The sun spilled over the high walls of the Imperial courtyard,flooding the courtyard with its radiant ray and sending shadows retreating to the narrowest edges,clinging to pillars and archways,while everything else,royal banners,every tiled roof, every polished surface gleamed under the weight of the morning.
Tall banners lined the courtyards,their colors shifting between muted golds and deep royal purple tones bore the image of golden dragons,Delvin's imperial symbol embroidered deep into them and designs around their edges.
Rows of short trees with pale blossoms lined both sides of the walkway connecting the courtyard gates to a staircase that led to a slightly raised platform where the Emperor's seat stood with two smaller chairs for his sons and three seats on each sides for the six Delvin kings.
Beyond the imperial gates carriages and palaqins of important dignitaries carved from lacquered wood dark flocked in along with their convoys bearing gifts for the celebrant while others arrived on foot, accompanied by attendants who carried slender parasols of woven silk,and presents.
The carriages lowered at the gates of the courtyard to allow it's occupant step out and into the courtyard gates along with their guards while their servants waited outside,returning with their carriages to an assigned location.
Inside the courtyard,servants moved swiftly but silently in different directions carrying trays of various dishes.Dressed in a purple silk uniform,even their outfit signifying how important the day was.
As the sun climbed higher into the sky, the kings entered,and after the emperor was seated with his elder son,the ceremony began.
Performers entered,followed by articians and sorcerer clowns igniting chatter and laughter in the atmosphere while they awaited the prince who was no where in sight and running late.
Heads turned each time the gates opened,eyes expectant only return back at the performers,but this time they lingered on the small figure who appeared by entrance accompanied by the infamous Scarlet prince.
Draped in a perfectly fit royal blue finely woven silk his size,the sunlight wove itself into his neatly combed silver hair turning his presence into an appeasing spectacle,his eyes resonated with his outfit and the color of his hair with every step he took, grey or ocean blue,depending on one's view point.
Along the wide sleeves and the sweeping hem, dragons unfurled in intricate embroidery.Their bodies,stitched in gold and pale silver threads,came alive beneath the sun's gaze.Light danced across their scales,igniting them in brief flashes,so that with every small movement of the prince's arms,the creatures seemed to stir.
Ramses's head turned in every direction,as he walked taking in the colourful view before him,he had never seen a gathering with this much people before.
The announcer announced his arrival and they rose at once to greet him,the kings included,the music stopped,all bowing in reverence as they chorused a greeting to the prince who only returned an awestruck stare.
Ramses bowed to his father just as he had been taught before climbing up the stairs to take his seat,Ren resuming a position behind him and Zero behind the emperor and the ceremony continued with his eyes glued to the stage.
He had never seen an atmosphere so lively,never heard such beautiful songs,it pleased him so much he wanted more of it.
After the performances ended, he descended the platform and down the walkway with Tyran and the six kings who melted into the crowd to meet with guests and important dignitaries.
Bows followed in every direction he went,he drew every eye,craned curious necks, conversations softened,laughter dimmed as eyes clung unto him.
They first met with the six Kings chattering around a table,who greeted them with a bow.
Ramses studied their faces,they all acted normal,except the one who never stopped smiling at him,the one his father referred to as King Maximilian.
He seemed the most happiest to see him, Probably because he was his father's closest friend but the glint in his eyes told him otherwise.
Next he met with the council's elders,older mostly grey bearded Semonios all dressed in black similar outfits and long pointy hats,who had come all the way from sorcerer city.
They bowed slightly but not to deeply to greet them with a rather loatheful glare unable to be concealed by the forced grin on their wrinkled faces.
"Greetings your highness,a belated birthday to you"their hoarse voices chorused.
As Ramses looked up at them,the weight of the contempt in their eyes almost crushed him.
He could tell they knew him beyond his identity as the imperial prince,perhaps they knew exactly what he was—they weren't even hiding their dislike for him.
He noted their triangular shaped grey beards was the same as the old Semonio the general had killed.
His father had introduced them as the council's elders,they were seven but one was absent,a female Tyran referred to as Sheba.
Ramses met with a few other Royals,most commenting on his otherworldly beauty which they attributed to his mother's looks,he enjoyed the bows and greetings the most,exchanging only a warm smile in return.
He was yet to know how a four year old would return a greeting.
What would he do?offer a hand with the words—'the pleasure is mine?'
That would be quite an eerie response from a child his age, especially if coming from him.
They returned back to their seats and an endless presentation of gifts began,the kings first,then Royals followed by the nobles.
He curiously watched each person open their presents but found none appealing.
They were mostly stacked boxes of gold,and precious stones,strange rare objects he had never seen before which cost a fortune,silk attires and some toys they probably thought he would like.
Urah's knights entered holding the reigns of four white ponies,a smaller box and a large golden chest carried on it's four corners by four knights.
King Maximilian rose to his feet with a bow.
"Your highness,I bring you the finest horses in all of Delvin.With these horses comes a White jade carriage—"
He was suddenly interrupted by the loud gasp from the crowd followed by loud chatter in all directions.
White Jade was an extremely rare and expensive item in delvin but that the king had built an entire carriage with it left everyone in shock and awe.
King Maximilian cleared his throat and the chatter ceased, allowing the atmosphere to be once again enveloped by silence.
"It's packed outside... also—"he motioned to a box the Knights placed at the foot of the stairway.A knight opened it to reveal a full chest of gold coins,shimmering and glistening under the sun's ray,reflecting so fiercely that it stung the eyes of whoever stared it's way.
The chest slammed shut not too long after it was opened and his servant approached with a smaller chest.
A small blue vail sat in its center when it was opened, looking ancient and promising of the contents inside it.
"This is water from the springs of the spirit guard land that is now dried up,selectivly known increase one's magic abilities,this is Urah's treasure handed down our royal bloodline from generations past,it is the last of its kind and this I want his highness to have it".
Ramses watched his father lit up face to the presents,he appeared pleased by the King's gift,although he had no idea what they were,he liked the horses more.
A long row of servants soon climbed up the stairs carrying trays of dishes and jars of wine,followed by the food testers who took turns tasting the food before them.
Tyran's gaze remained on the crowd,his eyes searching for the slightest suspicious movement and prolonged stare the prince's way but there was none neither amongst the kings,no one turned Ramses's way as the servant moved to pour him his drink.
But his eyes were beyond the imperial courtyard,his Royal assassins, unfamiliar faces disguised as nobles in expensive silk and imperial knights roamed both in and outside the imperial courtyard.
There was no trace of Dark's smell either but Tyran couldn't shake off the feeling of the sorceror's presence at this gathering.
If he had taken the bait to enter the imperial palace,then he was in for the shock of his life.
Tyran and kings were served wine while the two princes were given a rare sweetened drink suitable for children their age.
After the servant tasted his drink,he watched the wine pour into Ramses's goblet.
She filled it halfway and Ramses clasped the goblet with both hands staring at its content for a brief moment,his face laced with suspicion,reluctantly he raised the cup to his lips before taking a sip.
The taste pleased him enough to gobble down the entire cup's content and on the first bite of his meal,he suddenly felt his hands go numb.
The goblet slipped from his small fingers and rolled across the polished table,its faint clatter swallowed by the sudden silence of the courtyard.
Ramses's eyes swung shut as he collapsed on the table triggering a loud gasp from the crowd.