Nikki checked the incoming messages once more, but nothing was there from Viceroy Israe Li. She knew he would be coming any day now, but not precisely when. She had set her Steward, Iris, to work planning the meal and ordered the castle's kitchen staff under her authority. Cook was at first quite unhappy about the arrangement, but as Iris worked directly with him on the plans, he seemed to have forgotten his hurt feelings and had set to work coming up with some innovative ideas for the meal. Nikki was a little nervous about the outcome, but trusted her steward and the cook implicitly, so left the meal preparations in their capable hands once she was assured of their mutual cooperation.
The domestic staff at the castle had been busy making certain that the interior of the castle was swept, dusted and polished, the rooms properly aired out and guest rooms made ready for their guest of honor and any entourage he might bring with him. True, he had asked for an informal dinner, and she had given orders for the meal to be as informal as possible given the occasion of his visit, but "informal" did not necessarily mean a picnic out by the barn, did it?
Back in her office, she double checked the grant listings to see whether John had been able to create the grant intended for Zion's Viceroy. It wasn't there yet, so she knew the Viceroy had not yet arrived in Bravia. Well, he would be here soon enough, she was certain. Assured that all would be ready for his arrival, she turned to other business that required her personal attention.
Informal Dinner Plans
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
The galleon arrived in the town of Paz with an entourage arriving from the port. "M'Viceroy, we have arrived. Shall we send notice ahead," a clerical staff asked of Viceroy Israe Li. The Viceroy nodded his head softly. "Viceroy Nikoli is expecting us to arrive shortly. Make sure we have everything right. We can't let this meeting fail. After all, this is the first major meeting between us and I want everything perfect," he said. The staff member nodded quickly and started handing out orders to various other staff.
A small group unpacked boxes from the galleon and worked on putting together the carts and unloading the horses ready for the journey to Bravia's capitol, Bravia City. The Viceroy grabbed one hand carved box engraved with the logo of the Viceroyaly of Zion. He wiped it carefully and grabbed it himself heading towards the rebuilt cart and started in with some idle banter between the staff and himself.
Meanwhile, the servant took a horse and rode strong into Bravia City towards the castle. The servant arrived there a bit before the Viceroy's caravan. The servant approached the castle containing a letter. "Please pass this letter to Vicerience Nikola," the servant asked of what appeared to be the castle guard. The letter read:
A small group unpacked boxes from the galleon and worked on putting together the carts and unloading the horses ready for the journey to Bravia's capitol, Bravia City. The Viceroy grabbed one hand carved box engraved with the logo of the Viceroyaly of Zion. He wiped it carefully and grabbed it himself heading towards the rebuilt cart and started in with some idle banter between the staff and himself.
Meanwhile, the servant took a horse and rode strong into Bravia City towards the castle. The servant arrived there a bit before the Viceroy's caravan. The servant approached the castle containing a letter. "Please pass this letter to Vicerience Nikola," the servant asked of what appeared to be the castle guard. The letter read:
| Viceriene Nikola, I look forward to meeting you in person. I shall arrive in just a few hours, but thought that you would like advance notice. May you day be good and I look forward to seeing you shortly. Viceroy Israe Li | ||
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
The Vicereine had finished with the castle inspection early that morning and had left instructions for the stable staff to prepare a portion of the stables to be set aside for the Zion Viceroy and any horses or other beasts he might bring with him. She had no clue how many to expect, but figured there would be at least one, surely, and wanted to be as prepared as possible.
She had eaten a light lunch, mainly because Iris was in the castle with her today and had brought her the meal and insisted that she eat. Now she was back to the seemingly endless stack of paperwork and correspondence that adorned her desk. A rap against the doorframe of the open door was a welcome distraction and she looked up to see one of her castle guards standing at attention and waved him in.
He entered, bowed and handed her a message. "This was delivered to the castle gate a few moments ago, M'Lady. I noticed the seal and delivered it straight away. I had the messenger wait at the gates in case you wish to question him?"
The last was said more as a question than a statement. Nikki grinned as she looked up at the young man. "Well done. Give me a moment..." she said as she broke the seal and straightened the parchment so she could read it. Her eyes were alight with excitement as she looked up again. "Please escort the messenger to the chambers we have set aside for Viceroy Israe Li and his company. Make sure the servants assigned to those rooms know he is there and offer him the courtesy of a bath and a meal in whichever order he prefers them."
The guard saluted and spun on his heel to carry out her orders. She glanced back down at the letter, guessed about how long behind the servant Zion's Viceroy might be and stepped outside her office to call for Iris. The steward had not wandered very far and appeared quickly in response to her summons.
"Iris, let the staff know that Viceroy Israe Li is on his way and should be here within a few hours at most. I want his rooms ready and the evening meal started as soon as may be." Iris nodded and started down the hallway as Nikki stepped back into her office, then stepped back out into the hallway to call after Iris' retreating back. "Oh, and please have a bath readied for me in my rooms as soon as may be." The steward paused to look back, and nodded her acknowledgement with a smile before resuming her task.
After tidying up a bit, Nikki left the office and retreated to the rooms she occupied while at the castle to find a tub already filled with steaming bath water waiting for her and fresh clothes already laid out for her to change into. This should be an evening to remember, she smiled to herself as she shed her clothes and stepped into the tub.
She had eaten a light lunch, mainly because Iris was in the castle with her today and had brought her the meal and insisted that she eat. Now she was back to the seemingly endless stack of paperwork and correspondence that adorned her desk. A rap against the doorframe of the open door was a welcome distraction and she looked up to see one of her castle guards standing at attention and waved him in.
He entered, bowed and handed her a message. "This was delivered to the castle gate a few moments ago, M'Lady. I noticed the seal and delivered it straight away. I had the messenger wait at the gates in case you wish to question him?"
The last was said more as a question than a statement. Nikki grinned as she looked up at the young man. "Well done. Give me a moment..." she said as she broke the seal and straightened the parchment so she could read it. Her eyes were alight with excitement as she looked up again. "Please escort the messenger to the chambers we have set aside for Viceroy Israe Li and his company. Make sure the servants assigned to those rooms know he is there and offer him the courtesy of a bath and a meal in whichever order he prefers them."
The guard saluted and spun on his heel to carry out her orders. She glanced back down at the letter, guessed about how long behind the servant Zion's Viceroy might be and stepped outside her office to call for Iris. The steward had not wandered very far and appeared quickly in response to her summons.
"Iris, let the staff know that Viceroy Israe Li is on his way and should be here within a few hours at most. I want his rooms ready and the evening meal started as soon as may be." Iris nodded and started down the hallway as Nikki stepped back into her office, then stepped back out into the hallway to call after Iris' retreating back. "Oh, and please have a bath readied for me in my rooms as soon as may be." The steward paused to look back, and nodded her acknowledgement with a smile before resuming her task.
After tidying up a bit, Nikki left the office and retreated to the rooms she occupied while at the castle to find a tub already filled with steaming bath water waiting for her and fresh clothes already laid out for her to change into. This should be an evening to remember, she smiled to herself as she shed her clothes and stepped into the tub.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Iris bustled about the castle, relaying Lady Nikola’s instructions to the kitchen staff and ensuring that the castle’s domestic staff were in motion putting the last touches on the Reception Hall. Zion’s ambassador would be shown first to his rooms to give him a chance to freshen up after his long journey before being presented to the Vicereine. That is if she could keep her Lady from greeting him at the door. Iris tsk’d to herself, knowing how Nikola would be wanting to do just that. The impropriety of it all! That thought brought a slight smile to the Steward’s lips. She knew her Lady was not uppity like many of her station, yet at times Iris wished she would behave less like a normal person and more like the Vicereine she was.
After she was satisfied that the staff were properly set into motion, Iris personally saw to her Lady’s chambers, making sure the tub was filled with steaming water for her bath before selecting the outfit she thought would best suit the occasion. Iris had a feeling that if left to herself, Nikola would probably dress like the commoner she believed herself to be. But her Lady was not a commoner. Of that, Iris was certain, even aside from being the leader of Bravia. No, her Lady was something more and even the Lady herself did not fully appreciate what that was. No one did, so far as Iris knew, but she did. Even Nikola did not know all that Iris knew. The day that Iris revealed that knowledge to her Lady would come soon enough, but today was not that day.
Pulling the selected gown out of the Vicereine’s wardrobe, Iris arranged it on a rack to give it time and room to air out and allow any wrinkles to be removed. She left the room in search of pins and ribbons to fashion the Lady’s hair into something different than her usual free flowing locks or impromptu braid. When she returned, the Lady was already in her bath and Iris let herself in, bustling about the room making sure everything was ready.
Once the Lady was finished with her bath, Iris helped her dress in the gown she had chosen for the occasion.
”Now, my lady, let’s get your hair brushed and sorted,” she said, ignoring Nikola’s protests that she was quite capable of doing that herself. Iris smiled behind Nikola’s back as the Lady finally gave in and sat quietly so that Iris could work her magic on her blonde tresses.
She was just putting the last finishing touch on the hairstyle when there came a knock at the door. Iris gave Nikola’s shoulder a pat and went to the door to find a servant waiting there.
”Well?” Iris inquired impatiently as the servant just stood there gaping past Iris into the room. Iris snapped her fingers to pull the young man’s attention back to her and arched an eyebrow. ”Did you come for a reason, or just to gawk at her Ladyship?”
The servant dutifully blushed and stammered out an apology. “I…I’m sorry. I just don’t…” He cleared his throat and straightened. “I was sent to report that the entourage from Zion has been seen nearing the castle gates. They should be here within the half hour. Stablemen are already on their way to meet them and direct the animals toward the stable and the castle staff is ready to direct the esteemed Viceroy and his people to their rooms.”
Iris heard rustling from behind her and stifled another smile as the servant gulped and stared into her own face, presumably to keep from staring at the Vicereine. Iris found that odd as the staff had certainly seen her Lady dressed formally before. She nodded and dismissed the servant, only then turning to discover the reason for his odd behavior.
Vicereine Nikola had risen from her chair and looked every inch the queen that Iris saw her as. That, however, was not what caught her breath. The Lady was glowing. Not in the way that women glow when they are in the presence of one they love, or when they are with child. No, the light that Iris knew infused her Lady had formed an aura of gold that surrounded Nikola and was beginning to fill the room even as Iris watched.
“My Lady…” she started, but did not know how to find the words so stepped forward and directed Nikola over to stand facing the mirror. “Ye cannot go out until ye have that under control,” she told her softly.
After she was satisfied that the staff were properly set into motion, Iris personally saw to her Lady’s chambers, making sure the tub was filled with steaming water for her bath before selecting the outfit she thought would best suit the occasion. Iris had a feeling that if left to herself, Nikola would probably dress like the commoner she believed herself to be. But her Lady was not a commoner. Of that, Iris was certain, even aside from being the leader of Bravia. No, her Lady was something more and even the Lady herself did not fully appreciate what that was. No one did, so far as Iris knew, but she did. Even Nikola did not know all that Iris knew. The day that Iris revealed that knowledge to her Lady would come soon enough, but today was not that day.
Pulling the selected gown out of the Vicereine’s wardrobe, Iris arranged it on a rack to give it time and room to air out and allow any wrinkles to be removed. She left the room in search of pins and ribbons to fashion the Lady’s hair into something different than her usual free flowing locks or impromptu braid. When she returned, the Lady was already in her bath and Iris let herself in, bustling about the room making sure everything was ready.
Once the Lady was finished with her bath, Iris helped her dress in the gown she had chosen for the occasion.
”Now, my lady, let’s get your hair brushed and sorted,” she said, ignoring Nikola’s protests that she was quite capable of doing that herself. Iris smiled behind Nikola’s back as the Lady finally gave in and sat quietly so that Iris could work her magic on her blonde tresses.
She was just putting the last finishing touch on the hairstyle when there came a knock at the door. Iris gave Nikola’s shoulder a pat and went to the door to find a servant waiting there.
”Well?” Iris inquired impatiently as the servant just stood there gaping past Iris into the room. Iris snapped her fingers to pull the young man’s attention back to her and arched an eyebrow. ”Did you come for a reason, or just to gawk at her Ladyship?”
The servant dutifully blushed and stammered out an apology. “I…I’m sorry. I just don’t…” He cleared his throat and straightened. “I was sent to report that the entourage from Zion has been seen nearing the castle gates. They should be here within the half hour. Stablemen are already on their way to meet them and direct the animals toward the stable and the castle staff is ready to direct the esteemed Viceroy and his people to their rooms.”
Iris heard rustling from behind her and stifled another smile as the servant gulped and stared into her own face, presumably to keep from staring at the Vicereine. Iris found that odd as the staff had certainly seen her Lady dressed formally before. She nodded and dismissed the servant, only then turning to discover the reason for his odd behavior.
Vicereine Nikola had risen from her chair and looked every inch the queen that Iris saw her as. That, however, was not what caught her breath. The Lady was glowing. Not in the way that women glow when they are in the presence of one they love, or when they are with child. No, the light that Iris knew infused her Lady had formed an aura of gold that surrounded Nikola and was beginning to fill the room even as Iris watched.
“My Lady…” she started, but did not know how to find the words so stepped forward and directed Nikola over to stand facing the mirror. “Ye cannot go out until ye have that under control,” she told her softly.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Nikki gave Iris a confused look before turning around to face the mirror and then froze. The golden glow was not only visible but very obvious, even to Iris. Nikki had not known that Iris knew of her powers, but as the steward did not seem frightened or surprised, she must have known. With an effort, she concentrated on regaining control of the light that of late pulsed ever more strongly within her being. How she wished she knew someone to turn to for advice, but she knew of none with this gift…or affliction, depending upon one’s point of view at any given time of the day.
She watched the light fade and felt it burn within her for a long moment before going dormant. Releasing a breath she had not realized she was holding, she smiled weakly at Iris.
”Thank you, Iris. I had not realized.” She was about to say more, but sounds of feet hurrying down the hall outside her door made her stop. There would be time for conversation later.
”We had best be on our way. I would very much like to greet Viceroy Israe li when he arrives.”
Turning away from the mirror with Iris still behind her, she did not notice the way Iris smirked and rolled her eyes. The steward was all business when Nikki passed by her on her way to the door and she was comforted by the sound of the steward following behind.
She watched the light fade and felt it burn within her for a long moment before going dormant. Releasing a breath she had not realized she was holding, she smiled weakly at Iris.
”Thank you, Iris. I had not realized.” She was about to say more, but sounds of feet hurrying down the hall outside her door made her stop. There would be time for conversation later.
”We had best be on our way. I would very much like to greet Viceroy Israe li when he arrives.”
Turning away from the mirror with Iris still behind her, she did not notice the way Iris smirked and rolled her eyes. The steward was all business when Nikki passed by her on her way to the door and she was comforted by the sound of the steward following behind.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Zion's Viceroy sat frustrated in the cart. "Why have we stopped moving," he asked. A servant was shaking their head. "It appears that we have broken part of the wheel," the servant said. The Viceroy jumped out of the cart and surveyed the damage. It appeared on the road to the capitol that part of the wheel had broken. He rubbed his chin briefly and thought about what he could do about it. Within a few minutes, he grabbed some tools from the cart and ordered some of the servants the lift the cart while he made repairs to the wheel. Wiping his brow, he looked at the work he had done and saw that it would be good enough for getting them to their destination.
"Let us move out. We do not want to keep the Viceriene waiting. What's next, rain," he asked almost as a question. Of course, this is almost a challenge as sometimes the weather seemed to want to play havoc especially when important events seemed to be happening. The clouds danced together in the sky teasing the Viceroy and his group on whether they wanted to try to rain or maybe just make it a little cooler.
Meanwhile in the castle, the ambassador that had announced the Viceroy's soon to be arrival found the room and started to ensure that things were fair for his Viceroy-ness. After all, the travel would make anyone weary and if the Viceroy was not at his best, it would be left on his shoulders to make things right. Why make a bad dice roll that resulted in having to play the long odds when you can keep the four sixes and hope for a fifth. After inspecting the room, getting bathed, and making things perfect for the arrival, he laid his feet up. He slowly dozed off until...
He heard the horns of the arriving caravan. The unique to him noise was something he was used to hearing upon arrival of the Viceroy's entourage to the town or region. He expected that the servants would be moving quickly and sought to be reunited with the Viceroy.
The cart came to a stop at the castle with a servant calling out: "Hear ye, hear ye, Viceroy Israe Li of the Viceroyaly of Zion has arrived" The Viceroy looked ready to finally be back inside of a castle.
"Let us move out. We do not want to keep the Viceriene waiting. What's next, rain," he asked almost as a question. Of course, this is almost a challenge as sometimes the weather seemed to want to play havoc especially when important events seemed to be happening. The clouds danced together in the sky teasing the Viceroy and his group on whether they wanted to try to rain or maybe just make it a little cooler.
Meanwhile in the castle, the ambassador that had announced the Viceroy's soon to be arrival found the room and started to ensure that things were fair for his Viceroy-ness. After all, the travel would make anyone weary and if the Viceroy was not at his best, it would be left on his shoulders to make things right. Why make a bad dice roll that resulted in having to play the long odds when you can keep the four sixes and hope for a fifth. After inspecting the room, getting bathed, and making things perfect for the arrival, he laid his feet up. He slowly dozed off until...
He heard the horns of the arriving caravan. The unique to him noise was something he was used to hearing upon arrival of the Viceroy's entourage to the town or region. He expected that the servants would be moving quickly and sought to be reunited with the Viceroy.
The cart came to a stop at the castle with a servant calling out: "Hear ye, hear ye, Viceroy Israe Li of the Viceroyaly of Zion has arrived" The Viceroy looked ready to finally be back inside of a castle.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Nikki and Iris were just approaching the great foyer beyond which lay the grand steps which spilled from the castle's main entrance into the upper Bailey when the horns sounded, announcing the arrival of Zion’s Viceroy. A man she had not seen before rushed past her, heading out the entrance and down the steps straight toward the caravan. A glance at one of the guards told her this was the messenger who had arrived earlier. Good. He looked well enough rested and his manner of approaching his lord was one of genuine joy at being reunited rather than fear or hesitation. That, too, was a good sign.
She exited the castle onto the landing of the grand outer stairs where she halted, facing the Bailey, an open courtyard that separated the castle proper from the walls that surrounded the castle grounds and lay between the castle entrance and the gate house through which the Zion caravan was now entering the lower Bailey. She felt a certain pride well up within her at the neat and courteous efficiency with which her people greeted the caravan and stood ready to divert the wagons and animals to the stables to be taken care of while the sentient creatures were led toward the castle. A contingent of guards drew protectively close as the Zion group approached but did not hem her in. They were close enough to protect, but not so close as to keep her from greeting her guest of honor.
She took note of the man to whom deference was begin given among the Zion contingent. That would be Viceroy Israe Li, she felt sure. The commoner in her wanted to stride forward and simply introduce herself as though meeting a fellow commoner on the street. However decorum…and Iris…demanded that she wait until he was presented or chose to present himself.
A stray wisp of hair blew across Nikki’s cheek in the breeze as clouds danced overhead. She was glad the heavens had not yet decided to pour rain upon the travelers from Zion and reached up absent mindedly to tuck the blonde lock behind her ear as she watched the Viceroy and his entourage approach the upper bailey. As they neared the middle of that courtyard, her herald stepped forward to greet them with an official welcome. He halted and spoke to the man she assumed to be Viceroy Israe Li, his voice clear and pleasant yet powerful enough to cut through the noise of the gathering crowd.
“Welcome to Bravia, my Lord,” he bowed to the Viceroy. Taking in the rest of the Zion entourage, he smiled (she couldn’t see him smile for she was behind him, but she could hear the smile in his voice) and spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. “My Lady Nikola, Vicereine of these lands, bids you all welcome to our home.” With that, he turned aside and gestured to where Nikki stood, making it clear that he was introducing her as the Vicereine of Bravia.
She smiled graciously and inclined her head as was proper between equals, although she certainly did not feel his equal. For all she knew his was an inherited position, like that of some royals she used to read about. Hers was as fleeting as the people's willingness, or not, to keep her on as their leader. This day she was their leader and she would do her best to represent the people of Bravia well to his man and his people. She took her time descending the stairs, not wanting to trip over her gown and fall on her face before the crowd. As she neared, she allowed the warmth of her greeting to show in her smile and relaxed posture.
"Indeed, you are most welcome, my lord Viceroy. We have a suite of rooms set aside for your use and that of your companions. If you wish, my staff can direct you all there straight away so that you may refresh yourselves after your journey. When you are ready, you may join me at your leisure. It will be at least an hour or so," she looked to Iris for confirmation and received a curt nod, "before our dinner is ready, so you have plenty of time to settle in and get comfortable."
She exited the castle onto the landing of the grand outer stairs where she halted, facing the Bailey, an open courtyard that separated the castle proper from the walls that surrounded the castle grounds and lay between the castle entrance and the gate house through which the Zion caravan was now entering the lower Bailey. She felt a certain pride well up within her at the neat and courteous efficiency with which her people greeted the caravan and stood ready to divert the wagons and animals to the stables to be taken care of while the sentient creatures were led toward the castle. A contingent of guards drew protectively close as the Zion group approached but did not hem her in. They were close enough to protect, but not so close as to keep her from greeting her guest of honor.
She took note of the man to whom deference was begin given among the Zion contingent. That would be Viceroy Israe Li, she felt sure. The commoner in her wanted to stride forward and simply introduce herself as though meeting a fellow commoner on the street. However decorum…and Iris…demanded that she wait until he was presented or chose to present himself.
A stray wisp of hair blew across Nikki’s cheek in the breeze as clouds danced overhead. She was glad the heavens had not yet decided to pour rain upon the travelers from Zion and reached up absent mindedly to tuck the blonde lock behind her ear as she watched the Viceroy and his entourage approach the upper bailey. As they neared the middle of that courtyard, her herald stepped forward to greet them with an official welcome. He halted and spoke to the man she assumed to be Viceroy Israe Li, his voice clear and pleasant yet powerful enough to cut through the noise of the gathering crowd.
“Welcome to Bravia, my Lord,” he bowed to the Viceroy. Taking in the rest of the Zion entourage, he smiled (she couldn’t see him smile for she was behind him, but she could hear the smile in his voice) and spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. “My Lady Nikola, Vicereine of these lands, bids you all welcome to our home.” With that, he turned aside and gestured to where Nikki stood, making it clear that he was introducing her as the Vicereine of Bravia.
She smiled graciously and inclined her head as was proper between equals, although she certainly did not feel his equal. For all she knew his was an inherited position, like that of some royals she used to read about. Hers was as fleeting as the people's willingness, or not, to keep her on as their leader. This day she was their leader and she would do her best to represent the people of Bravia well to his man and his people. She took her time descending the stairs, not wanting to trip over her gown and fall on her face before the crowd. As she neared, she allowed the warmth of her greeting to show in her smile and relaxed posture.
"Indeed, you are most welcome, my lord Viceroy. We have a suite of rooms set aside for your use and that of your companions. If you wish, my staff can direct you all there straight away so that you may refresh yourselves after your journey. When you are ready, you may join me at your leisure. It will be at least an hour or so," she looked to Iris for confirmation and received a curt nod, "before our dinner is ready, so you have plenty of time to settle in and get comfortable."
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
The ambassador quickly nodded towards the Viceroy of Zion and gave a thumbs up signal to him. He stood tall as the group entered into the area. He watched as the guards reacted. A note of protection was in the air, but not in which they seemed to issue a challenge either. A guard to the left of the Viceroy of Zion held tight watching for any who might dare to attack the figure of strength within the Viceroyalty of Zion. He wasn't as eager as the Viceroy to go away from home as there were always threats and challenges with it, but he also knew his place.
Israe Li had been looking for whom the Viceriene would be. He had heard descriptions from his team, but until you actually met them, you never knew what exactly you might be getting into. If she was half as pretty as her diction was, then he knew he was in for a very interesting dinner. A herld approached the Viceroy and the guard watched him closely checking for any danger. Viceroy Israe Li, nodded his head as the herald bowed. The wind tickled upon his cheek a bit. A lovely day for a new beginning. The Viceroy heard the greeting and his eyes followed the gesture. Seeing a beautiful woman standing there he pondered what she would think of him... and as an extension Zion.
Seeing her beautiful smile, he nodded towards her and now saw her descending towards him. Their leader seemed to represent the very hospitality and beauty that some had spoken of Bravia in the years since the rise from the ashes of the dark era.
"Viceriene Nikolia, as representative of the people of Zion, it is an honor to be welcomed within the Castle of Bravia. We will be glad to settle in and get ready for today's meeting. The sky above seems to have shone down upon us a good sign of our meeting. In the meantime, we have an extremely valuable item that we desire that your most trusted guard protect," he said as a servant handed an intricately carved wooden box with the insignia of the Viceroyalty of Zion. "We will discuss that item later. Until then, I look forward to a day here in the Castle with you and your people," he stated making sure that the gift was handed off to whomever the Viceriene wanted.
Little did they know inside of the box was a very delicate egg. One whose value might not be able to calculate ...
After that exchange, they went into the rooms to relax, refresh, and be prepared for dinner. The ambassador and the Viceroy talked briefly about the treatment that the Ambassador had while the caravan was arriving. It was all favorable and the ambassador raved about the hospitality of the staff. This wasn't something that you got in all Viceroyalties in Secfenia. Some were a bit more harsh to each other. The bitterness and rivalry of some viceroyalties had even diminished the common respect that leaders should often show towards each other.
Israe Li had been looking for whom the Viceriene would be. He had heard descriptions from his team, but until you actually met them, you never knew what exactly you might be getting into. If she was half as pretty as her diction was, then he knew he was in for a very interesting dinner. A herld approached the Viceroy and the guard watched him closely checking for any danger. Viceroy Israe Li, nodded his head as the herald bowed. The wind tickled upon his cheek a bit. A lovely day for a new beginning. The Viceroy heard the greeting and his eyes followed the gesture. Seeing a beautiful woman standing there he pondered what she would think of him... and as an extension Zion.
Seeing her beautiful smile, he nodded towards her and now saw her descending towards him. Their leader seemed to represent the very hospitality and beauty that some had spoken of Bravia in the years since the rise from the ashes of the dark era.
"Viceriene Nikolia, as representative of the people of Zion, it is an honor to be welcomed within the Castle of Bravia. We will be glad to settle in and get ready for today's meeting. The sky above seems to have shone down upon us a good sign of our meeting. In the meantime, we have an extremely valuable item that we desire that your most trusted guard protect," he said as a servant handed an intricately carved wooden box with the insignia of the Viceroyalty of Zion. "We will discuss that item later. Until then, I look forward to a day here in the Castle with you and your people," he stated making sure that the gift was handed off to whomever the Viceriene wanted.
Little did they know inside of the box was a very delicate egg. One whose value might not be able to calculate ...
After that exchange, they went into the rooms to relax, refresh, and be prepared for dinner. The ambassador and the Viceroy talked briefly about the treatment that the Ambassador had while the caravan was arriving. It was all favorable and the ambassador raved about the hospitality of the staff. This wasn't something that you got in all Viceroyalties in Secfenia. Some were a bit more harsh to each other. The bitterness and rivalry of some viceroyalties had even diminished the common respect that leaders should often show towards each other.
Last edited by ZionVR on Wed Jun 14, 2017 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Israe Li responded graciously to her greeting and then surprised her by asking her to safeguard a very valuable item. The box that contained it was very beautiful and she could not even begin to guess what it contained. She had not expected this and so had made no prior arrangements, but she nodded to the head of her guard contingent who signaled to one of the more senior guards to step forward. Nikki noticed that the box was handled very gingerly by Viceroy’s people and was pleased to see that Stephan took as much care in handling the box as they had done.
“Take it to the Castle Treasury and ensure that it is safe and secure,” she instructed him. “See to it that it is guarded at all times until the Viceroy calls for it again.”
Stephan nodded his acknowledgement of the orders and immediately withdrew, heading toward the castle with his prize. She smiled to see him collect two more guards stationed nearer the castle entrance to accompany him inside. The Captain of the Guard had chosen well.
After the Viceroy and his people retired to their rooms, she made her way to the kitchens to see how the meal preparation was coming along. The aroma of roasting meat and baking bread tantalized her taste buds and she merely grinned at Iris as the Steward all but smacked her hand when she tried to snag a small roll fresh out of the oven. She retreated from the kitchens after that, making her way into the garden to spend some time amongst the flowers and trees that dotted the landscape alongside the garden path. Being so near to nature helped calm her spirit and she wanted to be calm for this meeting.
She had not known quite what to expect in the Viceroy, but seeing the man up close had surprised her, although she could not say why. He was tall and appeared to be not much older than herself, but she was not a very good judge of age so he could be much older, or even slightly younger and she would be none the wiser. His people certainly seemed to admire and trust him. She had seen people who fawned over their leaders out of fear, but these people seemed to genuinely care for their Viceroy. That spoke volumes to Nikki and she found herself warming to the man already. Dinner would certainly be an interesting time to get to know this man and more about his country and his people. She truly hoped this would be the beginning of a long and lasting friendship between their two lands.
“Take it to the Castle Treasury and ensure that it is safe and secure,” she instructed him. “See to it that it is guarded at all times until the Viceroy calls for it again.”
Stephan nodded his acknowledgement of the orders and immediately withdrew, heading toward the castle with his prize. She smiled to see him collect two more guards stationed nearer the castle entrance to accompany him inside. The Captain of the Guard had chosen well.
After the Viceroy and his people retired to their rooms, she made her way to the kitchens to see how the meal preparation was coming along. The aroma of roasting meat and baking bread tantalized her taste buds and she merely grinned at Iris as the Steward all but smacked her hand when she tried to snag a small roll fresh out of the oven. She retreated from the kitchens after that, making her way into the garden to spend some time amongst the flowers and trees that dotted the landscape alongside the garden path. Being so near to nature helped calm her spirit and she wanted to be calm for this meeting.
She had not known quite what to expect in the Viceroy, but seeing the man up close had surprised her, although she could not say why. He was tall and appeared to be not much older than herself, but she was not a very good judge of age so he could be much older, or even slightly younger and she would be none the wiser. His people certainly seemed to admire and trust him. She had seen people who fawned over their leaders out of fear, but these people seemed to genuinely care for their Viceroy. That spoke volumes to Nikki and she found herself warming to the man already. Dinner would certainly be an interesting time to get to know this man and more about his country and his people. She truly hoped this would be the beginning of a long and lasting friendship between their two lands.
Re: Informal Dinner Plans
Israe Li strectched after relaxing for a bit. The smell of food began to waft around the castle. "Mmmm... it smells so good in here," he commended. His ambassador laughed. "You are always thinking of food anyway. The Bravians seem to have a good amount of it here. The exchanges we've had so far have been very pleasant. The Imperalists should really learn from this. The way Bravia treats people... I think they should be our focus for a bit," the ambassador commented. The Viceroy nodded. "It's always a challenge to navigate the waters of diplomacy. Personally, you know I haven't left the Viceroyalty in years. I fight for my people. I fight for our land. This just was too intriguing of a visit to miss. This could be a very good thing for our people for many years to come," the Viceroy stated.
The ambassador grinned a bit and asked, "She is beautiful isn't she?". The Viceroy grinned a bit. "Diplomacy, my good sir, Diplomacy," Israe Li stated. The ambassador chuckled. "Of course. You aren't distracted by beauty at all... just like you aren't distracted by fresh baked bread," the ambassador said whistling a little teasing him. "Speaking of baked bread, it should be near time for food. Let's find our way towards where dinner will be," the Viceroy said. He was intrigued by Bravia's leader. He had the honor of writing with her for a while. He was interested in finding out how this day would go. After all, this could be the path towards a greater relationship.
The ambassador took a look over the Viceroy and make sure that his clothes were fitting enough. It was something that he never took for granted. The Viceroy often were in some sort of protective armor wheather it be simple chain mail or some leather. He knew why. One didn't get to be a long term Viceroy without getting enemies. It was the plague of the position. Even the most beloved leaders often had people who were jealous or wanted them to do something they didn't do. The ambassador nodded towards the main Zion guard. The guard nodded back as he continued to work on shining his sword.
The ambassador grinned a bit and asked, "She is beautiful isn't she?". The Viceroy grinned a bit. "Diplomacy, my good sir, Diplomacy," Israe Li stated. The ambassador chuckled. "Of course. You aren't distracted by beauty at all... just like you aren't distracted by fresh baked bread," the ambassador said whistling a little teasing him. "Speaking of baked bread, it should be near time for food. Let's find our way towards where dinner will be," the Viceroy said. He was intrigued by Bravia's leader. He had the honor of writing with her for a while. He was interested in finding out how this day would go. After all, this could be the path towards a greater relationship.
The ambassador took a look over the Viceroy and make sure that his clothes were fitting enough. It was something that he never took for granted. The Viceroy often were in some sort of protective armor wheather it be simple chain mail or some leather. He knew why. One didn't get to be a long term Viceroy without getting enemies. It was the plague of the position. Even the most beloved leaders often had people who were jealous or wanted them to do something they didn't do. The ambassador nodded towards the main Zion guard. The guard nodded back as he continued to work on shining his sword.