mizton
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The scene beyond jolting windows was this: a recurrent sight of lush hills, pricked by thorny, vivid wildflowers that came in twos & threesβthough hardly bushesβwith the occasional man-tilled fields of gray staining an otherwise picturesque landscape. Tall trees dotted the hillsides, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Fields of wildings stretched out as far as the eye could see, their vibrant colors a stark contrast against an emerald grass. A lush, green & untouched countryside of Maritria rolled into minor manors, country houses, outskirting cities, & other otherwise details of civilization as the delegates from Rhonne made their way to the royal palace.
The delegates rode in carriages, wheels of which bounding along the rocky terrain. The carriages ornate, wood once-polished now-roughed from a long journey, adorned with silver accents which gleamed a white in cool sunlight. The horses pulling them were sleek and well-groomed, their manes and tails braided with colorful ribbons. Flags with fleurs-de-lis fluttered from the top of the first few carriages of the procession, signaling their status as representatives of a foreign nation. There'd been a date by which the Empress had instructed the party to arrive by, but that didn't mean some hadn't arrived early. The last of the carriages rode in about an hour before noon today.
As they drew closer to the mountains, a chill & tightness of breath were the first sensations of note, beside a now colder scenery. Towering peaks rose up on either side of the road, their snow-capped summits disappearing into the clouds above. Dense forests of pine and fir blanketed the mountainsides, the trees swaying gently in the breeze, though the familiar greenery towards mountain roots grounded the vision, a reminder of earlier plains . Waterfalls cascaded down the rocky cliffs, their spray creating tiny rainbows in the mist toward the foam if one kept a keen eye downwards.
As the carriages rounded a bend in the road, the countryβs capital came into view with a palace that sat on a hill above. A majestic structure it was, walled high & with turrets tall enough to scrape heaven. The red flag with only one white corner fluttered from the top of the palace, a symbol of power & sovereignty. Of new sights alone, servants of the delegation mightβve felt a sense of awe upon the mountainous palace. Compared to their own, though, it may as well have been a grange.
Guards stood at attention with armor that glinted under noon sky. Rows of a few of the palaceβs maids lined the first couple of steps, each little ribboned head with bent neck towards the guests. By all means, the least that couldβve been done in receiving another nationβs ambassadors while still maintaining cordiality was executed that day.
As the carriages came to a stop, its occupants stepped out, their eyes taking in the sight of the royal palace. Despite the beauty of their surroundings, however, the delegates could not shake the sense of foreboding that hung over them. They knew that their mission was a delicate one, and that the Maritrian nobles would not take kindly to their proposal. They braced themselves for what lay ahead, knowing that the negotiations would not be easy. It was clear that their visit to Maritria was going to be an experience unlike any other.
While they did, delegate and attendant mightβve conversed amongst themselves before heading in to be received, conversation more or less masked by the shuffling of footmen unloading their trunks. When all was said & done, though, it went unsaid that the party ought to head in as a unit.
Thereβd been no call for the entirety of the palaceβs occupants to greet them, save for the royal family which had recently dwindled to a crown princess & her siblings; the sudden death of the countryβs queen had left the widower king a recluse. All the same, the early birds among Maritrian nobles & other courtiers accompanied the family, preparing to receive the delegates of Rhonne and their attendants. The air was thick with tension, as rumors had been circulating that the foreign nation had come to propose unification that was effectively an absorption.
The grand hall had been prepared for the occasion, though minimally so, with national banners and flags hanging from the rafters. The Maritrian courtiers lined up in a row, some faces set in a stoic expression. A meeting later that week would instruct them to remain neutral during negotiations, but their hearts for today were heavy with the knowledge that the future of their kingdom was at stake.
Thereβd be no grand occasions today or for the next couple of days, but rather a grace period to allow for their guests to recover from the long journey. No, for today & the week ahead, all there was to do was wait & humor these delegates the best one could. Until the delegates stepped into the palaceβs grand hall, light chatter among hosts filled the air, with hushed whisper-gossip of maids doing well to dampen the silence.
The delegates rode in carriages, wheels of which bounding along the rocky terrain. The carriages ornate, wood once-polished now-roughed from a long journey, adorned with silver accents which gleamed a white in cool sunlight. The horses pulling them were sleek and well-groomed, their manes and tails braided with colorful ribbons. Flags with fleurs-de-lis fluttered from the top of the first few carriages of the procession, signaling their status as representatives of a foreign nation. There'd been a date by which the Empress had instructed the party to arrive by, but that didn't mean some hadn't arrived early. The last of the carriages rode in about an hour before noon today.
As they drew closer to the mountains, a chill & tightness of breath were the first sensations of note, beside a now colder scenery. Towering peaks rose up on either side of the road, their snow-capped summits disappearing into the clouds above. Dense forests of pine and fir blanketed the mountainsides, the trees swaying gently in the breeze, though the familiar greenery towards mountain roots grounded the vision, a reminder of earlier plains . Waterfalls cascaded down the rocky cliffs, their spray creating tiny rainbows in the mist toward the foam if one kept a keen eye downwards.
As the carriages rounded a bend in the road, the countryβs capital came into view with a palace that sat on a hill above. A majestic structure it was, walled high & with turrets tall enough to scrape heaven. The red flag with only one white corner fluttered from the top of the palace, a symbol of power & sovereignty. Of new sights alone, servants of the delegation mightβve felt a sense of awe upon the mountainous palace. Compared to their own, though, it may as well have been a grange.
Guards stood at attention with armor that glinted under noon sky. Rows of a few of the palaceβs maids lined the first couple of steps, each little ribboned head with bent neck towards the guests. By all means, the least that couldβve been done in receiving another nationβs ambassadors while still maintaining cordiality was executed that day.
As the carriages came to a stop, its occupants stepped out, their eyes taking in the sight of the royal palace. Despite the beauty of their surroundings, however, the delegates could not shake the sense of foreboding that hung over them. They knew that their mission was a delicate one, and that the Maritrian nobles would not take kindly to their proposal. They braced themselves for what lay ahead, knowing that the negotiations would not be easy. It was clear that their visit to Maritria was going to be an experience unlike any other.
While they did, delegate and attendant mightβve conversed amongst themselves before heading in to be received, conversation more or less masked by the shuffling of footmen unloading their trunks. When all was said & done, though, it went unsaid that the party ought to head in as a unit.
Thereβd been no call for the entirety of the palaceβs occupants to greet them, save for the royal family which had recently dwindled to a crown princess & her siblings; the sudden death of the countryβs queen had left the widower king a recluse. All the same, the early birds among Maritrian nobles & other courtiers accompanied the family, preparing to receive the delegates of Rhonne and their attendants. The air was thick with tension, as rumors had been circulating that the foreign nation had come to propose unification that was effectively an absorption.
The grand hall had been prepared for the occasion, though minimally so, with national banners and flags hanging from the rafters. The Maritrian courtiers lined up in a row, some faces set in a stoic expression. A meeting later that week would instruct them to remain neutral during negotiations, but their hearts for today were heavy with the knowledge that the future of their kingdom was at stake.
Thereβd be no grand occasions today or for the next couple of days, but rather a grace period to allow for their guests to recover from the long journey. No, for today & the week ahead, all there was to do was wait & humor these delegates the best one could. Until the delegates stepped into the palaceβs grand hall, light chatter among hosts filled the air, with hushed whisper-gossip of maids doing well to dampen the silence.
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