Lilian's 20th Birthday

         I walked through the twisting corridors, the click of my shoes echoing on the stone floors. As I rounded another corner I glanced at the note that was brought to me by one of mama’s wolves. The note was writing in my papa’s scrawling handwriting: “Lilian, come to the grand hall just before sunset. Look in your wardrobe for your attire, and wear what is provided. P.S. Happy birthday, little one.”
         After dismissing Nyx (mama’s wolf/messenger) with a pat on the head and a scratch behind his soft ears, I went and I opened my wardrobe to find a gold gown, which looked to be spun from the richest gold satin I’ve ever laid my eyes upon. I touched the beaded bodice and noted the beading pattern of honey bees in flight from around the waist up to the single strap. Black satin ribbon fell from the shoulder and hung in the handkerchief cut skirt that was knee length in the front and flowed to a floor length gown behind. It was rather obvious my adoptive mother, Queen Willow designed the cut of the dress, and my adoptive father, King Blue beaded the honey bees onto it.
         As I slipped the surprisingly light gown over my head and called my chamber maid, Reena in to lace the corseting, I looked at myself in the full length oval mirror and smiled at myself. Mama and papa out did themselves on this gown. The bodice hugged my figure to not allow me to hide, but was modest enough to allow me freedom to dance, which thanks to the ballet flat slippers I found tucked into a small box. The shoes had slim black satin ribbons that laced up my slender dancer legs and tied into a neat bow just below my knee - the sudden sound of laughter pulled me from my reverie as I approached the massive oak double doors that led into the grand hall.
         The laughter became louder as the doors burst open and papa came out first, nearly slamming right into me, and behind him mama came gliding from between the doors easily, and shut the quickly, a small smile on her face. Both were dressed in their beautiful regal clothes they typically save for formal events. Papa looked handsome as ever in his tunic of deep greens and browns, and mama looked beautiful in a modest (for her) floor length gown that had a slit running all the way up to her upper thigh, trimmed in gold, the greens of her dress accented the green of her eyes, making her look mischievous. With a kiss on the cheek from both of them, they each took one of my elbows and motioned for the doors to be opened to reveal the grandest surprise birthday ball ever thrown.
         As they led me into the hall, I was greeted with sighs of awe and the cheerful ‘You look beautiful, miss!’
         The room was bright with candle light and warm from all of the people chatting happily amongst one another. As I walked down the silver carpet strip that led to the two thrones at the head of the hall, I spotted dozens of familiar faces who met my grin with an enthusiastic if not frantic wave that made me giggle to myself. As we mounted the steps to the throne, papa motioned to the page boy to quiet the crowd.
         “Tonight, my wife and I have asked you to join us in celebrating  our daughters twentieth birthday. You all know how special she is to us, being our only daughter, and we thank you for taking the time from your lives to escape reality and join the whimsical world of Lilian’s mind!” He took his seat in his barbed wire wound throne and smiled at mama who stood and took over where he stood moments before.
         “You all know that Lilian is not our birth daughter. That she came to us as a blessing from our holy goddess, and from the day she graced our halls the kingdom has been a brighter place. She graces us daily with her sweetness and innocence and her joyfulness. While she is mischievous to a fault, I am so very proud of the young lady she has grown into. Please, celebrate to your hearts content!” She grinned at me and took her seat in the smaller throne next to papa’s and nodded to someone behind me.
         Turning, I saw the double doors open and instantly I knew who was there. The silhouette of a tall, muscular and long haired man filled the door, and it took me scolding myself mentally to not embarrass mama and papa by running to the door. I felt a tug on my arm and mama whispered to me: “Go ahead, go and meet your love.” That was all it took. I bolted to the silhouette and jumped up to hug my promised one, Drakar, the vampire prince.
         He picked me up easily and spun me around, my skirts flaring and the crowd meeting us with an enthusiastic ’Aw’ as he kissed me deeply before setting me back onto my feet before I slapped his suited chest playfully. “Shame! You know it isn’t proper!” I couldn’t keep a straight face as he grinned and flashed his fanged grin.
         “I apologize my beloved. I couldn’t resist.” He grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor.
I was not too worried about being proper now, papa would have sent a wolf by now if he had minded out little display. It had been months since Drakar and I had been together, as he was busy finishing his education with the duke and his son in some distant land that I could never pronounce.
         Drakar motioned with his right hand as his left arm circled my waist and whirled me around as a fast paced waltz and the thundering of hundreds of pair of feet filled the air.
         Drakar’s deep laughter wrapped itself around me in a joyful web that made me float on a cloud above the crowd. As I spun in circles, my cheeks sore from laughing and smiling, I saw mama and papa watching him and I intently and I waved quickly before I spun back to his arms.
         The entire room was filled with laughter and singing, some on key, some off, and some in another drunken language all together. I couldn’t believe that they would throw this spectacular event for me.
         After what felt like only a few short moments, but in actuality was probably a good two hours, Drakar bowed to me and motioned for my dearest friend Luna to dance with me, as well as a group of moon fae to keep up entertained while he went and retrieved refreshments for us.
         A few songs later Luna and I walked off the dance floor, our legs burning with fatigue and our curiosity aroused as to where my vampire had ran off to.
         As I passed groups of happy gnomes and excited centaurs all wishing me happy birthday and noting how beautiful I looked, I nodded politely and continued my way through the groups until I felt a twinge of energy pulling at me. I looked at Luna who cocked her head toward a table where a female vampire had Drakar cornered and was making her intentions rather obvious. While I’m not normally one who would act out in such a manor, I looked again at Luna who cocked her silvery eyebrow and nodded with a devilish grin.
         I pulled in my energy and pushed a silver white light of energy and slammed it right into her upper back, resulting in a giant puff of silver, white and red glamour and sparkle, and in place of a vampire, now sat a half rabbit, half vampire…Vambit.  Drakar’s laugh boomed across the room, encouraging the nervous observers to laugh. A nervous giggle burst from me and soon, I couldn’t stop. My intentions were not to turn the woman into a Vambit, but to make her leave my love alone, but hey… I couldn’t argue with the results. He kissed my cheek and shook himself hard to remove the glitter from himself, muttering to himself “Vampires do not sparkle…”
         I heard mama’s stifled giggle as she came behind me and looked up at me, “You will clean this before the night is over, Lilian. Good aim, though. And points for creativity.” She scooped the sulking Vambit into her arms and bounced back over to papa and sat back in his lap after giving the Vambit to one of her guards who held her a arms length away.
         Grabbing my hand Drakar led me back onto the dance floor where we stayed until the sun rose and woke the sleeping kingdom.