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The days were growing longer and warmer. The Sumer Solstice was coming and a big celebration was being planned. Ever since the Battle of the Storm Spire when peace had been secured, the Summer Solstice had been a cause for great celebration. Queen Anya of Durn was coming to Katolis to celebrate and there were rumors that the dragon prince and his mother were as well.
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Callum woke to find summer sun streaming through the window. At the window was his beautiful wife of three years, Rayla.
"Good morning," Rayla said turning to face him, their newborn baby in her arms.
The baby was only two weeks old and would be presented to the kingdom at the festival today. The baby was actually a blessing. They had lost a baby last fall when a virus had swept through the kingdom. Then, during the Winter Solstice, Rayla had discovered that she was three months pregnant. There had been a lot of celebrating at the festival for the Spring Equinox when the kingdom had learned that the princess was expecting. Now the baby was here and the people were anxious to meet the newest member of the royal family. The royal seamstress had made a special outfit for the baby. It was mostly the Katolin colors of red and gold but the seamstress had also added some moonshadow green to honor Rayla and her people. Callum got up and went over to his wife and child.
"Are you ready to meet your people?" he said to the baby.
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The fairgrounds were packed with people; more than at the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Everyone wanted to be there when the baby was presented. Everyone knew about the baby, but no one had seen it. Only the royal family and a few choice members of the council and staff. The Crownguard had been kept busy keeping people from trying to get a glimpse of the baby. Sorren had given all of them express orders not to let anyone in the castle except those with lineament business. It wasn't easy since many of them wanted to see the new baby, too. But they followed their captain's orders. The sun dragon that had positioned herself in front of the door was hard to argue with as well. The only ones of her fellow Crownguard that Pyrrah didn't intimidate were Sorren and Marco and that was because they knew her so well. Any human or elf trying to sneak a peek at Prince Callum and Princess Rayla's new baby took one look at the dragoness and thought better. Some of the Crownguard joked that, when Pyrrah was on duty, there was no need for them.
"Everything alright, Pyrrah?" Sorren asked coming up to his unofficial second-in-command.
Pyrrah looked at her captain and nodded.
"Good. Make sure no one gets in. Callum and Rayla will be presenting their baby after Ezran's speech."
Pyrrah nodded. She knew what the plan was. She also knew that the people were excited to meet the new baby. There were also several dragons that also wanted to see the baby. That's why having a dragon on the Crownguard was such an asset. Pyrrah wouldn't back down from any dragon.
Callum and Rayla had worked out the presentation of their child with Ezran. It was tradition for the king to give a speech at the Solstice and Equinox festivals. After Ezran's speech, Callum and Rayla would present their child. But they would be at the festival beforehand. Once Ezran started his speech, they would return to the castle and collect their child from the nursemaid.
"Good," Soren said. "Ezran will be making his speech soon."
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Rayla and Callum walked about the festival in the new Summer Solstice clothes, the summer sun glinting off the beautiful crown of jeweled sunflowers Ethari had made for Rayla. The sun was nice & warm compared to the last two festivals. But the Summer Solstice festival was always the warmest of the four. Merchants were busy selling jewels, maps, tools, cloths, & toys & a big race was scheduled for later. Traditionally, it was a horse race but, in the past two years, shadowpaws, moonstriders, & twin-tail inferno tigers (with their wings bound to their sides) had been allowed to enter. Ethari had entered his own shadowpaw in the race.
"Your majesties," someone called.
The couple turned to see Barius at his stand selling jelly tarts.
"Hi, Barius," Callum said as the couple made their way over. "Ez hasn't cleaned you out yet?"
"I sent him a bunch this morning," the baker said.
Ezran loved jelly tarts and, when he was younger, would often sneak into Barius' shop to steal some. That had pretty much stopped when Rayla had her first baby. He wanted to set a good example for his nephew. Prince Harrow had been much loved and the kingdom had grieved when he died during the epidemic last fall.
"Here," Barius said handing them each a moonberry jelly tart. "On the house."
The couple accepted them. Barius made the best jelly tarts in the kingdom; it wasn't just anyone who got to be the royal baker. He had even made their wedding cake three years ago; a masterpiece of a marble cake with vanilla icing and moonberry filling topped off with sugar flowers and edible crystals, gems, and pearls. People were still talking about it and wondered how he would top himself when Ezran got married.
"Thank you," Rayla said as she and Callum accepted them.
The couple continued walking through the festival visiting each booth before trumpets summoned everyone to the courtyard. It was time to present their child.
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The courtyard was packed more so than it had been for any of the other festivals. Everyone in the kingdom wanted to be there to see the new baby. People were talking excitedly trying to figure out if the baby was a prince or a princess and what name Crown Prince Callum and Princess Rayla had decided on.
"My friends," Ezran said starting his speech. "Summer has arrived and, with it, trade with the other kingdoms. May the peace we established three years ago this past spring continue."
People clapped politely but Ezran's speech wasn't what most of them were there for.
"I know that most of you didn't come for my speech or at least not enterally for my speech. On that note, I'll turn things over to my brother Crown Prince Callum and his wife Princess Rayla."
"Everyone," Callum said coming forward with Rayla, "we'd like you to meet the newest member of our family."
Smiling, Rayla turned her baby towards the crowd.
"Princess Hope," she said.