It was the time of the year, when Spring is at its height, bringing about a time of joy, renewal, and love.
The Festival of Eros was back, but this time it wasn't just any noblemen looking for a wife, but the Crown Prince of Camelot. The eligible l...
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Charlene stared out the window of her carriage, taking in the grand castle in the distance. Her heart pounded as she clutched the thick, glossy invitation in her hands and she wondered if it was too late to withdraw from the Festival of Eros and return to her home.
The Festival of Eros was more like a competition than an actual festival and was held for nobles who could not find a spouse by a certain age which differed in the different kingdoms of Eden. Every year, there would be twelve nobles and one of this years participants was none other than Prince Henry of Camelot.
The twenty-six-year-old prince was first in line for the throne which made him desirable among the many eligible ladies and their parents. Not only was he handsome, but was kind and caring, or so she heard. She had never met the prince before and had no way to gauge whether the rumours were true or not. Furthermore, the royal family of Camelot was rather seclusive and preferred to keep their private lives from prying eyes.
Charlene sighed as she leaned her head against the glass window. "You'll be fine, darling," her mother said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
She internally rolled her eyes. If only her mother knew what she was feeling right now, but how would she know? After all, her mother was the one who insisted on her participating despite her vehement protests. And much to her mother's joy, after the elimination ball hosted by the Council of Gods five days before the official start of the Festival, she was shortlisted as one of the five candidates in the race for Prince Henry's heart.
The Festival would come to an end after eleven months and if a participant couldn't find a wife, they could choose to continue as a candidate in the next round. And during the grand weddings, Libra, the God of Justice, would be there to oversee the ceremony with Ursa Minor and her crystal ball. The crystal ball was the final test and it would lay the truth out for all of Eden to see-did they really love each other?
Charlene's stomach churned as their carriage approached the massive blue and gold palace. The golden gates were wide open as a long parade of carriages entered the royal grounds. The starlings of Camelot were gathered on the streets, throwing red flower petals in the air to welcome their possible future queen. With Henry being the heir to Camelot's throne, whoever he married would become the future queen, further raising the stakes of this year's Festival.
"Remember the rules and just be yourself," her mother advised as their carriage approached the giant roundabout in front of the grand staircase leading up to the palace.
Prince Henry stood there with his parents, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, while a line of guards and maids stood behind them. Prince Henry's raven black hair was swept to the side as his piercing red eyes swept over the line of carriages before settling on hers. Meanwhile, his parents looked like the typical royal power couple with their striking eyes and blonde hair.
It struck her how much Prince Henry looked like his parents, save for the hair and eyes. It had raised quite a few questions, but it was Eden so it wasn't uncommon for starlings to be born with totally different eyes and hair colours. Many reckoned that it could be the rich magic that interfered with their genetics.
