The great palace of Almeric didn't ever really sleep, even when the fires in the hearths turned to little red embers. You could hear the servants walking around on the marble and the clink of the guards' armor as they switched places, which symbolized that the night was almost over. It was a huge building made of stone and gold, and it felt like a living thing.
Young Alaric Voss Ecthellion was being carried through the hallways. He was wrapped up in a fancy cloth that smelled like flowers and some kind of smoky incense. To him, the world was just a bunch of blurry shapes and sounds because he was still just a baby. He couldn't even hold his head up right. But inside, he was actually James Silver, and he was wide awake and watching everything like he was looking at a map for a game. He knew he wasn't in a book anymore; he was inside Zoridia for real.
Asimi, who was his mother, held him tight against her chest as she walked. Her dress was made of silk and it made a whispering sound with every step, and her jewelry clinked together like a little song. She looked down at him with eyes that were very soft, and Alaric felt a weird tightening in his chest. It was a mother's love, he guessed, but it felt like it might be a dangerous thing to have in a palace.
Soon, they got to these huge double doors that looked like a giant's mouth. Inside was the Hall of Sun and Moon, and it was so big it made Alaric gasp. The sun was coming through the stained glass and making blue and gold spots on the floor. Up on a high platform sat Emperor Tuare Wulfric Ecthellion. He was a big, strong man with hair that looked like melted gold, wearing a white cape and a sword that sparkled.
Standing next to him were the five dukes. Alaric looked at them with his watery eyes, trying to remember who was who. There was Duke Theric, who looked like he was made of stone, and Duchess Herith, who looked like she was grading a test. Then there was Duke Reginald, a wide-shouldered man who looked like he'd rather be outside in the cold. Duke Tabris had a fake-looking smile, and Duke Sathiel was just sitting there with his legs crossed, looking like he thought the whole thing was a joke.
Asimi walked down the long aisle and the singers stopped their music. She did a deep bow, being careful not to drop Alaric. "Your Majesty," she said in a soft tone. "I present your son, Alaric."
Tuare stood up, and everyone got real quiet. He looked down at Alaric's face, but he didn't smile or act like a dad. He just looked at him like he was checking the quality of a horse.
"Alaric Voss Ecthellion," the Emperor yelled out so everyone could hear. "My tenth child. Let it be known he is protected by the law and has the rights of the House." Then he started talking about the law—the right to work, the right to fight, and the right to talk. The common people in the back of the hall seemed happy to hear it.
"He gets the Manor of Starfall," the Emperor said, which sounded like a real pretty name for a house. "And he gets Asmora Village to take care of." When he said the village name, Alaric noticed Duke Sathiel's smile got a little bigger.
Then, Alaric's older brothers and sister stepped up. Prince Julios, who was fourteen, looked like a mean little wolf in a white coat. He leaned over Alaric and made a face.
"Well," Julios said, loud enough for the nobles to laugh. "He looks pretty weird. Look at his hair—it's silver and gold all mixed up. It looks like the goddesses couldn't decide what to do with him."
Alaric felt really mad, but he was just a baby so he couldn't do anything but wiggle. Even his eyes were different colors, which Julios pointed out too. His brother Kendrik laughed like a suck-up, but their sister Adele told them to be quiet. She looked at Alaric and said he was pretty, like the sunrise.
Asimi pulled Alaric back close to her. She looked like she was making a secret promise to keep him safe. Alaric looked out at the crowd one last time and saw a maid with amber eyes watching him from the corner. Then, a weird glowing box appeared in the corner of his eye.
[System: …]
It wasn't fully there yet, but Alaric knew it was coming. He was a prince now with a house and a village, but he knew that in this palace, nothing was ever actually free.