[center] [h2]Thalae, The Vialiphate of Meletis[/h2]  

[img]http://i.imgur.com/23Eszyn.jpg?1[/img] [/center]

Thalae, the holy fortress city of the Argentum and House Tlaerie. Thalae, the seat of great vaults of knowledge both arcane and divine. Thalae, the city that dominated the island of Meletis. It was a great city, if not so old as Rianis, or so populous as Violette, it was still a monument to an ancient and proud people.  

Currently there was an event being prepared for. The Thalaen guard were out in force, a shining force of men and women dressed in the radiant gold armor and sporting their silver cloaks. A full fifth of the city's guard force had assembled near the waterfront. It was not every day that an armada came to Thalae. And one was arriving now. The visitors to the city would find themselves with a formidable escort on their arrival. 

In the Vialiph's absence, due to the unexpected death of the Emperor, the Vialipha Sael'Lysi Tlaerie held court in his place. Only one of the twin thrones, one gold and the other silver, both carved in the shape of a raging fire was filled. Sael'Lysi Tlaerie sat on the silver throne, dressed in the full formal regalia of her office. She was wrapped modestly in strips of silver silks imported at great expense. The wrappings being overlong and spilling out onto the throne almost seeming to melt into the flames in the background to create an image of the Vialipha as a woman who was part of the fire itself.

The throne room, full of depictions of fire and murals of the twin gods Vaela and Vaelor had guards positioned tastefully where their armor almost led to them blending in with the rich decorations so as not to spoil the beauty and grandeur.  

A servant who looked like he must have had some vaelie blood with his slightly silvered skin and pale golden hair entered the chamber and spoke loudly to announce the arrival of the visitors. “Your grace, the emissaries from Violette, Lord Reynold Gracieux and Lord Xavier Gracieux." The man announced before stepping aside to allow the nobles from the merchant republic to enter.

Lord Reynold entered the chambers with a degree of rapidity, his black boots and long, black hair still damp from his lengthy voyage at sea. His hair was tied behind his back, to keep out of his eyes, its untamed volume covering up much of the Veletian Admiral's old captain's jacket. Held against his side was a relatively simple leather helm, emblazoned with the sigil of House Gracieux, which had been taken off before he had entered the chamber; Reynold did not totally eschew courtesy.

Walking behind the Admiral, and entering a few seconds after him and in much less weathered atire, was his son. Xavier Gracieux did not look much like his father, red hair on his head rather than the black typical of the Gracieuxs, and a pale complexion, very much unliked his olive skinned, stern father. The blood of House Tallurian, through Reynold's wife, Velhara, flowed through Xavier. He was unlike his father not only in appearance, though, but also in temperment. Xavier was a charming, boisterous and adventurous sort, and above all, exuded confidence. He was also friendly and accomodating, though, an easy man with which to align and with a mind very open to new ideas. Xavier's father was none of these things: he was a man of iron and salt.

Reynold introduced himself, giving a short bow before stepping closer to the thrones, alongside his son. "Lord Reynold Gracieux, Admiral of the Veletian Marine. My son..." Reynold gestured to the redhead beside him, who was wearing a friendly smile, before he turned his gaze back to the Vialipha "...Xavier Gracieux. Your city's docks were large enough to accomodate the fleet. I am glad to see that this is a proper port. We had to spend a fortune upgrading Sunvale before it approached adequate."

Xavier then chimed in, trying to make up for his father's starkness, "Pleasant to meet you, Vialipha. My father and I both find Meletis a sight to behold, Thalae especially. I am sure the inhabitants—and rulers—of this fine city are no less charming than the city itself."

The Vialipha enmeshed as she was in her silvery finery nodded to each of the men in turn as they bowed to her. Her voice was musical and resonate, resplendent with warmth and almost compelling, the sort of sound that people could find themselves entranced by easily as she spoke herself. "It is a pleasure to welcome you to our fair city. I trust your journey was uneventful?"

Reynold gave a quiet grunt, as if amused at the question, but Xavier smiled and nodded, and took another step towards the throne to ensure his reaction was the one noticed before the Vialipha continued.

"In these trying times friendships are hard to come by and the threats have grown. We welcome your fleet's presence and have prepared accordingly." She gestured expansively, silver streams of cloth rippling against the flaming backdrop of her throne in a eyecatching manner. 

Then her gaze turned specifically towards the younger of the men, golden eyes in the sea of silver fixing on him. "I have heard much about you, your aunt speaks most highly. Tsi'Niri has been looking forward to meeting you."

"And I her." Xavier replied insouciantly, grinning and idly resting a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Yours are a people known for their beauty, but I am sure Tsi'Niri is resplendent not only in her visage, but her character. I have heard nought but good things."

The Vialipha smiled, a beautific expression as she stretched out a silvery hand to gesture to one of the servants in the background of the ornate throne room and the servant stepped forward in turn. "If you would follow this one, he will show you to where she awaits your arrival young Gracieux, for I am sure you are eager to meet her and your father and I must discuss the details of the transfers."

Xavier gave a quick nod and followed the servant out of the room, eager to meet his bride-to-be. Reynold gave a heavy sigh as he watched his son depart, and then approached Sael'Lysi's throne, his eyes focused on the doorway he'd left through after Xavier was gone. He spoke as if he was talking to himself rather than the Vialipha, "I suppose it's a good match. Politically an excellent match, of course. Thalae's ports are perfectly situated for the Marine's needs. But I hope the two of them got along well, complement each other personally. That's more important to me than acquiring your island's fleet. Gods know this whole project was Victoria's idea anyway, not mine." Reynold paused, and then turned to Sael'Lysi with a slight grimace. "We can start sending in the missionaries immediately, as soon as they arrive in Violette. Ships there are all ready to ferry them off east. The new King of S'laaeth was suspiciously receptive to the idea of foreign monks in his lands, I heard, when a merchant brought it up to him at his coronation. Might be that we'll have even a Lointainian monarch worshipping Kammeth before the year's out. And I assure you, Meletis will be safe, safer than ever. We don't tolerate brigands in Violette, and House Gracieux doesn't tolerate threats against its charges. If any heretic fleet comes sailing this way, their burned and broken wreckages will be at the bottom of the sea before can even see Thalae appear on the horizon."

"If I did not have confidence in this union I would not have agreed. I know my daughter, and from what I have heard of your son they should do well." Sael'Lysi spoke, still smiling, her voice resonating with a faint sort of pride and happiness likely directed at her daughter. "With the fleet. The captains and sailors of the vessels have been informed. All save the ......" the Vialipha rattled off something in a long string of oddly musical syllables that flowed together before returning to common, "the large palatial vessel," she clarified. "That remains ours as discussed."

Reynold laughed. "A proper navy doesn't have much use for a ship like that. Looks like the kind of thing Taramyth would ride around in. All your fisherman's boats will be kept by the men that fish off 'em too. Everything will be exactly as you and Victoria arranged it."

[hr]

Vila Tsi'Niri Tlaerie, eldest daughter of the Vialiph and Vialipha of Meletis, was nervous. The slender wisp of a young woman was dressed in her best clothing, her mother had helped her when normally servants would have done the intricate wrappings. Intricate strips of gold and silver were wound around her form over top of a simpler white dress that was nonetheless made of only the finest cloth as well. Her golden hair had been let loose to fall down around her delicate face and that delicate face showed an expression of mixed anticipation and nervousness.

She knew the Veletians had arrived, she had watched the ships pulling into the port from a window high in one of the palace's towers before descending to this alcove in the gardens to wait. The 16 year old waited impatiently, fidgeting a bit on the cushioned seat on which she sat and wishing she had brought one of her books with her as a distraction from the anticipation and nerves. At least she had heard lots of good things about him, she did wish though that she had been able to meet him sooner, this was going to be….

Tsi'Niri's attention was drawn as she heard footsteps approaching and she sat up straight and smiled her brightest smile as she waited for them to arrive.

When they did, Xavier was the second to enter, following the servant that had brought him here. He took his first glance at his wife to be, and was pleased, though he imagined she of course would not always look quite so wonderful as she did for this, their first meet. Before he spoke a word to her, he whispered into the ear of the servant who had guided him here, who then left the gardens, taking the rest of the idle gardeners and other lowborn away with him. Once he was alone with the princess, Xavier approached her, striding confidently to stand next to where she sat. His outfit—a fine shirt and trousers—was purple and black, and clung to his athletic form quite closely. The only colour feature they had in common, flesh and hair included, was gold, found on Xavier in the golden flower drawn on the chest of his shirt, a symbol of his status as a member of House Gracieux. Veletians were fond of marking things.

"Today is a day that the both of us will remember for the rest of our lives, my love. I have already caught my first glimpse of you, I am about to feel the grace of your touch for the first time, and soon I will hear your sweet voice as well." Xavier took Tsi'Niri's hand, lowering himself onto one knee and gazing into the vaelie girl's eyes. "Words cannot express my happiness at finally meeting you."

Tsi'Niri's golden eyes tracked the progress of her betrothed as he approached her, the nervous jitters that had led to her fidgeting earlier being suppressed by force of will. He had certainly lived up to what she had heard of his appearance, he was quite dashing and handsome.  

The vaelie girl's first response as Xavier took her hand and praised her was to blush, her blush showing as a faint purplish coloration on the silver skin of her delicate cheeks. She kept up the smile and seemed at a loss for how to reply for a moment as her eyes locked with his, warm gold meeting the faint red of his. “I am” the first words were discordant and a mess with musical undertones that lacked the cohesion normally found in vaelie speech. Her face looked mortified for a moment as if she couldn't believe she had done that before she tried again. “I am very pleased to meet you at last too.” This time her words were proper, the undertones meshing together into a delightful and liltingly sweet sound.

The young princess' blush made Xavier smile, and fed his confidence. He took her other hand, holding them both closely and feeling the softness of her silver flesh. "Years from now, we will tell stories of this day, the first day that we met the loves of our lives. I'm not sure that you'll have much to talk about. I'm just some swarthy Veletian swordsman. But I... I will have a tale to tell of the most beautiful, and sweetest young woman I have ever seen." Xavier then placed a gentle, chaste kiss on Tsi'Niri's blushing cheek.

Tsi'Niri's blush only deepened as Xavier took her other hand gently and held them both. And then bent forward to kiss her cheek, the faint purplish color rapidly darkening. “I'm not sure of that. I'll have a lot to say about the dashing visitor who swept me off my feet.” She managed with a surprised smile on her face, she hadn't imagined this would go so wonderfully. He hadn't even batted an eye at her fumbled speech.

Hearing his bride to be speak of being swept off her feet, Xavier decided to do just that. He lifted the princess up off of her seat and into his arms, placing another kiss on her opposite cheek before he laughed, and took his eyes off of his betrothed for the first time, to scan the gardens. "You must give me a tour, teach me of all of these exotic plants. And I insist that I carry you throughout—you need to have a good vantage point if you are to describe each flower and vine in detail, after all."