| Marc Pelzer | Fabian Wiestner
The light of hundreds of candles and fire bowls danced playfully upon the walls, adorned with
the finest tapestries. Laughter and sounds of joy echoed through the grand hall, prepared with
numerous tables arranged in a vast horseshoe shape. The many guests at the court of Varnas,
despite the early hour, reveled boisterously, reaching for endless delicacies on silver platters
and savoring the finest wines from the seven lands. The annual banquet was one of the most
important celebrations, for both the nobles living in the duchy and the most prominent
merchants and nobles of the surrounding lands. This feast was a gathering of the most
important and influential people, not to discuss politics, trade, or other matters, but simply to
revel in the spirit of the Duke.
The Duke's staff, bolstered for the occasion, deftly navigated through the tumult of
celebrating, laughing, bellowing, and amused guests, skillfully replacing every empty plate
with a full one, creating the illusion that the tables were endlessly replenishing themselves.
As every year, the festival commenced at dawn and continued until evening. For this reason,
most banquet participants, especially those with a long journey, arrived a day early in Varnas.
Thus, the Duke managed to fill the entire city with its taverns and inns, along with the castle.
This also delighted the common folk, who could earn a considerable amount of silver, and
from generous guests, even gold coins, year after year. Moreover, it was said that on the day
of the banquet, the entire duchy smelled of the served delicacies. Simply put, the winds from
the elevated castle carried the scents of the kitchen down into the city below. It had become
customary to say, upon smelling the aromas of juicy pastries, spice-filled peacocks or
pheasants, sweet fruit bread, or other culinary masterpieces, that it smelled like Varnas' lands.
Yaena, too, could perceive these pleasing scents, even though she was still in her room in the
east wing. She had had a white dress made by the city's finest tailor. She had imbued the
fabric with a fine and lasting enchantment the day before. Now the dress seemed to glow from
within. She did not wish to praise herself, but now that she had slipped into this symphony of
fabric, she was quite pleased with her appearance. At the mirror, she adjusted her blonde hair.
"Don't dawdle too long," she told herself, for the Duke was traditionally the last to arrive at
the festival. He tended to do so at ten o'clock, and as the court magician, Yaena had to be at
the throne's side by then. Her gaze wandered out the balcony to the rooftops sparkling in the
morning sun. It must have been around nine o'clock. She inhaled the stimulating scent of the
dishes contentedly and set off leisurely and in good spirits to the grand hall.
The ducal guards had unpacked their parade armors for today's service. The metal shimmered
in gleaming silver and red. No blemishes were visible, only the metal lilies intertwined with
other ornaments over the armor. After the third round, Gemon was certain that all his men had
taken the correct positions and made a good impression while maintaining the security of the
castle. Although the armors looked splendid and mighty, the captain of the guard knew they
were terrible to wear. Therefore, he was relieved that as a guest, he could set aside his
uniform and appear at the celebration in an elegant, and above all, far more comfortable
doublet. He arrived at the corridor before the grand hall. It was fourteen feet wide, making it
spacious but still small enough for effective defense. When the guards at the door noticed
him, they straightened their posture and tightened their grip on their halberds. Gemon checked
the doors in the hallway near the hall one last time. They were all locked, as ordered. He had
learned from the mistakes of past years, for nothing is more unpredictable than a drunken and
quarrelsome noble. No games this year. He chuckled softly to himself. Then, turning his head
towards the hall, he strode off. Time to enjoy himself.
the finest tapestries. Laughter and sounds of joy echoed through the grand hall, prepared with
numerous tables arranged in a vast horseshoe shape. The many guests at the court of Varnas,
despite the early hour, reveled boisterously, reaching for endless delicacies on silver platters
and savoring the finest wines from the seven lands. The annual banquet was one of the most
important celebrations, for both the nobles living in the duchy and the most prominent
merchants and nobles of the surrounding lands. This feast was a gathering of the most
important and influential people, not to discuss politics, trade, or other matters, but simply to
revel in the spirit of the Duke.
The Duke's staff, bolstered for the occasion, deftly navigated through the tumult of
celebrating, laughing, bellowing, and amused guests, skillfully replacing every empty plate
with a full one, creating the illusion that the tables were endlessly replenishing themselves.
As every year, the festival commenced at dawn and continued until evening. For this reason,
most banquet participants, especially those with a long journey, arrived a day early in Varnas.
Thus, the Duke managed to fill the entire city with its taverns and inns, along with the castle.
This also delighted the common folk, who could earn a considerable amount of silver, and
from generous guests, even gold coins, year after year. Moreover, it was said that on the day
of the banquet, the entire duchy smelled of the served delicacies. Simply put, the winds from
the elevated castle carried the scents of the kitchen down into the city below. It had become
customary to say, upon smelling the aromas of juicy pastries, spice-filled peacocks or
pheasants, sweet fruit bread, or other culinary masterpieces, that it smelled like Varnas' lands.
Yaena, too, could perceive these pleasing scents, even though she was still in her room in the
east wing. She had had a white dress made by the city's finest tailor. She had imbued the
fabric with a fine and lasting enchantment the day before. Now the dress seemed to glow from
within. She did not wish to praise herself, but now that she had slipped into this symphony of
fabric, she was quite pleased with her appearance. At the mirror, she adjusted her blonde hair.
"Don't dawdle too long," she told herself, for the Duke was traditionally the last to arrive at
the festival. He tended to do so at ten o'clock, and as the court magician, Yaena had to be at
the throne's side by then. Her gaze wandered out the balcony to the rooftops sparkling in the
morning sun. It must have been around nine o'clock. She inhaled the stimulating scent of the
dishes contentedly and set off leisurely and in good spirits to the grand hall.
The ducal guards had unpacked their parade armors for today's service. The metal shimmered
in gleaming silver and red. No blemishes were visible, only the metal lilies intertwined with
other ornaments over the armor. After the third round, Gemon was certain that all his men had
taken the correct positions and made a good impression while maintaining the security of the
castle. Although the armors looked splendid and mighty, the captain of the guard knew they
were terrible to wear. Therefore, he was relieved that as a guest, he could set aside his
uniform and appear at the celebration in an elegant, and above all, far more comfortable
doublet. He arrived at the corridor before the grand hall. It was fourteen feet wide, making it
spacious but still small enough for effective defense. When the guards at the door noticed
him, they straightened their posture and tightened their grip on their halberds. Gemon checked
the doors in the hallway near the hall one last time. They were all locked, as ordered. He had
learned from the mistakes of past years, for nothing is more unpredictable than a drunken and
quarrelsome noble. No games this year. He chuckled softly to himself. Then, turning his head
towards the hall, he strode off. Time to enjoy himself.