Clash of Kingdoms: Creeping Frost (IC)

[Nuridia]

OOC: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=486829


In Paralia, magic is as pervasive in the air as the sun or the wind...it seems to seep through to every corner of the land, even the blades of grass. But although magic is so heavily in everything, the gift of being able to summon and wield it is quite limited. Magicians inherit the Gift through their bloodlines, often due to the presence of magical creature interbreeding or some natural/divine phenomenon occurring at one point in that bloodline. It needs to be nurtured in order to be used to its full potential, and so magicians are some of the most powerful beings to be born on the continent. Due to their rarity, mages are highly prized by many leaders for the talents that can make or break an empire...but they are feared by some due to that innate power they possess and often have been blamed for some of the more catastrophic happenings that have gone on throughout this continent's history.

The dominant religion on the continent is known as the Order of the Colors, often times referred to as the Harmony by its followers. The Order preaches that four gods and goddess rule over the realm of mortals and they are represented by the colors red, blue, yellow, and green. This informs the way the calendar is written, as the order views history as separated by eras, each era dominated by the influence of a particular god. Red is the God Forsen, a war god who represents justice and order. For Forsen war is not chaotic and cruel, but rather necessary and just. Red eras are seen as times of turmoil and sacrifice but often end in great triumph and change. Blue represents Osat, the Goddess of Water and tranquility. Blue Eras are peaceful and are told to predict economic and political prosperity but also sometimes stagnation. Next is Gorin, the god of green. Gorin is the natural god, his realm deals with natural concepts such as growth, life, and even death. Green eras foretell bountiful harvests and thriving ecosystems but also warn of ending of good times but promise the beginning of them as well. Finally the yellow era is the embodiment of Ausa the Goddess of love and emotion. Yellow eras tend to bring chaos and instability in political and daily life. Ausa is said to spur passion and rash behavior to those who live during her era.

This age is said by many to be a rare phenomenon known as an Orange Era or a Sunset Era...an era of great emotional and political upheaval caused by the turmoil of the winding down Red Era. Signaling both growth and sacrifice, emotional and political development. The instability and chaos with the potential to lead to something great or something horrid...almost like a phoenix having the potential to rise from the flame and ashes. And this is the time in which teenagers are ruling half the continent.
On top of all this, another burning log has recently emerged. A burning log to put on this crackling fire of an era, one that may turn into a conflagration that has the potential to sweep the entire continent in flames if it is not pulled out...the Hands of Adrasia.
Adrasia is the Pale Lady, the Grey Goddess...the Mother of Monsters. The goddess of death and winter, she signifies the grey winds of change and loss, grieving and ending. She is both a reaper and a sower, a comforter and a killer...and her wily and cunning dangerousness is attractive to many dangerous, disgruntled people. So dangerous in fact, that the other gods had no choice but to seal her away over a century ago when she attempted to spread eternal frost throughout the planet. They crafted a divine magical item called the Void Box, a seemingly ordinary wooden box made of several puzzle pieces carved with runes. Using their strength, they trapped Adrasia inside this box, thus saving the planet once more.
The gods as well as the humans had assumed that was the end of her, but they were wrong. Oh, they were very...very wrong. In recent times, there's been a phenomenon. The temperature seems to have dropped nigh globally, winters and nights are getting longer, summers and days are getting shorter...and reports of criminals in grey robes have been seen in all the countries around Paralia. Investigation into these matters has revealed sightings of a group called Adrasia's Hands. These grey-robed priests use potent ice magic and necromancy, worship all the evil aspects of the Pale Lady, and there have been fears that they plan to bring about her return. It's now our job to make sure that doesn't happen. Old grudges are begrudgingly being mended, old alliances are being broken...it seems like the past is falling away in wake of the Creeping Frost's return, and you either have to shift with the tides or freeze in stagnation. United we stand, or divided we fall.




Saturn Palace, Marseis
Marseille, Paralia: Year 275...Orange Era

"Sun, do go away." A young man, voice groggy from sleep seemed irritated by the sunlight that seeped in through the large windows of his room flooding his dark eyes all at once, the other young man he was twined around didn't seem to mind at all as he was sleeping peacefully still. Lucky bastard. Charles thought somewhat grumpily even as he shifted further into his pillows in order to block some of the rays. But the sunlight didn't seem to hold warmth, anymore. The Frost seemed to be sapping the heat out of everything, even the morning sun. Everything wasn't frozen over, quite yet anyway...but sometimes it felt like it was.
"Sire?" His companion yawned tiredly, Charles smiled, trying to shake himself out of his melancholy thoughts and kissed the other's forehead.
"Go back to sleep, dear. Just getting the sun out of my eyes. Nothing to worry your pretty little head over. It's too damn early to be awake,what time is it anyway?"
"Eight forty-five, I believe."
"See?" Charles yawned, winding his arms around both lover and pillow. "I told you it was too earl..." His eyes suddenly snapped open as quickly as they had closed. "What?! Did you say 8:45?!"
"Yes Sire, I did...is there something wrong?" Charles bolted upright as if he had been struck, dashing out of bed in his nightshirt and a flurry of blankets. "Fuck! Oh fuck me, I'm going to be late for council!"

"I believe we did that already, Sire." The boy didn't bother moving, just shook his blond curls out of his eyes and settled back in to sleep. It's not like he had anywhere to be at the moment.
"Cheeky little thing you are, I like you."
"I can tell. Shouldn't you call your valet to help you dress...?"
"No time for that, I have to be gone now!" The panic overcame him again, the young king buttoned himself into his waistcoat and laced up his own breeches, hopping around as he tried to get his shoes on. "Council starts in fifteen bloody minutes, Ausa's left tit...Percy's gonna rip me a new one! And I haven't eaten breakfast! Oh well, I'll...there!" Satisfied with his appearance even though he looked a bit disheveled ("Ladies and gents love the "devil may care" look", he always said), he washed his face before grabbing his wig and coat, heading out the door. "Hey, if you want anything just ring, somebody will bring it. Plus you're welcome to stay here and chill until I get back."
"I thank you, Sire." The other young man grinned at him.
"Alright, I really gotta jet. Like, yesterday. Thanks for last night, you were lovely! See you later, Justin!" Charles called over his shoulder as he bolted down the hall.
"My name is Jean!"
"Whatever!"


Rose Palace, Santa-Eluira
Agcron, Paralia: Year 275...Orange Era
"Your Majesty, you're early." Queen Henriette's counselor, Lord Faradey Fanna was surprised to see the young Queen there at the council chamber before many of her advisors. She looked up from the pile of papers she was reading over to address him, a tall, stately bespectacled man with the same dark brown skin as herself and most Agcronites. "My dear Lord Fanna, of course I'm early. There's a lot to do today and I wanted to get a head start, maybe I can squeeze some free time in before bed."
"You're usually early, yes...but you're almost never awake this early. Pre-wedding jitters?"
"A little bit." she gave him a small, amused smile. "But don't tell anyone, okay? I got a reputation to maintain."
"My lips are sealed, you have my word."
"Good." Lord Fanna was one of the few people she had left in her intimate circle that she could say with certainty that she trusted...it was good to have steadfast friends in these uncertain times, especially with all this going on. "So, did everybody receive their wedding invitations yet?"
"Yes my lady, all of them shipped off to the other Paralian leaders, most of the courtiers returned yesterday."
"Excellent, it'll be good to have at least a little bit of a distraction with this mess with the frost, these alliances, not to mention the wedding."
"Madam, I think maybe you and Queen Tali will grow to like each other. She's very beautiful, and very accomplished. Valiant in battle, and..."
"I'm aware of all that, Faraday. I'm not saying she doesn't have any good qualities.I don't know her, and that's precisely the point. She doesn't know me either, so pardon me for not really looking forward to marrying someone I don't know."

"But you two do share many similar qualities...perhaps maybe you'll even love her."
"I think that may be a little too much to hope for, especially at this stage. Plus, it doesn't really matter in the end, does it? I mean, we're marrying for the sake of our kingdoms. What we want is kind of irrelevant, that's the whole thing about being a monarch. What you want is irrelevant." Fanna saw through the crack in the queen's armor. Henriette did her best to keep things together and wanted the world to think that she was so very grown up, but that little quaver in her voice gave away that she was still very much a child. A child with an enormous responsibility. "Madame." He reached out to comfort her, but she immediately straightened up. "Alright, would you be a dear and summon the other ministers? There's much to discuss."
"Of course, right away. But Majesty, I'm always here if you need to talk."
"I know, and I appreciate you. Everything's gone so...what's Charlie's word? Fucktangular, that's it. This has gone very fucktangular. Speaking of which, have you invited the King of Marseille?"
"Yes I have, my lady." Fanna's voice seemed to take on an anxious edge. "But Majesty, is that wise? You know King Charles can be..."
"Crazy? A party boy? Unrestrained? Yeah, I know all of that...I used to date him, remember? But if I have to invite all these people I don't know, I can certainly invite my oldest and dearest friend. Besides, to leave a leader out would be an international scandal. Now fetch the ministers." With that, the Lord Chancellor left, leaving Henriette alone to her thoughts.

[Tomia]

Queen Tali Adura, Tera Palace
"General Adia is to move south to reinforce the 5th Army at Reinhold Castle. I want her troops there by the end of the month. If the rebels take Reinhold they'll be able to cut us off from Eastern Falarg." Tali said, she was dictating to a scribe in her war room. It was a large chamber with multiple desks in the corners of the room. At the center was a large wood table that held a detailed map of Termain. It was currently a war map that depicted various armies and troop movements.

"If we push forward into Hadivig, we could cut off their connection to the coast. Then we can starve them of trade from the South... That might be enough..." Tali said, muttering to herself as she moved two figures of ships towards the coast of Hadivig. Only Tali and her scribe were in the room at the moment as was not uncommon. Tali often preferred to plan in solitude. She didn't like others seeing her inner thought process or any indecision that might envelope her.

Soon there was a knock on her door, and she approached and opened it slightly. It was Karl Hart, a ranking member in her guard. "Sir Hart, what is it you need?"

"Pardon me your majesty, but there's a matter of justice that needs your attention." Tali nodded, following Karl out of the war room and into the main chamber of the palace. The throne room was quite regal, with stain glass windows across the walls and elegant sculptures dotting the hall. When she entered the large double doors she noticed a crowd had gathered who all bowed their heads at her presents, her knights had fallen to a knee out of respect but she quickly called them to rise. The crowd that had gathered in the gallery seemed to be mostly made up of common folk and some groups of soldiers. She wondered what the issue at hand might be.

As she sat down Karl stood at attention and shouted into the room.

"Hail the Queen!"

"Hail the Queen!" The gathered guards and citizens shouted in return.

"Those with business with the court please step forward." Tali said as she sat very properly in her throne. It was a rather decorative silver chair, with large diamonds that ordained the corners. She had privately suggested melting it down to support the war effort but her advisers reacted as if that was tantamount to treason.

An older man stepped forward from the gallery. He wore plain and battered clothes and looked as if he had sustained some minor injures. An armored man stepped forward, wearing the royal blue colors of Termain.

"Your majesty, this man here is Albert. He claims to have witnessed crimes perpetrated by soldiers against the village of Solkum."

"Albert, please tell me what happened." Tali said kindly as she looked upon the clearly petrified man.

"They took everything my lady. We weren't resisting and yet they killed everyone in sight and burned our village to the ground. I managed to escape, by hiding under..." He cast his eyes to the ground. "Under my wife your majesty."

Tali's expression went dark for a brief moment before returning her normal neutral expression. "I'm very sorry for your loss Albert. Termain grieves with you. I must ask, could you describe the soldiers?"

"They wore armor my lady, some metal some leather. They flew the Tremain flag I'm sure of it. I would always recognize the royal blue."

A soldier stepped forward from the gallery. "Your majesty, Solkum was aiding the enemy. They had been supplying a nearby fort with weapons and food for months. They were the enemy as far as we were concerned."

There was a pause for a moment as the soldier twitched uncomfortably under Tali's gaze.

"What is your name soldier?"

"Axel your majesty."

"Axel, farmers, blacksmiths, traders, they are not our enemy they are our countrymen. The men and women that take up arms against us are our enemy and it is them for which we must reserve our fury and our swords." The queen turned out to face the crowd.

"You have every right to be angry with the Tor. I am angry too. But our anger will not turn us into marauders. We must represent order, justice, and peace. Otherwise we are no better than the rebels who threaten our way of life. We must be better, I will tolerate no less."

She turned to her guards. "Arrest the officers of the battalion. The commander is to die, the others are to be branded and discharged from the military. And see the village rebuilt and the survivors compensated." Tali said and her guards nodding, leaving to see her will done. Karl stayed by her side, as she was never to left alone. Some of the troops in the crowd were clearly unhappy with the decision, but Albert the farmer was beaming at his queen.

"Thank you my lady, thank you." He said with tears in his eyes.

"Thank you Albert" She said taking his hand. "For having the bravery to speak up." ith that Tali made her exit, Karl not far behind.

She returned to a nearby private study, taking a seat by the window. Karl stood by the door as he often did. Tali was known for sitting quietly in thought after making royal decisions. After about twenty minutes she spoke to Karl.

"Karl, you can leave, I don't want to hold you here watching me think."

"It's my duty your majesty, and an honor."

"Please, stop the pleasantries, I was taught at a young age that politeness is merely a clever form of lying. But I appreciate the lie non the less."

Karl couldn't help a smile. "If I may your majesty. You should eat something. You haven't all day."

"I'm fine Karl, you need not watch my diet. Watching for assassins is a job enough. Please, it would be best for both of us if you took a break and I had a moment alone."

Just as Karl retreated however, an older woman in a regal dress entered the room. "Tali, your things are packed for our journey tomorrow morning. Including your dress for the ceremony."

"I'm not wearing a dress Melinda. I'll be married in my armor."

"Your grace consider the impression..."

"I'll be giving her a real impression of who I am, not a false one. I'm a soldier, not blushing bride."

"What you are is queen. And we need this alliance, whether you like it or not you know that to be true. I understand the war has been difficult but you know the ballroom is just as much a battlefield."

Tali frowned, "Fine you're right. The dress is fine then."

"Would you like to see it."

"No, no thank you."

"My lady, I know this isn't ideal for you, but this is far from the worst fate. Queen Henriette is a beautiful and intelligent woman."

"I am being sold for my kingdom's well being Melinda, it's that simple. I don't care how good a person she is, I wouldn't be marrying her if it weren't for these damn traitors in the north. I'll play my part and I will do my duty but it is not your place to tell me to feel better about it."

"Yes your grace, my apologies." The lady said before bowing and exiting the room. Finally on her own Tali let out a deep sigh. She didn't like leaving her country in the middle of a war, nor did she like selling her future to a foreign queen. There was nothing to be done about it though, this wedding was necessary, the Agcronites had made clear that they wouldn't offer military support against Tor without it. She put her head in her hands and rubbed her temples wearily, dreading the prospects of the next day.

Perseus "Percy" Alessio Jacquinot
Percy sat in the royal council room impatiently. The King's advisors had been waiting for him, and Percy had a feeling he knew what was causing the delay. He headed out of the room, towards Charlie's bedroom and sure saw the young king rushing out looking disheveled. "Late morning?" Percy asked rhetorically with a disapproving tone. "There's a meeting waiting on your convenience your majesty. I hope you do not plan on being so relaxed regarding punctuality tomorrow. It would be very rude to arrive late to a royal wedding after all. Perhaps you could skip your usual... festivities tonight."

[Ovesa]

Queen Edenia IV
Suviatas, Ignis
Paralia, Year 275
Orange/Sunset Era

In the heart of the mountains, far below the weathered peaks and sun-scorched granite, deep within the blessed earth, the heart of Ignius beat steadily, its citizens moving like clockwork as the sound of their chatter and labor reverberated within the chasms they called home. The Capital of Ignis, Suviatas was a thriving metropolis. Carved from the walls of an underground canyon, its people were connected by long rope bridges and stone stairways that were found on all of the city's tiers.

Wrapped in a cloak that shrouded her face, Edenia IV explored the streets of her city. Today was remarkably pleasant; it was the first day of the Festival of Diamonds, a yearly week-long celebration of Edenia I's ascension to the throne. People were dancing, music was playing, and vendors were selling all kinds of seasonal treats and trinkets.

A musician was performing for the crowd. He played a violin, a strange instrument from the surface. The musician played with an unrivaled expressiveness, in both tone and body; as he played, he practically danced along with his music.

The crowd cheered, clapping along to the beat. Faster, faster, yet faster, the tempo increased. The man continued to play, at first socially, then forcefully, twirling and leaping with the music, until he finished his grand solo with a resounding high note, a final curtain call to a dizzying and energetic piece. The crowd roared with thunderous applause, the cold cavern air warmed by their excitement.

It was nice, having the chance to be present for such an event. For Edenia IV, most of her days were spent inside, reciting doctrines and memorizing languages. Having the chance to escape from all of the expectations, even if for just a moment, gave her at least some sense of independence.

After purchasing some sweets, she made her way back up to the palace, traversing rowdy crowds and giant stone staircases. Along the way home, she walk passed a familiar marble statue. She stopped in her tracks, looking up towards it. It was a statue of her late mother, Edenia III. Most statues of Ignis's monarchs portrayed them as strong, fierce figures, often holding swords or scepters. Her mother's statue was different. Instead of a sword, she held a scroll. Instead of a solemn or aggressive look, her mother smiled sweetly, her memory forever immortalized in stone.

Edenia used to spend hours near her mother's statue; reading, thinking, just doing anything. Over time, she gradually spent less and less time there, spending most of her days preparing for the mantle she was destined to take. The statue used to be an escape for her, a way of connecting to happier days. But now it pained her to see it. It was a bleak reminder that her life was not hers to live.

She kept walking.

When she eventually returned to the palace, she came across a human messenger, surrounded by Ignician guards. Jumpy and anxious, it was clearly his first time in the caves. He handed her an envelope, payed his respects, and went on his way.

Inside the envelope was a beautifully hand-written invitation to a wedding in Agcron, as well as a diplomatic meeting shortly after. Her eyes lit up with excitement; for months, she had pleaded with her advisors for their support in involvement with the politics of the surface world. This would be the perfect opportunity for their Queendom to (safely) come out of the shadows. Although diplomats had been sent outside in the past, no member of royalty had ever stepped foot outside of the caverns, much less a Queen. After centuries of life underground, this would be a major turning point in leaving behind their isolationist past.

Despite all of her years of study, Edenia knew little of the world above. She knew the names of a few nations, and she had a vague understanding of their primary language and belief system, but that was about it. She didn't know what surface dwellers thought about cyclopes, if they even knew them at all. But there was no need to worry; as long as she remained diplomatic and observant, there (hopefully) wouldn't be any issues...

[Cainesland]

Saturn Palace

Ajax sat in his chair in the Council Chamber. He was 30 minutes early for the meeting. As usual he had something flashy on that made him stand out. His bowtie was blue, with a fish on each side. He had a wide brim wizard hat in-front of him, and a folded handkerchief on his left lapel that had stars on it.

It was a tall brown leather chair made from oak. The leather was stained with a colour of deep blue. He was seated two seats down to the right of the king. Between him was the kings primary advisor. Across from him was the council record keeper, sitting directly to the left of the kings seat, and the minister for forestry and agriculture directly to the left of the record keeper.

Behind Ajax was a fur coat, draped on the chair and drenched from the frosts snow. Beside him was a leather pouch containing a pile of parchment for the meeting with hand written notes on the nations fishing and ocean trade statistics, magical portal usage numbers, magical educational written accounts, and accounts from the coastal communities. He took his positions seriously, even if they often meant him being away from the palace in coastal communities.

In front of Ajax was a heavily decorated placard with his name, Ajax Ghoul, in the centre. It had a star on its left facing out from Ajax, fish on its right, fishing ship on top, and coast guard vessel on the bottom. As the meeting drew closer he awaited for King Charles and the other ministerial advisors to arrive.

[Nuridia]

“Percy!” Charles straight up hugged his chief advisor, giving a somewhat apologetic grin when he saw the disapproving frown on the older man’s face. “I’m really sorry, Perce...I got caught up in some...yeah, let’s not discuss that right now. I went to sleep a little later than usual last night.” He then raised a dark eyebrow when Percy mentioned the wedding. “Calm down Lord Jacquinot, this is my best girl friend that’s getting married, not the bloody Rainbow High Priestess. Hettie won’t give a damn if I’m three seconds or three hours late...well she might a little, she’s as much of a stickler for etiquette as you are old boy.” He patted the older man’s shoulder. “Plus, I’m not THAT late, am I? I could’ve sworn I’m only late by...” he pulls his pocket-watch out of the satin brocade coat pocket, it had belonged to his father once. “Eleven and a half minutes, that’s not a lot of time. Anyway, we should get on with it.” Straightening his clothes a tiny bit better (but only a tiny bit), he walked into the chamber where his mother and the other advisors were seated waiting on him. “Terribly sorry everyone, I didn’t mean to show up late. Now, what’s on the list for today?” He plopped down in the seat at the head of the table, frowning down slightly at the stack of papers on his end before starting to read them.
"Charlie, you need to learn how to manage your time a bit better." Dowager Queen Andrea scolded her son from her seat near where Percy's usually was. "You can't keep your ministers waiting like this, how are you going to set an example for your little siblings?"
"I know Mom, I know...but I'm here now, so I don't want to waste any more time than I have already. I know the two most pressing concerns now are the Frost and the wedding, I was wondering if we had any plans to slow the Frost's progression? Any new spells in development that can help us with that? Lord Jacquinot, Minister Ghoul? The ones we have are working so far, but I know that it's creeping faster and we're going to need to keep up. Plus there's that whole thing with border security while we're gone and the treasury, we're just managing to get it stable again after..." Charles' voice started to trail off. After Dad's wars went unspoken, but the whole room seemed to drop a few degrees as if Adrasia herself had materialized into it.



When her ministers had gathered into the room, Henriette greeted them all customarily. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to see you all. Now, if you’d all take your seats because we have much weighty and urgent business to discuss today..."
"Of course, ma'am. I was thinking that firstly we start with the wedding. Queen Tali and her delegation, as well as the other Paralian entourages should be arriving on the morrow. There's still a lot to do in order to prepare..." An older, portly woman with salt-and-pepper hair spoke up. Henriette listened quietly before putting her hand up to stop her. "I'm well aware of that, Lady Kandlao. But the preparations are already underway, I'm a bit more concerned about the Frost, myself. It's dangerous, just because we're not frozen like icicles yet doesn't mean we can just ignore the fact that it's here."
Lord Fanna cleared his throat to speak before turning to the Queen: "Well since we are a southern kingdom and our climate is quite hot, we're lucky enough to have a slower progression than the more northern kingdoms. Our mages are on the case, but then again...nothing has happened like this in centuries. Even our mages struggle as to what they should do, they give it their all but it's hardly an organized effort."
"I'm aware of that." Henriette folded her hands in her lap, twisting them in the red fabric of her skirts. "But we need an actual game plan, something that'll work in case the worst should happen."

"On it, my lady. We laid out some measures that should be taken to evacuate the populace and temporary heating solutions to keep as many warm as possible in case we should be overtaken."
"Excellent, let me see." She held her hand out and took the papers from Faraday, reading it over. "I like these, but we're definitely going to need to flesh it out to make it more solid. Do we have enough in the budget?"
"So far, ma'am...but quite a few funds are going toward the wedding."
"I said no overspending on that, didn't we just talk about this last week?"

[Mordka]

Judgement Square, Marshal City, Mordkan Republic:

Grand Marshal Rokoric rose up on the platform and said "We have a cult in our glorious Republic, One that will cause chaos to our order, so we need to set an example". A grey-robed woman was brought up to the platform bound and gagged, and forced on her knees. Rokoric was given a pistol and said "The Adrasia's Hands, or any other religious group are not welcomed in Mordka" he then got up to the woman and shot her in the head "Anybody who has information of this cult, report it to the authorities, and anybody who harbour them or any other cult will meet the same fate to her" pointing to the corpse of the Priestess.

[Kya Hoga]

Prince Efgul IV
Kasia, Jorik
Year 275, Orange Era
Ah, Kasia. The capital of Jorik. Here, Prince Efgul lives, as does his court. For this chapter, we need not the big universe of the city, but the small universe of the Palace. So forget all surroundings and focus on the Palace.

The minor audiences in the Prosperous Peace Palace are held in order to keep up with the needs and questions of the subordinates, be they noble lords, lying in the grass of their oases, or beggars, lying on the stone roads of the capital. One such audience happens when we close in on the audience room.
The procedure of an audience is as follows: when the sun rises, the administrator charged with the gates opens the gates to the outside words, and a herald declares that the audience has begun. Then the people organise themselves in rows. One by one, they come in, bow to the Prince, give their personal information, and ask their question or express their needs. The maximum time someone can take is around 20 minutes. After giving wise answer, the king dismisses the subject and lets another one in. And so on until the Prince adjourns the audience, which is usually at noon, when His High Majesty has hunger. People who haven’t got answer have to wait. Audiences are held once every two days. And then there are…

Oh! Look! The one asking a question now is Odoi Kamea! One of the Marquises! He’s so powerful, why did he wait outside? A man of his standing can just make a triumph through the capital and get a private conversation with the Prince. But maybe he wants his request to be heard by the court and the commoners. Let’s listen.
The Marquis bows to the Prince and opens his mouth. “Your High Majesty the First-Rank Prince, I am Odoi of the Noble House of Kamea, Marquis of the Southwest. I am 48 years old. My father was Kerba, Marquis of the Southwest. I have come to express a need, not only of myself, but of my whole Marquisate.”
“I listen.” Says the Prince. That’s not entirely how the monarch should have responded, but he is still learning.

Marquis Odoi continues: “The desert is not… in balance lately. The scorching power of the sun was always compensated at night by the cold shine of the moon, causing balance. Now, though, the balance is broken. The sun seems to have lost his power, and the moon is getting colder than ever, not caring about the well-being of the living under her. Night is (mark this) freezing now. This unnatural cycle is definitely the doing of Adrasia, Pale Lady, Grey Goddess. The Mother of Monsters.”
The court doesn’t understand the last sentence, and angsty whispers can be heard.
The Prince, in his innocence, asks “Who is this Adrasia-woman? Where can she be found and punished for this witchery?”
With a sarcastic grin, the Marquis explains. “Adrasia is not a woman, nor a man. She is an ancient and immortal Goddess. But more like a godly monster. She is a winter goddess in the religion of the colours, freezing both literally and figuratively. Over a century ago, she tried to freeze the planet, but was sealed. Now, she must have awoken!”

Efgul seems quite striked, shivering in his throne of ivory."Then what will happen? Will we all get frozen by some stupid goddess?" Even the courtiers are now looking around with frightened gazes.
Odoi says: "I don't now, your majesty. What I asked was that you use the treasury to give aid to the farmers. Their harvests are very susceptible to frost, and if we have no harvests, we might have a famine on our hands".
Efgul is a bit too confused and frightened to speak, so the Regent, his uncle, takes over: "Thank you for your announcement. You can go now. Next!"

A messenger comes in, bearing a letter. He instantly begins reciting it: "Your majesty Efgul IV, you are invited over to the wedding of Queen Tali Adura of Termain and Queen Henriette of Agcron. We will also call a conference later in the day with all monarchs present to discuss matters which affect everyone, including the Frost. Sincerely, Queens Henriette and Tali, and King Andoras". The Regent asks: "When is this wedding-conference?" The messenger replies: "Tomorrow, my lord." "WHAT?" cries the Prince. "You only bring the message today?" "I'm sorry your majesty, but it was impossible to come any earlier". The Royal Ceremony-Master then interjects: "We need the entire day to prepare our arrival! We must call off the audience and start preparing now!" The Regent, seeing no other way, whispers in the Prince's ear. Then the Prince adjourns the whole audience. The nearly 100 people waiting outside have to come back in two days. The monarchy isn't concerned about one or two families getting ruined by another two days of hiring an inn.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Queen Lidia I
Aventra, Silvensia
Year 275, Orange Era

"I--yes, magic is all well and good, Lord Willid, but what good is it against a literal goddess of death?" Lidia flung her hands into the air, exasperated. "How do you expect me to keep the entire country from freezing into a block of ice? I'm literally one person, and even if we all work together--"

"Lidia," her father hissed. He was seated to her right, signaling his position as second-in-command, which was just a fancy way of indicating that he was her primary adviser. And, really, who else would Lidia have as her confidant than the man who partook in her creation?

"Sorry." Lidia cleared her throat. "What I was trying to say is...uh...I can make efforts to increase the hardiness of the plants, maybe the people of Silvensia. But, even if everyone in this room who has magic works together, it won't be enough to stop the Frost. I have absolutely no idea what to do, and believe me, I've been doing my research." The shadowed puffiness beneath her eyes was a clear marker as to how much time she'd spent poring over ancient volumes in the Silvensia Archives. Only to find nothing.

Lord Venefoaux, a slim man from the northwestern reaches of the kingdom, spoke up. "Perhaps, Your Majesty, you could consider my proposition. It's not ideal, but--"

"We are not moving Silvensia underground," cut in Lord Favrin. He, like Venefoaux and Lidia, could wield magic, though not as strongly as the typical mage. There was too much elf in him. Lidia sometimes wondered if having weaker power was such a bad thing, especially since most Silvensians could not harness Paralia's magic, until she remembered the dire situation facing the continent. That always served to make her grateful for her gifts.

"There are entire species that live in subterranean systems, like dwarves and cyclopes," Favrin was arguing. Lidia jotted this down on the parchment unfurled before her on the conference table.

"And many of them do not trust us...overlanders." Lord Willid rolled the final word on his tongue, unaccustomed to uttering it.

"What about the Ignicians? They're cyclop isolationists, but they've been making minimal contact with the 'overland' kindgom in recent years. There have been rumors in the ambassador circles that Ignis is running low on resources. I can't determine the verity of those claims, it's just something I've heard." Lady Laravuel leaned forward in her chair, silver eyes darting back and forth. Her gaze rested on Lidia. "Your Majesty, if I may--I do not believe moving underground is a sustainable option at present. Even with our iron mines, we simply cannot hold the entire population below the surface and hope this Frost will fail to migrate downward."

Chewing on her lower lip, Lidia scanned the board of nobles who were almost all the age of her father, or, in many instances, older. Lord Petrubin was the eldest head of the Noble Houses, and, interestingly, her father's father. Detailed studies of lineage had revealed that the Silvren and Petrubin lines had not intersected in the direct ancestry of the house leaders; that, in addition to the tension that resulted from the Petrubins being the second most powerful family in Silvensia, had lead to the marriage between the Silvren heir and Lord Petrubin's second son.

Everyone was waiting for her to speak. All of these adults placing their hopes and loyalties on the shoulders of an adolescent--her, Lidia, the girl who scrawled poetry on every blank scroll she stumbled upon. Who tripped over her own feet, who knew swordplay as well as she did her own name...a socially inept teenager who had fallen in love with the lute and harpsichord at a young age.

"I...I agree with Lord Favrin and Lady Laravuel." Lidia cast a brief glance at her father, but he didn't react. She was completely on her own for this. "It isn't wise to prepare for an underground exodus--yet. I think we should wait to determine our next move after the council meeting in Agcron, which, as I explained, will take place after the wedding."

A lump was forming in her throat. Was it apprehension over the journey to Agcron, or...something else? The looming threat of Adrasia's Frost?

Her voice was tremulous as she croaked, "Meeting adjourned."

Once all the nobles save for Lord Petrubin had left, the conversation turned to more personal matters. Despite the efforts of their parents and grandparents, Lidia and her sisters had yet to be betrothed, leaving the Silvren line of succession vulnerable. It was not that Lidia or her father were rejecting potential suitors. Rather, they were waiting for the perfect political match.

"Now that we are alone, I entrust that we can safely discuss family business?" Petrubin arched a flawlessly shaped silver eyebrow.

"Yes, indeed. This visitation to Agcron presents a unique opportunity, and with the growing threat creating a great need to forge alliances with the stronger empires, I believe we will find a suitable partner there. Male or female." Lidia's father gave Lidia an approving nod.

When Lidia had come out as bisexual, her family had been fantastically accepting and supportive. Lidia was thankful for their openness, especially since she knew many kids whose parents had rejected them. The girl she'd had a crush on in school had suffered that fate.

"This unity of Termain and Agcron certainly is...interesting." Petrubin almost succeeded in suppressing a grimace. "I just worry...."

"About Termain-Silvensia relations?"

"Yes. We share a border with them, after all, and Agcron does not. We are not the most influential state in Paralia, so I understand why Termain's current ruler would not choose to wed ours. There is also the fact that they are embroiled in a civil war--"

"--Yes, Father, everyone knows th--"

"--Let me finish, Chiroen. That Termain is embroiled in civil war means it is not prudent to have them be our main ally at this point in time. There are always the Sturian tribes, and Marseille's current monarch is very eligible--"

"--Gross!" Finally, Lidia got a word in. Her face contorted in revulsion as she expressed her opinion on the Marseille king, and her stomach churned with disgust.

"Charles? That loser? His dad was a warmonger, and his older brother died in battle or something. And we've all heard the stories of his debauchery. No thanks!"

"It was just a suggestion, Lidia." Petrubin massaged the space between his eyes.

Her father placed his hand on her shoulder. "Marriage is meant to be political for the ruling class. We do not have the freedom to choose our destinies or fall in love. I wish I could allow you to be free, but I can't, Lidia. Neither of us can escape the status granted to us by our ancestors." He sighed solemnly. "We will find you a suitor, Lidia. And while I cannot promise it will be someone you will choose, I can promise it will be someone worth your time. Remember that I once stood in your shoes."

"Yes, Father," Lidia mumbled as she began to doze off.

[Tomia]

Charles

Percy rolled his eyes at Charlie' weak excuses regarding his lateness argued no further as he didn't want to delay them more than they already were. When they arrived in the chamber he took his seat at the table as Charlie took his seat at the head of it. He sat and listened as the meeting went on until the King addressed him. "Our mages are collaborating your Majesty but they have made no further progress. They have began trying to focus on trying to determine the exact source of the frost but there is little information to currently go on. For now we are largely relying on area spells and potions to clear out any large patches of ice that spread in our territory." Percy said in a stately manner.

[Nuridia]

Charles frowned at this turn of development that Percy spoke of...this was certainly not a good thing at all. "I understand, but that's not really going to help us in the long run. We need something like a spell that'll generate continuous heat, or maybe some sort of barrier?" The young king was suddenly wishing he'd paid a bit more attention in Magical Theory class. I'm not a mage, I don't need to learn this stuff! Now it's coming back to bite me in the ass, wonderful.
The queen tucked a black curl behind her ear from where it had come loose from her chignon, listening patiently to Percy before speaking. "I thank you, my lord Jacquinot...we've all been working to try to counteract the frost that's destroying not only our kingdom but the world, with limited success. Our mages are doing the best they can, but I have a bit of an idea. The Seilani Academy in the capital is continuously doing magical research. Their new headmaster has traveled widely, and he's even lived in Agcron for a couple of years, we know their magical prowess. We can go there and see if they have something in the works."
"Mom..." Charles' voice got almost thoughtful. "That's a bloody brilliant idea, I love it."
"Charles-Amadeus Pascal James Andrei, language! But thank you anyway."

"Bloody isn't a bad word! Anyway, I like Mom's idea...my lords? Any other suggestions, we need all the input we can get..." Charles was cut off by a faint "meow" as a gray cat padded into the room. "Sire!" Ambrose d'Auriac, Minister of Defense was a big beefy man with glasses, a handlebar mustache and an intense dislike of animals. "I really don't think this feline should be in the council chamber!
"Hey! That is Sieur Benjamin Alphonse Edouard Dreyfus Keroualle, Grand Master of the Knightly Order of Pest Control, show a little bit of respect!" the king chided before turning to a maid standing by. "Martha, be a dear and take him out, please?"
"Of course, Sire."
"Alright, now where were we? Now that we've got an idea about how we can maybe do something about this Frost, what else in on the schedule for today? I know we have to inspect the emergency food reserves in the city, there's a meeting with an ambassador but I don't remember which country they're from. I have to answer petitions, I should probably get started on those. Mom, how much time do we have before we head out to the Academy?"
"With preparations? About three to four hours, tops. But there is something I wanted to discuss with you, the king's betrothal." Charles couldn't suppress a most unkingly groan. "I'm not getting married at eighteen, end of."
"Honey..."
"Mommy, I know you mean well. I know that I don't have the freedom that other people have when choosing a spouse, my marriage is an affair of state. But I'm eighteen years old, I and my siblings are healthy...there's no issue with the succession right now. Just let me keep this part of my freedom a little bit longer. I don't want to be a teenage dad, I don't have time to raise a kid on top of all this. I refuse to bring a kid into this world with all this fuckery going on, I won't do it." Charles took a breath and stood up, pushing in his chair. "If there is nothing else to be discussed, my lords...I'm leaving to go prepare for our trip. Also I should probably get a head start on all this paperwork. We'll reconvene after we have all the outside situations handled."



“Forsen’s balls, that was a hell of a meeting!” Charles groaned, throwing himself against the closed door as he left the council chamber, rubbing his face. They’d seemed to have been in debate for hours trying to figure out how to delay the Frost long enough to defeat the cult...as well as the typical discussions about finances, military and other things. Now they had to go meet with the mages of the Academy to strengthen their defenses, and check to see if they had enough food in their reserves in case the worst happened. A fear churned in his stomach...what if all their efforts wouldn’t be enough? What if the Frost took over and there was nothing he could do, what if everyone died?!...no, he couldn’t think about that right now. What did Hettie always say? Get it together or fall apart? Get it together, Charlie old boy. Your people need you, you can’t fail them now. They’ve been failed far too badly before, get your shit together. There’ll be plenty of time to break down later. But the tears he felt forming at the corners of his eyes didn’t seem to know the meaning of “later.” Charles took a deep breath, heading in the direction of his rooms. There was still some time to rest before they headed for the academy, he was surprised to find that his companion from last night was gone and the staff had already cleaned. But he was glad of it, he needed some alone-time. His body seemed to collapse onto the bed on its own with no volition from him.

A knock at the door had Charles groaning into his pillows, in the most un-sexy way possible. If it was the damn Minister of Defense again, he was going to throw himself off the nearest palace balcony. "Enter!" he called out, not bothering to move from his position until a smell filled the room that made him look up. Was that food?
A young woman in a yellow gown came in bearing a tray of fruit and pastries, her long brown hair in a neat braid. "I heard that you missed breakfast, Sire. The cooks didn’t see you down with the royal family this morning, so I decided to bring you up a little something.” Even through his reddened eyes, Charles beamed at her. “Thank you, my lady. You’re a godsend!” A blush formed beneath her olive hued skin as he took her hands and kissed the back of them. “What is your name, wondrous creature?”
“Michelle, Your Majesty...Michelle Jacquinot. I'm lady-in-waiting to your mother."
"Wait, Jacquinot? Percy didn't tell me he had a sister! Especially one so beautiful." Charles winked. "Maybe that's precisely the reason why he didn't tell me."
"I'm a cousin. Sire."
"Well, I thank you for your foresight...will I see you again?"
"If Your Majesty wishes."
"Oh, I wish very much. Again, thank you very much. You may leave." When the girl left, Charles turned his attention to the full-length mirror sitting in the corner of his room. Picking up a piece of chalk, he drew the rune onto the glass like he saw the court mages do and pressed his hand against it. "Show me Queen Henriette." The glass began to ripple and shimmer like water, until a clear image of Henriette in her dressing room appeared.

"What the...Charlie?" She leaned a bit closer to her own mirror, relaxing as soon as she recognized who it was. "Hey Charlie." Henrietta's face was beaming at him through the glass.
"Hettie...how have you been? Congratulations on the wedding by the way, she better be hotter than me."
"Why?"
“We agreed that if we ever broke up, the new person better be hotter than us. Anyway, what’s that shit on your face?”
“Um, eyeshadow? I'm trying out different paints for the wedding tomorrow, it has to be perfect.”
“Why are you wearing makeup when you’re already pretty?!”

Henriette countered right back: “Why are you wearing a wig when you have a full head of hair?!”
“It’s just the fashion...I don’t make the rules.”
“Dude, you’re literally king. THAT’S LITERALLY YOUR JOB! Anyway, you look like shit. What happened?”
“This frost situation and everything, plus I was up all last night in a meeting...”
“You stayed up all night drinking and fucking again, didn’t you?”
"Maaaaybe?"
"Boy, if you don't! Charlie, you need to slow the hell down. Seriously, you're going to age yourself before you hit thirty. How are you going to find a suitable partner?! I mean..."
"Henriette, I'm eighteen. And so are you, I have three little siblings in good health, the succession is fine. I'm in absolutely no rush to get married, I want to wait until I'm at least twenty-five."
"And then you'll have gotten all the whoring out of your system?"
"Probably? Maybe. No...I dunno. I can't tell the future. All I'm saying is, we already have to run our kingdoms at this age. There's no reason why we have to lose the rest of our freedom while we still have it." Charles was surprisingly serious, if he got serious then it must've been important. Henriette sighed and rubbed her temples. "Charles, I can't. You know as royals, we don't have the freedom that people like to pretend that we do...I have to do this for my people, we need that alliance against the Frost. That's no monarch's freedom, we don't marry for love."
"I'm well aware of that. But all I'm saying is that you're young. You're beautiful, you have your whole fucking life ahead of you...don't forget that, ok? Just don't waste your time being miserable, we're only this young once. People may judge me for it but I find happiness where I can. I know my duty, and you know yours. But does that mean we have to look back and bemoan that we wasted our best years? I know you have to do this, I know better than nearly anybody. I love you, I want you to be happy."
"I love you too, kid. And thank you." Henriette smiled that soft smile that either was a show of true affection like now, or sometimes it was a ploy to get her enemies to let down their guard so she could extract what she needed from them. It was hard for those not close to her to tell. "But Charlie, you'll need allies too. You know I've always got your back...but now that we're helping the Termainians, we can't really rely on each other the way we used to. We'd be spread way too thin."
"I've got your back too, now and forever. As for allies, I'll think of something..."
"I'm just worried about you. You may need to make a political marriage of your own, and this behavior doesn't help your prospects. I mean people are talking, even more than usual..."
"So some people don't like me, I expected that. Do you know how long it's taking to fix our country's reputation after Dad's clusterfuck of a reign?! I mean we're lucky that we're at a neutrality stage at this point!"
"People are judging YOU, Charlie! I mean the things they say, potential brides and husbands! I mean you remember the Silvensians?"
"The elves? Yeah, I remember. What's that queen's name, Libby? Leela, Lilac, Lily? Some shit like that. What about them?"
"Rumor has it that Queen Lidia has a bit of a disdain for you." Henriette emphasized the elven girl's name in her sentence. "My courtiers came back from delivering the invite there, they mentioned you among the invited leaders and they said you could hear a pin drop. Charlie, who's going to marry you?"

"My mom literally asked me that exact same question...if they want to judge me on my personal life instead of my ruling, that's their failing. Neither my subjects or anyone else is going to suffer because of my personal choices. Why am I a bad person because I enjoy sex? Sex is a blessing from the gods! I'm sure whoever I end up marrying will be pleased, because I'll actually know what the fuck I'm doing. You of all people always accepted me for the way I am, what's changing? Plus I wouldn't marry Lidia anyway, do I look like a child molester?! I steal into beds, I don't rob cradles."
"Charles, seriously?"
"The girl is fifteen, I'm not a pedophile. She seems to talk a lot of shit for a girl still in diapers. That's literally the same age as my little brother, I changed his diapers. Do I look like I want to change my wife's diapers? I think not. Ew, stranger danger."
"You're ridiculous." she huffed. As for me changing, it's because I love you and I want you to survive what's coming. The same old tactics aren't going to work this time, things are changing whether we wish it or not."
"So anyways, any plans for your last hurrah?"
"Charles...what?"
"Y'know, the last night of freedom before unholy matrimony? Surely you have SOMEONE picked out! I mean there are enough eligible men and women in your kingdom."
"How do you know I even want to partake in that?"
"Because it's tradition and you're a sucker for those. Come on, twenty-four hours before being tied down forever to fuck whoever I want?? Why wouldn't you jump on that?"

"Not everyone is like you, Charlie. Plus, it wouldn't be seemly if anyone found out. I'm a bit more discreet than you are...if any of the other leaders knew,"
"They're most likely doing it, have done it or are planning on doing it. It's a continent-wide thing, everyone's heard of it. Plus girl, we all know you're not a virgin."
Henriette put her hands on her hips. "And exactly whose fault is that?!"
"Hey, I didn't hear any complaints. Talk to you later, kay?"
"Of course, see you later."



Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. “Come in!” The door swung open to reveal two figures, a woman and a boy. “You ready, kiddo?”
“Sure Mom, I’m almost ready. It's just all this talk of weddings and everything, instead of scrambling to, I dunno...keep the godsdamn planet from freezing over, everyone seems to be scrambling to partner up!"
Andrea put a hand on her son's wild black curls, free of the high wigs so in fashion these days and so allowed to spill over his shoulders. "Charlie...you know that you may have to get married before you desire it, right? That's the life of every royal, we don't always get to choose."
"I know, but..."
"Maybe you'll find love too, if you slow down and clean up your act a bit. Who knows, I mean you may fall for her. Or him, we never know with you." The queen smiled a bit sadly, Charles tried to manage a smile back but his heart just wans't in it. "Mom, can I tell you something?"
"Of course, darling."
"I'm not worried about loving my spouse. Because...I've never loved anyone but Henriette."
"Honey, there are more people out there. I'm sure Henriette would want you to be happy. Aren't you happy for her?"
"Of course I am...if only Dad hadn't made such a mess of things. Agcron couldn't marry a kingdom attached to all that baggage, that's a big chunk of the reason why we're not together now. That, and it just wasn't working out but...I love her, Mom. I love her, and I think I always will. I would marry her if I could."
"Who knows, Termain is in a civil war right now. Maybe Tali will die in battle and you and Hettie could get hitched!" A young man spoke up, every bit as handsome as Charles with the same dark eyes but his short hair was a straight, golden brown like their father's had been instead of his brother's and mother's curling black.
"Anthony Louis Philippe Jacques Keroualle! Come on, that's wrong!" Charles chided his brother, but there was a laughing tone beneath.
"Like you weren't thinkin' it, Chaz!"
"Just because I think it doesn't mean I want it to happen. I'm in this utter pickle because nobody wants to marry me because of the little warmongering spree Dad went on, and I know that I didn't really help my own prospects by..."
"Fucking everything with a pulse?"
“Yeah. Tony, what are you doing out of sword practice?!”
“Lessons are booooorrrriiiiiing! So I decided to come hang out with you today, I mean aren’t you going on official business? If I’m gonna be king one day, I should follow your example.”
“Trust me kid, you don’t want to follow my example.” Charles sighed. “You want to be your own king in the end."

[Tomia]

James Marriosa
"I want to double our rotations tomorrow. The guards might get tempted to slack off if they're left in the same place too long. The Termainians will be bringing their own men but we won't be relying on them." James said to a few of his Lieutenants as they stood in his office in the barracks. They nodded and headed off to finish their preparations while James made his way back to the main wing of the castle to resume his duties of guarding the queen. He had mixed feelings about her wedding. On one hand he was disappointed that his own courting of Henriette proved unsuccessful yet on the other hand the marriage would mean they would be entering war, which James knew would be his oppurtunity to prove himself as a commander.

After a short walk he arrived at the Queen's chambers and entered inside. He found her talking to her mirror which she was prone to do, it was able to communicate with others at a great distance. He waited nearby silently as she finished her conversation, not wanting to interrupt. He raised an eyebrow however when he heard the topic of discussion.

When Henriette was finished he spoke, "Our security measures are well in place for tomorrow your grace. It should all run very smoothly."

[Nuridia]

"Alright Charlie, love you much. Bye." Henriette said as the mirror returned back to its normal glassy form. That boy was something, that's for sure. But to be completely honest, she wouldn't have him any other way. Well, maybe a little less alcohol imbibing and fewer sex partners, that would've been nice. What was she going to do about her last hurrah? It's not like she didn't want to do it, it was just that she was a bit more concerned about saving face...it'd have to be with someone she could absolutely trust. Or at least somebody who knew how to be discreet. Just then, she heard the half-cracked door to her rooms open and turned around with a retort on her lips.
"Who dares to enter a queen's chamber without announcing themselv..." she fell silent once she noticed the tall, familiar form of her captain of the guard. "James, good to see you." Henriette smiled up at him. James was a little gruff, but loyal and had a good heart. It didn't hurt that he was very handsome either. She listened quietly as he explained to her about the security measures in place for the wedding and nodded once he was done.

"Very good, thank you Lord Marriosa." Henriette twisted her hands in her skirts again, like she was wont to do when she was nervous. "I'm actually getting married tomorrow. And to someone I barely even know...this is really the last day of me being a free woman. It hasn't all the way set in yet, surprisingly."

[Greater vakolicci haven]

b

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Queen Lidia I
Aventra, Silvensia
Year 275, Orange Era

"No. No. Please tell me you did not send ambassadors to Marseille--"

"And Ztuu Raayit, plus six other nations."

"Grandfather, why! I'm fifteen! In most cultures, I'm still considered a child!" Lidia flung her arms up in exasperation. "You couldn't wait a couple more days for everyone to be in Agcron? Why are you wasting your time?"

"It's more formal this way," interjected her father. "We must make the proper impression if we are to find you a suitor--"

"Now? Why, is it because you think at least one person from these kingdoms might help us resist the Frost? We have some of the most powerful mages in all of Paralia, and if they're not having any luck, what good will someone from...isn't that kingdom ruled by High Elves? They hate us!"

Father offered Lidia a sad smile. "We need to ally ourselves with other kingdoms. This is a threat that goes far beyond our borders, Little Arrow."

At the sound of her nickname, Lidia flinched. She eyed the copies of betrothal consideration requests that were being sent to foreign kingdoms--against her will--as she sat in the palace conference room. Yes, this was a necessity, but why now? Did she really have to get married when she was still a teenager? Foreign leaders regarded her as a child, though she had ceased being one the moment an arrow had pierced her mother's neck.

"I--can't do this right now." Lidia sprang to her feet, frustrated tears gathering in her eyes. "I don't want to marry anyone I've never even...." A sob spilled from her chest.

"It's okay. It's okay, Little Arrow--"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She tore away from Father, who was bringing her into an embrace. "I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS! JUST LET ME PACK FOR THE STUPID WEDDING TOMORROW AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Lidia gathered her skirts and stormed out of the room, white tendrils of magic streaming from her skin. Hypothecially, she could have manipulated her father's and grandfather's minds, but she understood that it would accomplish nothing. Not when, like the Silvrens, the Petrubins were renowned for powerful magic.

She hurried to the southernmost study on the third floor, the one she used as her personal office, and sealed off all entryways with magic. The invitation to the Agcron wedding was perched atop messy stacks of papers on her desk; she snatched it and flung it toward the hearth.

The paper merely glided a few feet before settling on the office rug, heedless to Lidia's fury. She kicked it with her booted foot, then whirled around to face the floor to ceiling bookshelves. Roaring, Lidia sent many of the books flying from the shelves; they hurtled through the air as though winged, behaving on their own accord.

"WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE!?" Lidia slammed her fists into the projectile books, sending them spiraling off course. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE, MOM? Why did y--"

"LIDIA IDHAREN ARO RHODENIA SILVREN."

Frightened, Lidia leaped nearly a foot off the ground. Father was in the doorway, arms crossed, his eyes glowing the way they did whenever he used his magic. "What do you think you are doing?"

She was at a loss for words. The books, picking up on the cues of her emotions, hastily returned to their designated places on the shelves, leaving the space between her and her father unobstructed. "I-I--"

"You do not have the luxury of running out and throwing a fit like a child," Father snapped. "You are the Queen. Everything you do must be for the good of Silvensia, not for yourself, and you'd better starting realizing that before you make any costly mistakes."

Lidia sucked in a sharp breath. Really, there was nothing she could say.

"So I suggest you return to the boardroom, apologize to me and your grandfather, and start discussing the benefits and drawbacks of someone from one of these eight nations becoming your potential suitor."

"Fine," she murmured sourly. She could barely make out more than a silhouette of Father through a curtain of tears. "I'll get married. Whatever. But know that I'm not going to be thrilled about it."

[Tomia]

James
James noticed the Queen looked a little nervous which was reasonable given her wedding was to be the next day. She then began confiding in him her feelings about the subject. This wasn't uncommon but James always needed to ensure he kept up his professional personality in times like this. Still the thought of the overheard conversation lingered in his mind.

"I think it is understandable to be apprehensive Your Grace. Take solice in this being a great step forward for our nation. But I understand the burden of personal sacrifice. It wouldn't be selfish I would say to take this day off for your own enjoyment. I know the people wouldn't begrudge you that."

[Ovesa]

Queen Edenia IV
Moonstone Palace
Suviatas, Ignis
Year 275; Orange Era

Edenia found herself staring wistfully out of a palace window, looking out towards the great city of Suviatas. Named after their chief goddess Suvia, the city illuminated the abyssal caverns with a soft golden glow leaping from the windows of houses and shops. It sprawled throughout the vast network of caves, clinging to the cavernous stone walls as it extended and descended far beyond Edenia's line of sight.

As she looked out towards the enchanting cityscape, she failed to notice the arrival of one of her closest advisors; a stout, dignified cyclops, wearing a set of fine silk clothes fit for a nobleman. His one eye was vibrantly enhanced and enlarged by the thick crystalline glasses he wore. This was Governor Sylaas, one of her mother's closest friends. He was a dignified individual, who spoke with a clear, professional voice. "What did I say about going into the city unattended?" He asked, sternly.

Earlier in life, she would have been startled and embarrassed by such a statement, but now she stood calm and unchanging. "I promised you I would be careful. Why do you worry so much?"

"Because you're the Queen of Ignis, and it is my duty to-"

"You don't have to coddle me like a child, Sylaas. I'm fully capable of making my own decisions." Her normally polite, cheerful tone was replaced with something sharper, something harsher. "You don't have to do anything for me, aside from advising on policies."

His brow furrowed. "Edenia, I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to roam the city unattended. I have no doubt in your capabilities, It's others that I worry about. This nation needs your leadership more than ever now, we simply can't afford having something happening to you."

He took a deep breath, resting his head into his hand. "I'm sorry if I came across as harsh. I promised your mother I would do everything in my power to keep you safe. You want to explore, to go beyond what others have done before, and that's wonderful. But there are times when you need to show caution."

"Not everyone in the Royal Court is as supportive of your decisions as I am. Many are apprehensive, and there are some who find the prospect of leaving isolation...distasteful, to say the least. They can, and will, use your actions against you. If you're going to travel and explore, at least have some guards with you, and please, please let someone know beforehand. Do you understand?"

Edenia nodded. Despite being trained for it her whole life, the prospect of ruling Ignis became more difficult with each passing day. "Sylaas?"

"Yes?"

"...how come mom always made ruling look so easy?"

Sylaas smiled, sadly. "Believe me, Edenia, it wasn't easy for her. It took many, many years of experience and wisdom for her to be the leader she was."

"Will I ever be as good as her?"

He paused, contemplating the question. "Of course you will, but you should stop comparing yourself to her. Become your own leader, and they will learn to respect you."

Her own leader? She could've laughed. Even before the incident, people were always comparing her to her mother. They looked the same, acted the same, they even had the same name. But for the past eight years, it became even worse. Everyone looked to her for answers she didn't have, they expected her to have the same level of experience and understanding as her mother. Somewhere along the line, Edenia III stopped being her mother; she became the standard she constantly had to live up to.

"I understand."

"Excellent. We should get going; the Advisory Council is waiting for us."

Edenia smiled, trying to mask the fact that she completely forgot the meeting was, in fact, today. The pair strolled through the corridors, the walls and high stone arches carved with depictions of their nation's history. Battles, coronations, and the founding of new cities were just a handful of major events displayed in the stone. The sound of their footsteps on the granite floors rebounded throughout the halls, the echoes sounding almost otherworldly in origin.

Eventually, they found themselves at the entrance of a meeting room. Even with a thick stone door between them and the room, the sounds of a muffled, yet intense discussion could still be heard. When the door opened, however, the room became dead silent.

Seated around a long, rectangular stone table was the Advisory Council; governors, scholars, nobles, and other notable individuals were in the midst of a heated debate. In the back of the room, two scribes were furiously recording the events that took place. After an uncomfortable amount of silence, an advisor spoke up; a tall, skeletal frame of a scholar, known as
Petron. "Your Majesty! We weren't expecting your arrival to be so sudden. I apologize on behalf of the Council for our conduct, we were in the midst of a...shall we say, "heated" debate."

Edenia waved her hand, dismissively. "No need to apologize." Both she and Sylaas made their way to their seats, with Edenia sitting at the head of the table, atop an almost throne-like chair. "I understand that there are some important topics you wish to discuss before I leave for the surface."

The scholar nodded. "Yes, of course." Hastily, he removed a set of papers from his robe pocket, straightening them out whilst scanning them (paper was perhaps one of the most useful items to come from the surface). "Firstly, there's the issue concerning the cultivation of Flameroot."

A voice lashed out. "For Suvia's sake, why are we starting with that?"

Immediately, the room erupted once again, only ceasing its arguing at Edenia's command. "Go on." She instructed.

"Ah, yes. As you already know, Flameroot is one of our nation's most vital crops. Not only is it fast-growing, but it provides a substantial amount of nutrients that are often not found in the underground. However, it can only grow in a handful of areas, where there's enough heat and volcanic gases."

"For the past several years, there's been a steady decline in Flameroot harvests, and many Flameroot farmers have taken to other professions. Just recently, a surveying group discovered a large area of land close to the main city, deep below the ground. It happens to have the perfect conditions to support several, perhaps dozens of Flameroot farms. However, despite its relative stability, hardly anyone is interested in starting their farms there. How do you suggest we combat this issue?"

She thought for a considerable amount of time, thinking of how similar issues were combated in the past. After a moment, of silence, Edenia answered. "We should subsidize the creation and maintenance of Flameroot farms. Our treasury is substantial, so what little we have to spend will pale in comparison to what our Queendom gets in return."

A different advisor spoke up. "Should the Council get to keep a portion of crops harvested? Or, perhaps, a slice of the profits?"

"Absolutely not. This is supposed to be a way to help our citizens. We as a Council have more than enough resources as it is; I don't understand why you would suggest profiting off of our citizens during a time of crisis." She then turned back to face Petron. "What else did you wish to discuss?"

"There's been some debate regarding Vergost, the Dwarven ruins near the city of Alwyn."

Vergost. Edenia remembered learning about it with her mother. Centuries ago, the Dwarven city-state was a paragon of prosperity and civilization. However, they became greedy and discontent, harvesting as many resources as they could with little forethought. They dug deeper and deeper, expanding far beyond their original boundaries. Their expansionist nature clashed with Ignius, with skirmishes dissolving into an all-out war.

Call it divine intervention or otherwise, the Dwarven city became wrought with frequent collapses and turmoil, with parts of the city falling into a massive lava pit. They were already losing the war as it was; in less than ten years, their civilization was no more. Rather than destroy the city, the then-Queen of Ignis declared it a protected historical site, only to be visited by scholars. That decision remained a point of contention to this very day.

"What is there to debate?"

"Recently, some researchers discovered something that could change our nation's future. To put it simply, it's a complex system of pipes and machinery that redirects heat from lava lakes to run throughout entire cities." His eyes glimmered with excitement. "Imagine the possibilities of such a system being implemented in our nation. Even if the frost somehow reaches down this, we could effectively combat it with the pipes. Of course, it will take a while to study thoroughly before we implement our own version, but I'm certain that with enough time and resources, we can build our own system. All I need is your approval to begin a more thorough search of the city, one that abides with the city's protected cite status."

One of the advisors scoffed; muscular and broad-shouldered, he wore traditional Cyclopian armor, wich was angular and jagged, and came with spike-covered shoulder pads. All that was missing was a spiked helmet. He was bald, with large tusks and a face locked in perpetual anger. This was Governor Tauran, of House Ghaal. "Why bother going through all of that when you could just tear the damned thing apart? It'd save us a lot of time and effort. Besides, that thing's an eyesore."

Petron gasped. "That site is the most valuable Dwarven ruin we have! Even after centuries of research, we are still constantly making new discoveries."

"You fools have had enough time to explore it. Your Majesty, it's in everyone's best interest if you'd allow us to scrap the damn thing. Think of what we could use that brass for!"

Another explosion of chaos. Frantically, Edenia tried to think of what a good response would be. Her mother would've defended those ruins to the ends of the Earth, but these were different times; Edenia would have to decide for herself. The scholars could provide all sorts of valuable information they could use, but at the same time, the amount of brass in the central city alone could be used to repair neglected infrastructure. It was nearly impossible to think, with all of the constant arguing, the incessant noise-

"Silence!" She demanded.

The entire room shut up.

"This is not the time for petty arguments. Right now, we are at a turning point in history, and our people are counting on us. We can't afford to waste our precious time tearing each other apart! Petron, you and your researchers may explore the city's heating infrastructure. But if times get desperate enough, I may have to consider dismantling part of Vergost. Now, is there anything else that needs to be discussed?"

Governor Tauran interjected. "What's the point of your little journey to the surface?"

She was taken aback by how accusatory his voice was. "I was sent an invitation from the surface to attend a meeting, along with a wedding-"

"Attending a wedding? For overlanders?"

"It's a common practice on the surface for two political figures to marry." She explained. "Not out of love, per say, but as a way of solidifying an alliance. Leaders from neighboring nations are typically invited to attend such events."

The advisors looked at each other, uncomfortable with such a foreign concept. A forced, loveless marriage? How barbaric.

Tauran was quick to make his feelings known. "Opening the mountain passageways was bad enough, but this? What is it about the surface that's so important?" He got up from his seat, walking around the table to look each person in the eye. "These surface-dwellers, these barbarians, think they are our equals. Somehow, they were convinced we were the monsters! When their hordes drove us underground, we flourished in a way no other race could. What do we need these overlanders for? Why play their games, while the creeping frost threatens our lives?"

"You've said more than enough, Tauran." Her voice turned cold, authorative even. "As far as anyone is concerned, they are our equals, and they shall be treated as such." She looked out to the ensemble of advisors, focusing intently. "Overlanders or not, we are all facing the same issues at the dawn of this new Era. Unless we band together during these trying times, our future will be grim."

The advisors were silent. Some looked down, ashamed of their actions. Not a word was spoken.

Edenia was not that scared little girl from eight years ago; she was a leader, with the same autonomy and power as any queen or king. Her spirit burned with an unparalleled determination. "Meeting adjourned."

[Nuridia]

"I thank you, James. I know what to expect, queens seldom marry for love. I was prepared for this, but now that it's creeping up on me I just...ugh. What if we don't even like each other? I won't hold out for love, I mean you can always find love in other places as tacky as that sounds. But, what if we're so different that we don't even become friends? If she's to be my wife, I hope that we can at least be friends. Both of our nations need this right now, I'm doing this for them." Henriette looked up at her friend and former suitor when he said that she should take this opportunity to enjoy herself for the rest of the day. "Trust me old friend, I'm planning on it." Her smile had the barest hint of a smirk in it. "But I'm just trying to choose whom to enjoy myself with, you know? If it comes to all that. But before I relax, I have to see to it that everything else is taken care of. At least there's the opportunity to speak with the other foreign leaders, we do have a common threat looming over us after all. I've got a bit of a plan to present at Lord-Elect Andoras' conference." The queen recalled her conversation with Charles the night before while sleepy and disheveled, and the Marseille king more than a little tipsy, just enough to still be coherent. Classic Charlie.


“Hettie! I just had the bestest idea in the world!”
“Charlie, it’s four in the morning! What?! Bestest isn't a word, you know that and...are you drunk?!”
“A little bit."
"It is four in the morning!"
"Gods above and below Hets, let me live! Anyway, 'bouts my idea. Look, I’ll bring it up at the conference thing after your wedding. The Frost is threatening all of us, right?”
“Right?”
“And no one country can really stop it by themselves, right?”
“Where in the world are you going with this?”
“Instead of all this “let’s marry literal kids to stop the war” BS, how about we just all ally with each other? I mean, I don’t remember how many countries are on this continent because geography class was boring and I’m stupid.”
“Charles-Amadeus...”
“Wait until I’m done before ya full-name me, yeah? Anyway, I’m sure that the twenty-ish heads put together will be a hell of a lot better than one even if half those heads are kids. Plus we’ll stand a way better chance of everyone isn’t just squabbling about their own little alliances, what do you think?”

Henriette placed her chin on her hand, which she often did when she was thoughtful. “A pan-Paralian alliance would be the answer to all of our problems. But it would be extremely tricky to pull off, marriage offers guarantees. We can’t all just marry each other, can we?” The queen laughed.
“Hey, that’s one way to get an empire and solve all our heir problems. Dad should’ve tried that, make love not war.” Charles said amused, quirking an eyebrow.”
“You’d fuck all the other world leaders?”
“We’d have to wait until everyone comes of age because I’m not a damn pervert, but yeah. I’d do it, it’d probably hurt after a while tho. I’d fuck Adrasia herself and all her cult members if it meant saving my country and the continent. As for guarantees, we just all have to bring something to the table that nobody else has.”
“I like it, but how will we get everyone to agree?”
“We already agree on the most important thing. Frost bad, survival good. That’s all we need to agree on. And the biggest up-side, NOBODY HAS TO GET MARRIED!”
"Why didn't you think of this brilliant plan before I had to get married? This could've saved a lot of hassle!"
"Maybe I wasn't drunk enough!"

[Tomia]

James
"You're a kind person your grace, I'm sure if Talia has any taste at all you two will be able to get along." He told his queen kindly, before raising an eyebrow at her later comment that accompanied her smirk. He needed to be careful of course, he had to treat her with the respect due a monarch even if she was being causal and even flirtatious. "Well I am sure whoever you decide to share your company with will be very pleased." He then nodded when she said she had other duties to attend to before she stopped working. "Of course, I shall accompany you for the rest of the day. Our preparations are done, and we can't be too careful the day before the wedding. I worry Tor might plan something and attacking today would be smarter than tomorrow.' He told her before shaking his head slightly. "But I don't mean to worry you with my thoughts, my point is I'll be with you today to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Tali
The Queen of Tremain decided to get out the castle after the series of meetings she attended and went to the training field to practice her archery. The area was buzzing with recruits being turned into soldiers all of whom were staring at her as she approached. She did her best to ignore them. She was used to the stares by now but that didn't make it any easier at times.

"Your majesty, the targets are ready whenever you are." Her master at arms told her and she nodded in response. She picked up her bow and gracefully set about preparing her shot, once again ignoring the stares around her. Her first arrow flew at high speed, landing clear in the bullseye. As she shot she found herself deep in thought.

She thought about tomorrow, about the idea of being married. As far as Tali was concerned their marriage would be formality at least first. She had a war to win after all and any attempt at trying to get to know her wife would have to wait.

thwack

A second arrow struck the bullseye.

Then there was the frost they would have to deal with. It was hurting Tor more than her own home, but Tor was her land too. She only wished they would let them help her. Still she knew the Tor weren't without legitimate grievances. Still war was no solution, and she wouldn't see her great country reduced to squabbling pieces.

She fired a dozen more arrows before deciding that this wasn't relaxing her as much as it usually would. Instead she decided to head back to the castle, maybe she would seek out a priest of Osat or Ausa to try to clear her mind.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Queen Lidia I
Aventra, Silvensia
275 Orange Era

The eight states that had been contacted for betrothal consideration invitations were an eclectic assortment of ideals, values, cultures, and stances on magic--take the species of the various leaders into account, and the differences became more complex.

Lidia was poring over various maps and volumes related to each nation in question; the more she cross-referenced and analyzed, the more muddled she became. There was Ztuu Raayit, with its twelve tribes and seasons-associated religion; Marseille, which had only recently emerged from deleterious wars and was now led by a drunken hedonist; Sorosa, which had been contacted in the hope that there would be a young noble powerful and single enough for consideration; Agcron, the nation famous for its fertility practices; and Jorik, which most Silvensians forgot existed half the time.

Stupidly, at least in Lidia's opinion, three of the states that had been contacted were elven. Her dislike of them stemmed from the prejudice most other elven ethnicities had against the Silver Elves, who were located almost exclusively in Silvensia. It was the power of ruling class that they distrusted, no, envied--for not even the High Elves were a match for the mages of House Silvren.

"Screw this." Lidia shoved the map of the High Elf kingdom Cadenhia away. "Not like any of them would marry someone from Silvensia. The only reason they'd do it is for leverage, and I'm not letting some foreign--" She faltered. That was going to happen regardless, wasn't it? No matter who she married, she'd be made vulnerable to the demands of another kingdom. And then someone would threaten her, and try to stage a coup/invasion, and--

And then she'd be murdered, just like her mother and grandparents and uncle, and there would be nothing anyone could do about it as the Frost devoured everything she was sworn to protect.

Marriage shouldn't be a priority. Alliances could be formed without them; her life could be lived without her elders assigning her a wife or husband. She had to focus on the matter at hand.

A wedding. A diplomatic conference spearheaded by the boy Lord-Elect, Andoras. He was a year older than Lidia, and he seemed...she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him without the use of magic. There was something about him that just didn't feel right. It was a premonition akin to the one she had felt the night of--

No, she was overanalyzing this. She couldn't go down that road, not now, not when she needed to concentrate on combating the Frost. All of Paralia's leaders are convening to prevent the end of the world. What, Lidia, could possibly go wrong.

[Kya Hoga]

Prince Ahugan
Kasia, Jorik
Year 275, Orange Era
While the First-Rank Prince Efgul takes the last preparations to go to the wedding, the Regent, Fourth-Rank Prince Ahugan, convenes the Council of Jorik.

Before we move on, let me explain the confusing title of Prince. Everyone in the royal family is born a Prince/Princess, and their Rank is dependent on their relation to the current ruling Prince. As you move upwards or downwards in the family tree, a number is added to the Rank. For example, with the children or parents of the First-Rank Prince are Second-Rank. Grandchildren, grandparents and siblings are Third-Rank. So, Ahugan, uncle of Efgul, is Fourth-Rank. As you probably guessed, Jorik is a country with ancient traditions and a strong hierarchy. Time to go on.

Ahugan seats himself at the head of the meeting table and speaks: "As you all know, the First-Rank Prince and I will be attending the wedding and the conference succeeding it. So the two cores of power will be absent. In this light, you, the Council, will rule the Princedom until we return. Do you have any questions?"

At this point, I have to point out the Council is appointed by the First-Rank Prince (meaning, the Regent gives a paper for Efgul to sign) and this is the first stable Council in years. Upon the accession of Efgul IV as First-Rank Prince, all erupted into chaos, the Regency and the Council regularly switching hands. But when Ahugan took control of the Regency, he appointed a mix of "competent owls to keep the country running, loyal dogs to watch my back, and powerful lions to make them satisfied". As of now, this Owl-Dog-Lion strategy has proved successful in restoring stability.

An aged man opens his mouth to speak. He has a wrinkled skin, a protruding chin and white hair. Easily the oldest member of the Council, this man is the venerable Agan of the Noble House of Laksa, the Chief Treasurer of Jorik. He is an Owl, knowing economics like no other.

"How long exactly will you be away?"
Ahugan responds: "We reckon the travel to the wedding will take half a day, then the wedding-conference will take a whole one. After a travel back of, again, half a day, we will have been away for about two days."
"But then you will miss the Minor Audience! What will become of our country when the Firt-Rank Prince doesn't attend the Audiences?"

Another man mingles in the conversation. Standing up because he is talking to two superiors (one in age, and one in rank), he is Eleventh-Rank Prince Naksul, the Chancellor and a distant cousin of the main royal family. Widely seen as the right hand of the Regent, he is staunchly conservative. Very clearly, the only reason he got appointed is his membership in the royal house and his loyalty to his kinsmen, as such he can be categorised as a Dog. Sometimes, however, he prizes his belief before that of the Regent, like now.

"Yeah, this would break the traditions and make our citizens upset. Why would we risk the stability in our Princedom for some wedding of barbarians?"
The Council pondered. Ahugan, trying to improve his credibility, speaks to his Supreme Commander.

This man, Merdor of the High Noble House of Athis, is, besides Supreme Commander, Marquis of the entire east of Jorik. The east region happens to be very populated, making Merdor both the richest man and the man with the most soldiers. If he wanted to overthrow the current government, he could do so easily. So Ahugan sent a proposal to Merdor, to make him Supreme Commander of all forces in Jorik, while allegedly reciting "If you can't beat your enemy, let him join you". Since then, Merdor has proven a surprisingly loyal, but cruel Supreme Commander, instilling fear in the whole of Jorik.

So back to the present. While Merdor is standing up, Ahugan says: "Marquis Merdor. Can you assure me that you will suppress resistance against the government while we're away?"
The Marquis answers: "Your Grace, to the best of my abilities, I will do so", and a devilish grin appears on his face. Oh, I hope no one risks his wrath.

"You haven't responded to my question, Your grace", retorts Naksul. Ahugan sighs and clears his throat.

"The true reason of this charade is twofold. On one side, we might need the other countries to help us with the Frost. Our mages are weaker than theirs. On the other side, Efgul IV will need to get married. Not now, yet", says he before the Council can protest, "But a betrothal would be fine to forge an alliance. If we are able to, we might even have several candidates for marriage, which would be excellent. No more questions? Then I'll go."

With this, the Regent hurriedly leaves the room, as he realised he's too late.

---

Prince Efgul IV
Kasia, Jorik
Year 275, Orange Era
Efgul is seated in his quarters, thinking while his attendant shoves the last bracelets on his Prince's arm. Would the Council really act against me? Their First-Rank Prince? They ignored my order yesterday. They can't ignore an order from me!

Suddenly, a grizened lady comes in. It's Princess-Dowager Ahia, the mother of Ahugan. No, she's not the grandmother of Efgul IV, that was another wife of Efgul III. Wait, didn't I tell you that the people in Jorik practise polygamy? Really? My bad.

She announces her son's arrival. Regent Ahugan dashes in and pants: "Your High Majesty, sorry for being too late. The council meeting took longer than expected".

Efgul takes his hand to his heart, then holds it above his head and finally stretches it to Ahugan, an ancient gesture meaning forgiveness. Its symbology is beautiful, but my time is running out. Maybe next time.

After this, Ahugan begins talking about the practical things of the journey: in which part of the carriage Efgul will sit, which greetings he will make first towards the other leaders, a summing up of who will be coming along, etc. The First-Rank Prince gazes at the Regent with glassy eyes, totally not interested.

"... and the presents which we will give to the couple..." That catches his attention. "Will we give presents to the barbarians?" "Yes, Your High Majesty. We were thinking of two presents, but we can only take one. You will choose. Will it either become jewelry made from our beautiful emeralds, or our renowned perfume?"

After thinking for about 10 seconds, Efgul says: "The perfume". "Alright then. Our final preparations are done then. There was only one thing I wanted to discuss with you." Efgul, thinking it was just another boring thing, already stood up, saying: "Come on".

"It's about your marriage, Efgul."

Efgul was dumbstruck. "B-but... I'm only fourteen." "It doesn't have to be now, Efgul. Just, this wedding will make us known with the other leaders, among them many women. We just received an invitation to a possible betrothal from Lidia of Silvenia or so. She's exactly your age. Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity?"

"M-maybe uncle, maybe."

Ah, Efgul was frightened of marriage, understandable. The Regent understood it too and left it, but secretly sent a letter back to Lidia with Jorik's acception. That done, the Jorikan delegation departed to the wedding.

[Nuridia]

"I'm glad you're here." Henriette spoke to seemingly nobody in her room, a black cat curled up asleep on her pillows. "Of course. You didn't think that I would be? Come on, you know me better than that." The queen smiled when Charles stepped in through her window, tying off her plait of hair with a piece of ribbon. "Close the window, you're letting a draft in, Romeo."
"Alright, Hettie...you okay? I had to bug one of the court mages to start up the teleportal to get here, y'know. He wasn't particularly happy with me."
"I just wanted to spend a little time with my best friend, someone I trusted before I'm..." Her hands twisted in her skirts again, taking a deep breath when he took one of her hands in his. "Married off against my will. It's funny. I've been prepared for this role my whole life and now that it's here..." She took a deep breath, dabbing at the tears she felt pricking the corners of her eyes. "Tali's a pretty great girl. I'm pretty sure she'll do right by you, but she's like a nut. Tough outer shell, but once you crack it, it's worth it to see what's inside."
"Pretty sure?" Henriette raised a brown eyebrow. "Isn't she your cousin?"
"I have cousins all over the bloody place, Keroualles breed like rabbits. Some of them I've never even met before. I've met Tali, we spent time together but it's not like we were hanging out every day. Don't worry, Tali won't hurt you. Probably because I threatened to give my backing to Tor if she ever broke your heart." They burst into a fit of giggles, the black cat padding over to her mistress. "Oh, hey Alouette." Henriette affectionately stroked her fur and she hopped off the bed to go do her own thing. "I remember when she was just a baby...wow. To be honest, I think Miette is having more kittens." Charles whistled.
"How many cats do you have again, Charlie?"
"Six. Which is also the number of people I fucked this week, but we're not gonna get into all that."
"Wow, you actually remember the number. Do I have to disinfect you?"
"Fuck ALL the way off! Girl, I use protection...I'm not an idiot. Anyway, you'll be ok Hettie. I promise, y'all might even fall in love." Even as a lump formed in his throat at the thought, he pushed it to the back of his mind. Henriette made a sound of protest and that's when he realized that his grip on her hand had gotten too tight. "Sorry!"
"It's cool. As for love, I don't know about all that but I am hoping that we'll be friends. It's good to have friends in times like these."
"You've got charm for days, I'm sure you'll win her over in no time."
"Thanks for that."
"Anytime. I should probably get going, don't want to be late for your wedding after all."
"Thank you again for coming over. Goodnight." She leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss...or what was supposed to be chaste anyway. It began as a brief peck on the lips, nobody remembered when it became more than that but soon they were clinging to each other as if worried the other would fly away. Henriette was the first to break the kiss. "Wait. We shouldn't...it wouldn't be fit. Not anymore, I can't do that to you..." Her dark eyes were misty and uncertain, fighting between what she wanted and what she knew would be prudent.
"You're right. I...nobody would begrudge you, I mean it's tradition." Even now, Charles tried to smile. But this one was almost watery, not like his usual grins. "Do you have anyone picked out?"
"No."
"I...I really should get going now." he said weakly, but made no effort to move from the embrace.
"Yes, you should. But..."
"But what?" His tone was almost hopeful.
Henriette bit her lip nervously. "What if I wanted you to stay for a little while longer? I've given the order, nobody will disturb us."
Charles said nothing but kissed her instead. "How could I refuse a queen in her own kingdom? It would be a diplomatic faux pas of the highest order."


He'd never been so relieved to be back in his own palace, but yet still wishing that he was somewhere else. Checking his pocket-watch under the light of his lantern, Charles let out a sigh of relief. So it wasn't terribly late, thank the gods. Padding softly toward the direction of his rooms, he'd barely gotten inside when he found himself on the floor, having slammed into an armored chest. Hastily picking up his lantern, the knight's livery collar glimmered in the low light. There was only one person who had this particular collar, he'd awarded it himself. "Hey Kate." the young king said flatly, preparing himself for the lecture.
"Majesty? Where in the FUCK have you been?! We were all over looking for you, you weren't in your bed and you didn't deign to tell somebody where you were heading out to?! Seriously?!"
"Sissy, I..."
"You're the bloody fucking king of Marseille, you can't just leave whenever you want! Like what if you got murdered or something, what the hell?! Are you trying to age me?!"
"Kate, I can explain!" Charles said, raising his voice with all the authority he could muster. She didn't speak anymore, but continued to glower. "Thank you. Now, I'm terribly sorry that I made you worry. I really, truly am. I really didn't plan to be gone as long as I was."
A young man was exiting Charles' bedroom, he didn't even have to figure out who it was. "Tony."
"Charlie, where were you?!" Anthony hissed at his brother. "You said that you'd try to be more careful! And what are you doing, bar-hopping in disguise?!"
"I haven't done that in a year! I'm not even drunk, I haven't even had a sip of alcohol! Now, let me go to my bed...we have a wedding to attend tomorrow!"
"E-fucking-xactly, so why are you missing from your bed at one-thirty in the morning?! Riddle me that, bro!"
"I was visiting a friend."
Kate interrupted. "That explains so much. Who was this little boy or little girl? You usually have your "friends" coming to you, though."
"I was visiting Hettie because she was nervous about her wedding and wanted someone to talk to!" Charles sighed, exasperated. "I was paying my courtesies to the bride-to-be."
Anthony took in his older brother's expression, the state of his clothing and more importantly the fact that he was carrying his shoes in hand and it took him less than a second to realize exactly what courtesies had been paid. "Chaz, you're an idiot."
"I know, okay?! Now, I need to try to get up early so I'm going to bed if you all don't mind!"
"What if she gets pregnant?! The night before her wedding, dude?!"
"That won't happen, we made sure of that. Goodnight, everybody." Charles closed the door behind him and sighed, rubbing his temples. He didn't have time to be stressed out, he needed to get to bed. He couldn't fuck this up, not this time. Not when this could be the only opportunity to save his country.



Rose Palace
Santa-Eluira, Agcron
Wedding Day

"You look absolutely beautiful, my lady...like a glittering star. Your uncle would be so proud." Henriette's chief lady-in-waiting, Penelope was weaving gold and silver beads into the queen's dark hair, elaborately braided in true Agcronite fashion. "Thanks Pen, but I don't really feel beautiful...know what I mean? I know I'm doing this for the sake of the kingdom and all, I've resigned myself to a life without love. But what if I don't like her? What if she doesn't like me? I mean, we're both queens. We both have a duty to our countries even if we never fall for each other. Also there is the matter of heirs..." Her face took on a dark look at the mention of her uncle.
Don't worry, we'll avenge him Your Grace."
"I know. At least we'll wipe out the cult."
"As for heirs, we have magic for that sort of thing, Majesty. Although, marrying a man would've been a little bit easier. The old fashioned way has more of a guarantee of success."
"More like succ-sex, am I right?" Henriette laughed, but inside she felt only turmoil. Her people needed this alliance, and linking up with the Termainians would definitely elevate Agcron's status in the eyes of the world. She'd focused only on that, pushing the personal to the back of her mind, but of course her brain liked to remind her that she was human from time to time and that she wanted someone to love her one day. She wanted that connection, and she was upset that she'd probably never have it. Monarchs married for their countries, not for their hearts...but was it so bad to wish that she could have both? "I asked a close friend of mine the same questions, hell I even asked myself these same questions hundreds of thousands of times. Last night, even now and I have no answers. I've prayed on it, I've lost sleep. I've consulted people, nothing seems to have helped. Every time I think the nervousness is gone it just flares up again." Henriette's hands were clasped on the bodice of her silver gown, this was it. She was finally going to see her wife-to-be in person again and today was the day that they'd be wed. Today, right now. It was all real, there was no turning back after this.

"As for lack of sleep, inviting foreign kings over for pre-wedding romps will definitely interrupt your sleep." Penelope said sarcastically. Henriette froze, if she were paler she swears she would've gone scarlet. "How did you know...I woke up alone."
"Did he just fuck and leave?"
"No, I sent him away. It wouldn't do for us to wake up together, especially today."
"I went to go wake you up this morning and I can tell by the state you were in that you definitely weren't alone last night. Plus, I'm pretty sure you don't have any silver waistcoat buttons with the stamp of a Marseillean tailor on them." The queen snatched the shiny object out of Penelope's hands with a gasp. "I'm going to fucking murder him."
"That would get us into another war. It's already bad enough we have to go through this one...but the price was clear. We get help with the Frost and Termainian support on the world stage if we helped them militarily. Plus who knows? Not all war is bad...I mean sometimes we can find something of value but I kind of wish you were able to follow your heart, my lady. Not only for your sake, but following it would've at least guaranteed us peace."
"He's scared to death of war, you're right about that one." Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Minister Falla peeked his head in. "I've never seen a more beautiful bride."
"Thank you, Faraday."
Penelope looked at the older man. "If you think she looks gorgeous now, wait until we put her in her wedding dress for the actual ceremony. It'll take your breath away."

"Your Grace, the delegations are arriving and you need to be there to greet them."
"I know, I'll be out at once." The door closed behind him and Penelope put a sparkling diamond tiara in her queen's hair. "You'll kill it today."
"I hope so. I certainly hope so." Henriette rose from her chair and made sure everything was straightened and perfect. "Come on, we have to go meet the other leaders." And with that, they left the chambers and headed to the palace gates.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Queen Lidia I
Aventra, Silvensia
275 Orange Era

She was clad in a sleeveless hunter green chiton with a high waistline and flowing skirt that cascaded to her shins, a silver rope tied round her waist supporting the sheathed ceremonial rapier she had received at her coronation. Fluttering at her back was a hoodless cape woven from the same exquisite silk as the chiton; outlined with the silver swirls and held to her neck by an elaborate silver broach embedded with diamonds, it gave her an ethereal air.

Her long, wavy silver hair was hanging freely down her back, accentuated only by a tiara that decorated her forehead. Strands of it tickled her face. With a simple thought, she willed her hair to remain in place so that it refrained from being irritating but otherwise moved naturally. Unlike the straps of her brown leather sandals, which were extended to just below her knees, hair did not need to be motionless.

Lidia nodded to her father, who was to create and maintain the teleportal until all members of the party were safely in Agcron. He was to accompany her as an advisor, while Lord Petrubin would deal with domestic affairs while they were away.

"Everyone ready?" Chiroen Petrubin Silvren studied the royal bodyguards and valets. Seeing that all faces were set in stony resolved, he gently moved his hands apart; a shining whirlpool of pink accented with aqua formed. It began to widen, following the motion of his hands, as though the air of the palace courtyard was a skin being peeled apart.

In seconds, a portal reaching eight feet in height interrupted the grayish tranquility of the Aventra morning. Its rim churned, resembling the turbulent surface of water without bubbles, and it emitted a hum so quiet and so low that Lidia felt it as a vibration deep within her. She stared at the spiraling film of the portal, transfixed; while she knew how to conjure and maintain such a portal, it was not befitting of a queen to present herself in such a manner. Best to let foreign rulers speculate about her power rather than witness it.

"Your Majesty."

Lidia pulled her eyes from the portal and briefly met the gaze of her father. "The valets will take the gifts, right? And--and we won't be causing any problems entering this way?"

"The portal is stationed just outside the gate." Father gritted his teeth in concentration, eyes glassing over. "The other leaders have begun to arrive. You will not be the first, but you are nowhere near running behind. We are a tad...early."

"Okay. Okay. Don't act like an idiot, don't accidentally start an international crisis--yeah. I got this." She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin upward. "Try not to insult Charles or Leslen--find a way to combat the Frost--don't. Screw. Up." Lidia stepped through the iridescent portal, momentarily swallowed by the full spectrum of colors--

Santa-Eluira, Agcron

--and emerged right outside the open gates of Rose Palace.

The first thing that hit her was the thick, soupy heat. It slammed into her white skin, dampened her hair, tugged at her clothing despite the lightness of the material. Beyond the stabbing in her eyes from the vicious sun was the sensation of drowning in the air.

She stumbled forward a few steps. Righted herself. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she noted the young woman standing not fifteen feet before her.

Damn. That girl was hot. Attired in a silver gown worthy of any Silvensian noblewoman that glowed against her brown skin, the Agcron queen could have been Ausa or Osat. The regal posture, the determined set in her jaw, the way her dark hair was braided sent Lidia's heart skittering in her chest. This is Queen Henriette. She's getting married. This is her wedding. You're at her wedding.

Lidia strode forward with what could be perceived as confidence, trailed by tense bodyguards and valets encumbered with luggage. She knelt before Henriette and proffered the two wedding gifts.

"Queen Lidia Idharen Aro Rhodenia Silvren of the Kingdom of Silvensia," proclaimed a valet in Paralian.

"Your Majesty," Lidia managed. "I am humbled to be invited to this special occasion, and I wish nothing but the best for you and Queen Tali in all your endeavors." It was a rehearsed introduction, yes, but at least she'd had a hand in crafting it.

"Welcome, Queen Lidia of Silvensia. You may rise." Henriette's voice, mesmerizing as it was, seemed strained. Fearful, almost. Lidia ignored the emotions emanating from the foreign Queen that her magic allowed her to sense.

"The Kingdom of Silvensia is presenting you with these two gifts. The green package if for Queen Tali, and the silver one is for--Your Majesty." Gods, this was so awkward. A floorboard had more inflection than she did.

Hopefully, the gifts were adequate. Lidia had decided to give Queen Henriette a traditional Silvensian cape. The cloth, which was enchanted to resist wear and tear as well as protect the wearer from the elements, was a deep burgundy. Unlike the cape Lidia was currently wearing, it was hooded, and the insignia of Agcron's Royal Family was displayed prominently on the back. The insignia was designed so that it could disappear and reappear at Henriette's will, which had been considerably difficult because it was intended to be usable only by someone of Agcron royalty regardless of magical ability.

For Queen Tali, Lidia had procured a series of throwing knives forged by one of Silvensia's top smiths. Simple though they appeared, the knives, like the cloak, were enchanted; they could not break or rust, and a knife, if lost, would be returned to its owner rather than be forgotten. Additionally, they were unable to harm their owner. Lidia knew that these knives were not invulnerable, for nothing could truly reach that level of invincibility, but she understood how significant a gift this was to the Queen of Termain. It sent a message: Ally with Silvensia. We have lethal weaponry, as well as magic.

And, like you, we're fighting to stop the Frost.

[Nuridia]

Henriette was wrapping up her meeting with the Silvensian queen, greeting her politely and conversationally. She gave a delighted gasp when she saw the gifts. "Queen Lidia, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Both for the gifts and for your coming, I'm certain my future wife will enjoy what you have presented as well." Gesturing to a valet who took the gifts and bowed to the queens before going to place them inside the palace, Henriette continued to speak with the younger girl. "We welcome you to Agcron, Your Majesty..." she noticed that Lidia seemed to be hot. Not surprising, her fair complexion was probablu unused to it. "Would you like my chamberlain to escort you inside the palace? I'm sure that the conversation would be more delightful once we get out of this heat, eh? Of course I have to meet with the other leaders, but you're going to absolutely love the party. Then my valets will show you to your rooms, where you can put away your personal effects before we all meet in the Grand Hall." Silvensia was very magically powerful, and Lidia seemed like a very gracious and strong-minded monarch, if a little young as they all were. This would work out splendidly.


Meanwhile...
Charles was about to take a drink when the bottle was suddenly plucked out of his grip by a metal-gauntleted hand. "Nope, gimme."
"Kaaaaatiiiiie! Give me my damn wine!"
"I'm not your mommy, I'm not just going to let you get drunk before a huge diplomatic event." The knight was tall with her long blonde hair in a warrior's braid, wearing her best silver armor with a silver three-headed dog embroidered on her burgundy tabard and her black cloak. Her livery chain, which carried the same symbol glittered with rubies and enamel.
"I'm the king, you can't just talk to me that way!"
"Says who?"
"Says the law! Damn, you're no fun! I think you need to loosen up a bit."
"If I loosened up as much as you, you'd be dead. And if you tightened up a bit more, my job would be a hell of a lot easier." She flipped the cork on the glass bottle, proceeding to drink the wine herself.
"Kate! What the hell?!"
"I need this way more than you do right now. Knowing you, you'll get yourself into a whole slew of trouble. There'll be alcohol enough when we get to the wedding."

"I'm glad you guys have so much faith in me." Charles huffed. "I know when to control myself from time to time, okay?"
"Then why don't you?"
"Because I choose not to." Charles' grin wasn't returned, and it slowly slipped off his face.
"Well today, you don't have a choice." Queen Andrea entered the room, looking her son up and down before immediately going over to straighten his lace cravat.
"Mom, it's already straight! Unlike me." he winked.
"You have to make sure that everything goes perfectly, Charlie. The whole..."
"The whole country is riding on this, I'm very aware of that. I thought about it and very little else for the last three days." Charles turned around to review himself once more in the mirror. "Hair on point? Check." He'd chosen to forego the wig due to the Agcron heat. "Outfit? Check."
"Charlie, darling. You can't really mean to wear that to Queen Henrietta's wedding, do you?"
"I like it!" The young king smoothed a hand over his the swirling golden embroidery of his yellow waistcoat, same color as his flared coat and tight breeches. Each turn of his head made the wide yellow plumes in his black hat wave as if by some unseen wind. A diamond brooch winked on one of his lapels. "It's the latest fashion here!"
"The outfit itself is sublime, it's just..."
"What?"
"It's the color." Anthony spoke up from where he was gnawing on his bagel. He was in a deep emerald-green satin ensemble, cut the same as his brother's with strategic but subtle silver embroidery, picked out with the help of their mother no doubt. "It's bright fuckin' yellow, Chaz. You look like a giant canary, dude." Anthony, young as he was had never been one to mince words. Not even with his kingly brother.
"Anthony Louis Philippe Jacques Keroualle, watch your language!" Andrea chided, Charles barely conceived a snicker at the fact that he wasn't the one being full-named for once.
"Sorry, Mom."
"Yellow is our nation's color. And we're known for being a bit over the top with our fashion...if I'm going to represent Marseille, I'm going to represent her in all her glory. Ausa's blessed us, so I'm wearing the mark of her favor."
"I suppose you have a point, darling. But maybe a more...muted yellow? Like something like butterscotch or deep gold? What happened to that red outfit you chose last night? That one was lovely!"
"Ew, you want me to dress like an old man? Dark colors plus high heat equals getting very sweaty and very hot, and not in the fun way." Even Anthony snickered at his brother's joke. "All of which equals disaster, I learned that much in science class. After Percy made me stay up all night until I finished my studying. Speaking of Percy..." Charles snapped his fingers to signal two of his valets who were putting the final touches on the luggage and the wedding gifts. "Guys?"
"Sire?"
"Did you both do as I asked? Made sure that Lord Jacquinot had his best outfit? Make sure his hair is styled, that he looks impeccable?"
The younger valet, a chubby young man with a thatch of thick straw-colored hair nodded. "Yes Sire, Lord Jacquinot is accounted for."
"Thanks, Robert. I need to make sure he looks his absolute best."
"What for?" Anthony asked.
"Since Hettie is my best girl friend, Perce is my best guy friend. He's so withdrawn and closed-up...I am going to get that man laid if it's the last thing I do. Hey, Michelle!"

"Majesty?"
"I need to borrow you for the trip...if you don't mind."
"Well...of course. But may I ask what for?"
"I need you to do Grand Master Cassidy's makeup, I've seen what you've done with my mom so I know you're like an artist when it comes to that sort of thing." Kate snorted beside him. "Charles, honestly..."
"Kate, you're a beautiful girl! Even when you're hacking off heads, that shit takes talent! Do you have a gown for the ceremony?"
"Yes, I do...but my job is to keep you alive, not be eye-candy."
"You can do both! Is it bad that I want my dearest friends in the world to look spectacular?"
"I'm fine being like a poisonous plant. Nice to look at but also threatening."
Charles nearly whined at her demeanor. "If you feel like that, how am I ever going to get you a boyfriend?! Alright, we should get out of here. The teleportal set up yet?"
"Yes it is."
"Good. Mom, I trust you not to let everything fall to heck while I'm away."
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Love you." Andrea kissed both her sons on the forehead, hugging them. "Love you too, Maman. Kiss the little ones for us."


As they approached the portal, Charles took a deep breath, fisting his hands in his pockets. Kate placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sire, this wedding..."
"I know, everyone from the bloody five kingdoms and beyond will be there!" Charles sighed, running a hand through his slightly unruly curls. "It's the event of the century, it's all anyone talks about! But..."
"Majesty, I know you're nervous but..."
"I know what I have to do. I love my people, I love a good party, and I love Henriette, but do I look like I want to be at my ex-girlfriend's wedding, surrounded by people who'll sooner call me Mad King Junior than my actual baptismal name? They'll probably be afraid that I'll shoot up the reception hall."
"I think they'd be a little bit more afraid that you'll get drunk, throw up in a potted plant and then pass out in said plant." she teased.
"That was one time!"
"And forget your father. You're not him. You're your own man, and I'm sure that the other leaders would see that too. Queen Henriette has personally extended you an invitation, you dare not refuse. Don't you want to see her again?"
"He saw her not even twelve hours ago, bro." Anthony muttered, earning a glare from Charles.
"I love Hettie, of course I want to see her. I'd take a sword for that girl, but..."
"Everything will be okay."
"I hope you're right. Okay, let's jet." The gathered party stepped out through the portal and were deposited before the Rose Palace, a grand and imposing building entirely in rose-red and white. Standing at the gates to greet the leaders was Henriette...and she looked stunning. Like some glittering star that had fallen from heaven. Charles almost felt like he was going to cry. As much as he wanted to make a rush for her and wrap her up in a hug, he knew he couldn't do that. Especially not since another leader was around. Henriette was talking to a slender girl with glowing silver hair and draped in green. "So, that must be Queen Lidia." he whispered. "Tony?" Whatever he was going to say died on Charles' lips and turned into a knife-sharp grin when he saw his brother's expression. His eyes seemed to be locked on Lidia, and so was his body locked in place as if they were in a frozen climate rather than a hot one. "Tony...close your mouth bro, you're starting to drool." Anthony seemed to snap out of his trance, quickly straightening and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Beautiful, isn't she?" Charles teased.
"She's like a goddess." Anthony whispered, almost in awe. "She's like moonlight given form."
"She's got nothin' on Hettie, but she's okay."
"Chaz, how do I look? Is my hair okay?!"
"Relax! You'll be fine, us Keroualle men are well-known for two things. Devilishly handsome looks, and amazing hair. You've got this in the bag."
"Should I try to use your approach? You taught me how to flirt with girls."
"DON'T! She already doesn't like me, the ol' Charlie charm won't work on this one. You may scare her off." Charles put his hands on his brother's shoulders.
"What do I do now?!"
"Write her a poem? You were always good at that kind of shit." The king fished in his pocket and pulled out a small white circle, handing it to his brother. "Here, have a breath mint.
"I cleaned my teeth before we left, we all did!"
"Yeah, but nothing wrong with a little extra mint."
"Charles, you pervert."
"Hey, I meant to make talking easier! You're the one that was thinking dirty, young man. What would Mother say?" he laughed.
"Shut up." When Lidia and her delegation were being escorted to the palace, Charles walked toward Henriette and took off his hat, bowing with a flourish. "My queen. It's an absolute honor to attend your wedding today, we thank you for inviting us to your lovely kingdom." Henriette was grinning from ear to ear seeing her old friend, her eyes darted around to see if any of the other leaders had arrived or were close enough to see them. "Sire, please do rise." she said with all formality, but when Charles lifted his head the formality seemed to vanish.

"Hettie?" A slow smile, wide as a moonbeam came over Charles' face when his eyes met that of the queen's, Henriette returned the smile when she noticed him.
"Charlie!" Instead of the usual royal demeanor, she greeted him with the tightest hug she could muster and squeaked as he lifted her into the air with his hug. "You came!"
"Of course I did, how could I miss seeing the most beautiful bride in the world?! Now where's the lady you're marrying?"
"My wife...is with her entourage. I don't know when she'll be arriving."
"I love my cousin to bits, but she's a chilly fish indeed. Good thing I got you that present, you may need it for a while."
"Charles, if it's something perverted I'm beating your pasty ass in front of the entire court."
"Depends on what you define as perverted? Don't worry, I gave the valets specific instruction to take it straight up to your room. We don't need to scandalize the entire Great Hall."
"What in the world am I gonna do with you?" Henriette muttered, but the affection in her voice was undeniable.
"Love me?"
"I do love you, silly rabbit. I'm glad that you're here."
"I'm glad to be here, now what did I miss in the life of Her Majesty? I notice you've gotten a bit harder to lift, that good ass Agcronite food must be making you fat."
Rice and beans and beef stew, you ass."
"You should've let me plan your wedding, Hettie! It would've been the party of the century!" Charles singsonged. Henrietta chuckled. "Absolutely not, whores jumping out of cakes would not have made me look good in front of the other rulers."
"Aw, those stuffy old cads!" Charles waved his hand dismissively.
“Are you trying to embarrass me?! Anyways, just don’t make out with my ambassador like you did last time.”
“Hire uglier staff.” The king merely shrugged. "I wanted to hand you this one myself."
"This better not be the pervy one."
“It’s not! Not this one anyway!” He pulls out a small package brightly wrapped, and hands it to the queen. Henriette pulls apart the ribbon and raises an eyebrow. “Playing cards?”
“I got them specially commissioned. Take a closer look.” Henriette gave a little gasp, on the Queen of Hearts suit was her, an exact likeness of her in her wedding gown.
“Charlie...”
“I knew you’d love it. That’s why I asked you what you were wearing to the wedding.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you!”
“Your wife is the Queen of Diamonds. I didn’t know what she’d be wearing so I went with traditional Termain wedding garb.”
“Why am I the queen of hearts?”
“Because you’re the queen of my heart forever?”
“You can't say things to me like that in public anymore, it isn't fit. But thank you anyway.” she smiled.
"I know you have to greet the other leaders so I'm going to get out of this heat because you live in Forsen's ballsack...and possibly help my baby brother score."

[Ovesa]

Queen Edenia IV
Moonstone Palace
Suviatas, Ignius
Year 275: Orange Era

Edenia looked at herself in the mirror, perplexed. Despite being royalty, there was rarely an opportunity for her to dress so formally. And yet, here she was; long, silk-like hair braided into a complex bun. Delicately faceted amethysts were placed onto a silver circlet, the subtle metal spiked pattern reminiscent of a mountain range. Her light violet eye was accentuated by the darker purples of her embroidered dress. She found herself staring at a beautifully made-up face that was unfamiliar.

Assisting the Queen in her preparations was Skava, a young lady-in-waiting. She spoke excitedly as she held up jewelry in the mirror. "Aren't you excited, my Queen? You'll be the first monarch in the history of our nation to explore the Overworld! I can only imagine how honored you must be."

Edenia glanced away, nervously. "Believe me, I am honored. But it's not just about exploring." She examined the embroidery on her gloves, the swirling needlework creating a silvery tapestry. "Aside from a handful of merchants, nobody has seen what the Surface is like. I don't know if my arrival will be well received."

"What are you saying? You're such a kind, respectful ruler; they would be foolish not to be grateful for your presence."

Edenia almost blushed; she wasn't used to being complimented so genuinely. "That's very sweet of you, Skava. But I'm afraid it's a complicated situation. Aside from the merchants, nobody knows what the Surface is like. I don't know how other nations will view the return of our people, especially during this time of crisis. While most of the human kingdoms seem accepting, our Elven neighbors may not be as welcoming."

The term elf felt almost like a curse; it was strange for her to say it so casually. Nevertheless, she continued. "And then there's our Council; they have been cautious about the prospect of entering Surface politics, even more so about forming alliances. But during these times, there will be difficult decisions that all of us must make. If allying ourselves with Overlanders guarantees our survival, then so be it."

Just then, there was a knock at the chamber door. Skava spoke up first; "Come in!"

The door swung open, to reveal a servant. "My Queen, I have excellent news. The Priests of Suvia were able to activate the teleportation platform. They're ready when you are."

Edenia stood up, adjusting her circlet into place. "Thank you for telling me. Anything else I should know?"

"All of the gifts are wrapped and ready to transport."

With the assistance of her nation's finest craftsmen, Edenia was able to prepare a lovely set of gifts for the soon-to-be newlyweds. Firstly, there was a pair of silver pendant necklaces of fine quality. One showcased a trillion-cut ruby, the other a sapphire. Both gems has a deep, vibrant color, and both were encased in a halo of small white diamonds.

There was a lovely symbolic meaning behind the necklaces; in Ignician culture, silver represented patience and understanding, and the trillion shape was a symbol of fortitude and longevity. While rubies and sapphires had different meanings when used separately, when combined in a single piece (or, in this case, a set) of jewelry, they symbolized a powerful, long-lasting love.

The next gift was a roll of fine Ignician spider silk, dyed a hauntingly dark blue. Blue was one of the rarest colors in the Underground, not to mention it was a color that looked great on everyone. There was enough silk on that one roll for three gowns (without using other materials).

The final gift she would bring was a set of two longswords. They were crafted from a rare metal called songsteel; not only was it excellent at absorbing impacts, but it also looked stunning, reflecting blues and purples that gave the weapons an ethereal glow.

Swords as wedding gifts dated back centuries in Ignician culture. Typically, they were purely symbolic, but in this case, the swords were as functional as they were beautiful. Edenia hoped that they wouldn't have to be used in combat, but if such a day ever came, those swords would more than fulfill their purpose.

While the amount of gifts might have seemed excessive, the wedding was the first major Surface event that Ignis would be attending, and Edenia wanted to make a good impression. "I'll be out in a moment."

The servant left. Edenia turned back to Skava. "I'm sorry for rambling like that, I just needed someone to listen."

"It's alright, I'm happy that I could be of service." Skava was cheerful as she reached for a pair of pink gemstone earrings. "What do you think of these?"

Edenia's smile dimmed. Her mother always wore Rose Quartz, no matter the occasion; wearing it, in any form, just felt wrong. "I'll have to pass. Do you have anything else?"

"There's a lovely pair of moonstone-"

"I'll take them."

Hastily, she put on her earrings, practically leaping into her shoes as she raced toward the door. She said farewell to her lady-in-waiting, before sprinting down the hallway towards the courtyard. Outside the palace stood Sylaas, along with a group of five royal guards, some of whom were holding wrapped presents. Just past them awaited a carriage, drawn by...wait for it........spiders.

Ignician cave spiders were utilized for a variety of tasks, from pest control to silk production. One of their most impressive and unusual roles was that of transport animals. With durable exoskeletons and an imposing height, the Nightcrawler Spider was bred for travel. It could carry over two hundred pounds of equipment with ease, and it was known to be able to travel great distances. They also looked like giant peacock spiders, but with stronger legs.

They were bred centuries prior as a way of efficiently transporting items between cities, but they had other uses as well. With specialized harnesses, Nightcrawler Spiders could pull wagons and chariots. Best of all, with proper training (and a good saddle), one could ride a Nightcrawler. The spiders were impressive mounts that were especially adept at maneuvering through cavern terrain.

Edenia approached Sylaas, surprised. "Councillor Sylaas, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Sylaas stood tall, formal and rigid. He would be looking after internal affairs while the Queen was away. "Your Majesty, I am here to wish you a safe journey to the surface. On behalf of the Council, allow me to say that we are all proud of how far you have come."

It was strange, being treated with such formality; one thing was certain, a lot had changed in the past eight years. Edenia was a strong, capable ruler now, a far cry from the scared young girl all those years ago. "Thank you, Sylaas."

He nodded. "Of course, your Majesty." He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a a strange pair of glasses with one large, circular, dark crystal lens in the middle. "Take this. You will need it."

Edenia was confused. "What's that for?"

"The Overworld is a bright place; from what I've heard, it's blinding. You'll need these if you want to see well."

Hesitantly, she slid on the glasses; surprisingly, it complimented her outfit well. "Thanks again, Sylaas. I really appreciate it."

"It is my duty and my honor to serve." He then gestured to the empty carriage. "You better get going, your people are waiting."

As the carriage wove through the winding city streets, residents cheered, both from the road and from their windows. Hundreds of citizens filled the streets, hoping for a chance to wave to their Queen. During a troubling era, she gave her people hope, willing to venture beyond boundaries and create history in the process.

Edenia was surprised by all of the attention; she hadn't seen a crowd that large since her coronation. And now, here they were, wishing her the best in her journey. It was a reassuring sight.

Once past the city gates, the journey to the Suvian temple was a long, eerily quiet wait. Edenia sat in silence, alongside her entourage of five royal guards. The guards' faces were completely obscured by their Corinthian-style helmets, with each almond-shaped eye slot a well of darkness. Armed with intimidating spears, they were a memorable sight.

Eventually, they arrived at the temple; it was a magnificent building, carved into the side of a cliff. Pillars and statues were scattered among the landscape, surrounding a large, central structure reminiscent of a pagoda, except carved out of stone.

The group was greeted by a priestess of Suvia; she wore earth-red robes that stretched to the floor, along with a porcelain-like mask that obscured her face. Her arms were covered in black, swirling, flame-like tattoos. The priestess spoke with a pleasant, calm voice. "Queen Edenia, it is an honor to finally meet you in person. Please, follow me."

Edenia and her guards followed the priestess through the temple entrance, weaving their way through a set of long corridors. "Your Mother came to us many years ago with a similar request. She brought maps of the surface with her, along with a set of tomes. She planned to construct permanent teleportation pads on the surface, and she wanted our advice. Apparently, her scholars knew very little about teleportation magic."

The young queen was confused. "I've never heard about this before. Why did it never happen?"

"There were more pressing matters to attend to: internal issues and the like." Each footstep reverberated throughout the temple, except for the priestess; silently, she appeared to glide on the stone floors. "She had consulted us before on other matters. Apparently, she admired our arcane knowledge and expertise. Now that I think about it, you look just like her, aside from the lack of Rose Qu---oh, we arrived already."

They found themselves in a room illuminated by candles, occupied by several priests and priestesses. Written out onto the floor were sigils and other arcane enscriptions.

The priestess from earlier turned to face Edenia. "This should take you to the front gates of the Rose Palace. We're ready to open the portal at your command."

In all of the grace, elegance, and eloquence of a true Queen, Edenia panicked. Instead of a formal, verbal approval method, she instinctively gave finger guns.

The priestess muttered ancient words under her breath as she traced a pattern in the air, forming a glowing sigil. The others soon followed her, creating sigils of their own. The symbols glowed white hot before unraveling into thread-like strands of intense energy. The strands wove together, spinning around faster and faster with the energy of volcanic flame. Sparks began to fly across the room. Then, it was done; surrounded by a border that glowed like molten metal, was none other than a functioning portal to the Rose Palace in Agcron.

After thanking the priests for their assistance, the entourage walked through the portal, finding themselves standing at the front gates of the palace. The portal closed behind them, leaving behind a whirl of sparks, and then nothingness.

Edenia could hardly think straight. Even with her glasses, everything here was so bright and warm that it was dizzying. She looked upwards, towards an endless sky bathed in blue, and saw her first clouds. The sun, the elusive sun, was a blinding beacon of hope and wonder. In the distance, far above her reach, a flock of small birds flew overhead. She almost started to cry; how had she lived her entire life without seeing something so beautiful? She wasn't alone; even her older and more experienced guards were taken aback by the magnificence of it all.

Eventually, they were approached by palace guards, who kindly showed them their way to the foyer. When she arrived, she noticed a table covered in gifts, as well as an ever-growing assembly of royals. She scanned the room, looking for who to approach. She spotted a handful of different royal-looking individuals, including a silver-haired elf and a human that radiated an aura of smugness. Eventually, she spotted her; a human, with gorgeous dark hair, who carried herself with an unrivaled level of elegance and grace. She was speaking with the smug human from earlier, smiling and laughing; it was clear that they were good friends.

When the opportunity presented itself, she stepped forward and introduced herself. "Your Majesty, I am Queen Edenia, of Ignis. I cannot express how grateful I am for your invitation." As she curtseyed, her glasses almost slid off her face; she barely caught them, having to hastily put them back on.

Nice job making a good first impression.

She gestured to two of her guards, who were carrying three wrapped gifts. "These gifts are for you and your wi--I mean, soon-to-be wife. They were prepared by the finest craftsmen in Ignis. I hope that you both find these acceptable."

[Of the Quendi]

At the Royal Palace of Rodnar
the City of Rodnar in the Province of Tor
The Fourth Day of the Diet of Rodnar



The Diet of Rodnar composes a letter to "Queen" Talia Adura of Termain

Ulf Thorgilsson Skjöldung slammed his fist into a table. "My lords! Order! Order!" The old man demanded of his peers, trying to still the commotion that had broken out among the forty odd nobleman in the council chamber at the words of the Borgermester. To little effect. The nobleman was talking loudly among one another. Svarte Skånning, a dark menacing leader of the Svarte family whose hadn't never seemed far from the hilt of his sword shouted at the Borgermester so loudly that it could be heard over the commotion. "No peasants!" Skånning demanded. Some cheers greeted the statement but the chaos did not subside. Thorgilsson threw up his hands in frustration. "Order!" He roared as loudly as he could.

A large hulking brute of a Sturian, with a menacing face, drew his saber, a crude and deadly looking weapon, and glaring out at the other members of the Diet he started slamming the blade against the walls of the council chamber causing a large and unnerving sound. The commotion died down. Svarte Skånning gave the Sturian, a man known as Ivan the Devil, a contemptuous and bemused look. He then turned towards the Borgermester with a sweeping gesture. "No peasants!" He declared once again, eliciting cheers from most of the nobles.

The Borgermester blushed. "Fru Wilhelmine has promised ..." The Borgermester began to speak indignantly before being cut of by Skånning. "Fru Wilhelmine promised the peasants could attend the Diet, but no one has said that they could attend these meetings where important matters are discussed." Skånning said. Asser Rig, a son of Skjalmr Hvide and no friend of Skånning, nodded approvingly. "The third estate should not concern itself with matters of state." He declared. "If the peasants wish to deliberate on matters related to their own estate none shall deny them the opportunity. But here at the palace we are debating the future of Tor and Termain, a matter for the nobility and the most distinguished burghers alone, tell the peasants that Borgermester."

These words was greeted with cheers. Mostly. A few voices cried out. "No burghers either!" One shouted, but most seemed content with the words of Asser Rig. A few young noblemen grabbed the Borgermester and guided him out of the council chamber. This rough treatment of the chief magistrate of Rodnar was meet with a callous laughter from Skånning, but many older men, including Rig, did not care for it and some bickering broke out about it.

Soon the Diet of the First Estate found its way back to its unstructured and chaotic deliberations. The Jarl of the Västermännen waved his hand animatedly in the air. "An Yngling king for all Termain." He shouted. "Down with Adura." Admiral Gautrstafrsson demanded: "Summon the leidangfleet to Sweodeborgr." Skånning raised his booming voice. "Order the army to support Fru Thora on Heidrby." Each of these proposals, and many others made by various attendees received cheers from some but was ignored by most of the council. No decisions was taken, no votes was called and no conclusions was reached. Regularly the meeting broke up into smaller groups of likeminded individuals who formulated their own ideas but such ideas when presented to the assembly at large was either ignored completely or simply not subjected to any procedure for reaching decisions. Welcome to the fourth day of the Diet of the Nobles.

The discussion about whether to seek independence, to depose Talia Adura, to acknowledge her rule but demand concessions, to invade Orias or to withdraw all troops, to muster armies or to demobilize the ones already mustered, to raise new taxes or get rid of existing ones produced no results. Finally Asser Rig and his Hvide family, the admiral, the few burghers in the room and the Skjöldunger seized the floor of the council chamber. "Let us write a letter to Adura." Rig roared at the top of his lungs, being interrupted by jeers of "pretender", "usurper", "tyrant" and even just plain "wench" requiring him to wait a full minute for the diet to spontaneously berate the new Orian monarch before he could continue. "Let us write to Talia Adura and inform her that in the absence of a lawful regent of Tor, this diet shall assume responsibility for the governance of the northern lands of Termain." Rig proposed.

This proposal received an enthusiastic response. The diverse viewpoints of the members of the first estate notwithstanding everyone could agree on appointing themselves the new government. Ivan the Devil was handed a pen and some parchment from Thorgilsson and strode towards a table, putting the pen to the parchment. Standing beside the Sturian Asser Rig raised his hand to summon the attention of the fractious conference. "To Talia Adura?" He shouted at the council. "To the Whore of Tera." Skånning roared in response to cheers and laughter from some of his supporters. The letter writing got sidetracked as several members of the diet shouted colorful insults they wanted to put in the letter. Rig and the Devil made no effort to write any of them died, while Thorgilsson tried to put an end to the insults. Eventually they died down but the conference now seemed to have gotten bored with the letter. Several people began proposing writing royalist regiments on Torian lands demanding their allegiance to the diet while others began to talk of the army and the Svarte widow. Rig looked tired and the Devil did not move his pen.

Desperate to salvage the letter Thorgilsson jumped up on the table, almost falling right of it. That caught the attention of most of the attendees, but only for a moment. Thorgilsson looked out at his peers. "My lords." He roared. "Are we lords, or are we miscreant children spoiling for the rod?" He asked accusatorially. Several of the nobles growled at him. "Here we are on the cusp of some great revolt and we cannot even take it upon ourselves to write a letter to the woman who call herself our queen and declare the righteousness of our cause? My lords. Write to the army, command it and command the royalist troops on our soil, but why should they listen? Who are we to order them? My lords, if we are the Diet of Tor, the lawful authority in this land, then let us put pen to parchment and write this pretender queen and inform her that neither her tax collectors who has for so long sucked our land dry, nor her soldiers who has subjugated our people and ravaged our land, nor her priests and preachers and their false southern idols have no authority over us and that we ... that we, the Diet of Tor, have the sovereign authority to rule over ourselves as we see fit. Ivan the Sturian, my friend, grab your pen and write this woman Adura that not she but this Diet of Tor now rules these lands." Thorgilsson declared loudly. The council chamber erupted in cheers, and as Thorgilsson, carefully, stepped down from the table Asser Rig grabbed his hand and shook it forcefully, laughing, and even Svarte Skånning gave Thorgilsson a smile, even if it was a sardonic one. Thorgilsson had saved the letter.

The nobles now proceeded to write a letter to Adura. It was not a long missive but it took them four hours to do so as every sentence was subject to fierce debate but eventually a letter was written. The first estate did not directly declare independence or call the royal election of Talia Adura unlawful, as Skånning and his supporters continously demanded. Nor did it declare war or voice support for Fru Thora's invasion of parts of Orias. But it did refuse to acknowledge Talia Adura as the sovereign of Tor. A sound compromise. The lords stepped forth one at a time and put their seal or signature on the missive. Asser Rig was the last to do so. "Now my lords, let us send this letter to Talia Adura and inform her of our intentions and our rights." He declared. "Bring forth a courier." He shouted. A courier stepped forth and with much ceremony and to the cheers of the assembly Rig gave the letter to the courier. "Bring this to the hand of the woman, Talia Adura, who calls herself queen of all Termain." Asser Rig ordered. The courier bowed and left with the letters. The assembly cheered once more. Thorgilsson, who had had a few cups of wine during the long letter writing process, raised a glass towards the ceiling of the halfburned council chamber. "To the diet of the first estate." He shouted. Other nobles raised their glasses. "The first estate, the first estate, huzzah!" They shouted.

Moments later a young man in an artillery officer's uniform burst into the council chambers. He marched towards the lords. "My lords." He cried. "The peasants ..." A drunken nobleman waved his hand and slurred; "no peasants." Another took up the claim. "No burghers either. Long live the first estate, down with the second and third." The artillery officer was unphased. My lords. The peasants. They are gathering on Hagafield. They say they wish to elect a king of their own." The officer declared. After a moments shocked silence the first estate erupted in chaos.

The Diet of Tor to Talia Adura of Orias!

As it is apparent to all that a king is constituted by the Gods to be ruler of a people, to defend them from oppression and violence as the shepherd his sheep; and whereas the Gods did not create the people slaves to their prince, to obey his commands, whether right or wrong, but rather the prince for the sake of the people (without which he could be no prince), to govern them according to equity, to love and support them as a father his children or a shepherd his flock, and even at the hazard of life to defend and preserve them. And when he does not behave thus, but, on the contrary, oppresses them, seeking opportunities to infringe their ancient customs and privileges, exacting from them slavish compliance, then he is no longer a prince, but a tyrant, and the people are to consider him in no other view.

Now thus it is that the prince Oda of Termain, elected king of All Termain by only a part of this land and against the wishes and the interests of the greater part of the provinces for which we the lords declarant of this missive speak, took upon him to rule over us. And though he was not the king of our choosing he did receive of us all owed deference and obedience. Yet forgetting the services done him faithfully by his subjects of these provinces that made him powerful and prosperous and struck fear into the heart of his enemies, did rather harken to the counsel of those Orians about him who had conceived a secret hatred to this land and to its liberty, because they could not enjoy posts of honor and high employments here as in Orias, the Southern provinces, and other countries under the king's dominion. Thus offended by the freedoms of the North, so inimical to the slavish submission of the South, the said counselors, or the principal of them, frequently remonstrated to the king that it was more for his Majesty's reputation and grandeur to subdue the Low Countries a second time, and to make himself absolute (by which they mean to tyrannize at pleasure), than to govern according to the restrictions he ought to have accepted, and at his admission should have been sworn to observe. From that time forward the king of Termain, following these evil counselors, sought by all means possible to reduce this country (stripping them of their ancient privileges) to slavery, under the government of Orians.

Silently we the lords of our own land long bore in silence this imposition of Orian rule, though it was neither lawful nor just and though it violated the privileges that has been enjoyed by our country and which the late king Oda's noble predecessors always honored and abided by. We did so because we were not his majesty's enemies and bore ill will only towards those wicked councilors who turned his Majesty against our nation. But as the Gods saw fit to call home to them their servant Oda these very advisors and counselors of the late king whose hatred for us and all we hold dear conspired to deny us once again the right to choose a prince that would protect our rights and safeguard the happiness of our people as they elected, against our wishes, a monarch who shares their own hatred for our rights and our freedoms.

We, the Diet of the First Estate of the five northern provinces, of Tor of Sørlandet, of Norrland, of Ostland, of Øyjarnar having sufficient reason to distrust the rule of Orians above us, shall pay no homage and swear no allegiance to any monarch not of our own choosing who seeks to rule us not in accordance with the ancient traditions and customs of the northern kingdom but with malice and contempt, with tax collectors and armies, with Orian councilors and Orian laws. No, we the Diet of the First Estate of the five northern provinces hereby declare to you Talia Adura, who claims to be our Queen that we hereby assume responsibility for our own governance and will defend our ancient privileges against the caprice of Orian agressors. We, the Diet of Tor, shall hereby govern Tor, Sørlandet, Norrland, Ostland and Øyjarnar free of the dominion of Orias and Tera, and we shall do so until such a time as we deem that our interest and our privileges are will not be infringed upon by you or any other Orian who would rule over us according to their own whims.

So says we the lords and magnates and nobles and jarls and thanes of Tor, of Sørlandet, of Ostland, of Øyjarnar. So says Ulf Thorgillson Skjöldung, Jellundejarl, so says Wiglaf, Thane of Jomsborg, so says Svarte Skånning son of Toke Svarte, so says Björn Ulfrsson, so says the Thane Svend of Angrborgr, so says general Johann Rantzau, so says ...