The Imperatorial Palace The Duchy of Haford Aragon, The Empire of Shalum
One could say what they wanted to about the royal house that oversaw the Empire, but one thing was for certain - they didn’t spare expenses. The palace from which the Hollands ruled had a large staff, one that was comprised of many skilled men and women. Award winning chefs, gardeners, diplomats, and even a small team of jewelers and tailors.
It was in the workshop of the latter group that the trio of Holland women found themselves at now. Various stands were set up in the main room, displaying many dresses and other articles of clothing to keep them occupied while several skilled haberdashers worked dutifully in the background. Over the last few weeks, they had been given a seemingly endless workload in preparation for the royal wedding, and today was undoubtedly the biggest of days aside from the ceremonies itself.
“How does everything fit, miss Katia?” A small, mousy woman by the name of Mia asked as she wrung her hands on the other side of the divider. Further away, the Imperatrix and her only daughter spoke softly, waiting patiently for the newest member of their family to emerge from.
“Amazing, Mia,” Katia’s voice came, ringing from behind the divider. She admired the handiwork of her tailor in the mirror that had been provided to her. She had chosen a more traditional Acrean shaya for the wedding over a dress, and despite what she assumed to be the relative unfamiliarity of the palace’s tailors with such clothing, they had done an indisputably phenomenal job.
The shaya was completely white. The kerala, the blouse, had longer sleeves, down to just under Katia’s elbows, and was cropped a short distance below her breasts as all kerala were. While the middle of the blouse was a simple, plain white with an inlaid white satin pattern barely visible, the sleeves were lace, with a gold satin trim along the ends of the sleeves. Rather than leaving her midriff bare, as was common with shaya, her midsection was sheathed in a sheer silk that seamlessly transitioned into the pavada, the skirt. It was of a much slimmer fit than pavada often were, and so followed Katia’s figure the whole way down to her feet. Around the hem and waist of the skirt was an inlaid pattern of golden lace, wrapping and twisting in intricate shapes that almost symbolised the essence of royalty.
The kashta, or sash, was similar to the skirt. It was thinner than most, and crossed Katia’s body from her waist and around her shoulder. It was a blend of the different design elements of the outfit, and was made of white lace embroidered onto the white silk, with similar patterns to those found on the skirt made of golden satin.
It was absolutely stunning.
Her hair had been put up into a crown braid, a mere imitation of what would be done on the day of the wedding, but it would suffice all the same. A thin circlet stood out atop her head. The centrepiece, positioned in the very centre of Katia’s forehead, was a bloomed rose, a single polished ruby embedded in the centre. The circlet itself was made to imitate vines, wrapping around and into her deep brunette hair, the gold shining in the light.
It was only after struggling to put on her shoes- simple white heels that would serve as a stand-in for her actual shoes for the day, that she finally stepped out from behind the divider.
There was a soft, audible sigh as the seamstress on the other side of the wall stilled for a moment, relief running through her veins as she reached up to run a hand through her thick brown locks. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she couldn’t help but grin as she watched the future crown princess emerge. “You look beautiful, your highness. All those weeks I spent on it were worth it, I hope.” She said with a small chuckle as she looked Katia up and down appraisingly. Though the bridesmaids’ dresses had been handled with proper machines, the bride’s shaya had been created by hand as per tradition.
“Oh my god!” Anna chirped from her place on the plush couch in the distance, a glass of wine in her hand as she gazed upon Katia. “You’re so beautiful!” She said happily, rising up to meet the inspect her wedding attire up close.
“Mia does phenomenal work, no?” Katia chuckled, glancing back to give her tailor a wide, bright smile. She stood completely straight, meeting Allison’s eye where her future mother-in-law sat on the plush couch, Anna had stood up from. Her attention returned to Anna. “My mother wore one for her wedding. I’d always swore that I would have my own one day. I don’t think it could have come out any better.”
“I spent far too many hours learning about every intricate detail and stitch, your highness. If you plan on renewing your vows, or heavens forbid getting remarried...I want an assistant. Or four.” The seamstress laughed as she picked up a small kit that she used for minor alterations. “I’ve got to touch up some things, you didn’t tell me that your friend Kaya is so...voluptuous,” she snickered, “so I’ve got to fix her dress. If you need me for anything, just call - and please, don’t get any wine on that. It's hard enough keeping it white as it is.”
Rolling her eyes at the seamstresses antics, the Imperatrix gracefully rose up from her seat. Padding towards the future crown princess, she smiled lovingly as she reached up to put a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t think it could have either. I’m sure she will be proud to see you like this. Her little girl getting married, I know I couldn’t be any more proud if Anna was getting married.” She smiled warmly.
“I can’t wait to see what Matthew thinks of it,” Anna mused before taking another sip of wine.
Allison’s smile and compliments caused Katia’s smile to become just that more bright. “I don’t know. His usual response to anything I wear the first time I ask is, ‘It looks amazing, babe’,” she joked. Of course, Matthew tended to be more eloquent, particularly with certain types of attire. Katia took one of Allison’s hands in her own.
“Think we should tell her now?” she questioned Allison, glancing between her and her daughter.
“Why am I not surprised?” The Imperatrix replied with a chuckle. Her son was a good man, he truly was, but he’d been a bit to handle in his youth. Only the Lord knew how many hearts he had broken in his younger years, long before he had ever met his bride-to-be. At times, he was the life of the party, and at others he was quiet and contemplative - a strange mix, but not unlike his father. Looking into Katia’s eyes, she just nodded and smiled as their fingers interlaced. “I don’t see why not, now is better than later.”
Anna looked between them, her blue eyes suspicious and golden browns furrowed as she took a long sip of her wine. “What are you two up to? Come on, out with it.”
Katia looked at Anna with a smile. Of anyone in the world, her future sister-in-law was someone she’d found that she could always trust and confide in, even when she had first been introduced to the family. When Matthew brought her home, they liked to say. “I hope you like the dress, because Mia’s should be about done working on your own, bridesmaid.”
It took a moment for the blonde princess to process what she had just heard, her mostly empty glass of red wine pausing in the air as her eyes widened in surprise. A half-second later, her lips curled into a grin as she hurriedly set her drink aside, only to throw her arms around her future sister-in-law. “OhmygodKatia!” The words ran together as she squealed loud enough to make her mother wince. “I get to be a bridesmaid?” She asked giddily, the notion of it having not apparently crossed her mind until now.
“Of course you do,” Katia laughed, stumbling back a bit from the force of Anna’s hug. She wrapped her arms around the blonde in turn, the excitement that Anna had evidently contagious by the smile on Katia’s lips.
“I made your mother promise to not tell you until we thought it was time. I don’t know how she held out,” Katia teased, glancing at Allison.
“Be careful girls, I don’t have time to fix any tears!” Mia called from somewhere in a back room, the amused eye roll clear by the inflection of her tone. Though she may not have been with them, it was almost as if she had a sixth sense about the whole thing.
Glancing between the two blondes, the Imperatrix just rolled her eyes. “Just because I’m the good one here doesn’t mean I can’t keep a secret or two, dear.” She winked at her daughter-in-law, crossing her arms underneath her chest. “Besides...I knew she would be like this.”
The princess just smiled and let go, almost reluctantly, looking chipper as ever as she ran an excited hand through her hair. “I honestly had no idea, Kat! I mean, I just thought you were going to have all your friends from back home be yours bridesmaids...I was just hoping you’d throw the bouquet my direction, at least.”
“Please, this wedding wouldn’t be complete with your beautiful face up there with me,” Katia replied. She kept her hands clasped in front of her, looking down at the outfit once again. It really was beautiful- the shaya always had been renowned for simply looking amazing, and it was no wonder that it was still the formal traditional dress back home. Anna’s, like the other bridesmaids’ dresses, would be remarkably similar to Katia’s, the only real difference being the replacement of the gold in the patterns with silver.
“Aww, I love you such much, Kat.” The princess practically purred, the affection in her eyes clear as day as she wrapped her arms around the the Acrean girl once more. Perhaps some of the the wine was talking, but she with the whole atmosphere of the impending wedding, it was hard not to be this happy. “I hope none of your friends got the boot because of me,” she added with a soft smile as she looked into Katia’s eyes.
Allison smiled and shook her head at their sweetness, before glancing to the door where Mia had exited from. “How long will it be until the bridesmaids dresses are ready?” She called out.
There was a ruffle of some fabric before the seamstress emerged, one of the shaya’s in hand. “I actually have the princess’s ready. I just need to finish up...one more and I will have the entire set done. You can try it on if you’d like,” the mousy woman offered with a smile.
“I’ve got nothing but time,” Anna chirped, “but I wouldn’t want to upstage our bride either.” She said as she looked at Katia again.
“Nonsense, nobody got booted. I just made more space,” Katia chuckled, taking the dress from Mia and practically shoving it into Anna’s arms- neatly shoved, of course- before she gave the girl a nudge towards the divider. “Go on, put it on. I guarantee that you’ll love it. And so will all the lovely bachelors.”
The princess smiled warmly and nodded quickly as she accepted the dress from her sister-in-law’s hands. “That’s good, really good! Just give me like...a minute, or five. It may take a second to figure out how this all works - I didn’t exactly get to see you put yours on, after all.” She chuckled as she dipped behind the divider and quickly began to strip out of what she had on. Given that winter had turned to spring, rather suddenly at that, she hadn’t been wearing much in the first place. “Oh, I’m sure they will. If you weren’t the one getting married, I can only imagine how many guys would be trying to hit on you, Kat.” She mused, silently wondering what it would be like when her time came. “I may have to wear one of these if I ever get married…” She said a bit more softly, though still very much audible.
“Speaking of them, are there any prospective bachelorettes I need to know about in preparation for the wedding?” Allison Holland asked with a mischievous snicker. Though she wanted nothing but the best for her girls (Katia being one of them at this point), she was always on the prowl, wanting to make house Holland and it's supporters better off. Marriage was the best way, especially in noble courts such as her own. Weddings like this were a honey hole for arrangements while they lasted, and even though she wanted to enjoy every moment of the ceremony, it was hard to overlook the kind of things that could come of this all.
“Plenty, I’m sure. We’ll have to sit down and go over the guest list,” Katia laughed, moving to stand besides Allison while they waited for Anna to come out from behind the divider, doing her best to not peek. A year ago, Allison’s question would have raised Katia’s eyebrow. Now, however, she had become more than accustomed to the politics of the court and of Shalumite nobility. She was Allison’s successor, and so her mother-in-laws responsibilities were by extension her responsibilities. “How’s it going, Anna?”
“Oh, no you don’t. If that’s your response, I won’t even ask. Between all the marriages I’ve been involved in over the years -my own included- I’ve seen far more guest lists than anyone should ever lay their eyes upon.” The Imperatrix laughed, holding up her hands in a sign of surrender, her plump lips curled into an easy smile.
“Oh, pretty good!” The blonde replied animatedly from her place behind the divider. She was quiet for another minute before she emerged, looking stunning as ever in a shaya that was so much like Katia’s, aside from some change in color. “How do I look?” She asked with a grin, smoothing the skirt area a bit with an idle hand.
“Be-a-utiful,” Katia exclaimed, immediately stepping forward to inspect the dress. It wasn’t perfectly fitted to the Princess’ body, as Katia’s was, but that was to be expected given that it wasn’t yet tailored for her. Even then, it failed to look anything but spectacular. Standing beside her future sister-in-law, Katia looked back at Allison. “I wasn’t lying when I said that these dresses always look good when they’re made well.”
“No you weren’t.” Anna replied with a laugh, her lips curled into a megawatt smile as she did a little twirl, allowing the material to swish around her legs and waist. “This is so amazing! The fabric is great, it's so colorful...I just can’t wait to wear this to the wedding. It beats the dress I had picked out, for sure,” she laughed.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought you two were the ones getting married to each other, dressed like that.” The Imperatrix teased as she looked them other. Side by side, they truly were a stunning pair - it was a jab that she couldn’t pass up.
“I do know a few girls that will be in attendance that swing for the same team,” Katia mused, her tone teasing as she looked from Allison to beside her at Anna. Whether she knew it or not, the blonde had a propensity to have a light blush whenever the topic of finding someone for her came up. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, an arm wrapped around Anna’s waist.
The Imperatrix snickered conspiratorially, and the princess’s cheeks flared at the implication. The last thing that had been on Anna’s mind in regards to this wedding was the prospect of her getting married, much less to someone that Katia could hook her up with. “You two...I swear,” she muttered, no real heat to her words as she glanced between them. “Why don’t you just worry about getting married, I’m sure I can handle myself, Kat,” she finally chuckled as she hugged her friend tightly.
“I know you can,” Katia ceded, returning the hug warmly. After they parted, she finally looked down once more at the dress with a sigh. It wouldn’t be long until she wore it again- the next time would be when she became the Crown Princess of Shalum. The substantial weight of the responsibility that would be required of her was persistent in the back of her mind. It was dulled, however, by the immense excitement she felt at the fact that she would be married. Her name would change, her life would change even more than it had since she’d first come to the Palace. Her duty to this country, to her home country by extension, was balanced out by the happiness that endured within her at the prospect of settling down and beginning a family.
“I suppose I should take this off now, huh?” she chuckled.
The blonde princess nodded slowly, her smile wide, warm, and full of love as she gently rubbed the small of Kat’s back through the thinner fabric of her shaya. Words couldn’t describe how happy she was -proud, even- to have this woman become a member of her family. She wasn’t perfect, but then again, nothing was; that didn’t matter in the least, all that did was that her brother had found the perfect partner. Katia was someone who complimented him in the best of ways, and vice versa - they would make a great ruling pair when the time came. “Unless you want to work on that whole family thing now, I probably would; Lord knows Matthew is going to go nuts if he sees you in that. At least when the wedding rolls around, there’ll be cameras.” Anna couldn’t help but tease.
Katia didn’t respond, but the melodic ring of her laughter followed her behind the divider, filling the room. It was fortunate for both women that taking off the shaya was about as easy as putting it on- with some care for the thin fabric and smooth motions, the fabric that sheathed Katia’s body was removed garment by garment, and replaced with her significantly less elaborate but still flattering sundress- white, with a small cherry blossom floral pattern, the colour perfectly matching the same trees she’d had planted on the property of the palace with Allison’s approval. She padded out barefoot from behind the divider, her wedge heels dangling from one hand and a small white handbag- essentials only- in the other.
Anna was about as casual in dress as her friend was. She wore little more than a white tank top and a pair of khaki short that hugged her figure tightly. Looking over at the Acrean woman, she gave her a small smile and a nod before she padded over the nearby table where she had set her wine glass down earlier. Pleased with the day so far, she quickly downed what little of the red, sweet drink remained.
“Well girls, that settles everything here. Mia and her people are mostly done with their things, and it's not as if we’re much use to them anyways.” Allison chuckled as she rested her hands on her hips. “Do we have anything else on our agenda?”
“Nothing besides bothering the boys,” Katia replied, taking a seat on the plush couch to slip her shoes on. Once her feet were slid in, secured solidly with the elastic straps, she stood up and fixed her dress. Her hair, let down from the braid, was voluminous and flowing still.
The Imperatrix smiled and nodded, inclining her head in a ‘follow me’ kind of motion as she led them out of the workshop and into the wiede hallways of the palace. “That sounds agreeable. They’re not expecting us for a while longer, I imagine. Tyler is working on something with our Acrean liaison Victoria and, well, I’m not really sure what Matthew is up to.” She shrugged. “What do you say we go find out?”
“Go and pick on whatever uniform Matthew and William are planning on wearing?” Katia suggested with a smirk, her pace even with Allison, Anna on the other side of her. She’d come to feel at home in the Palace. Of course, even with the wealth of her family, living in an entire Palace had taken some getting used to.
“That would be fine, dear. At least they’re a lot easier to deal with then you,” she teased and nudged Katia’s hip as they walked. “Just hand it off to them and they’ll handle the rest once it comes time. I think Matthew was wanting to wear his old uniform from the Imperial guard, and William is probably going to have to dig out his extra formal one that doesn't get worn as often…”
As the Imperatrix continued to prattle on, Anna couldn’t help but lean in, her lips brushing against Katia’s ear for the briefest moment. “There’s still time for that bachelorette party, you know, if you can work it into your schedule,” she whispered with a grin.
“Oh trust me, we’re working on it,” Katia smirked.
The Monsoon Palace Aminjikarai, Queendom of Tennai
“Melika,” Queen Yakshi Mattasupta, the single most powerful individual in the whole of Tennai addressed her young daughter, “Didn’t I tell you to change your shoes? Why have you not done what I asked you too?”
The six year old girl, looking very much like a miniature version of her mother, pursed her lips, furrowed her brow, and narrowed her big brown eyes at her mother. The young princess did not really seem to appreciate or understand the great power her mother wielded over the people of Tennai. She simply saw a mean old lady telling her what to do and trying to boss her around like she always did.
“I don’t wanna wear those shoes mommy. I wanna wear my buffalo sandals.”
“Melika,” the queen focused her gaze more intensely on her daughter, “I told you to change your shoes, so go do it right now. You are going to a dance school and you cannot wear sandals when you are dancing.”
Melika crossed her arms across her chest and continued to stare down her mother. “I don’t wanna wear those stinky dance shoes. I wanna wear my buffalo sandals. They are my favorite and you said I can wear them.”
Shit. Had she said that Melika could wear them? If she had, then it must have been while she was distracted by something else. Yakshi looked past her daughter to the servant woman beside her daughter. The slightly older woman nodded her head slightly. Shit. She had given Melika permission to wear the shoes and like always, the girl never forgot anything her mother said.
The queen softened her expression and then paused momentarily. “I suppose I did sweetheart. You can keep your buffalo sandals on right now, but when we get to the school I want you to change right away. Got it?”
Melika kept her arms crossed and her face intense for a split second longer before a big smile spread triumphantly across her face. “I love you mommy. I love the buffalo sandals you gotted me.” She then latched onto her mother’s leg and gave it a big hug. “You are the best mommy ever.”
“Damn she’s good,” the good mused silently, “How can I can I get mad at her when says things like that?”
Queen Yakshi Mattasupta then looked over at her servant again. The woman nodded again. Pavaki was an excellent servant. Always on top of thing and, most importantly, she treated Melika like her own flesh and blood. She was the perfect woman to take charge of Melika’s care when she could not. The goddesses had truly blessed her when Pavaki had applied for the job as the princess’s nanny.
“Let us get going then sweetheart. We do not want to be late for your first day of school.”
Nodding and smiling, Melika grabbed her mother’s hand followed alongside her to the car that was waiting for them. When the were standing by the car, Yakshi ushered her daughter inside of the vehicle. “I will be right in sweety. I need to say goodbye to Pavaki.” The queen then turned around and embraced the other woman. “Thank you for always taking such good care of my Melika. I could not be more blessed to have you.”
Pavaki did her best to suppress an embarrassed blush and bowed her head. “You are too kind my queen. I only do what you require of me.”
The queen smiled warmly at her servant. “You go above and beyond what I require of you Pavaki. You give everything of yourself to my daughter and love her as if she were born of your womb. You deserve no less then my highest praise.”
Pavaki stood in dumfounded silence for several moments, her heart thudding like a jackhammer in her chest. The queen then lifted her servant’s head with a gentle motion of her hand so that she was her eyes were level with her queens. “When I return home I will see that you are properly honored for you service.” The queen smiled again at her servant, “I believe that I can arrange for you name to be included among the names of the registered nayaks.”
Pavaki stared silently at her queen momentarily before stammering a response, “Th...Th..Thank you my queen. You outdo me with this honor.”
Yakshi simply smiled and gave her servant another hug before stepping into the car and closing the door. As the car carrying the queen and her daughter drove off, Pavaki watched silently as her heart still thundered in her chest. “Shit,” her thoughts burned and churned within her skull, “She does not make it easy to keep me professional.” She then stood another minute to let her heart stop pounding only to have start racing again when another thought crossed her mind. “Shit, shit, shit. I think I’ve fallen in love with the queen.”
Aragon Empire of Shalum
Upon arrival in Shalum, the queen had forgone any formal meetings to explore the Shalumite capital in the vehicle that had been provided her and entourage. Sitting beside her was a tall, slender woman with dark skin, thin lips, a narrow nose, large hazel eyes, and waves of ebony hair cascading cover her shoulders and down her back. The woman’s name was Aashna Sannidhi, a prominent nayak from Koldari and staunch ally and supporter of the Mattasupta family. She was seven years the queen’s senior, though most people seemed to think that she looked at least ten years younger than she actually was.
Peering out of the window of the vehicle, Aashna pondered the architecture that was so very foreign to her eyes. The structures she saw were pretty boring to look at for the most part, but after a short while driving, her eyes caught sight of something in the distance. She nudged the queen in the shoulder as the approached the building and pointed at. “My queen, I do not suppose you what that place is?”
Yakshi looked in the direction that the nayak was pointing and nodded her head. “I remember when my mother had some Shalumite or another at the palace when I was about twelve. They could not shut up about the place. I also remember being forced to stay and listen to him drone on about it despite making it very clear that was bored to death and wanted to leave.”
Aashna chuckled. “That does sound like you my queen. You were always very sure of what you liked and wanted and that is something that has changed little over the years.”
The queen chuckled herself. “If I recall correctly Aashna, you are much the same as I in that regard. In fact, I would be willing to wager that I picked up that self assurance from you. Our mothers did see to it that we spent a lot of time together as children.”
“Indeed,” the tall nayak waxed thoughtful and looked out the window again. They were quite unsubtle in their attempts to arrange a marriage when you made your preferences known. I sometimes laughed at their miserable attempts at being coy.”
Yakshi nodded and reclined in her seat. “Of course, being who we are, we balked at the idea of having something arranged for us. It was a new age in Tennai and the idea of our mothers arranging a match did not sit well with us. I remember you arranging a wedding with Aishwarya and not letting your mother know until the day of.”
Aashna chuckled. “I have never seen a woman both fuming and ecstatic like my mother was that day. One minute she was giving me a good slap on the cheek and lecturing me about respecting my mother and my traditions and the next she was hugging me and doing my tattoos.”
Yakshi laughed. “It was beautiful ceremony. I still can not believe you had five elephants.”
“That just means that you will have to have six when you finally marry,” responded Aashna with grin.”
Yakshi grinned back at her companion and then the two of them sat in silence. As their vehicle continued to drive through the city, the two women gazed idly out of the car’s windows. Buildings crept by and the bright sun of summer made them glad for that the Shalumites and the bride’s family setting the wedding’s date when they did. It meant they would not have to worry about putting on the cumbersome winter clothes that were so common in the north.
Thirty minutes passed before either of the two women spoke again and was the queen that broke the silence with sigh. “I suppose we should get back to Priya, Sakshi, and brother. We really should not make them delay our hosts an longer than we already have.”
Aashna chuckled and nodded. “I can imagine those three have their work cut for them considering the Shalumite’s reputation.” The nayak then turned her gaze to the queen and smirked. “I still do not know how you managed to slip by our hosts without them noticing us.”
Queen Yakshi Mattasupta returned her companion’s smirk with one of her own. “I have my ways Aashna. Also, our driver is really good.”
Aashna raised an eyebrow and then laughed. The queen smiled at her longtime friend and then spoke again. “Let us make haste. We did promise to meet with our hosts before heading to the Imperatorial Palace after all...”
The stench of cigarette smoke wafted lazily through the air, occasionally batted away by several overhead fans or by the gentle breeze that swept in through the windows. It was, by all accounts, a rather beautiful day in eastern Arzell, but the mood that had settled over the household was one of grim seriousness . While tourists flocked to white sand beaches for one last hurrah before fall ushered in the cold, and fisherman conducted their normal affairs in the waters just off in the distance, a veritable legion of soldiers and hereditary knights had descended upon the palatial grounds of the noble family's ancient homestead. If one wasn’t authorized, they could neither come nor go.
The dull drone of a low flying helicopter, laden with rapid reaction forces, shook the house as it passed over. Despite the fact that there were Ossorians a few miles west, the island was rarely augmented with any large number of soldiers; it was the navy’s job to hold the line in case war was to suddenly break out. What their neighbors’ intelligence forces thought of this sudden, increased military presence meant little to the Imperial commanders running the show; it would not last long, no more than a few hours.
“You dissapointment, boy, I was rather looking forward to meeting that girl of yours.” Sebastian Manswell said from his perch in an intricately carved mahogany chair, hands folded in his lap as he regarded his protege across the table. “All the resources I provide you, and yet you can’t find one girl?” The Duke added as he made a little tsking sound several times before he reached for a cup of warm tea. In the background, a heavily armed figure made a pass, giving them only a cursory glance before he proceeded along the patrol route that he had been assigned.
“Blame it on the Blackburns, not me.” Nathan replied slowly, his earthy features pulling into a grimace as he took another long drag from his hand rolled cigarette. The tobacco kept him calm, and his mind focused on the task at hand, even if it was slowly polluting his lungs. The Deputy Director was under no impression that he’d live forever. “We had her in Frankfurt, but my agent couldn’t make the grab in time.”
“And now we both have the commissariat barking up our asses.” Manswell grimaced as he leaned back in his seat.
While his people had their fingers in seemingly every inner working of their great Empire, there was a firm line that separated the powers at be; while his agents could monitor the lives of the average citizen closely without any form of warrant, nobles had special exceptions that kept them very much protected from the intrusive nature of his agency. To that extent, there was a separate legal system that dealt with the prosecution of those of noble blood. This was strictly enforced by the commissariat; they may have been the enforcers of the Imperator, but they treated honor and unbiased enforcement like it was a religion, meaning that someone as powerful as Duke Blackburn was nigh untouchable.
“At this time, I consider Valantin to be a lost cause, just like Colonel Rikker. She was an enjoyable asset to have, but spending any more resources on hunting her down would be like throwing good money after bad.” The Deputy said as he flicked his ashes into a nearby tray. “Whores like her can always be replaced, anyways.”
“As interesting a topic as whores may be, I believe there are other matters that we should be discussing right now, no?” A rather amused voice said as he stepped, trailed by a half-dozen bodyguards that formed slipped in alongside the rest of the cadre waiting in the shadows.
“General, I was wondering if your pale ass would ever show up.” Nathan grinned as he stood up for a moment, offering the officer a quick handshake before he sat down again. On an unspoken command, a pretty servant girl entered the room, bearing a glass of water for their new arrival along with a menu for him to order from.
“It’s a shame to see you too, Nathan.” General Wasserman smiled wryly as he looked over the menu, a cup of water in his other hand as he got settled. “I’m surprised that you managed to pull yourself away from this week’s victim.”
“It was difficult, but I managed to, yes. At least she doesn’t complain as much as my wife does after a beating.” He smirked as he snuffed out what little remained of his cigarette.
“As entertaining as this conversation is, I have been informed that the rest of our associates are arriving now.” Manswell said as he glanced at a tablet that was attached firmly to his automated wheelchair. His lips curled as he motioned to one of his knights; the woman promptly closed up the window and shut the blinds. The room had already been checked for bugs three times, and several jammers were in place - just in case. The estate was probably one of the most secure places in all the country right now, aside from the emergency government bunkers up north. “I believe it is time that we discuss the Acrean situation…”
Conscription is the vitality of a nation, the purification of its morality, and the real foundations of all its habits.
It is better to be a warrior in a garden then to be a gardener in a war.
Imperial Palace Aragon, Duchy of Haford Empire of Shalum
The den that had been afforded to the guests at the Palace rang with laughter and talk. To call the gathering a party would have been quite the overstatement; it was little more than a dozen people, all younger and Shalumite and Acrean alike, sharing drinks and lounging out on the couches and chairs like they had little better to do with their time. When one stuck the sons and daughters of some of the most powerful families in both lands together under the same roof, it was bound that all would converge on the alcohol at some point.
Nikolay Ambrosov and Alexander Blackburn were unlikely friends. From two different continents and in wholly different service, they had been brought together by the marriage of Nikolay’s sister to Alexander’s cousin. But when they’d met, they’d clicked. And when they’d clicked, it also meant that they had the tendency to drag each other around whenever one of them was hesitant.
“I don’t know why you would rather stay in. What self-respecting soldier would turn down mixing alcohol and women?” Nikolay teased as they walked through the halls of the Palace, carpet muffling the sounds of their shoes to dull, low thuds.
The count in question was dressed in his formal uniform, which he often wore while on duty and during important functions. The midnight black suit, with gold piping and red stripes along his shoulders and the sides of his legs. He’d forgone the sword that went with the outfit, but there was still a pistol strapped securely to his belt. His blue-green eyes were sharp as he looked around, always on alert. He may have been friends with Nikolay, but it wasn’t exactly easy to be relaxed around all of these Acreans. He may have had more experience with them than his younger brothers did, but he wasn’t numb to the sentiment of his people back home.
“You’ve never travelled with me, Nikolay, I rather like going out.” Alexander replied as they walked, his well polished dress shoes shining in the light. “Unlike some people, though, I actually have to work these next few weeks. We can’t party and drink all the time.” He reminded his friend as he glanced over at him. While some enjoyed the influx of foreign visitors, it was a nightmare for a security officer like himself.
“And I’ve got to work as well, doesn’t mean I don’t intend to enjoy myself. Trust me, we could all do with a bit of unwinding,” Nikolay replied as he stopped outside of the door that led to the den, located right in the middle of the collection of guest bedrooms that surrounded them. He opened it without delay, though only a few people actually looked up to see who had entered. There were a few words of acknowledgement, both in Russian and English, but truly little fanfare. “Come on now, let’s grab you a drink.”
“Something strong, preferably.” Considering that he’d been a drinker for well over a decade, Alexander’s tolerance wasn’t something to be trifled with. Stiffed and mixed was the way he liked it, but he would just as happily settle for a beer. “Now...a place to sit. That looks open.” Alexander said as he nodded towards an open set of seats. Leading his friend over, he was quick to settle down, glass in hand.
The couch that Alexander had sat on wasn’t empty. Rather, it was occupied by a dirty blonde in a black dress that looked a tad startled by the sudden presence of Alexander beside her, even as he was oriented towards Nikolay on the chair beside the couch.
“He doesn’t bite, Natalya, I promise,” the man teased her, settling back with glass in hand.
“Razve vam bolshe nigde ne mogli sidet dvoye?” she questioned him, raising an eyebrow.
“Nope.” Nikolay took a sip of his drink, before he motioned between the blonde and Alexander. “Alexander, this is Natalya Karenskaya. Natalya, Alexander Blackburn.”
Alexander hadn’t even thought twice about the woman on the couch. In a place like the palace, she was a dime a dozen; the Imperator was all too happy to keep girls like her around, between his own ‘needs’ and those of his guests. The fact that she was Acrean was only mildly surprising, if anything, he was more curious as to how his friend knew her. “A pleasure to meet you, miss.” He said as he offered her a hand. “As I can see, you’re already know my friend here.” He said before taking a long sip of the amber liquid in his glass.
“I don’t know who wouldn’t know the lovely daughter of Artyom Karensky in our profession, Alexander,” Nikolay chuckled, smoothly sipping his drink as he watched the blonde. “Give her ten years and she’ll have the KGB under foot with her ambition.”
“Keep going another ten seconds and I’ll have you under foot,” Natalya replied. She swirled the contents of her glass absentmindedly, the sound of the ice against the glass punctuating her sentence.
Nikolay only shrugged and smiled with the same warm, amused smile he frequently had. “She’s a feisty one, I should have warned you.”
“It would have been appreciated.” Alexander agreed with a slow nod, before taking another sip of his drink. His smile was suddenly a very practiced one, covering up the frown that wanted to tug at his lips. While he had dealt with a lot of shit over the years, there was nothing that made his blood run cold like mentionings of the KGB. He was rather certain that she wouldn’t be keen of someone with his namesake, particularly as of late. “I presume the wedding is what brought you to my fine country, yes?” The count added, figuring that some form of pleasant conversation was needed before he beat a hasty retreat.
“Yes, it is. I’ve been friends with Katia for as long as I can remember,” Natalya explained. She’d shifted subtly, giving Alexander her full attention. Likewise, for as long as she could remember, she’d been able to see through people. To be able to figure out when someone lied to her, or when someone was putting on a front. And she had seen when the corner of Alexander’s lips had become just ever-so-slightly taut. When that pleasant smile became deliberate rather than natural. “I would ask the same of you, but I would assume that a Blackburn man would never miss such an event…”
“She is a nice woman. The crown prince is a lucky man, that much is for certain.” That much sentiment was genuine on Alexander’s part. For better or worse, the future Imperatrix was a kind woman, even if he couldn’t say the same for her countrymen. The count knew that they weren’t all bad people, of course - to label any whole group like that was to live in ignorance and anger. “Their children will be painfully beautiful, I have no doubt.” He mused from behind the edge of his glass.
The count took another strong sip of the drink. This woman was sharp, of that he had no doubt. She was studying, in the same way that his mother did before she tried to enact any number of her plots. “Men of my stature don’t get that kind of choice, ma’am; it is expected that we attend.” He said with a small shrug before tapping his uniform. “Even more so because I will be on duty for the duration of the wedding.”
“Beautiful children are not special in our circles. If I know Katia, however, they will be incredibly smart children. Something that should be reassuring for their succession,” Natalya noted. She shrugged, a small roll of her shoulders that came before she took a small sip of her drink. As he continued her eyes traveled over his uniform, studying its colours and its contours. The ones that try to look intimidating always go for the black and red, she mused. For all of her studies and observations, simply identifying a specific unit by a uniform, especially of a foreign country, was a skill that Natalya absolutely did not possess. But she was able to recognise symbols, such as the one formed by the pin on Alexander’s chest. “A Lifeguard, are you? I hope you’ll at least be able to enjoy the reception,” she said, putting on an easy, small smile.
“No, but I’ve got no doubt my people will care about them. Rest assured that other families will be gunning for her children from the moment they draw breath.” He pointed out with a small shrug. Even if this was supposed to be a party, noble politics were going to be in play everywhere until all of the various families present retreated to their homesteads. There were probably people looking for her hand in marriage, even, considering how powerful she apparently was. “Intelligence is useful as well, of course. We’ve had plenty of iffy Imperators over the centuries,” he continued with a small shrug. “I should be able to, yes, even if I’m watching from the back and wearing even more than what I am now. Duty before pleasure and all of that. I’m sure you’ll be in the thick of it, no?” He asked with soft amusement.
Natalya lifted her glass to her lips, the last of its golden contents disappearing down her throat without any reaction from her as she set it down on a small round table beside the couch they were seated on. Nikolay, it seemed, had occupied himself in conversation with some Shalumite brunette whose name Natalya would never know and most likely would never particularly care to know. There were so many Shalumite nobles, she had trouble keeping track of them all. Blackburn, however, was not a name she could afford to forget.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. I was never the party girl that you Shalumites always expect us Acrean girls to be,” Natalya replied, tilting her head at Alexander. She brought up an arm to support it on, resting her elbow on the back cushion. “Truth be told I’d usually be in a position similar to you, only nearer to the bar I’m sure, and wearing considerably less.”
Alexander couldn’t help but smirk behind his glass. Despite the gravity of the situation, it was too hard to resist. There was no doubt in his mind that she knew exactly what she was saying. “Even if the stereotypes aren’t all that, I’ve met enough people to know that they aren’t unfounded either - no offense.” The count replied as he tipped his glass respectfully to her. “At least you didn’t have a Manswell for a mother.” He added with an humorless smile as he looked around for a moment, drinking in his surroundings.
“Oh, come on, it couldn’t have been that bad…” Natalya began, before she trailed off, and looked to be actually considering the thought for several moments as her lips pursed. “I mean, I know they are not exactly a peachy family, as you say here, but she couldn’t have been so horrible,” she rephrased. Catching the eye of someone else in the room who was at the small bar, she motioned for another glass of what she had been drinking before returning her attention to Alexander. “Try getting away with anything with the deputy director of the KGB as your father.”
“My uncle is the former director of the STG. I may know your pain better than you realize.” Alexander replied wryly as he nodded to the attendant in the room, who hurriedly went to fetch him a refill as well. Leaning back against the couch, the count was all too happy to stretch out, allowing his muscular frame to press against the form fitting fabric of his uniform - he was certainly the kind of person who kept in shape. Running a hand through his blonde hair, he looked back to Natalya. “Oh, rest assured, they are. Thankfully, my father is good enough that it all kind of balances out in the end, for better or worse.” He paused and smirked. “If you’d like, we can swap places…”
“We could. But no offense, I think I wear a dress much better than you,” Natalya teased, her lips curling up in amusement as a freshly filled glass was placed on the table behind her. It didn’t sit long, leaving a ring of condensation on the coaster as she picked it up, cupping it with a small, thin brown napkin underneath it that was liable to fall apart from the moisture. She was surprised at how easily conversation came with Alexander. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t judged him by his family name, but she’d been thoroughly proven wrong about him quite quickly.
“Mmm. On that point, I think we can find consensus.” The count chuckled as he lifted up his own glass, offering it to her for a clink before he took a generous sip. Drinking on the job probably wasn’t the wisest thing that he had ever done, but then again, there were worse things he could have been doing. Game time[i] wasn’t until the wedding anyways, so there was time on his side; another glass or two wouldn’t have been the end of his world. “You wouldn’t look half bad in a guard uniform, though.” He smirked, imagining the ways that the black fabric would have hugged her body; the Imperial tailors did fine work, after all.
Natalya let out a snort. It was a bit unladylike, and she would have stopped it had it not erupted in the midst of her sipping her drink. “I’ll still take my heels over your shiny boots. Guard uniforms aren’t for proper ladies, don’t you know?” the blonde teased. Her small smile was a perpetual feature now, she found, as she likely couldn’t- and neither did she want to- wipe the expression of amusement from her face.
“Something tells me you don’t care much about propriety, Miss Karenskaya.” The count smirked at her, leaning back casually against the couch. His arm shifted a bit closer to her shoulder, but didn’t quite stretch out across behind her. “Then again, I may be totally wrong.” He added with a little chuckle, and clinked his glass with her’s again. “I guess we’ll find out though, eh? Cheers.” He said, allowing one drink to turn to another, and then another, and then another…
In honesty, Natalya should not have let the night, and her drinks, drag on for as long as she did. Or rather, for how long they ended up going, as she had never had any intention to stop even as the room trickled out and they were the last two left. The warmth of the alcohol and the cheerful buzz that filtered her mind were just an ambiance to the fun she was having talking with Alexander.
What was supposed to be an hour or two venture to the party quickly turned into four or five. In the private room of the lounge, which seemed to lack windows, there was no real way to tell time without looking at one’s phone. It wasn’t as if he cared much in the first place, of course, spending time with Natalya was far too much fun. With all of his attention on her, though, he didn’t even notice how the room slowly drained of everyone but themselves and the staff who stayed behind to clean up.
“I…” His voice was more than a bit slurred, and what little sober part of him realized that it was going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch come morning. “I...s’pose that we should probably head...somewhere, huh?” The count asked, flashing her a warm but drunken smile.
“It is late, isn’t it?” Natalya replied with a murmur, looking around the room. She and Alexander had inched ever closer over the night, and she now found herself right next to him, to where she had to look up a bit to meet his eyes. Eyes that were so cool in demeanor, yet held such warmth as they looked back down at her. They had been that way well before the alcohol had taken hold, she realised. [i]Your room or mine? she almost wanted to ask, the words loud in her mind.
“A lil bit, I s’pose.” Alexander replied with a languid nod as he glanced towards a grandfather clock in a distant corner. Despite the fact that his eyesight had been fixed years ago, it was still blurry - something that to be blamed on the alcohol in his veins, rather than any biological deficiency. Looking back to her face, blue-green eyes studied her closely as his arm slowly wrapped itself around her shoulder. “My, ah, my room isn’t too far from here if you want a place to crash.” He said slowly, trying to organize his thoughts into something coherent.
Natalya had to compose herself before she jumped on the opportunity- and him- too fast. Remaining calm, she nodded, glancing down for just a moment at the arm around her shoulder. She was more than happy to press her body against his own now, even as she figured that they ought to get up in order to actually go to his room. “I’d like that,” she murmured.
The count was a strong man, with seemingly little fat to his name - the product of years upon years of training with his fellow guardsmen. His smile was soft and warm as he gazed down at her, arms tightening slightly as he invited her closer. “Clothing isn’t required in my room, by the way.” He went out on a limb, voice full of teasing mirth as he nuzzled against her.
“Is that so?” Natalya questioned. She moved ever closer, just shy of actually going to straddle the man as she placed a hand on his chest, tilting her head up at him curiously. “Things happen when clothes come off, you know…” she said in a low tone, her fingers dancing across the hard planes of his chest.
“Is that so?” Alexander smiled up at her, feeling warmth spread from where she pressed her fingers to the broad expanse of his pectoral muscles. There was a flicker in his eyes, something bright and mischievous, despite his inebriated state. Reaching down, he was all too eager to slip his arms underneath her. In as fluid a motion as he could muster, the count stood up and lifted her as he went. He had a good idea of where his room was, even if the room was a bit shaky. “I’d love for you to elaborate, Natalya.” He said as he looked down, nipping at her ear.
The way that he said her name. Natalya wasn’t sure whether it was the alcohol or the excitement, but his voice sent a shiver of anticipation down her body that she hadn’t felt in a while, and it continued as he lifted her up into a princess carry, her dress riding up on her body and strappy stilettos left dangling in the air. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m more of a hands-on teacher,” she teased.
“Is that so?” The count asked with a coy smile, his blue-green eyes gleaming as they padded down the hall. It wasn’t graceful by any means, but the walk to his room was relatively short. Though most guardsmen had to stay in a separate barracks, a man of his standing was allocated a higher quality lodgings. “That seems to be another trait that we share, Natalya,” he drawled. “I’d love to learn from you, preferable when you’re in...less.”
Natalya only giggled as she was carried, letting her legs swing back and forth ever-so slightly. The thought of someone seeing them was far from mind then, as all that she could think about in her state was Alexander.
The count was sure how long they walked, but sooner or later, they found themselves at the door to his room. Another minute of drunken fumbling and giggle later, the heavy wood gave way to a small but comfortably decorated abode. “This is where I call home when I’m on duty.” He whispered as he kicked off his shoes, heading straight for his bedroom.
“Cozy,” Natalya commented. As soon as the bedroom door was opened, she patted him to let her down, and almost as soon as her feet touched the ground she was on him with the intensity of an animal in heat, leaning up to press her lips to his as her hands occupied themselves with exploring the planes of his muscles.
The bedroom door closed just as quickly behind them, a little reverberating through the room as the count practically seized the woman before him. One armed wrapped around her possessively, a little growl slipping from the back of his throat a moment before his lips were on her insistently. He was just as adventurous, exploring the lines of her dress -and more importantly- how to get it off of her.
There was nothing graceful, and nothing romantic, about how either of the two went about making it to the bed. There was more stumbling than either of them would have been likely to want to admit to. Toned legs wrapped around Alexander’s waist as they fell back onto the bed and curious, adventurous hands continued to explore the other’s bodies at leisure. “Y-you’re wearing too much,” Natalya managed to point out with a grin on one of the few occasions they had managed to break their lips apart.
“You just want to see what I look like out of uniform, love.” Alexander smirked, his lips focusing on that little vein of her neck. He was warm, so damn warm that he really did want to get out of his clothing. “But if you insist…” The count chuckled before he reluctantly pulled away, tugging at the buttons of his dress coat. None of it went easily, considering his inebriated state. “Fuck, there we go.” He finally mumbled in victory as he tossed his shirt aside, and then the white undershirt that he wore beneath it. “Better?” He smirked at her.
While Alexander removed his coat and his shirt, Natalya had found herself one of the fluffy bed pillows to place under her head while she watched him. She bit her lower lip. It was hard for her to not admire just how well he kept himself in shape. It would have been hard for anyone, sexual intent or not. “Much better,” she nodded, and motioned for him to come back down.
Alexander flashed her a smile, trying to fight the darkness that wanted to overtake him. He may have been a drinker, but they’d gone through a lot over the last few hours. Being in such a comfy bed, with a beautiful partner, only seem to encourage him to join the universe in sleep. It was hard to resist, but Natalya made it easier. “At least you don’t have to take anything off…” He teased as his hand ran along her thigh.
“That I don’t, but you do,” Natalya replied in a slurred murmur. Her hands remained beside her head, dirty blonde hair splayed out beneath it, as her eyes explored every centimetre of Alexander’s features. The very short break that it had taken for him to remove his coat had been just enough for some of the excitement and energy to wear off for the girl, and it was enough now to simply enjoy the feeling of his hand on her bare skin.
“Pants, right…” The count pouted as he looked down for a moment, before reluctantly removing his hand from her leg. Reaching down, he fiddled with them for a lot longer than he probably had to, before eventually slipping out of them and tossing them aside. “Damn uniform…” He muttered, flashing her a sheepish smile as he looked back to her. “You’re so pretty, Natalya.” He slurred happily as his hands found her again.
“You flatter me too much,” the blonde giggled underneath him. It was less of an energetic sort of amusement than what she’d had before, but nonetheless rang with the same sort of velvety laughter that she’d had the entire night. As the Count laid atop her once more, she was content to curl up into the warmth that he provided, rather than immediately setting upon him with the same sex-driven ferocity she had before.
Alexander hummed softly as he continued to caress her, tracing every inch of her figure as if it were a map and he a skilled cartographer. He was a skilled man who had done this with many women before, he knew which buttons to press. In his drunken state, however, it was far more touchy-feely than sensual as he had intended. “I gotta say, you’d make a great pillow…” He said sleepily, nuzzling her.
“Is that right?” Natalya questioned with a small smile, wrapping her arms around Alexander. She had always had a particularly bad streak with alcohol- or, to be more accurate, after consuming it. And as her eyelids became harder to open with every blink, there was nothing more comfortable than Alexander. “You don’t make a bad blanket yourself,” she teased.
“I promise I’ll make it up to you in the morning.” He chuckled softly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Natalya was soft, almost sinfully so, and letting go of her was the last thing he wanted to do in his current state. Nuzzling against her, the count pressed an affectionate kiss to the side of her neck. “Night, Natalya…”
The next morning, Alexander came to with a little groan, his head pounding as the effects of last night assaulted his senses. His arms tightened around the woman next to him, and the bed creaked slightly as some two hundred pounds of man and muscle shifted. “Fuck,” he whispered hoarsely as he buried his face deeper into her hair.
First came the grogginess. And then came the confusion, when Natalya opened her eyes and was struck with the feeling of being wrapped up in a strong, unyielding grip. One that belonged to someone who, as far as she could tell, had lost a few articles of clothing in the time it took to get to where they were now. Her ignorance only lasted a few fleeting moments before the night before started to come back to her. She remembered the kissing, the way they had almost wrestled each other into bed before just…
They had to have fallen asleep. The fact that her dress was still down where it ought to be and the presence of her panties clearly meant that. However, she realised, not everyone would know that. What they would know is that she went with Alexander back to his room, and that she had come out the next morning wearing what she’d went in with. There was nothing about that scenario that she was at all ashamed about or disliked, but there would be gossip. And Natalya usually hated gossip.
The let out a small ‘oomph’ as that two hundred pounds of man and muscle tightened his arms around her. “Good sleep?” she questioned.
“Mhmm.” The count replied with a little groan as he buried his head deeper into the pillow. Despite how he felt, his body hadn’t failed to wake him up more or less on time. Fingers of sunlight flooded the room, causing him to tilt his head away from the window and back to her. “You?” He slurred sleepily as he buried his face in her neck.
“Good enough,” Natalya replied. She sighed deeply, laying back on the bed with every muscle in her body relaxed. “You should probably get dressed again before we go back out.”
“Mmm, I don’t wanna.” Alexander replied, uncaring if he sounded like a child in that particular moment. What he wanted was a glass of water and a painkiller. Slowly, but reluctantly, he managed to pull himself off the bed so that he could fumble through his closet for something halfway presentable. “Sorry, I’m afraid we don’t have much for you here. I may be able to call ahead and have someone deliver something to you, though.” He offered softly as he pulled on a pair of boxers. If there was one thing nobles were good at, it was talking. Though no stranger to tabloids, he didn’t want to know what they’d say about this. Particularly while he was trying to change his public image into something that was more family friendly.
“Because we need the staff to be talking too, hm?” Natalya teased as she sat up, brushing a few loose locks of golden hair away from her forehead. Calling ahead would be good, and she nodded at his suggestion despite her jokes. Her head wasn’t quite pounding, but continued with a persistent dull ache that she knew would drive her mad eventually. “You know that when people start to talk that nobody will believe us if we say we did nothing,” she reminded him, undoing the zipper on the backs of her heels and letting them fall to the floor so that she could relax easier.
“They’re paid for discretion. Any leaks that come from the palace are usually from nobles trying to get a one up on each other.” Alexander mused as he pulled on a pair of khaki pants. He had to work today, sadly, but at least he could put that off for a few hours and catch breakfast with her at the very least. “I can order breakfast for us too - once I find a shirt.” He frowned slightly as he thumbed through his closet for another moment, before pulling on short sleeve that most wore to golf in. “I’ve got no doubt that people will talk, but I’d love to take my chances. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of being in the gossip mill; they always make me out into something I’m not.” Pausing for a moment, he picked up the phone and looked at her. “Ah, what do you want, and what is your size?” He asked a bit awkwardly as he eyed her.
“Anything you want to order, and a size four,” Natalya replied, watching Alexander as he got dressed. Her feet swung idly off the edge of the bed. “It seems that we’re in the same boat then. I suppose we’ll just have to hope for the best, no? How bad can they make us spending a night together?”
“Size four, got it…” Alexander said as he picked up the phone again. Relaying a couple quick orders to one of the household tailors, he then killed the call and contacted the kitchens. Considering that he skipped breakfast more often than not, he decided to order a bit of everything; a soldier like him knew how to clean a plate, even if they weren't keen with what was on the menu. Putting the phone back down, he sighed and joined her on the bed, choosing to lay out as he looked up at her. “Depends on how vindictive they’re feeling. You’ve got the random gossip, the usual talk of marriage considering we’re both single, and then a few people wondering what our kids will look like and when they can start arranging the next batch of betrothals,” he sighed.
“I mean technically, we did sleep together,” Natalya chuckled, sitting up. Her hands raised far above her head as she stretched, turning to look down at him. “Just not the kind that makes babies. Let them talk. It’s not like we can stop them, anyways,” she stated. She returned her head to the pillow, laying it beside Alexander’s.
“Fair enough.” Alexander chuckled as he looked over at her, blue-green eyes soft and warm as he drank in the sight of her stretched out beside him. Some part of him liked to think that he could get used to this - waking up to a beautiful woman every morning. Someone who was just his. “I mean, you can’t deny the fact that you wanted to practice making them last night.” He teased as he nudged her with his hip. “I’m not worried though, really. They’ve talked before and they’ll talk again, no doubt. So long as they don’t inspire anything too crazy, it shouldn’t be an issue,” he shrugged.
“And you didn’t want to?” Natalya teased in return, though a deep blush coloured her cheeks as she looked away for a moment. Her teeth pinched her lower lip as she looked over him. “So, what did you decide to get us for breakfast?” she finally asked, immediately going into an easy smile.
“Now when did I say that?” Alexander replied with a little smile as he glanced over at her. Truth be told...he imagined waking up to Inkeri more than any other woman. He missed her smile, the way she felt when they were close up against one another, the way she laughed; the light went on and on. That being said, he rather enjoyed Natalya’s company as well, not to mention that of his other female friends. “A bit of everything, really. A breakfast platter of sorts - eggs, bacon, pancakes, and so on. I wasn’t sure what to order; I usually skip breakfast altogether.” He explained with a little shrug.
“Tsk tsk. Don’t you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Natalya teased. She rolled onto her side to better look at Alexander, her eyes gazing over every ridge of his features as though committing them to memory. A part of her was, perhaps, glad that they hadn’t made love the night before. There was something to be said about drunken sex; namely, that one didn’t usually have much conversation the morning after. And she liked Alexander. Something she might not have discovered had she’d given an awkward farewell, gathered up her clothes and made the walk of shame back to her own room. Would he have acted like he was now if she was just a one-night stand?
“To normal people, maybe.” He chuckled as he looked over at Natalya, blue-green eyes gentle and warm as they drank in the sight of her. She was a beautiful woman with an even better personality; any man would be lucky to have her as his wife, or even as a lover. Rolling onto his side, he flashed her a little smile and wrapped an arm around her waist for a moment, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I, on the other hand, have too much work to do on any given day. It’s easiest to skip right to lunch.” The count mused, breath warm on her neck. “After we have our little breakfast, I believe my mother and father are having a brunch of their own, if you’d like to sit in on it.”
“I don’t think you’re getting much of a choice in whether or not you want to go, are you?” Natalya questioned with a rhetorical tone. She blushed as Alexander kissed her, curling up a bit into his body on instinct to the way his arm made its way around her. “In either case, I would love to go with you, if you could still bear me.”
“Mmm. Saying goodbye to you sounds pretty difficult right now. And besides, I’ve already ordered you breakfast. Sending you off now would just be wrong.” He teased as he nuzzled against her. Even if they hadn’t slept together, it was hard not to curl up with a beautiful woman like her. “I’d love for you to come along. Maybe it’ll make my mother talk about something else beside my bachelor status, for once.” He teased, not wanting to be the first to get out of bed.
“She can’t be that persistent about it, can she?” Natalya replied. She’d heard rumours about Alexander’s mother before. Nicole Blackburn was quite the socialite, and that didn’t come without gossip or rumours, even across the sea. The blonde hiked a leg up on his side, rolling Alexander onto his back so that she lay atop him. “I suppose you’ll just have to hope she likes me enough to leave it alone.”
The count’s reaction was practiced and instinctual, his hands finding the curves of her hips as he held her close against him. His smile was bright and warmer than even before. “You don’t know the half of it, Natalya. She’s worse than even the stories make her out to be.” He replied with a humorless sort of smile. “My brother is engaged to a commoner. When she met said girl for the first time, she basically called her a cheap escort despite the fact that they hadn’t known each other ten minutes beforehand.” He paused and shrugged, slipping his hands along the smooth skin of her thighs. “We’ll see. If anything, I like you, and I’m sure my father will as well, and that is what matters.”
Natalya swallowed, and stared right back into Alexander’s eyes. “We fall asleep together drunk for one night and we’re already talking about whether or not your parents will like me,” she pointed out with an amused expression, eyes practically as twinkling as her re-assuring smile. “Everything will be fine, I’m sure of it.”
Alexander grinned up at her and rubbed a small circle of reassurance into the small of her back. “And if it’s not, I’ve got your back, Natalya. The worst thing my mother has in store for you in sharp words.” He mused, pausing for a moment as a hand knocked against the door to their room. “And that must be our breakfast and your clothing…”
An hour later, Alexander stood with Natalya in the lobby to an expensive restaurant in the capital’s downtown area, located strategically close to any number of boutiques and fashion houses that were often frequented by the rich and noble-blooded of his homeland. He had changed outfits at one point, changing into a more proper pair of khakis with a sports coat. “Okay, the greeter said that my parents are waiting for us. You ready?” He asked with a smile before taking a sip of champagne that a passing server had brought them while they waited.
Natalya had changed into a rather simple black dress, not so much unlike the one she’d worn the night before. The bodice hugged her frame, a thin, long diamond-shaped cutout in the centre connecting with the loop that went around her neck. The skirt flared out, the ruffles flowing around her as he walked alongside Alexander, her arm looped in his. “I don’t think I really have a choice now whether I was ready or not,” she chuckled, pointedly avoiding looking to see if anyone was looking at them.
Alexander took one last sip of his drink and handed it off to the waiter, who quickly ferried it to their waiting table while he chose to walk at a far slower pace. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You could still run away until…” He paused and flashed her a smile. “-now.”
The table that they were being led to, which was nestled by a wall with thick protective glass, was already bustling with activity. Though there were only a couple figures actually seated, there had to be a dozen others buzzing around. Waiters, entourage, and the occasional security officer.
“Alexander!” A jovial voice called from among them as he stood up. The speaker was an older man with similar facial features, but hair that had long since turned silver. “It’s good to see you.” He grinned as he wrapped up his son in a strong hug before the count could get a word in edgewise. “And you’ve brought company, I see.” He added with amusement as he offered a hand to Natalya. “Duke Blackburn, at your service.”
“Natalya Karenskaya,” the blonde introduced herself, taking the Duke’s hand in her own. He was very much like Alexander, she could tell, his smile infectious as it brought one to her own face just watching the father and son. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard quite a bit- all good things, I promise.”
“She is a friend of mine, in town for the wedding.” Alexander supplied as he rested a hand on the small of her back while his father paid her every ounce of attention that he had.
“And it’s wonderful to meet you, lass. My son keeps nothing but the best company, after all. Please, come and sit with us. I’m afraid that my youngest son is still waiting on his flight in Ossoria because of a weather delay, and my middle son is still on an aid project in Nalaya. It’s just you guys and my wife today.”
Nichole Blackburn sat at the head of the table, clad in an expensive designer red dressed that crisscrossed her body in any number of way, showing off her exquisite figure. She might have been older, but money ensured that she didn’t show her age for a minute. She said nothing while the others talked, hawkish eyes drinking in Natalya as she approached the table. “So you are the object of his desires this week, hmm? Or are you something more - special, even? Most girls don’t do a walk of shame through the middle of one of the best restaurants in town, after all.” She mused as she reclined against her leather seat like a regal cat.
Chocolate irises stared right back at Nicole. Unlike her’s, Natalya’s were more curious than anything. And rather than respond as she figured Nichole would want her to, she gave the woman a warm smile. “You must be Nicole. Alexander’s told me quite a bit about you,” she said, keeping her tone polite as she stood dutifully beside Alexander. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“A pleasure to meet you, dear. It’s always interesting to see who my sons choose to dally with on any given week.” She smiled, running a hand through her silver-gold hair. There was nothing genuinely kind in her eyes, but many would argue that there never had been. “Feel free to take a seat if you wish. We have more seats that guests, I’m afraid; my friends weren’t able to make it either. I’d love to hear all about you, seeing as you already know who I am.” She said as she eyed her son with a dispassionate gaze.
Natalya looked up at Alexander, as though for reassurance. He didn’t seem at all pleased to see his mother, and she could tell why. There were a few words that she figured could have been used to describe the type of woman that Nichole Blackburn was, but they were unlikely to be appreciated in the company they were in. “Want to sit?” she murmured.
Joshua flashed them an apologetic look as he returned to the table, taking a seat next to his wife. She looked uninterested as he tried to whisper something to her, but they were at least afforded a moment. “Not really.” He said softly as he walked with her to the table, pulling out a seat for her. “I suppose we don’t have a choice though.” The count added wryly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be here for you,” Natalya said in reply, her voice soft and reassuring. She mouthed a ‘thank you’ as she took the seat, setting her hands neatly in her lap as she looked over to Alexander as he took his seat beside her.
“She’s not so dangerous now that I’m bigger than she is, but I appreciate it nonetheless.” Alexander smiled wryly as he looked over at her, taking a glass of water that had been poured in advance for him. He couldn’t say that he loved his mother, not in the way someone should have; she was a heartless bitch, and he wasn’t about to claim otherwise. The count tried not to think about his prospects of ending up with someone like her. “And I’m here for you,” he added with a wink.
“Is there something you’d like to share with the class, or are you two going to continue to rudely whisper down there?” Nichole asked without preamble as she picked up her glass of wine. “Do I need to start making wedding plans, or skip to baby announcements?” She smirked, a gleam in her eyes.
It took Natalya physically biting down on her tongue to prevent her from snapping at Nichole. Instead, she gave an amiable smile. “I think it will take us a bit longer to decide those, won't it Alexander?” she stated.
The count found her hand under the table and gave it a squeeze, careful not to let go as he looked over at her with worry; his father knew that there was nothing to say that could stop his wife. “I’d say so, yeah. Marriage and kids is a...big jump for us, especially so soon, don’t you think?”
“It’s never too early to consider either.” His mother rolled her eyes and took a sip of wine, the judgement clear of day.
“You think that I would make a good daughter-in-law?” Natalya questioned, taking a sip of the water in front of her. She may have been Acrean, but even she had a time when it was too early to really drink anything besides perhaps a mimosa.
“I don’t remember saying that at any point, no.” Nichole replied with a little shake of the head, silver-blonde ponytail swishing from side to side. “That being said, I imagine that you’d probably make for a better wife than most of the whores my son prefers to dally with. You’re of good stock, are you not?” She added, but didn’t give the Acrean girl any time to talk. “Alexander could use someone to keep him grounded, a reason to actually leave his escorts at the end of the night and go home.” She smirked as her son shifted uncomfortably.
“I’m afraid that he wouldn’t be allowed escorts with me. It may be fine with you, but we prefer better company than your standard, it seems,” Natalya replied cooly, keeping up with her annoyingly polite smile as she took another sip of the water in front of her. Her tone had no malice, nor contempt. It was as though she was telling a story of a day at the spa.
Both of the men at the table tried, and failed, to stop themselves from snickering. It wasn’t often that anyone said anything nearly that sassy to Nichole, not if they valued their lives, much less their standing in the Empire; Nichole Blackburn was a bitch to the extreme, but she was powerful enough that she could get away with murder if she so desired.
The Duchess, for her part, narrowed her eyes dangerously at Natalya. The message of who does she think she is? was clear as day. “I see that they don’t instill many manners in Acrea, do they?” Nichole replied cooly before taking a sip of wine. “I’m one of the most important women in all the Empire, perhaps it would serve you best to hold your tongue.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was only pointing out the difference between what you allow your son to do and what I would do in comparison,” Natalya replied. She tried her best to put on a small pout, but her smile overrode it completely as she leaned back in her seat. Unlike Nichole’s narrowed, irritated eyes, Natalya’s were plenty confident and plenty amused. “I’m sorry, sudarynya, but in our custom it is only respectful to speak our mind truthfully. Is that not something you are used to?”
“There is speaking one’s mind, and there is being respectful. One has to understand that things are a bit different when they are dealing with those of purer blood.” There were entire manners of address that she was completely overlooking, assuming she was smart enough to understand them at all. For a fleeting moment, Nichole had thought to correct her, only to realize that she simply wouldn’t understand. “It is no matter, thought. I understand that my homeland and yours are a bit different in their nature. Perhaps, with time, my son can teach you about some of the finer points of nobility.”
“I’m sure that he would love to teach me. Wouldn’t you, Alexander?” Natalya said. The way she spoke had just the smallest, smallest twinge of mocking directed at Nichole, but the blonde concealed it well as she looked up at the man seated beside her, amusement evident in her expression.
“I would love to, Natalya.” The count replied with a little smile as he held her hand beneath the table, their fingers interlacing as he scooted his chair a bit closer to her own. His mother frowned at such a public display of affection, but he couldn’t have cared less. “I’m sure you’re a good learner.”
“If you intend to be seen with her in public, make sure that she is.” Nichole huffed and scowled.
The more displeased and angry Nichole got, the more Natalya found herself amused. She was a good actress and any snicker or laugh was stifled before it began, but it was hard to miss how it all conveyed in her eyes. She’d even gotten a laugh out of Joshua. There was something about women- people, rather- like Nichole Blackburn that made her this way. If Natalya were being petty, she would have brought up just how much more wealthy her family was than the Blackburns, or perhaps poked fun at her age, but pettiness like that was where she drew the line. “I do hope you’ve given us a good selection for brunch. The cooks at the palace are wonderful, but things can get a bit too familiar after a while.”
Joshua had the smarts to finally pick up while his wife stewed and Alexander continued to stroke Natalya’s hand. “This restaurant is one of the best, from everything I’ve experienced. I know the owner personally; he’s an old, retired chef.” There was more to the story, but none of it proper for dinner conversation. “It is as good a selection as you’re going to get. If you’ve got any preferences, though, feel free to let our chef know.”
“That is very much appreciated, Duke Blackburn.” There was something comforting and delightful about the older man. It may have just been how he was in contrast to his wife, but Joshua seemed much kinder and more considerate, and made her feel very comfortable despite Nichole’s misgivings towards her.
“Blackburns look out for their own.” The Duke replied with a soft smile as he looked over at his son. Despite his friendly demeanor, there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes, especially when he looked between the pair of them. Just weeks ago, his son had been head over heels for Inkeri, yet he was already cuddling up with another woman. Perhaps he was just trying to combat his mother, which wasn’t totally unlikely, or perhaps he needed to sit his son down -again- to talk about the dangers of mixed messages. Though Joshua liked to think of himself as a laid back parent, Alexander was still his son, and much of what he did fell into the category of unacceptable.
“So, Natalya…” He added, trying to make conversation. “How long do you plan to be in town? Are you just here for the wedding, or…” Joshua trailed off, inviting her to fill in the gap.
“I was planning on being here only for the wedding, and then perhaps for a bit after. Shalum is nice and all, but my business and life is elsewhere, I’m sorry to say,” Natalya replied. She reached across to place a hand on top of Alexander’s hand where it was stroking her own. “Why do you ask?” she questioned.
A waiter with Joshua’s food, a barbeque chicken sandwich with meat from an rottersiere, as well as a refill for his water. He thanked the man as he proceeded to fetch the rest of their food from the tray. “Simple curiosity, is all.” The older man replied with a small shrug, smiling softly as his son shifted. “Many Acreans have come to Shalum, but few plan to stay and see the sights.”
“I’m sure you’re a busy woman with more important things than sitting through a droll wedding.” Alexander mused as he looked at her.
“And aren’t you a busy man with more important things to sit through as well? If I understand right, Shalumites aren’t often quite big on having large celebrations like this,” Natalya replied with a smile. She reached over to take a small piece of chicken from Alexander’s sandwich before he could stop her, popping it into her mouth.
Joshua simply looked amused as she took a bite of chicken, covered in a liberal dose of cheese, that seemingly melted in the mouth as soon as it made contact with taste buds; it was the kind of thing that made lesser people moan aloud. “Oh, very much so. I’d much rather be...anywhere but here. There are a lot more pressing matters on my agenda than sitting through a wedding, but one can’t say no to the Hollands. Not if they care about their social stature.” He said in a resigned sort of way. “Most weddings in our nation are simple affairs. A priest, the couple or group, and ten minutes. We don’t even do rings, which you Acreans seem so fond of,” he chuckled.
“What can I say, we love pretty things,” Natalya chuckled. She cleaned her fingers on the napkin on the table in front of her, tilting her head up at Alexander with a sort of puppy-dog look. “Are you saying you wouldn’t get a ring for me?” she teased.
The count paused in surprise, licking his lips at the notion. “Uhh…” He stammered awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Alexander couldn’t imagine a girl like her would ever think about such a thing right now; there were probably a thousand other things that she wanted over marriage. “I mean, diamonds are totally worthless, but if you wanted one...sure, I guess?”
Natalya rolled her eyes, looking back at Joshua. “That’s a yes,” she faux-whispered, smiling as she leaned back in her seat. If she had been able to read his mind, she would have agreed with Alexander. She had no plans to get married in the near future, and certainly no plans to do such with a man she’d met just the day prior. No matter how much she’d enjoyed his company.
Joshua smirked and Alexander coughed quietly, covering his mouth as he tried to hide his amusement. Nichole just huffed and rolled her eyes, seemingly more off-put by the fact that she’d lost the attention of everyone else. “I figured as much.” The Duke mused as he took a big bite of his sandwich, jaw working as he chewed through the tender chicken. “Something tells me any man will give you anything you want with an attitude like that, Natalya.” He added with wry amusement.
Natalya laughed at that. She took another piece of chicken from Alexander’s sandwich, wiping her fingers on the napkin after just as she had done before. Her eyes twinkled with mirth, her previous small spat with Nichole all but forgotten. “Attitude is everything, isn’t it?”
“You can order one for yourself, if you so like, Natalya. I’m paying, after all.” There was no real fire in the Duke’s voice, just amusement as he wiped at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. Reaching over, he picked up his glass of water and took a long sip. “But yes, you’re right. Attitude and personality mean a lot.” He confirmed with a smile as he leaned back in his seat.
And yet he’s still married to mom. Alexander noted wryly as he glanced at his guest.
“I wouldn’t want to have done so without your permission, given,” Natalya replied. She did such, motioning for the waiter. As the waiter left, she turned back to the two. “I don’t know how anyone has yet to snatch up Alexander, with those things in mind. What with how he is,” she said.
The Duke shrugged. “Feel free to order anything you like. I don’t mind, really. It isn’t often that I share a meal with such pleasant company.” His eldest son tried not to roll his eyes at that, figuring it was probably for the best. If one thing was for certain, that had to be true; it wasn’t as if his mom was a pleasant person to be around in general.
“Many have tried, and none have succeeded.” His mother said, her tone disapproving as she glanced at her son. “We’ve tried to explain to him how important it is to marry at his age, and have children, yet he resists it at every turn. Lord knows how many girls I’ve tried to set him up with. It’s amazing any of them want to speak to him at all, considering that he prefers whoremongering to anything that lasts more than a few weeks.”
The count was silent, the jaws in his muscle clenched as he picked up his glass of water and took a little sip. His mother wasn’t the kind of woman he could fight with over this, it wouldn’t do them any good; if anything, it would only make the situation worse.
“Perhaps it’s your taste that puts him off so much,” Natalya suggested, her tone still polite. She cocked her head at Nichole, the tight-lipped smile and pointed eyes conveying the irritation behind her words. She squeezed Alexander’s hand under the table.
The count relaxed slightly, his fingers interlacing with Natalya’s as he stared down his mother. The Duchess just frowned slightly, his displeasure apparent as she crossed one leg over the other. “He may not like the girls that I do, but I pick nothing but for the best for him. He needs a good wife who will rear him many children in order to ensure that our bloodlines are continued; Lord knows that his younger brother won’t bring any decent children into our fold so long as he insists staying with that common lass.” She shook her head, ponytail bobbing. “Someone of good stock like yourself.”
Aras, that was her Siluan name at least, stood looking out across the heart of Shalum’s capital. She, like many of the Vaunus, did not possess the towering stature of their Siluan neighbors. She was around five and half feet in height with broad shoulders and a slim torso. Her face was lovely and somewhat rounded with a small and slender nose resting a perfect distance from a pair of kissably full pink lips.
A sudden gust of wind caught Aras’ white hair and tossed it back behind her head before tossing it into her face, covering her pale, icy blue eyes. The Vaunus woman took a hand and cleared the mass of hair from her face and smiled. It was if the very land itself was trying to shoo her away. In several centuries of contact, not a single Iron Wolf had set foot in the in the heart of Shalumite territory and power. Over the course of time, it had been Shalumites, Alemarrans, Siluans and a host of other that had come to Vaunus lands. Unlike her visit to Shalum though, those past incursions into the mountainous homeland of the Vaunus people had not been peaceful. Time and time again invaders from across the north had attempted to conquer the Vaunus and time and time again they been pushed back by the bravery and ferocity of the Vaunus people. It was certainly understandable that the spirits of Shalum would try to shun the people that had taken the skulls of their mortal wards.
Aras turned around and stepped back inside the airport lounge that had been so kindly given over for her use. It was time for her to prepare for the arrival of her hosts, or at the very least whatever representatives they might send. Walking over to a collection fo large cases, she opened them and pulled out various articles of formal dress. The first item she grabbed was a black leather breastplate emblazoned with her ranks namesake, the Iron Wolf. She first loosely fastened the straps on one side of the breastplate and then she slung it over her shoulder and carefully positioned it over her chest, making sure her breasts rested comfortably in the space her armor provided for them. She then fastened the straps on the other side of the breastplate and made sure everything was properly adjusted.
When Aras was satisfied with her breastplate, she then pulled over her hands and forearms a pair of fingerless black leather gloves that acted as vambraces. Once her gloves were in place, she then slipped on a pair of knee high, black leather military boots and then wrapped a wide leather belt, also black and with a large metal buckle, around her waist. With leather pieces of her formal attire properly covering the slate gray arming shirt and trousers that she had attired herself in after arrival, she reached toward the final case. From within it she grabbed flintlock pistol with its wooden elements carved expertly from ebony and its metal components forged with the highest grade of steel available at the time of its production. Once She had the pistol attached to her belt, she then grabbed a sheath that held the traditional dagger of the Vaunus soldier, the d’k tahg, and attached it to the opposite side of her body. The vast majority of outsiders simply called the d’k tahg a Vaunus prong dagger as its true name was not widely shared.
Properly attired, Aras, signaled the two Iron Fang guards that accompanied her wherever she went, and the trio stepped from the room and strode to the assigned meeting point to await the arrival of their hosts. Aras as looking forward to the festivities and was quite eager to explore the customs and culture of Shalum in as much detail as she could before her duties to her people called her home once more. Aside from a great love of opera and martial courage and honor, the Vaunus were taught to be inquisitive and explore the world around them.
Last edited by Silua on Tue Oct 10, 2017 7:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
by Acrea » Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:40 pm 