The palace awoke with a different energy. It pulsed through the halls like an unsung hymn, stirring even the stones. Today was the banquet.
I was roused before dawn by the bell, my bones weary but my nerves sharper than ever. The moment my feet touched the floor, a servant whisked me away from the dormitory.
"The hall is already being prepared," she whispered.
When we arrived at the Grand Banquet Hall, it was a flurry of silent efficiency. Dozens of royal decorators, florists, and servants moved like threads being woven into a tapestry.
Massive lanterns were being lifted toward the soaring ceilings by palace men standing on wooden scaffolds. They glowed dimly at first…gold silk stretched over dragon-shaped bronze frames, casting soft shadows like dancing spirits.
White lotus blossoms were arranged in circular pools at the foot of each column. Courtyard attendants poured fresh water into basins where petals floated like stars adrift in the sky.
At the far end, the king's dais rose in full grandeur. Five steps carved from pale jade led to the royal seat, its frame forged of gilded oak wrapped in crimson silk. Behind it hung a massive screen painted with the royal crest: a twin phoenix encircling the rising sun.
"Do not look directly at the throne," Mistress Choi warned as we were led in to observe the setup. "It is sacred. Your gaze must remain lowered unless the king grants permission."
The servants rehearsed placing tableware with quiet precision. Long tables lined the side walls, each laid with golden plates, porcelain soup bowls rimmed in cobalt blue, and slender, dragon-engraved silver chopsticks. Trays bearing wine jugs waited near our station.
One of the younger maids gasped when she saw the dish display. "Is that bird's nest soup... with lotus seeds? That alone could feed a village."
Mistress Sook gave her a sharp look. "Luxury is the language of power. Silence."
We nodded and continued watching. The musicians were arriving next. Dressed in muted brown robes, they carried flutes, zithers, and gongs. Their leader bowed to Mistress Choi, who nodded curtly.
"They will begin tuning at noon. Do not interfere with their space."
Next came the scenters…old women from the Perfume Guild. They carried tiny burners and began wafting delicate trails of incense through the space. Sandalwood, rose, and agarwood filled the air.
Mira leaned toward me and whispered, "This doesn't feel real. It's like we've stepped into a story."
I nodded but didn't speak. My mind was on my posture, my balance, my role.
We were each shown our specific station. Mine was to the right of the dais, third pillar in. The proximity made my stomach twist. This close, he might see me. This close, I could fail before all the nobles of the realm.
The food preparations, we were told, had begun the night before. Whole boars had been roasted over open flames in the lower kitchens, lacquered with honey glaze and stuffed with herbs imported from the western provinces. Freshwater fish were cleaned and skewered delicately, their skin glazed with plum wine and citrus.
Behind the scenes, the head kitchen mistress stood like a war general at the heart of the chaos, issuing orders to apprentice cooks and scullery boys.
"If one thing is cold, I swear I'll feed it to the hounds myself!" she shouted.
Back upstairs, Mistress Sook made final adjustments to our robes. The evening ensemble was heavier, richer silks embroidered with dragons and peonies. She inspected our faces under the lanterns.
"Too much rouge on you, Yeonhwa," she muttered, dabbing it off. "You are meant to glow, not burn."
Another maiden giggled.
Mistress Sook's fan snapped open and pointed.
"Would you like to serve soup in the servant wing instead?"
The girl fell silent.
Once we were ready, Lady Hyerin swept into the hall. Her robes were dusk-blue, her face painted with an elegance that made even silence seem regal.
"You've been sculpted for this moment," she said, her gaze moving over each of us. "Tonight, we are not just part of the court. We are its crown."
She paused at the dais and turned.
"Look at this room. The nobility will arrive with diamonds and masks, each vying for attention. You will not compete. You will outshine with silence and grace."
Mira inhaled shakily beside me.
"I don't know if I can do this," she whispered.
"You will," I replied. "We both will."
Mistress Choi clapped twice.
"Final walk-through. Everyone in position."
We rehearsed again…our paces timed to imaginary music. Bow, pour, withdraw. Bow, pour, withdraw.
"Too fast!" Mistress Choi barked. "Do you want to spill wine onto the emperor's sleeves?"
We corrected. We walked again. Again. Again.
Finally, dusk fell.
The lanterns were lit. The golden glow filled the room like trapped fireflies. Perfume lingered in the air. Musicians tuned their instruments.
We were dismissed to eat our last meal in silence. A bowl of rice. A slice of pickled radish. No more.
"You are vessels now," Mistress Choi said. "Not people. Not thoughts. Vessels."
We changed into our final robes.
And then we waited behind the doors.
My fingers trembled slightly.
I clasped them behind my back and stared at the polished wood before me.
The banquet was beginning.