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SECRECY SURROUNDS ROYAL BANQUET AT CROWNHEART
Dateline: 14-
His Majesty King Dirk has hosted a Royal banquet at the palace in Crownheart for a group of the Kingdom’s leading notables. However although the event began with public announcements and grand entrances, it ended with secrecy, mystery and hurried exits.
On the extremely select guest list were High Priest Morgut and his wife Lady Sunny, the Duke of Poldoon and his wife Baroness Glaze Aevin, Duchess Kubala Wildfire of Ghorst, and Baron Gorgios Varga Toth.
Lady Jasmine, the former Lord Crusader of Shanna and Baron Ephraim Stryker, the Lord Commander of the White Tower, were also invited but were unable to attend and extended their apologies.
Also present throughout was the King’s mechanical bodyguard Meantime, who was himself accompanied by a female (though equally mechanical) companion, called Millie Second.
The presence of Baron Varga Toth as escort to the Duchess of Ghorst set tongues wagging in Crownheart society. The Baron is a Knight Commander in the White Tower and a frequent visitor to the Royal Court, as his estate of Bastya Szabadka lies close to Crownheart. He is a widower, following the death of his wife some five years ago, since when he has largely left management of the estate to his sister Evike. However the Baron was present not merely as escort to the Duchess, but as the representative of the White Tower in the absence of Baron Stryker.
As news that the banquet would be taking place spread, a small crowd of onlookers gathered, their interest primarily on what new trends in fashion would be set by the guests. They were not disappointed.
Lady Sunny was wearing a cream-
However they were both outdone by Duchess Kubala. The Duchess has had a reputation for favouring the glacier barbarian ‘leather and furs’ look in the past, but on this occasion wore an orange Kyrian silk gown, with her long, blond hair tied in a complex braid, a huge diamond ring, and the famous Steadfast pendant given to her by King Mark III.
Conspicuous by her absence was Her Majesty Queen Juliette. A palace spokesman told our reporter than the Queen had been feeling unwell and decided to miss the dinner.
Some of those watching commented that when the Duke of Poldoon arrived he did not look well either, with an extremely pallid complexion. There have been reports from Poldoon that the Raven has been meeting with his advisers long into the night recently, and he has always had a reputation for being an obsessive workaholic.
Despite its description as a banquet the private dinner was actually held in one of the palace’s more intimate dining rooms, with only a few servants, Meantime and Millie Second in attendance.
Our reporter was told by a Royal kitchen source that the dinner consisted of a starter of Fire Lizard kebabs with hot sauce, followed by Glacial Ice Wyrm steak with salad (though our source said that the King’s idea of a salad is a small bit of garnish on top of his steak).
What transpired during the dinner remains shrouded in secrecy. What is clear is that afterwards the jovial mood of the guests had completely evaporated. As they left their faces were grim, and they were in no mood to speak to onlookers or to the press. Lady Sunny appeared close to tears. The Duke and Duchess of Poldoon were the first to depart. All left by horse or by wyvern, even those who had arrived using teleportation magic.
Afterwards the serving staff were gathered together and addressed privately by the King’s personal aide Lord Isander Whiteflame. A small number appear to have been relocated immediately to Frostward, with their families receiving a large bonus payment to compensate them for the precipitate departure of their loved one. Those that remain are disinclined to speak to the press.
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