Inside a large ballroom a formal soire was occurring. Everything from the large decorations, to the sheer silk curtains and the garments they wore were adorned with gold. It was the sort of collection of people that authors wrote about to make the poor fantasize about the lavishness of the wealthiest. As powerful figures casually put expensive liquors and words to their lips. What was the cause of the gathering of such individuals? Why the eleventh birthday party of Stefan Xiradis, of course. The young son of the world’s two most contested Wizarding clans.
One of which was the very hoster of this lavish gold decorated party, the Xiradis. The other of which was the father to his mother, the Draghi. The father’s wizarding clan…Well, it would be polite to say it had no place in such a lavish event. As such it was cleanly striked from the gold plated record and relations left out of its invitation list.
The reason the party was such a large soiree, was in fact due to the very reason this young privileged wizard would soon be starting his education at….it was undecided. The matter was up for such debate when he was thoroughly vetted for two distinct and prestigious academies.
It was simply, just the very excuse for the overly proud father to throw a large bash. The father of the son was very proud of his kind and soft hearted son. The boys aptitude for Dark Arts like his father suggested his possible ability to arrive at a well developed outcome unlike the father himself.
Near the pair was the mother with her own close relative : the cousin, Evangeline, the In-Law Adeline, the cousin Anna, the In Law Autumn and the In Law Eloise. Some sort of female chat was seemingly talking place instead of the expensive words of those around them. A fact unnoticed by the large amount of male admirers that were leering their bodies up and down.
Their leers largely unnoticed by the woman, who had come to expect such attention from them. However, a group of males drinking, leaning against the walls within eye sight of the group seemed to have no such resignation towards the matter. The first to glance over was Anna’s husband, Eunan. As not one of them seemed to be anything more then a wizard he became the first to casually look away. Besides him was his ½ brother Dimitrov, who was the very father who had just walked away from his son to get his guests to stop staring so intently at their wives. However, the view of men leering at his wife was enough to revert the proud parent back into his usual dark wolf demeanor. The last one was the husband of Autumn, Damian. Who was the only one who seem relaxed despite his friend’s anxieties on being seen with a cane at a social event.
Some ways off from them, but still easily within sight of the girls was the brother’s Pyotr and Illych. Husbands to Eloise and Adeline. Illych, per his reputation, was admiring his wife out of the corner of his eye as he fielded the flirtations of the female guests around him. His brother, in a much more reserved manner, was doing the same towards his wife. For Pyotr, more then anything wanted to hide his apparent “obvious displays of reverence to the holy being known as Adeline”. He was tired of being called Icarus by his brother.
It was around these well known adult figures that the characters of our stories make themselves known, the children of the elites who have gathered.
Besides the birthday boy himself, was his cousin Mairi, his cousin Niklaus, and his cousin Kohaku. The three closest cousins to his age. Mairi was the child of his father’s sister, Laelas who had not been invited to the soiree. Niklaus was the son of his mother’s cousin Anna and his father’s ½ brother Eunan. While Kohaku was the youngest child of his mother’s Cousin Damian and his wife Autumn. Although, with her pale skin and red hair she looked more like his father’s relatives then his cousin.
In the center of the room, not too far off from them, was the children of Aunt Evangeline and Uncle Illych. Who were known for their commanding of the room’s attention and spotlight. The eleven year old Stefan unphased by their usual habits. The spotlight seemed to just hug them.
Hovering around them was a collection of odds and ends of other relatives children that just seemed too many to be named. Adeline and Pyotr’s twelve were such a large litter not all of them were even invited. There was already a large horde of children from around the assortment of characters that gave enough frustration to both clans elders. The specially dubbed ‘melding effect’ by some of his parents associates. Or by others ‘we should of never sent her to school effect’. As it was the result of the pairing of the boys mother’s school friends.
The boy seemed lost in thought until his cousin Kohaku, turned away from their conversation to point towards a raised platform at the end of the room. His Uncle Illych and his daughter Aleera were standing on the front of a stage. Behind them was his Uncle Pyotr’s kids, Adolphe, Allard, Ambroise, and Ame, at an assortment of instruments. Their father holding a thin wand in front of them. It was one of the gifts from his Uncle Pyotr to have a full set of enchanting music for the celebratory night.
As the music began to play, Stefan’s eyes focused on the site of a giant seven layered cake being carted out to him. It was by no doubt picked out by his Aunt Evangeline. Or that she would somehow be apart of the wonderful performance about to ensue as the music picked up.
Sure enough, from the crowd weeved the musically inclined members of his family heading to the stage. A well choregraphed happy birthday was planned. It was both a cause for joy and embarrassment. As they really all did enjoy the spotlight.
At the end of the song, the cake along with his mother and father reached him. A small cake knife appearing in his hands. The crowd around them clapping. It was much louder clapping then his other cousins birthday. After he took a bite from the cake, his cousin Akihiro smearing the icing from the cake over him. “For good luck, brat.”
The elders watching the display of cousinly affection with mixed feelings. The other relatives smiling. He really was a lucky birthday boy.
Especially, when his cousin Takahiro comes over caring a large gift wrapped box for him. “Open it. You will like what’s inside.” Taka’s brother, Hiroyuki came over ruffle his hair. “Go on. It will keep your school life entertaining.” Their sisters coming over to drop off smaller ones. “Leave the boy alone. He has no need for your mischief.” Said the middle sister Yukiko. The eldest Akiko and Yukiko dropping presents by his feet.
Before he could open them he turned to see who else walked over.
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