[b]Vestera, Aeche, Ethica[/b]

It had been nine candle marks since sunrise, time enough for the morning fog to have melted away under the early light of day and already started its creeping return as once more the sun sagged low in the sky and Kammeth made ready to rest.  In all that time and to the surprise of none his lordship, King Eretes the second of Aeche, had not stirred from his heavy sleep.  On most days such was merely accepted as an intractable aspect of his majesty’s eccentric personality, but in light of recent tragedy there could be no patience afforded to the dear king today.

So it came to be that after suffering through nine whole marks of waiting Crown Prince Neset Seval would stomp unceremoniously into the bedchambers of his father and upend a pail of seawater upon him.  Stoic but unmistakably agitated Neset coolly questioned the now conscious, sopping, and flustered King, “Lord Father, when did you imagine you would be departing to the capital today?”

Well acquainted with such treatment Eretes issued a simple but irritated grunt in reply and heaved himself out of what would be yet another ruined bed.  Sighing heavily the King waved Neset out of the room and went about the arduous process of stripping the drenched night clothes from his body and drying himself before changing into more formal attire.  At times like this such an admission was begrudging at best, but Eretes knew his son meant well.  He was a king after all, and the word of Emperor Taramyth's death had arrived two nights prior.  Were he to dally much longer it'd reflect poorly on the kingdom, and the grief he'd receive from Mera would be unimaginable.

More stepping into the door than opening it Eretes emerged from his bedchamber clad in a rich blue cloak and a pale green doublet.  The attire reflected the provincial flags flying on the castle parapets outside and was an expected mark of any formal event jolly or somber.  With a slight smile Eretes greeted his son, “Neset, I trust the morning has treated you better than I?”

“It did,” Neset paused for a moment to correct his fathers crooked cloak and nodded before continuing, “though I fear it has long passed into evening my now.”  

“Nonsense my son, you know that morning only starts just before sundown, and as I can still see Kammeth's up and about it must be very early indeed!”  The king retorted as he fell into a morning stretch that only served to once more set his cloak at an odd angle.  Not giving his son the pleasure of fixing it again Eretes started down the hall, only pausing to chuckle when he noted a team of servants rushing to his chambers in his wake.  Neset was certainly meticulous, though it wasn't as if the boy had a lack of time to prepare for his stunt.

With a sigh of resignation to his father’s antics Neset followed him, “I struggle to imagine how you survived before you married mother.”

“It was difficult,” Eretes shrugged, “but that aside, I presume you've prepared the boat and guard?”

Neset nodded, “Of course, mother waits with them, as does my cousin Certes.  It seems our Duke of Ramoi has business in the capital.”

As the two made their way down a flight of stairs to the castle dock Eretes remarked sarcastically, “So I won't even get a respite from politics during the voyage then?  I should have just appointed you my representative; this disruption will put me weeks behind in my work for the Astronomers Conclave.”

Neset grinned for the first time all morning and joked, “Such isn't my place father, not until mother pushes you out the window at least.”

With a huff of mock offence and a grin of his own Eretes pushed open the riverside gate and took his first steps onto the dock that rested below the great castle.  Greeting the small party that would be heading to the capital with him Eretes took the time to shake the hand of each one, making his way up from the guards to the higher nobles.  While he didn't enjoy having to abandon his studies there was no reason to be impolite about it, and to all but one of the assembled group the king was the very image of courtesy.

That one was, unsurprisingly, Duke Certes.  There was no warmth in the greeting Eretes offered his nephew and naught but suspicion in his face when doing it, “Certes, what a surprise to see you here.”

With a short bow Certes returned the mock courtesy, “Your majesty, some business in the capital demands my presence and as I was already in Vestera I figured it would be best to travel with [i]family.[/i]

With a snort of contempt Eretes made his way onto the vessel and was shortly followed by the rest of the party.  To the assembled there was little point in remarking on the Kings encounter with his nephew, their own encounters had followed much the same pattern.  Nobody could prove a thing of course, but ever since the death of Certes father the suspicion had fallen unanimously on the new Duke of Ramoi.  To most it was little more than Certes being 'the type' to do such a thing, but to the few who truly knew him it was clear that Certes has been far too enthusiastic over his own father’s death, and far too uneasy beforehand.

Still, nothing had ever come to light and in a mere few years the new Duke had quickly cemented himself as an increasingly important part of Aeche's nascent trade network.  There were none who could gather the evidence for a trial, and fewer still would have the stomach to accuse the very man who had made many of them a great deal richer.  

Taking his mind off such unpleasant thoughts Eretes elected to sit above deck and watch as the boat lurched from the dock and started its way to sea.  With every moment the city and its castle became clearer, the two great banks dotted with homes glowing silently as night approached and the river that divided them shimmering with the last of Kammeth's golden light.  On the largest bridge spanning the great water way sat the castle of Vestera, a construct as awe inspiring as the gleaming water below it.

Turning away from the splendor, Eretes looked toward the darkening waters ahead.


[b]Lalrial, Imperial Heartlands, Ethica[/b]

With a groan the ship came to a stop on the dock and the crew set about lashing it under the bright sun.  To the surprise of most aboard Eretes was awake at the hour, though he could hardly be called lively.  Without his work to do the king had spent most of his time in the attempt to sleep during the nights, but a lifetime of habit would not be vanquished in a handful of days.  Groggily stepping out onto the dock Eretes meekly waved farewell to Certes company and waited for his party to arrange transportation to the Imperial Palace. 

In his life Eretes had seen the Imperial city a number of times and while he couldn't deny its majesty, he had always felt a tad uneasy in the expansive city.  This feeling unfortunately made the fatigued king utterly incapable of sleep for the entirety of the carriage ride to the palace, where upon arriving he looked the very image of a raised corpse.