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The Yule Season in Katolis was always fun. Christmas was the big holiday and the one that people spent the most time preparing for. By comparison, New Year's was a bit more scaled back. Traditionally, the palace held a ball that lasted until midnight. But there was one tradition that Callum wanted to share only with Rayla: a kiss at midnight. He had seen others kiss at midnight, had even witnessed his mom & then Prince Harrow exchange a kiss at midnight his first New Year's at the palace, but hadn't shared the tradition with anyone. But this year her was determined to.
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The palace was busy getting ready for the New Year's Eve masquerade ball being held that night. Fortunately, decorating was easy as the Christmas decorations were still up. That didn't mean that there wasn't work to do. There was food to prepare, tables to set, music to rehearse, & cider to chill. There were also Callum & Ezran's suits & Rayla's gown to finish before the ball & not a lot of time before the gusts arrived & the ball began. On top of that, the Crownguard had to make sure that everything was secure. The treat from Xadia had been over for almost a year but there were still those who disagreed with Ezran allowing elves & dragons in the kingdom. There were some who wanted a new, older king on the throne to run the kingdom the way it had been for the past thousand years.
"Everything is looking good," Ophelie said as she did a final walk through.
Until Callum & Rayla were married (which everyone was sure would happen with in the year), Ophelie was in charge of overseeing the parties & balls & was busy teaching Rayla what to do for when she became princess. The young elf looked around doing her best to memorize what Ophelie did so she could do just as good a job next year.
"I didn't think that planning a ball would be so complicated," Rayla said.
"It seems that way at first but, the more you do it, the easier it will become."
Rayla looked back at the ball room. She wasn't sure she would ever get the hang of this. Training to be an assassin seemed easier by comparison.
"It's okay to feel overwhelmed," Ophelie said. "Queen Sarai was the first time she had to plan a ball and it turned out perfect."
And she had a five-year-old and a newborn at the time, Rayla thought.
If Sarai could do it with those kinds of distractions, then Rayla was starting to grow more confidant. She hadn't told anyone but, since coming to the castle, Queen Sarai had been a role model for her and she came to realize that she could still maintain her warrior status when she became a princess and later (hopefully) a mother. Turning back to the ball room, Rayla continued to watch Opheli and learn everything she could.
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"You're going to kiss Rayla at midnight?" Ezran asked.
Callum just looked at his little brother. He didn't know why he was making such a big deal out of it or was so excited. He and Rayla had kissed before.
"It's tradition, Ez," he said.
"What do you mean, it's tradition?" Ezran asked.
"I mean it's tradition to ring in the new year by kissing the one you're courting or married to at midnight."
Ezran was still a little too young to understand. He didn't have a girlfriend yet and was too young to remember their parents' relationship.
"You'll understand when you're older...or get a girlfriend," Callum said.
"Prince Ali says that princes don't have girlfriends," Ezran said. "Their marriages are arranged."
Callum knew that this was true. Everyone said how lucky he was to be able to court Rayla. But Callum also knew that Harrow hadn't yet selected a daughter from a noble house to betroth Ezran to. Now there was no one to make such an arrangement for Ezran. Callum hoped that this would allow Ezran to choose a bride for himself. He wanted his little brother to be as happy as her was. Of course, he knew that time was running out. Several nobles were starting to get vocal about their houses merging with the castle. They've been bugging Callum with setting up a betrothal for Ezran. However, Callum was putting it off, not wanting to trap his little brother in a marriage he didn't want.
"Things will work out," he said. "I've got to go. I have a fitting with the tailor for my suit."
The tailor had begun working on Callum and Ezran's New Year's suits just after the harvest festival. They looked a little like their Christmas suits but different enough to show that they were newer outfits. The seamstress was also busy working on Rayla's New Year's gown. As Callum's girlfriend, she had to stand out from the visiting dignitaries at every function. It had taken Rayla a little time to get used to it. She hadn't been born or raised in that lifestyle like Callum and Ezran.
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Rayla stood patently as the seamstress pinned up the hem of her gown. It wasn't what she would have chosen (more pink than red with roses on it) but the seamstress assured her that it was both fashionable and appropriate for a lady being courted by the crown prince. While she really didn't care about the first, she wanted to look perfect for Callum.
"You are going to be the most beautiful lady at the New Year's Ball," the seamstress said as she finished pinning up the hem of Rayla's gown.
"I hope so," Rayla said. "I want to look perfect for Callum."
"There. I'll have this hemmed and sent to your rooms."
Rayla removed the gown being careful of the pins and changed back into her regular cloths. She was due in the ballroom for one final walk through before the ball. She wanted to make sure that everything was prefect for the ball. She had a feeling that tonight was going to be special.
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The guests talked happily in the ball room as the musicians preformed. Everyone was in beautiful new cloths and awaiting the arrival of the royal family. And they weren't going to have to wait long.
"Announcing his majesty King Ezran," the herald said as Ezran, Callum, and Rayla entered the ballroom, "his highness Crown Prince Callum, and her ladyship Duchess Rayla."
Bait let out a croak from Ezran's arms.
"And Sir Bait."
The guests raised their glasses as the royal family (or what passed for the royal family) descended the stairs. Once in the ballroom, they circulated among the guests. Rayla stayed close to Callum both because she still wasn't comfortable around so many humans but also so the noble girls didn't try to flirt with her boyfriend. Several of them had already tried to steal him away from her. Both Opeli and Soren had told her that this was normal but Rayla didn't understand these court games. She knew that people tended to try and impress Callum and Ezran or even get power for themselves but she didn't care about any of that. She didn't care about the social standing she had gained by being Callum girlfriend. All she cared about was that she loved Callum and Callum loved her.
"Look at that dress," someone said.
"It looks so beautiful," someone else said.
"Too beautiful for an elf," came a voice.
Rayla looked in the direction it came from but couldn't connect the voice to a face. There were so many at court that didn't approve of her relationship with Callum; mostly nobles that wanted their daughters to marry Callum. But Callum had clearly chosen Rayla and none of the young ladies at court would change his mind. Now some of them were pushing Callum to select their younger daughters as a match for Ezran. But Rayla knew Callum was standing firm. While Ezran would have to marry nobility, Callum was going to let him choose his bride. But he was going to wait six years until Ez was fifteen before making any arrangements. By then hopefully they could narrow it down to two or three houses. Callum took Rayla’s hand.
“May I have this dance?” he asked.
Rayla smiled.
“You know you don’t have to ask,” she said.
The two never left each other’s side the whole evening.
“I think of all the balls I’ve been to since coming here, this one’s my favorite,” Rayla said as she and Callum got some air out on the balcony.
“It’s nice. It’s the only one where we can stay up late.”
Callum leaned against the railing. He loved watching Rayla in the moonlight.
“Rayla, can I ask you something?”
Rayla turned to look at him.
“Will you marry me and be my princess?”
“Yes,” Rayla said.
As the big clock in the ball room chimed midnight signaling the new year, Callum leaned forward and kissed Rayla; his beloved, his fiancée, and his future princess.