Chapter 62: The Last Insult

On the day of her wedding, Laurel found herself unable to stop smiling. Raven, Irene, and the rest of Adolph’s cousins had come to her chambers to get her ready for the traditional luna’s brunch held with the female members of the family.
They brought the sash of gold embroidered with lunar flowers, smiling as Raven fastened it over her shoulders and explained the significance of the sash and the brunch.
“It’s to be the last meal you eat as just a gift to the king from the moon goddess,” Raven said. “Hence the lunar flowers. Once you’re married, you’ll wear a sash with both azaleas and luna flowers.”
She chuckled, “I can see why you told him this all might be a bit much to take in.”
Raven grinned, “You’re taking all the pomp, circumstance, and tradition well.”
“… is it too late to change something?”
“What sort of change?” Irene asked.
“I was thinking that…” Laurel’s face burned. “Maybe I could have nine roses if it’s not too late?”
Irene’s eyes twinkled with mischief and Raven smiled at her, “Nine all around?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure it will be quite the surprise for him.” Raven chuckled, “I’m sure Sarah or Lily won’t have a problem adding them.”
Laurel nodded, probably not. Sara and Lily had been enchanted with all the little details Raven had been explaining to her as they’d been decorating and arranging the celebration. It seemed that every aspect of their marriage was steeped in a tradition and symbolism connected to the origins of the kingdom.
Raven set her at the front of the procession towards the lunar parlor where they were meant to hold the brunch.
She saw Tina pushing one of the carts towards the room from far away. A group of servants with other carts was several steps behind her looking a bit tense. Her eyes jumped to Laurel with a glare and something superior in her eyes as she pushed the tray into the room. Raven guided her to take her seat at the head of the table before instructing Delia to sit at her left. Raven sat at her right as the closest female relative to Adolph and the rest of the guests settled around the table.
She would have preferred to have anyone else sit next to her, but she smiled at Raven whose eyes were twinkling with amusement.
Tina wheeled the cart around the table towards Laurel and refused to set her plates. She left it near Laurel’s seat and rounded the table towards Delia. Raven’s eyes widened, but Lily stopped the service of the food.
“What are you waiting for?” Delia asked, glaring at the nearest maid, “Bring my food!”
“No one is to be served before the luna,” Lily said, her eyes turning hard and glaring at Tina. “Tina, return to the kitchens. You have no business here.”
She flushed and stomped out as Lily rounded the table with an apologetic smile, “My apologies, Luna Laurel.”
“Seems like you’re slipping up on your duties over the castle,” Delia said with a little sneer. “Tina would have never let such a thing stand, and she’s not luna!”
Laurel rolled her eyes and looked at Raven as Lily served her food. The maids stood back as Delia glared at the maid nearest to her.
“What are you waiting on now?”
Raven smiled, sharing a little smile with Laurel. She gestured to Raven, “May the light of the moon shine to my right and center before my left.”
The cousin seated on the other side of Delia, coughed into her hand, stifling a little giggle.
Delia frowned as the maid standing behind Raven’s chair stepped forward to serve her. They were served in order around the table starting with Raven to Laurel’s right and Aria, who sat across from her, leaving Delia to be served last. She flushed with fury.
“The luna has several methods of announcing the start of the brunch,” Raven said looking at Delia. “By her say is every course served.”
Delia glared at Raven as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She hadn’t known that. She hadn’t known anything about all these traditions as she hadn’t had to go through them when she married Basil. They were ridiculous, but it was clear that there was no amount of complaining that would get her out of this meal.
Delia sneered, “As if a rude little girl would know anything about being luna.”
“Are you questioning His Majesty’s choices?” Irene asked lightly, though her eyes were hard and cold.
Delia flinched and closed her mouth, deciding to pass the rest of the brunch in begrudging silence, barely listening to the conversation happening around her.
Laurel grinned as she finished her second course. The dishes were delicious, each of them was different than the usual fare, but Raven had explained they were ceremonial dishes. All of her dishes had lunar flowers at the bottom ranging from one to nine for the nine courses of the meal, even her teacup was a part of the luna’s set.
“I have to remember to compliment the kitchens,” Laurel said with a smile as the next course was served. “It’s all so different, but so good.”
The soup was the fifth course. It was a bit bitter, like the rind of a citrus fruit had been left in it for too long, but it wasn’t unpleasant. She sipped her soup quietly, listening to Aria talk about the economic situation of the Ruby Hills pack, ignoring Delia’s disgruntled silence.
Raven smiled at her gleefully as Laurel smiled, sipping the broth carefully and smiling as the azalea pattern began to appear at the bottom. The rich reds made her think of Adolph’s cloak, billowing in the wind. There were five azaleas at the bottom. It seemed that there had been a mix-up, but she couldn’t be upset. She wondered how Adolph would feel upon seeing the five lunar flowers at the bottom of his soup bowl.

*******
Adolph reached the bottom of his bowl with a measure of trepidation. It was bad enough that he had to share this meal with Gavin, but to have such a mistake happen during the brunch worried him. The plate was a plain gold-rimmed bowl without a pattern at the bottom: one of the guest plates. Chasel looked at him from across the room, stationed by the door with a questioning look and Adolph shook his head gently.
It was likely just a small mistake. Perhaps the bowl had been broken or misplaced. He’d ask. The meal continued in near silence.
“I certainly hope Your Majesty plans to have your young wife thoroughly educated,” Gavin’s brother said with a little huff. “The work of the luna is far too important to be left just in the hands of a teenaged girl without supervision.”
Adolph’s gaze cut to the man as Gavin continued to sip his soup in silence. Before he could speak, Raven’s husband, Henry, gave him a wry smile as he sipped his soup.
“Such a solemn conversation for a joyous affair,” Henry said with a smirk before looking at Basil with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “Shame about tradition and how poorly it picks company. Surely we have better things to talk about than how men without status feel about women far above their concern?”
Adolph smirked, barely holding in a laugh as Gavin’s brother flushed and scowled into his soup.
Basil looked at Henry then Adolph, “What does that mean?”
Henry sighed, “The food’s good, but there’s no taste sweeter than the presence of beautiful women…. I bet they’re having a delightful time.”
Adolph chuckled, “My apologies, Alpha Redwood for separating you from your luna.”
“Apology accepted.”
Basil frowned looking between the two of them and wanting to say something, but the two men seemed amused. Liam, Henry’s son, smiled.
“Father, I’m going to tell mother you were starting trouble.”
“Please do! I welcome her affections always.”
Irene’s husband, Dorian, laughed, nearly choking on his soup as Gavin and Basil grew visibly upset. Adolph shook his head and wondered how his father would have felt about his eldest daughter’s husband and the snarky scoundrels his nieces had married.
He could almost hear the man’s laughter from when he told Adolph and Raven about his marriage brunch.
*“I hope you’ll have better company than me. I had to sit next to her father who still hates me for stealing his precious daughter!”*
If Jack or any of his family had been alive, he would have invited them to join his table in Gavin and his brother’s places. It had been a shame that there had been no one from Sapphire Lake to invite. He sipped his water as the bowl was taken away and he was served a cut of meat on a plate with six azalea blossoms. He wondered if Laurel had been able to see the lunar flower blossoms for each stage of the meal or if one of her dishes had been missing as well.
“Cheer up, Your Majesty,” Liam said with a grin. “You’ll be reunited with your luna soon enough.”
Henry and Dorian snickered. Even Chasel seemed to find it amusing though Basil looked horrified as if Adolph would reach across the table and slit Liam’s throat for teasing him.
“I see you take after your father, you troublemaker.” Liam grinned. “And she is the best company any man could ask for.”
Liam let out a teasing sound, “Such love.”
“Yes,” Adolph said. “I do.”
Gavin flinched at the admission and clenched his jaw as he tuned out the rest of the conversation. Laurel was too much like Laura. With her on the throne, the days of benefitting from his position were somewhat numbered. He looked up to meet Basil’s gaze and went still. There was something inquisitive in his eyes that Gavin had thought he’d killed a long time ago.
Basil was starting to think and that would never serve his purposes. He spent the rest of the meal contemplating the best course of action.