Cinyroite Septuagennial (IC/Meillur-Only)

[Ryurik Rossiya]

Loudovíkos couldn’t help but smile a bit at Sara. The way that their marriage had evolved over the decades was one of unique understanding of one another. Despite her words, Loudovíkos knew that whilst love existed between them, it was that type of love that came in its own strange sort of way, rather than the beautiful blooming love that his son represented. And yet, that comforted Loudovíkos all the same. He found that in his old age he preferred Sara’s brand of love.

“Thank you darling.” He sighed, “still, I should have at least gotten the chocolate fountain. But I digress.”

Enríkos smiled tightly at the Grand Duchess’ suggestion. He had no desire to have a ‘family meeting’ as Catherine had suggested. He loved his parents, he really did, but his dad was old and doddering and his mother was either controlling or reprimanding him, and not to mention she was a total buzzkill. Plus he didn’t think they’d ever truly forgiven him for locking them away in the palace—never mind the fact that they had kept him locked up in that dress glittering cage for eighteen years—and he didn’t wish to talk to them.

Thus as he searched for an excuse not to go, Enríkos spotted the perfect fit. The Chancellor of the Russen Empire had just slipped inside and was barreling towards him like a very dark, very handsome devil. A mischievous smile spread across Enríkos’ lips. He turned back to the Tsarina and the Grand Duchess, the smile turning apologetic.

“You go ahead without me, I shall catch up with you later” Enríkos said, gesturing to Magenta, who had been standing there quietly as the monarchs talked. “Just follow Magenta. Magenta, take them over the former king and queen.”

Magenta gave a flourishing bow, “Yes Your Majesty,” then turned to the two Catherines, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, please follow me.” As the majordomo lead the two away, Enríkos turned to look up at the Chancellor.

A little sense of disappointment rushed through Tsarina Catherine's emotions at the sight of Enrikos's courteous decline. However, she would never let that prevent her from anything. As the two followed the majordomo down the path, the Grand Duchess held her fiancee's arm tightly, showing clear interest on how she would be accepted by the tsarina's "mother".

"Mother, I'm glad to see you!", lauded Catherine upon being in a hearing distance with the queen emerita of Cinyras. "This is my fiancee, Catherine", elegantly, the Grand Duchess quickly curtsied to the much older Sara as the pair came to a stop. "Your Majesty", simply remarked the Grand Duchess in a humble tone, her own heart beating with nervousness.

[Russlande]

Nukai couldn't help but be amused by Enríkos. There was for a flicker of whatever it was that kept so many enamored with him. There was a certain charm, in small doses to his utterly unique personality. It reminded Nukai somewhat of a chihuahua with bright blue eyes, directing orders at hounds. He wanted just a bit to see his face when he saw his gift, though he suspected he knew exactly how the king would respond. He hadn't gotten this far without having a good sense of how the flies in his web would react to his actions. Nonetheless that didn't mean that the Grand Duke couldn't at least take some pleasure in his interactions with Enríkos. As the King of Cinyras tapped the box's top, the Chancellor of the Russen Empire chuckled darkly, taking a step back from the shorter monarch and waved his hand towards the box, bowing his head.

"Why don't you open it and see for yourself?" Nukai offered softly in response, leaving the gift's nature a surprise for Enríkos to unwrap and discover on his own.

[Cinyras]

Enríkos raised an excited eyebrow and peered delightedly at the box. What sort of gift would the Russen Chancellor present him with, especially if it had the capability of making Nukai smile? Enríkos wasn't sure if he had ever seen Nukai anything more than passively observant or pleasantly neutral. Perhaps beneath the dark, somewhat terrifying razor-sharp shell, there was a bit of softness that Enríkos could finally peek through to see.

As the King of Cinyras was reaching to lift the ornate box's lid, his father, the former monarch, choked slightly as the Tsarina of Ryurik Rossiya came over to him and his wife. It wasn't that Loudovíkos was surprised by being approached by a fellow monarch, albeit one of them reigning and the other not, though it didn't help to remind him that this virtual child was more powerful in her position than he was. No, what shocked by the little Tsarina's words. She had rushed up to Sara, his wife, and called her mother with such comfort. And then there was the startling fact that the Tsarina did look so much like Sara, back when she had been a young princess who Loudovíkos had fallen for whilst searching for a bride. He blinked in shock, looking at his wife in confusion.

He leaned close to Sara, hold up his hand to cover his lips as he spoke to his wife with confusion clear in his voice. "Darling, do forgive me, I know that I have never been the most attentive father, but uh, I don't remember us having," Loudovíkos paused and counted on his fingers, listing mentally all of his children, at least that he knew of, stopping at four, and then raising a thumb, "having a second daughter."

Whilst the former king tried to figure out if he had completely forgotten about a fifth child of his, the King's Muses, the band that played music, turned their attention to the princess, who looked slightly intoxicated. The band, comprised of five members who owned much of their success with the royal court for their aesthetic as well as their skills with music, looked at one another and shrugged. King Enríkos was bound to want a change in tone to meet with his more party attitude at some point in the evening anyway, so what was the harm. One of the members gave Kitti a friendly nodded and they switched songs to fit her request.

Enríkos lifted the heavy lid of the box up, revealing the contents of the beautiful container to his cerulean eyes. The king of Cinyras felt his eyes adjust to the darkness retreating to the corners. His eyes so like the ocean that lapped against the cliffs of Nikosia widen in horror, a lump forming in his throat. Enríkos jerked back, a shriek leaving his lips just as the music changed, thankfully drowning out the sound of the king's horror. He recoiled from the box as if it made of acid, taking a further step back as he looked up at Nukai. A cold shiver rolled up and down the length of Enríkos' spine. That had amused him? Nukai never ceased to surprise him.

"Is-is, that..." Enríkos stammered, unable to get the words out. He shook his head and looked back at Nukai, horror giving way to dumbfoundment. "How, how did you get that?"

[Les Etats Connuriste]

All this was making the Emperor of Connuriste feel young again, and he was loving it. Flirtatious giggles and invitations to dance was indeed a reminder of his youth, and of course, given his dance partner was at least a decade younger than him (if not almost certainly two decades), it was not an odd feeling for Connor II to have. Indeed, he had a history of liking women younger than him, what with his relationship with Angelette - even his recent interest in Antoinette could be used as evidence to support such a claim, given that he was over a decade senior to the former Queen of Beliany. For a moment, he wondered if it was perhaps something that ran in the family, there had been almost a decade between his parents, after all. It was however not something he was going to dwell on right at this moment, considering the beauty who was leading him by the hand towards the band. The Emperor had always had an active mind, ever swirling with different thoughts, but he was doing a stellar job of dismissing them all as quickly as he could, feeling the need to give Kitti his complete and undivided attention.

In the knowledge that indeed they were going to dance, he tossed back the remainder of his drink, for proper dancing required two hands. It was fortunate then, that by the time Kitti hungrily placed his hands on her hips - which she then moved enticingly - that it was only an empty glass that fell to the floor. The Emperor had always been fond of women who weren't afraid to take the lead in a situation, as she was doing so right now by persuading the band to play something more appropriate. Such a fact would not have been surprising to many people who knew him, though perhaps the fact that Connor II had once upon a time been quite the competent dance partner may have been a little bit more unexpected. When he had been a teenager, he had spent many hours every week being tutored in the art of it, and whilst it felt like a lifetime ago, he remembered being that young Prince, the only one who could continue the Pearson bloodline. At its core, dancing with a partner was an act of physical intimacy, and better yet, one that could be done in public. He had even maintained a few lessons here and there into his twenties and thirties, one of the activities he had gotten up to whenever Charlotte had made herself scarce for weeks or months at a time. For a short time he had even preferred dance over listening to music, which he was relatively well known for given his backing for many musical projects, and indeed the constant support behind his eldest daughter. Whilst he might be a little bit rusty at first, he had experience to fall back on - and given half the battle would be finding and getting into the rhythm, he was relatively confident that he would make no fool of himself.

[Polonge]

Queen Sara, clasped her hands in front of her and smiled brightly at the young coupled pair. Sara had found Catherine absolutely delightful from the first time they’d met, and she found their relationship positively refreshing. Especially considering how her two blood children complained that they felt she was suffocating for some unknown reason. Sara pauses slightly to glare at her husband, but otherwise ignored his whispered concerns.

“I am so happy to see you as well my darling.”

The queen emerita looked to the Grand Duchess and waved her hand, trying to show that she need not be so nervous, it was clear in her curtsy. Sara did however approve of the fact that the woman who had captured the Tsarina’s heart knew what sort of world of etiquette she was stepping into.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you Catherine. I have heard so much about you.”

[Ryurik Rossiya]

Surely enough, the tsarina Catherine couldn't be more relieved at those words of comfort as she quickly went to hug her beloved "mother" tightly. At the same time, the Grand Duchess finished a quick curtsy to the former king of Cinyras.

Once Catherine broke her embrace, she swiftly allowed her fiancee to take the lead in talking, as she wanted her to integrate better into the royal society. "Your Majesty, if I may ask, how did you and my fiancee met, exactly?", asked her.

[Russlande]

Nukai smiled, pleased by the horror in Enríkos’ eyes. Nukai was not a sadistic person, at least he had never considered himself one. He didn’t get any pleasure from hurting people, though he certainly hurt a lot of people. And there had been a few people he’d enjoyed hurting. But that was because they’d deserved it. So why was be pleased by the utter shock in Enrikos’s gaze at him?

Perhaps Nukai had grown to comfortable with treating monarchs as things to be used and manipulated, enjoyed and then tossed aside. Perhaps all the splendeur and reverence that so many had for men and women had finally been entirely stripped away from his being, and he enjoyed the act of putting a king on edge. What man could resist flex a bit of power? Nothing was quite as people with everything realizing how they easily it could be taken away.

Nukai rolled his shoulders and stepped forward, firmly closing the lid of the box with the palm of his hand.

“Yes, it is,” Nukai said softly, his deep voice cutting through the music to the Cinyroite monarch’s ears. He spoke, confirming what Enríkos had clearly already put together. The king really wasn’t just a pretty face. He was smarter than he let own. That was what made him tolerable. “As for how?” Nukai shrugged dismissively. “It was easy. The She-Wolf’s intelligence system, is... most valuable when aligned with my skills,” Nukai picked up Enríkos’ hand and kissed it again, “and your vision Your Magnificence.”

[Cinyras]

This time, there was resisting the instinct to recoil from Nukai. He snatched his had way, pulling off the Russen Chancellor’s glove. Enríkos stepped back. He didn’t wish to be within reach of Nukai. He suddenly wished that he had not sent Christianós away. Enríkos doubted Nukai would hurt him. Whatever existed between them, whether it be an acquaintanceship or friendship, or a united vision for the world... it meant that Nukai had no reason to hurt him.

Still. That didn’t lessen the fear in Enríkos. Nor the jealousy. Nukai accomplished so much so easily, so efficiently, so secretly, it terrified and awed Enríkos. Terrified him that he would never truly know all that Nukai was capable. Awed that he was so capable. And jealous that it was not him with such accomplishments. He was the king here. These should be his victories, glory that should go to him.

The last bit of Nukai’s statement ringed in his head. Flattery could get one far with Enríkos. And Nukai seemed to be a master of that. When he wanted to be at least. Perhaps that made it more valuable to Enríkos. He knew Nukai wasn’t exactly a butterfly resting on the palm of anyone. But he did so with him. Naturally of course. Clearly Nukai recognized greatness. No, not greatness. What had he said? Magnificence. Enríkos liked that.

Wait, Enríkos thought. He couldn’t get distracted. Nukai had delivered his... gift, and that was gone. It was for the best. Even if it was horrific. Enríkos could have another parade. And he liked this ‘Your Magnificence’ title. But that hadn’t been his true concern. He squeezed the glove in his hand in a tight fist and stared up into Nukai’s eyes. Nukai was a good friend to have, but he had to make sure he knew his place. This was Enríkos’ version.

“That’s not what I meant. I mean how did you get,” he nodded at the box, that in here?”

The Guards should have never let that box and it contents aboard. The guests had been searched. So how had Nukai managed to get that... thing past them?

[Russlande]

Nukai closed his bare fingers into a fist, his glacial blue eyes narrowing for a flicker of a second before he relaxed his face and uncurled his fingers. Ah. He had overstepped. Nukai needed to pivot. It seemed that the little sun god had started to show his solar flares. Best not to let his attitude get to fiery, and to not tease him too much. What was one of those myths that Enríkos liked so much, Icarus was it? One should never fly too close to the sun.

Retreating mentally, glancing at the glove in Enríkos’ hand. He had offended. A thought and a statement that was true for the both of them. He had to hold up the mirror. Unfortunately that meant that he had to be careful with his words. And he couldn’t tell the truth. The King of Cinyras might be offended that Nukai could exert so much influence over his guards, after all Nukai had close ties with the people who actually paid them.

Perhaps he could tell part of the truth. The best lies had a kernel of truth at their hearts. Getting the guards to let him get through without confiscating the box had been easy. Nukai circled the top of the box with his finger. “Your Magnificence, your guards are so blessed to be so near your radiance, they are the finest trained I’ve ever seen. They were wise enough to assess me and recognize that this box contained only what could aid you.”

Nukai looked away from Enríkos towards the observation window overlooking the planet. The cradle of human civilization on the galactic scale. Several nations had empires with dozens of planets the size of earth. They were worthless rocks floating in the void. But this was Earth. The heart of the world. “And it can aid you my king. With this...” Nukai tapped the box and looked sadly at it.

“It shall win you Polonge.” Or at least get his foot in the door. Nukai could handle the rest. He lowered his voice, thankful for the music to drown out their conversation. “Since you wish to avoid my methods used on the Nysaian monarchs on your dear cousin.”

[Cinyras]

Enríkos looked down at the floor, his lower lip pouting slightly. He hated when others were right. But his dreams and aspirations required people like Nukai to come into fruition and he had a good point. Enríkos had faced difficulty with dealing with Polonge, especially with their zealous empress. But it wasn’t as if he could ignore them, or her. Enríkos glanced back to the box. Yes. That would do well to temper Maria Christina’s position.

A small chuckle bloomed and then died in the Cinyroite king’s throat. He had heard that the Polongain empress thought he was the Antichrist and his kingdom a modern Sodom and Gomorrah. Enríkos didn’t mind. Sodomites had more fun. But Nukai. He could only image if the zealous empress met him. The real him. She’d probably have a heart attack, and then Enríkos would need to use what was in that box.

“Nukai, I would prefer it if in the future,” Enrikos said, “you never, ever present with a gift like that again. A nice card will do.” He crossed his arms. “Would you please get rid of that thing. Get it to Bledapestra if you can, do what you will to continue along with the plan. I just want it out of here. It doesn’t fit with my sense of decor. Next time,” Enríkos chuckled slightly, “steal a crown jewel.”

Enríkos lowered his arms. “You did well in Nysa. I am almost jealous. Perhaps next time I can join you and we can make a date of it.” Enríkos winked at him. He then grew serious, glaring at the chancellor. He tossed Nukai’s glove, sending it sailing across the room. The glover fluttered through a holographic light before landing on the ground. He stormed away. “But even I know that I can’t extirpate everyone who stands in my way.”

[Russlande]

Nukai smiled as the king marched away. The moment Enríkos was past him though it fell from his lips. He scowled slightly. He had indeed misstepped, but he had, and he could recover. In fact the idea of bringing Enríkos along a slaughter of monarchs, like a field trip or being your kid to work day amused him. As did the idea of stealing a few Crown Jewels. But that would be for another day. It was the last few words of Enríkos that echoed in his mind. He bowed his head, “Of course, Your Magnificence,” Nukai said softly to himself, “you can’t.”

Nukai turned his attention to his aides and waved his hand, silently ordering them to take the box and it’s dark contents away. He would have it sent to Maria Christina as a... dramatic conversation starter. As the aides curtsied and retreated, Nukai turned to the other side of the room and walked off into the other side of the observation deck. Nukai twisted through the crowd, skirting the edge of the dance floor as he looked for his glove.

[Polonge]

Queen Sara smiled, squeezing Tsarina Catherine’s hand slightly in a motherly affectionate manner. She looked over at the Grand Duchess as she once again took the lead in the conversation between the two. They reminded her a bit of Adeline and Daphne’s relationship.

“Oh it was at my husband’s Silver Jubilee. It was a few years ago, but I remember it being a lovely occasion. As you might have guessed, people had a tendency to point out how similar we look. Though I fear age has wore away some of my beauty, though Catherine still possesses it in spades.”

---

Whilst the queen emerita of Cinyras spoke with her “daughter” and her fiancée, Kitti found herself pulling the Emperor of Connuriste into the dance floor, giggling as she grabbed his hand and spun herself. She giggled as she threw herself into dancing.

“Come relax, you must never get such a chance to.”

---

Something dark fluttered in the corner of her eye. She pulled her attention away from Kitti and Connor, who’d shed been watching like a vulture circling as she paced and weaved her way around the edges of the room, hiding in the shadows of clusters of gathered Cinyroite nobles. As she turned in the direction of the glittering object she noticed her cousin storming off. Good. Best of Enríkos never noticed her tonight. She looked down and saw a black glove laying on the floor. Adrienna stepped towards it, and cocked her head to side, gazing down upon it.

[Ryurik Rossiya]

Grand Duchess Catherine couldn't help but smile at such lovely affection between the two. Besides, she knew well her fiancee's backstory of losing a mother at a dire age that it eventually brought her to where they are now.

She could clearly imagine in a sense of way of how the former queen used to look in her past years, plus, she herself had been told of the former queen by the tsarina. While she listened on to Sara's explanations, she took a couple of seconds in giving a light peck on the tsarina's right cheek as a sense of appreciation before refocusing her attention. "Well Your Majesty, what's certain is that you're a good mother to this lovely girl", complimented the Grand Duchess as the tsarina, whose eyes stood beaming at the sight of such compliment.

The change itself had been undeniably drastic, for the young tsarina once wept her little tears on the then queen consort's shoulders, and the latter's look had been different. But yet, she is still the same Sara that Catherine V proudly "paraded" as her mother, seemingly overshadowing her biological mother who was also loving to her only daughter and children, Catherine Alexeievna Ivanovich.