Never before had I been to the official parts of the old royal palace. Sure, I'd been in the back rooms when I'd helped to save Lief, but we were going to the proper entrance now, and I felt special. The small opening in the walls for carts to enter shone with hanging lights as we passed under and into the large garden-like space beyond.

I stopped feeling too special then. Even if we were on the list to get in, and be at this party, we were nowhere near the top of it. We were also a bit later than some people, and thus had a sizable line in front of us. Someone like my father or Mystien might have been bumped to the front, but myself, I still wasn't that high in the current government. Not to say that I wasn't welcome, just that I wasn't one of the movers and shakers on the day-to-day things that made people seem important to others.

Not being seen and known to too many was an advantage though, and one I wasn't eager to give up. I knew the emperor himself valued me and my experience, and to an extent even heeded my advice, and that was enough. To be valued by those who mattered while not painting an even bigger target on my back was a winning move in my book.

Still the wait was long. Every one of us had been checked at the entrance to see who we were, and now there was even more. We had to wait our turn to the front of the line, attendants changing the order up here and there. Once we were out of the carriage, we had to wait again until we were announced. It all seemed a bit overdone, but it was still a big party full of politicians.

I think the thing that struck me most here was the weapons. Every man was armed, some of the women were too, though that varied. Even some of those who were clearly wizards, or bards, or even non-magic users had some form of blade. For those not really trained in fighting this tended to be a dagger of some form, but swords were equally popular. This never would have been allowed back on Earth, but it seemed that since most of us were walking weapons anyway it didn't matter too much to the people here. I also suspected that there'd been some kind of cultural shift after that one disastrous ball I'd attended as a child where tons of people had been caught off guard and murdered.

As we passed through, names being taken and our entrance announced we finally entered the main set of rooms for this party. There was a ballroom, several sitting rooms off to the side for people to freshen up in, and some semi-separated parlors. Most of these were for taking short breaks or just cleaning up after the long period of entry. One of the servants turned to us as we came in, offering drinks.

"Drinks sir, miss?" He asked, holding out a small plate of some alcohol.

"No thank you, I do have a question though?" I responded.

"Of course miss, how may I be of aid?"

"How are we to see the eclipse from inside? I thought we were going to be watching it tonight," I asked.

"Ah, later in the evening the event is scheduled to move into the gardens. I'm assured it will be quite visible from there."

"Thank you,"

"May I be of any further service?" He replied with a kind smile.

"No, thank you," I said, and Ulanion nodded along with me.

Soon enough we met up with people we knew. There were plenty here, either from work, or from my younger partying days. Of course I met with my parents too, chatting with some of mother's friends between short rounds of dancing.

"Are you going to dance with anyone else?" She finally asked me when Ulanion an father went to go get us drinks.

"I hadn't planned to, no."

That surprisingly got a giggle. "Well, he is a nice one isn't he? I'm glad he seems as taken with you as you are with him."

"And here I thought you didn't like him," I quipped quietly.

"Oh I like him just fine. Wish he'd hurry up a bit, but he's not too bad." She gave me a kind smile. "I've tried to help you Alana dear, but things are changing aren't they? Personally I still think your homemaking skills are atrocious, but... I'll try to be a bit easier on you, after you're married."

"But not before huh?" I asked.

"No, before you're not his wife, you're my daughter, and I'll see to it you'll be getting all the skills you need. If only because I love you." She nudged me a bit as she spoke.

"Love you too mom," I responded.

The boys rejoined us and she looked back over. "Have you gone to greet Queen Sophia yet?" She was the host after all.

"I haven't seen her at all, have you?"

"Someone should have told you," father said from the side. "She's in one of the side rooms with the young prince."

That was odd, very much so. Young people might, and only might, come to a ball like this, though normally not. With less formal events there were younger crowds, but something like a royal gathering was generally adults only, and while I'd never met him, I knew the prince was very young.

Something about my face must have given away my thoughts because mother spoke again. "The prince has been ill of late... so he stays near his mother. I hear that the priests are in negotiations to try and help him. Poor dear got one of the noble sicknesses, though I hear he's been rather more robust than most with those."

"I haven't met him," I said.

"He's a well behaved young lad, and very polite," father added with a kind grin, he and the emperor were even now old friends.

Quickly Ulanion and I made our way over to where the royal couple was. It was quite the faux pas to not greet the lady of the house, and if we went on too much longer we'd be in clear violation. Now that we'd been told where she was, and that she wasn't waiting for a grand entrance, it was prudent to go.

The line was small when we got there, and other than a few milling attendants for the imperial couple there wasn't much going on. Reciting the standard greetings to the lady and man of the house was only a moment's work, and when we were done she bid us rise.

"Ah, young miss Alana. My husband speaks well of you, about all the work you do for our empire," she said. "Though I don't believe I've heard of your companion?"

"I met with the team sent to Atal your Majesty, and was convinced by her to come and see your beautiful lands." Ulanion said with a slight bow.

"Wonderful, wonderful, I have heard much of your own homeland, though never managed to see them."

It seemed like she was preparing to dismiss us when a small voice interjected. "Sir, are you an elf?"

Ulanion looked down at the little boy who'd been up till now hiding at his mother's side. His age was hard to guess, since he was pale, and clearly not feeling his best. It was something I should have remembered from the announcement of his birth, but honestly I'd paid little attention to that.

"Why yes I am your Highness," Ulanion answered.

I could see a servant come up and begin whispering something into Emperor Durin's ear. Other than a few words of greeting he'd been fairly quiet tonight, seeming contemplative. Now I could see him beginning to frown, something clearly not to his liking.

"I heard about elves, and how you do a lot of magic, and make a lot of items and..." the prince began to chatter excitedly.

"Osvald, manners," the queen gently chided.

"Oh... yes mother. It was nice to meet you sir," he finally said, clearly a well rehearsed line.

"I hope you two enjoy yourselves, the eclipse is sure to be magnificent." With that dismissal we bade her well and turned.

Before we were far though I heard Durin lean over to speak. "Something's come up dear that I need to take care of; it shouldn't take long."

We reentered the party proper and returned to our dancing, interspersed as it was by light conversation with friends and acquaintances.

As the night wore on and everyone prepared to go outside for the big event much of the merriment grew. It was into this slightly buzzing atmosphere that the first far-off yelling found its way.