Moving Forwards (Semi-Open, Attn Imbrinium)

[Morrdh]

OOC: Events take place right after Tinversary

Morrdun Tower
Morrdun
Commonwealth of Morrdh

Vicereine Lothwyn Boudica Cathmore II was glad when the chance to sneak away from the party arose. The evening chill felt refreshing after hours stuck within the Tower's stuffy air, made slightly more uncomfortable by the press of people. It was also nice to have some peace and quiet, most of the guests were people she'd never heard of before and some were borderline rude. Admittedly Sir Taylor did warn her that some of the guests didn't speak English as their first or even second language and most politeness might be lost in translation.

"Whatever..." She quietly muttered as she strolled across the Tower grounds towards the battlements by the Water Gate. Glancing over the parapet, she could see across the River Morr towards the twilight skyline of the the opposite bank and the light reflected off the inky black river surface. Towards the river's mouth, a sea mist was gradually creeping in from the sea with the distant harbour fog horns acting as its harbingers. Laying at anchor near to the Tower was a Royal Morridane Navy Type 42 Destroyer, HES Fellig, acting as a guard-ship for the Tower whilst the celebrations were in progress. The ship's crew, and a detachment of the Royal Morridane Marines, were all in ceremonial regulation uniforms but were also still armed. The ship may had been done up nice for the guests but it still had a serious duty to perform.

To her left she could see the great bulk of the Coldridge Barracks, the monstrous brick structure was built back in the late 19th Century and home to the current infantry battalion selected for Viceregal Guard duties. Only a single platoon was normally present within the Tower itself, typically standing sentry for four hours at a time until it was relieved by the next platoon in the rotation. There was also the Warders, retired service personnel who now acted as ceremonial guardians of the Tower and lived in the grounds with their families. The Warders, just like the battalion at the nearby barracks, would help defend the Tower and the Vicereine should either come under attack. Though Lothwyn was grateful that nobody had tried their luck for the best part of several decades and that the Warder's main duty these days was directing tourists round the Tower grounds. However, staying at the Tower she couldn't help but feel like she was being put on show. Security was tight when the tourists were allowed in, understandable but she almost felt like a prisoner.

Kaldwin House on the other hand.

Located in a part of northern Morrdun known as Kensington Heights, Kaldwin House was tucked just out of the sight and she was free to wander its grounds whenever she felt like it. She preferred being there when she was staying in the Morridane capital, but she had to spend time at the Tower to show her 'public face'. Once these celebrations were wrapped up she could stay in Kaldwin House, least until duty called her away again. Even a week or two there would be good enough for her.

"Suppose I'd best head back inside..." She muttered with a sigh before she noticed somebody approaching her.

[Imbrinium]

The Prince had longed for the feel of Morrdh and the Queen that had his heart, there so much the same but different about both the kingdom and Queendom. He’d seen pictures of the past and there was something to be said about it.

He’d been many times with Lothwyn to the Morrdun Tower, he knew she really hated being there it was not built by her, but by those, before her, it was a cold place it seemed to her, she longed for the places of her childhood the place she could find peace.

Both the prince and the queen had lived it seemed a lifetime in their short lives, fighting wars seeing the region both as a leader and a soldier, seeing the best of the world and the worse that mankind do to one another.

The king had seen what the great war had done to his son, and seen how the war tore at him in a way a father knew wouldn’t be just covered up by time or other adventures. The King had seen the same look in his son as he had seen in his own eyes when he knew he was in love with the prince's mother the queen of Imbrinium.

“My Queen somehow I knew you would be here looking out wishing for somewhere else.”

As he shows respect and bows before the Queen.

[Morrdh]

"Arise, my prince..." Lothwyn replies with a chuckle. "And yes, you are correct."

"Prancing around in front of all those foreign delegates is such a bore," She continued, then added with a wry smile. "Though present company excluded of course."

"It is also being here in this place, a place that I do not have many happy memories of..." Sighed Lothwyn "One's duty and all that bull."

"Hows you been?" She asked as they walked. "I'd heard you had been injured in the line of duty and wrote to your father."

[Imbrinium]

The prince rose and offered his arm as he started to walk with Lothwyn, yes my queen my father’s information was right I was injured in battle in our last war.

“Its funny our last war, I get wounded and now I’m in your country like nothing ever happened.”

"I was injured pretty bad don’t remember much about what happens besides we were moving up to engage and next thing I know I woke up an almost two weeks later, the doctors tell me I have pins in my leg and arm. Scrapel in my back and legs still.”

“My father says I’ll feel it later on in life more than now but I can tell you when a storm is coming”

They both shared a smile over that.

Hows things here I've missed this city when I was gone.

“How are you and things here in the capital?”

[Morrdh]

"The world does move in strange ways sometimes." Lothwyn agreed with a smile. "Hm, that sounds like it could be useful..."

"Oh, surviving." Answered Lothwyn. "Vermillion's been pushing for me to take a suitor....again."

"Morrdun is Morrdun; dour and soot-stained as ever. You've probably heard about the Aldwell Ripper? Though things have been quiet there since COMPOL got involved."

"On a lighter note, theres a new Mokan restaurant thats opened on Cathmore Bridge¹."

1. Similar to Kaldwin Bridge in Dishonored and the 'old' London Bridge.

[Imbrinium]

"Really, Vermillion's still up to his old tricks?"

"There's a thought really piss him off and marry me that would show the old man" as the prince laughed not knowing if he was actually being serious of not his heat and mind where flood with thoughts and feelings.

The prince had thought to himself before if there was a chance of something more than gossip news stories between them. His father did bring him on the other side of the region to see a woman that had captured his heart before but was there still a spark after the war could she see through everything?

The thoughts raced almost as fast as his heart beat as he listened to every word she was saying and looking at her like she was the only woman in the world trying to catch a glimpse of hope or maybe a spark there.

[Morrdh]

"My prince!" Lothwyn gasped in mock surprise. "How...vulgar!"

"As tempting as it is to piss of Vermillion, well...mebbe..." Answered Lothwyn with a mischievous grin. "Though fer ye, I imagine, pissing off Vermillion would be the cherry on the cake."

"Pray tell, will ye be in Morrdun long?" Lothwyn asked, a hopeful look on her face.

[Imbrinium]

The prince responded I was half way kidding but it would make sense and piss him off so a win-win. The prince laughed it off.

I have about two weeks of leave I can take the king got me this leave for diplomatic reasons, but I can say if you'd like though I hadn't planned that far ahead and brought anything or made arrangements to have a place to stay if I where to stay.

[Morrdh]

"Oh, I'm sure that arrangements can be made." Lothwyn smiled. "Kaldwin House is much less crowded than the Tower."

By now the encroaching sea mist had inched its way up the Morr, leaving the river buried under a thick layer of wispy cloud. The Felling, still standing sentinel by the Tower like a faithful hound, had lit all of its navigation lights and started blaring its fog horn. The waterfront on the far side of the river was little more than dozens of hazy lights trying to pierce the darkening gloom of the mist as it slowly engulfed the city. The nighttime sounds of a city became muted and a chill could be felt as the damp clouds rolled up and shrouded the grounds of the Tower.

"Probably an idea if we headed back inside." Lothwyn said as she started to shiver and had goosebumps appear on her bare arms.

[Imbrinium]

Prince Augusto seen that Lothwyn was chilly so without thinking as they walked slowly back into where the guest where, the prince took off his military dress jacket and wrapped the queen in it. She leaned into him like they had gone back in time to a simpler time before the war.

Not paying attention to who or where or what was around them they walked back inside embracing each other as everyone turned and looked with some shock and awe.

The two looked around knowing that they been busted in a moment not intended for anyone else.

[Morrdh]

"Huh, best if we talk later..." Lothwyn said quietly to the prince. "I'll get one of the servants to pass on a note."

"Sorry, have to go." She says almost mournfully, her hand lingering in Augusto's for a moment before she pulled away. An aide came over and politely spoke to her before directing her elsewhere in the room, a moment later she disappeared from view into the crowd. Though she still wore Augusto's jacket.

"Prince Augusto?" A smartly dressed man asked a short while later, a row of medals on his jacket and a Mokan cigar in one hand. "Sir Thomas Reid, Lord Provost of Morrdun, as your service."

"Whiskey?" He asked, grabbing a couple of glasses off the tray of a passing waiter. "Trust you've had a pleasant stay thus far?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about the crowd Your Highness, their opinions matter as much as bullshit far as the Vicereine is concerned."

[Imbrinium]

“Nice to meet you I guess Sir Thomas Reid.” As the prince took the glass of whiskey he was offered.

“What do I owe this visit too dear sir?”

“And I was enjoying myself I guess we got caught up in the moment.”

“Oh I never worry about the people in the room remember I’m a soldier and an Imbriniumain if we worried about what people thought we wouldn’t be good at our job”

The prince was trying to show a strong face, but he was worried about Lothwyn, it was one thing to make himself look like a fool but not the queen. He also wondered why he was suddenly talking with the Lord Provost of Morrdun

[Morrdh]

Sir Thomas chortled, took a puff on his cigar and asked. "You heard of the Provost Council?"

"Its an advisory council to Her Excellency made up of her representatives in the various provinces and counties of Morrdh, Lord Provosts like myself and lower ranked officials known simply as Provosts." Explained Sir Thomas. "The Prime Minister is also a member of the Council, along with a few other officials from the government and parliament."

"One of the matters that has been of concern to the Council as of late is Her Excellency taking a suitor, especially since the current successor to the Crown would be disastrous for the Commonwealth." Sir Thomas continued. "And you, Your Highness, will need a guide if you decide to involve yourself in Commonwealth affairs. As the Lord Provost of Morrdun I hold a great deal of influence in the Council, I can generally count on the support of at least half of the Council's members."

"Now my boy, I do not expect an answer right this instance...take your time and please let me know of your decision." Said Sir Thomas as he took another puff on his cigar, then spotted a servant approaching with a folded note in their hand. "Besides, it looks like you're about to be summoned."

[Imbrinium]

As the prince, Augusto listened to Sir Thomas’s every word, the prince knew this was about to be the first of the biggest steps of his life. No one could make this life-changing decision but the prince and the only other person would be Lothwyn.

The servant walked in and handed a note to the Prince. He opened it thinking it was from Lothwyn and started to read it.

[Morrdh]

"If you'll excuse me, I have to show the flag." Said Sir Thomas, gesturing to the rest of the room.

The crowd around Augusto continued to move and mingle, some nodded politely as they past the prince.

The note was hand written and signed.

Sorry, I'll be tied up for a little while...an hour tops.

Still have your jacket, I'll send a servant to bring it to you when I'm ready.

L.

[Imbrinium]

Prince Augusto had a smirky smile as he read Lothwyn’s note.

Just then the king walked up with two glasses of whiskey and handed Augusto one.

“Here, son you look like you need this one” As the king laughed some.

“Well look at it this way son you are doing way better than I did with your mother, I almost started a war” As the king laughed knowing that took some pressure off of Augusto.

The two sipped their whiskey watching the crowd.

[Morrdh]

Over half an hour passed before it started getting late, the distant chiming of bells across the city signalled that midnight had been and gone. The crowd had started to thin as the various guests trickle out to their waiting cars to take them back to their hotels and welcoming beds. A few, mostly older gentlemen with military backgrounds and a dozen or so glasses so many were either carefully assisted out by the servants or left dozing away in the armchairs where they'd passed out. Other servants had started clearing tables and clearing up the derbies of the celebrations.

Augusto had only kept glimpses of Lothwyn at the head of the crowd as she spoke with various guests, though the crowd kept closing in and blocking his view. Though at long last the promised servant, one of the maids, appeared with Augusto's jacket and curtsied. "Your Highness? Your jacket. Her Excellency asks for your presence before you depart."

"If you could follow me please Your Highness." The maid, gesturing with her hand before she turned and started leading the way out of the great hall. Rather than up the grand staircase, the maid took Augusto via a more low key route along a panelled corridor and then up a less grandiose stair well. Morrdun Tower had originally been built as a fortress by the Stevidians when Morrdh was first established as a penal colony; the stout walls and heavy wooden doors that the maid led Augusto attested to this. The Tower had later been adapted as a dwelling, first by the Stevidian governors and then much later on by the Cathmores after they created the Morridane crown. Though the Tower remained true to its origins; strong fortifications came first but with comfort a close second.

After climbing up a couple of floors, the maid finally led Augusto to a corridor lined with oak panels and old flintlock rifles crossed and mounted on a shield. The maid led Augusto to a pair of heavy oak doors, told him to wait a moment before she knocked politely and entered the room. She reappeared a moment later and held the door open. "Her Excellency is ready to receive you sir."

The room turned out to be Lothwyn's quarters at the Tower and Augusto found her sat on a chair by a large, open fireplace with her hair down and a discarded pair of shoes a short distance. On a table nearby was a decanter of brown-ish, golden liquid and a couple of glass tumblers. Lothwyn looked round when Augusto entered and smiled. "Augusto, there you are...please have a seat."

[Imbrinium]

Augusto walked behind the maid through the tower in which he had taken a few tours before with Lothwyn leading the way. He thought to himself how much he missed this country and her company. The times he had with her both in public and in private.

He often wondered where they were headed, then it was if there was if there was an ever going to be, now where was where they at now. The prince had true feelings for the queen but also both countries had a true riff between them.

A marriage could calm the storm, but it also could fan the flames into an inferno too. The prince also wondered if the feelings where still here with her did she still have those feelings for him.

As the prince walked into the door that he maid had opened seeing the queen in her natural state as the fire lite her skin and hair, very few had ever seen what he had seen with her the relaxing the seeing and showing herself the side, she hides from the outside world. It wasn’t because he was a prince he had felt from day one they had a bond they were comfortable with each other in a way that was rare.

Lothwyn greeted him and he politely asks if he could join her and if she wanted a drink. Augusto fixed her and himself a drink and he gently handed it to her. He stuck his finger out to gently touched her hand as she took her drink, he noticed a smile from her as he took his seat.

“Lothwyn I have a question, would if you could or if we can take my hand in marriage if I asked?”

She noticed he held his breath as he asked the question. A combat veteran nervous to ask a woman about her feelings she thought.

[Morrdh]

Lothwyn stared at him for a moment, unable to keep the surprised look off her face. "...Ye ain't joking are ya?"

"Oh boy..." She sighed and picked up a glass to take a long sip from, though really more for an excuse to delay answering. Augusto's question had completely blindsided her, she needed a moment to gather her thoughts. Sipping her drink slowly, she glanced at him standing there. Appraised him even. A connection, a spark, had first drawn them together only to be pushed apart by conflict that engulfed their respective countries. A spark all the same.

Yes.

Despite the war, despite everything, fate had drawn them together once more. Yes, the spark was still there. A spark whose appearance was betrayed by the glint in Augusto's eyes. She felt it too, her own feelings for him stirred up to the forefront after laying dormant for so long.

She continued looking at him even as she very carefully and very slowly placed her glass down on the table beside her, a very deliberate act on her part. She kept looking at him for a moment longer, brushing a loose strand of her red hair behind her ear before she finally replied.

She said one word.

"Yes."

[Imbrinium]

As the Augusto and Lothwyn woke up the morning as the sun peeked into the room, they looked at each other and smiled about the night they had. It had been a long time since they had a night like that almost in a different life it seemed.

The Augusto turned and asked if they could do brunch with the king and he’d be the first to be told of the news of the future wedding. Lothwyn agreed to that and the Augusto pick up his phone and called his father and told him about the brunch.

The two then got up and dressed and took their showers and went down to have breakfast. It seemed weird almost as they ate breakfast together knowing the staff watched them both. Before they kept it a secret but now today was different it was to show since it would be for long before the news would break, and the plans would have to be made for a royal wedding.

Both were excited but also concerned about what the public would think and the queen, she had almost lost the prince in a war with Morrdh and now a marriage between them was probably going to take her by surprise.

Neither ate much-knowing brunch was just a few hours away so they sat close together and talked at a low tone and drank coffee together. The Augusto wanted to know what kind of rings and diamond cuts she was interested in.

He knew they need to come up with a plan to talk to the king about when they broke the news to him in a few hours. The Augusto was used to running a platoon in the military and like things to be done right and have the right plan. He knew the queen was used to running a country and everything had to be planned even her days and times there were no days off for either of the two.

The Brunch

The King’s motorcade pulled up and the royal guards escorted Marcius his son with his adviser Sr. Natalino Capon greeted the queen and prince in the open but small beautiful garden.

The king showed the proper respect to Queen Lothwyn after that the king introduced Sr. Capon

“Your majesty this is my senior advisor Natalino Capon, he normally doesn’t stand up front with me but we have a gift of information for you”

“My Queen this is a classified report of intercepted radio traffic and cell traffic of going on in New Garrack, this was collected by the RIAF across the border by aircraft made to intercept this information.”

The king gestured to the table, so the Queen could look at the report.

[Morrdh]

Lothwyn woke as the dawning sun poured in through the windows; the night was recalled in the fuzz of dreamlike bliss until she felt Augusto lying next to her and those memories became clearer. A blissful smile spread across her face as she snuggle closer, her toes tickling his feet. She'd had instructed the servants not to disturb them unless it was vitally important, so they were free to untangle themselves from the bedsheets and get dressed for the day when they pleased. The servants were sure to gossip, unaware how close to the truth they got, so Lothwyn had also issued a decree that the servants were to be discreet in what they said and to whom.

After they'd both showered and gotten dressed, they headed down for breakfast. Lothwyn's mind was on the news that the pair of them would beak first to Augusto's parents and then to the wider world. She only gave a courtesy glance at the Garda Ríoga (Royal Guard), stood to attention in their dark green cloth uniforms and tall shakos. The Garda Ríoga acted as both the guardians of Morrdun Castle and as the bodyguards of the Morridane Monarch, though they predated the Commonwealth having originally served the preceding Kingdom of Mordent. Each man was primarily armed with a sabre hand forged by Clan Gallagher, though they were proficient in the use of firearms should the need ever arise.

Since brunch with Augusto's parents had already been agreed upon, breakfast devolved into more conversation than the consumption of food. Augusto seemed excited as he fired off question after question as he started planning their immediate future, though Lothwyn managed to field most of them with a smile as she munched on a slice of toast. It almost seemed like the unpleasanties between their respective countries in recent years never happened, or at least were confined to distant memories in the interests of going forward on more friendly terms.

Then the King of Imbrinium and his small party arrived, Lothwyn smiling as they exchanged greetings. She took the report that the King handed her before sitting down at the table and reading through its contents. After a while she frowned. "Please do not take this as a lack o' appreciation, a gift is a gift regardless o' form, but I have ta question why ye have given this ta me?"

"This would be better o' in the hands o' Vermillion since he'll be in a position ta act upon it." Lothwyn continued. "With yer blessing I'd like it given ta him after he returns from his party's conference in Ramarck."

"Besides," she said as she placed the report down on the table. "There are more lighter and almost as equally important matters ta discuss."

She glanced at Augusto, hoping that he'd picked up his cue to speak.

[Imbrinium]

The king was taken back by Lothwyn's comment about the intelligence the Crown just handed over.

"Your majesty the Crown doesn't really trust Vermillion as far as we could throw him, so we thought it best to bring it to you as a jester of good faith between our two governments. It's in your hands now with what you want to do with the information."

"What do you kids have to discuss?"

Augusto taking the cue from Lothwyn took a deep breath and turned to face his father.

"Well sir we have come to a decision and we realize we still love each other after all these years and we've decided we want to get married."

Marcius sat back in his chair, with a smirk knowing deep down he knew all along that if the world had let them be this would have happened years before now. The king knew it wouldn't be an easy sell for either country. But it would happen regardless if these two had their minds and hearts made up.

"Well you both know this wouldn't be an easy sell to either nation, and then there is your mother who isn't here to hear the news first, but we will take this one step and day at a time. First, we have to figure out if you two can marry without losing your crown Lothwyn."

"So any dates? Rings picked out? Who and when will we go public with this?

[Morrdh]

"Yes." Lothwyn agreed. "I do not, currently, have any heirs and the line o' succession is...complicated."

"I'll raise the matter with the Provost Council, they'll be the ones ta advise the best course o' action." Continued Lothwyn. "They can also be the ones ta make the announcement, least ta the Commonwealth."

"As fer yer other questions...well, no dates as o' yet and Augusto has been non-stop 'bouts rings." Added Lothwyn with a grin. "Never seen him so excited before."

"Regardless, lets take things one step at a time as we figure things out." Lothwyn finished saying, then sat back in her seat to listen to what Augusto and his father had to say.

[Imbrinium]

Marcius and Augusto started talking about the best way to break it to the Queen of Imbrinium, and how most likely Augusto would have to resign from the military. Matters of the Royal family such as marriage a lot of times outranked the needs of the military.

Marcius leaned over and looked at Lothwyn.

"You know a state visit would be in order, it would be best if it was when the news was broken to the Queen in person."

"The reason Augusto was almost killed in the last war and since then his mother has become a little overprotective of him, the queen didn't speak to me for a week after I agreed he should return back to his unit and army life."

"The Provost Council? What do they have to with matters of the Royal family and Royal court?"

[Morrdh]

"The Provost Council?" Lothwyn asked. "Its like a privy council, a group o' advisers who are also me viceregal representatives in the provinces that make up the Commonwealth. They're closer ta the citizens o' the Commonwealth than the government, therefore advise me on matters o' importance with the mood o' the populace in mind."

"The Council also deals with the line o' succession and other similar matters."

"A state visit sounds like a good idea, if anything it'll help with our countries moving forwards on more friendlier terms." Replied Lothwyn. "Yes, I can fully understand. Though we seemed ta be on good terms before, I hope that can continue."