I stand here as the Falls family head.

" And just like that she's been blacklisted by most of the family, I am so glad she's not MY twin. I bet she won't be getting any presents for Christmas this year." chuckled Alyssa's second cousin who popped by Alyssa's side( who was now at the bottom of the stage) so suddenly and almost scared her to death

" you scared me, Jack! " Alyssa said as she pretended to scold her younger cousin." but I will give you this one, that's very funny" she laughed "she's still your cousin though" she added

"yeah but not twin, do u know the amount of damage that would do to my precious reputation among the ladies" said Jack while wiggling his eyebrows. Alyssa laughed.

Jack smiled genuinely and said,"I am glad to see laugh sister, I did not like the sad face you had earlier on and though I don't understand adult stuff, just know that my duty is to make you smile." He winked at Alyssa.

" What duty? Your duty is to finish your homework and sword practice, that's all" she said laughing yet again and trying to put a stern face for her cousin.

Alyssa liked Jack and he was among the few cousins she likes from her father's side. Alyssa and her siblings are so close to Jack that Jack refers to Alyssa and her older siblings as sister to Alyssa and Cassie then brother to Carl.

"Who sent you here anyway?" Alyssa said

"Ah! I am offended sister, can't I come and cheer you up on my own accord!" Jack said as he gave Alyssa an injured puppy look.

Alyssa laughed and said "okay, okay, thank you lil Jackie." and added as she gave a knowing smirk"say thank you to big sister as well"

" how did you know about elder sister?" Jack said while his eyes were wide open to give an exaggerated shocked face.

" your question just proved that I guessed right" She grinned and Jack laughed at his own slip up.

"Okay, jokes aside, we are in a grim situation right now" said Alyssa

"Uh-huh, I agree. I know that the public and other authorities won't take what cousin Elise (Elissa's nickname) said lightly" said Jack as he's face was now serious and his eyes shining with a serious glint giving him a sense of being mature. The only thing that gives him away as a 16 year old was his cute face which had yet to fully mature.

Meanwhile somehow Elissa had not noticed that her words were not only harming Alyssa but the rest of the family as well. Just as she was about to continue, her grandfather, the head of the family stood up and said " Thank you, Elise for showing such concern for your cousin, you may return to your seat now." The last part was more of a command than a request. 

Turning to the crowd he said " I am here as witness and so are each and very one of you here today. It is a parent's greatest joy to see their child graduate from being a child with no responsibilities and carefree to being an individual who has accomplished so much that he/she is given his/her key at age 21." he paused then he continued by saying a joke " I am sure we all have someone in the family who behaves like a child despite being 21 or above and chances are, they may forever be that way." Some quests laughed, the tense atmosphere was slowly disappearing.

" A key is given to a child who has shown the potential to rise up and help the family with some difficulties. In fact, I believe that it is the family that should be honored to have an extra pair of hands to help out because to me, a key is more of a burden to the child for now they must act for the better good of the family." he paused to take a deep breath then continued " I do not believe that any of you would have been here had you not deemed Alyssie worthy of the key, yes some came for the food but most came here because of the potential you saw in her." People laughed at his 'food' remark but overall his words had won over most of the guests.

" To be honest, Alyssie showed her potential at age 3 and if it were up to me, i would have given her the key then but she was too short to carry anything on her shoulders" He said as he chuckled.

One of the Commanders present said to Commander Greg a friend of Alyssa's Grandfather, "The atmosphere has eased up now because the guests are enjoying his jokes." 

Commander Greg replied to his colleague and said " That sly dog, he used the oldest technique to sway public opinion and that is showing weakness when needed. To put it bluntly, its emotional manipulation and he added a few jokes here and there to seal the deal. " he laughed then continued " especially considering how he was the rumored cold general who did not flinch at the sight of his own wife dying during an attack a few years ago." he paused "The rumor is not true though." he added

'he loved her but he didn't show any emotions so that the enemy wouldn't take advantage of the situation and that is the number one reason I took him as my rival when we first met ages ago.' he thought to himself as he focused again on what his friend was saying.

" Now, I am standing here as the head of the falls Family and not anyone's father or grandfather to say this, I attest to Alyssa Falls's potential and readiness to enter the world and shoulder more responsibilities as a Falls." Said Alyssa's grandfather with no sign of the magnetic smile he shared earlier

" Father! " exclaimed 3 of his children. The first, 2nd and 5th.

" grandfather?! " Alyssa's older cousins exclaimed.

Alyssa's grandfather ignored the outbursts and continued this time looking at the Priest, " I believe you have a decision to make, sir High Priest." then went to his seat.

The Priest looked at Alyssa's grandfather and he was certain that his words had a lot of weight. Mr Falls had just put his family's honor on the line to support his granddaughter but he did so not as a grandfather but the family head? He just told the people present that he made a calculated move against his own granddaughter?!

The priest felt chills go down his spine because Mr Falls's statement to support Alyssa reminded not only the Priest but the people present of his majestic self as he single handedly saved thousands of people once. It felt like his voice was the command and they had to follow not because they were manipulated into this but because it's the power he commands,his entire being commands them to listen and even feel the weight of his words.

The Falls family was originally part of the high class elite families, with its power being so so. Families in country A are classified according to wealth and power if a family is ranking lower it is a low class elite then middle class elite, then high class elite and following this is the big 4. This system is used in order to control the actions if most of the big families, so the more power you have the more restrictions and regulations (when facing the law) you will have though being powerful still has a lot of benefits.

The family rose to its full glory as seen today thanks to the current family head and his late wife while they were still in their prime. It is now one of the four big families in Country A and it is not easy to break into the Big four which was initially known as the elite 3 but with his achievements, his family did! 

" This side of him is the reason why I take him as my rival" Commander Greg said as he laughed and his gruff voice could be heard in the garden. " He would stop at nothing to get what he wants and he just demonstrated that using his own grandchild. To others his words may seem to be a bluff and an act to protect his granddaughter but in actual reality he just said that he does not approve of what just transpired." he continued to his junior who was currently shadowing him. 

" b-b-but h-he justed praised her a-and h-h-he's helping her complete the ceremony, it d-doesn't make s-sense." the junior stuttered a response to the commander. The junior was stuttering because he fears his commander.

" believe me when i tell you that, that old man just indirectly and subtly disapproved of his granddaughter's sudden news of getting married. He just said that if he were to stand as a grandfather then he woul not bless the ceremony to continue." responded commander Greg

" Well,when you put it like that..." the junior paused then continued " hey but this shows that you know commander Falls very well to be able to translate his words like that!" he chirped happily at the relevation and even forgetting that he is terrified of commander Greg. 

" Brat, who are you saying 'hey' to? Did you forget the eventful time you spend on Liben island? do you wish to go back?" Commander Greg said with an evil grin

'L-Liben island?! That place is h-hell with no burning eternal flames, I do not want to set foot there ever again, how I managed to survive is a miracle i still pray to thank God for till this day' thought the junior then he replied to his commander and said " I-I-I a-a-apologize s-s-sir and n-no I do not want to go back there,sir!" And the stutter was back. They fell silent once again as they awaited for the priest's decision.

With great determination the priest said " Let us resume, Miss Alyssa please come up the stage and receive your key." Alyssa did as told and went to the stage. The priest handed the blue rose to Alyssa. " The coming of age ceremony is complete, thank you everyone for being witnesses for the ceremony." Announced the priest and people applauded. 

'And just like that, it's over. I am glad it's over.' Alyssa said to herself.