The garden was filled to the brim just as she had expected. Knowing her father, he wouldn't have invited this many people so it all fell to her ever bubbly mother.
Diana tried not to look too depressed as she smiled at her mom's circle of friends which she secretly hated. They only knew how to spread gossip and reduce your mental state to nothing, always comparing each other's jewelry and whose husband gave the most expensive gifts whenever there was an argument between them.
She had once asked her mom why she preferred to go along with their nonsense but she got a smile and a head pat in response which said a lot more 'you'll understand when you grow older'. But she didn't even need to become an adult before she realized everything. A Kingdom will always need an alliance even if it's with the most downgrading people, as long as there's a benefit.
She learnt that the hard way when she got betrothed to the crown prince.
From the corner of her eyes, Diana tried to keep a straight face as she saw how the ladies flocked around her brother. Dimitri had always been a cold person with a blank expression but when it came to the ladies, you would see a lot of expressions you never thought he could make.
The party was going well. She inhaled in relief and sipped from her glass of juice to keep her nerves in check. Soon it would be the highlight of the party, the one she was looking forward to.
It was a tradition that when you clocked twenty in the kingdom, there would be a full moon and the moon goddess was said to bless the celebrant with their full powers.
In the Luminar Universe, everyone was gifted with two powers; one you get when you're birthed and the other given to you on your twentieth birthday by the Moon goddess.
Diana couldn't wait to see what powers would be bestowed on her and she was feeling excited just from thinking about it.
"My lady seems to be preoccupied by other matters." A calm and yet annoying voice cut through her thoughts and she turned to see who she had been avoiding all along.
The Crown Prince Cipher.
Known in every corner of the brothel and women's bath, said to be the most handsome man in the Luminar Kingdom and hated by her beloved twin.
For some reason, this man annoyed her too much. Maybe it was the smug look he had on his face all the time, or the condescending look which translated 'lick my boots you lowlives' or definitely his pride which seemed higher than the Luminar Tower itself.
She masked her face with a small smile and did a courtesy.
"It is an honor to have you grace this party with your presence." She said softly and he smiled
Praises and elevation were enough to pump his chest.
"Of course I had to, you're to be my bride someday. I have to stand by you every step of the way." He said and leaned down to place a kiss on the back of her palm
From where he stood, Dimitri gripped the hilt of his knife which he always kept hidden, hate blazing in his eyes as he watched the encounter.
His mind went back three days ago when he made a bet with the Crown Prince and they had a duel.
Oh ..... if only, if only his father hadn't interfered he would have won the bet, free Diana from this bondage called engagement and Cipher would have gone back with a scar or two on his handsome face.
Thinking about it angered him even more and he kept his burning gaze on Cipher who continued chatting with Diana who only smiled and nodded at everything he said.
"You're gonna burn a hole into his head if you don't stop with the death glares." A voice cautioned and he turned to see his father, he sneered at him and released his hold on the knife then his expression went back to blank.
The man, King Cassius chuckled lightly, "You're like a child."
Dimitri glared at him and walked away without saying anything. Ever since three days ago when he had stopped him from going any further, both father and son had not exchanged any meaningful words except when it came to political matters regarding the Kingdom itself.
His wife, Queen Maeve held his arm in consolation, "Still having the boys fight?"
"Dimitri is just being stubborn, he'll come around." Cassius replied and Maeve chuckled in disbelief.
"You talk like you don't know your son, it's Dimitri we're talking about here.... he's not gonna just come around." She said with a raised brow and Cassius sighed tiredly
"Kids." He mumbled and Maeve laughed as she pulled him to get some drinks.
"Let's just have some fun, it's our babies coming of age." She said and passed a glass of wine to him. They both clicked it and sipped from it as they watched the party unfold.
"Oh...look who decided to join in, Demeaning himself." Cipher didn't try to hide his own spite as Dimitri advanced towards them with a dark look.
"It's Dimitri, Prince Cipher, the sooner you get the name right, the better you will be at ruling the Luminar Tower in his Majesty's stead." Dimitri replied calmly but the sharp needles in his tone seemed to pierce more than one nerve in Cipher.
He grunted in distaste and walked away.
"I hate that guy." Dimitri mumbled and grabbed a pie from delicacies beside them.
Diana smiled at him, "This explains the intense heat I was feeling a while back. Do you have any idea where that came from?" She wiggled her brows as she leaned closer
"He's a dunce." Dimitri said in defense
"He's the Crown Prince, the sooner you realize that the better it would be for all of us." Diana responded with a frown and Dimitri dropped the remaining pie on the plate feeling annoyed.
"I hate when you're like this, always thinking about every one except yourself. You think father gives any fuck about you, he just wants to expand his region that's all." He snapped quietly
"Shut up Dimitri!" Diana screamed before she could stop herself earning a lot of curious looks from the guests and worried looks from their parents.
She cleared her throat and smiled at them, "Nothing to see here, just two siblings having a little quarrel." She said awkwardly and pulled her brother with her to a secluded place.
She slammed his back on the wall and conjured the roots to tie him up in place.
"I could break from this without even much of a fight." Dimitri said calmly and she seethed
"Can you just stop this! It's already too late for all this persuasion you're trying to do."
"Persuasion? Persuasion you say..? I'm trying to give you a choice!" Dimitri snapped angrily and broke free from the roots, Diana shuddered and stepped back.
Seeing the scared look on her face, Dimitri inhaled and mumbled a few words to himself to remain calm. He looked at her again and gripped her hands gently.
"You don't have to do this. You're not made for this kind of stuff." He said calmly
"You mean I'm weak because I'm a girl." Diana cut him off with a frown
"That's not...."
"That's it right? I'm just a weak girl, I can't even improve my magic no less handle getting married to the Crown Prince which means plunging into the dark world of politics." She looked at him directly, "Just say it to my face Dimitri."
"DIANA!!" Dimitri yelled and she wilted at the rage in his voice. Dimitri had never raised his voice at her before. Tears burned in her eyes and she pushed him off.
" Go away!" She yelled at him
"Listen to me Diana..!" Dimitri urged but she shook her head
Both Cassius and Maeve rushed in and Maeve immediately cast a silencer spell around the place.
"What is wrong with you two? Everyone in the garden can hear you!" Cassius yelled and Dimitri faced him in anger
"And why do you care? You're the cause of all this. If you didn't let Cipher get his dirty claws in Diana then none of this would be happening, all because you want to remain a loyal servant to the Crown. All you had to do was say NO.... you're nothing but weak." He spat in rage, his eyes glowing and ready to attack
"How dare you! I am your father and you have no right to speak to me this way!...." Cassius growled and advanced towards him, eyes also glowing and ready to strike.
Cassius summoned his strongest spell and Dimitri did the same too, just as both were about to collide with each other, a deafening scream disrupted the fight and both of them stopped cold.
They all, including Maeve turned to the direction of the noise and were shocked to see Diana who had been silent all along surrounded by green flames.
Her eyes sparked green as she stared at them coldly.
"I said Enough!"