| Invitation to the Empress and Grand Minister of Pax Dracon to Grovne |
"Ah..." Octavian nodded, "Your government uses a unicameral legislature as well? Perhaps we have more in common than we initially thought?" He began to chat with the younger politician, seemingly re-energized.
"Perhaps we should consider having our nations send envoys to continue learning about each other's methods of governance some time down the line, Your Majesty. I am also impressed at how close you have managed to keep the various departments together. Why, I could easily take a little stroll from the Great Palace to the Barracks and still have time to spare for a session of Parliament." As the Grand Minister grew more and more excited the closer they got to the gardens, Hestia briefly excused herself. Giving the sapling to one of their host's aides, she calmly walked up to the little girl and came down to one knee, her armor softly clattering as she did. "Hello, little one," she said with a gentle smile, "Curious about your King's guests? Were our places switched, I would probably be just as curious as you are." The Empress stayed a careful distance from the child, hoping that she wouldn't frighten the girl on accident.
The girl looked shyly to her mother, who crouched and tried to explain the situation.
"Gre sive jann", she began. Then she translated the rest of what Hestia had said. "Ell dym ystri!" The girl said, big-eyed. She gave the armour and extra look and asked "sta, vanne ann ge drejasle?", making the last 'e' sound extra long, typical for children asking a curious question. Her mother stood up to translate what her daughter had said with an unsteady and nervous voice. "She said, uh... 'How beautiful dress...' Uh... 'Why do you have so...' uh... 'that plates?'" Her mother wasn't really sure who had approached them, but guessed they were important guests to the state. She felt unprepared for this sudden need for Austral interpretation, and smiled nervously. More curious Grovners stopped by to see what was going on. Meanwhile, Vimmru answered the Grand Minister. "A good idea, Grand Minister. It should be very easy to find people interested in learning more about governance in Pax Dracon." Vimmru looked over to where Hestia went. "Ah!" he remarked, with a wide smile.
Octavian stood by Vimmru, briefly confused before his gaze followed to where his host was looking. He softly chuckled when he saw Hestia happily conversing with the girl and her mother.
"Why am I not surprised..." He turned to look at the king, sharing his mirthful smile. "Hestia has given birth to, and raised, four children. There is Crown Princess Valeria, age 22. Her twin sons: Princes Titus and Cassius, at fourteen. And that leaves Princess Calpurnia, age 10. She holds them more closely to her heart than the throne. Not all of those in her line have done so, sadly." As the two men conversed, Hestia looked up at the girl's mother, still smiling softly as she pushes a lock of her hair out her face. "You needn't worry, madam. Despite our differing origins, we are all equals here. Think of me as..." she thinks for a moment, "Think of me as someone new to your neighborhood." She looked back at the child, nodding at her compliment. "Thank you, little one. You are most kind to say that. And as for your question, each Emperor and Empress of Pax Dracon has always had a suit of armor forged for them since our nation was founded generations ago." She motioned to the image of the resting dragon's head adorning the breastplate and pauldrons. "It's our way showing who we are and reminding us of our duty: As protectors of our people and our families."
The little girl's smile grew wider as Hestia answered her question, as if she understood what that nice lady were saying without her mother translating it. Crouching down again, her mother did her best translating what Hestia said. Then followed a long answer in Sedunnic, which sounded cute coming from that little girl. Otherwise foreigners often found Sedunnic a little harsh and almost boastful.
"Lom said as we also have something that protect us. Is, uh, named the Star of Limmvasd, and it watches over the lands between." the mother said, a little more confident this time. "The Star of Limmvasd comes from a legend about how our people was guided to rich lands and safety by a sharp star, coming to, uh, rest on one of our mountain tips... tops... In Limmvasd Mountain Range" she further explained. "Oh, and the 'lands between' is what is now Sedunn" she added, hoping she made any sense at all.
Hestia nodded, genuinely fascinated by this lesson in Sedunnic folklore. She hadn't even noticed the crowd gather around her.
"Like a divine beacon that lights the way... guiding your ancestors to where they would make their homes." She smiles softly as she tried to imagine what it would be like.
"You can see it in the summer, when then sun is... downing... Setting! If you go to the provinces Klevvoij or Limjerse and look to the east, is possible to see a spot of light in the mountains. That is the star, resting on top of Skolyt mountain, and is created by the sun light that is reflecting from snow on the top" the mother said.
"Or so I have heard", she added. "My name is Rijm Gjessienn by the way, this is my daughter Lom." Meanwhile, Vimmru watched their conversation with great interest. It looked like it was going well. The military guards near them, however, looked like they were getting more and more edgy as more people joined the growing crowd behind the mother and daughter.
Octavian looked at the guards, feeling a little nervous as he turned to look at Vimmru.
"I understand that you are enjoying the Empress's interactions with you people, your Majesty, but could you convince your guards to stand down? I do not want there to be any misunderstandings of the crowd's intentions." He looked back at his dear friend and the small family she was conversing with, praying in his native tongue that things turned out well. Meanwhile, Hestia smiled at Rijm and Lom. She was already growing fond of them in the short time she had been talking to them. "I will have to make time to visit those provinces in the future, Mrs. Gjessienn," she said, saying the name slowly so that she didn't mess it up. "Not only would it help further relations between our countries, but it gives me an opportunity to see more of your lands." She stood up gracefully, her armor clanking a tiny bit as she did and briefly waved to the crowd. "If you ever travel to Pax Dracon, be sure to stop at the Palace in Elysium," she said as she extended a hand to both of them. "I would be glad to be your host."
"Don't worry Grand Minister, they are probably more worried about Hestia feeling threatened rather than the crowd doing anything. During my service at the Guard Brigade and the 20+ days I stood guard here, there were only minor disturbances, like drunk students."
Standing up as well, Rijm responded. "Is great honour, thank you! I hope you will like your visit here. Vimmru is good, but I voted for that other one" she said, smiling. Lom understood that the nice lady was saying goodbye and added a shy but proud "bye, bye", one of few words she had in her foreign vocabulary. She would remember this encounter for the rest of her life.
Hestia smiled and was about to turn away, only to look back at Lom and Rijm thoughtfully. After a brief moment, she removed a small clasp in the shape of the Imperial Seal from her armor and handed it to the little girl and closed her fingers around it.
"A gift from me to you and your mother, Lom. And know that you and your family are always welcome in my home." The Empress smiled at mother and daughter warmly before making her way back to Octavian and Vimmru. "That was... rather generous of you, your Grace. Couldn't resist saying hello," the old man asked with a mirthful grin. "You know me, old friend. I'm a people person." She smiled before turning to look at their host and politely bowed her head. "I apologize for the delay, King Vimmru."
"Oh, not at all, Empress. I believe this will be a very memorable day, not only for me" Vimmru responded.
He proceeded to show his guests through the Grey Entrance, the main gate of the Palace, and through a spacious hall decorated with a glossy blue marble floor. Five brown stone pillars dominated the hall, which was otherwise sparsely furnished. The pillars symbolised the wooden spears that had been thrust into the ground by the five Sedunnic chieftains in the bronze age to mark the spot on which they would build a city together, which was to be known as Grovne and the birth of a unified Sedunn. Following a wide hallway to the right, they soon arrived at the Green Entrance. The doors were opened for them and a view over a lush garden was revealed. A table had been prepared in the shade in a quite corner away from the entrance. "I hope you don't mind having lunch outside", Vimmru asked, inviting his guest to the table. |
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