Lukas ran an ivory comb through his hair for perhaps the thousandth time, eying himself in the mirror and checking for even a single strand out of place. Just as the last dozen times he’d done so he couldn’t find one, nor could he find a single blemish or flaw in the pristine suit he wore. It was mostly red and gold, trimmed in both black and white, all the colours of the Lichtenwald house just as all of his brothers would be wearing. He liked it much more than Adlet’s military type uniform, all black and foreboding (as much as that was at odds with every fibre of Adlet’s being). Though, admittedly, he liked Sarian’s white suit more, the way it shimmered in the right light and gave off an air of almost purity and grace.

He exhaled, putting thoughts of suits and brothers out of his mind.

“You’re distracting yourself because you’re nervous, but you’ve no reason to be nervous. We’re House Lichtenwald… Lichtenwald. About to be wed into the royal family. Who we’re meeting tonight…”

He paused as a new thought came to him. Had Sarian even met the princess he would be marrying? It wasn’t uncommon for these things to be arranged without the involved spouses having ever met, especially in higher courts. Lesser nobles and the like had wider pools of acceptable options, so they could afford to be choosier when it came to a partner, but the higher you went in authority, the smaller the acceptable pool of marriage candidates became. That was something Lukas had been taught since he was little… along with how the eldest children always had the first pick. It left him with a sour taste in his mouth, as the seventh son of a powerful noble, but there was little he could do about it now.

“Are you ready, Your Grace?” A young woman’s voice called from behind him, and Lukas looked up in the mirror at the servant who’d spoken. She was waiting patiently against the wall far behind him, white-gloved hands folded in front of her and a carefully kept neutral expression on her face. In spite of his long time spent fixing flaws in his appearance even he knew weren’t there, she had not spoken until now.

He exhaled quietly, straightening his collar with one hand as he combed through his hair a final time.

“I believe so,” he said, standing as straight and tall as he could.

Shoulders back, head high, don’t make eye contact with the Royal Family unless addressed first, don’t embarrass the family, don’t embarrass yourself…

In his jumble of thoughts, he missed the sound of the servant’s polished shoes crossing the floor to stand behind him, and he almost jumped as her voice spoke much closer to his ear than before.

“You look immaculate, Your Grace. Most handsome. You have nothing to worry about,” she said, and a hint of warmth crept into her voice. Lukas met her eyes in the mirror where she was standing just behind him, and he gave a relieved smile.

“Thank you… erm…”

“Lucille,” she replied.

“Lucille. Thank you,” he said sincerely, with a note of apology. He hadn’t been here long enough to learn most of the servants’ names, but he still felt a pang of guilt.

“Will you be joining your brothers now, Your Grace?”

“...I will.”

He followed the servant through the halls, not to the front gate but a decorative rear door leading to a courtyard where all six of his brothers were already waiting. They stood in front of two of the most luxurious looking carriages Lukas had ever seen, all black from the wooden frames and curtains to the horses pulling them, with only hints of deep purple poking through from the interior.

“Well, look who’s ready!” Adlet called, proudly resting a hand on the golden hilt of a sabre on his hip. “My, and I thought we’d need to drag you out of there.”

“Enough, Adlet,” Sarian chided, and for once, Adlet relented. “There’ll be no more of that tonight, not in front of Royal ears and eyes.”

Lukas walked up next to Adrian, who looked about as nervous as Lukas felt.

“I’d ask what took you so long as well, but I can’t really blame you much… I’d rather be in bed than here too,” Adrian said quietly.

“It’s not often we meet nobility of higher standing than us, is it?” Lukas whispered back as their older brothers talked about more formal, boring matters in their own group of five.

“Because, short of the Kierlands, there aren’t any,” Adrian mumbled.

Lukas took in the scene around them. Seven Lichtenwalds, all with nearly identical blond hair, though each styled very differently, standing in front of two of the royal family’s carriages. There of course was Sarian, the eldest, who stood taller and broader than any other. He was every bit the spitting image of their father, proud cheekbones, a heavy brow and chiselled features that perfectly matched his body, toned and muscular like a warrior. When he spoke, all others went quiet, for his voice held the same authority and power their father’s did.

Next to Sarian was the second oldest, Adlet. He was the only one who bore a weapon, a decorative sabre with a red hilt and golden tassels. It looked foreign, maybe from the southern trade nation of Umbra, but it was clearly meant to display wealth of the highest order. The gems inlaid in its hilt could have bought a small manor, if Lukas were to guess. Adlet had a sharper look in his eyes than the other brothers, a sort of cunning, wily, chaotic nature that could whiplash from comedic to cruel in a heartbeat. If Lukas were being honest, Adlet was the brother he got along with worst of all… and the feeling seemed to be reciprocal.

The next three were the brothers who had just joined them tonight, and it was the first time Lukas had seen them since leaving their home in Selerica. The elder two were twins, Kurtis and Leon, and by far they were the brothers Lukas knew the least about. They were both late into their teenage years, and were rarely around the house. Supposedly, Father had them doing some sort of ‘work’ around their archduchy, but the details had never been shared. By the time Lukas was old enough to remember, they had already been spending little time around the castle in Selerica.

After them came the third youngest, Elias. Elias was… well… frankly, Lukas didn’t know what to think of him.

Noticing Lukas staring, Elias walked over towards him and Adrian, and Lukas tried not to stiffen up as he approached.

“Do you think there could be an assassination tonight?” Elias said gravely, and both Adrian and Lukas’ jaws dropped.

“W-what? Was that something we had to be worried about?” Adrian stammered, as Lukas tried to collect himself.

“Think about it. The Kierland royal family, the highest noble family of Selerica, and countless other nobles, all in one room at one time… it’s the perfect occasion, isn’t it,” Elias whispered conspiratorially. His dark blue eyes darted every which way, as if expecting a poisoned arrow to come flying at him from any and every shadow at a moment's notice.

“I really don’t think we should be discussing this where the wrong ears might hear us,” Lukas managed to say.

“Hmm, you’re right…” Elias muttered. “An assassin could be listening to us right now, or perhaps there’s even a spy within our very ranks… Adlet, maybe? Hm, vicious enough, but too much of a buffoon… maybe Kurtis, though I doubt Leon…”

Adrian and Lukas looked at each other a bit helplessly, silently praying that either of them knew what to say to get out of the conversation.

“Into the carriages, everyone. And Lukas, wait outside a moment,” Sarian called out, saving them from Elias.

The momentary relief Lukas felt was washed quickly away by the realisation that all of his brothers except Sarian had filed into the carriages, as the servants had gone back into the manor. It left the two brothers, the youngest and the eldest, standing outside in the rather brisk fall evening air as a lump of nervousness started to build in Lukas’ throat.

“Are you well, Little Brother?” Sarian asked the moment the doors to the carriages had shut.

“I’m nervous,” he admitted back quietly. Lukas knew there was little sense in trying to lie to Sarian, those eyes seemed to see through everything.

“Don’t be. Of all the troublemakers in this family, you are the one I am least concerned about,” Sarian said back, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. He put a hand comfortingly on Lukas’ shoulder, and Lukas found himself grateful for the familiar warmth.

“Sarian,” Lukas asked hesitantly. “Can I ask you a question?”

“May you,” Sarian corrected habitually. “But yes, you may.”

“How long have you known about your marriage? Did… did you find out just recently? Or have you been keeping this from us?”

Sarian looked surprised, but then smiled kindly.

“I’ve known it was possible for a long time… years, actually. Since I was a boy a bit younger than you.”

The news rocked Lukas to his core. Sarian had known he’d be potentially marrying the first princess of the Empire… since he was younger than Lukas?

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lukas couldn’t keep a note of betrayal out of his quivering voice.

Sarian sighed, and turned his gaze upwards… up to where the towering spires of Castle Kasin pierced the evening sky like claws reaching for the heavens.

“Nothing is ever set in stone until it is, Lukas,” he said wistfully. “Besides, Father forbade talking of it until the proposal had been set… a process that took over ten years, mind you. The Emperor has been reluctant to give away his only daughter’s hand.”

“Did you ever meet her?”

“Whom… Alyssia?” Sarian asked, blinking and looking away from the distant castle. “No, actually. In ten years of hearing her name at every supper and ball I’ve ever attended, I have never once met the woman I’m to marry. With that being said, however, I’m most eager to begin the night… would you care to join me in my carriage?”

Lukas nodded, then followed him into the first of the two carriages. Questions still burned in his mind, but he held his tongue on the way to the castle. Kurtis and Leon were in the carriage with them, and not a single word was spoken between any of the brothers the entire ride to the castle. The horses pulled them steadily uphill, cobblestone road after cobblestone road, until at last they flattened out to the sound of running water and people’s voices muffled by the carriage.

The butlers driving the carriages spoke to some of the muffled voices, and a moment later they were on their way again. There was the signature bump of the carriage wheels crossing a drawbridge, then they were back onto cobble.

“When we exit this carriage,” Sarian said. “I expect you all to remember your etiquette lessons.”

The other three brothers nodded, and a few minutes later, the carriage came to a halt. Lukas took a deep breath, and he could only hope he looked as calm and composed as the three brothers sitting around him.

As soon as Lukas stepped down out of the carriage, it took every lesson he had ever taken in etiquette and formal behaviour not to let his jaw drop. Even still, his eyes went wide as he strained his neck back to see all that was before him.

If Castle Kasin had been towering before, now it truly seemed limitless. Standing right at its base the countless towers of dark grey stone rose into the sky, so high above that the tops weren’t even visible from this close. Every inch of them was decorated with intricate stonework and machicolations, windows for archers and towering expanses of stained glass with artworks depicting events Lukas had learned of in history lessons. It put their home castle in Selerica to shame… something that Lukas hadn’t thought possible.

But, Lukas supposed, that must just be the difference between a major city like Selerica, and the place they called the capital of the world: Kasin.

Guards in ornate white plate armour, trimmed in gold and silver, stood on either side of doors some thirty feet tall, gilded in decorative ironworks and inlaid with gems. The brandished halberds twice as tall as themselves, but parted to either side as the Lichtenwalds exited the carriages and took their place behind Sarian. Lukas fidgeted slightly at the back of the group, his place as the youngest. He allowed himself a single, deep, steadying breath, and then a mask fell down over his face. All emotion drained and he looked every bit the detached, self-important young nobleman he was meant to be. His brothers wore some variation of the same expression, only the barest hints of their characters shining through. Adlet retained the barest hint of a smirk, Kurtis and Leon a dangerous lilt to their smiles, Elias a pensive, cautious glare, Adrian a nervous frown… and Sarian the perfect visage of stoicism.

Lukas modelled everything he could after his eldest brother. The posture, the set of his jaw, the guarded but polite expression, even the rigid way that he walked. He wasn’t fully sure how well it worked, but he did it nonetheless.

The guards swung open the doors, and the rich sounds and smells within rushed out to greet them. Gentle chords of string music hummed out like a breeze, the scents of luxurious perfumes and mouth watering appetisers. The room was a single hallway, lined on both sides by small, round tables, and with gold railed balconies on either side of the room. Hundreds of feet down in front of them, a ballroom dance floor dominated the hall, which rested just before an elevated stone platform where an empty throne of deep gold and purple sat, along with several smaller thrones.

And in every possible corner of the room, eyes turned and then locked onto the newcomers. Nobles in possibly the hundreds, the wealthiest of merchants, servants of all kinds and even guards all stole glances or outright stared at Lukas and his brothers, and Lukas was instantly glad that he had already put on his ‘mask’.

“Now announcing, Lord Sarian Lichtenwald, son of Archduke Nikolas Lichtenwald of Selerica. All rise!” A guard shouted from just inside the door, raising his halberd then dropping the haft to the floor with a bang.

At all ends of the grand hall, any who had been seated at the countless little tables rose to their feet. Every single servant and guard bowed low, and almost all at once, the rest of the room did as well. The varying depths of their bows indicated their status, the lower they bowed, the lower they were before the Lichtenwald name… and most bowed very low. Still, Lukas remembered his lessons, and his eyes darted to those that didn’t bow low.

They bow low to be beneath your notice, Lukas, his Father’s voice played in his mind. If ‘out of your way’ is what they want… then feel free to oblige them.

The brothers swept into the room like a quiet force of nature, turning heads every which way as even the band struggled not to falter. They were, of course, not allowed to stop their playing, the one exception to the etiquette of bowing for an entrance, but even their eyes darted away from their sheet music to watch.

They moved as one through the hall, all the way down past marble pillar after marble pillar, ignoring every look that went their way. As if Sarian had practised it in this very hall he made his way confidently towards a single, empty table on the opposite side of the dance floor from the band, where two guards were watching over exactly seven chairs.

“You’re dismissed,” Sarian pronounced, and the guards bowed low then promptly left. Sarian did not sit, and so neither did any of the brothers.

“I’m quite sure you all know what’s expected of you,” Sarian whispered, too quiet for anyone outside of their little group to hear. “But I should remind you all that there will be no mistakes tonight.”

“...Why are you looking at me, Brother Dearest?” Adlet said with mock innocence and surprise.

“Do not embarrass the family. That is all,” Sarian said, and the rest of the brothers bowed slightly. Almost instantly they began to disperse, Kurtis and Leon whispering to each other before heading for one of the balconies as Sarian went for a servant carrying glasses of expensive alcohol.

Adrian stayed close to Lukas, and the two youngest brothers watched worriedly as Elias tried to approach them, only for Adlet to put an arm over his shoulder.

“Now, now, Elias, how are you ever to find yourself a dance partner with a dour look such as that?” Adlet teased.

“Dance partner?” Elias said, caught completely off guard.

“You would think with how paranoid he is, he would have noticed someone like Adlet coming up behind him…” Adrian whispered. Lukas let a polite smile cross his lips.

“Do you think Elias can dance?” Lukas commented as Adlet dragged their hapless brother along towards a group of brightly dressed noblewomen. The girls of course noticed, Lukas doubted their eyes had ever left the brothers, and they were bashfully watching from behind coloured fans that matched their dresses.

“If you think Lady Ingrid would ever let one of us leave the house while still unable to dance, then I fear you’ve become as much the fool as Adlet,” Adrian joked.

Lukas smiled at the thought of their old dance instructor. Lady Ingrid had been… stern, even by their normal standards for instructors.

“Oh, I do believe Adlet has chosen a partner already.”

“Really?” Lukas asked incredulously. “That quickly? Normally he browses for a while.”

“Someone must’ve caught his eye on the way in. You know how he is.”

“Hm.”

“Excuse me, my Lords,” a girl’s voice came from behind them, causing both brothers to turn around. Standing there just a few feet away was a girl about their age, in a frilly dress that went to her ankles. It was a pastel yellow, light and flowy as if the seamstress had woven it from sunlight itself. She held the edges out from her body and dropped into a perfect curtsy, letting her tawny brown hair fall in ringlets over her face. “My name is Aria Krystia. Might I ask for your names?”

Her speech was perfect, practised and delivered without hesitation. Though she did not raise her head from her curtsy, refusing to meet their eyes until given permission, her actions were nothing short of bold.

“You might. Lukas Lichtenwald, seventh son of Nikolas Lichtenwald.”

Adrian introduced himself right after, and he didn’t seem to catch on that Lukas had introduced himself out of turn. Aria raised her head, and Lukas watched as her eyes made their way right to him, a startlingly brilliant shade of green, as she subtly shot him a knowing look.

Ah, Adrian may not have noticed… but it seems she did, Lukas thought. He had to admit, he was curious now. Krystia… the name didn’t ring a bell. Was his memory failing him? Or, perhaps, just perhaps…

“Would you grace me with your presence for a drink, my Lords?” She asked politely, smiling at them both.

“I think our broth-”

“That would be lovely, I think,” Lukas interrupted Adrian before he could potentially ruin this meeting. “Oh, my apologies, Brother. Did you wish to go see one of our brothers?”

Adrian looked at him with a pinched brow, trying to work through the game Lukas was playing.

Come on, Adrian, put it together…

“Ah, yes of course. If you’d excuse me…” Adrian said, and Lukas felt a bit relieved as he walked away. Now, whether Adrian had actually gotten the hint or had simply stumbled into the right answer, Lukas honestly couldn’t tell.

“Lady Krystia, was it?” Lukas asked politely as Adrian’s back disappeared into the crowd. “I don’t believe I’m familiar with that name. Would you care to refresh my memory?”

“You would not have heard of a little family like mine, my Lord,” she said back coyly. “Do you have a preference for a drink?”

It was an obvious attempt to steer the conversation away from her family, hardly even subtle. Yet, she had shifted so smoothly in conversation that Lukas felt a hint of excitement at it. She was keeping her status hidden, but not hiding that it was far below his in some way. Why? That flicker of curiosity grew brighter.

Aria waved down a servant carrying a tray of wine glasses and took two, handing one to him. Lukas accepted without hesitation, giving a faint sniff of the glass. The glass was filled with a sort of table wine, a sparkling wine that was made so as to be essentially non-alcoholic. It was popular with young lords and ladies for that very reason, and Lukas had to commend her choice. It was a very safe bet for trying to get into the good favours of a higher-up.

“A fine choice,” he commented, and she smiled in response.

“You and your brothers made quite an entrance,” she said. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company? It’s a long way from Selerica.”

Hm, the marriage must not have been announced outside of the royal family and us, Lukas thought. Interesting.

He took a sip of the table wine, surprised at the bright, fruity flavour. It wasn’t one he recognized, maybe something exclusive to Kasin?

“Well, you’ll find that out soon enough,” he said back whimsically. The corner of his lip turned up in a smile as he saw a familiar sort of burning curiosity in her eyes, as much as she tried to hide it.

“Very well, my Lord, keep your secrets.”

Across the room, Adlet reappeared with a beautiful black haired woman linked arm in arm, as a clearing formed around them on the dance floor. Even from a distance, Lukas had to begrudgingly admit that his most annoying brother was undoubtedly the best dancer of the lot.

“If I may be so hypocritical as to ask a question I won’t answer myself,” Lukas said, not pulling his eyes from the dance floor. “What brings you here tonight, Lady Krystia?”

“Oh my, quite bold of you, my Lord,” she said. “Would it be rude of me not to answer, when you’ve done just the same?”

“I suppose it would not,” Lukas said with a smile.

He spotted Elias then too, also now dancing with a beautiful blonde not far from Adlet and his partner. Though, Elias looked like he would rather be almost anywhere else than there at that moment.

“Are you one for dancing?” Lukas asked, setting his now half empty glass of wine down on the table.

“I’ve had very good instructors,” Aria responded.

“Then I think my brothers would be rather cross with me if we did not join them,” he said, smiling as he offered a hand, which she daintily took. A coy smile of her own crossed her lips.

“Lead the way, my Lord.”