Inside the inner city of Moscow, a grand banquet was underway.
To celebrate the conclusion of the tournament, the entire nobility, officials, and the top-ranked contestants of Moscow, along with a host of other influential figures, were invited.
Rostislav and Zoe had specially changed their attire for the banquet. The Moscow Prince wore velvet striped breeches, a jacket with black silk sleeves and jeweled buttons, and was draped in an expensive white bear fur. A jewel-encrusted dagger hung from his waist.
Zoe, on the other hand, had changed into her purple brocade gown, and the ruby earrings on her delicate ears were so striking that any noblewoman would envy them.
The main venue of the banquet was in the great hall of the Prince's palace. The Prince and his wife walked arm in arm, passing through a river of silk, expensive furs, and velvet. The nobles around them all bowed in greeting, waiting for the Prince's arrival.
Behind the Prince and his wife was a maid holding Rostislav's heir. The tiny infant was still fast asleep in the maid's arms, oblivious to everything around him.
Many contestants, merchants, and chieftains who were experiencing such a scene for the first time appeared quite uncomfortable. Most of them had never before encountered such a magnificent hall and brick-and-tile palace.
It was their first time experiencing such a sight. Dressed in ill-fitting expensive clothes, they even fumbled their greetings, drawing laughter from the powerful figures.
The personal guards stood on either side of the Prince and his wife. These loyal warriors only had eyes for those they were protecting; the surrounding nobles were not within their consideration.
Facing the gaze of countless eyes, the Prince and his wife appeared completely at ease. They effortlessly controlled the atmosphere of the event, having witnessed far too many grand occasions for this to be anything significant.
As the Prince and his wife ascended the dais and took their seats, everyone else also took their places. Next, the Prince began to recite a prayer, and everyone present immediately followed suit.
"Let the banquet begin! Please enjoy yourselves, everyone!"
After the prayer was finished, Rostislav almost eagerly raised his glass. "First, let us toast my wife, Zoe, and thank her for bearing me an heir!"
"To Lady Zoe!"
Countless gold and silver cups clinked together simultaneously, and then the Prince announced his son's name.
"Next, to my heir, his name is Rurik Rostislavich Rurik."
This was the first time Rostislav had announced his son's name on such a significant occasion.
"To Lord Rurik!" The guests cheered in unison once more.
"Finally, to every brave warrior in the tournament, thank them for bringing such a wonderful competition!"
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
This cheer marked the end of the toasts, and the Prince's singers and musicians immediately began to display their talents. Melodious singing and joyful music filled the hall, urging everyone present to enjoy it all.
Soon, the sounds of feasting filled the entire hall, and then, a large number of dishes were brought to the tables.
The food at this banquet was incredibly lavish. In recent days, many merchants had come from all corners of the world, bringing precious foods from various regions, and Rostislav naturally made use of them.
Facing these delicacies, the guests were by no means reserved and began to eat and drink heartily.
The contestants, merchants, and chieftains who were visiting the Prince's palace for the first time were initially a bit uncomfortable. Not knowing what to do, they subconsciously ate slowly and methodically, feigning elegance, which looked quite comical.
But then, seeing how wildly those powerful figures, whom they could only dream of emulating, ate, they suddenly felt incredibly ridiculous and completely let loose.
However, the protagonists of this banquet, Zoe and her husband, had little appetite. They simply kept drinking cup after cup of Bulgar wine, watching the guests enjoying themselves below.
The Prince and his wife took in all these scenes, watching the joyous feast below. At first, their spirits were quite high, but they quickly grew tired of it.
As the Moscow Prince and his wife, they had never held few banquets, and some sights had already become tiresome.
"Let's just sneak out."
Suddenly, Rostislav leaned his head on his wife's shoulder and whispered to her.
And the Moscow Prince gave his wife a gesture they used during their games, an insinuation that made Zoe immediately lower her head.
Zoe, in turn, looked at her husband with an incredulous expression. In her impression, while her husband could sometimes be uninhibited, he was certainly not the type of person to do something like this in such a setting.
Moreover, feeling the warmth of her husband's breath, Zoe's ears immediately turned red, looking very adorable.
"This isn't very good, and there's also our son..."
Facing her husband, who was planning to risk impropriety, Zoe's voice became softer.
"I am the Moscow Prince, of course I can. And isn't our son being looked after by the maid?"
Rostislav's words were as tempting as the ancient serpent luring Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, making Zoe's heart stir even more.
"Alright, alright."
The young lady finally agreed to her husband's suggestion.
Next, the Prince and his wife secretly left their seats. As the center of the banquet, it would normally be very difficult for them to leave.
But now the entire banquet was at its climax. Everyone was focused on drinking, eating, and conversing with those around them; some were even dancing. No one noticed the Prince and his wife on the dais, not even those seated at the same table.
As for the personal guards who constantly watched the Prince, upon seeing Rostislav make a shushing gesture, they immediately ceased their actions and dutifully continued to serve as ceremonial tools.
The two left the grand hall and came to the secluded garden next to the palace. This garden had been an empty space not long ago, but now, thanks to the Prince's abundant treasury, it had been built, and in the style of the imperial capital.
Rostislav led his wife into the depths of the garden. Coming from the boisterous hall to the tranquil garden, the change in environment brought an indescribable sense of peace to Rostislav and his wife. This serenity captivated them, and their desires somehow suddenly vanished.
The two sat under an elm tree in the garden, with the tree canopy as their roof, cuddling together. Zoe even rested her head on her husband's shoulder and slept for a while.
When the two returned to the magnificent hall, except for the personal guards who had known beforehand that the Prince and his wife had left, the entire palace was on the verge of madness. Everyone was frantically searching for the whereabouts of the Prince and the Queen.
Then Rostislav and Zoe appeared before the flustered guests and servants. Seeing such a scene, although their faces were full of apology, they were actually secretly pleased at having played a trick on everyone.
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