❝ You look like you’re thinking very hard. Try not to hurt yourself. ❞

◆◆◆

The Southern Palace hosted its balls the way it did everything else—with intention, restraint, and unmistakable confidence.

The ballroom unfolded like a carefully cut gemstone. Pale stone pillars veined naturally with gold supported vaulted ceilings high above, left deliberately exposed as a quiet testament to the kingdom’s prosperity. Crystal chandeliers scattered warm amber light across marble floors, their reflections shimmering beneath silk and polished shoes. Draperies in rose, ivory, and burnished gold lined the walls, each embroidered with the golden rose—the royal crest of the Southern Kingdom, a symbol of beauty cultivated through patience and precision.

Tonight’s gathering carried particular significance.

The King and Queen, along with Prince Rahim, were away on a royal journey—negotiating trade accords and securing new mining rights beyond the southern borders. In their absence, the responsibility of hosting fell entirely to Princess Alcina Jasmine. That alone had drawn attention. To be entrusted with such an event was not ceremonial—it was a statement of confidence in her capability, and the nobles present understood it well.

The ball itself reflected the foundation of the Southern Kingdom’s power: trade and refinement.

The kingdom’s mountains yielded emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and gold of unparalleled purity. These were exported across the continent, their cuts and craftsmanship unmistakably Southern. In return, caravans brought in rare silks, fine wines, spices, manuscripts, exotic woods, and luxuries chosen for quality rather than necessity. The Southern economy thrived not on excess, but on balance—wealth transformed into influence, influence into stability.

Whispers moved easily through the ballroom.

“...The emerald shipments alone fund half the border defenses,” one noble murmured.

“And the gold tariffs?” another replied. “Raised again. Foreign crowns will complain—quietly.”

“They always do,” came a knowing laugh.

Every jewel worn tonight told a story of proximity to that power. Southern gold gleamed at throats and wrists, soft in luster but unmistakable in craft. To wear it was to signal connection—real or desired.

At the center of it all stood Princess Alcina Jasmine.

She wore ivory layered with gold-threaded fabric, translucent and flowing, the embroidery shaped like petals unfurling across her shoulders and bodice. Her brown skin glowed warmly beneath the chandeliers, and her long black hair fell in soft waves, adorned with delicate gold ornaments shaped like leaves and roses. Her golden eyes observed the room with calm authority, sharp and discerning, reflecting the same wealth and patience that defined the kingdom itself.

Though her family was absent, their presence lingered in her posture—in the way she carried the room without effort, in the confidence with which she had arranged every detail of the evening.

This ball was not simply a celebration.

It was proof that the Southern Kingdom endured, prospered, and dazzled—

even in the hands of its princess.

◆◆◆

✿ The House of the Golden Rose ✿

Prince Dahrim

( Alcina's older brother )



King Aurelius Jasmine

( Alcina's father )

Queen Samira Jasmine

( Alcina's mother)

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