Of Skin and Scales (PRIVATE)

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Fort Perry

---

The Capileans outside the fort ran in every direction, some jumping into helicopters before they took off, and others simply raising pistols to their heads and ending their misery. The four helicopters were soon gone, leaving behind a swarm of hysterical Capileans, Tyroth, Gladium, and whoever else had survived the vertibird crash and subsequent barrage of missiles.

Quisling stared up in horror as he realized the damage he'd done. Foley was coughing up blood and shells, and at the same time frantically trying twisting every knob and jabbing every button on the control panel, trying to reverse the deathly effects that Anton had caused. Suddenly, just as the robotic voice began its ten-second countdown, Foley and Juvon disappeared in a blinding flash of light. Quisling stared at the spot they had been in for a moment, and then heaved himself up and stared out of the thick Plexiglas window at Columbia's thriving capitol. Pressing his hands against the window- and leaving two bloody handprints- he began to pray. Tears rolled down his face, and he whispered an apology as sirens and blaring red lights sounded and flashed all around him.

"I'm sorry."

A second later a devastating nuclear explosion wiped Fort Perry off the map. A huge, billowing mushroom cloud shot up out of the ground, slowly spreading its smoky tendrils out into the dusk sky. In a mere instant hundreds had been killed, obliterated from existence in a split-second. Quisling was gone forever, every trance of him annihilated except for the faint memories of those who had known him. All of the structures of Fort Perry were eradicated, leaving nothing but a level ground zero. The only hint that anyone had ever existed in this hellhole were black smudges on the ground.

And all because of one person.

[Dyste]

Valitora

After Foley left the bed, it was evident that it was sized for a being larger than him. Upon first glance, the room did not seem too different than anything back in Columbia, other than the size of the furniture. There were a few objects that did not seem to fit, like a silver crystal upon the desk, but nothing that really stood out. One of the windows was open, but far too high up for Foley to look through directly; the air was fresh and sunlight was shining, a cloudless day by the looks of things.

Juvon was not at all surprised by Foley's affection, though the other two Draconids were a taken aback, surprised that their son had made such a close friendship with a foreign human in such a short time. "Juvon," the one with darker scales spoke; judging by their voice being a bit higher than the ones he had heard before, it appeared she was female, "I am glad your friend is better, but maybe you should tell him a bit about what happened?"

Juvon sniffed a bit, having a few tears in his eyes remaining. "Right of course... You are currently in my house in Valitora, our nation's capital. I took you to a healer's shortly after we arrived, and they had you stay there for the day before you were sent back to here. His Majesty and Dame Lissah returned a few hours after we did, apparently, and they felt it was for the best that you were left in my care. These are my parents..."

The one with lighter scales put his right arm to his chest and bowed his head, "I am Hylam, and this is my wife, Kyra. When we found out our son was missing, we made a plea to the Royal Family to help rescue him, but I never thought we would be housing royalty ourselves as a result! I know you probably wish to get back to your homeland, but please make yourself at home while you are here."

"At the very least he should try Mother's cooking before leaving!" Juvon admittedly didn't want Foley to leave so soon, but knew that he had to get back to his duties. "But then again, if I recall, you had some sort of proposition for me, right?" He recalled something about Foley calling him his 'son', at least.

[New United States of Columbia]

Valitora

As Juvon explained what had happened after he passed out from blood loss, Foley grew worried after hearing he'd been out of Columbia for at least a day. Considering what he and Juvon narrowly stopped he wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it turned out they were both presumed dead.

After Hylam and Kyra introduced themselves Foley figured he should as well both to be polite and in case Juvon didn't (he wouldn't blame him considering how stressed he might've been). Foley, like Hylam, clutched his right hand into a fist, slammed it against his left breast, and bowed his head.
"A pleasure to meet you both. I assume Juvon introduced me but, in case he hasn't, I am High King Paul Foley I, King of America, Lord-Protector of the Canadian Dominion, Emperor of Mexico, and former Sargeant in the United States Marine Corps. And thank you, all of you, for trying to make my stay comfortable. I'll try not to be a burden."

Upon hearing Juvon seemingly begging that Foley stay for some of Kyra's cooking Foley was about to protest until his stomach disagreed with him. He hadn't eaten anything for quite a while.
"I suppose I could stay for a bit longer if either of you don't mind." He replied looking at Hylam and Kyra.
He then heard Juvon mention his proposition.
"After... Breakfast?" Foley half asked as he had no inkling as to what time of day it was "I can tell you and your parents my proposition."

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Undisclosed Location, Somewhere in Appalachia

---

Phillip Schwann gazed across the metal table at Rupert Richter, his eyes seeming to burn into the middle-aged officer. "Where is Quisling?" the dark-haired man said, still looking about and soaking in his surroundings. Richter and his group had only straggled in a few hours ago, long after Phillip had distributed the rendezvous coordinates. "You should know better than me!" the Security Chief barked at his subordinate. Richter glared back at him. "For all we now, he's dead," Schwann finally said, noticing the murmuring that swept from the seated officers to the crowded soldiers which stood behind them.

Richter's face twisting in concentration. "So what now?" Phillip groaned, as he would know have to say the same thing for perhaps the twelfth time. "If Foley, or anyone of those goddamned guardsmen that you failed to kill escaped, than we're wanted by every government, even our own. The Grand Duke won't sacrifice his special relationship with Columbia for your hides." Everyone shifted uncomfortably. "And if not, then there will be an investigation, and because not a sole stayed behind to destroy the evidence at the embassy, we're found guilty for kidnapping the King and trying to blow up D.C.!"

"Our only chance is to blend in. We will infiltrate the highest levels of government undergoing facial reconstruction- luckily our expert surgeon survived- and taking new identities. We'll create our own organization, for the preservation of ourselves and the destruction of those who have wronged us- the Antichrist, his whole sickly kin, and Foley," Schwann spat. Richter looked confused. He glanced about at the eighty men who'd been crammed into the dimly lit room. "But how? We're a mere handful of-" "We will be the puppet masters," Phillip laughed, "and Columbia, Nova Capile, hell, the whole world will be our puppets."

[Dyste]

Valitora

Kyra, as it has seemed, had already been putting the final touches on breakfast when Foley had woken up, so it took no time at all for her to get everyone a plate of a full meal; ham, eggs and toast. Whatever was different about this place, they seemed to eat similar foods. "Humans like these, right?" Kyra asked Foley, "I do not get to serve them that often."

Hylam and Juvon got themselves large plates, the father in particular having once twice the size of Foley's. "I have to admit, I have not heard of any of these places before. I have never left Dyste in my life, but I still know of many places far away. But far enough that you have never heard of Draconids, orcs, or kobolds before? What is it even like, believing that your are the only sentient race?" For someone who had been aware of other sapient species throughout his life, such a notion was hard to wrap one's head around.

For his part, Juvon had mostly stayed silent during the meal, having an idea of what Foley wanted, but unsure of what his full plans were regarding that. Was he thinking of adopting him? It was not like his own parents were neglectful or anything like that, but maybe this foreign king had some sort of idea for him. Either way, this whole experience had made him realize he needed to focus more on his magic studies, so he wouldn't make a mistake like that again...

[New United States of Columbia]

Valitora

Foley smiled upon seeing the eggs, ham, and toast. It reminded him of Adina's cooking before he became High King in the Great Division (As Columbians called their Civil War). He smiled at Kyra.
"Humans do eat these if that's what you're worried about," Foley answered her as he (after much difficulty due to height differences) found himself a fork and knife to use "it smells wonderful by the way."

Upon hearing Hylam ask him what it was like to think of being the only sentient species Foley stopped eating, trying to think of a satisfactory answer.
"Never thought much of it. Just . . . seemed like common sense. It . . . helps your kinds are not mentioned once in God's Word, or as we commonly call it, the Bible."
He then decided to ask Hylam a question or two.
"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what on Earth is a kobold?"

After Foley and the Infernos finished breakfast Foley decided it was now or never to see if he could get his plan in motion. He climbed down of his seat and paced near the table, muttering to himself for a few minutes as he tried to figure out how he should say it. Finally he explained it:
"Originally, before I met you both, I was hoping I could adopt Juvon into the Foley Dynasty or Family. I thought of this as I figured, as he is only an adolescent, he couldn't become an ambassador to Columbia. However upon meeting you both I've had to shift gears slightly and . . ."
He paused looking at all three of them before he took a deep breath and continued.
"And . . . I was wondering if . . . Juvon could receive your blessing in marrying my eldest daughter." He finished, speaking the last part slightly faster than usual.
He waited to see what their reaction would be.

[Dyste]

Valitora

Hylam was rather surprised at first to find out Foley didn't know what a kobold was, until he remembered; why would he if he didn't know about other sapient non-humans? "Well, they are the other major species that live around here. They look a bit like us, but smaller... hm... just a moment..." he stepped out of the house, though Foley could not get a good look outside from where he was sitting.

Kyra was happy to hear Foley liked the food, but puzzled about what he had said. "So you say this Bible is God's Word... hm, so why would it not mention us... then again, how old is this book? The first records of our kind are from about 1,500 years ago, so perhaps we as a species did not exist at the time the book was written? But then again, that only accounts for us. Elves are said to have existed for a much longer time, for instance. Hm, the only other thing I can think of is that the author did not know of them or other sapient species, but, well, that has other problems. Then again, I am not a scholar on religion, so I doubt I would be able to help in this regard."

Hylam came back with a small reptilian in tow, wearing a newsboy cap. "Kobold!" It said, before looking confused at Foley. "They are a race our people found a few centuries ago. They aren't good at speaking Common, but they are hard workers and skilled at many tasks." He gave the kobold some ham, evidently fulfilling some sort of promise Juvon's father had with the little one. The kobold left after that, still being confused about the human. "They are a bit shy around humans, I find. Your people are fairly rare here, so some of us have to adjust to seeing one."

After breakfast, Foley gave his proposition to them. It appeared after realizing that Juvon indeed had a pair of loving parents Foley knew that adoption was not the best course of action, and he was indeed too young to be an ambassador. But marrying the king's eldest daughter? That was something none of them expected. It took them a few minutes, before Hylam spoke up, "Um, well... I suppose if Juvon and my wife are okay with it, I have no problems with it. What do you say, Kyra?"

Kyra closed her eyes in thought, "My main concern is if your daughter and my son would even like one another. Here, what we do when a couple is considering marriage is that they isolate themselves from others for couple of weeks, and see if they are able to get along during that time. Hylam and I did it, members of the Royal Family do it, everyone does."

Juvon looked towards both his parents, before back to Foley, "Well, I do not know if we ought to do that, but my mother does have a good point; if your daughter dislikes me, I would not want her to be unhappy with me as a husband. I will agree to this if your daughter and I are compatible. Is that all right with you?"

[New United States of Columbia]

Valitora

Foley nodded in approval of this Dystan ritual. While he considered it unconventional compared to human rituals such as dating or courting he figured it could work. He smiled at Juvon and patted his arm a bit.
"I'm sure you'll do fine for Abigale." He said encouragingly.
He then remembered Kyra's question. He informed her that the first book of the Bible, Genesis, was expected to be around 3,500 years old. Upon hearing her say that the author(s) might not have known about species like Kobolds, Elves, etc. he gave her a dirty look. He didn't consider God someone to be mocked and trifled with. He then attempted to change the subject by quickly asking Hylam "So when exactly can I return to my lands? I'd rather not be considered dead, thank you very much."

[Dyste]

Valitora

"Abigale, hm?" Juvon only briefly met Foley's kids, but he believed he had met her. "I will try my best. But either way, I believe His Majesty will be arriving soon to discuss bringing you home... ah, he is here!" It was unclear to Foley how exactly he knew this, as Tyroth had not knocked at the door, nor was Juvon looking in its direction. Either way, he was correct, as Hylam answered the door.

Tyroth himself looked the same as before, but Lissah was wearing silver armor instead of gold, and Bucky was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a Draconid with scales of a deeper red was by his side, having scars over his right eye and on his chest. "Your Majesty," The Fire Draconid said, "I still must protest..."

"Sure, Kel, I understand," Tyroth seemed rather dismissive of him, "But I do not think that our guest desired a stay at the healer's clinic." Looking over at Foley, he smiled, "I do wish your first visit to my monarchy was not under such conditions, Your Majesty, but I suppose it could not be helped, and I am glad you are okay. As you can see, I am fine, though both Lissah's main armor and Bucky are still being repaired; that weapon Gladium used was rather something. Oh, the cheerful fellow behind me is Sir Kel Darkfire, Knight Commander of Dyste. He was a bit concerned about young Juvon taking you here, but I convinced him that you needed medical attention immediately." Kel did not show much signs of whether he agreed with this assessment or not, having a stoic look on his face.

"Your Majesty," Hylam said, as he and his family bowed, "You grace us with your presence. I believe the king is really quite ready to return to his homeland. Will you be taking the airship, or teleport him there?"

"Well, I presume you want to get home as quickly as possible, yes? In that case, teleportation is the way to go. As the general rules go, we are only allowed to teleport from here to another land with the approval of the ruler of said nation, but, well, you are here, so that part is easy. Naturally, we will only teleport who you wish, but bear in mind that Juvon's abilities are not refined enough to do the job at the moment, so you cannot just take him. Also, we do need a good spot to arrive, presumably near the palace. Of course, everything is up to our honored guest."

[New United States of Columbia]

Valitora

Foley looked at Tyroth, Lissah, and Kel and gave a smile in return.
"I thank you for helping protect my family and I. When we finally return to my home I'll make sure you're rewarded justly. And I must admit, my stay has been short and not under the best of circumstances but, if the rest of Dyste is like this," he then gestured to the Infernos family, "then, I suppose, I enjoyed my brief stay."
He then noticed how Kel acted and was referred to sarcastically as a jolly fellow.
If he ever runs into Titus or Gladium I can only imagine how bloody the fight will be Foley thought to himself.

He cleared his throat.
"I suppose Hylam and Kyra will be joining us on my return to Columbia?" Foley asked Tyroth "We've come to an agreement on Juvon's 'reward' for his service to Dyste and Columbia. I suggest teleport to the palace remains as soon as you're ready, sir."
He then, in attempt to be humorous, decided to make a friendly bet with the Orcess.
"How much, Lissah, do you want to bet we'll be interrupting my own funeral?"

[Dyste]

Valitora

Tyroth nodded, "Alright, I know the exact location so that should not be a problem." Picking a clear spot always made teleportation far easier to manage. "We can do it right now, just step outside..."

Foley would only have a brief glimpse of Dyste outside of Juvon's home. The air was quite clear, the sun shining down, and the sky a bright blue. Being mostly in a residential area of the city, most of the other buildings around them were homes, rather old in design but well-kept, with a vivid array of colours. At least one place had a flag of a country that didn't appear to be Dyste's (since Juvon had explained the national colours were Blacka and Gold, and this flag was predominantly blue). Perhaps an embassy of some sort? The people walking around were mainly Draconids of other colours, such as blue, silver, and purple, with those other beings they called 'kobolds' also walking. There was a woman who appeared human at first glance, but her ears were pointed outwards.

"Well, Your Majesty," Lissah remarked to Foley as Tyroth was setting up the teleportation circle, "I guess we should get you back before they mourn for you too much. You haven't been gone that long, admittedly, but since you're the ruler of your nation, they probably have not wasted any time."

Tyroth made the circle to fit himself, Lissah, Juvon, his parents, and of course Foley (Kel was not joining them, being more concerned with national security rather than the king's personal one). "Well, I guess this is it," Juvon said, "I will still have to visit Dyste to complete my magic tutoring, but if this goes like you planned, I will be a Columbian. Seems so sudden, but sometimes the biggest like changes are..." as he spoke, Tyroth spoke the spell chant, whisking them away from Dyste to Foley's homeland.

[New United States of Columbia]

Valitora

Foley gave an odd look to the humanish woman but payed no mind to the other Draconids. He wanted to say something to Juvon to comfort him on, what he figured the adolescent felt, his nervousness but was quickly silenced by them teleporting back to Columbia.

Royal Palace Ruins

Foley fell to one knee and gasped, feeling the pressure on his lungs decrease significantly. As he got back to his feet he looked around.
The carnage was magnificent in it's lack of side picking. Blacked husks of once powerful IFVs littered the palace lawn and he saw the scorched and partially collapsed gothic style marble palace look back at him. The sky, however, was black as night. Apparently Dyste and the Columbian East Coast were in two radically different time zones.
Before Foley could remark on the destruction of the coup, however, the ringing of Church bells greeted the six individuals.
"Oh crap!" Foley shouted as he started running "Follow me!"

Arlington Cemetary

Foley was rapidly depleted of energy by the time he finished running there. He checked behind him and saw that, while lagging behind him slightly, the Orcess and Draconids had managed to keep up with him.
"Left face!" A voice called from the Cemetary.
Foley's attention quickly returned to the infinite rows of white crosses. He recognized that voice. It was Gladium.
"Present arms!"
Foley ran into the Cemetary and, sure enough, seven guards in dress uniforms, Gladium in his own dress uniform, Adina, Titus (The crown prince and heir to the throne), Abigale, Samantha Foley, and the twelve year old Bradley Foley, all in black, greeted his sight.
Foley knew what to do. They hadn't spotted him or his very conspicuous friends yet. He took a few steps forward and barked a command to his guards.
"Guardsmen!" He bellowed "About face!"
Acting on training and instinct Gladium and the guards face him. Their eyes bulged upon seeing him.
"FOLEY!" Gladium shouted in surprise "You're... You're ALIVE!"
His family, on the other hand, just ran up to see him. He was soon tackled by them and was in a tight hug.

[Dyste]

Royal Palace Ruins

The Draconids and Lissah took the teleportation far better, having been used to the sensation (even Juvon, who had been teleported by other people before). It gave them enough time to look over the remains of the palace; Tyroth admittedly didn't know how old the structure was, but he was rather saddened by the loss of it, it was a fine palace. But before they were able to do anything else, they too heard the church bells. While they were not aware what it meant, evidently King Foley knew, and he was rushing in that direction. Draconids were not as fast on their feet, and with her armor on Lissah simply couldn't run as fast, but they did manage to follow behind, albeit lagging behind.

Arlington Cemetary

When they reached the cemetery, the Dystans were briefly confused over the white crosses, but they mostly guessed they were markings of the graves. Either way, it seemed they were interrupting Foley's own funeral. Juvon was about to shout to gain their attention, but Foley had a better idea for that.

Regardless of any differences in culture, the family's reaction to seeing the king alive was very much something the Dystans understood. Juvon looked to his own parents, and hugged them, which they reciprocated. Tyroth, meanwhile, was just reminded of a time when he had been out on a dangerous adventure, and got a similar reaction from his own family afterwards. They could resolve their business here in a bit, but for now, they'd let the Foleys enjoy their reunion.

[New United States of Columbia]

Arlington Cemetary

"How'd you survive!?" Titus shouted in surprise and confusion as the family finally got to their feet. "It'd be a miracle to survive ground zero of one nuke! Let alone sixteen! How did you do it?"
Foley looked over at Juvon. He then returned his attention to his family.
"He," the King gestured to Juvon, "saved my life. More than once, even."
He then looked at Abigale who, while very relieved to see her father was still alive, was more amazed at the likes of Tyroth and Lissah. He smirked, however, when he saw her cheeks and ears turn pink when she caught sight of Tyroth. He did, Foley noted, have an impressive figure. Even if he did have a bit of weight to go with it.
Gladium looked at Juvon.
"Quit stealing my job!" He jokingly shouted at Juvon.
The Foley's chuckled a bit or gave him a small grin.
For the next few hours, however, things weren't as joyful. The deathtoll was figured out, infrastructure was slowly being repaired, and the relief forces arrived and were tending to the wounded.

A few hours later, Paul and Adina discussed his plans for Juvon and Abigale, along with Tyroth and Lisa's rewards. Adina, at first, didn't agree in the slightest with Foley's idea to have Juvon, a foreigner, a commoner, a follower of false idols, and an alien in every biological manner, marry their eldest daughter. It took Foley pointing out that Juvon seemed to be a good man and was willing to convert before Adina gave her blessing. After he got that sorted out Foley wrote a letter to Tyroth requesting he, Lissah, and the Inferos stay for a few days so they could attend a reward ceremony meant for them. Naturally, since Washintong was in partial shambles and the radiation from the nuclear destruction of Fort Perry was slowly encroaching on the city, he also included five train tickets to New York City and directions to a place called the Madison Square Garden.

New York City, Madison Square Garden

Several days passed before the ceremony happened. The guards stood at attention near the small set of stairs leading onto the stage. A massive outpouring of citizens and reporters, for TV and radio, turned up as well. No expense was spared and would've made most party planners spontaneously combust if they saw the price tag. Mostly for the clothing that Foley had custom tailored for the Draconid and Orcess' frame.
Columbian flags and banners hung from the ceiling and decorated the walls. The finest speakers were used to play the entrance music as well as let even the furthest back citizen hear Foley's speech, and much effort went into installing two large screens loaned from Nova Capile that broadcast in color, allowing those who were far from the stage to see what was happening quite clearly. The Foley's were in their regalia and seemed to have relaxed for once after days of planning and working.
"They just better wear what we gave them. Cost two fortunes to get them tailored." Foley muttered to himself.

Gladium, however, was far from calm. He was pacing in the blue carpeted lobby, irritated and sour. He muttered several choice words under his breath as he kept glancing up at the entrance.
"What's taking them so long! They should've been here about ten minutes ago!"
When Tyroth, Juvon, Lissah, Hylam, and Kyra finally arrived Gladium gave them all sour looks.
"About time! The ceremony started roughly fifteen minutes ago! But forget excuses or apologies we need to get your hides in there pronto!"
With that he quickly turned on his heel and opened the doors.

Bravura was playing loudly over the speakers as thousands or hundreds of thousands stood and applauded the arriving foreigners. As they approached the steps of the stage the guards gave a quick salute to Tyroth and bowed their heads in respect to Juvon. It appeared they knew what was going to happen.
Foley began his speech.
"Citizens! Loyal subjects of the crown! Today is a grand day for Columbia! And today shall be an even grander day in Dyste! For today we give recognition and gratitude to these people who came from a land far away from ours. A land where we would be considered as strange and alien to them as they are to us. And yet, in spite of this, in spite of our differences and in spite of our disagreements, they risked their lives repeatedly during the coup. They risked their lives several times to protect the Royal Family. They fought side by side with the Royal Guard. Because of this I wish to present these gifts in hopes that they show the gratitude we owe them."
As the crowd applauded Foley motioned for Tyroth to get on stage. When he did so he presented his first gift.
"To King Tyroth-"
The crowd collectively gasped upon hearing a foreign King had risked his life for the Columbian King.
"I present this specially minted coin that marks this important and, perhaps, historical day for both our nations. And I also wish to present this letter that shall announce the official construction of a Dystian embassy in the new capitol, Omaha Nebraska, to further cooperation and friendship between both our nations."
As Tyroth descended the steps the crowd applauded. Unbeknownst to the crowd or the Draconids was that Foley had also included a letter personally thanking Tyroth and co. for their protection and also requesting permission to visit Dyste someday when Juvon can legally marry Abigail.
As Foley motioned for Lissah to ascend the steps a guardsman in power armor appeared from offstage carrying a long wooden box.
"To Lissah I present a ceremonial battle axe made of only the finest gold and gems found in all of Columbia. May it serve as a reminder of the respect you've earned from both the Royal Family and the Royal Guard."
The soldier opened the box and pulled out a long battle axe that, indeed, was made of gold (or a tough metal that was then covered with gold) with a polished oak handle that was encrusted with many fine gems and diamonds. It also noted that the center of the the battle axe's blade had a large jade stone inserted into it. The guardsman handed the axe to Lissah and then, to the surprise of everyone except the Foley's and Royal Guard, saluted her. The other guards, and Gladium, saluted her as the crowd applauded her descent. Foley then motioned for Juvon, Kyra, and Hylam to join him onstage.
After they climbed the steps the King waited several moments before he announced the last, and greatest, gift. He leaned his head back slightly to look Juvon in the eyes as he spoke, clearly speaking to Juvon and not to the crowd.
"To Juvon Infernos, my friend, my protector, and one of my greatest companions, I give what is, perhaps, the greatest gift of them all. A gift that cannot be weighed in gold or silver. A gift that cannot be corroded, warped, or destroyed by time. To Juvon I give my blessing in taking my daughter's hand in marriage."
He then took a step back as green eyed Abigale slowly approached the eight foot tall Fire Draconid. For several moments nothing happened as she nervously looked him over. She then did the unthinkable:

She looked disgusted at Juvon.
"No."
Foley and the crowd gasped. Paul gaped, sputtered, and stared.
"I won't marry that... thing. Honestly, do you just expect me to obey your every whim!" She raised her voice, slowly escalating to a shout. "Because if so, then you're wrong! I'm not your puppet! I'll make my own decisions, and I'm not going to commit myself to marrying some disgusting creature just because he saved your life! YOU'RE NO KING! YOU'RE A TYRANT!"
She then stormed off while Adina and Samantha gave chase, shouting at her. Foley was left standing awkwardly. He looked embarrassed. He then scowled and looked pissed.
"I'll strike the fear of God into her when I find her." He growled to himself.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Madison Square Garden, New York City

---

Ambassador Heinrich van Winkle glanced down at his gold-plated watch. The ceremony would begin in minutes. He smiled at the low-ranking Count and Countess who'd been chatting him up and excused himself, weaving through the thick crowd as they looked wistfully after him. Rare that they got to talk to someone foreign and powerful, he thought. Glass of champagne in hand, Heinrich ascended the carpeted spiral staircase to the upper box, where the Dukes and members of High King Foley's cabinet would be watching the award ceremony. A guard in liveried power-armor barred his way. Smiling at the soldier, van Winkle reached into his breast pocket and pulled out an identification card. "Heinrich van Winkle, Ambassador to Columbia."

The man started in his heavy suit, and immediately stepped aside. "Enjoy the ceremony, Ambassador." Van Winkle moved forward into the box. A long mahogany table had been set up, behind which were seated various men, most of them with flashy uniforms and pompous mustaches in various styles. Before them was laid out a large feast; a fat roasted pig, a shiny plump apple in its mouth, lay in the center of the table, around which were numerous mouth-watering side dishes. A man, sitting near the center of the table, turned around at Heinrich's heavy footsteps. He wore a splendid ivory uniform, bedecked with metals and crossed by a blue sash. The clothes fit his thin, tall frame perfectly. A monocle was inset in his left eye, above which sat his raven-black hair, wavy and curled into a popular hairstyle among the nobles of Columbia.

His eyes were a piercing blue, and his features chiseled and handsome. He was a good-looking fellow, although he had to be in his late forties and wrinkles were setting in around his forehead, the result of many years of hard, stressful work. The Ambassador could recognize him anywhere; he was of course the Duke of New England, arguably one of the most powerful positions in Columbia next to the King's. A smile crossed over the noble's face and he stood up, beaming. "Heinrich!" His voice was loud and clear, surprisingly free of the stereotypical accents of the region he governed. "I was told you were to arrive!" Turning to the bemused occupants of the table, he introduced van Winkle. "This is the new Capilean ambassador. We met just a few days ago, when he was appointed. He is a good man, a good man!"

Heinrich was invited to sit beside the Duke, and he noticed that a large number of chairs, made out of gold or something like it, were reserved and lay empty. Upon inquiry, he discovered that these were for the Royal Family and their guests upon the conclusion of the ceremony. Taking small bites of the excellent pork and making small talk with the Duke and his friends, van Winkle waited out the start of the event. Finally the patriotic fanfare ceased and the buzz from the thousands of common people below ceased. A number of men pulled out their jeweled opera glasses, raising them to their brows and chattering excitedly.

Finally the High King appeared. Carefully concealing the disgust and revulsion he felt as the Draconids were given special tokens by the Columbian monarch, the Ambassador maintained a facade in a pleasant smile. Finally only one of the beasts had yet to be honored. "To Juvon Infernos," the High King boomed,
"my friend, my protector, and one of my greatest companions, I give what is, perhaps, the greatest gift of them all. A gift that cannot be weighed in gold or silver. A gift that cannot be corroded, warped, or destroyed by time. To Juvon I give my blessing in taking my daughter's hand in marriage." Here Heinrich could not hide his true feelings. His heart raced and color flooded his face. He could see the other men, who had just a moment ago been applauding, squirm in confusion and anger.

And then Foley's brat threw a fit, bless her heart. A terrible rant. And a small, wicked smile curled around Heinrich's face as she refused to marry a demon. Abigale finally went off in a huff, her mother and sister running after her. The Ambassador let out a cruel, sinister laugh as he saw Foley, angry and confused and defeated all at once, dumbfounded in the stage. Murmurings in the crowd turned to shouts, and soon power-armored troops were driving away mobs of angry citizens. Angry at what? It was hard to say, but from what Heinrich had gouged from his time in Columbia, he had a pretty fair guess. Turning to the Duke, he commented; "Good, say I. I would hate to see a royal mate with one of those beasts. Can you imagine, infidel brats in line for the throne?"

The Duke's expression hardened. "No I cannot. And I believe that I and a good many of my friends will have to have talk with Foley, and ask him what the hell he thinks he is doing!" Leaving the box, Heinrich smiled. "Oh, the King is in for a good many surprises. A good many."

[Dyste]

New York City, Madison Square Garden

When Foley mentioned the idea of a rewards ceremony, the Dystans expected maybe a small-scale ceremony in whatever would be the King's residence for the time being. They certainly did not expect a full-on ceremony at what appeared to be one of the largest arenas in this nation. Either way, they were not sure exactly what Foley intended, but regardless, it seemed that they were finally going to be treated like honoured guests.

Lissah was fitting on the dress that had been made for her, "Hm, I think this one's much better than that one I was forced to wear the last time. Still would rather be in my armor, but I guess sometimes you gotta do things for the local dignitaries. Isn't that right, Your Majesty?"

Tyroth, for his part, was wearing some noble's fashion that Foley insisted was perfect for his rank and body type, but he was hardly happy about it, "Ugh, I hate clothing, so uncomfortable. I do not know how they manage to wear these for days on end. At least they finally understood that Draconid feet are not suited for footwear." He noticed the Infernos family, with Hylam wearing a suit, Kyra a dress not quite like Lissah's but of a similar style, and Juvon... honestly, some of it looked a little like Foley's own dress, though less regal. "If you are all ready, we are running a bit late, so I suggest we get going."

After a short trek, they reached the lobby, where they encountered Gladium, "My apologies, but getting dressed is rather hard when you do not do it very often," Tyroth said to the soldier, but it seemed he wasn't accepting of reasons, just that they could get to the ceremony.

Walking down to the stage, they could see just how many people had come to see them. Tyroth and Lissah were used to larger crowds of people and being the first of their kind other nations had seen, so they were not worried, but for Juvon, it was almost overwhelming, even more than that first time he found himself in this land. He wondered how Delano was doing after all this time; hopefully he didn't cause them too much grief. As for both his parents, they had the stoic face most of their kind had, but on the inside they were as nervous as their son.

Tyroth was the first to receive his gift; a nice symbol of their hopeful strong ties in the future. "I accept your gift graciously, Your Majesty. May your life be blessed with longevity and good fortune." He would only get a chance later to see the other letter, but he did appreciate the gratitude and did indeed want Foley to visit his land in the future. As for the Embassy, well, he already had an idea there...

Lissah was next, stepping up to receive a glamorous ceremonial axe. While she of course preferred her beloved Tarvos, this was a trophy rivaling her best treasures from her adventuring days. She returned the salute to the guardsman, and to the others, including Gladium. "Your troops are well-trained," she said softly as she passed him, "Some knights back home could learn a thing or two from that." Not the least of which was Tyroth's own eldest daughter, a fact that she wisely chose to keep to herself.

Finally, Juvon stepped up and bowed to the King, his parents following suit. "I accept your generous offer, Sire," the young Fire Draconid replied, "If she would have me..." he turned around to see Abigale, in which he tried his best to smile without it looking menacing or nervous. Those few moments when the princess looked him over seemed to last for hours in his mind, and when she gave her reaction, he did not fly into a rage, or bawl, but rather lowered his head in sadness. "I... suppose I am not good enough for her..."

"Listen, Juvon," Tyroth spoke to his subject, "You cannot expect her to suddenly fall in love with you the moment she meets you. Do you think I got Sarisa to marry me from our first meeting? These things take time, and you should have the patience to work through it." He turned to Foley and bowed his head, "For now, this is where my role in this ends. I need to get going back to Dyste soon enough, but I shall keep in contact with my new ambassador," he patted Hylam on the back; to him, it made sense to have Juvon's father take the role, as he was already connected to the Royal Family, and the status of an ambassador's son might give Juvon the prestige he might need to convince some people. Of course, Hylam had no experience in this sort of work, but that is why he would get training and a few advisors with actual experience. "Again, young Juvon, just give her some time to think about this, she might end up liking you in the end."

Juvon appreciated the king's encouragement, but he wasn't as optimistic. "Well, Your Majesty," he spoke to Foley, "Regardless of anything, looks like I am here to stay for the time being. If you need me for anything, I will do what is in my power to aid you. Just... please let me learn how to properly teleport before he do anything like that again!" He let out a laugh; while he was still upset over Abigale's rejection, he would at least be able to be the best friend and companion to Foley he could be.

[New United States of Columbia]

Madison Square Garden, New York City

Foley nodded upon hearing Tyroth and Lissah having to leave. He watched them depart and then looked at the Infernos family.
"Juvon, if you wish, your family may stay with us while the embassy is being built. I just hope things go better than how they have been recently."
With that said and the potentially angry mob dispersed by power armor troops Foley , Titus, and Bradley left for their convoy which would take them to their compound where they'd stay till the new palace was built. An hour later Adina and Samantha returned with Abigale. After Foley punished her the princess agreed to at least attempt to be friendly with Juvon and apologized for making a fool of her father all over Columbia. To Foley things seemed to finally be turning around.

Unfortunately Foley's luck was about to change...

Undisclosed Location, Appalachia

The radio in the room Schwann and co. we're meeting in remotely switched on. A voice spoke to them.
"You do not not know who I am and you will not ask for my identity. All you need to know is that I wish to see Foley and his fuck-buddy Juvon disposed of. I will assist you in any way I can. Together we will liberate Columbia from these servants of tyranny. You have my permission to do what you believe is necessary to dispose of this so-called 'King'. Hail Columbia."
And with that the radio switched off.

U.S.S. Manifest Destiny

The large aircraft carrier swam through the Atlantic Ocean silently, displacing thousands of tons of water in it's wake. Inside the mighty giant of a ship sailors, soldiers, and hired guns went about this way and that busy in a bee-like manner. One Columbian military officer adjusted his cap so that it wasn't crooked, his brown dress shoes clicking with every step.
He turned the large handle and saw President Hancock speaking to someone on a radio . The officer shut the massive metal door behind him and stood at attention.
"Mr. President, I'm here to report that the coup-"
"Yes, yes, I know." The president said with a dismissive hand-wave.
The officer stayed standing at attention.
"Dismissed." Hancock barked as he looked at a small black-and-white television.
The officer left.
Hancock looked at the grainy footage and curled a sinister smile.
"You, my scaley friend, will be most helpful in disposing of Foley."
The "friend" he was speaking to was Juvon.