Braden stepped inside the dining room after getting bowed by some guards with drawn swords outside the door. He could smell roasted food from the exact moment. Looking around, he saw the violinists playing the tunes they had rehearsed for days just for this occasion. Other than Braden no other person in the chamber was interested in their effort. His attention span also was short lived when he reached to the long table.

King Lacroix had a half eaten fish on his plate. A piece of chicken was impaled to his fork but the king was too occupied in talking that it turned cold in there. The messiest part of the table was where the king sat whereas the cleanest was the spot where Braden was meant to sit.

Beside Prince Tudor.

Seeing Braden come, Prince Tudor commanded a maid to start plating desert for him. Braden, trained how to behave in the company of royals, picked handkerchief from the table and attached in on his neck. Prince Tudor’s eyes didn’t leave Braden who was trying his best to hide his nervousness. But his quivering hands made his discomfort obvious.

The prince passed him fork, knife and a spoon. Braden picked a spoon from the pile of cutlery.

“I feel as bored as you here.” Prince Tudor whispered as Braden took a spoonful of sweetness to his mouth.

“This place is exciting to be in.”

“Do you know this all is a show for those who are not involved?”

“This is family reunion.” Braden gulped blueberry juice from his chalice.

“Are we family yet?”

“Almost.” Braden smiled.

Prince grinned in return, “Only our fathers enjoy such reunions. The younger ones like us are forced to sit and smile after every bite of food.”

“Don’t you feel like you belong here?”

“No.” Prince laughed, “I am grateful for what I have. Even for this borefest.”

“Then I don’t understand what you are hinting, my lord.”

“Everything was going good till you called me my lord.” Prince resumed, “I expected a word like friend.”

“I apologize, Tudor.”

“Even better.” Prince Tudor’s face lit.

Braden saw King Lacroix pointing at them. He looked no less happy than his son.

“Did you ever visit Winstrova before this time?” Prince Tudor asked.

“No.”

“Have you ever slipped in a pig stable?” Tudor’s curiosity was increasing.

“Fell on a suckling.”

“Hah!” Tudor took biggest bite he had taken throughout the dinner. He spoke with mouthful of food still to be swallowed, “Finally I have got a friend who does not feel grossed from things peasants do.”

“Have you fallen in pig-shit?”

The prince was waiting for this question all his life.

“Yes, when I was five.”

“Did King Lacroix flog your caretaker after the incident?”

“No. Father came there and laughed along with him.” Prince Tudor took a deep breath, “Lord Bloudkast was right. You and I are share same nature. You won’t believe what secret he told me about you.”

“What did he say?”

“He said a duck pecked your butt several times when you were four.”

“I don’t remember it. But it must have been painful.”

Prince Tudor laughed at this thing too. Now he was eating like a normal being after getting to know him. Braden, still not comfortable enough, dodged speaking more by not swallowing piece of the pie. But he knew Prince Tudor was anticipating a question at him.

He is trying to make a friend. Braden swallowed the dry piece and said, “Do you know sorcery?”

“Just a trick to survive being stabbed.” Tudor said.

“There she is. My daughter.” King Travys said, raising his chalice towards Rikilda near the door. He left the table with the same chalice in his hand, spilling half of it on the way. King Travys stood infront of shy girl and hugged her. Gisella, who stood alongside her, watched everything with a smile.

The hug didn’t last for more than a second. Then the King returned back to his table with his lips touching the cup. Rikilda pulled end of her robe to walk. Prince Tudor didn’t miss any of her moment till she sat in the chair opposite to him.

Shy to look straight in prince’s eyes, she didn’t lift her head. But when she did she found Braden. He moved her head further to get some support for Gisella but she was as busy as Nortze in her chair.

“Look at the shy couple.” King laughed, increasing awkwardness to Rikilda. Even Nortze was getting little bit embarrassed by the drunken king and wished he would not take more than a sip from his mug.

A servant came near Braden to remove his empty plate. He placed the ceramic plate covered in rabbit gravy infront of Braden. The squire dropped a fork while putting a plate of lobster. Only Braden noticed the mistake. As he glanced up, he saw the reason behind the servant’s fingers failing him.

His eyes were fixed at Nortze. He wasn’t ready to stop doing so anytime soon because he had a tray full of food to serve. Braden scanned around and pushed a mug of thick wine from the tray.

Servant noticed the weight on his tray decreasing. By the time he found what was gone, it making noise on the floor loud enough to be heard despite of violins being played.

“Can’t you see?” Braden bellowed.

“Apologies, my lord.” He said.

“Bugger off, will you?” King Travys said with bloodshot eyes.

The servant kneeled to pick up mess he had made and headed for the door. Music came back when he left the room. He hadn’t marched further when he heard King Travys speaking once more.

“Calajhans?” the servant whispered.