Meanwhile, the celebration continued in full swing. Lords and ladies, merchants and mystics, commoners and nobles—all gathered beneath the grandeur of Nineveh's glittering halls. At the heart of it stood Asher, beaming with pride as he introduced his twin children to the world. The names—Merlin and Atreides—stirred whispers among the guests, both names rare and steeped in a mystique that seemed to suit the rising family.
Many of the lords had already stepped forward, bearing lavish gifts: ivory rattles from the high plains, star-carved gemstones from the Sacred Flame, silk woven with moonlight luster from Silvermoon.
Afterward, they joined their peers in the great hall, where entertainers danced to flutes and drums, and rich laughter mingled with the clink of goblets. It was an evening not just of merriment, but of veiled politics, quiet alliances, and subtle rivalries.
