The Residence (SUNALAYA ONLY)

[The Nina Islands]

SEE BELOW

[The Nina Islands]

RECAP EPISODE: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=440415

Previously on the Residence...

{"Oh, no worries... your duchess. I must apologize too, I thought it would be a bit latter before you arrived.."}{“You don’t have to call me a duchess.}{"Have you went ahead and called their office?"}{"Well, I guess my next question is if we can get right to business?"}{"Welcome aboard, do you know how to sail"}{Yea, you could say I know how to sail.} CUT TO TITLE - QUE THEME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JivPEYjYd20

Rob Lowe as Jack Feebs

Blake Lively as Princess Viktoria of Belantica

Jay Laga’aia as Mersi Penee

Tuiasau Leota Uelese Petaia as National Assembly Chairman Nilee Umedta

Nathaniel Lees as Chief of Staff Lellu Telle

Scarlett Johansson as Executive Minister Susan Polster

Dwayne Johnson as Communications Director Oli Hiag

Jimmy Smits as Ambassador Xaiver Hay

Timothee Chalamet as Press Secretary Alexander Meirez

Joshua Malina as Nathan Kenway
with

Alexandra Daddario as Duchess Rebeka Lizabont of Rezua
and

Mary Louise-Parker as Prime Minister Akaysha Parker

---

The Resisdence

---

[The Layfetian Republic]

{Rezua Telegramed this too me, so I'm posting this here to start the rp}

Prime Minister's Residence

Rebeka sighed as she sat down at her dresser and looked into the mirror. Quietly, she wondered how she had ended up in her current state of affairs. Not that she regretted anything, but because she knew that it was awkward from any angle. Taking a make-up removal swipe, the young Rezuan began to prepare herself for bed. Rebeka worked quietly, so soon knew when Akaysha entered their room. The prime minister had gotten into the habit of humming softly when she returned to let Rebeka know she was home.

Akaysha found Rebeka by the dresser, her face lit up as Rebeka noticed her in the mirror. The Ninan walked behind Rebeka, wrapping one arm around her and planting a soft kiss on Rebeka's neck. Despite that she was busy, Rebeka took a moment to purr and curl up with Akaysha for a moment. The Ninan chuckled "Does that mean we've got time for it tonight?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm simply too tired dear."

"And you're supposed to be the younger one." Akaysha said with a playful eye roll. With a nod, Ayaksha motioned for Rebeka to move over to let her sit beside her. The younger women obeyed, making just enough room on the chair for them both. Akaysha wrapped herself around Rebeka once again.

"Did you see the news dear?" Rebeka asked as she began to remove her eyeliner," that reporter from Eastern Breeze blew our cover. I guess a year is a pretty long time to keep a secret but...well...things are gunna get complicated. I mean...citizenship?" Rebeka turned to look at Akaysha, distress clearly visible on her face. The older woman shrugged, "It might be nice to have you here to stay."

"It's just a big jump I think, you know? To have citizenship here...well...I couldn't represent Rezua anymore. It'd be a big commitment...like...I dunno. I have to get married or something to make such a citizenship change."

Akaysha's eyes lit up with an eager glow, making Rebeka sign internally. It had been a mistake to mention marriage at all. Akaysha was clearly very mad for Rebeka, ready for the next steps. But Rebeka, well, how could she know? She had not been expecting to find love so soon after what had happened. Marriage had been so far off in her mind that to have it so close so soon seemed overwhelming. Without a word, however, Akaysha seemed to know what Rebeka was thinking and took her hand gently.

"Whenever you're ready dear. I can wait for you, you're worth it."

"It's just...it's not how I thought it would all line up as." She smiled "I'm not good at all this gooey-feely stuff." She purred once more as Akaysha kissed her neck once more. As she kissed she muttered softly "I would really like it if you came with me to represent us." Us. Not the Islands. Rebeka could feel the weight attached to that word, to us. It was already including Rebeka as a Ninan. But surely a mere year in some place wasn't enough to be able to represent the people? Suddenly, Rebeka gasped out loud.

Akaysha blushed "Oh sorry I didn't mean to make it-"

"Oh, not that. But um...well yes. But what I meant was I just though of something." Rebeka looked into Akaysha's eyes and smiled. "The Islands are part of the Rezuan Protectorate. You are already Rezuan nationals legally. It means you're linked to us economically and militarily. Sure it's not the same as citizenship, but you are technically able to become citizens much easier than other immigrants. I could...I could represent you as Rezuan nationals. I'm not sure, it could work. So...if I did accept citizenship, I might be able to keep my position." With a blush, she added "I mean, it's worth a try at least."

Akaysha gently tangled her fingers in Rebeka's short mid-neck length hair. "I would really like to have to beside me at this." She leaned in an kissed Rebeka again, pulling her essence into her lips. Rebeka gave in easily, like she usually would when pressed by her girlfriend. Akaysha broke the kiss and giggled, "Let's turn in dear. You'll have all of tomorrow to check with your empress."

[The Layfetian Republic]

Prime Minister's Residence, Administration Building, New Kingstown

The room was now dark, with the only hint of light being a dim streetlamp that gaze an orange hue dashed between the blinds that covered the window. Akaysha was still awake, eyes open, and hearing both the deeper breathing of Rebeka indicating that she was now asleep as well as the movement of dirt and mud outside by cars and vans passing by.

Akaysha wasn't trying to not move much as not to disturb her partner, whom she knew as a light sleeper due to her background as a solider and having her arm wrapped around Akaysha's waist. She was a Prime Minister first of all, but while she had many things to deal with like the recent Anti-Layfet and Anti-Rezua protests, she wanted to focus on Rebeka. Marriage was a constant thing on her mind, and she never thought it would actually be on her doorstep, especially after going to law school, going into politics, going to lobby for a new nation, and then running that new nation, but here it was.

2 years with Rebeka and it was possible for the two be be wife and wife.

Akaysha darted to the note that lay on the dresser, the note was opened but Akaysha didn't have to go over there to know what it was. It was the offer of citizenship that Baba (a 12 year old Hogganese boy who got a job running things between Parliament and the Administration) delivered earlier. Akaysha had to sign off on it, but didn't know if Rebeka would take the offer, which brought Akaysha back to if Rebeka would ever take an offer of marriage if Akaysha popped the question.

Akaysha decided right now was the time, Rebeka wasn't going anywhere, so she finally closed her eyes and drifted off to bed.

[Rezua]

Prime Minister's Residence
New Kingstown, The Nina Islands

Rebeka had left before the sun was up, slipping out of her nightly embrace with trained dexterity. Like she used to do, Rebeka hitched a ride with from Rezuan naval personnel to the naval base and would then walk the rest of the way home. While she had not always been a solider, Rebeka had found that many of the soldiers from her province had a certain fondness for helping her avoid trouble. Even after her brothers joined the military, Rebeka still hung out with them and their friends. Eventually, there friends also became hers, or at least became part of an odd extended family. As an adventurous youth, Rebeka often had to sneak out of or back into her family's palace. The Lizabont family had a good reputation, much like the Everens, and Rebeka felt it important that she kept her nightly romances a secret. Her brother's friend would always find some contact in the royal guard who wouldn't report to the grand duchess that her sister was sneaking home at four in the morning. And since they kept her secrets, she would also keep theirs. Rebeka smiled fondly, remembering the countless friends she'd helped evade drill sergeants with. Or how many times she set up dates for her friends at school and her friends stationed nearby. The thrill of secret love was familiar to her, and the feeling had never left her. But here, the need to hide was not nessecary. There was no older sister to answer to, no friends in danger of getting in trouble. Here, she was just a nice lady in the building next door. Or to the cynical, a representative of one of the most influential nations affecting the Islands. Rebeka was free to do as she wished here, without the fear of discovery. It was how the media at home would take it that worried her.

Rebeka slipped past a fancy gate and opened the door to the main entrance of her personal residence. It was a small two story, regal building, made to establish her prestige. The interior was nearly as ornate as the exterior, gilded and elaborate. It was honestly a bit too much Rebeka, at least here in the Nina Islands. A beach house would have been much nicer. It would have fit in more.

The young woman entered her sea-facing kitchen and turned on the stove, readying to make herself some morning tea. She liked the kitchen the best, it was probably the only room where she'd actually had the ability to have a bit of modesty put into. After all, guests never ate in the kitchen. So in a way, her kitchen was Rebeka's own personal castle her own home. It was a room that was hers and in it she didn't have to worry about her responsibilities or titles or being regal. She liked that. The kettle began to whistle, drawing Rebeka back over to it. Taking a moment to grab a cup, the light haired woman poured herself a cup of tea neatly and delicately. Alas, the room might be modest but the teacups were intricately decorated, as her brother had made sure to do.

Rebeka had barely talked her brother Alphonse out of making it a palace. He believed that no Lizabont should settle for anything less than befitting duchesses and dukes. She smiled, recalling that their parents had often reminded her brothers of this. It was because they hoped Emperor Josef might introduce his daughters to them, tying the Lizabont and Everen families together. Christina had proven to be too unladylike and Ymira...well...Helen and Rebeka had gotten a laugh when their brothers cursed their ill-fated luck.

Perhaps it was because Rebeka thought she might have Ymira as a sister-in-law someday that she'd become great friends with her. Their friendship had become quite deep and Rebeka would be lying if she said she wasn't just a bit jealous of Sierra Abrams. To many, Empress Ymira was a role model or a pain in the ass. To Rebeka, she was a trusted friend. One of the first friends she'd told about her conflicted sexuality and told her crushes to. But also one of the first friends she turned to when things were rough. The duchess sat down by her desk and called a secure line. On the other end, the empress of the Rezuan Empire answered.

Despite the fact that it was around five thirty, the empress answered with almost no trace of sleepiness in her voice. "Rebeka" she said, mild surprise in her voice," what's up?"

The duchess told a moment to respond, "I have to ask you a semi-professional question."

"I believe I know where you're going with this. I was going to have to call you eventually, but it wasn't very high up on my priority list. Wars brewing in our north and the like tend to distract me."

Rebeka smiled a bit,"Well it's good to know I've not become a political hazard. The Ninans wish to offer me citizenship. I couldn't tell you how they've gotten the idea in their heads. They've really welcomed me here and...I suppose I've been making a cute couple with their prime minister. And while I would like to accept their offer, I don't know if I can. Legally that is. Representatives of the empire must be Rezuan citizens or at least permanent residents. And you can't hold citizenship in the nation that you're stationed in."

"I had figured that's what was going on. If Akaysha is is supporting this decision at all it probably means that...well you know. She's looking to tie the knot. A word of advise: think about it. Marriage is tough, especially when it's being divided by an ocean." The empress sighed quietly, but it was not an unhappy one. The empress added ,"I'm not one to talk of course. And I wouldn't change my decision." Rebeka responded quietly, "I think I might be ready for it. Which is why I want to accept the offer."

The two chuckled softly. They had both fallen for foreign leaders and had both put themselves into awkward positions for the sake of love. They were certainty similar when it came to such things. Rebeka continued, "I believe I have a solution though. I mean, technically, the Islands are part of the Rezuan Protectorate program. So the Ninans are Rezuan Nationals. And we represent both citizens and nationals don't we?"

The empress did not respond for a long time. Finally she gave an answer, "I'll see what I can do. I don't think it it's you that's the problem. It's just the precedent it sets. But if you really want this, I wouldn't let this stop you even if it does make a mess of things. Finding happiness is important. When you find it, you should lock on to it and never let go. At least, that's what my mother always said to us. Well, to me anyway." she chuckled softly, "Christina...ah but that was then." They spoke for a bit longer before they hung up. Rebeka placed her phone down on her desk and turned to watch the sunrise.

The sight of the sun rising over the sea had been odd to Rebeka for the first few months she'd lived in the Nina Islands. Kurzera had the ocean bordering on its western coast, so the sun always rose over the desert and set in the sea. But on an island, the sun could rise and set over the ocean. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The waves would take on an orange color as the sun began its ascent. Then, the horizon would glow a gold-red, lighting up the world in a brilliant dawn. Following that, the sky and sea would shine as the sun crawled into its natural dwelling place. As she sipped her tea quietly, Rebeka made a promise to herself that, when the next chapter in her new life dawned, she would leave her titles and responsibilities if that was what it took to lock onto her happiness.

[The Layfetian Republic]

Parliamentary Building
New Kingstown

National Assembly Chairman Nilee Umedta was look quite sharp in his tux. He after all was excited for the state lunch that was just about to commence. All the guests were arriving in looking quite well dressed. He was greeting guests left and right along with several MPs that had volunteered. Umedta was happy, as this would be the first state lunch event in Nina Islands history and he wanted to make a good impression. He was well respected across the islands, being a senior member of both the territory government and in the new government. For two years he led the National Assembly and set up a country. Next to Prime Minister Parker and Representative Lizabont he probably was the biggest celebrity.

Only down the road was both the Prime Minister's Residence and the Administration Building, as the Nina Islands lacked any roads and the pathways were mostly mud due to the hot humid climate, many members of the government hitched rides in carriages pulled by Ox. Just inside the Prime Minister's Residence was Akaysha Parker, waiting for Rebeka to finish getting ready and join her downstairs. Akaysha was wearing a long black dress that reflected tad bits of light every now and then. Her hair was down up in a bun and she appeared to be 2 or 3 inches taller due to the heals she had chosen. The dresses was very formal, but still very form fitting, able to show off a bit of Akaysha's hourglass curves. Her earrings seemed out of place however, as they were small silver space shuttles with no details, very much still to Akaysha's style.

She was a bit nervous, as this would be her first official public appearance with Rebeka and Akaysha wanted it to go perfectly.

"Are you almost ready, my dear?" She called up the stairs.

[Rezua]

Parliamentary Building
New Kingstown

The young ambassador turned her head to the right as she looked in the mirror. Rebeka had chosen to wear an elegant white sundress, with a blue stripe that went from the bottom of her bosom to the hem of the dress. A small crest of the empire adorned the left side of her chest. The thin shoulders were red lace and would blow gently in the breeze. Though, since it was a summer gown, the whole dress would blow gently in the wind. That was the point. Rebeka had this dress made awhile back, as a symbol of friendship between Rezua and the Nina Islands. Today though, she had chosen to wear it as something more. A declaration of her acceptance of citizenship.

Rebeka heard her lover call up to her just as she was checking her exquisite lipstick. She turned in the mirror, inspecting her elaborate braid and replied, "On my way love." Reasonably satisfied with her look, Rebeka walked down the stairs to meet Ayaksha. She looked her up and down, frowning playfully. "It's not fair to put on heels that make you look taller than me." She teased, "One might think Rezua girls are getting shorter." She paused a moment before adding, "Perhaps we shrink when we become Ninans."

Without waiting to see if Ayaksa had picked up on her hint, she turned to look out the window. "I don't see my escort yet. I suppose we don't need to drive there, but there's no way in hell I could ride a horse in this. For modest's sake. I suppose we could call the carriage...but then we'd need the ducal guardsmen, and they're probably busy getting their plate armor on still. Sun or no, the duchess must appear at formal meetings with guards in traditional armor. That's just how my family makes its rules." Rebeka shrugged and looked over her shoulder "I suppose we could just walk if we can avoid getting muddy."

[The Layfetian Republic]

"Why not just walk? If we get muddy, it's all just good fun!" Akaysha teased as her lover glided down the staircase and then joined her walking slowly through the main hall to the door.

Akaysha stopped Rebeka before reaching it and gave a little knock. On the otherside, two gentleman opened the door presenting the pair to a crowd full of people in their elegant suits and dresses, with some in traditional Hogganese outfits. The crowd was load but wasn't hysterical, clapping and waving rainbow flags as they stood in the mud creating a pathway down to the state dining hall. The bottom of their feets drenched in the mud seemed to make no one uncomfortable at all. Akaysha promptly grabbed her lovers hand and preceded down the steps and into the gravel before edging her lover into the mud.

"It has a little charm, the brown. It will look nicely on you" Akaysha teased.

[Rezua]

Well this is certainly not how to treat formal attire Rebeka thought to herself as she reached the bottom of the staircase. Akaysha seemed eager to get into the mud, to walk among th epeople. And not that Rebeka had anything against that, she had just become one of these people. The issue was that she had not been raised to dirty up nice clothes. But when has Rebeka ever cared about not getting dirty?

With a faint smile, the duchess slipped off her heels, determined to carry them. Sure, she’d get muddy, but having mud in her heels would be even more uncomfortable than heels needed to be. The duchess took a side of the dress in each hand and pulled it up a little bit to try to avoid some mud stains that were not nessessry.

As she took her first step into the mud it squished under her foot, sending drops of mud into the air and onto the dress. Resigned to accept this, Rebeka laughed with a sigh and let the dress down once again. Then she jumped in it, just to make sure Akaysha was more muddy than her.
With a demurred smile she said “Now I’m ready to go.”

The duchess locked arms with Akaysha and began to lead the walk over, just as her guards arrived in on horseback. The Kurzeran Ducal Guard wore platearmor made in the same style of medieval design on formal occasions. The armor was treated to have a slightly navy color, with bright gold highlights around joints and contour of the armor. Over this armor hung a navy and gold tabard, with the emblem of House Lizabont upon it. The design was ancient, possibly the oldest noble crest still in service. The Lizabonts originally came from a southern Revonic state and thus had an emblem that reflected that. The Land of Rivers, it we called, and thus the background was blue with curved gold lines to symbolize a river. And upon that river was a gold wheel encircled by a cluster of wheat and arrows mixed together. The emblem stood for many things. Fishing. Farming. War.

The guards glance down at the duchess, hiding their bewilderment rather poorly as she walked through the mud as a child might. There was, however, no judgment. But seeing them and her family crest made her remember something.

“Akaysha dear,” Rebeka said quietly, “If you are to marry me you must come with me to Kurzera and meet the Grand Duke, my brother. It’s tradition to meet the Grand Duke before marrying any in his family. Once you are accepted by him as kin, you shall be granted a title if you don’t have one. You’ll also get land, though not much. For example, I am Rebeka the Duchess of Elruda.”

[The Nina Islands]

Walking towards the entrance of old Parliamentary Building, which was drab yellow in the colonial style, with some panes missing from all around the building and definitely too small to contain all the offices and rooms needed to run a functional government, Akaysha began to drift off in thought as Rebeka talked on.

This wasn’t on purpose or to be mean towards Rebeka for sure but only because Akaysha’s heart fluttered for a moment and became shocked at the words that just came out of Rebeka’s mouth. “If you are to marry me” the words rang with such warming sensation that Akaysha was stuck on them. The two had been dating for a long time, over two years in fact, but it was only a few months ago that marriage was on the table and Rebeka was then hesitant, but now she was saying it such casually.

Akaysha pulled herself together before turning back to the Rezuan, now more excited then before and realizing what the duchess was trying to explain.

“Of course,” she started “I do hope the Grand Duke will accept me, but will I have to give up my position here in these islands to become one of your nobles?” she asked with a bit of worry in her voice, as her life’s work to these islands was her second love and she wouldn’t want to give that up.

[Rezua]

For a moment Rebeka was at a loss for words. Akaysha’s question was so silly, so pure, that she couldn’t help but laugh. The Rezuan laughed so hard that she started to snort a little. She shook her head and said in Revon “Oh my silly daring no. No.” Rebeka chuckled again and smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. Only then did she remember that Akaysha probably didn’t understand
Revon.

“Oh my apologizes, my darling” she said in her sweet silky English, “I forgot my foreignness. No, you would not have to leave the Nina Islands to marry me. Princess Sierra didn’t have to give up her position for the empress. Regardless, I don’t think I’d go back anyway. Not for some time. My home has been here for a little bit.” She bit her lip a little bit, glancing at Akaysha briefly.

Though it is recommended you take my name, as it is Revonic custom for the more well known name to be kept. Of course you may put in a dash, for example, Everen-Abrams.” She laced her arm through Akaysha’s again.

“So, what’s this occasion going to be like? And are we announcing my change in citizenship?”

[The Layfetian Republic]

"That is a surprise, my one and only" Akaysha said leading Rebeka up the stairs of the National Assembly Hall. And taking in what Rebeka had described to her. This talk of nobility, lands, names had begun to flutter around her head, leaving it a bit inflated as she blushed. Thinking deeply about what future the two would see together. Akaysha was a planner and was not one to be known to let things fall by chance, and as a smart women, she knew what needed to be done. Of course she would take the name of Rebeka.

Nilee Umedta, Chairman of the National Assembly was at the top of the stairs and though he was in effect Akaysha's political rivial the two were friends, much do in part because of the work they did to make an independent Nina Islands "You two look wonderful" he said in Hogganese.

"Thank you" Akaysha returned in Hogganese as well before turning to the slightly muddy beautiful sight that was her girlfriend. "He thinks we are pretty together" Akaysha remarked and then winked.

After climbing to the top with and peering into the National Assembly Chamber. It wasn't anything remarkable. A room no bigger then a high school gym with various wood desks whwre representatives of the various villages and islands worked and debated, a desk in the middle for Umedta and plastic tables with simple clothes for the dinner, which was still being prepared but smelled of fresh fish. Rebeka's guards stood out, blinding those already assembled.

Umedta greated the last guest - Xaiver Hay. Who was recently appointed Ninan Islamd Ambassador to Rezua. He wemt down to the middle of the room as Umedta closed the door. Akaysha taking Rebeka to follow Hay, who reached into Umedta's desk and pulled out a bottle of rum and gave it to Akaysha.

Akaysha, with some effort, pulled the cork off and then returned the bottle to Hay who then poured some rum into Akaysha's cupped hands in which she drank and then took the bottle back and turned to Rebeka and whispered "do what i did. It is a tradition. I'll explain later"

[Rezua]

This is a far cry away from any official meeting I've seen. It's...smaller Rebeka thought to herself. It wasn't a criticism, more of a reflection. In her past, Rebeka had represented her nation to foreign nations and each one had a meeting hall more elaborate than the last. The young ambassador smiled to herself, watching not the grandeur of statecraft but the sincerity of a people trying to rule themselves.

The duchess followed, waving politely at Nilee Umedta as he and Akaysha shared a few words. She had begun to pick up on the native tongue and gave a half-smile at Nilee as she strained to decrypt what he'd said. Thankfully, Akaysha translated for her, but the duchess knew that she really should have done it herself. If she was to be the representative of Rezua here, or even live here, she'd have to know the language eventually.

What she really needed a translation for, was why their was a bottle of rum. Rebeka giggled as she watched Akaysha struggle with the cork, waving away one of her guards as he approached to offer up his ceremonial dagger to speed up the process. Thankfully, the man had the sense to remove the whole dagger belt to bring it forward. Drawing a dagger, even to open a bottle, with no warning, would have been very ill-advised. But Rebeka expected nothing less from her guards.

When Akaysha turned to pour rum into her hands, Rebeka cupped her hands. She smiled, "If I had to guess, this has something to do with the pirate Nina." She collected a handful of rum and brought her hands up, gulping it down quickly to avoid having the drink escape from her hands. It made for a bit of a ridiculous spectacle, but Rebeka would never waste liquor.

[The Layfetian Republic]

After Rebeka took her gulp, the Ambassador followed suit, followed by Umedta. As soon as the tradition was complete, the entire hall clapped and everyone sat down at their tables, Umedta led Rebeka, Akaysha and the guards to a table and all of them say down.

Umedta even offered for the guards to sit down and join them, but he didn't know if they would join them at the table. Akaysha turned to Rebeka to address her.

"A litte yes, a little no." She started "Nina gave the native Hogganese rum while she was here, but it was the Hogganese who started the tradition. Nina left barrels of rum and the Hogganese used them for marriages, adoption into tribes, meetings, the works"

The lights then dimmed and music started playing traditional Hogganese music. Large burly men dressed in nothing but shorts came out and started banging on drums, as waiters delivered food to the tables. The meal smelled wonderful despite not being the exquisite meals you would fine at other state dinners. It was Hogganese prepared hog, mashed potatoes, and other assorted sides.

After the dinner and music, Umedta got up from his chair and made his way over to the Chairman's desk and gave a passionate speech about how the world is now being opened up to Hogganese efforts, thanking the government and people of Rezua (and giving a node to Rebeka) and later concluded with a traditional Hogganese saying "You will find your way, if you listen to the waves that guide you" in which everyone followed and returned the saying.

Akaysha turned to Rebeka as everyone continued eating. "So about marriage. You mentioned it earlier."

[Rezua]

Hearing of the many uses from rum, the duchess chuckled. “That not unlike our own traditions. For those of Revonic ethnicity, the sharing of wine at special occasions was seen as mandatory. Every lord or lady born within the Revonic Confederation was excepted to have a case of wine made upon their birthday, or at least within a week of it. When they reached a marriageable age or when they went off to war, the lordlings and ladies were the masters of their case. Twelve bottles only. When to open them? For many it was for weddings, victories, a fair year, the crowning of a king, the death of siblings, friends, parents, or their own deathbeds. Now a days, it’s common across Rezua for parents to buy a bottle or a bit more for their children to use on their wedding and other special occasions.” She paused a moment to let her foreign love process all that history. History that brother shall expect her to know. Our customs at the very least. But I can teach her.

Rebeka gestured to some other bottles of rum “Any liquor could do for Revonic customs. Modern day Rezuans still follow that. But the modern ones don’t consider the types of liquor as to have a meaning. Hard liquor was for men, wine for women when there were no Rezuans, no empire, no crowns. The Revonics were pagan and Christian, and all manner of beliefs mixed up into one scattered tribe. I could bore you with them all, but I’ll spare you with one. For me and for the current empress, we had pineapple wine. The ancient reason is for warmth, wealth, and fertility. But for our families, Everen and Lizabonts, it is a pact of rebellion. When Augustus Everen Junior - to be Augustus I - landed on our shores and treated with my grandfather they opened a bottle of pineapples wine. It could only be made in Kurzera at the time, for technology did not allow for pineapples to grow in mainland Rezua to the proper callings. Ours was a pact to stand abreast in the heat of war and the gentle breeze of peace. Forever on, our heirs shall always have pineapple wine for our Birth Wine.” Rebeka looked to Akaysha’s eyes, hoping she would grasp the message of her words. But words would follow anyway.

The duchess clasped the other leader’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled. She rubbbed her thumb against the back of Ayaksha’s hand. But how to go about what I mean to say? The brown haired woman sighed. It was now or never. “I tell you this because you must know. Mine is an ancient family. With old customs, and traditions that have roots that dig deep. If we are to marry, I want to tell you that I cannot forsake my customs or make you forsake yours. The customs of a people need not go away upon a merge. I don’t want to to think that you must change for me. And that should we adopt or have a child through whatever means, know that there doesn’t need to be sacrifice. I guess what I’m trying to say is...I want to open one of my bottles with you sometime soon. I want it to be impactful on my life. Words die with us, deeds are forgotten, but tradition lives on. I want you to marry me and I want to be one of your people, but I cannot ever stop being who I am right now.”

And now I shall see if this is meant to be.