SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦. 𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴. 𝘈 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
Xanthiene Vivenca, af...
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The dining hall, as it turned out, was a large room connecting the servants' quarters and the Council's wing. It's a room where nobles, royals, and guests melted into. Wooden doors guarded the entrance, just plain white with square patterns carved into its surface.
The servants yanked them open and Xanthy was herded inside as the people stormed into the room. She lost track of June and Nyxis's location as bodies swirled around her in a sea of dresses and coats.
The room was illuminated by metal sticks stuck into the walls, much like the ones Xanthy saw in Diven. Someone tapped her lightly in the shoulder. Xanthy whirled to find a girl dressed in a simple dress with a red band on her sleeve. The girl bowed to Xanthy.
"Miss Vivenca?" the girl asked in a formal tone. Xanthy nodded. "Follow me."
The girl trotted expertly among the throng of bodies, occasionally glancing at Xanthy and stopping to wait for her to catch up. Nobles dressed still in the extravagant clothes they wore at the Temple were similarly being led by people with red bands on their sleeves. Xanthy did her best to follow, noting how a single table spanned the length of the dining hall. She estimated it had at least a hundred chairs.
The girl stopped and Xanthy almost ran into her. A small hand pointed to a nearby seat. "There's your place, my lady."
"Just 'Xanthiene' would be fine," Xanthy pursed her lips and approached the high-backed dining chair. The girl gave Xanthy a small shrug before disappearing into a wall behind Xanthy. The kitchens, maybe?
She sighed, gripped the back of the chair, and pulled. She frowned when she found the table a bit too tall, reaching her chest in height. How was she supposed to eat if she can't even prop her hands on it? That or maybe she was just used to eating at low, makeshift tables or even with no tables at all back at the Disfavoreds.
June and Nyxis were on either side of her, their eyes flitting from the people to the utensils laid out in front of them. What would be their use if fairies could use their hands in eating?
Ravalee, Cyrdel, and the rest of the Royal family sat directly in front of Xanthy and her friends that she blinked four times to see if she was dreaming. When the Royal family remained where they were, Xanthy ducked her head. Okay, keep a low profile.
Then, servants emerged from the kitchen behind the wall, carrying trays and platters. Xanthy's eyes bulged when they laid the platters upon the middle of the table. There's a bowl as large as Xanthy's head filled with dark liquid with some dark bits floating. Soup? Stew? Who knows! Next to it was a plate of mashed fresda sprinkled with sugar.
Xanthy's breath caught in her throat as she tamped down the squeal that almost made its way out of her throat. Because, Queen's breeches, there's butterbread!
She reached out and almost grabbed a piece of her favorite pastry when June slapped her hand. Her hand couldn't have flown under the table faster.
The King stood up and addressed the people towards Xanthy's right. "Friends and guests, today we celebrate Jered Axilia with bright merriment as Nira intended. Eat to your heart's content."
