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Stonereach
Days 72 &73 of Zieliah, Year 698 AU[/center]

It was the morning that Opal Marrow was set to arrive, and Benjamin stood waiting in his father's bedroom. He sat on the foot of his bed, reading and rereading the parchment in his hands. Eventually, he walked over to his father's desk, and selected a sealing wax. He folded the parchment twice, slipped it into an envelope, and sealed it shut in black wax. Stepping outside of the room, he handed it to the servant who stood posted at the door. 

"Attach this note to the cider shipment we're sending the Suttbrays. I expect it to leave at first light, tomorrow."

"Yes, my lord. Anything else?" The servant asked.

"Opal Marrow should be arriving soon, send for some harpists." Benjamin added nonchalantly, as he began to walk down the hall.

Upon their arrival, the massive doors of Stonereach were opened by chains, pulled by five servants on either side. They were made entirely from steel and stone, emblazoned with half of an iron diregoat's head on the doors, coming together when they were closed. Their eyes were carved from lapis lazuli, appropriately mined from their own Stormgully mountains, and in Cragmore's signature dark blue. As the servants heaved and pulled, the ten men slowly forced Stonereach's doors open, stopping with a slowed, metallic screech.
 
The group entered briskly, hoping to shield themselves from the drizzle that had began moments earlier. The interior was much less stark than the outside, much to the relief of the Alabasti guests. The walls were dark stones, mounted not with extravagant paintings, but simple tapestries, shields, and torches. 

"We welcome, Princess Opal Marrow of Alabast." The leader of the guards at the door announced. Immediately, the servants that were lined up in the room began to bow. There were guards, knights, advisors, servants, squires and more, and one by one, they each bowed their heads to their new guests. On that cue, the harpists began to play a delicate melody, while the last of the entourage made their way in.

The air was thick with clouds of incense, giving everything in the hall a feint smell of cloves and cinnamon, while iron chandeliers illuminated the hall along with the torches on the wall, as Stonereach lacked windows. There was a long firepit in the center, big enough to roast entire cows at a time. On either side of the firepit were long empty tables -- Although reserved for guests, they were usually used by the guards, advisors, and other higher servants of House Cragmore.

Beyond the pit, there was a throne made of stone. The seat itself was padded with a diregoat's pelt, that had been worn down until it was as grey as the throne it lay upon. The headrest was jagged and came to a foul point, as if it was a hunk of the mountain itself. 
Above the throne, a diregoat's skull made of hammered copper hung off the wall. In small patches, it had grown oxidised, and had sections of light green rust.

Stonereach was foreboding in some ways -- The lack of windows made it seem somewhat dungeon-like, the copper skull above the throne caught the light from all the different light sources, and sounds seemed to reverberate more loudly than they should. But still, the lack of windows kept the castle dry, and the torches, candles, and fire, all kept Stonereach warm. Even the echoes were only the sounds of the group that was entering, and the soft harps playing. It was foreboding in some respects, yes, but it was warm, and dry, and comfortable. Everything Stormgully wasn't.

One of the party walked over to a bench by the pit and sat facing it. The figure wore a woollen tan cloak which had turned almost black in the rain with a hood that concealed their face. Guardsmen from the East followed suit, forming in a ring around the table, all clad in the ornate bone armour of the Skeleton Guard of Alabast. Their black and white warpaint had smudged in the downpour, contorting the skull patterns into menacing inhuman shapes. 

The hooded person leant forward as if watching phantom flames rise from the ashes. They removed their hood.

Princess Opal was a pretty young girl, looking mismatched in her cumbersome travelling garb and against the horror of the Skeleton Guard. Her petite frame was dwarfed by the cloak and together with her prominent bone structure she appeared delicate, almost brittle. Long mahogany hair cascaded from her head down her shoulders against an almond complexion. Her nose was small and petite and her eyes a vibrant shade of yellow, like dandelions in a summer meadow.

She waited looking at the charcoal and ashes of the last fire as the rest of the group gathered themselves in the hall.

"Welcome, Honored Guests," a voice called out, from one of the long hallways of Stonereach. It was none other than Benjamin Cragmore, the eldest son of Kenten. He smiled at the group as he walked in, and dismissed all servants but the harpists with a wave. He inherited the better genes from his father -- He was broad of chest, with a coy smile and sea-green eyes being the only defining feautres in his otherwise plain face, framed by sandy brown curls. His hand rested lazily on the pommel of his sheathed sword, and his family's Makitherin shield, Rainclad, was strapped over his back. Kingliness seemed to be draped over his shoulders like a shawl, and it showed.

"An honor to finally meet my brother's bride-to-be, Princess Opal." He took her hand and bowed to her. "I take it your travels were uninterrupted?"

"Thank you, Lord Benjamin," she looked into his eyes, blushing. He was very handsome and had a great presence about him. Her eyes conveyed a unparalleled warmth and inner beauty, pure as spring water from the heart of the mountains. "And may I say how delightful it is to finally meet you too. The journey was most pleasant and your men were most hospitable, thank you." She waved her hand to the Gullish cohorts who had escorted the Alabasti to Stonereach, smiling at them each in turn. "If it please my lord, may we, your honoured guests, change out of our wet garments? I loathe to see my men sodden so."

Benjamin nodded, and snapped his fingers. As the loud sound echoed through the halls of Stonereach, two servants arrived, a man and a woman.

"Peter will show your men to their quarters, where they'll find fresh clothes, and a warm hearth," The servant bowed, extending his hand towards the hall, as the men followed him.

"And Lucy will show you to yours." He said, smiling warmly. "You'll find the same, but with a chance for a rest while I fetch my younger brother." Lucy smiled warmly, unlike the dour servant escorting the guards. She was elderly, but still young enough for her straw-blonde hair to be visible in the strands of white.

The princess smiled at the older servant woman, who curtsied. Two Skeleton Guard glided over either side of Opal and held out their hands to assist her. She placed her hands on theirs and rose with sublime elegance.

Lucy beckoned for Opal to follow her, and she obliged. "This way, my lady." 

The halls changed in some spots, from being narrow and with low ceilings, to spacious halls with enough space to pass five men abreast in, which only added to Stonereach's cavern-like aura. They twisted and turned, breaking off into several different paths, with doors of differing sizes and shapes. Once they had reached a certain point in their confusing maze, Lucy opened a thin wooden door, decorated with a golden knocker.

The room itself was surprisingly large. There was a featherbed big enough for two, guarded by silvery flowing curtains. There was a wardrobe, a desk, and a pair of potted plants that somehow survived with no source of natural light, as the room itself was well-lit with a small chandelier. There were a few chairs, a large diregoat pelt for a rug, and lastly, a tapestry of the Cragmore sigil above the bed. 

Lucy eagerly trodded over to the wardrobe, and began looking through the warm, dry dresses. She pulled out several of them, looked at them all, shook her head, and stuffed them back in.

"Will this do, my lady?" She said, pulling a dress out from the back. It was unlike the usual dresses of Alabast that Opal was accustomed to. It was a lavender blue, with a black bodice, and decorated in thin white lace. It seemed to be her size, albeit fitted for the stouter women of Stormgully.

Opal regarded the dress. She'd never worn the colour or type of dress before and the novelty intrigued her. "Yes, it will do nicely, Lucy," she responded with a smile. The princess unfastened her cloak and placed it neatly on the bed. Underneath she wore a modest white tunic and a tan undertunic. She held out her arms so Lucy could undo her girdle and remove her top tunic. "If you would be so kind." When that was done, the Stormgully dress was put on.

"Tell me, Lucy," Opal began as the servant girl fastened the dress' lace behind her back, "What is your impression of Lord Melvan? You may tell me truthfully; you have my word that it will not leave this room."

"Ah, you'd like to hear about your future husband?" The woman smiled, tightening the dress. "Well, you're in luck. I've been raising the Cragmore boys since they were swaddled." She said wistfully, "Melvan was always a bit of an odd duck for a Cragmore." She sighed, smiling, and sat down at the foot of the bed for a moment, carefully inspecting the dress.

"See, the Cragmores always prided themselves on their indomitable wills, and their hardiness. They built themselves an impregnable castle and stitched their words on their sigil to prove it, y'see?" She giggled, pointing to the banner over the bed. "Excuse me if I sound a bit boastful for a house that's not even mine. I've been in their employ since I was just a girl of your age or so, so I feel like it's my house at times."

The princess was taken aback by the forwardness of the servant. She had never been talked to by a stranger without formality and etiquette. It was so refreshing and made her feel free from the shackles of class and duty.

Opal smiled warmly to Lucy. She liked her immediately.

Lucy's voice beamed with a sense of pride, as Opal sat next to her, smiling as well.

"So, the Cragmores pride themselves on being tenacious, like I said. But Melvan, he's not like that at all. Spends his time helping us servants with the chores, or tending to little plants and animals he keeps around." 

She paused for a moment, thinking of the right wording for a delicate topic. "He was born a bit... Sickly, and even his mother, rest her soul, didn't think he'd..." She paused again, holding her tongue. "Live, as long as he has, eh? In a way, I suppose that's the one way Melvy [i]is[/i] a true Cragmore. Refused to die, after all." She chuckled a bit.

"I suppose he figured life was a blessing from then on, and began to study Kammeth. Fancies himself a follower of the old sun god, and prays every day. I'd suppose he's the only Cragmore child who doesn't despise Lord Cragmore himself. Doesn't hate [i]anyone[/i], come to think of it."

"He got over his sickness when he was a wee lad, but it didn't exactly leave him robust. Since he spent most of his childhood indoors, he read everything he could. History, Science, Fables. The boy's as smart as a whip, even if he's a bit quiet and frail. But he'd make a fine husband, that one. Never met someone so virtuous and wise at his age."

Princess Opal's heart fluttered in her chest. The mixture of excited, nervous and curious feelings she felt when thinking about meeting her fiance was almost nauseating. It was exhilarating enough as it was to be out of Alabast for the first time in her life and see parts of the world she had only read and dreamed about. The culture, weather, landscape and peoples of Stormgully were completely alien to the small world of the princess. It was all so overwhelming she could hardly breathe. [i]Kammeth, let me live forever in this dream. My bones, let this be real.[/i]

She began to blush and turned away from Lucy, giggling into her hand. She turned back after a minute, sat down, and took the woman's hands in her own. She looked into her eyes with fervent ecstasy. "Oh Lucy, I can hardly take this waiting! I worry I will repulse Lord Melvan. He may not wish to take me for his bride once he sights me." Opal stood up once more and paced the room, chewing on her lip. "How does the dress suit me?"

Lucy clasped her hands together giddily, grinning from ear to ear. "You look lovely, dearie. An absolute gem." The young princess reminded her of herself at that age, nervous about boys and clothes alike. At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

"You may enter." Opal said courteously.

Benjamin entered the room, now without his sword and shield, wearing a simple tunic with a white diregoat's pelt for a cape. His brown curly hair had been combed through a bit, and he wore distinct rings on either ring finger -- Crimson rubies, set in thin bands of white silver. Thankfully, unlike his father's tastes, he wasn't overly garish or gawdy. He walked with the swaggering gait of a Southern Lord, and even smelled of their coffees and tobacco.

"I beg your pardon for the intrusion, Princess Opal. If it might please you, my brother Melvan is ready to meet you."

Opal rose and curtsied. Her heart thumped like a war drum. "And I him. Please lead on, my lord."

"Excellent." Benjamin said cheerfully. Benjamin led Opal and Lucy swiftly through the halls of Stonereach, up to a large set of double doors. Ben nodded to Opal, admiring the girl in her new dress.

"You look lovely, if I may say so, Princess Opal. I'm sure you'll both take a liking to each other." He said, trying to sound as assuring as possible. He could sense the girl's nervousness, and hoped to calm her. He shot her a smiling glance once more, and opened the door.

"Brother, there's someone here to see you." He announced. "Princess Opal."

The doors opened to the main hall they had previously been in, albeit to the side. The torches and firepit had all been extinguished, leaving only the chandeliers, lighting the room in a dim, warm amber. It was completely empty, devoid of any harpists or servants, and near the throne stood not but a single person.

Melvan Cragmore stood slightly taller than his brother, with a mop of red hair, and a ruddy face full of freckles. He had brown eyes like his father, but slightly lighter, accredited to the purity of his soul by servants and subjects alike. He wore a dark blue surcoat with white sleeves, tied with a black and silver belt of fabric around his waist. Most notably, he held a cane in his right hand. It was a black polished oak, with a silver ram's head at the top.

He met eyes with her for only a moment, and shakily bent down to one knee, with the help of his cane. "My lady,"

He struggled for a moment more to stand, pulling himself up by his cane, smiling warmly. "I'll have my men apologize as soon as I can." He said, advancing forward with a noticable limp. "When I asked them about you, they compared you to the sunset they've seen over the mountains, and I now see they were wrong, for Stormgully has few sights as beautiful." He smiled sweetly once more, satisfied with his phrasing.

The princess blushed at the compliment. Her betrothed had not been what she expected but she didn't really know what she was expecting. She saw in his eyes a kind and pure soul and he wasn't uncomely as Lucy's words had led her to believe. He was lame, that was clear to see, but she did not see it as an issue. Opal smiled shyly. "You flatter me, my lord. I am but a girl and Stormgully is a most wondrous realm. I have never seen such colourful scenery, or tasted such pure raindrops on my tongue. I am overcome with joy to be here, to meet you, my lord."

Melvan grinned at her reaction. He had only been offered for marriage once before, and was rejected, being seen as too weak and too fragile. To see Opal completely looking past his hobbling was a welcome change of pace.

"I've never heard my lands described so kindly, and I doubt I ever will again." He said, chuckling to himself. He offered her his spare arm, and pointed to the doors with his cane. "If you'd like, my lady, I can give you a tour of the lands. It's a dreadful hike on foot, but I'm sure my brother would allow us the use of his diregoat."

He turned to Benjamin, who nodded. "I'll send for Peter to put on the saddle for two."

The princess had seen the famed diregoats on the journey over. They had filled her with great awe. "Oh, how delightful! I do hope this lovely dress does not get soiled." She took Melvan's arm and the two of them walked out of the hall into the light of day. The rain had ceased for now.

The following morning, Benjamin sat on the Cragmore throne, watching in amusement as his servants uneasily helped Opal's fearsome Skeleton-Guards packing rations and gifts for the long voyage home. Aside from the usual supplies for the journey, they packed goods native to Stormgully. Namely, a barrel of their incense, two barrels of Stormgully Cider, and a crate of tea.

Along with those gifts, there was one specifically made for Osmodeus; A diregoat's skull, with intricate designs carved into the bone. It had taken a month to prepare, for even after the carving was done, molten gold from their mines had been poured into the lines that had been etched.

In the midst of the packing, Benjamin spotted Opal enter the room. With a stretch, he got up from his throne, and sauntered over to her. "I'm glad you enjoyed your stay here at Stormgully. I look forward to the marriage of my brother and yourself. However, before you leave, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

The princess curtsied. "Thank you, my lord. As do I, and hopefully I shall see you again soon, the sands permit. Now, what would you have of me?"

"I believe it would be of a great benefit to the both of us if Melvan were to come with you to Alabast. It would do him good to learn more of your people's culture and ways, especially since he's never gone so far as to leave the City of Stonereach,"

"And furthermore, that would allow you some more time with your betrothed." He smiled at his last addition.

Opal blinked, surprised. This was an astonishing change of plans. "Certainly, my lord. Though may I ask you to send this news to my lord father in Skyhaven?"

"Excellent, I'll inform him at once." Benjamin said, with an almost Southern smile. "I wish you both the safest of journeys to Castle Marrow." He took her hand, and bowed deeply.

As she left to attend to her servants, so too did he leave to attend to Melvan, and inform him of the news.