Warm Hearts (IC) (Open)

[Rivienland]

Nora whispered a silent prayer to The White Lady as she approached her new master. Unexpectedly for her, the young lady already had two nearby servants. She was a Princess of a place called the Rivienland. Nora had immediately come to think that Rivienland sounded quite like Riverlands, and so had taken it as a sign from The White Lady. Now, seeing the foreigner in person, she doubted herself. "Thank you my Princess. While i'm sure you would rather have your own servants care for you, if i can be of any assistance do command me." Not a moment later though, such an opportunity to help presented itself. "Pardon me, my Princess. If you would like to change, i could show you to a private bedroom here on the first floor." I'm going to have to work harder. I don't want to be dead weight.

Princess Elisa, hearing Nora’s offer, now focused on the maidservant. “Oh, that would be delightful, Nora,” she said enthusiastically. “Lucie can bring the dress to the room, and you both can help me change.”

Quickly breaking off from the main group, Nora led the Princess to the private bedroom. A small room with little decor, Princess Elisa positioned herself behind a changing divider as she undressed.

“To be quite honest,” remarked the Princess, “even while my evening dress might be seen as older in taste to the nobility of The Frozen Forest, it would cause quite a stir in the Palace back at home. Unfortunately, fashion tastes change slowly in Rivienland, but a few, like me, seek to show the world Rivienlander women can still have beautiful style. My dinner gown, for example, was even designed by a Rivienlander from one of our many fashion houses.”

Emerging from the changing divider, Princess Elisa now wore a flowing yellow gown with white accents. Rejoining the main group, Nora guided the Princess to her seat just in time before the King had arrived. Once dinner begun to be served the Princess was excited to try the local delicacies, and immediately ordered a plate of Sovinbjerg, a glass of Vænn, and slice of the Pear Tarte Tatin. While she held Rivienlander wine in high regard, the sweetness of the Vænn, parred with the fish, was exquisite. As Princess Elisa ate she glanced around her table wondering who else sat with her.

[A m e n r i a]

The king did not seem like one. He seemed frail and sick, which is perhaps why he was in such a rush to get his son married. Yali questioned why nobody has tried to challenge him for the throne for a moment. In the back of her mind, she thought maybe he couldn't even take a punch from her. Not that that's saying much, as being the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor himself, she had strength beyond even the average metahuman. Her train of thought was stopped when the old man began to speak, and finally, she was allowed to eat. She paid close attention to make sure which dishes she could consume. She wouldn't want to eat something haram by accident.

Tea was something she usually gets at home - this time, she wanted to drink something she doesn't drink often, and so chose juice. As for the food, cod and eel seemed too similar to what she could get at home. As such, she decided to try the potato salad, right after a quick and quiet recitation of the basmalah. Being the big eater she is, she enjoyed the meal, both in quality and quantity, and continued to eat, trying some of everything - besides the pork and liquor, of course. Part of her wanted to have beef, but for now, the lamb will have to do. It is good lamb, after all.

Moments passed and she realized she was too focused on enjoying her food to notice anything else, including who was next to her. Feeling slightly bad, she took a glance on the guest next to her and offered a smile as a greeting.

[The Frozen Forest]

Jeanie Maynet offered a small bow to Princess Desdemona, her new master. A lady of sophisticated grace, it would seem judging by the way she handled her new servant. Without batting an eye, she welcomed Jeanie into her service and even offered slight courtesies to her. Jeanie was not a noble, nor had she ever been a noble, so she felt herself appreciating that her master was at least experienced with giving orders. It made things simpler, and less awkward for the both of them. It was a unfortunate truth that Jeanie didn't actually enjoy her work, being that she was forced into it.

Most maidservants were volunteers but Jeanie wasn't. Her father had been horribly in debt to the Riverlands Crime Syndicate and sold Jeanie off to help pay off his debt. Maidservants were bound to a contract typically lasting ten years, but often lasted until death. Jeanie's happened to be a twenty year contract, and it was her eighteenth year. Two years would still drag by, so it was best not to dwell on it. She had to make the best out of her circumstances, and at the moment her fate was tied to that of Princess Desdemona. If the Princess left without marrying The Crown Prince, then Jeanie would be sent back to her village. If the Princess stayed, Jeanie would be allowed to stay on as well. Maidservants always received a payment at the end of their service based on the wealth of the household they served in. It was preferable for Jeanie to finish her contract in The Royal Palace if she intended to get her father fully out of debt and start a life for herself.

She turned her attention to the Princess, who posed questions to her. "Customarily one would refer to a maidservant as just 'servant.' Though it is not uncommon for masters to refer to their maidservants by name. My previous masters preferred to refer to me as servant. Regarding meals, it may be my Princess. My humble suggestion would be that you try as much of the food as possible and not eat too much of any particular dish. It is not considered offensive to not finish a meal one has started, at least not here in The Royal Palace."

Rose Treadaway nodded in acknowledgement of being called by her first name, and separated from Countess Magdalane as they entered the dining hall. Wordlessly she took her place among the other maidservants along the wall. While it was unlikely that her master would require her services until the end of dinner, there was always the possibility. Despite that she made the choice to not look at the many delicious foods that were being offered to the girls. The smells though, they were something that she had much more difficulty protecting herself against. Then again who wouldn't have trouble avoiding them? The aroma of freshly cooked delicacies, including her own personal favorite. Ever since she was a little girl she had loved frosted maize, and there it was-sitting on a meal cart, just ready to be eaten.

"There will probably be leftovers." Abigail's (another maidservant) voice came from Rose's side. She turned to look at the dark haired girl, who hadn't turned to look at Rose. She was staring ahead reverently at one of the guests.

"That's a possibility." Rose said, thinking about going to the kitchens after her master fell asleep that night. She knew that the food went to orphanages, but was it that same day or the day after? And wouldn't the Chef's save some for themselves? Rose suspected that they did, a little corruption was always present no matter where one was.

Nora Alwick listened to Princess Elisa as she described how her dress could be seen as old fashioned to the nobility of The Frozen Forest. Nora didn't think it could be too bad, afterall The Frozen Forest was a traditional nation for the most part and it's fashions weren't exactly modern themselves. Depending on where one was in the country, you could find dresses from the seventies or eighties. Nora knew that in her home Region, The Riverlands, they subsisted on such older clothing because the Region was particularly poor.

That was what Nora had been thinking before the Princess showed herself in a dress that could have easily been from the late 1800's. Maybe that was an exaggeration, especially given how beautiful the Princess looked wearing it. Clothing similar to it's design wasn't uncommon at balls and other formal events where ladies of the court gathered to gossip and pry into each others lives. So a mixture of surprise and recognition overcome Nora. "It looks wonderful on you my Princess, it's sure to catch the Crown Prince's eye." Nora felt her headache return. It was going to be a long night.

As they arrived at the Dinning Hall, Nora took her place with the other maidservants along the far wall. Apart from two maidservants, they were totally silent and awaiting their masters commands. Their freedom would begin after their masters went to bed for the night, and would begin again early in the morning. That is assuming their masters didn't wake up in the middle of the night and require their service. The job of a maidservant required them to be ready to serve at all hours of the day. They didn't have personal time apart from when their masters dismissed them to eat or whatever other reason. Nora was looking forwards to getting well needed sleep.

Crown Prince Ivan and Prince Ari were pulled aside as the girls made their way to dinner. The matter was apparently urgent and the King was too infirm to properly handle it. This sort of thing was becoming more common every day for Ivan. The Ministers and the Court were increasingly coming to him rather than his father to handle issues of the state. It was a confusing situation though, given that his father was still alive. Ivan couldn't picture his father being unable to make decisions. His earliest memories were of King Alvor stomping around the Palace, rearranging things or arranging meetings with key members of the Government. The Communist Government that is.

The Communists were slipping from power. It was a long time coming-their decline had begun almost three decades prior but now everything was coming to a head. Law Enforcement no longer obeyed the orders of the CPTFF (Communist Party of The Frozen Forest) and it's decisions now met resistance in the streets, where protests in favor of the Monarchy were growing larger and more violent. A recent statistic suggested that Party members were dying faster than new members were brought in. It wasn't just King Alvor that was suffering from his age, it was a fate shared by the leader of the Communist Party, Zarkov Lanzashu.

"My Crown Prince, General Secretary Lanzashu was pronounced dead half an hour ago. We believe that the news has not yet hit the public. I apologize for distracting you from you're dinner, but i thought it best that you make a decision as soon as possible." Minister of Internal Security Toffin Bolgorian was director of the Frozen Forestrian Intelligence Agency (FFIA) and a supporter of the Monarchy. He was also one of Crown Prince Ivan's key supporters in the Capital.

"The Central Congress will convene a session to elect a new General Secretary. Once they have a new leader we won't be able to do anything to stop them from purging your agency. Have your men lock down the Capital Building and arrest anyone who tries to enter or organize a meeting elsewhere. Send anyone you arrest to our prisons in The Great Plains Region, support for the Royal Family is strong there. I'm going to return to dinner, unless it is urgent i don't want to be interrupted again. You are dismissed, Minister."

Bolgorian bowed, turned and made his way towards the nearest exit, leaving the Crown Prince alone. Ivan's thoughts adjusted from his decision to seize power to the girls in the dining hall. He would be marrying one of them and he would raise children with one of them. Those future children shouldn't have to live under the oppression of a Communist government. The King should rule, it was Divine Right.

Ivan changed in the nearest room. From a tuxedo to traditional Frozen Forestrian royal garments. It was certain the girls wouldn't be expecting the change, but it didn't quite matter. Ivan looked attractive enough and needed to be ready to address his people if there were significant developments.

That is not to say he expected anything more tonight. As he made his way into the room, he made the decision not to sit with his father. Breaking with that small tradition, he instead sat down across from Countess Magdalen. Not for any particular reason, but because she happened to be sitting at the closest table to the entrance.

Alongside the Crown Prince, others were beginning to fill the room and take seats at the tables. Most were noblewomen from various prominent families, a few others were important men, such as the Royal Ministers. It went without saying that they were watching the girls, knowing that one of them would become their Queen within a couple of days-or at least the fiancee of the Crown Prince. It was unfair how they would judge the girls, but they would develop their opinions and those opinions would be heard outside the Royal Palace and by the King and his family. Getting along with the nobility was important, even when some were snobs.

It took decades for the Nobility to scratch their way back into prominence. They had money and titles even after the Communists took control, but they had lost political power. With the weakening of the government came the rise of the Monarchists, including new rights given to the Nobility. Restored they were able to have sway on the Royal Family, and thus many of entering the dining hall happened to be highborn. The future Queen was naturally going to be someone they were concerned about-possibly even being jealous over.

People filled the room, taking seats beside the girls until there were none left. Those remaining stood, moving from table to table in order to speak with their colleagues, friends or the girls. Toir Bolgorian, son of the Minister of Internal Security turned towards Baroness Yali. "Excuse me, you are one of the Crown Prince's suitors, are you not?"

There were three noblewomen sitting around Princess Elise but only one seemed interested in her, specifically her dress. Duchess Isabella of Tarton was a powerful woman. She was born and lived in one of The Frozen Forests colonies, the Duchy of Tarton. 2.9 million Tartonese took her word as law. She was easily one of the most well known people in the room barring the Royal Family. Yet this noblewoman thought not for anything but the strange fashion of the girl she saw before her.

"Your dress is quite unusual, isn't it? Excuse me, where are my manners? I am Duchess Isabella of Tarton, member of House de Tarton. You're Princess Elise of Rivienland, are you not?

[A m e n r i a]

Yali's smile was responded by a gentleman in a brown suit. "Yes, yes I am. Baroness Yali of the Ramadhan Family, to be exact, but you can simply call me by my given name. Nice to meet you, mister..?" she waited a bit for the man to introduce himself. In any case, she seemed to have caught his attention somehow and if he were invited to dinner with the king, he must be of some importance.

[Rivienland]

Princess Elisa took a moment to breath before responding to the Duchess. While she considered herself quite capable of conversing with other members of the aristocracy, a lady of the court must always be on her toes. Especially being one of the Crown Prince's suitors, the Princess was sure the other ladies of the court would not hold back on competition from foreign lands. Building one’s reputation in a foreign court would be tricky, especially in The Frozen Forest, because of how the mannerisms and fashions of the nobility changed sharply based on the different regions.

“I am Princess Elisa, Your Grace, and it is a pleasure to meet you. And yes, based on what I see around me I would agree my dress can be seen as ‘different’,” the Princess grinned. “Though, in Rivienlander society, the times are quite different than here, but, like The Frozen Forest, our nation values and appreciates culture and beauty. And, Your Grace, is it not true that for every royal court in the world, each, within its own means, finds a way to fuse its appreciation of beauty into its court culture?”

Elisa's smile got bigger as she motioned to the other ladies at the table. “While my dress might be considered exotic for the royal court then perhaps you ladies, especially yourself Duchess Isabella, could advise me on the current fashion of the nobility here? Clearly, you are all the most well-dressed group of ladies here.”

[Kyrenaia]

Rose Treadaway might have laughed along with the Countess, except that she was too serious for her own good. A flaw that she had since she had become a maidservant, possibly brought about by the hard rules that she had been taught about her profession. Rose bowed her head respectfully as she introduced herself properly to Countess Magdalene. "My name is Rose Treadaway, My father is-was a Count from The South Region. My family has lived in this nation for well over a hundred years as nobility, and longer as merchants and bankers. However those times are long since over. I am your faithful servant now please refer to me however you like."

Magdalen listened to her new maid, a girl with the most unusual of histories, a family that had since lost their nobility and maybe hoping to gain it back. She did come off as stiff but I guess it wasn't a surprise given that kind of baggage she had to deal with. Honestly she didn't know really how to reply beyond "Then I'll call you, Rose. It's a very nice name and should be used. Now come, let's go to dinner." she ushered her new maid servant along to the dining room.

It would seem there weren't any formal seating assignments, no name plates or the Lady or maids pointing to anywhere so she simply took a seat where one was free, it'd be a good time to hopefully strike up conversation with one of the fellow ladies here. She chose a seat next to Princess Amana bint-Samir. Having struck up conversation with a friendly Kyrenaian earlier might as well keep the trend going this evening. Tomorrow she could be adventurous and brave and seek a new person.

(Image)

Jeanie Maynet offered a small bow to Princess Desdemona, her new master. A lady of sophisticated grace, it would seem judging by the way she handled her new servant. Without batting an eye, she welcomed Jeanie into her service and even offered slight courtesies to her. Jeanie was not a noble, nor had she ever been a noble, so she felt herself appreciating that her master was at least experienced with giving orders. It made things simpler, and less awkward for the both of them. It was a unfortunate truth that Jeanie didn't actually enjoy her work, being that she was forced into it.

Most maidservants were volunteers but Jeanie wasn't. Her father had been horribly in debt to the Riverlands Crime Syndicate and sold Jeanie off to help pay off his debt. Maidservants were bound to a contract typically lasting ten years, but often lasted until death. Jeanie's happened to be a twenty year contract, and it was her eighteenth year. Two years would still drag by, so it was best not to dwell on it. She had to make the best out of her circumstances, and at the moment her fate was tied to that of Princess Desdemona. If the Princess left without marrying The Crown Prince, then Jeanie would be sent back to her village. If the Princess stayed, Jeanie would be allowed to stay on as well. Maidservants always received a payment at the end of their service based on the wealth of the household they served in. It was preferable for Jeanie to finish her contract in The Royal Palace if she intended to get her father fully out of debt and start a life for herself.

She turned her attention to the Princess, who posed questions to her. "Customarily one would refer to a maidservant as just 'servant.' Though it is not uncommon for masters to refer to their maidservants by name. My previous masters preferred to refer to me as servant. Regarding meals, it may be my Princess. My humble suggestion would be that you try as much of the food as possible and not eat too much of any particular dish. It is not considered offensive to not finish a meal one has started, at least not here in The Royal Palace."

(Image)

Rose Treadaway nodded in acknowledgement of being called by her first name, and separated from Countess Magdalane as they entered the dining hall. Wordlessly she took her place among the other maidservants along the wall. While it was unlikely that her master would require her services until the end of dinner, there was always the possibility. Despite that she made the choice to not look at the many delicious foods that were being offered to the girls. The smells though, they were something that she had much more difficulty protecting herself against. Then again who wouldn't have trouble avoiding them? The aroma of freshly cooked delicacies, including her own personal favorite. Ever since she was a little girl she had loved frosted maize, and there it was-sitting on a meal cart, just ready to be eaten.

"There will probably be leftovers." Abigail's (another maidservant) voice came from Rose's side. She turned to look at the dark haired girl, who hadn't turned to look at Rose. She was staring ahead reverently at one of the guests.

"That's a possibility." Rose said, thinking about going to the kitchens after her master fell asleep that night. She knew that the food went to orphanages, but was it that same day or the day after? And wouldn't the Chef's save some for themselves? Rose suspected that they did, a little corruption was always present no matter where one was.

(Image)

Nora Alwick listened to Princess Elisa as she described how her dress could be seen as old fashioned to the nobility of The Frozen Forest. Nora didn't think it could be too bad, afterall The Frozen Forest was a traditional nation for the most part and it's fashions weren't exactly modern themselves. Depending on where one was in the country, you could find dresses from the seventies or eighties. Nora knew that in her home Region, The Riverlands, they subsisted on such older clothing because the Region was particularly poor.

That was what Nora had been thinking before the Princess showed herself in a dress that could have easily been from the late 1800's. Maybe that was an exaggeration, especially given how beautiful the Princess looked wearing it. Clothing similar to it's design wasn't uncommon at balls and other formal events where ladies of the court gathered to gossip and pry into each others lives. So a mixture of surprise and recognition overcome Nora. "It looks wonderful on you my Princess, it's sure to catch the Crown Prince's eye." Nora felt her headache return. It was going to be a long night.

As they arrived at the Dinning Hall, Nora took her place with the other maidservants along the far wall. Apart from two maidservants, they were totally silent and awaiting their masters commands. Their freedom would begin after their masters went to bed for the night, and would begin again early in the morning. That is assuming their masters didn't wake up in the middle of the night and require their service. The job of a maidservant required them to be ready to serve at all hours of the day. They didn't have personal time apart from when their masters dismissed them to eat or whatever other reason. Nora was looking forwards to getting well needed sleep.

(Image)

Crown Prince Ivan and Prince Ari were pulled aside as the girls made their way to dinner. The matter was apparently urgent and the King was too infirm to properly handle it. This sort of thing was becoming more common every day for Ivan. The Ministers and the Court were increasingly coming to him rather than his father to handle issues of the state. It was a confusing situation though, given that his father was still alive. Ivan couldn't picture his father being unable to make decisions. His earliest memories were of King Alvor stomping around the Palace, rearranging things or arranging meetings with key members of the Government. The Communist Government that is.

The Communists were slipping from power. It was a long time coming-their decline had begun almost three decades prior but now everything was coming to a head. Law Enforcement no longer obeyed the orders of the CPTFF (Communist Party of The Frozen Forest) and it's decisions now met resistance in the streets, where protests in favor of the Monarchy were growing larger and more violent. A recent statistic suggested that Party members were dying faster than new members were brought in. It wasn't just King Alvor that was suffering from his age, it was a fate shared by the leader of the Communist Party, Zarkov Lanzashu.

"My Crown Prince, General Secretary Lanzashu was pronounced dead half an hour ago. We believe that the news has not yet hit the public. I apologize for distracting you from you're dinner, but i thought it best that you make a decision as soon as possible." Minister of Internal Security Toffin Bolgorian was director of the Frozen Forestrian Intelligence Agency (FFIA) and a supporter of the Monarchy. He was also one of Crown Prince Ivan's key supporters in the Capital.

"The Central Congress will convene a session to elect a new General Secretary. Once they have a new leader we won't be able to do anything to stop them from purging your agency. Have your men lock down the Capital Building and arrest anyone who tries to enter or organize a meeting elsewhere. Send anyone you arrest to our prisons in The Great Plains Region, support for the Royal Family is strong there. I'm going to return to dinner, unless it is urgent i don't want to be interrupted again. You are dismissed, Minister."

Bolgorian bowed, turned and made his way towards the nearest exit, leaving the Crown Prince alone. Ivan's thoughts adjusted from his decision to seize power to the girls in the dining hall. He would be marrying one of them and he would raise children with one of them. Those future children shouldn't have to live under the oppression of a Communist government. The King should rule, it was Divine Right.

Ivan changed in the nearest room. From a tuxedo to traditional Frozen Forestrian royal garments. It was certain the girls wouldn't be expecting the change, but it didn't quite matter. Ivan looked attractive enough and needed to be ready to address his people if there were significant developments.

That is not to say he expected anything more tonight. As he made his way into the room, he made the decision not to sit with his father. Breaking with that small tradition, he instead sat down across from Countess Magdalen. Not for any particular reason, but because she happened to be sitting at the closest table to the entrance.

Alongside the Crown Prince, others were beginning to fill the room and take seats at the tables. Most were noblewomen from various prominent families, a few others were important men, such as the Royal Ministers. It went without saying that they were watching the girls, knowing that one of them would become their Queen within a couple of days-or at least the fiancee of the Crown Prince. It was unfair how they would judge the girls, but they would develop their opinions and those opinions would be heard outside the Royal Palace and by the King and his family. Getting along with the nobility was important, even when some were snobs.

(Image)

It took decades for the Nobility to scratch their way back into prominence. They had money and titles even after the Communists took control, but they had lost political power. With the weakening of the government came the rise of the Monarchists, including new rights given to the Nobility. Restored they were able to have sway on the Royal Family, and thus many of entering the dining hall happened to be highborn. The future Queen was naturally going to be someone they were concerned about-possibly even being jealous over.

People filled the room, taking seats beside the girls until there were none left. Those remaining stood, moving from table to table in order to speak with their colleagues, friends or the girls. Toir Bolgorian, son of the Minister of Internal Security turned towards Baroness Yali. "Excuse me, you are one of the Crown Prince's suitors, are you not?"

There were three noblewomen sitting around Princess Elise but only one seemed interested in her, specifically her dress. Duchess Isabella of Tarton was a powerful woman. She was born and lived in one of The Frozen Forests colonies, the Duchy of Tarton. 2.9 million Tartonese took her word as law. She was easily one of the most well known people in the room barring the Royal Family. Yet this noblewoman thought not for anything but the strange fashion of the girl she saw before her.

"Your dress is quite unusual, isn't it? Excuse me, where are my manners? I am Duchess Isabella of Tarton, member of House de Tarton. You're Princess Elise of Rivienland, are you not?

Princess Amana bint-Samir.
I smiled as someone sat down next to me and waited, until Magdalena sat properly.
"Hi.", I greeted with a smile, "Glad to see, that you made it."
I wanted to add some question about what she thought about the lad, with which I meant both Ivan and Ari, the younger brother having awakened my interest as well. He seemed nice enough. Of course, I was mostly here for Ivan and fun, but that did not mean, that he was the only male in the world.
Besides, if one of us was to marry Ivan, it would be not unlikely, that Ari would become a fixture in any future life as well. He was Ivan's brother, after all.
But all of that was sort-of preempted by Ivan sitting down on Magdalen's other side.
I smiled at him. "And good evening to you, too.", I said and looked him up and down. He had changed into a traditional costume of the land, I've seen them during a quick internet search. It suited him quite well, although I was a bit surprised, that he had changed. "Compliments to the Palace's chefs, it looks and smells delicious!"
Not the best one could say as a conversation opener, but there were worse.

[Kuronami]

"I join with milady here in also complimenting the food." Magadalane nodded in agreement. "As well as the help. I've been assigned to Miss Rose Treadaway, and she's a very polite and helpful." She slid her chair in closer to the table to properly align her seat. Unfolding the napkin into her lap followed as she sat properly like she was always trained. "Milord Prince, you know you look strikingly like a young noble from one of Kuronami's domains. So much so, I'd swear you were twins or something! Humor a silly girl a moment but you don't by chance of some Kuronami ties do you?"

[The Frozen Forest]

Toir Bolgorian's rested his hands on the sides of his chair as he pulled himself closer to the table. Off of his hand slipped a bug, a small recording device that stuck firmly to the bottom of his seat. Toir made no idication that anything was strange or off as he gazed confidently at the baroness, looking every bit as interested as the other noblemen in the room. The baroness introduced herself as Yali of the Ramadhan Family. It was something that he already knew, considering it was his father that prepared the initial report on all the girls-the report that the Crown Prince had likely read in preparation for meeting them.

Toir was confident that the bug was unnecessary, but it didn't hurt in case the Baroness made a mistake, a faux pas. Call it insurance for when he took his fathers position-if Baroness Yali were to become the Queen and he were to have leverage over her, it could come in handy. Given that he would likely be tortured for spying on her if she were the queen, that only left a few days for him try and build dirt on her, and the other girls in the room.

"Bolgorian, Toir Bolgorian. So then you must be the daughter of Heavenly Emperor Cheonsa? In that case it is my honor to meet you, Yali. My respect for your family goes beyond what words can describe. Did you had a pleasant trip here? I trust that the Crown Prince has treated you graciously."

A smirk crossed Duchess Isabella's face as she received her compliments from Princess Elisa. Something that never got old was being told how superior her people-she was, compared to those around her. She bowed lightly to the Princess and a few of the girls around her giggled obnoxiously, in that sort of prissy noblewoman sort of way.

"You're very wise for someone your age, My Princess. I would be inclined to agree, though i have to admit that some things are more beautiful than others. For example, you my dear. You've already caught the eye of Prince Ari, though i'm sad to say he's not the one whose eye you need to be catching. If you are serious about taking advantage of the local fashion, i think it would make you unique among the other girls here." The Duchess turned and looked around, playfully pretending to try and keep what she was saying a secret.

"Me and my girls could help you, even as early as tomorrow morning. You would catch the Crown Prince's eye without a doubt. And if that doesn't work i know several other important people here in the Palace. People that could say good things about you, Princess. But, i think to myself-why should i help this girl? What would i gain if she were to become Queen because of my help? The ear of nearly crowned King? I already have that. Precious jewels and money? I have that too. So what do i gain from helping you and not someone else, dear?"

The Duchess leaned forwards, the idea that Princess Elisa might not accept her offer not crossing her mind once. Extortion was a funny thing. You scratch my back i scratch yours, that was the way the Duchess thought. Her girls stayed silent, smirking and staring at Princess Elisa.

The Crown Prince raised his glass and took a sip of expensive Vænn. It wasn't the same as what was being shared with the other guests, not that what was shared wasn't of the highest quality. The bottle that the waiter had brought Ivan came from the King's personal wine cellar just outside of the city. Perhaps it was a lie to call it Vænn given that it had twice as much work put into it, cost about twice as much to make and got you drunk twice as fast. Ivan was drinking particularly lightly on advice of his father. The image of his public embarrassment in Camelone because of drunkenness wasn't more than a year old and no one was eager for a repeat.

Ivan turned to look at those around the table. His eyes passed over Lady Rjornson and Lady Rolfson to a pair of exotic red eyes. Princess Amana spoke first and was quickly followed by Countess Magdalene. Together the pair graciously toasted the food. Ivan hadn't eaten yet but he knew that the food was likely outstanding. The Chefs of The Royal Palace were some of the greatest in the country, they were expected to make perfect meals on a day to day basis. Still, a feeling of warmth was beginning to wash Ivan's cheeks.

A smile cracked across his face, showing off shiny white teeth. "The Chefs do their duty and are some of the best in the nation at what they do. Despite this, it's uncommon for guests to send compliments to them. I'll be sure that they know you lovely ladies enjoyed their food."

Ivan took a sip of his Vænn and shook his head lightly. "I'm sorry Countess, i'm unfamiliar with most of the maidservants. There are hundreds here in the Pala-wait. Treadaway? Rose Treadaway? I'm familiar with her, she was once a member of the Nobility. I'm pleased to hear that she is acting according to her new status."

His gaze settled on Countess Magdalene as though seeing her more clearly than he had before. It was curious that she had thought to mention her maidservants when none of the other girls had. "You're asking whether i have any family ties in Kuronami?" Ivan couldn't recall any marriages between the Royal Houses of Kuronami and The Frozen Forest. In fact, The Frozen Forestrian bloodline was almost pure, with the exception of a single Selkie girl and one or two Scraeling's prior to the nations founding. "i don't believe there has ever been a marriage between a Kuronamian and the Royal House. Not yet anyways. Who is this young noble?"

[Kuronami]

Magdalene nodded, "Ah I figured as much, just a coincidence. Oh the young Nobel is Zen Wisteria, he's the younger brother of Lord Izana the Duke of Clarines, that's one of our country's Domains or Provinces and well he just looks strikingly like you. Aha not yet indeed." she chuckled a little taking a sip of her drink. Gee, what am I going on about? she thought to herself I'm so bad at dinner conversation. Uuugh just one more thing Fine is better at than me!. Hard when you have a bright little sister, hard it is.

[New Edom]

Desdemona nodded in response to Jeanie Maynet’s little speech.

“Very good. I shall call you Jeanie. If you continue to give me good advice and serve well, I shall make sure regardless of how things end up that you are well rewarded.” she paused and said, “A servant should be worthy of their hire. Yet a master must be godly.” she smiled. “Those are proverbs from my own country.”

As they went in, Desdemona doffed her fur coat and had Jeanie Maynet see to it that it was handed over to someone appropriate, revealing a dark wine red evening dress with long lace sleeves and a high neckline with an upper calf length hem. In spite of the modesty of her dress, it did not hide the sumptuous figure beneath.

Desdemona came in and found her seat, and glanced around to see what dining companions she might have.

[The Frozen Forest]

"Zen Wisteria? I can't say that i know who that is. I could find out though." Ivan raised his hand above his head and snapped his fingers. From the other side of the room a figure shifted, and then skipped over to where the Crown Prince, Princess Amana, Countess Magdalene and the other ladies were sitting. It was a girl in full maid attire and she was holding what looked to be an electronic tablet. Stopping before her Crown Prince, she failed to bow as the other maidservants were taught Lucy Farehallow smiled girlishly at the nobles before turning to the Crown Prince. "Yes! What can i do for you Ivan?"

Ivan shook his head. "You know you aren't supposed to call me by my given name." Ivan turned to Countess Magdalene and Princess Amana. "This is Lucy Farehallow, my personal maidservant and one of my sisters closest friends." He turned back to Lucy and ordered her with his command. "I need you to see if we have any intelligence at all on a man named Zen Wisteria of Kuronami."

"Kuronami? Why would we have any intelligence on that backwater?" For a split second the girls eyes peered at the Countess, a mischievous glint tainting them. Then they turned back to a annoyed-faced Ivan, then back to Magdalene "Oh my, i'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were from there, m'lady." She offered a nearly sarcastic bow, much lower than what was necessary. "Yes, well i'll see what we have on him immediately, Your Grace."

A moment later Lucy was typing away viciously at the tablet. After a minute or so of silence she handed it to the Crown Prince. "Iva-My Prince, is Zen Wisteria some sort of alias?"

Ivan ignored Lucy and read through what little information his nation had on Zen Wisteria. Most of it was public information that anyone could find out, including a photo of him. "What? This can't be right." The man in the photo could have very easily been him. Ivan didn't have a twin, but the resemblance was almost scary. "My Lady, you weren't joking. Do you know this Zen personally?"

Duke Solfo Bjerland wasn't the most powerful man in the room. He was certainly still someone that was worth talking to, and many of the guests in the room had stopped to pay him a visit. He was the ruler of the Duchy of Bjerland, which happened to border the Duchy of Tarton and also happened to be a major supplier of orchard products to The Frozen Forest. He wasn't renowned for his land though, but rather his heroism on the field of battle. As a young man the Duke invaded the Republic of Sautland and carved out the land he would later rule. He wasn't forced to become a vassal to The Frozen Forest, rather he made the choice to. He was a ruthless operator and executed the harshest sentences in his Duchy for the pettiest of crimes. It was a system that maximized productivity at the cost of its citizens

Princess of the Blood Desdemona happened to be the only person to sit down at his table-perhaps not knowing who she was sitting with. Solfo stood from his seat, causing a few people to look in their direction. He bowed to Desdemona and took his seat. Sitting down, he pointed towards a nearby table where multiple women were gathered around Princess Elisa. "Do you see that women with the brown hair and blue dress? Her name is Duchess Isabella. She is a manipulative snake. Most of the noblewomen here are. My name is Duke Solfo of Bjerland. May i ask who you are?

[Rivienland]

(Image)

A smirk crossed Duchess Isabella's face as she received her compliments from Princess Elisa. Something that never got old was being told how superior her people-she was, compared to those around her. She bowed lightly to the Princess and a few of the girls around her giggled obnoxiously, in that sort of prissy noblewoman sort of way.

"You're very wise for someone your age, My Princess. I would be inclined to agree, though i have to admit that some things are more beautiful than others. For example, you my dear. You've already caught the eye of Prince Ari, though i'm sad to say he's not the one whose eye you need to be catching. If you are serious about taking advantage of the local fashion, i think it would make you unique among the other girls here." The Duchess turned and looked around, playfully pretending to try and keep what she was saying a secret.

"Me and my girls could help you, even as early as tomorrow morning. You would catch the Crown Prince's eye without a doubt. And if that doesn't work i know several other important people here in the Palace. People that could say good things about you, Princess. But, i think to myself-why should i help this girl? What would i gain if she were to become Queen because ofThe my help? The ear of nearly crowned King? I already have that. Precious jewels and money? I have that too. So what do i gain from helping you and not someone else, dear?"

The Duchess leaned forwards, the idea that Princess Elisa might not accept her offer not crossing her mind once. Extortion was a funny thing. You scratch my back i scratch yours, that was the way the Duchess thought. Her girls stayed silent, smirking and staring at Princess Elisa.

Princess Elisa, hearing that she caught the eye of Prince Ari, blushed. “Really,” she whispered. The Princess surveyed the room for a moment attempting to get a glance at him and wondered how she could have caught his attention so soon. Perhaps Duchess Isabella was lying?

Refocusing on the Duchess’s question, the Princess had to hold back from rolling her eyes. While she appreciated the offer of assistance, which she knew was needed, Duchess Isabella was like many other nobles in which she was always searching for the next bar on the ladder to climb. And, who could not say that her offer could be in fact a ruse to embarrass her in front of the entire court. Elisa took a breath remembering the words of a wise man: “The higher up the mountain the more treacherous the path.”

Taking a sip of Vænn, the Princess responded, “Well, perhaps instead of convincing you what I could give you maybe we should ask what the other suitors will not. You see, Your Grace, while I would be quite fond befriending you these other ladies might not be so kind. I do not wish to assume anything about these fine ladies, but, as we surely can both agree, it only takes one individual to cause a lot of issues. Being Queen of The Frozen Forest is a prominent position and, while you might have the ear of a nearly crowned King today, the Queen will have the ear of the newly crowned King tomorrow.”

The Princess covered her mouth as she snickered, “Pardon me, but I just remember something. My mother once said that having influence with the nobility is like maintaining a garden. Each year, much like attending social occasions, you must continually trim the bushes and pull out the weeds. As time progresses old flowers will die, and you must make the wise choice of which variety to plant next. But,” the Princess held up her finger, “if you even sit idle for one season the weeds will take over.”

Mimicking the Duchess’s secretive glances, Princess Elisa also leaned forward, “Do we have a mutual understanding, Your Grace?”

[A m e n r i a]

Yali nodded and beamed with her characteristic energetic smile. "Yes, I'm the daughter of Tianshi himself. See the golden border of my pin? That means I'm his direct descendant. Or his wife, but he was never into younger women." she said with a chuckle while gesturing to the pin that sat on her lapel, bearing the symbol of her Family, a pair of stylised wings, one black and one white, and a burning heart in between.

"I'm used to interuniversal jumps by now I don't even feel anything anymore. The prince? Yea, he seems really nice, though I haven't talked to him that much." she grins before eagerly continuing the conversation.

"Wait, so you've heard of my Family? Eum..Can I have your honest opinion? What do you like most about us? And what don't you like about us?"

[Kyrenaia]

(Image)

"Zen Wisteria? I can't say that i know who that is. I could find out though." Ivan raised his hand above his head and snapped his fingers. From the other side of the room a figure shifted, and then skipped over to where the Crown Prince, Princess Amana, Countess Magdalene and the other ladies were sitting. It was a girl in full maid attire and she was holding what looked to be an electronic tablet. Stopping before her Crown Prince, she failed to bow as the other maidservants were taught Lucy Farehallow smiled girlishly at the nobles before turning to the Crown Prince. "Yes! What can i do for you Ivan?"

Ivan shook his head. "You know you aren't supposed to call me by my given name." Ivan turned to Countess Magdalene and Princess Amana. "This is Lucy Farehallow, my personal maidservant and one of my sisters closest friends." He turned back to Lucy and ordered her with his command. "I need you to see if we have any intelligence at all on a man named Zen Wisteria of Kuronami."

"Kuronami? Why would we have any intelligence on that backwater?" For a split second the girls eyes peered at the Countess, a mischievous glint tainting them. Then they turned back to a annoyed-faced Ivan, then back to Magdalene "Oh my, i'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were from there, m'lady." She offered a nearly sarcastic bow, much lower than what was necessary. "Yes, well i'll see what we have on him immediately, Your Grace."

A moment later Lucy was typing away viciously at the tablet. After a minute or so of silence she handed it to the Crown Prince. "Iva-My Prince, is Zen Wisteria some sort of alias?"

Ivan ignored Lucy and read through what little information his nation had on Zen Wisteria. Most of it was public information that anyone could find out, including a photo of him. "What? This can't be right." The man in the photo could have very easily been him. Ivan didn't have a twin, but the resemblance was almost scary. "My Lady, you weren't joking. Do you know this Zen personally?"

(Image)

Duke Solfo Bjerland wasn't the most powerful man in the room. He was certainly still someone that was worth talking to, and many of the guests in the room had stopped to pay him a visit. He was the ruler of the Duchy of Bjerland, which happened to border the Duchy of Tarton and also happened to be a major supplier of orchard products to The Frozen Forest. He wasn't renowned for his land though, but rather his heroism on the field of battle. As a young man the Duke invaded the Republic of Sautland and carved out the land he would later rule. He wasn't forced to become a vassal to The Frozen Forest, rather he made the choice to. He was a ruthless operator and executed the harshest sentences in his Duchy for the pettiest of crimes. It was a system that maximized productivity at the cost of its citizens

Princess of the Blood Desdemona happened to be the only person to sit down at his table-perhaps not knowing who she was sitting with. Solfo stood from his seat, causing a few people to look in their direction. He bowed to Desdemona and took his seat. Sitting down, he pointed towards a nearby table where multiple women were gathered around Princess Elisa. "Do you see that women with the brown hair and blue dress? Her name is Duchess Isabella. She is a manipulative snake. Most of the noblewomen here are. My name is Duke Solfo of Bjerland. May i ask who you are?

Princess Amana bint-Samir.
"Milord Prince, you know you look strikingly like a young noble from one of Kuronami's domains. So much so, I'd swear you were twins or something! Humor a silly girl a moment but you don't by chance of some Kuronami ties do you?", Magdalene had said and I already thought Oh, dear...
But to my surprise, Ivan did not react angrily at the insinuation, that his family might have ties to where it officially had not to.
On the contrary, he had his Handmaiden, a quite laid-back girl, who even spoke to Ivan by his first name in public, check the name and person, coming to the conclusion, that he looked like a twin of himself, much to the surprise of everyone at the table, myself included.
And excluding maybe Magdalene. I saw, however, that Magdalene was feeling not too comfortable in dinner conversation.
"Maybe he's your taqlid... what's the English term...", I added to the conversation, thought for a moment, "Mimicry, I think. We use the term to describe people, who look exactly like other people, soon coming to replace the 'original'. Usually, they are evil, as far as the legends are concerned." I winked at Magdalene. "Although I am quite sure, that Zen is a nice guy." Then looked at Ivan. "Not that you are not a nice guy, but... ugh..."
I hung my head.
"Nice ditch I digged myself into, there...", I said with a self-ironic smile.

[New Edom]

A pale haired bowed to Desdemona and took his seat. Sitting down, he pointed towards a nearby table where multiple women were gathered around Princess Elisa. "Do you see that women with the brown hair and blue dress? Her name is Duchess Isabella. She is a manipulative snake. Most of the noblewomen here are. My name is Duke Solfo of Bjerland. May i ask who you are?”

“My name is Desdemona Davenant, I am of the House of Obed, and I’m glad to be here. It’s very pleasant to meet you, Duke Solfo. I’m a fairly recent graduate of a young ladies’ academy at home. And my father is an admiral. May I ask if there is something in particular you do?”

[The Frozen Forest]

Duchess Isabella's jaw dropped just long enough for the other girls to notice. Her face flushed and a scowl broke through, doing nothing to hide Isabella's displeasure. To think that insolent foreigner would dare to reject her help! Worse yet, that she would turn the extortion around on her in front of her friends. She would be lying if she said she expected this, she was taken off guard and anyone in the room who bothered to look their way would see how Princess Elisa had gained the upper hand. Indeed, a few Nobles did glance over at the group, and an odd laugh or giggle could be heard from those close enough to have heard the exchange.

"I didn't realize that you were so impudent. Do you know who you are talking to? I provide this nation with massive amounts of cheap labor and natural resources-without Tarton the economy would take horrible dive which i'm sure the Royal Family would like to avoid." Isabella leaned back, her frown subtly becoming more relaxed. "Your mother wasn't entirely wrong, but her philosophy has one flaw in this case. The Duchy of Tarton is a colony and is semi-autonomous. The soldiers throughout Tarton are not Frozen Forestrian, they are local Tartonese and are loyal to their Duchess. Let me put it like this: If i am a plant, then i am covered in thorns. You could pull me out of the garden, but you will suffer scrapes and cuts and it will be unpleasant for everyone involved. I advise you to rethink my offer."

Duchess Isabella stood decisively and strolled away from the table and toward another group of Nobility. Her entourage stood and joined her, most refusing to make eye contact with Princess Elisa. Only one girl remained sitting at the table, swirling a straw from her glass of water.

Lisall Sohran turned to look over her shoulder at Duchess Isabella. None of the other girls nor the Duchess seemed to care that she had stayed behind. That wasn't something that she found uncommon. Lisall had always been the deviant of the Duchess's friends. She enjoyed going her own way and often found herself making new friends irregardless of the circumstances. Lisall turned back to Princess Elisa while swirling her water with her straw. Water was the only drink that Lisall would drink. Lisall extended her hand to Elisa. "I'm sorry about Isabella. That's just the kind of person she is. You probably didn't deserve any of that though. You seem like an alright person. My name is Lisall Sohran, you might have seen one of my movies?"

Toir Bolgorian's eyes flickered to Baroness Yali's golden pin. It's design was relatively simple but one could tell without handling it that it was exquisitely crafted. The Baroness quickly moved the conversation along before he could make a comment about the pin. The mention of interuniversal jumping should have took him by surprise, though it didn't. Being the son of the Minister of Internal Security meant that he had helped plan for just the event that brought Yali to The Frozen Forest. Despite his prior knowledge Toir's expression displayed mild interest.

The Baroness posed a question to him and this time he was caught off guard. What did he like most about her family? What didn't he like? It wasn't the sort of topic that he thought about normally. It was almost like asking what he liked about The Royal Family in The Frozen Forest. You either did like them or you didn't, and maybe you could pick some flaws out from individual members, is that what the baroness meant with her question?

"There is much to like about your family, and not so much to dislike. I think your family is astounding in that you're arguably superhumans. Your patriarch is incredibly powerful in more senses than just diplomatically or administratively. Your family is responsible for uniting most of Asia in your own realm. As to what i dislike? I suppose i find the idea of concubines distasteful. My people value marriage as something sacred."

Ivan leaned forwards and studied Princess Amana for a short moment. She didn't seem embarrassed but perhaps a little awkward. Countess Magdalane was quiet and he held the silence. Ivan ruminated on taqlid. At first Ivan had thought that she was going to describe a doppelganger to him but what she said was certainly more interesting. An evil creature that looked exactly like him and intended to take his place. There were stranger legends in The Frozen Forest but somehow he doubted he needed to be worried about this one. If a taqlid were truly out to get him, it didn't need to be a noble. Surely it would be more practical to go under the radar if one were truly such a supernaural being?

"What else do you think about me? Other than that i seem to be nice?" Ivan knew very little about Princess Amana and she knew little about him. Ivan felt a tingle of curiosity over her first impressions of him. Being nice and courteous weren't really compliments between Nobility or Royalty in The Frozen Forest, given that manners dictated one act politely towards everyone they met.

"I think you have...interesting eyes."

Duke Solfo Bjerland nodded as Desdemona introduced herself. She posed the question to him whether there was anything in particular that he did as a profession. The answer was probably more obvious than she realized, but he decided to indulge her nonetheless. There was a commotion at Princess Elisa's table that caught his attention as he was about to speak. He couldn't help but smile as the Duchess retreated from her quarry in defeat, leaving only the actressLisall Sohran to keep Princess Elisa company.

"The answer to your question is no. Apart from my duties as the Duke of Bjerland, i don't work in any other profession. It's a good thing that i don't, being a Duke already leads to many sleepless nights. Excuse my arrogance but might i also ask what nation you hail from? I'm unfamiliar with House Obed."

[A m e n r i a]

"Heheh understandable. So you're a fan of the Celestial Gene, huh? Tell you what, Father didn't get it as a prize in the Qi lottery. He literally died for it. He could've just moved on and went to Heaven, but no. He chose to go back and right some wrongs. As a reward, God gave him his wings, and here we are five years later." Yali proudly tells the story behind her world's first and only Celestial. "Don't get me wrong, I also get that you're not into concubinage. It's controversial already for us Muslims, can't imagine how hot it would be for non-Muslim folks. As long as you don't go after Mother though, you're fine with me." Yali again speaks with a playful demeanor. She continues her meal while still paying attention to the man who started the conversation, ready to respond to anything else he might say.

[Kyrenaia]

(Image)

Duchess Isabella's jaw dropped just long enough for the other girls to notice. Her face flushed and a scowl broke through, doing nothing to hide Isabella's displeasure. To think that insolent foreigner would dare to reject her help! Worse yet, that she would turn the extortion around on her in front of her friends. She would be lying if she said she expected this, she was taken off guard and anyone in the room who bothered to look their way would see how Princess Elisa had gained the upper hand. Indeed, a few Nobles did glance over at the group, and an odd laugh or giggle could be heard from those close enough to have heard the exchange.

"I didn't realize that you were so impudent. Do you know who you are talking to? I provide this nation with massive amounts of cheap labor and natural resources-without Tarton the economy would take horrible dive which i'm sure the Royal Family would like to avoid." Isabella leaned back, her frown subtly becoming more relaxed. "Your mother wasn't entirely wrong, but her philosophy has one flaw in this case. The Duchy of Tarton is a colony and is semi-autonomous. The soldiers throughout Tarton are not Frozen Forestrian, they are local Tartonese and are loyal to their Duchess. Let me put it like this: If i am a plant, then i am covered in thorns. You could pull me out of the garden, but you will suffer scrapes and cuts and it will be unpleasant for everyone involved. I advise you to rethink my offer."

Duchess Isabella stood decisively and strolled away from the table and toward another group of Nobility. Her entourage stood and joined her, most refusing to make eye contact with Princess Elisa. Only one girl remained sitting at the table, swirling a straw from her glass of water.

(Image)

Lisall Sohran turned to look over her shoulder at Duchess Isabella. None of the other girls nor the Duchess seemed to care that she had stayed behind. That wasn't something that she found uncommon. Lisall had always been the deviant of the Duchess's friends. She enjoyed going her own way and often found herself making new friends irregardless of the circumstances. Lisall turned back to Princess Elisa while swirling her water with her straw. Water was the only drink that Lisall would drink. Lisall extended her hand to Elisa. "I'm sorry about Isabella. That's just the kind of person she is. You probably didn't deserve any of that though. You seem like an alright person. My name is Lisall Sohran, you might have seen one of my movies?"

(Image)

Toir Bolgorian's eyes flickered to Baroness Yali's golden pin. It's design was relatively simple but one could tell without handling it that it was exquisitely crafted. The Baroness quickly moved the conversation along before he could make a comment about the pin. The mention of interuniversal jumping should have took him by surprise, though it didn't. Being the son of the Minister of Internal Security meant that he had helped plan for just the event that brought Yali to The Frozen Forest. Despite his prior knowledge Toir's expression displayed mild interest.

The Baroness posed a question to him and this time he was caught off guard. What did he like most about her family? What didn't he like? It wasn't the sort of topic that he thought about normally. It was almost like asking what he liked about The Royal Family in The Frozen Forest. You either did like them or you didn't, and maybe you could pick some flaws out from individual members, is that what the baroness meant with her question?

"There is much to like about your family, and not so much to dislike. I think your family is astounding in that you're arguably superhumans. Your patriarch is incredibly powerful in more senses than just diplomatically or administratively. Your family is responsible for uniting most of Asia in your own realm. As to what i dislike? I suppose i find the idea of concubines distasteful. My people value marriage as something sacred."

(Image)

Ivan leaned forwards and studied Princess Amana for a short moment. She didn't seem embarrassed but perhaps a little awkward. Countess Magdalane was quiet and he held the silence. Ivan ruminated on taqlid. At first Ivan had thought that she was going to describe a doppelganger to him but what she said was certainly more interesting. An evil creature that looked exactly like him and intended to take his place. There were stranger legends in The Frozen Forest but somehow he doubted he needed to be worried about this one. If a taqlid were truly out to get him, it didn't need to be a noble. Surely it would be more practical to go under the radar if one were truly such a supernaural being?

"What else do you think about me? Other than that i seem to be nice?" Ivan knew very little about Princess Amana and she knew little about him. Ivan felt a tingle of curiosity over her first impressions of him. Being nice and courteous weren't really compliments between Nobility or Royalty in The Frozen Forest, given that manners dictated one act politely towards everyone they met.

"I think you have...interesting eyes."

(Image)

Duke Solfo Bjerland nodded as Desdemona introduced herself. She posed the question to him whether there was anything in particular that he did as a profession. The answer was probably more obvious than she realized, but he decided to indulge her nonetheless. There was a commotion at Princess Elisa's table that caught his attention as he was about to speak. He couldn't help but smile as the Duchess retreated from her quarry in defeat, leaving only the actressLisall Sohran to keep Princess Elisa company.

"The answer to your question is no. Apart from my duties as the Duke of Bjerland, i don't work in any other profession. It's a good thing that i don't, being a Duke already leads to many sleepless nights. Excuse my arrogance but might i also ask what nation you hail from? I'm unfamiliar with House Obed."

Princess Amana bint-Samir.
The compliment of my eyes was a very welcome one, which let me blush a slight bit.
"Thank you. I like your eyes, too...", I said, "They are like sapphires, I think." Then came the realization as to what he had asked me. He asked me, what I was thinking of him aside from finding him nice. And the eye-thing. Well... "Both from talking to you and watching you is, that you are not only nice, but also curious and dutiful. I have yet to see more of you to really get to know you, but those are the first impression I have of you."

[Rivienland]

Duchess Isabella's jaw dropped just long enough for the other girls to notice. Her face flushed and a scowl broke through, doing nothing to hide Isabella's displeasure. To think that insolent foreigner would dare to reject her help! Worse yet, that she would turn the extortion around on her in front of her friends. She would be lying if she said she expected this, she was taken off guard and anyone in the room who bothered to look their way would see how Princess Elisa had gained the upper hand. Indeed, a few Nobles did glance over at the group, and an odd laugh or giggle could be heard from those close enough to have heard the exchange.

"I didn't realize that you were so impudent. Do you know who you are talking to? I provide this nation with massive amounts of cheap labor and natural resources-without Tarton the economy would take horrible dive which i'm sure the Royal Family would like to avoid." Isabella leaned back, her frown subtly becoming more relaxed. "Your mother wasn't entirely wrong, but her philosophy has one flaw in this case. The Duchy of Tarton is a colony and is semi-autonomous. The soldiers throughout Tarton are not Frozen Forestrian, they are local Tartonese and are loyal to their Duchess. Let me put it like this: If i am a plant, then i am covered in thorns. You could pull me out of the garden, but you will suffer scrapes and cuts and it will be unpleasant for everyone involved. I advise you to rethink my offer."

Duchess Isabella stood decisively and strolled away from the table and toward another group of Nobility. Her entourage stood and joined her, most refusing to make eye contact with Princess Elisa. Only one girl remained sitting at the table, swirling a straw from her glass of water.

Lisall Sohran turned to look over her shoulder at Duchess Isabella. None of the other girls nor the Duchess seemed to care that she had stayed behind. That wasn't something that she found uncommon. Lisall had always been the deviant of the Duchess's friends. She enjoyed going her own way and often found herself making new friends irregardless of the circumstances. Lisall turned back to Princess Elisa while swirling her water with her straw. Water was the only drink that Lisall would drink. Lisall extended her hand to Elisa. "I'm sorry about Isabella. That's just the kind of person she is. You probably didn't deserve any of that though. You seem like an alright person. My name is Lisall Sohran, you might have seen one of my movies?"

The Princess watched Duchess Isabella and her lackies retreat from her table. She could not help but smirk at the Duchess’ response. The Duchess says she is covered in thorns, but even the nastiest of thorns can be handled with the simplest pair of gloves.

Though, while Elisa considered Duchess Isabella to be a battle to fight another day, she realized in that moment truly the effect her actions could have as Queen of The Frozen Forest. Even a simple social rivalry could lead to consequences for the entire kingdom. This still would not make her regret her response to Duchess Isabella, but it was still something to stay aware of.

Then, the only lady still sitting at Elisa’s table spoke. She was quite beautiful and immediately introduced herself. Shaking her hand, the Princess responded, “Oh, I am sure me and the Duchess will one day be fast friends. It is a pleasure to meet you Lisall, if I may call you that? I am Princess Elisa of Rivienland. While I think I have heard of your name before, there are few movies that make it to Rivienland. What kind of movies do you star in? Any specific genre?”

[New Edom]

Duke Solfo Bjerland glanced over at some altercation nearby. "The answer to your question is no. Apart from my duties as the Duke of Bjerland, i don't work in any other profession. It's a good thing that i don't, being a Duke already leads to many sleepless nights. Excuse my arrogance but might i also ask what nation you hail from? I'm unfamiliar with House Obed."

“The Holy Empire,” she replied. “I’m sorry, I mean New Edom, of course. The House of Obed is our Royal-Imperial family, and the Queen-Empress is my cousin through our mutual grandfather, Josias II. My mother was an Obed princess who married Prince Isaiah Davenant. There are two kinds of princes in my country, you see--the royal ones and the noble ones. I think prince is similar in our usage to your ducal titles here.”

She was too polite to draw attention to the altercation as nothing seemed to really be happening but some terse conversation, since it was none of her business and not her household. She did ask, however, “So you are Duke of Bjerland,” she stumbled over pronunciation. “What is that like, if I may ask? I mean the place.”

[The Frozen Forest]

Toir Bolgorian nodded at Baroness Yali as she explained the death and return of her father. It was a fascinating story reminiscent of Christ, nearly biblical and almost unbelievable. The strangest thing was that the baroness was likely speaking the truth. By all accounts she was, including the official records of the FFISA. It was a shock that anyone could still deny God's existence in light of Tianshi's continued existence.

Toir smiled respectably as the topic moved to concubinage. The practice was relatively unheard of in the contemporary TFF. It had died out long before the founding of the Kingdom in 1432. Rightfully so, as it was a vile practice in Toir's opinion. Concubines weren't wives and didn't respect the valuable institution of marriage. It was sinful and invalid in the eyes of God.

"I'm married so there isn't any risk of that happening i'm afraid." Toir chuckled and took a sip from his wine. "So. You're here to court the Crown Prince, to become the Queen of our nation. If you don't mind me asking, are you ready for such a large responsibility?"

The other people in the room gradually seemed to melt away. Countess Magdalene disappeared from her seat and Ivan's little brother Ari was busy chatting away with various government officials. Ivan smiled as Princess Amana returned his compliment-a step in the right direction judging by the blush that had spread across the Princesses face. Still Ivan knew so little about her and the other girls. Within the next couple of days he would be expected to make a marriage proposal to one of them. It felt wrong that there was almost no time for him or the girls to get to know each other properly.

"Sapphires? The same gem present in my mothers old necklace..." Ivan's mother had passed away years prior but the memory was still fresh. Sapphires had always been her favorite gemstone. "I want to learn more about you. What are your hobbies? What is your family like?"

Lisall Sohran felt the sweet sensation of cold, refreshing water passing her lips as she sipped at her drink. The Frozen Forest produced the most pristine natural spring water on its side of the Atlantic Ocean. When such a healthy, delicious thing existed it was a wonder that anyone still drank. The clinking of ice signaled that she had more than enough time to talk with Princess Elisa. Which was a bonus since she thought the girl had an interesting face and more than likely an equally interesting story,

"Oh! I've been in twenty...two films so far. Most of them were sci-fi or romantic comedies. If you ask me none of them were really any good-but i'm here so i guess the rest of the country thought differently. This coming fall i'm going to be starring in a new drama film called Starlight."

Lisall took another long sip of her water, bringing it down to about half-glass. "I guess it wasn't too difficult to land the role though. There are lots of aspiring actresses trying to get into the industry but not a lot of talent. I'm glad i didn't have to compete with you though. You're really pretty! That must be why Prince Ari keeps looking at you." She glanced off to the side, where the younger Prince was had settled with other noblemen. From time to time he would glance over at Elisa and Lisall.

Duke Solfo Bjerland listened carefully. Desdemona explained that she was from New Edom. She was also the descendant of royalty. A proper pedigree was something that Solfo could respect, given that he was someone who supported the theory of divine right. Surely the descendant of a righteous ruler would also be blessed. Solfo noticed that as the altercation between Princess Elisa and Duchess Isabella occurred that Desdemona looked away respectably, or perhaps because she wanted to remain uninvolved with the drama of the imperial court.

"Bjerland? It's full of orchards and fruit pickers mainly. Fertile meadows and fields and the odd forest or two. As long as you provide the necessary amount of force, the people pay their taxes on time. I haven't any complaints about my domain or my subjects. I own a castle, a lovely old fortification in the eastern part of the Duchy. It's where i and my family live through the summer-its quite nice actually. Sadly many of those throughout the countryside are pagans and infidels, a rotten lot of dragon worshipers and slug lovers if you ask me. What of New Edom? What is your noble Holy Empire like?"

[A m e n r i a]

The question offered was a big one. She's led a team before, and even some military forces, but a whole nation? She needed to choose her words carefully, for all she knows, he might be waiting for her to slip up. "You want the long answer? I've been trained to take up the Black Dragon throne just on case my father, sisters, and brother all die. I went through sensitivity training, combat training, courses on law, politics and religion and such. I may not be as gentle as Camellia-" remembering the bame of her servant, she clarified "My sister, not my maidservant. Or as detailed as Hyunjoo, but once I got me a real government position, you bet I'll do my best. As for the long answer? I guess we'll see. Back home us blue bloods aren't allowed to lie, so if I gave you a promise I couldn't keep, I might be reported to the military and be sent on a trip to the slammer."

Yali took a glance at her juice-filled glass before continuing. "I get that you might be worried, and you're right to worry. But just don't let that put a damper on us, alright?" she looked at Toir with determination and a quick nod.

[New Edom]

"Bjerland? It's full of orchards and fruit pickers mainly. Fertile meadows and fields and the odd forest or two.

“That sounds lovely,” said Desdemona, reflecting. “Orchards? What kind of fruit or nuts do they provide? In my country, there are lemons, figs, almonds, pistachios, oranges, apples, peaches and other such things. We have olive and grape groves too, though I know the wines my country produces are not of the best in our Region.”

As long as you provide the necessary amount of force, the people pay their taxes on time. I haven't any complaints about my domain or my subjects.

“So you are the principal landlord of your territory, Duke Solfo? I hope I am addressing you correctly. Are you also responsible for law and order there?” asked Desdemona.

” I own a castle, a lovely old fortification in the eastern part of the Duchy. It's where i and my family live through the summer-its quite nice actually.”

“How nice, a castle! There are countries with lots of castles in our Region, but New Edom is not one of them. When our country was a subject state of the Cornellian Empire, most of the fortifications were knocked down and replaced with their army forts So there are palaces and manors and mansions but no castles anymore.” observed Desdemona. “What is your castle like? Do you have any pictures?”

The Duke continued. “Sadly many of those throughout the countryside are pagans and infidels, a rotten lot of dragon worshipers and slug lovers if you ask me.

“Slug lovers?” said Desdemona incredulously. “Yuck, who loves slugs? They’re so disgusting, so slimy, and they crawl and ooze so!”

”What of New Edom? What is your noble Holy Empire like?"

“Goodnes, difficult to sum up in a few words, but let me try. New Edom is a Christian empire, and its central place is the Allied States of New Edom, basically a united monarchy of the original Edomite kingdom and the kingdoms of Haran and Teman. But since the rise of Queen Adah the Liberator our country has conquered, annexed or assumed protector status over several other countries, including Damoclea,

“We have had many wars, but praise God, we are hopefully in a time of greater peace and prosperity now. We are ruled by two co-Monarchs, King-Emperor Elijah IV and Queen-Empress Mara I. There was a civil war, and different politics, different views of the Christian faith and regional interests clashed violently, but then an agreement was made and so the two claimant parts of the House of Obed agreed to join together. The King-Emperor tends to run foreign affairs and matters of national defense, the Queen-Empress tends to deal with domestic affairs, and they share concern for law and order. I think this makes a lot of sense because the Queen-Empress is very pious and gentle whereas the King-Emperor used to be an admiral and is very well traveled.

“We are a constitutional monarchy. We have an elected national legislature that votes on taxes and laws, while an appointed Council of Ministers advises our Monarchs and administrates, and the Council of Five Churches educates and appoints judges.

“Our country is very religious, and our laws are careful interpretation of the Bible. But there are a few oddities. Many of our people believe in eschewing all clothing, at least at times, to be in a state of purity before God. Pilgrims, some peasants in some areas. Even people of rank at times when doing penance. This is seen as eccentric by some, heretical by others.

“What else? We are a warm country, mostly, though there are parts that are a bit colder. Not as much as here! And we are spread almost throughout the region, from the archipelago of the Lesser Diols to the searing plains of Dengali, from the deserts of Southern Haran to the shores of the great river of our Hostillian territory. There are many kinds of people under the rule of the Holy Empire, from tribal savages to people who wear suits and work in offices. Generally, though, the official language of our Holy Empire is Latin.”

[Kyrenaia]

(Image)

Toir Bolgorian nodded at Baroness Yali as she explained the death and return of her father. It was a fascinating story reminiscent of Christ, nearly biblical and almost unbelievable. The strangest thing was that the baroness was likely speaking the truth. By all accounts she was, including the official records of the FFISA. It was a shock that anyone could still deny God's existence in light of Tianshi's continued existence.

Toir smiled respectably as the topic moved to concubinage. The practice was relatively unheard of in the contemporary TFF. It had died out long before the founding of the Kingdom in 1432. Rightfully so, as it was a vile practice in Toir's opinion. Concubines weren't wives and didn't respect the valuable institution of marriage. It was sinful and invalid in the eyes of God.

"I'm married so there isn't any risk of that happening i'm afraid." Toir chuckled and took a sip from his wine. "So. You're here to court the Crown Prince, to become the Queen of our nation. If you don't mind me asking, are you ready for such a large responsibility?"

(Image)

The other people in the room gradually seemed to melt away. Countess Magdalene disappeared from her seat and Ivan's little brother Ari was busy chatting away with various government officials. Ivan smiled as Princess Amana returned his compliment-a step in the right direction judging by the blush that had spread across the Princesses face. Still Ivan knew so little about her and the other girls. Within the next couple of days he would be expected to make a marriage proposal to one of them. It felt wrong that there was almost no time for him or the girls to get to know each other properly.

"Sapphires? The same gem present in my mothers old necklace..." Ivan's mother had passed away years prior but the memory was still fresh. Sapphires had always been her favorite gemstone. "I want to learn more about you. What are your hobbies? What is your family like?"

(Image)

Lisall Sohran felt the sweet sensation of cold, refreshing water passing her lips as she sipped at her drink. The Frozen Forest produced the most pristine natural spring water on its side of the Atlantic Ocean. When such a healthy, delicious thing existed it was a wonder that anyone still drank. The clinking of ice signaled that she had more than enough time to talk with Princess Elisa. Which was a bonus since she thought the girl had an interesting face and more than likely an equally interesting story,

"Oh! I've been in twenty...two films so far. Most of them were sci-fi or romantic comedies. If you ask me none of them were really any good-but i'm here so i guess the rest of the country thought differently. This coming fall i'm going to be starring in a new drama film called Starlight."

Lisall took another long sip of her water, bringing it down to about half-glass. "I guess it wasn't too difficult to land the role though. There are lots of aspiring actresses trying to get into the industry but not a lot of talent. I'm glad i didn't have to compete with you though. You're really pretty! That must be why Prince Ari keeps looking at you." She glanced off to the side, where the younger Prince was had settled with other noblemen. From time to time he would glance over at Elisa and Lisall.

(Image)

Duke Solfo Bjerland listened carefully. Desdemona explained that she was from New Edom. She was also the descendant of royalty. A proper pedigree was something that Solfo could respect, given that he was someone who supported the theory of divine right. Surely the descendant of a righteous ruler would also be blessed. Solfo noticed that as the altercation between Princess Elisa and Duchess Isabella occurred that Desdemona looked away respectably, or perhaps because she wanted to remain uninvolved with the drama of the imperial court.

"Bjerland? It's full of orchards and fruit pickers mainly. Fertile meadows and fields and the odd forest or two. As long as you provide the necessary amount of force, the people pay their taxes on time. I haven't any complaints about my domain or my subjects. I own a castle, a lovely old fortification in the eastern part of the Duchy. It's where i and my family live through the summer-its quite nice actually. Sadly many of those throughout the countryside are pagans and infidels, a rotten lot of dragon worshipers and slug lovers if you ask me. What of New Edom? What is your noble Holy Empire like?"

Princess Amana bint-Samir.
I saw the sadness in his eyes as he spoke of his mother and her old necklace - shite. Awakened bad memories. Not good.
He then asked me, what my hobbies were and what my family was like.
At that, I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"I have two younger siblings, Rasha and Amir. You'd like them, I think, especially Rasha. She's cute as a button.", I said with a while lot of pride in my voice, "Both of them are studying, Rasha is in Megido in Arts and Amir in Utica in Political Sciences." I let a beat pass. "I myself technically study Philology and German Philology, but the current political situation surrounding my family made that impossible. It's a long story." I shrugged and then continued: "I am much into football... or what's sometimes called soccer. Motya FC will will come back into the First League this year, I am sure of it!" I grinned at that. "I also dance and fence, especially with the Type 1 Sabre. I must admit, that I have little talent for dancing, but I love it nonetheless and somehow made it working."
I smiled.
"What about you, Ivan? What didn't they tell us in the official dossier?", I asked.

[Rivienland]

Lisall Sohran felt the sweet sensation of cold, refreshing water passing her lips as she sipped at her drink. The Frozen Forest produced the most pristine natural spring water on its side of the Atlantic Ocean. When such a healthy, delicious thing existed it was a wonder that anyone still drank. The clinking of ice signaled that she had more than enough time to talk with Princess Elisa. Which was a bonus since she thought the girl had an interesting face and more than likely an equally interesting story,

"Oh! I've been in twenty...two films so far. Most of them were sci-fi or romantic comedies. If you ask me none of them were really any good-but i'm here so i guess the rest of the country thought differently. This coming fall i'm going to be starring in a new drama film called Starlight."

Lisall took another long sip of her water, bringing it down to about half-glass. "I guess it wasn't too difficult to land the role though. There are lots of aspiring actresses trying to get into the industry but not a lot of talent. I'm glad i didn't have to compete with you though. You're really pretty! That must be why Prince Ari keeps looking at you." She glanced off to the side, where the younger Prince was had settled with other noblemen. From time to time he would glance over at Elisa and Lisall.

While the Princess was about to inquire more about Lisall’s role in her most recent movie, her comment about Prince Ari made her blush. Turning around to glance at the Prince, Elisa could admit that he was quite handsome. Though, she realized, she barely knew the Princes and was unsure about their character.

Realizing she had be staring at the Prince for too long, Elisa immediate turned back towards Lisall afraid that Prince Ari might catch her gaze. Taking a sip of Vænn, the Princess took a moment to breath before talking.

“You are too kind, Lisall. And, for the record, I could never compare to you on the silver screen. Perhaps I have the looks, but you certainly have the talent,” Elisa said as she smiled.

“But,” Elisa moved her chair closer to Lisall, “Do you think Prince Ari has his eye on me? I barely know him, or his brother. Have you talked to either before? Are they good men?”