Chapter 23: The banquet

" Thank you Father. I promise to keep it safe" Diana said with a smile on her face and her father pay her head affectionately.
" The banquet is tonight. See you around princess Diana" King Hector said before walking out of the room and Diana smiled at his retreating back.
She walked towards the mirror and look at the pendant on the mirror and the joy in her heart knows no bound. Only someone with the pendant can ascend the throne and wear the crown. Before a king is crowned, he must present the pendant as his proof of royalty and as the heir to the throne.
" I will keep it safe father. I promise" She said before swirling back to her bed where lay down and slept off for the entire day like a baby.
Time fled past and the evening came. The palace was bursting with people of different personalities and the king and queen were seen welcoming some of them.
The maids were seen walking around doing one thing or the other.
Inside the princess room, Diana was seen seating in front of her dressing mirror. Her maid stood behind her while she stare into the mirror looking deep into her reflection.
Her eyes glitters as a drop of tears drop from her eyes. She tried to hold them back but her burning eyes won't let her do that.
She thought Irene will be here with her when she turns sixteen just like the way she washed her turn from one to fifteen.
She remember the years when she will be nervous during her birthdays and Irene will gently pat her back and tell her it's going to be okay that she shouldn't worry about anything.
Before anyone could complement her, Irene will firstly adorn her with sweet talks and tell her she looks beautiful like the morning sun.
She remember Irene telling her she is the glory of the palace, the light that chase the darkness away.
" Do you know, you're the glory of this kingdom? The light of the palace that chase away the darkness?" Irene asked and Diana just smile at her. She hadn't really consider herself as the glory of the kingdom neither had she ever consider herself as the light that chase away the darkness in the palace because to her, there is still darkness in the palace which needs to be chased away.
To her, if Irene was a man, a lot of ladies would have fallen in love with her. She is sincere and straight forward. She never hides any of her feelings and always let her thoughts out.
If only Irene was a man, the princess would have chosen her to be her groom because for the first time she fell Inlove with the same gender. She really don't know but she loves everything about Irene and she miss her so much for the couple of days that she left.
Her father told her she will be back in two days time and she is actually looking up to that. She asked him if he can allow her to come to her birthday but the king said no that it can't be done that way that sometimes you need to sail alone without the people around you.
Two days looks like eternity to her as she really can't wait to reunite with Irene again. She has alot of things to share with her and she really wants to apologise for putting her into such a dangerous and challenging situation.
The maids wonder why the princess is crying on her special day. They were confused as they really don't know what is wrong with her. They just now their head and dare not to look at her in the eye because they felt her gaze piercing into their souls. They felt like she can read all their thoughts and they all avoid eye contact with her.
" I hope you are safe Irene, I missed you so much" Diana said clutching her hand on her bath robe before looking away.
" Get set to work" she said and the maids felt cold on their body. Without thinking twice, they get set to work and Alice starts by braiding the princess hair backward like an African princess. While Alice was braiding her hair, others were polishing her nails. Within an hour, she was done preparing for her royal banquet as she admire herself in the mirror. She is the perfect and true replica of the princess of Alvanor and the king of Alvanor.
She breathe in and out to calm her nerves before stepping out of her room. She can hear the voice of the MC sounding from the banquet hall.
' if only Irene is here to tell her everything will be okay' she thought to herself as she took the crysta stair downwards with her green emerald silky dress flowing behind her like a water fall.
The dress reveals a quiet amount of her flawless fair back. Her neck were adorn with diamonds and same goes with the hems of her dress. The dress was chosen for her by Irene before she went into detention and she wished she can just see her in the dress she chose for her once.
" Are you alright your majesty?" Elena asked and Diana remains quiet for a while. Maybe she needs someone to talk to before going to the banquet.
" I think I'm fine Elena . " She reply with a sigh placing her hand on her temple and giving it a gentle massage.
Somehow she don't have any good feelings about the night and the whole birthday of a thing . Her heart race at interval and missed a bit consecutively. Sometimes she ran out of breathe and will always fight for her breathe back. She turned to look at the maids with her eyes shallow and empty with no emotions or feelings in them.
" I don't feel good about this" she said and the maids frown their face at her not understanding what she actually meant by that.