@Ambra - Eli listened to the Rhea's words carefully, looking back down at the man that she had described. He wasn't all that bad, the young Prince thought. He had seen plenty of masked men come into the halls hoping to speak with the King or some kind of adviser, usually about some religious or cult-like endeavors. In all honesty, not much seemed to frighten the boy, aside from the usual "I'm going to kill you" or getting a blade drawn on you ordeal. What really scared Eli were such beasts like Icarus, which had caused him to shudder visibly when she spoke of her wyvern. The Prince always had some kind of irrational fear when it came to wyverns and the sea. In fact, there had been several incidents where Eli got so sick when they had departed, that the ship had to be turned around almost immediately. They weren't even out of view of the coast when this happened! Granted it did take place a few years ago, so his father was confident that he'd be perfectly fine this time.
@Aquanthe@Tenma Tendo@Tala Avana@Zeroth@Kazemitsu@Lord Orgasmo@Redneckatron - Eli looked backed up at Rhea and smiled warmly.
"Don't worry about him Rhea; I'm sure he's a nice gentleman. I'll go ahead and greet them!" He gave her a hug before turning around and walking down the staircase towards the large group. The steps that Eli had taken down the staircase were quick and excited, almost like a child rushing the staircase for a celebration. When he stood in front of the guests, he addressed them with a bright smile and a very small tint of red on his cheeks.
"Good morning everyone! As a few of you already know, I'm Prince Eli. I look forward to the journey and hope I can learn much from you all." It was clear that this boy had no experience with the outside world. Yet something about his posture and how clearly he spoke showed something quite different from what their first impressions of the Prince revealed to them. In a way, it was as if there was a hidden strength to him that he had yet to express.
@Mistiel - Eli looked over at Jauna, a girl he was quite familiar with. Much to his annoyance, she was one of a few girls that he just so happened to be choosing from for marriage. These girls were all around the castle, trying to look refined and tasteful, but none of it really mattered to Eli. Even Jauna, who sparked slight interest in Eli due to her unladylike behavior, was denied! Still, many of them stayed in the castle with hopes of having his hand in marriage. Eli was frustrated with how often so many people wanted to marry him. Even worse was when it was used as a political tool, which was quite often. He despised it, as did his father. As Eli watched Jauna and the man talk, he raised a brow in confusion.
She's interested in him? Thank goodness...that's one person with a crush on me off my back. Eli gave her a courteous bow and gave her a warm smile, just as he always did. In fact, he didn't seem to be showing any signs of jealousy whatsoever. Looked like her plan didn't work out too well on him...or at all.
With introductions mostly out of the way, Eli began to walk across the room towards a large set of doors, his smile as cheery looking as ever. Turning around, he beckoned the group to follow him.
"This way everyone. We'll have some breakfast first before we set out. I want to make sure we're all feeling good before we head out." He pushed the doors with a quiet grunt, swinging them open, and revealed a large banquet hall with a single, long table. The room was extravagant and decorated with all manners of painting, chandeliers, and stunning masonry that seemed to make everything stand out even more. The table was fitted with a white tablecloth and filled with empty plates, bowls, silverware, and candles. The large windows leading in to the room had been open, letting in the sunlight and sounds of birds from the garden freely. Eli had only taken a few steps in when a few men that had been dressed quite nicely pull out all of the chairs, waiting for everyone to take their seat. Eli dropped down on his seat, the man behind it pushing it forward to the table, and watched the others.
"Since we're all going to be with each other for a long time, I want to take this opportunity for us to get to know each other better. If anyone has any questions about me, please feel free to ask."