Throne of Roses

Chapter 19

Sorry I didn't update in such a long time, I had a lot going on and I either didn't have any free time, I was too tiered or I was so stressed I didn't have any creative thought. I should have a lot more free time now so I will try to update a few times a week but my physical and mental health are really poor at the moment so there might be periods when I don't update for a week or so and am sorry.

That afternoon the ball room was decorated elegantly and the children were changed into more ball appropriate clothes. So was Aelin and her court, though unlike the children, their queen was not wearing a crown.
     The orchestra was playing exquisitely, the music was lively and joyous, something that seemed to enchant the children.
     Aelin was in the centre of the room dancing with one of the orphans, with short blond hair and grey eyes, about sixteen years old, he was telling Aelin something looking animated while doing so. When Aelin responded to him his eyes started to sparkle and he looked like he was about to burst out of his skin with joy. Aelin laughed at his expression, her smile expressing all of her love and kindness. At the end of the song she gave the boy a motherly kiss on the forehead and went up to another child.
      
Rowan was playing with the children outside, throwing small balls of snow at them while trying to avoid being hit with snow balls himself. They were hiding behind small castles they made earlier out of snow or behind figures made out of two or three large snow balls with sticks hanging out of their sides, two coals and a carrot on the top ball.

Lysandra was shape shifting every now and then into different animals to the amusement of the younger children. Letting them pet her or walking in a circle with one or two children on her back. Aedion was helping her with the kids making sure only one or two were on her back at any one time and walked near to make sure that none of them fell off.

By the end of the ball Aelin had danced with all of the orphans and talked to many of the children telling them things that had them jumping up and down with happiness for the rest of the evening though Mor wasn't quiet shore what she told them.
     The children had all gone to beds by ten in the night for their final night in the castle, some of them being carried to beds having fallen asleep before hand. The Night Court was about to leave for their own beds when Elide called them back for a glass of wine.

'Thank you for helping out with the children.' Lysandra said when they finally sat down at one of the tables.
'It wasn't a problem.' Rhys replied with equally kind tone.
'How long are you planning your stay here, we could give you a tour of Orynth tomorrow.' Aelin offered.
Mor was about to object and say that they wanted to go home as soon as possible but Rhys cut in saying that they would love to stay long enough to see Orynth and offered that the rest of Aelin's court should come sometime to the Night Court for a visit.
The two courts have talked until the early hours of the morning discussing their future visits, trade between them and many other smaller matters. The time passing in a much friendlier manner after the first three glasses of wine.