The gates of the royal capital Solaria opened like a dream painted in gold and marble. Towering white spires pierced the clouds, the roads shimmered with embedded mana stones, and laughter and music echoed through the streets. Carriages glided over levitating runes while magical beasts walked beside their masters. Lucien leaned out of the window, his silver-white hair catching the sunlight, eyes wide in amazement.
“So this… is the royal capital,” he murmured, heart racing.
As they passed enchanted marketplaces and towering libraries, Lucien could hardly sit still. Though he was the heir to House Vaelthorne, one of the grand dukedoms of Elarion, the capital felt like another world entirely.
They arrived at the Vaelthorne estate in the capital, a grand mansion surrounded by barrier wards and floating crystal lanterns. Staff bustled to prepare for their stay, while Lucien’s father, Duke Caelan Vaelthorne, readied himself for a visit to the royal palace.
Lucien stood at the estate’s courtyard, watching his father mount a mana-carved steed.
“Are you really going to meet the king?” he asked, trying to sound calm.
Caelan smiled. “King Alaric Solmere and I trained together in the academy. Before crowns and titles, we were comrades. Today, I see an old friend.”
And with that, the Duke departed.
---
The throne room of Castle Solaria was breathtaking. The walls shimmered like dawnlight, and holy runes traced the ceiling. King Alaric Solmere, dressed in crimson and gold, descended from his throne with a warm expression.
“Caelan,” he greeted with open arms. “You never change.”
“And you still look far too formal, Alaric,” Caelan replied.
The two walked together through the Royal Sun Gardens, where golden lotuses and whispering willows bloomed under sunlight blessed by ancient mages.
As they paused near a reflecting pool, the King’s tone shifted. “I have a request, Caelan—not as a king, but as a father.”
Caelan turned. “What is it?”
“I would like your son, Lucien, to be engaged to my daughter, Princess Seraphina.”
Caelan blinked. “Seraphina is twelve, is she not? Lucien is only ten.”
“A symbolic engagement,” Alaric said gently. “Until they both come of age. I’ve heard much of your son—his mind, his growth. Seraphina is… lonely. And she needs someone who might understand her.”
Caelan looked out over the horizon. “…Then I will discuss it with Evelyne. And with Lucien himself.”
---
That evening, Lucien stood in his chambers, clad in formal attire—a deep navy coat adorned with silver phoenix embroidery, a matching cravat pinned with a mana crystal. He looked at himself in the mirror, unsure whether to be nervous or excited.
His mother, Duchess Evelyne Vaelthorne, entered with grace. “You look handsome, Lucien,” she said with a proud smile, adjusting his sleeves. “Tonight, you’ll meet the heirs of the noble houses. You must remember, many of them are being groomed to rule. Match them—not just in words, but in presence.”
Lucien nodded, voice soft. “Will I really meet the princess?”
Evelyne paused, then nodded. “Yes. Princess Seraphina. There’s a chance the King will announce a future engagement between the two of you.”
Lucien’s eyes widened. “She’s older than me.”
“By two years. But such things matter less in the noble world than you’d think,” she said with a chuckle. “Besides, I hear she’s curious about you.”
Outside, under the twilight sky, enchanted lights floated above the palace as nobles began to gather at the Solaris Grand Ballroom.
“I’m excited,” Lucien whispered as he stepped into the carriage beside his parents. “I want to meet the other heirs.”
The future was calling, and Lucien was ready to walk into it.
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