Servants roamed through the guests' tables with pitchers of wine, ale, and cool fruit juices, keeping every visitor's cup or tankard filled to overflowing. Everyone had put on their most dazzling attire for the evening, and Emriana nearly jumped for joy at the number of attendees. She thought she would pop, and she imagined that the silly grin on her face must have made her look six years old, but for once, she didn't care if anyone accused her of such. The girl made up her mind right then and there that, despite the events of the past several days, she was going to thoroughly enjoy the party in her honor.
She looked to her left, where her brother stood, thankful that he was beside her at all. The lieutenant had arrived only moments before the first guests, coming to her straight away. Despite Jaleene's protests, Emriana let him into her rooms, where he proceeded to tell her what was going on with the mercenary company, and how he'd managed to sneak away.
"I don't know how long I'll be able to stay," he explained, "so we can't waste any time tonight. The first chance you get, suggest a private walk and take Denrick where we agreed. I'll be there and we'll get the truth out of him."
The realization that Vambran might be gone by morning made Emriana shudder. She hadn't even considered the possibility that he would disappear again before the two of them managed to uncover the details of the mystery behind the two murders, and yet it was looming in front of her. The girl shook her head, refusing to let those worries spoil her evening. Instead, she focused her attention on the fact that her brother was there right then.
Vambran was decked out in a most regal outfit, his officer's uniform. He wore a finely tailored pair of dark blue breeches, loosely tucked into his crisp black boots, which came almost to his knee and were then turned down to a wide cuff. A snow-white silk shirt billowed over his arms, with tiny slashes in each sleeve designed to show off the blue silk layer underneath. His black leather riding gloves made a nice contrast to the shirt. Over all of it, the lieutenant wore his ceremonial breastplate, all polished silver with gold highlights, including the family crest, a bas relief tiger's head facing directly forward. He had even buckled on his crossbow, which hung from his belt on the opposite side from his sword.
"You look dashing," Emriana whispered to her brother. "Especially the breastplate."
Vambran smiled and whispered back, "It was Xaphira's, you know. She gave it to me the night she disappeared. I had to have it adjusted for size a bit, of course. You, by the way, look radiant."
Emriana giggled and looked down at her own attire. She and Jaleene had spent most of the afternoon preparing her for the evening, and for the first time, she was glad for it. She wore a dress the color of sea foam, creamy white with just a hint of green highlights in it. Over it, her entire upper torso was bedecked in an elaborate vest of fine gold filigree that hugged her bosom snugly, enhancing her figure. From the wrought mesh of gold hung emeralds interspersed with tiny bells and chimes. Every move she made caused the little instruments to tinkle gaily. Even the girl's boots, hidden beneath her dress, were festooned with strings of bells that jangled sweetly when she walked.
Emriana's hair had taken the longest, for it had been pulled up and piled stylishly atop her head, with individual ringlets hanging down at each temple. Though she found it difficult and occasionally frustrating to walk elegantly and keep still so that it would not come loose, she felt very regal. Jaleene had even applied some face paint, highlighting her cheeks and darkening the area around her eyes. When the girl had seen herself in her wall mirror, she felt that the last vestiges of her childhood had faded away.
"Shall we?" Vambran asked, offering his sister his arm.
Emriana smiled and looped her own wrist around his crooked elbow, and together they descended the steps to the party.
At that moment, the orchestra stopped in mid-song, and Uncle Dregaul appeared on the balcony next to the musicians, directly above the crowd.
"Lords and ladies," he began, gesturing for quiet. The general conversation dropped to a low hum, with only a few murmurs still rolling through the guests. "Tonight is a very special occasion, for many reasons. We have several delightful surprises in store for you throughout the evening. But before we can let the party truly begin, let's all welcome our guest of honor tonight." He gestured, open-palmed, toward where Emriana and Vambran stood at the bottom step of the last staircase. "Tonight," Dregaul said, "Let us celebrate her passing into adulthood. Let us envy her, and try to remember what it was like to be sixteen." That drew more than a few chuckles from the crowd. "I present Lady Emriana Matrell!" Dregaul finished with a flourish.
The partygoers gathered close, clapping and cheering cordially for the girl.
As Emriana and Vambran approached the garden, guests hovered around the siblings, and every last one of them greeted her, calling out good wishes for a happy birthday. The first to meet her at the base of the stairs were, of course, her own family. Grandmother Hetta was standing in the front, with Ladara right by her side, as usual. Emriana smiled brightly at her grandmother, and she thought she would begin to cry, she was so happy.
Hetta leaned down and gave Emriana a kiss on her cheek.
"My little Em is all grown up," the elderly woman said, a glow in her eyes of absolute pride. "Dazzle them, dear."
Emriana's mother gave her daughter a tight hug. "My baby," she said, then stepped back. Evester and Marga were next, with the twins by their sides.
Evester gave Emriana a quick hug and whispered, "You've made us all very proud."
Then he was stepping back again, letting his wife in.
Marga beamed as she took Emriana's hands in her own. She smiled for a long time.
"Just look at you," she said softly. Then she finally crushed the girl in a tight hug. "It's wonderful having you as my sister-in-law."
Marga kissed Emriana on the cheek, and Emriana flushed with emotion, genuinely happy.
The twins both hugged their aunt at the same time, wrapping their arms around her waist.
"You look beautiful," Obiron said.
Emriana smiled down at her nephew.
"If you promise to behave, I'll dance with you later," she told him.
That brought a huge smile from the boy, who nodded and looked at his mother.
"Can I eat, now?" he asked.
Marga rolled her eyes and shooed him away with a, "Yes, but don't get anything on your clothes."
Quindy was feeling the fabric of Emriana's dress and said, "Can I wear this when I turn sixteen?"
Emriana gave a mocking groan and grabbed her niece in a second hug.
"Sweetheart," the older girl said, "You'll have your own dress that's twice as pretty as this one."
When Quindy grinned, Emriana tussled her hair and stood up.
"All right," Hetta commanded, "let her through. She has guests to greet."
The family parted to allow Emriana and Vambran to pass through them and meet everyone else.
The birthday girl beamed as she strolled among her well-wishers, smiling and thanking them with a word or a nod. She didn't feel at all like herself at the moment, but like she was hiding in someone else's body, a member of the royalty with everyone in attendance at her beck and call. She took a deep breath, getting her proverbial feet back under her and firmly on the ground.
It's just a party, she told herself. No one made you queen.