Their first Sanguinala Celebration Ch.2
[This chapter on AO3] [Its previous chapter on AO3]
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Celebration of Sanguilnala.
All the boys finished their mission in the early evening. Every team member from the three teams, except team two and the cooking team, returned to the Royal Palace.
All were stunned by the awe of the interior re-decoration.
Multiple big garlands of mistletoes and varied fresh plants were hung on every room door on the corridors leading to the Grand Dining Hall, the Royal Family, and Palace servants’ private quarters.
Fulgrim and Magnus increased the light of the Palace interior with a slight golden ray, making everyone feel like the moonlight and starlight had been restored inside. There was even snow falling from the ceiling. The snow did not touch anyone because it faded before that. However, the falling white fluff invited them to tilt up and meet with the night sky ceiling painting the Milky Way stream. The corridor paths were covered with red velvety carpet contrasting the golden and silvery ribbons entwined with the lamp bases along the ivory wall. Under each lamp hung one emblem of each Royal family member and all guests. Valdor whistled once spotting his emblem and made a complemental comment for the other emblems he remembered belonging to some of the guests tonight. This little evidence showed Fulgrim’s enthusiasm in detail and his well-studied on the guests. The Little Phoenix was truly the People’s lover. However, Magnus was worth mentioning for the magical transformation he put effort into with his psychic power.
The Palace servo-skull stopped the returning crews, informing them to freshen up and change into appropriate attire before gathering in the Grand Dining Hall. After telling them, it flew away to the Palace kitchen, apparently sent on behalf of the cooking team.
When the team members finished dressing and came to the Grand Dining Hall, the guests had been seated with the assistance of some Primarchs. They saw Fulgrim and Magnus pacing around the long tables set in a multi-layered round shape around the virtual golden decorative Fir tree, with their smiling faces. Then they spotted Vulkan, Lion, and Konrad taking the food trolleys in and setting some plates in the middle of the tables for sharing. As the Emperor had invited all remaining Palace servants, the extra hands could be used so the other boys rushed to help their working brothers.
It took a while before the setup finished and everyone was in their positions.
The Emperor made a welcome toast to the floor, thanking the invitees for their dedicated service this year and thanking his sons for their contribution. He also added his gratitude that fate had brought these wonderful little ones to him.
“Now it’s time. Let the dinner feast begin!”
There were joyful shouts in response before everyone started eating.
Each table had the members of the Royal Family representing and they soon easily became the center of attention. To everyone’s surprise, the Emperor had picked Lorgar and Angron to sit with him, while Horus sat with Sanguinius at Valdor’s table. At Malcador’s table were Leman Russ, Vulkan, and Magnus while the other Primarchs were seated as follows; Rogal Dorn and Perturabo on the same table, Mortarion and Jaghatai Khan on another table, Ferrus, Fulgrim, and Konrad Curze were on the same table, Roboute Guilliman and Corvus Corax on the further table from Ferrus’s table, and Lion El’Johson and Alpharius on the furthest table from the others.
The dinner continued for a few hours until all the dishes emptied and the Emperor signaled every guest to line up for the gifts. He and his sons delivered special gifts and handwritten cards to each guest, wishing them warm wishes before sending them home.
Finally, the Royal Family had private quality time together.
“We should move the Small Gathering Hall. You guys lead the way. I will follow later.”
The Emperor told his sons, encouraging Lorgar and Angron to lead their brothers there with Valdor and Malcador. He wanted to bring them some more drinks and snacks.
“May I help you, Father?” Angron asked, wanting to help.
“That’s alright my boy. This is your quality time. I can handle the snacks.”
“Okay.” The boy complied and resumed his pace to the destination.
The Emperor regrouped with his family in the next ten minutes. He changed his mind, bringing more food in, because he knew his boys were not full. The second dinner began around the real Nordmann Fir. A fresh leafy scent filled the hall and calmed everyone as the Primarchs ate. They gathered in a pile yet the usual groupings and seating could be seen. The father indicated bedtime at midnight sharp, determining that everyone should follow the traditional custom of Sanguinala and New Year wishing and the present exchanging before that time.
There was so much to do. Every child had played his part for the whole day. They were a little tired yet their enthusiasm for gift-revealing was higher. Due to Sanguinala tradition, the most common gift was pottery. The people of the Imperium, especially in the Capital, had a wide and rich variety of choices to shop. However, the Royal family members were all skilled people, so each member prepared his Sigillaria for the receiver. To prevent too much waste, the Emperor invited his children and closest ones to join the buddy minigame around two weeks prior tonight. They would write their name on the paper, put it in the vase, and each drew one piece. Whomever name was on the paper would be the buddy of the drawer whom he must give the Sigillaria of choice. There would be twenty pieces of Sigillaria for the Emperor, Malcador, and all the boys as Valcador already got his big Sigillaria from the Emperor this morning.
The Emperor nodded once, signaling the time for gift-revealing.
“I will bring the box in.” Lion stood up from his glass bowl chair. The Eleventh left to the furthest window and brought one black box to the people. The Emperor thanked him, allowing him to rejoin with the brothers.
“Konrad,” the Father turned to his most mysterious son. “Could you be the announcer for us?”
Konrad blinked hesitantly. He turned for encouragement and got some firm hits on the shoulders and back from Lion and Vulkan. Then he walked to the front, standing next to the box.
“Alright. I will pick the name. Whoever I call, step out and hand your Sigillaria to your buddy.”
Konrad said plainly with a hint of timidness. The Emperor smiled, passing a small glass bowl to his son. The boy held the bowl with one arm, tugging his right hand to pick the first name.
“…Oh, it’s me.” He tilted up to his father, and a soft smile appeared on his pale face. A bowl was pressed on the floor when the boy went to open the box and presented the gift to his father.
“I got you, Father,” Konrad said softly. “I am not an artist like Fulgrim or Perturabo, but I hope you like it.”
The Emperor smiled, scooping Konrad and his gift onto his lap as he opened the covering paper to see the wonder inside. Despite excusing himself as an amateur, Konrad’s Sigillaria was a remarkable gift. The boy chose the Alcantara Black Marble as a frame for his portrait of the Emperor which he learned was an ancient Terran Kemetan[i] style.
“This is wonderful, young man. You have studied well with your brothers, it seems. I am very proud of you.” The Emperor said with a kiss on Konrad’s cheek, making the boy blush even more with happiness and pride. “…Magnus, Lorgar, and Perturabo helped me, Father.” The boy elaborated; he turned to those mentioned brothers with gratitude. Those three smiled or waved at him in response.
“I will cherish it. Now, please help me with the other announcements.” The man lowered his boy down. Konrad returned to his position and resumed the calling orders as follows.
2. Guilliman; He prepared a Sigillaria of standard porcelain painted with an ultramarine oceanic view for Lion.
3. Sanguinius; He gave Fulgrim a vase Sigillaria painted white with floral and foliage patterns.
4. Corvus Corax; His buddy was Jaghatai so instead of a typical Sigillaris, he crafted a small porcelain ivory-colored bike for his brother. Jaghatai gave him a big hug because he loved it so much.
5. Horus; He prepared the small shield crafted from orange clay to Angron. They discussed that its size was perfect for a necklace or chest plate for his gladiator costume.
6. Lion; He knew his next brother was interested in ancient Terra’s mythology, so he prepared a miniature of the Patheon for Perturabo. This small House of God replica was made from pure malachite, his favorite ore.
7. Malcador; He got Mortarion a porcelain pot with a small butterfly pattern. This was specifically selected to meet the boy’s liking for plants because it would look like the butterfly coming to the flower when it blooms.
8. Alpharius; As one of the ‘little brats’ squad’, it was hilarious when Russ found out Alpharius was his buddy. But the presented Sigillaria was wholesome despite the poor drawing skill. The youngest brother put his heart to it, drawing a series of Leman Russ’s mini adventures upon its surface.
9. Vulkan; ‘Simple is the best’ might have been Vulkan’s consideration. His gift to Dorn was a simple round-shaped marble painted with a real gold essence.
10. Rogal Dorn; It was a coincidence for Vulkan that Dorn was also his buddy. It was even more coincidence he shared the same attitude because Dorn prepared Vulkan a gold decorative tray.
11. The Emperor; The Emperor made a porcelain book stand for Magnus. It was well-crafted and painted in an abstract style which only Magnus could see its true appearance.
12. Mortarion; He took a longer time figuring out which design of porcelain he should give to Horus. But after a while, he decided to give a wolf porcelain to his brother. Mortarion knew Horus adored the canine species, especially the wolf of Lunar.
13. Fulgrim; Every brother knew Lorgar’s deep interest in religions and religious figures. So, his gift was a porcelain frame of a table mirror with an angelic pattern.
14. Angron; The Seventeenth knew his brother's hidden desire. Guilliman used to tell the group about himself as a farmer. Angron remembered his brother’s words and gave him a porcelain box with the grain seeds inside. He wished Guilliman to grow them in the spare slot in the Primarch’s garden.
15. Lorgar; Konrad’s visions haunt him since day one. Every brother often took turns to soothe him. So, Lorgar presented his younger brother with a porcelain portrait of the Primarch. His large and long gift was a wall decoration, a picture of all the brothers hugging Konrad as they share the same napping pit.
16. Perturabo; Giving Ferrus Manus a festival gift was a true challenge indeed. Perturabo knew as much as everyone that Ferrus was close to Fulgrim the most. He then asked his prettiest brother for advice. Unfortunately, Perturabo felt Fulgrim’s advice insurable. Having been fighting with his anxiety, Perturabo came back to the basics and gave Ferrus a simple and clean round porcelain plate. Ferrus looked pleased. He thanked him, saying this simple piece had varied functions to use.
17. Jaghatai; Surprisingly Jaghatai’s perception of the gift was close to Guilliman's as he picked a natural element as part of the gift. He painted a midsummer sky on the plate for Sanguinius. The Angel smiled happily seeing it. He felt an encouraging vibe and a spirit of freedom from his brother.
18. Leman Russ; Alpharius received a set of puzzle pieces. Russ designed the overall painting and crafted each piece by himself.
19. Ferrus Manus; Corvus Corax liked shiny objects so Ferrus made him a pocket mirror. Its front cover lid was onyx black porcelain while the other side was the little mosaic stain glasses, rearranging into the picture of a raven in the wildflower field.
20. Magnus; Malcador was a mystery old man for the boys, but not that much to Magnus. The Red Boy could read people’s minds. He read Malcador’s for the preparation and gave him an ordinary present; a porcelain frame with his painting of Malcador and the Emperor when they were on some unknown beach.
Everyone gave Konrad the big hands for his long announcements, welcoming him back to his seat. The gift exchange ended a little early before midnight. The timing was good as the Emperor prepared to send the boys to their rooms. But Lion raised a protesting hand, saying he did not want to sleep.
“Well, I believe, I have made myself clear that your bedtime is midnight, young man.” The Emperor looked at his Eleventh but his eyes bore no strict nor forceful threat.
“This is our first Sanguinala, Father. We should enjoy the festive atmosphere a little longer.” Lion stated, having Leman Russ, Horus, and Fulgrim nod to support his reason.
“I support Lion, Father.” Guilliman also raised his hand. “Many of us noticed that some brothers have prepared other special gifts. The gift exchange has not been completed yet.”
The Emperor could not refuse as his boys started moving around and out of the hall. It seemed the movement would continue for a while, so the Father sat down and sipped tea in wait.
“What do you think your boys have prepared? This is not the plan, I suppose?” Malcador sat next to him, sipping tea with him. He signaled Valdor to join their tea space. Valdor bowed before taking the third seat. The Emperor sighed and yawned a little before answering that he had wished the boys to sleep by now.
“This is their first grand festival, my lords, I would encourage the little lords to enjoy it as they please.” Valdor made a small genuine comment. The Emperor listened to his most loyal servant, smiling contently.
Half of the Primarchs had nothing extra and had remained in the hall while the other half returned after half an hour with more kinds of stuff. The most outstanding boy among the returned was Fulgrim. He returned with a foliage crown. His newest crown was green, made mostly from mistletoe, berries, and small wildflowers. His elegant strolling truly caught everyone’s attention. Before anyone could ask about anything, Fulgrim moved to the middle of the hall, in front of his Father, his Father’s closest friends, and his brothers. The pretty boy stood tall, holding his head high, and politely cleared his throat.
“What’s up, Fulgrim?” Ferrus made the first comment and got a wink back. He rolled his eyes, sighing slightly.
“Well, I know this is quite late. Many of you might feel sleepy, so I will make this quick. I’ve prepared presents for each of you, specially made for you. Now, please step forward and take it.”
The hall went silent after Fulgrim declared. The other little Primarchs blinked cluelessly and exchanged glares with each other. Fulgrim was patient, but his patience was thin. Fortunately, the Emperor approached him before he voiced his demands towards his brothers.
“What do you have for us, for me, Little Phoenix?” He asked his Fifth son.
“A Sweater, Father!” Fulgrim brightened. He picked one big wool golden yellow sweater with an Aquila sign and red ribbons pattern for his father. “I made it. This one is for you!”
The Emperor smiled wider, kissed, and hugged his son for the customized gift.
“You can see my true intention, Father?” Fulgrim asked, touching his crown.
“Of course, my son. I’ve celebrated this festival for many years. I know the specific meaning of mistletoe.” The Emperor winked. “Go on, give the others your gifts.”
Fulgrim nodded, giving Malcador and Valdor their sweaters before turning to his brothers. His hands were on his waist. “Well? Who will be the first to take my gift?”
“What is the meaning of…eh, mistletoe? Why do you wear the crown made of it?” Russ mentioned. The Wolf boy did raise a good question as the others nodded eagerly.
Fulgrim cleared his throat again, explaining that he found the old Terran tradition for people to kiss under it as a good luck symbol. Every boy made a sound despite some of them looking confused and questionable. But they eventually accepted what they heard, remembering Fulgrim’s characteristic as a skin ship lover. From that point, Rogal Dorn was the first receiver. He walked to his slightly older brother, thanked him, took his sunny bright yellow sweater, and exchanged a kiss on the cheeks. Then there were Lorgar, Angron, Mortarion, Magnus, Perturabo, Jaghatai, and Corvus Corax. The receivers got sweaters matching their styles. Then the second group of brothers came to Fulgrim, led by Russ and supported by Horus, Guilliman, Konrad Curze, Lion, Sanguinius, and Alpharius. These naughty boys formed a group attack, throwing themselves at Fulgrim and hardly kissing the pretty boy (it was not surprising that Russ exaggerated the tradition to the next level when he licked his brother like a wolf.) They laughingly screamed, chuckled, and rolled in one curling ball before separating with one sweater per person. Fulgrim emerged back with a soaked face and his hair was out of place and frazzled. Yet, he quickly shaped it up and presented the gifts to Vulkan. They kissed each other on the cheek and separated. Then there was finally Ferrus’s turn.
“Are you alright?” Ferrus sighed deeply when he walked to Fulgrim. He could smell Russ’s and the others’ scent from Fulgrim’s cheeks. The radiant boy smiled and shook his head, saying they were playing and those boys were extroverts, too expressive.
“You have to take your gift now,” Fulgrim spoke softly, very quiet, to Ferrus. “Then I can return the floor to the others. There are more gifts to be given.”
“Do we have to kiss?” Ferrus asked reluctantly. Fulgrim nodded hesitantly, he did not want to unease his closest brother. “But only if you feel okay to value the tradition.”
The blackish-grey sweater with the chain and cog pattern was in his hands. Ferrus looked at it briefly before taking it and kissing Fulgrim’s forehead. “Thank you, Fulgrim. Happy Sanguinala.”
“Happy Sanguinala!” Fulgrim happily greeted him back. Ferrus wore the sweater as they returned to their seats.
After Fulgrim, Mortarion brought another medium box to the hall. He brought smaller boxes out of it and presented each box to everyone in the room, including Valdor. His gift was a simple one; it was a plant seed. He hand-picked each person with each specific plant with the guarantees for the meaning and unique charm matching with the receiver.
“Won’t you tell us what are our plants?” Jaghatai asked, Mortarion only shook his head. “It’s better for you to see once it blooms.” He replied.
“But it might be a good precaution if we know about our gift earlier, is it not? We are not plant experts, at least if we know the names, we can prepare.” Horus made another comment. However, Mortarion enjoyed his secret keeping.
“You can come asking me later.” the Pale Prince insisted nicely.
“Oh, I get it. You wish to have more brotherly conversation with us, Morty?” Fulgrim teased, making Mortarion chuckle shyly.
“You know many of us well, Fulgrim. You have read me like a book.” The Pale one said before tagging hands with Vulkan as his Sixth brother took his position.
Vulkan walked to another hidden trolley. He had twenty boxes wrapped with gold and silver paper lids. He delivered each person one box and urged them to open here. Everyone complied, opening up to meet a set of small planets inside. Each looked at the person next to him, noticing the differences in shape, color, and amount of the little planets in the box. To be fair, these planets looked like gemstones and had a good savory scent.
“They are desserts. The stuffed chocolates.” Vulkan revealed the secrecy behind the gifts. “I resemble the group of planets in the same sub-system or sub-sector around each of your selected stars. For example, Magnus’s favorite star is Propero, so they are Propero and its nearby neighbors.” The gentle and cooking lover Primarch continued.
“This is awesome, thanks, Vulkan.” Magnus beamed at him with his smile.
“You’re all welcome.” He responded politely then returned to his seat.
But only less than a second after that, the room fell into pitch darkness. Many whined surprisingly before some lit the fireworks in the hall. Several lively blazes flew around the space and up to the ceiling before vanishing. Then Leman Russ, Alpharius, Konrad Curze, and Corvus Corax appeared from the foggy smoke of the fireworks. The Quartro declared their presence theatrically and dramatically like some stage actors. They also performed some magic tricks (too simple for Magnus as he barely concealed his laughter) when delivering their gifts to the audiences.
Despite being uninformed, everyone could sense the abnormality of the gifts considering the givers. These four are the members of the ‘little brats’ squad’ led by Leman Russ, thus their gifts must be something. Horus, actually one member of the group, acted swiftly. He was the first to open the box and ‘boom!’, his face darkened from a blaze and fire spark causing only his eyes visible. He coughed, staring at the givers, and laughed heartily. Next, the whole hall was filled with joyful waves of laughter. The fate of the rest brothers was not much different, causing louder laughter.
When the laugh faded, Lion walked around. The solemn boy gave each person one envelope of selective poems matching with the receivers. This was very simple but touching. The new serenity filled the hall while each person read the Eleventh’s beautiful poems. After finishing reading, all the adults thanked him while all the brothers gave him a group hug.
It was already one o’clock in the morning. Some boys yawned from the creeping slumber.
Dorn and Perturabo stood up in a pair. They worked together delivering their joint crafts to the others. It turned out to be the miniature building kits made from paper and magnets. Anyone could show his creativity and imagination with these little pieces. The created miniature would be a unique masterpiece of each owner. After distribution, Dorn gave Perturabo a blueprint of his promised space fortress; Phalanx while Perturabo granted him a draft of varied Warmachine toys and their collosium. These two surely had a friendly competition to show their family their devotion at work. Everyone could sense their pride and was proud of them for their passion for infrastructure building and fortification.
“Now that no more special gift-giving, I suggest you all go the bed straight away.”
The Emperor waited a little bit longer before making his final call. Now almost all the children yawned in unison, they agreed with his suggestion.
“Alright, let me take you all there.” The Father sighed fondly, scooping some of the boys from the floor and letting the others follow to their bedrooms.
The Emperor sent each son to his room with a kiss on the forehead or cheek, wishing him good night and leaving for the next room. After he finished the last room, the Emperor retreated to his bed chamber with a warm smile on his face.
This year’s Sanguinala was special. He was sure it would be one of his best memories for the rest of his life.
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[i] Ancient Egypt: https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/
