(OOC thread: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=538280)
The Kimini royal palace sat in a quiet section at the northern tip of the ancient city of Ardala, as had been the way of things for millennia previous. A paved two-lane road shot off from the north end of the city's urban area and ran off towards the palace. Groves of dates, peaches, oranges, and an assortment of other trees suitable for the climate grew with seeming liberty, their interlaced leaves softly sheltering the area from the towering skyscrapers and noise of the city beyond.
The palace proper was enclosed by a tall wall of sandstone blocks. The weathering of those set on the bottom layer revealed that they had likely been in their places for a long period of time. Perhaps they had sat there since the founding of the city itself, or even before. A large iron gate lay opened in the middle, its arched peak reaching just over the wall. Various engravings were scattered across it, depicting animals ordinary and mythical and grand battles and the works of Christian saints and nearly anything which had ever caught the fancy of the royal family.
Flanking the gate on either side stood members of the King's Guard with rifles held to their chests. Their uniforms were a deep green and were lined with golden buttons which caught the few rays rays of sunlight which had managed to fight their way through the trees to the ground and reflected them brilliantly as a kind of imperfect compensation for the work. Smart white ceremonial caps rested on their heads and contrasted neatly with the tan wall behind them.
Through the gate, the paved asphalt abruptly transfigured into a roadway of carefully-lain brick. This new path traveled further into the trees, eventually making it all the way to the building itself. It wrapped its way around a large, circular fountain which stood directly opposing the palace's massive doorway. The steps up to the entrance were draped in a red carpet, a suitable greeter for the guests.
The royal garden was nestled in off to the side of the palace. The Kimini monarch sat quietly at a small, unassuming wooden table. From where he was resting, he could see through the last boughs of foliage and find the Kimina River peeking through. The nation's namesake formed a rippling blue border that had marked the eastern bounds of Kimini territory since time immemorial. Kimina's neighbor Qasifya was found across the water. The relationship between the two nations was quite strange, partially owing to the extremely decentralized nature of Qasifya's government and the political issues brought by its instability.
Akil gently lifted the guest list from the table and began to read it. The Qasifyan Sheikh's name immediately jumped out at him. The Kimini government had independently dealt with numerous Qasifyan political elites who were technically under the jurisdiction of the central government, but acted de facto mostly on their own whims. Al-Qammadi and the Kimini government were well-acquainted and Akil hoped to progress relations if posible. He recognized several of the other names as belonging to Teremaran elites. There was also a good portion of guests from outside the region, all of which he hoped to get to know.
His reading was interrupted by Tewodros al-Koraz, his most trusted servant and manager of the palace's affairs daily affairs. "The guests should be arriving shortly, Your Majesty," he said, standing behind Akil.
The king put down the guest list and turned to face his friend. "Excellent, I assume everything is in order?"
"Yes," replied Tewodros without much more to add.
"I'll go and greet them, then," replied the king with a smile as he rose of his seat. "Thank you for taking care of all of the arrangements."
"It's my pleasure, Your Majesty."
Leaving the conversation with his friend of few words, Akil made his way through the eastern wing of the palace out to the entrance, where he stood anticipating the arrival of his guests.
