia's style. Jen could only imagine how priceless it was; seemingly, things were going well on the Rilivia front too.