Chapter Text
The Unity Ball was no laughing matter, a true honour to attend, a greater one to host. A symbolic unity between the seven kingdoms of Digitalia, a bond formed after five long years of the Clown Kingdom, and the Ringleader Kingdom going through conflict. Though, the two kingdoms that already had a close bond, the White Chess Piece Kingdom and the Black Chess Piece Kingdom, made an alliance and brought the conflict to an end with a pact that no kingdom shall ever wage war upon one another again, under penalty of exile from the land of Digitalia.
Every year, there is a ball, called the Unity Ball, to celebrate the kingdoms keeping their agreement and their victory at unity. The kingdoms take turns hosting the special annual ball. This year, it was the White Chess Piece Kingdoms honour to host. The ruler, Kinger, and daughter Ragatha handed the responsibility of hosting the most important event of the year, or actually the past ten years.
Ten years ago on the day of this coming Unity Ball, the wars ended. This year is the one decade anniversary of the Unity Pack, and its celebration was not to be taken lightly. Triple the effort, triple the importance. They could not mess this up.
And they wouldn't, the father-daughter duo having been eager to take on the task of hosting this fine event ever since they knew they’d be running it. Hours of preparation has taken place to prepare them for tonight, and there was no way they could mess it up. No way in [@#$%].
The two worked for the past three days, decorating, preparing food, cleaning, just the two of them. They saw it as a great father-daughter bonding project, and were eager for the responsibility. Ragatha loved to decorate and prepare, and Kinger was fond of organisation and cleanliness. The perfect duo for the task.
Now, they rested, and awaited for the guests.
The highest members of all five kingdoms have been invited, including the Kings of each one and their children. This was the first gathering the elders decided to include the young princes and princesses in, deeming them all old enough to begin interacting, and possibly forming life bonds.
Being only one prince of the five, the elders always had a bet placed on who would be the lucky princess to score him. The lone prince was told throughout his neighbouring kingdoms to be fine and elegant, a well mannered young man perfect for a future king.
Ragatha was quite interested in meeting this boy. All the young royals were within three years of age, Ragatha being the oldest and Pomni, daughter of the Clown Kingdom being the youngest. Though, all within a decent age of relations with the young prince of merely fifteen.
The princess let out a soft sigh into the mirror as she adjusted her hair into the best position. Stepping back, checking to be sure she looked perfect for tonight. She had her eye on the prince, his description spread through the kingdom meeting her expectations of a partner on the throne. Her father also wished for the two to become acquainted, Kinger himself having met the boy and immediately seeing the two as the perfect match
Then, the sound of hoofsteps out her window. She darted to it, opening it and peeking her head out to glance upon the group. Two carriages, and about one or two dozen horses following behind, carrying one or two members of high society, but not high enough for the carriage. One carriage carried the King and his kin, the other carrying the royals closest acquaintances. Ragatha tried to determine which kingdom the group originated from, and from the yellow, red, and blue colours, she identified them from the Clown Kingdom.
She quickly made her way down the winding staircase to open the outer walls doors just as the butler was about to knock, “Hello sir! Welcome to the White Chess Piece Kingdom! Feel free to park your horses and carriages in the royal stables! Then please, join us in the main ballroom, just through these doors!”
The doll assisted in locking up their horses and securing their carriages, then leading them to the entrance doors, “as you may know, I am Princess Ragatha, I presume you would be King Kaufmo and Princess Pomni?” she asks, in an attempt to make a good first impression.
“Wait- what-?” Kaufmo glances down at the ragdoll, having been focused on looking around the grand castle as they made their way to the ballroom.
“Yes, I… uh I’m Pomni and my Father is King Kaufmo,” the shorter princess mumbled from beside her father, though a solid foot away from him.
“Oh, I apologise for my disrespect! Yes, I am King Kaufmo and this is my fine daughter, Pomni!” he puts his arm around the girl's shoulder and gives her a side hug, which the girl squeaked from, squirming out of to continue the walk.
“Of course…” Ragatha was already at a loss for words. “Umm… Nice to meet you…?”
The King was once again lost in thought as his eyes scoped out the castle during their walk, then he turned to Pomni after a moment, “Dear, why don't you go get yourself acquainted with Princess Ragatha, I know my way from last time I was here. You girls go have fun and get to know each other,” He practically shoos them off, but Ragatha goes with it, and takes Pomnis hand to go wait by the doors for more arrivals.
“So… This is our first Unity Ball, isn't that exciting?!” Ragatha smiled excitedly.
“Uhmm.. yeah,” but the girl seemed to be lost in another thought.
Everyone so far had arrived. Everyone except the Black Chess Piece Kingdom. The four Princesses found themselves interacting in the small living area near the front windows. It's not the most talkative bunch. Zooble and Gangle, Princesses of the Ringleader and Bubble kingdom, seemed to hit it off and become pretty close friends, but when in a group situation, it was… awkward.
Ragatha was always trying to initiate a conversation, while Pomni sat in the corner, her mind elsewhere. Zooble seemed so over the whole gathering already and Gangle seemed too shy to actually talk to. They sat like that, having short little chats, like ‘weathers nice, huh?’ ‘yeah.’. That lasted about twenty minutes till Gangle softly pointed out that the last kingdom had arrived.
They all peered out the window, eager and curious to see the prince they were all soon to be in close relations to. The yellow, purple and black flag of the kingdom waved high over the royal carriage, coming to a halt beside the stables. Ragatha watched curiously as the door opened, and there stumbled out the young prince.
The boy was lean and tall, purple, with tall rabbit ears, large yellow eyes, which Ragatha swore had the slightest illumination. He wore a suit, which he seemed rather uncomfortable in. He tugged at it lightly in his armpits, the tight fabric clearly not his favourable style. Next to get out of the carriage, was the Queen, Queenie. She was a chess piece, taller than the Prince, and black with an elegant red robe.
She placed her hand on her son's back as they made their way to the doors.
“Why do I have to wear this, Mama,” the boy grumbled under his breath.
“Jax, it's the Unity Ball, this is a very important and elegant event,” the woman told him as if she’d said it a hundred times already.
“That's not my fault!” he complained softly, just as the doors were open and he entered.
(Very un-elegantly, Ragatha would add.)
He immediately saw the four girls staring at him in shock, the boy painted by all the kingdoms in such a great light, describing him as quite the opposite as he seems. He stared like an idiot, unsure of what to do in this very… un-elegant situation.
“Sup,” he grinned smugly.