“Introducing Lord and Lady Nelson,” the herald announced.

A very regally dressed man and woman approached the throne and bowed, causing the very elderly queen to bow from her seated position. She was much too old to rise.

"I've missed you so, dear Nelsons," the Queen called out. I’m quite fond of the Nelsons, being my cousins and all.

"And we you, dearest Queen."

Next, General Farnsworth and his wife Annandale were the last to be announced.  They too bowed respectfully to their venerable Queen. 

“You gave those barbarian hordes a good fight, General."

"We nearly had them, my lady. But let’s not discuss the war. Tonight is meant to celebrate your eighty-eighth birthday.”

“Yes, indeed. Start the music!” Queen Agatha requested, causing a multitude of instruments to sound off. Horns, strings, and percussion came together, creating the most enchanting dance music. 

Lords and Ladies flamboyantly dressed in all manner of bright colors and outfits filed onto the dance floor and began to glide across the giant ballroom in rhythmic sequenced motion.

Queen Agatha giggled and clapped her frail hands in joy, obviously amused with the merriment of her people.  

“Your goblet, my Queen.” Her aged servant Sedro came up beside her with a tray bearing a gold braced wine glass.

“The red?” She asked her most trusted palace worker. 

“Always the strawberry rose for you, Madam.” Sedro winked at her. Even in his seventies he was still mischievous.  

The dancing and drinking went on for hours, with many or her royal subjects approaching their aged Queen to offer her birthday wishes. Then the church tower bell began to sound off the midnight chimes.  

“Oh, so soon?” The Queen looked saddened as the music came to an abrupt halt. 

Everyone in the ballroom stopped what they were doing and turned to face their Queen. Almost as if on cue they began to shout Happy Birthdays and well wishes to her, as well as claims of undying love.  

Queen Agatha’s eyes began to water as her people took one last bow and faded away, leaving only her loyal and faithful Sedro behind. 

The room transformed back into the broken and charred husk that it actually was, with catapult holes in the ceiling.

Seventy years ago, when Queen Agatha was a mere girl of eighteen, the barbarians had come and ravaged the kingdom.

General Farnsworth had held them back for several days, but his forces were eventually overrun. They executed him on the battlefield. 

The barbarians massacred all survivors. They removed the heads of her family, including the Nelsons, in this very room.

The enemy left the young Queen alive to stew in her suffering. They also allowed the seven-year-old Sedro to live, ordering him to serve the Queen in her misery. 

But Agatha’s people loved and adored her so much so, that every year, on her birthday, their spirits returned for one evening. They came to celebrate with her, only to disappear at the stroke of midnight.  

Agatha spent the entire year waiting in anticipation for that one glorious night. The ghosts of her loyal subjects would continue to return to shower affection on their beloved Queen until she passed and joined them on the other side.  

“Okay, my Queen.” Sedro gently lifted the frail woman from the throne. “Time to return you to your bed chamber.”

“Thank you, Sedro. We need to start preparations for my 89th birthday. We can’t disappoint our honored guests after all.”