The ballroom was abuzz with laughter, music and the clinking of glasses as nobles mingled in their finest attire, eagerly waiting for the grand entrance. As the announcer's voice filled the room, the crowd's murmur began to die down.
"Attention, distinguished guests! Please welcome, His Esteemed Highness, Prince Vastarael Richinaria, and his mother, Her Esteemed Majesty, Queen Lysameria Richinaria!"
The doors swung open with a soft creak.
The moment they appeared, the crowd fell into a heavy silence that was so intense it could almost be felt physically. It was as if they had all collectively inhaled a breath and were waiting to exhale. Lysameria and Vastarael entered side by side. His mother's hand was wrapped possessively around his arm and her other hand holding his. Lysameria, as usual, was the embodiment of ageless beauty.
But it was Vastarael who drew the eyes of every single person in the room.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored royal outfit,. He was taller than most men in the room and with his lean, muscular frame, every movement of his body seemed to show strength and power. His beauty was magnetic and no matter how many women had seen handsome men, they had never seen a man like him.
As they crossed the threshold, a hush fell over the entire crowd. All around, whispers began to swirl. Women everywhere couldn't tear their eyes away. Some openly stared and others subtly glanced.
They couldn't help themselves. His beauty was beyond anything they had ever seen before. His face was so finely sculpted it looked like it had been designed by the gods themselves,—even though he was from divine origin and was literally a child of two Nexuses— and his eyes were gleaming with an otherworldly intensity that made their hearts skip a beat. Even the most poised and sophisticated women in the room couldn't help but feel a flush of heat creep up their necks as their thoughts took on more... indulgent turns.
Some of them, trying to control themselves, subtly wiped their hands on their dresses or adjusted their hair, as if to mask the feeling that Vastarael's presence stirred in them. The whispers grew louder as the women exchanged glances, each one trying to outdo the other with how badly they wanted him.
And then there was Dilasyus.
His eye twitched. He stood tall but his eyes were narrowed onto the sight of his son, whose presence had overtaken the entire ballroom. He tried to keep his cool but every time his gaze landed on Vastarael, the heat in his chest only got more intense.
It was because of his wife.
Vastarael, ever so aware of the effect he had on people, winked playfully at his father from across the room. He held his gaze for a moment, then mouthed with a sly smile;
'She's mine tonight.'
Dilasyus froze. For a second, he looked like he was about to explode but before he could say anything, he caught sight of Caresse and Opera, who both giggled under their breath, clearly having seen the exchange.
"Don't worry," Caresse teased in a soft voice, "he'll grow on you. He's leaving tomorrow. Let him have his moment."
Opera only gave him a smile.
Meanwhile, Elyonari, standing off to the side with her mother, watched everything unfold. Her eyes turned from Vastarael to the other women in the room, unable to look away. Even she, who had been so grounded, found herself distracted by the magnetism of the man in the center of the room. She was beginning to understand why people were drawn to him so fiercely.
Over in another corner of the room, Vastarael's sisters, Anamorsia, Milliania and Leones watched the spectacle with mixed emotions. They knew how handsome their brother was, how much attention he attracted—hell, they'd grown up with him—but even now, seeing the way everyone stared, they couldn't help but feel a touch of exasperation mixed with a bit of pride.
"Can't they stop looking at him?" Anamorsia muttered under her breath, though there was no malice in her tone.
"Too handsome, isn't he?" Milliania replied with a sigh, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall. "It's ridiculous. No one else can get a word in."
Leones let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of her neck.
"It's only going to get worse from here on out. Now with this, I highly believe that he's going to shatter people's reality of beauty and compare it to their beloveds."
Vastarael's presence was nothing short of overwhelming and the longer he stood there, the more entranced the women around him became. The men, while still appreciating the beauty of his form, couldn't help but cast envious glances. Even they had to admit that it was nearly impossible to ignore Vastarael.
Vastarael glanced over at his father whose eye twitched as he watched the interaction unfold. With a little more confidence than he had before, Vastarael turned to Lysameria and, in a voice just loud enough to be heard over the orchestra's music, asked;
"Mother, would you be honored to share my first dance with me?"
Lysameria gave him a look but she smiled softly. It was like she hadn't expected it but at the same time, maybe she had. She had raised him, after all. It made sense that after all these years, he'd want to do something like this. She slid her hand into his and just like that, the entire ballroom went a little bit stiller. For a moment, it felt like the world stopped spinning.
"I accept."
And just like that, they stepped onto the dance floor. The moment seemed almost too perfect. A mother and son, walking to the center of the room, hand in hand, just as if they were the only two people in the universe.
As they took their positions, the music got a little louder.
Vastarael wasn't the best dancer. In fact, he was pretty damn stiff but his mother, as always, was graceful, guiding him with ease. They took their first few steps. He didn't know how to follow the first steps of the dance and seconds afterwards, he caught up and they continued dancing.
And as the music carried on, they danced in front of everyone. Every eye in the room was glued to them. Even though it was obvious they were mother and son, the way they moved together was effortlessly captivating everyone around them. As they moved across the floor, Vastarael found himself slightly more at ease. It felt natural now, almost like he had done this hundreds of times before.
It was almost funny how much his own father was trying to keep his emotions in check while his son danced with his wife. Vastarael caught Dilasyus's eye from across the room and shot him a wink. He didn't say anything but his lips widened into a grin. Caresse and Opera both giggled from nearby as they saw their husband's barely contained frustration. Even Lysameria couldn't help but laugh softly as she saw his expression.
As the music came to an end, they finished the dance in the middle of the room, still holding onto each other. Vastarael couldn't help but feel a strange warmth fill him. He hadn't expected the dance to feel this fulfilling, but it was perfect in its own right. It was almost like a way for him to show the world that he wasn't just the heir of Dynasty Richinaria.
And now, it was time for the finishing touch.