"A prince, a visitor from Yhenone gets stabbed in the damn guts during a tournament. We'll be called a damn joke! This will have decades worth of trouble coming with it. It's a decration of war, it's proof of our barbarism! Forget Yhenone, the Republic up north will be stomping us over this!" The advisor cries out his words in anger, his hands swinging in the air to dictate his harsh words inside of the board room filled with those of house Vaugrenard.
"Give her a few fancy fuckin' names, put her in the finals and watch her almost shred the prince in half." Another face in another room keeps his eyes locked onto a bundle of paper as he speaks, his bubbling anger giving his hand a tremble that soon tosses the papers at the face of another. "Whose idea was this shit?! They had ONE heir, and she's going to be wed off!" Anger boils his blood as he speaks, many parts of the nation, local and domestic reacting in simir harshness to the news.
"Hear ye, hear ye! Prince Zarab got gravely injured during his visit in Sletia this week!" A crier shares the news in the square of a port town, on the eastern end of Yhenone. Simirly to many other pces as soon as the news reached them. The border tensions were something that had become a daily occurrence, something that hardly got reactions out of the public. Politicians alike saw the news as an opportunity to push back the provocative acts of their neighbors, while Sletia was an expansionist nation its central locations hardly saw any of its crueler acts due to positioning.
The shut of a metal door bring Meryl's attention back into the room, four darkened tiles surrounding the dimly lit room while numerous guards cover a table she had before her. Sat down on an uncomfortable chair, her hands met atop her p while nervously fidgeting. One man sat before her on the other side of the table, his posture much more rexed in comparison, though the news had shaken him up just as anyone else involved. He spoke with a professional tone, a distinct accent that he had showing his southern roots.
"..."
"We will keep zis meeting brief, but it is important you understand what ’appened today."
"You… 'ow do I put it… you stabbed someone of great value. A man from anozzer country. It was not on purpose, no, but still — it is serious."
"During ’is check-up, we noticed ’e was boosting ’is strength using Sanguis. It is not easy to detect. Our referees… zey assumed it was simply skill, and gave ’im ze benefit of ze doubt accordingly."
"We ’ave considered an alternative to ze marriage proposal. Even if — I believe — it would be in your interest. Ze protection zat comes with a royal title… you may need it, in ze days to come."
"You must py ze role, for now, until tensions settle. And zen… we shall see what is best. Do you ’ave questions? Compints, perhaps?" His st words come out with fear in their pronunciation as he watches Meryl with a tried and curious gaze. It has been a long day for him and the guards following one person to another all day.
In the span of a few hours, a good portion of the continent had likely decred her as a fugitive while the rest knew her name as a warmonger that had stabbed a member of another nation with bad retions with her own. To top them all off, she had been engaged! Silent grumbles bubble in her throat as she holds down the urge to cry, those in the room giving her plentiful time to herself as she remains silent.
Though she shakes her head with an exhale from her nose, her gaze averted as she listened. Only after his words, she peeks up to look, speaking right after. "No... though... would it be possible to let my aunt know- Pam... we live in the same-" The heavy accent of the man sitting before her interrupt her words, a sembnce of amusement heard in the tone of his voice. "Ah, but of course. She is in a simir situation, because of ’er connection to you. We ’ave taken the necessary precautions… and, well, ze manor ’as needed a new maid for some time." He adds without a pause, the woman missing the opportunity to speak again. Quite the annoying habit of his, apparently. "Ze Vaugrenards treat zeir servants quite well. She will be safe — and close to you." He gets up, preparing to take off while the guards simirly react to his rise. A few more words as he shares his farewells, all with a formal bow towards the seated woman. "Dough for now... congratutions on your engagement, Lady Vaugrenard. A cart will be coming soon to take you 'ome."
With that the room empties itself to leave only Meryl sitting inside, silence giving her time to think.
Being "Lady Vaugrenard" was something to get adjusted to, the prior referral alone being picked up by her just now. They had meant her.
Sletia was indifferent to marriages of the same gender, their policies were much more focused on years of ancient technology it had in its borders rather than hinder the living conditions of its citizens. At least for the humans: The Beastkin, Thieflings or other races could hardly agree. Though when said marriages were of nobility, there was more than love and affection to consider. She had taken the pce of another, much as the execution to put them in the right spot was awful.
She likely had people that wanted her head to look forward to, be it from Yhenone or local or even domestic nobility that did not accept the terms of her engagement.
There was that too: What now?!
The metal door drags open w?th a loud creak, a jolt through her body putting her attention to it rather than her spiraling thoughts. A formally dressed man had peeked his head inside, giving her a polite smile followed with a bow of his head. "We are ready to head out now, Lady Meryl."
A huff accompanies her rise, following the man with her head kept low as they walk out of the public hall. The carriage stood tall before them, intricate designs across its sides and roof showing its quality. A pair of horses patiently wait in its front, with a subtle silhouette peeking through the window, watching Meryl from inside. The rider pops open the door, waiting on the corner to invite Meryl inside.
She climbs inside, only to be face-to-face with her newly wed wife, watching her with a smile. Her own face mirrors their expression to its best ability, though nervousness seeps through subtle cracks regardless. The door soon closes, and the rider moves to the front to get the horses moving. The more technologically advanced methods of travel existed, using convoluted engines that utilized steam or other forms of gases. Though the nobility kept to its roots, especially the centralized town that had little involvement in Precursor expeditions and the nation's expansionist actions. The head of Vaugrenard was regarded as weak many times by other lords, though the high likeness he gained from his subjects kept him and his family standing as a prosperous and respected one.
"I am... Gd that you are here. Congratutions again... on your win. I didn't know you had so much to your name, admittedly." A chuckle from the princess, her hands cusping one another nervously as she speaks. Meryl had a long road ahead of her, it seemed.
