(Paper+Spleen Collab Post! ^^)

[u][b]Eger, Kingdom of Acitha, Otnemarcasan Empire[/b][/u]

"Will Your Grace receive the Princess Vaelinessi Tlaerie" The courtier's voice stumbled slightly with the liquid syllables of the foreign name. "Of Aeieal?" 

"She may enter" Came the reply from the stone faced emperor after a moment.

The woman who entered the throne room next instantly drew the eyes of all the courtiers and servants. Long golden hair cascaded down her back and curved around her head in an ornate fashion supported by braids and pins. Golden eyes set in a face that seemed cast from silver glowed and beneath them a delicate mouth wore a secret, somehow almost erotic smile. Her dress was foreign but truly magnificent, seemingly composed of hundreds of strips of silver, gold, and crimson cloth each wrapped around her body and tied individually leaving little to imagination about the comely form beneath them. They formed a pattern over her body that shifted and danced almost like an illusion that drew the eyes without revealing what it truly was. Streams of the cloth trailed behind her, though none were allowed to touch the floor as she walked gracefully towards the Emperor.

Behind her walked two women with skin of silver and hair of gold, though they wore muted garb and kept their gazes lowered. In their arms they gathered the streamers up, keeping them aloft so that they never touched the ground.

The woman approached the throne until she stood the traditional distance for petitioners and then in a fluid motion lowered herself to her knees. Her attendants lowered themselves as well still cradling the cloth strips in their arms. Then she bowed lower in a display of flexibility that placed her forehead inches from the ground. "Your Grace, Sovereign lord of the north, beloved of Justinian and his attendants," The woman's voice was liquid and soothing as she spoke in the language of the court. "My mother sends her regards and a gift to your imperial majesty to renew the Aeletnan Accord."

She then rose again with a smooth motion that spoke of grace and beauty while subtly emphasizing her figure. "Your Grace, in accordance with Aeileian tradition I am completely at your service for I am the gift." For a second the princess' golden eyes met the Emperor's and in them danced the promise of delights and secrets of pleasure unimaginable before she demurely lowered them again in respect and lowered herself to her knees again.

For a moment the emperor remained expressionless, the only hint that he was more than a statue was the slow rising and falling of his breath and minute movements of his eyes as his gaze shifted from Princess Vaelinessi to her attendants. There they lingered for a moment. Searching, but for what not even the emperor knew. Finally his gaze turned back to the foreign princess, the edges of his mouth turning skywards so slightly that one might believe there had been no movement at all. 

“Ah yes,” His eyes locked on to Vaelinessi’s, “The kingdom in the marshes. It has been so long since We had last from you.” His gaze drifted down, halting at her lips. “Tell me child” To those assembled in the court she looked to be no older than any of the emperor’s own daughters, perhaps even younger. “How old are you?” He leaned forward ever so slightly as he asked the question, just enough that someone observant enough would notice the change in posture. The aura of detachment dissipating from the aging emperor ever so slightly.

"I have seen 19 cycles your grace." Again her words poured forth smoothly and with a gentle soothing quality to them. The princess' gaze rose slightly as if she had picked up on the slight change and interest that he was showing. Her lips still held the smile they had born from the beginning. A deep breath momentarily emphasized her figure again.

The emperor’s eyes looked her over, all of her, as she breathed deeply. Thoughts jumbled through his head. Younger than Meirong. He let his stone mask slip slightly, the beginning of a smile on his face. Yes, he liked this so called Aeletnan Accord, whatever it was. His brow furrowed slightly as he wondered what it was. Had he ever heard of it before? Maybe, but if so it was a time long past. A time before the human torches.

“Would you be so kind” The furrowed brow and smile slid away, his face returning to stone, “as to state of the terms of the Aeletnan Accord for our official record?” He gestured towards a nearby servant who was furiously scribbling away at a scroll. The emperor had always wondered how the man managed to write so cleanly and quickly while standing. It was a mystery that would probably, unfortunately, never be solved.

"Of course your grace." Vaelinessi replied and for a couple seconds her face went blank before the smile returned. "The Aeletnan Accord, The Kingdom of Aeieal and the Empire of Otnemarcas in the interest of preserving peace and prosperity pledge to defend either other from outside aggression and to provide counsel in times of unrest. The Kingdom of Aeieal will further allow Otnemarcasian merchants safe passage and trading privileges within its lands. The Aeletnan Accord is to be maintained through the union of royal blood." The princess paused for a moment and bowed her head towards the emperor once more. "Your predecessor provided the last member for the union and now your grace my mother honors the accord through me." 

She rose to her feet fully and her attendants rose with her, again her motions drew attention to her body seemingly without intent. "If that is, it pleases your grace to accept a renewal of the Accord."

“It would please me greatly” The emperor said, nodding as if he had known what the accord had entailed from the very beginning. In truth he was only now beginning to contemplate the advantages and repercussions of accepting. He didn’t get very far in his contemplations, however, as his eyes were drawn to his new concubine. Who would have ever imagined he would find a replacement so soon? It was almost as if Justinian was rewarding him for his hard work. The thought brought a broad smile to his face. If killing one traitorous concubine and some heretics was enough to earn him a prize as pretty as the princess kneeling before him, then he couldn’t imagine what would fall into his hands once the Ithicists were gone for good and his army was marching on the lands of the Yuwanist heathens.