Chapter 20 - The Dark Moon Ball - Part 1

                                    

                                          
Penelope's breath misted in the air as she stepped out onto a crescent court of black marble tiles, making room for the Sisters to follow behind her.
She turned as the carriage door was closed and the attendants returned to their stations by the rear wheels.
All six riders at the head of the entourage dismounted, moving to surround Penelope and the Sisters. Without delay, waiting stablehands climbed up into the empty saddles. Moments later the entourage was moving again, circling away around the drive. 
The banner guards took position at the front, facing towards the stairs, swiftly followed by Callum and Marni. 
"Do you have your invitation token, Princess?" Callum asked. Penelope nodded and rummaged in her purse, handing over the coin of smooth obsidian. Callum passed the token to the herald guard and Penelope tucked the purse into the pocket of her gown, nervously smoothing down the folds of her cloak.
With a final wink and cheeky smile from Callum, all playful demeanour was gone, replaced by impassive faces and squared stances.
The remaining two Rangers took position behind the Sisters where they flanked Penelope a half step behind.
Penelope had only a moment to collect herself, breathing through the exhilaration at being escorted into a royal ball by a true royal guard, before the banner guards began to climb the stairs with clipped, efficient steps, standards held high. Penelope hastened to keep pace with the Rangers ahead of her.
A swift glance over her shoulder showed a distant line of carriages approaching the end of the drive, staggered at even intervals. Penelope wondered who they were. A sharp poke at her side from Sister Heely prompted Penelope to remember her etiquette as she turned to face the front.
She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders, working to keep her breaths slow and deep as she clutched her skirts in a delicate grip to keep from stumbling. Her skin felt numb with both nerves and the winter chill as they crested the lip of the staircase.
"Presenting Princess Penelope of Royal House Starwood and her honourable companions, Sister Rosin of Noble House Devier and Sister Heely of Noble House Fellworth."
The herald passed the invitation token to the door guards.
As the guards inspected the token, Penelope risked another glance over her shoulder, peering around the Sisters and the rear Rangers. Her breath hitched at the sight. 
The sky was livid with pinks and oranges. Hazy banks of purple clouds scudded across the sky, tinged with brilliant gold.
Below, Penelope glimpsed the pattern of the garden's pathways, branching lines of severe symmetry softened by the wild sprawl of ferns and the fluttering glow of insects. A haven of fragile greenery contained within the brutal geometry of the Fort's outer walls. Out of sight, beyond the black stone, Penelope could hear the distant and ever-present thunder of the Great Fall.
As she watched, a carriage of polished cobalt wood approached the end of the drive. Before it pulled to a halt, a guard cleared their throat and Penelope spun her attention to the doors as they were motioned to enter.
Their steps echoed from the glassy marble as they moved further into the room. Penelope turned in a slow circle to take it all in.
The receiving hall was cavernous, a tall six-sided room with a domed ceiling of intricately wrought bronze. Suspended from its pinnacle was an enormous chandelier, a cascade of tinkling crystal which descended through the centre of the chamber. 
The chained shards spilled like a waterfall past two levels of narrow balconies which encircled the chamber's walls. The final fist-sized stone came to rest just shy of tall silver flames licking upwards from a pit hollowed into the floor.