The Crown Prince’s Ball (Meillur-Only)

[Patuania]

Oruk let out a small giggle as she let the captain kiss her hand. There certainly did exist an air of courtly charm in the Celestial Empire that was indeed missing in Patuania. While the rumors of the terrible state of inter gender relationships were far from true, the way that the Deritains spoke in obtuse and charmed, at times condescending flattery and flirtation was something that Oruk still found hard to navigate.

“You are so kind. Are you enjoying the evening so far?”

[Colfico]

The Prime Minister nodded, he saw where this was going, however, he did have some misgivings, there was definitely some concerns of an attempt to monopolize the market in Colfico.

“I could, however I am afraid that my position as prime minister prevents me from meddling in the affairs of private companies, so long as they operate reasonably within the limits of the law. Besides, I am not the best informed on the matter, for that you would be better off asking the Minister of Transportation.” He thought before saying “Althogh the Chamberlain would be better informed on the matter, he is known for being a master Logistician, so I imagine he has made himself well educated on the matter, if for no reason other than so he can use the information to make things get to where they need to be, when they need to be.” He then said “It is part of the reason why he was selected for the Evacuation Effort, after all, an Evacuation at its core is just a movement of people from one place to the other.” He then said “It is honestly a shame the man won’t give up his uniform, he would make an excellent minister, and I would have appointed him the first chance I had if he would let me.”

Felix nodded and said “It makes up the center of Colfico, and runs right through the heart of the country. The water runs wild, carrying with it the lifeblood of the nation, most of Colficos population makes the River, or the surrounding flood plains, their home. It’s not black, but instead it differs in different branches, some, especially those that run from the northern mountains, are crystal clear, while some run brown with rich sediment, and all along the way, various fish, animals, plants and people call the river home. In fact, it has shaped the way things are built in Colfico, flying boats and float planes are more commonplace in Colfico than anywhere else, because the river itself is the best airfield in many areas.”

[Kingdom of Derita]

“It’s has certainly gotten better a hundred fold since you walked through those doors, Your Highness.” said Neymar. He rose from his bow and let his fingers linger on their touch of her hand before he let go.

“And you, Princess?” asked Larella with a small smirk. “Are you enjoying your stay in the city? Is my cousin’s home not absolutely magnificent?”

Siti took a sip of her drink. “I see.” She consider the prime minister’s words. She was sure that some of it was an attempt to hem her efforts, but she was also beginning to suspect Mr. Wes was not as important as she had at first suspected. Though she would have to test the waters first. “Well surely you can give me a line of communication with your Minister of Transportation, though I see now you were right.”

[Patuania]

“It is a bit much isn’t it?” Paras Kanatus muttered.

Oruk choose to pretend as if she hadn’t heard her cousin and instead pressed on in her conversation. And planning her escape. The countess she saw as a good person to speak to, potentially, but she had no wish to continue speaking with her male friend. Not when there were far more important figures to converse with in attendance.

“The Duchess’s home is magnificent indeed. Our homes are not partial to having such grand courtyards nor ballrooms, and certainly not ones that combine the too. It is quite the sight of so must say so. And for there to be so many people here. His Imperial Highness must be so loved by his subjects and his guests from abroad.”

[Colfico]

Arjun nodded and said “Of course.” He reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a leather wallet, a small, simple notebook, and then a small, plastic, ball point pen, and wrote down a phone number, before tearing the page out and handing it to her, before saying “I must warn you, she is a very busy woman these days.” He didn’t show it, but he was glad that she seemed to have taken the bait so easily, while Minister of transport did in fact manage much of Colficos transportation, it still had to pass through his office to be approved, and anything major has to be voted on in the National Assembly as a whole. He then said “I was right about what exactly?”

He already figured that he knew what she was going to say, but for certainties sake, decided to poke a little to find out.

[Royal Genes]

Adela put her hands together, keeping up a small smile, swaying back and forth as the pause dragged on. She suddenly felt as if she had walked and walked enjoying the sun and the breeze of the sea only to have all too quickly reached the end of the pier. She was thus grateful when Jean inserted himself into the matter.

“It is nice music,” said Adela. “Though I must admit that I am not very apt in my knowledge of music outside of the hymns from church. They are quite lovely creations and they are good for the soul.”

[Kingdom of Derita]

Larella nodded in agreement as Neymar took a step back. She noticed that the princess didn’t seem to hear the Paras muttering sand wondered if that was by choice or by defect.

“My cousin his a sweet boy and he has a pretty face. That goes a long way when one is heir to the largest empire in the world.”

Siti accepted the piece of paper and looked over it, then folded it up and slipped into a pocket of her dress. Her mind considered things and of finding alternate ways to see her designs come to fruition. She suspected however that a greater fish would be needed for her to make head way up these waters.

“Hmm?” Siti said, “oh, only that the chamberlain is not your Queen’s lover.” She took a sip of her drink and without another word, walked away.

“How peculiar,” Cel said as she listened to Felix. “Landing planes on water, terrible odd isn’t? How does one not get wet?”

Andeja nodded, also grateful for his friend. “I rather like music, though my taste do run a bit more contemporary. Though hymns and spirituals have their places, and can be quite moving I suppose. The piece they are playing right now is called Purpre Mountains Mist you know. It was conducted by the palace orchestra over a century ago for the parties of the Conqueror. It’s quite lovely, but not something one can really dance to, I’m afraid. I do hope they change it soon. You would do me the honor of letting me have a dance, wouldn’t you?”

[Colfico]

Felix shook his head and said “No, it has been done for more than two centuries now, and the more common ones have enclosed cabins the same as a normal aircraft, although it does take a more careful, and skilled pilot than normal. In fact the military uses them regularly as patrol aircraft, since they can land and take off from tributaries and branches of the river, or even the ocean if need be. It really is quite something to both watch and experience, although it is a normal sight for most Colficoans.”

The Prime Minister simply smirked at that statement, she seemed to be very certain that he was not, or rather, that she seemed to be implying that he would not be.

“Oh the poor girl, she can’t actually be planning to do what I think she is.” He shook his head at the thought, if it were true, she was about to find out the hard way that her task was not an easy one.

[Royal Genes]

A nervous laugh left Adela’s lips. The crown prince had said quite a lot and in very short amount of time. Had that all been one breath? Still, it was nice. She felt her heart skip a beat as she nodded her head, and she temporarily forgot how to make use of her tongue. Internally she fought for the ability back, and finally got out: “I would love to dance with you.”

[Kingdom of Derita]

“I would simply adore watching the sight,” said Cel eagerly. She clapped her hands together “I shall simply have to arrange a viewing.”

“It would make great art,” said Mayank. “Humanity and its machinery, flying high and plummeting blow, reducing the mighty river, the womb of life,” he paused dramatically, looking to the sky as if in the midst of enlightenment, “reduced, to a platform in the day of life.”

“That’s quite poetic.” Ashon said encouragingly.

“Thank you. I know, I know” Mayank said as he bowed his head.

Andeja, meanwhile, said, “that’s wonderful.” Though he was a little disappointed that she didn’t seem interested in his knowledge of the music around them. He looked to Jean. Jean, having already saved the two fumbling fools already, decided that dancing needed to happen and soon.

“The weather is quite nice,” Jean said before dashing away in search for who ever was in charge of the music.

Andeja held his glass tightly. “Yes. The weather. It is very pleasant tonight. Not very humid.”

[Colfico]

Felix nodded, although he was somewhat lost on the philosophy that the artist was spouting, but he understood it well enough to at least keep up.

“You could easily arrange a trip in one, many people fly in them the same as any other airliner, although I will warn you, it does take some getting used to for someone who’s never experienced a water landing before.” He looked over, and noticed that the woman from before was no longer speaking to the prime minister, and felt relieved, it seemed the prime minister had managed to shake her off, although he knew he would hear about it later.

[Patuania]

Oruk sensed an insult in the countess’ words, but she couldn’t decipher where and what about it was. Perhaps she would not be as well as a course as she had thought. Still, Oruk remained smiling, not daring to let it waver in a room of so many pairs of eyes.

“I shall be sure to wish His Imperial Highness a happy birthday,” said Oruk, “as I am sure you and your ladies have done so already.”

Oruk bowed her head and side stepped past the countess and continued on her trek across the courtyard. For a flicker of a moment there was a small smile on the Paras’d lips before he followed after his cousin.

[Royal Genes]

Adela nodded her head in agreement. “It is quite lovely weather. It’s warm but a good warm. A nice warm, especially for the evening.” She felt as if there was a lump in her throat. She took a breath and when that did nothing, she tossed back the entirety of her massalia in the aims of steeling her nerves.

Across the courtyard, Frederick watched the crown prince and his cousin and couldn’t help but cringe at the sight of the two. The would look so well together if they didn’t seem to be entirely clueless. Adela he understood. His grand uncle Philippe was a devoted subscriber to the belief that one’s children should be shielded from the world. But Andeja? He expected… more. He knew him mature enough in his studies but it seem one very important study had been neglected.

[Kingdom of Derita]

“How marvelous,” said Cel. “It sounds wholly different from the gondolas of the city’s canals. They are quite nice you know. Especially in the old city where one can stop ashore and go promenade.”

Siti found her sister leaving the circle of Kalere Kesi with a clear agitation in her eyes. She frowned as she joined her sister. “Oh dear, what is wrong?”

“Kalere had the gall, the gall to say that the length of my title would make for an unsightly signage. One that would overwhelm the importance of the art work” (A polite way of saying that no, she would not be adding Sauda’s name to her wing of the museum.)

“It seems luck is not in it for the Muraty sisters so far,” said Siti.

“I take it your little conversation with what’s his face didn’t go well?”

Siti waved her glass. “Lord Skotnicki is a priest of some kind, I think, and thus infallibile to the prime minister, who is a thoroughbred politician.”

“And they are Queen Adriana’s lovers?”

“Oh I doubt it,” said Siti, “I don’t think she has any use to them save being a pretty bobble. Lord Skotnicki seems to do any and everything, save the queen.”

This made the Duchess of Roannis burst into laughter. That laughter was heard in the periphery of Larella senses as she turned, her lips forming a straight line for a moment before morphing back into a smile.

“Enjoy the evening, Your Highness,” said Larella. “Snow doesn’t tend to last long in the Empire.”

Augustin and Louis stood on either side of Frederick, joining in as audience members to the sight of Andeja and Adela standing awkwardly next to one another. Neither was sure they could blame them. No one quite remembered how royal romances began, an unspoken thought clear in their minds. There had not been a young crown prince in literally three quarters of a century. And the relationships of royals in the days following the great collapse had not been centers of attention.

Andeja looking down at his drink cleared his throat. Why on earth had Jean left? He felt as if he were going to pass out from embarrassment, and that would surely only enrage his father. He cleared his throat again. “Uh, you said that you enjoyed hymns. Do you have a favorite?”

[Royal Genes]

Adela nodded, swaying on her feet, and glad for the abandonment of the conversation on the weather. “Oh, yes, I do.”

Frederick looked between Augustin and Louis and shook his head. “It’s almost painful to watch.” He grabbed another glass of massalia and took a gulp of it. The sweet taste of the Aukusan alcohol was starting to grow on him, and it made him feel warm inside.

[Kingdom of Derita]

Andeja stood there waiting. He had expected for her to continue or elaborate further, but she didn’t seem inclined to do so. Andeja took another slip of his drink and took a breath before looked back to the princess. “Um, what would it be?”

“I’m sure that they will get the hang of it.” Augustin suggested, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced of his own words.

“And it certainly does us no good to just sit here and watch them,” said Louis.

[Royal Genes]

“Oh right, yes,” said Adela. “I admit I am partial to David Danced, it is a bit old and not the most traditional, but I enjoy the movement of it. And I think it does better than one about a slaver realizing the error of his ways. It makes for a lovely sound I guess, but it is so hard to listen to once you understand what it is about.”

Slavery, an institution that had been practiced as recently as fifty years ago in Genes was a sword subject to the Genoise, as many had rather decisive opinions on it. As the church had been the main ones to push for the outlawing of the practice, with its fall there were those who sought to return to what they saw as the good old days.

[Colfico]

Felix nodded and said “It is quite something.” He then thought of something, there was no doubt that his position would attract attention, unwanted attention, at some point, and perhaps she could help to thwart that attention.

The Chamberlain then said “If you would like, I could personally give you a tour of the river.” He knew how his offer would likely be perceived, and that was exactly how he wanted it to be perceived.

[Imarati]

King Besarion looked out the window as the limousine, a gift from his brother-in-law. His trip to the Celestial Empire had been a last minute thing. Not that he was fleeing trouble. But things in Imarati had gotten rather tense and it had been the suggestion of his wife that they leave the country and go to warmer, calmer locales. The party of the Celestial Empire’s prince was the perfect get away. This way, Father Melikishvili could handle the situation back home on Besarion’s behalf.

When the black limousine came to a stop before the house, Besarion opened the door and stepped out. The King, a man who looked to be in his late twenties, though Father Melikishvili asserted that he was 45— a work of God certainly and not a reason of suspicion— wore a red and black dress uniform of the Imaratian Royal Army, decorated various medals. Besarion put on a smile and offered a hand to his wife.

[Patuania]

Oruk only smiled as she ignored Larella as she walked away, letting her skirts swish back and forth behind her. She felt that it could have gotten better. She might have liked to get along with the countess, but the princess could survive without her. She instead scanned the crowd for the sight of her fellow university student and the center of this entire celebration. She spotted the Crown Prince speaking to someone and made her way towards him.

Outside, Queen Kiayon rose up from the limousine, tenderly taking Besarion’s hand. Kiayon wore a blue dress with a navy blue shirt jacket wrap and evening gloves. A diamond tiara sat atop her red hair pulled into a bun. Kiayon was grateful for evening of the event. She had never found herself adaptable to the warmth of the Southern lands that hugged the Southern Sea or the Western Ocean. But she had had to escape Imarati. It was only a pity that her husband had to accompany her.

[Kingdom of Derita]

“Oh,” said Andeja said, a bit taken aback by Adela’s words. He knew that there used to be slaves in Genes, though he had always assumed that the royal family would, like the upper classes, if not look favorably on slavers, would not necessarily be opposed to them as well. After all, was it not on the backs of slaves that her name sake had, if unknowingly, made her nation into a once sparkling jewel of the world? And it was also once they had abolished the practice that their capital had, as Andeja’s grand uncle had once called it, a sad shadow of a corpse draped in crosses and rosaries.

The crown prince knew of course that he couldn’t say any of that. So instead he said, “well, I think I might enjoy hearing the former rather than the latter. I do prefer my music lively. You should look into the songs by Jama Oginono. He was a student of Caos you know.” (Caos being the great renaissance man of the 21st Century, having been a politician, poet, philosopher, city planner, architect and author, famous for his version of socialism and serving under Emperor Gitte II to build several of his so called ‘paradise worlds’. Caos tragically died of old age in the midst of one such project, Andorran, and the world was lost to oblivion amidst the Great Collapse. Caos had been entombed in the Celestial Empire and moved to Aukusa City thirty years ago)

“Oh?” Cel tilted her head and smiled. She took a half a step closer to the chamberlain. “I would certainly love to be given a tour of your nation’s river Lord Skotnicki. It sounds positively delightful. Like a safari I imagine. Oh, have you ever been on a safari? Everyone loves a proper safari.”

Meanwhile a usher greeted the newest arrivals to the event and lead them inside.

[Colfico]

Felix thought and said “Does it count of it is not an official safari? I have never been on a proper, planned safari, but I have taken through the nations forests, as well as the northwestern mountains.” He then said “Perhaps you could take me on one”

He noticed her take a step closer, and took a half step himself, before speaking again “Perhaps we should go together, would be nice.”

[Kingdom of Derita]

“That’s not a true safari then.” Mayank said. Ashon cleared his throat, and nudged the artist a bit away from Cel and Felix, much to Mayank’s confusion. He was of course right. A safari required the hunting— a barbaric tradition— or observing— the more modern and common activity— of the Big Five: lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceroses, and buffaloes. The charismatic megafauna, as elephants were often used as symbols fit the Empire, weren’t allowed to be hunted, as Emperor Andeja II had been against the idea. Much to his brother, the avid Hunter the Duke of Alençon’s annoyance.

Cel meanwhile smiled up at Felix. “Oh, That sounds like a lovely idea. The animals are so majestic and they’d been able to recover much of their habitats since the Great Collapse, and the proceeds of safaris go to keeping those creatures safes. They just feel your heart with the awe of nature.”

[Patuania]

Oruk pushed forward through the crowd towards Andeja and the woman he was speaking to, Kanatus on her skirt tails as she swept past one over glamorous guest after another. She came to a stop before the two, smoothing her dress as she smiled, curtsying slightly to the crown prince and giving the woman a nod of acknowledgment.

“Your Imperial Highness, I came to wish you a happy birthday.”

[Colfico]

The Chamberlain nodded, there was a fair amount of Colfico that had been reclaimed by nature following the time of despair, there were more than a few destroyed towns and villages which had since become overgrown with vegetation and wild-life, a well hidden reminder of the costs of that terrible conflict, and some had been outright forgotten. However, Colfico's own regulations on fishing had less to do with saving them, and more to do with ensuring that those sources of food remained sustainable for everyone, as much as was possible anyway. He agreed with Mayank, it was not as true safari, but his attention was elsewhere.

"Indeed, although there are many in Colfico who have a very....different connection to natures reclamation of some areas. When should we go? the Evacuation will be fully completed before the week is over, and there should be some time for us to make the necessary arrangements."