“Perry cider it is, then, should I find myself in Zion as your guest,” she grinned and raised her glass of tea to her lips to take a refreshingly long drink. Her bright blue eyes dulled for the briefest of moments as he spoke of bringing her family. “Most of my family is gone now,” she told him, her voice soft as she tried to mask the grief of the many losses in her short life. There was still one who was still present, however. Although he was not yet family as such, he was as much family as she had now and she treasured their relationship all the more for it. “John and I plan to take a trip into the far reaches of Secfenia once my current term as Vicereine comes to an end.” Her blue eyes brightened once more as she spoke of him. Glancing up, she saw the question in Israe’s eyes and realized she had not explained who John was. She chuckled and held her glass out to a passing servant for more tea. After taking another sip she grinned over at Israe.
“John currently serves as my Finance Minister. He is also a very close friend and confidante. He is,” her eyes softened as she tried to explain what their relationship was, and realized she was not entirely certain herself. What she did know was that she cared deeply for him and she believed he felt the same for her. Her eyes cleared and she smiled as she continued the thought, “my best friend, and quite possibly more. But I shall leave it at that for the moment.”
Israe went on to describe the current climate of unrest and uncertainty surrounding Zion’s borders. She frowned, considering Bravia’s own perilous relationship to Cork and Kiene. Fenia was perhaps more of an ally, but was too far away for much practical assistance. Yes, Bravians desired to be left in peace, and treasured their boring mundane lives greatly. She knew it might not always be so, but worked hard to keep that peace, whatever the cost might be to her personally. Her young shoulders bore the weight of that responsibility, but she longed to just be the girl she had been such a few short years before, although she doubted she would ever reclaim the innocence of that time which now seemed to be several lifetimes ago.
She nodded as he spoke of the Dark Elf. “Oh, aye. The Elf may have stabbed himself in the foot and just has not yet noticed what is causing that prickly pain yet. Sometimes I wonder whether I should have just let the hotheads loose at the time and see what might have happened, but I knew we had not the strength in arms to win such a fight and I did not wish to give him further excuse to invade and annihilate the rest of Bravia.”
She chuckled wryly and shook her head. “But I digress. Your father sounds like a wise man, Israe. I have come to see, as I explained earlier, that Cork was an acceptable loss. It still stings, of course, as any loss will do, but not having to deal with that elf on a daily basis makes it worthwhile.”
As he spoke of becoming allies, she nodded carefully, conscious of her role as Vicereine and as host to this emissary from Zion. Her smile came easily as he spoke of friendship and trade between the two provinces. Setting her glass down on the table, she crossed her hands atop elbows propped upon the table top, interlacing her fingers as she leaned slightly forward.
“I believe that Bravia would be honored to strike a trade alliance as well as a declaration of friendship between our two peoples. My term is coming to an end, but I can certainly start the ball rolling, as it were. I believe there would be no objections from anyone on Council, whether this one or the next.”
She thought of the cat and shook her head. Even that one would not likely seek to derail such an alliance as this. She looked up as Israe mentioned the intricately carved wooden box that he had given into her safe keeping. She nodded in acknowledgement and motioned her Captain of the Guard over.
“Please have Stephan fetch the box that Viceroy Israe Li gave into our keeping and bring it here,” she instructed. Her eyes told him to take care of the item. His acknowledging nod and smile assured her he understood.
As the Captain left the room, servants glided forward to remove the leavings of the dinner they had just enjoyed followed closely behind them by a servant bearing a platter filled with iskir berry pie, strawberry shortcakes, klahua cakes and oatmeal cookies. She turned back to her guest. “The box should arrive shortly. In the meantime, I invite you to finish off our dinner with your choice of desserts,” she told him with a grin, one hand sweeping toward the tray to indicate the various offerings.
She began to describe each of the offerings to him. “We generally find iskir berries when we are out foraging as they do not grow as a regular crop in our lands. They do make the best wines and pies, though.
“Bravia is known far and wide for its strawberries. They are indeed the best, juiciest and most delectable strawberries I have ever tasted and the shortcakes made with them are simply beyond compare. Our klahua cakes are great if you are feeling a bit blue and need a delicious boost in your mood, and of course who doesn’t enjoy an oatmeal cookie or two from time to time?”
She grinned at her guest and sat back in her chair to allow him first choice from the platter as they waited for Stephan to arrive.
Informal Dinner Plans
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
The Viceroy watched her as she described her best friend. There was a lot unspoken there and he wondered what the future held for the two of them. Some in his home pressured him to find someone to fill the role of wife, but it was not his main priority. Nikola was very pretty and there was no denying it. If this John fellow made a mistake, there was a chance that she would be the attention of others in Zion. He put the thought to the side and smiled a bit. "Finance Minister... best friend. That sounds like a good idea. Have a bad finance minister and you can find ruin quickly. I've heard stories in the south of Finance Minister's stealing large sums and taking it elsewhere. I believe in the earlier days that happened to Bravia if I believe the rumors, " he stated. "I hope that this John treasures you as you should be. Not every Viceroyalty has someone as hospitible and kind as you," he said off handedly taking another drink.
Hearing her words about his father, he paused letting it sink it. There was a lot of things he thought about his father. He was a wise man and he knew the difficulties of being a leader. "I doubt that the wounds will ever fully heal. For us, we stand remembering the pain of the past loss and our dedication to ensure that it not happen again if we can help it. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we succeed, but we won't stop anytime soon," he said with a certain vigilance in his own voice. It was a determination that he would not let the people of Zion down.
"Then after I leave, please have an accord worked on and sent to us for us to review. Once it is done, we shall build a brighter future for both of our Viceroyalties. With your time waning, please feel free to have the next Viceroy contact me as well. My office door is always open to Bravia," he commented. He admitted to himself that he would rather deal with her than another, but he understood how governments worked. Sometimes they changed. Sometimes as an improvement, sometimes as a normal course, and sometimes for the worse. He'd have to see what the next council would do.
Seeing the various offerings, he couldn't help but smile. He had let his guard down some. He sampled a little of each almost like a little child. He must have looked ridiculous to some. This big man who was rooted in military upbringing and honed in the art of eating what was required just letting loose and eating some of the desserts. He knew when he returned to Zion that this was not quite the same sort of thing they had. His ambassador chuckly softly in the background while the guard elbowed him to the stomach. "I have heard of the strawberries. I just didn't expect them to be used in such an intricate display. You are most correct when you say they are beyond compare. I may just have to see if we can get some of them imported from time to time," he said with a light laugh.
He was curious which she would pick. Had strawberries become so common place that she would reach for something else? He was also curious about her thought on the gift they had picked for Bravia.
Hearing her words about his father, he paused letting it sink it. There was a lot of things he thought about his father. He was a wise man and he knew the difficulties of being a leader. "I doubt that the wounds will ever fully heal. For us, we stand remembering the pain of the past loss and our dedication to ensure that it not happen again if we can help it. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we succeed, but we won't stop anytime soon," he said with a certain vigilance in his own voice. It was a determination that he would not let the people of Zion down.
"Then after I leave, please have an accord worked on and sent to us for us to review. Once it is done, we shall build a brighter future for both of our Viceroyalties. With your time waning, please feel free to have the next Viceroy contact me as well. My office door is always open to Bravia," he commented. He admitted to himself that he would rather deal with her than another, but he understood how governments worked. Sometimes they changed. Sometimes as an improvement, sometimes as a normal course, and sometimes for the worse. He'd have to see what the next council would do.
Seeing the various offerings, he couldn't help but smile. He had let his guard down some. He sampled a little of each almost like a little child. He must have looked ridiculous to some. This big man who was rooted in military upbringing and honed in the art of eating what was required just letting loose and eating some of the desserts. He knew when he returned to Zion that this was not quite the same sort of thing they had. His ambassador chuckly softly in the background while the guard elbowed him to the stomach. "I have heard of the strawberries. I just didn't expect them to be used in such an intricate display. You are most correct when you say they are beyond compare. I may just have to see if we can get some of them imported from time to time," he said with a light laugh.
He was curious which she would pick. Had strawberries become so common place that she would reach for something else? He was also curious about her thought on the gift they had picked for Bravia.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
She nodded at his words about having a good Finance Minister and well remembered the plight of the Viceroyalty when a Finance Minister from her early days as a member of Council had simply disappeared while holding a grant with most of their gold supply and freznics as well as some goods that he had been holding in a security grant. It had taken long months and a lot of work to recoup that loss. They had learned though, from that experience, to never allow the whole of the treasury to be entrusted to a single person, no matter how trustworthy they might be. Anything could happen to a creature and a lightning strike to a grant holder still meant the loss of all they held as much as if the creature had intentionally run off with the goods.
She was deep in memory of this event when his next words found their way into her brain and she felt her cheeks flush. She wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so merely nodded acknowledgement. She found herself both relieved and interested to hear him speak more of his father. She did not remember her own father. The man who had raised her was not her father, but he had been kind and protective, yet she yearned to know her true parents and hearing Israe speak of the man who had given him life and taught him the way of things in their world held her attention. All too soon he was done and had moved on to begin making plans for how to begin working on an accord between their two provinces.
“I will certainly begin work on it now, Israe, and once the new Vicereine is seated, I will teach her what I have learned of you and the ways of your people. My hope is that she, or he, will see the importance of this alliance as well as I do. Whether or not I remain as leader of my people, you may be assured that I shall have a part in writing this accord and will do my best to see it through to its conclusion.”
She watched as he tried the various dessert offerings, a glint of self-effacing humor dancing in his dark eyes which somehow warmed her heart to see. After he helped himself, she selected strawberry shortcake and a slice of iskir berry pie. Both were her favorites and she couldn’t let him have all the fun, now, could she?
She had finished the shortcake and was halfway through the pie when Stephan arrived with the box, accompanied by two other guards who strode a step behind and to either side of him. One of them carried a small stand and as they approached the table this guard stepped forward and set up stand next to the table, testing its sturdiness before nodding to Stephan and stepping aside. Stephan stepped forward and gingerly placed the box on the stand before bowing to his Vicereine.
“Thank you, Stephan. A good idea, this stand, I think. I had thought we’d set it on the table, but this is much better. You’ve done well, guardsman, all of you.”
She smiled again as the three retreated to join their fellows against the wall, leaving the Viceroy and the Vicereine to deal with the box. She gave Israe an inquiring look.
She was deep in memory of this event when his next words found their way into her brain and she felt her cheeks flush. She wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so merely nodded acknowledgement. She found herself both relieved and interested to hear him speak more of his father. She did not remember her own father. The man who had raised her was not her father, but he had been kind and protective, yet she yearned to know her true parents and hearing Israe speak of the man who had given him life and taught him the way of things in their world held her attention. All too soon he was done and had moved on to begin making plans for how to begin working on an accord between their two provinces.
“I will certainly begin work on it now, Israe, and once the new Vicereine is seated, I will teach her what I have learned of you and the ways of your people. My hope is that she, or he, will see the importance of this alliance as well as I do. Whether or not I remain as leader of my people, you may be assured that I shall have a part in writing this accord and will do my best to see it through to its conclusion.”
She watched as he tried the various dessert offerings, a glint of self-effacing humor dancing in his dark eyes which somehow warmed her heart to see. After he helped himself, she selected strawberry shortcake and a slice of iskir berry pie. Both were her favorites and she couldn’t let him have all the fun, now, could she?
She had finished the shortcake and was halfway through the pie when Stephan arrived with the box, accompanied by two other guards who strode a step behind and to either side of him. One of them carried a small stand and as they approached the table this guard stepped forward and set up stand next to the table, testing its sturdiness before nodding to Stephan and stepping aside. Stephan stepped forward and gingerly placed the box on the stand before bowing to his Vicereine.
“Thank you, Stephan. A good idea, this stand, I think. I had thought we’d set it on the table, but this is much better. You’ve done well, guardsman, all of you.”
She smiled again as the three retreated to join their fellows against the wall, leaving the Viceroy and the Vicereine to deal with the box. She gave Israe an inquiring look.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
The Viceroy nodded at her promise. "Bravia has benefitted from your leadership and I hope that their next leader can achieve a similar success. I believe that you will ensure your best to make sure this will happen and for that, I am appreciative," he commented. He wondered what direction the next leader would persue. After all, every leader tends to have their own direction, their own purpose, and their own goals. Some looked more for the best of the realm they worked for while others tended to be greedier. He had no doubt about Nikkola, but would have to wait and see who the new one would be.
He grinned seeing her take some of the dessert. It was nice to share a moment like this. Just relaxed, just enjoying someone who was a peer. Sometimes as a leader you have to act more proper than you want to. It was the nature of the role. But he knew the role.
As the box was coming in the air, he straightened himself up and wiped his mouth. "It is important that you kept the box in such good care. Some may desire to steal the gift of a Viceroyalty to another. The power of the symbol alone is enough to wreak havoc. This is a symbol of the future friendship I see between the two realms," he said standing up. The guard handed him the key to the box and opened it slowly. Inside of the box, he pulled out a delicate egg and offered it to Nikola. "Please accept this as a gift from the Viceroyalty and people of Zion. Inside, you will also find another gift," he stated.
Inside:
He grinned seeing her take some of the dessert. It was nice to share a moment like this. Just relaxed, just enjoying someone who was a peer. Sometimes as a leader you have to act more proper than you want to. It was the nature of the role. But he knew the role.
As the box was coming in the air, he straightened himself up and wiped his mouth. "It is important that you kept the box in such good care. Some may desire to steal the gift of a Viceroyalty to another. The power of the symbol alone is enough to wreak havoc. This is a symbol of the future friendship I see between the two realms," he said standing up. The guard handed him the key to the box and opened it slowly. Inside of the box, he pulled out a delicate egg and offered it to Nikola. "Please accept this as a gift from the Viceroyalty and people of Zion. Inside, you will also find another gift," he stated.
Inside:
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
She listened in solemn and respectful silence as Israe explained the importance of the box and declared the contents to be a symbol of friendship between their two realms. One of the guards handed him a key and she watched in curiosity as he turned the key, a feeling stealing over her that history was happening right here, right now and she was privileged to be a part of it. The feeling left her with a sense of awe which deepened as he gently pulled out the most beautiful and delicately ornate egg Nikola had ever seen. She reached out to take it from him as he offered it to her, surprised that her hands did not shake. But they remained steady, for which she was very grateful.
“On behalf of the people and Viceroyalty of Bravia I do accept this most precious gift from the Viceroyalty and the people of Zion. We shall treasure it as the symbol of friendship between our two realms that it is meant to be. Thank you.”
She bowed her head in respect to her fellow Viceroy as she thanked him. His next words finally registered and she placed the egg gingerly upon the table, making sure that it was near the center of the table so that it would not accidentally be knocked off the edge onto the floor. Having secured the egg’s position on the table, she turned back to the box and peered inside. She looked back up at Israe before looking back into the box and reaching inside to withdraw a most beautiful piece of jewelry. The silver knotting reminded her of a home she had barely known and she felt her heart skip a beat as she examined the fine workmanship that went into the design. In the center was a simple, yet obviously flawless green gemstone. She held it in both hands and gave an inquiring look at Israe, her eyes full of wonder and questions.
“It…is beautiful,” she told him truthfully. “It feels…familiar, somehow, although I cannot say why.” She looked back at the piece in her hand and stroked it lovingly, wondering whether it was pure Zion and why it felt so … true.
“On behalf of the people and Viceroyalty of Bravia I do accept this most precious gift from the Viceroyalty and the people of Zion. We shall treasure it as the symbol of friendship between our two realms that it is meant to be. Thank you.”
She bowed her head in respect to her fellow Viceroy as she thanked him. His next words finally registered and she placed the egg gingerly upon the table, making sure that it was near the center of the table so that it would not accidentally be knocked off the edge onto the floor. Having secured the egg’s position on the table, she turned back to the box and peered inside. She looked back up at Israe before looking back into the box and reaching inside to withdraw a most beautiful piece of jewelry. The silver knotting reminded her of a home she had barely known and she felt her heart skip a beat as she examined the fine workmanship that went into the design. In the center was a simple, yet obviously flawless green gemstone. She held it in both hands and gave an inquiring look at Israe, her eyes full of wonder and questions.
“It…is beautiful,” she told him truthfully. “It feels…familiar, somehow, although I cannot say why.” She looked back at the piece in her hand and stroked it lovingly, wondering whether it was pure Zion and why it felt so … true.