Quest for the Crystals chapter 57

Hello Iggybirds!

So this was a hard one to edit..But I'm working on finding some other place to post my fanfics to because I don't think the next book will be excepted...

Anyways! Enjoy!😀

Chapter  57 The Ball

It was Saturday morning, the adults let the kids sleep in even though they didn't. They were too excited for the Ball. Even Kalmar was excited, mostly just because of the sweets, but still, everybody who lived in Anniera and even everybody who didn't live in Anniera, was buzzing about the upcoming Ball. 

“We still have a lot left to do,” Nia said, looking down at a list she had made for everything that they needed to get done before 5:00 p.m.

“We still need to completely decorate the Ballroom, set out all of the food, make sure that someone got the music, and then after we do all of that we have to get dressed.” She said, as she looked nervously at the long list and was hitting her pen against the pad of paper over and over again.

“It'll be fine, Nia, we'll get everything done," Podo said, reassuringly. 

“Thanks Papa, but no more secret taste testing. I know you've been sneaking blueberry darts.” 

“What me? A wee old pirate, why would you ever think I would do something like that?” 

“You might have been a pirate, but you were definitely not a secret agent. You made the loudest noise when you were sneaking into the kitchen.” 

“Fine, I won't have any more.” Podo said reluctantly, deeply wanting another chocolate globber. 

“Kalmar, Leeli can you two please put the golden tablecloth on the tables?” 

“Sure can!” Kalmar said happily, as Nia pointed to where the golden tablecloths were. 

“Sara, Janner, can you please help hang the golden streamers?” 

“Of course!” they both responded in unison, going to do the box with a bunch of golden streamers and tacks inside. 

“Once they're done with that we need to set up all the food, did someone get the music?” 

“Yes, Nia, the music is covered. I got Armalyn, the bard, to perform.” Esben comforted her. 

“Thank you!” she said and they all went to do their jobs.

“Ugh! Why won't this thing open?” Kalmar complained, as he tried to get one of the golden tablecloths open and spread across one of the round tables. 

“You're not doing it right, it's supposed to cover the entire thing and drape off the sides of it. Yours is covering half of it and it's in the shape of a semicircle.” Leeli said, looking over at Kalmar’s. 

“Yes I know that, I know there's supposed to be another layer here but there's nothing! Look!” he said, extremely frustrated, 

Leeli walked over to him and took a close look at the tablecloth. 

“You just have to grab it from both sides and kind of pull at it like this," she said, putting her hand on each side of the tablecloth pulling it in different directions. And then a little slip appeared. 

“Oh yeah, I knew that.” Kalmar said defensively. 

“It's fine, for my first three of these, I thought that it was supposed to be a semicircle”, she said and went back to doing her table. 

“So are we supposed to put anything on here? Once we're done with the tablecloths I mean.” He asked. 

“Well I assume something, maybe, like a vase, that would be pretty, but I don't know, Mama didn't really say”, she responded as she opened another package of golden tablecloth.

“A little help?” she asked as she pulled up a chair and was about to get on it so that she could spread the table cloth evenly. 

“Of course,” he said, as he walked over to her, helped her up on the chair and held her hand as she opened the tablecloth up. She had to try very hard to get the next layer open and then she thrust it over the table as it draped perfectly around the sides. 

“That looked so cool!” He said. 

“Thanks, and that did look cool. It was like a wave of water but instead of water it was a golden table cloth across the white table.”

While the two did that Janner and Sara were hanging up the golden streamers. They took turns standing on the ladder and handing each other streamers and tacks.. 

“How many people do you think are going to come?” Sara asked, as  she handed Janner a tack.

“A lot probably, we sent about, I don't know 250 invitations. I know we sent them to pretty much every part of Aerwiar including the other lands so there should be a lot” he said, as he fiddled with a tack for it would not go into the wall. 

“I can't wait to see what this place looks like when it's all finished,” she said, looking around the room at what they had so far. 

“I know it's going to look amazing once it's all done,” he said, as he stepped down from the chair. 

“Your turn," he said, handing her a streamer and pushing the chair over to the next spot.

It was around 3:00 p.m. when everyone was finished with their jobs and it was time to put the desserts out. It took the entire village, literally the entire village, to help the Wingfeathers carry all of the pastries and desserts to the tables. The sight of them made Kalmar's mouth water. It was the same for the other kids. For on the many tables was a lavish feast of desserts. It had everything from blueberry gooey balls to marshmallow mash. It looked so delicious and it was so beautiful that Kalmar actually had a tear in his eye. 

“Are you crying?” Janner asked.  

“No.. it's just so beautiful!” Kalmar said, dreamily. 

“Enough slobbering over the desserts, it is time to put on your royal attire” Nia said. She was welcomed by a groan from Kalmar. ``Kalmar Igiby Wingfeather! You are the King of Anniera. You have to look your best for your subjects.” 

“Fine…” he groaned, as they all walked to the village to get their outfits from Arundelle.

When they entered Buttons and Bobbins they were amazed to see their outfits. Even Kalmar was impressed and actually excited to wear them. 

The dresses and capes for the girls were stunning and the suits and capes for the boys were very handsome. 

“I hope you all like them.” Arundelle exclaimed, as she was greeted with smiles from all of the children as they rushed to their new clothes. 

“I've never seen them so excited about clothes. You truly are amazing, Arundelle!” Nia said, smiling at her children as they were all expressing excitement over their new attire. 

“It's nothing, really, but thank you," she said, smiling at her creations. “There are dressing rooms in the back.” she said, showing them the way to them. 

It was now 5:00 p.m. Everything was set, everything was ready, everything had been touched up and the castle was as good as it could be for being done in less than a week. Everyone was wearing their brand new outfits. The royal family looked stunning, Janner wore a dark green tux, with a crimson cape pinned around the neck. Kalmar wore a red tux with a matching crimson cape that wrapped around his neck. Leeli wore a dark blue dress that was off the shoulder, and had light blue silk swirls all around it. Nia wore a mint dress with dark green ruffles all around it, a silver heart necklace, round silver hoop earrings, and red lipstick. She wore her hair down with one side tucked behind her. Esben wore a blue kingly outfit with a white collar and a white handkerchief sticking out. 

Janner, Kalmar and Leeli along with Nia, Esben and Artham were all standing in the doorway, when Sara came rushing after them. She stayed a little longer at Buttons and Bobbins because Arundelle had told her that she could pick out some accessories to go with her dress. She said this as well to Leeli, but Sara took a little longer deciding. 

“Are they here yet?” she said, rushing towards them.

She was wearing a satin baby pink frilly dress that went a little below her knees and had golden swirls covering the skirt, black flats. She wore a golden Annerian necklace that had the dragon symbol on it, and she let her hair down into beautiful long brown bouncy curls. She also had a little golden headband placed carefully on it, and she wore on her wrist two gold bracelets that had little pink gems on them. 

(*cough* there was a Hiccop from httyd moment...first movie uh read the next part...........)

“Um....uh..no they're not here yet.” Janner replied😊

“Smooth…” Kalmar whispered to him. 

“Not-helpful,” Janner said back out of the corner of his mouth. 

“They should be here any minute now,” Esben said, checking a little Annerian pocket watch that he had gotten from Bonifer Squoon. Just as he said this, they saw sailing on the shores coming up to Anniera about 100 ships. Each ship had different sales, some belonging to Aerwiar, some belonging to Biolumia, some belonging to Ember Island and some belonging to the Emerald Kingdom. 

Janner was amazed at how many people showed up. Then all the Annerians were coming from the village!

“Lesson one of hosting a Ball is saying, ‘Welcome and greetings’ about 800 times.” Esben said, looking at Kalmar and then seeing the worry on his face about having to say welcome to each and every one of all of these people. 

Janner couldn't believe this is actually happening, a Ball! And not just any Ball, but their Ball, a Ball that they put on and were perfectly safe doing it. No Gnag the Nameless crashing this one nor no Queen Opal trying to take them on another wild goose chase. There wasn't even a Toothy Cow trying to eat them, it was just safe and happy. 

“Hello, your majesties!” said the first guests, they were Maraly and Gammon. 

Maraly was wearing a red dress that kind of  resembled a dress that a girl pirate might wear. It fit her personality very well. She wore gold hoop earrings and a black choker with a little gold diamond at the end. Gammon was wearing his normal Florid Sword suit including the cape. But he left the mask at home. 

They walked through the door and as Maraly passed by Sara, she whispered into her ear with a wink, “Hello to you, too, Princess!”

“Maraly Weaver!” she whispered back. Even though Maraly had used this joke many times, it was still shocking to her. 

“Hello your highnesses” said some Biolumines. 

“Welcome,” Nia said. 

“How many more times do we have to do this?” Kalmar asked Esben. 

“Son, look outside the door.” He did, horrified. 

There were about 300 people lined up outside the door. 

“Oh no!” he said. 

“Don't worry, you don't have to do this the whole night, you will for a little part of the night, but you're also a kid and you need to enjoy yourself.” He said with a wink. 

It was quite tiring for Kalmar to welcome so many people, but one particular family who walked up made his eyes light up; sort of the way that only one person had made them do. It was Rose. She was wearing a dress that was about knee length; it was a light purple color with dark purple lace all around it. It was an off the shoulder dress with purple straps. Her purple and white hair was styled into a little low bun with a braid wrapped around the bun and with a bright pink flower in it, just  behind her ear. She was wearing little diamond stud earrings, and her bangs perfectly framed her face. 

“Hello your majesty,” she said in a royal tone. 

“You know you don't have to call me that right?”, he said to her 

“Well you're technically King so technically I would”, she said. 

“Yeah, but I'm also technically your friend so technically you don't have to call me king or your majesty or highness. Just Kal is fine!”

"Okay Kal”, she said with a wink and then went inside with her family. He waved and watched her until she disappeared into the crowd. When he turned back he noticed that Janner and Leeli were staring at him. 

“Oh, don't you even think about it!”, he said, shaking his head. 

 It was now 6:00 p.m. and Esben had let the kids go and have their fun while he checked in the rest. Leeli didn't go yet as she was still waiting for someone. Someone who had been watching her dog. She was about ready to go with Janner, Kalmar, and Sara when someone tapped on her shoulder; she turned around to see that it was Thorne. 

“Hello there, Princess Leeli!” he said in a royal voice. This was the weirdest she'd ever seen him dressed. He wore a black and white tuxedo and his hair was smoothed down using some sort of gel (she did not want to think about what that was made of). He didn't look anything like himself. 

“What are you wearing?” she said, laughing a little. 

“Well this is a Ball after all. My folks said that I couldn't wear overalls to a Ball. And yes, I did ask," he said smiling at her. 

“Where is Baxter?” she asked. 

 He walked over to his brother and took the little leash from him that was holding a little brown dog. 

The second that Baxter saw Leeli, he almost pulled Thorne to the ground and bolted toward Leeli.

 “Baxter! I missed you so much, good boy! Oh, but don't rip my dress.” she said as she noticed Baxter digging at her brand new dress. “Sorry Princess Leeli, he's been missing you real bad.” 

“It's okay, Thorne, and by the way, you don't have to call me that. Just Leeli is fine.” 

“All right Leeli”, he said with a wink and gave his brother the dog. “Shall we?” he said , holding out his hand to her. 

“Of course!” She said, taking his hand

It was about ready for the Ball to start. There were a few minutes before the music was going to start so Sara and Janner thought now would be a perfect time to grab something from the delicious delectable dessert bar. 

They had everything, even things from Biolumia, Ember Island, and the Emerald Kingdom. Sara reached for a chocolate globber that was covered in white chocolate and pink sprinkles. And Janner reached for a cupcake. But what he saw next to the cupcakes made him drop the chocolate frosted vanilla cupcake that he had in his hand and backed away slowly saying “Never again, never again!” for what was right next to the cupcakes were honey muffins, something that Janner despised.

 “What's wrong with honey muffins?” Sara asked. 

“Never again, Sara, never again!!” he said, narrowing his eyes at the honey muffins and still backing away, slowly. 

She shook her head, took the chocolate covered vanilla cupcake that he was going to grab and ran after him. She handed him the cupcake and said, “Okay, why do you hate honey muffins? They're so good.” 

“Oh yeah, you didn't have to eat thirteen of them like I did, and the last one was stuffed with a vial type thing that was filled with, I don't even know what. That put me to sleep and then I was blind bopped on my birthday, and then oh, I don't know, a couple months later because of that I ended up in a war with Gnag the Nameless. If I hadn’t been blind bopped I would have still been in your home at Chimney Hill in the Green Hollows, going to school where everyone hates you because your brother's a Fang…Well, you know what, actually, it was probably good for me to get blind bopped. But still never again, honey muffins, never again!”, he said to her as he told her the entire story of his 13th birthday.

  It was now time for the dance to begin. Everyone was partnering up and going on to the dance floor. 

(all the kids pair up with someone you can guess who)

The music started, it was the waltz. Leeli was sitting backwards on a chair with her arms resting on the backboard, looking longingly at the dance. 

“Princess Leeli, would you care to join me in this dance?” Thorne asked. 

She looked at him sadly and said, “I would love to but….” She looked at her leg and said, “I can't..” he noticed this and said 

“I've seen you dance, you're good and you can dance with your leg.” 

“I can just, I can't do that type of dancing, I wish I could…” 

He noticed how sad she was and then he said coming up with a brilliant idea, “Just wait one minute, Leeli, I will be right back, just stay there and I promise you will be dancing on that dance floor.” He ran away in a direction that Leeli couldn't tell what he was doing. She just watched him run, curiously. 

After the waltz was done there was a series of clapping and woohooing. Then it was time for the next song. Leeli noticed that up on the stage where all the musicians were was Thorne. “What is he doing?” she said out loud. He was speaking to all the musicians and they were nodding  their heads at him. 

A moment later, he came rushing back down to Leeli and said, 

“Like I said, you will be dancing on that dance floor in no time.” The next song was something so upbeat and so catchy that Leeli could for sure dance to it. Unlike the waltz, where you have to hit every point of execution perfectly; this was sort of a freestyle dance. 

“So Princess Leeli, would you care to join me in this dance?”

 “I would love to Thorne!” she said smiling and they ran to the dance floor.