Just beyond the dance floor lies the snack table which little Tobias was watching over like a hawk.

“Hey Tobi, what are you doing,” Julia asked.

“I'm waiting for those tiny sandwiches, they ran out before I could get some,” Tobias said.

Julia gave him a confused look, “Why would you want those when you can ask for them at home.”

“Because sometimes I wanna feel fancy sis, that’s why,” Tobias now turned to face her and looked over her shoulder to see Laurence still frozen in the middle of the dance floor. “Hey what did you say to pretty boy? You have got him just standing there dumbfounded.”

Julia now looked a Laurence, the sight made her giggle at his dumb expression, “I didn’t say anything,” she said in confidence.

Tobias rolled his eyes, “Yeah sure you didn’t. Anywho, do you know when dad is going to be presented with his ‘wish’ or something?”

Julia shook her head, “I have no idea when its happening, but what do you think dad is going to wish for?”

“Nothing, I mean he did say in the carriage he was happy with how his life turned out. He was a humble knight turned the husband of the second most important family in the empire and his daughter will be the next empress. He’s got all he ever wished for, why?”

“No reason, I just wanted to know in case he doesn’t.”

“No, you’re lying, what do want to do?”

“Nothing!”

Tobias leaned in close, “Julia, you’re hiding something from me… and as your brother, you have to tell me.”

“Fine!” Julia cried, “Just get out of my face please.”

Tobias jumped back into his original position, “Cool, glad the intimidation tactic worked, now spill the beans I’m all ears.”

“I want access to the uncensored libraries,” Julia sighed.

“That’s it? We have one at home… why not use that?” Tobias asked.

“I already do, but I need more information so I need to get inside the palace one and the churches,” Julia explained.

“Well I know for a fact we have access to the palace one due to moms standing with mister big guy over there, but I’m not so sure about the chur-“ Tobias cut himself off due to the delivery of the fresh batch of tiny sandwiches.

“Hey what do you mean about the church?” Julia asked.

Tobias turned to her with a plate full of sandwiches, “They are so cute and tiny and delicious.”

Julia snapped her fingers in his face, “Tobias focus, what about the church!” 

Tobias snapped out of his sandwich-induced trance, “Ah! Oh yeah, the church. They don’t really follow the emperor’s orders and do their own thing, only members of the church get access to the library. But if it helps they do owe him a favor he hasn’t cashed in yet,” Tobias said in-between sandwiches, “Hey these are really good are you sure you don’t want one?”

“I'm sure, but how do you know he has a favor?”

“I've got my sources, but why do you want to get in the church?”

“I want a divine beast…” Julia said nonchalantly.

Julia just stated she want the most powerful thing in their world. Divine beasts are a type of summoning that is primarily controlled by the church. In the original novel, Laurence would get his hands on his family's divine beast, the powerful lion. one way to tell if a person had control of one was a marking on their skin in the shape of the beast. For Julia, her mark took the form of the serpent around her neck, but that was her curse because the beast who picked her was corrupt and evil at that point in time.

Tobias froze in his place, “you want a divine beast? I mean how! The church has a claim on most all of them and we have none to our family name.”

Before Julia could answer his question the emperor clinked his glass to get everyone's attention. Ian and Ingrid beckoned for their children to join them at their side.

“I’ll tell you later Tobi, but for now it's showtime,” Julia said before walking back to her parents.

Everyone in the room gathered around the emperor to hear what he had to say. 

“Thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate our honored guest Sir Ian and his family the Reventós. Now I am sure you have all heard about his great exploits in the past, seeing as he was my right-hand man for many years until his little injury,” the emperor joked as he gestured to Ian’s cane. “We are here to celebrate him, he won us our war even though he was locked in the confines of a desk his plans and strategies gave us the win for the empire so I am here to present him with a gift,” the crowd clapped and gasped at the idea of the emperor giving a gift to a mere soldier. “I haven’t even explained the gift and everyone’s clapping how funny,” he joked. “Today I am giving you the gift of anything you want Ian, a wish so to speak.”

Ian approached the emperor and got down on one knee to honor the emperor, “Your majesty, you have given me everything. I was just a humble orphan boy until you found me and gave me a new life as your solider, then I met Ingrid,” Ian looked ar his wife with love in his heart, “You allowed our love to grow, and with that love spawned two darling children, and one of those children is to become the future empress of this glorious empire,” Ian got up to face the emperor, “I have all that I could wish for and then some, I owe everything to you sire and I have no wish.”

The crowd was all a flutter with what Ian had just said. The most powerful person offered the keys to the empire and Ian refused it.

Julia took note of all that was happening and thought this was a good of time as any to make her move.

“Sire! If my father has no wish, then I would like to make one,” she proclaimed. 

“What are you doing?” Ingrid whispered to Julia.

Julia ignored her and walked to where her father was. Ingrid tried to hold her back but was stopped by Tobias.

“Just let it happen mom, just let it happen,” Tobias calmly said.

Julia approached the emperor and the crowd was almost silent while waiting for what she had to say.

The emperor in all this just laughed, “Hahah! Now little one what would be your wish, if it alright with Ian?”

Julia looked at Ian, who already was confused at what was going on, “Why not, go on sweetheart.”

Julia curtsied, “Thank you, father. Now, in place of my father, I would like access to the uncensored libraries. The palace one and the church’s one.”

The crowd really was taken aback by her wish and so was the emperor, of all things he never thought she would ask for that!

“Now, why would you ask for that in particular?”

Julia held herself up high with her confidence and straightened back, “As the future empress of this glorious empire it is my duty to know the ins and outs of this place, even if it means learning about the ways of the holy church.”

The emperor looked at his son who looked just as confused as the crowd, “I see, lady Julia as you are going to be our empress in future years I grant you access to my library and I think now is a good a time an any to cash in my favor with the church,” he chuckled. “So as this whole party as our witness you shall have access to the libraries!”

Julia gave a happy look to Tobias, who was just shocked that she managed to get what she wanted. 

Just thought you guys might like to see our little baby Tobi <3

Art by Alice: https://darkalice3012.wixsite.com/justallice 

https://tapas.io/d4rk4lice