(OOC: I'm having to retype this afer my computer crashed.  So it may not be as marvelous as it could've been)<br/><br/><br/>With the last of the carriages rolling out of sight of the door, the Prince and Princess decended the staircase and began to greet the guests.  Lilliana, with fan in hand and eyes that glittered like gems in the candle light was, as her mother had instructed, ever on the prowl.  Vigilant and cordial with a scalding critical eye.  Eurich was just trying to keep up the air of one who was not shy and did not need to speak rather than couldn't speak altogether.  He shook hands and bowed, watching the families and representatives enter.  He caught sight of the firey-haired Russian Lady Anna and her daughter with the smokey locks.  He couldn't recall her name, having never met either of them.  But what he had heard was that they had traveled a great distance.<br/><br/>There were several families that had come from far away.  Looking to the Hisuka family, composed of beautiful males, he knew they had probably come from the farthest away, from the orient if he remembered correctly.  Eurich seemed to remember there being a daughter mentioned as well, but perhaps she had declined the invitation.  He knew if it were possible, he would have done the same.  He would much rather be reading.  However, the collective intelligence and opulance in the room filled him with an atmospheric drunkenness that made it all the more comfertable to be there.<br/><br/>Suddenly, clarion horns filled the air.  The King, his Queen and several men in long, concealing black and red robes on either side of them, entered in a slow and formational fashion.  The two monarchs stood at the top of the last flight of stairs.  King Aldreth, with his mass of curly aubern hair shaking as he spoke, addressed the guests.<br/><br/>"Friends, countrymen, distinguished representatives and most illustrious heads of noble ancestry, it is no secret as to why We have invited you this night.  We, the Royal House of Aldreth of Draighaen, who has't ruled for near 500 years, are reaching the completion of our reign."  There were some superficial sighs and gasps from the audience.  "This time that thee shall spend in this house of ours will be a time of competition, a sort of tourney for the crown.  Soon, it shall come to pass that We choose Our successor.  Whether it be from Our own house, or the house of another.  But for the moment, We bid thee- drink and be merry! We shall not hold thee longer than We must."  The king and Queen both both made a shallow bow and waved the congragation toward the beautiful table where the sedated humans awaited their collective fate.