A Performance of the King’s Birthday Banquet

Crystal basked in the joy as she could now control her powers to a certain extent, her friends watched in awe and admiration.

She effortlessly commanded the water element, creating magnificent displays of cascading waves and swirling streams. She summoned flames with finesse, dancing with the fire element in perfect harmony. Aura detection became second nature to her, as she effortlessly sensed the energy surrounding those around her.

Ambrose conjured a massive ball of fire, hurtling it towards her with a serious gaze. With a swift motion, Crystal enveloped the fiery sphere in a watery cocoon, causing it to burst into a magnificent display of splashing water. Laughter echoed through the botanical garden as her friends were now drenched and Crystal was enthralled.

"How the turns have tables, " said Crystal amidst the delight, and others looked at her confused so she corrected herself, "How the tables have turned!" Seeing the confused expressions still lingering on her friends' faces, she clarified quite simply, "I mean, I did it finally!"

All three of them sighed as they were almost on the verge of losing it because of her choice of words.

Though Crystal could summon various elemental magics, she still struggled with summoning her wings. Her friends reassured her that it was a matter of time but Crystal was impatient, so Marina proposed an idea. "How about learning to levitate yourself? It could serve as a temporary measure until the point when you are capable of summoning your wings."

Curiosity sparked in Crystal's eyes as she contemplated Marina's suggestion.

She hesitantly attempted to lift herself off the ground, and to her amazement, she succeeded. A wave of excitement washed over her, and her friends beamed with pride.

However, her achievement was short-lived as she lost control, hurtling toward the ground at an alarming speed.

In a moment of panic, Ambrose rushed forward being the closest to her in the vast botanical garden, attempting to cast the "Levitare" spell to save Crystal from a painful impact. But it was too late. Crystal landed directly on top of him, their bodies intertwined in an unexpected and compromising position.

The air grew thick with a mix of awkwardness and something more. It was the second time, Crystal had landed on his chest like that but it was nothing like the first time where she only panicked.

Because right now, she felt much more than just panic. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast that she was sure Ambrose could hear and feel her heartbeat just exactly as she could feel and hear his. She could feel how nervous and flustered he was, just as she was, and how his breath was caught in his throat just as hers was. It was a fleeting moment, but one that left a lasting impression on both of them.

Aurelius, unable to bear the intensity of Crystal and Ambrose's gaze, felt a pang of unease. Before he could approach Crystal to help her up from the ground, a throat-clearing sound abruptly took all of their attention.

Their gazes shifted to the entrance of the botanical garden, where Professor Nightshade stood, accompanied by a swarm of fourth-year vampire students. The amused glint in their eyes made it clear that they had witnessed the entire scene, particularly the compromising position of Crystal and Ambrose.

"Our esteemed faerie juniors are truly remarkable," the mischievous remark of one of the vampire students only fueled their embarrassment. Whistles, snickers, and hoots echoed through the garden, intensifying the awkwardness between Crystal and Ambrose.

Professor Nightshade, with his sharp senses, couldn't ignore the commotion unfolding in the botanical garden. He cleared his throat again, silencing the vampire students.

Stepping forward, he cast an appraising glance at the group, his voice laced with amusement, "My, my. It appears that the botanical garden has garnered significant popularity among the faerie students as a cherished setting for their delightful encounters." The vampire students burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained by the situation, while Crystal and Ambrose hurriedly stood up from the ground, their cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Professor Nightshade's tone shifted as he shushed the students, his gaze stern. "Enough! All of you." The laughter subsided as the vampire students fell silent, their attention turning to their professor. Although he usually was sweet but they all knew that messing with him was not an option.

"I must remind you all that decorum should be maintained in the botanical garden," Professor Nightshade continued, his tone retaining a hint of sarcasm. "It is meant for magical studies, not acrobatics or romantic encounters. Let us keep our focus where it belongs, shall we?"

As the group absorbed the professor's words, a mixture of embarrassment and sheepishness filled the air and the next moment, they found themselves standing in the headmistress's office.

Headmistress Selinofoto regarded them with a curious gaze. The composition of the group, consisting of a crown prince, a noble spring faerie, a faerie of unknown origin from Earth, and a timid ocean faerie, piqued her interest, it was no usual bunch. She wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter, her voice calm but expectant. "May I inquire as to the purpose behind your presence in the botanical garden?"

Silence hung in the room as none of them offered a response. The headmistress simply nodded, seemingly understanding their predicament. "Very well. Unless you reveal the truth, you shall be confined to the dungeons for the following two days." Dungeons were like detentions on Earth but worse infact.

A sense of unease settled over the group as they realized the severity of the punishment and they shared a look of dread, knowing that they will not be able to go to the King's banquet which was to be held in two days. Headmistress Selinofoto's stern gaze did not waver, and Crystal had something in her head.

She hesitated for a moment, contemplating her next move. In a split-second decision, she decided to concoct a story that might save them from the dungeons. With a hint of nervousness in her voice, she spoke up, "Headmistress, we were actually preparing a special performance for the King's banquet."

The headmistress, taken aback by Crystal's unexpected statement, raised an eyebrow in confusion. "A performance specifically for the King's banquet? However, there are already official marches and other scheduled presentations. Pray, enlighten me as to the reason behind your preparations for a separate performance." Her aura betrayed her disbelief, leaving Crystal aware through her powers that her lie was tenuous at best.

Undeterred, Crystal gathered her courage and continued, her voice earnest. "Headmistress, no matter how grand the banquet and the other performances may be, a heartfelt song from a son to his father is the most special thing. We wanted to create a unique moment for the King, something he would cherish." She sensed a slight crack in the headmistress's skeptical facade and allowed herself a small smirk, realizing that her words were somehow working.

Headmistress Selinofoto regarded Crystal with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "Furthermore, I am curious as to how the inclusion of flight correlates with your performance. How does it relate to the essence of the song?"

Crystal took a deep breath, conjuring up an explanation on the spot. "We had pictured singing the song while flying in the air. However, since I am unable to summon my wings, Ambrose and Marina were assisting me with their fire and water elements. They created temporary wings for me, but due to my underdeveloped magic, I ended up losing my balance and falling to the ground. We were actually reconsidering the flying part, as it seems a bit risky on my part." Crystal hoped her explanation would satisfy the headmistress's doubts, though she could sense a lingering skepticism in her aura.

After a moment's pause, the headmistress nodded her head, albeit with a hint of caution. "Very well. You are permitted to return to your respective dormitories for the time being. Nevertheless, bear in mind that I too shall be in attendance at the banquet, thus maintaining a vigilant watch over your actions. I trust that you will not let me down." Her tone held a mix of warning and expectation.

Relief washed over the group as they realized they had escaped the punishment of the dungeons, at least for the time being. While others still harbored concerns about the consequences they might face, Crystal simply smiled. They had managed to evade immediate trouble, and that was enough to celebrate a small victory.

They headed back to their dorms, their minds buzzing with thoughts of the upcoming King's banquet and the challenge of pulling off their unconventional performance without raising suspicion while getting their work done at the library.