[h1]Port Arkron [/h1]

[h2] Pleasure Barge of the Triarchs [/h2]

	The journey from Wycannae to Arkronia had been a lengthy one to say the least of things, a fact that was only somewhat mitigated by the splendor of the Skekarii pleasure barge, while the ship served no martial purpose and had no capabilities in that area and was thus escorted by two sleek patrol ships, the ship was designed as a home upon the sea for the triarchs and made full efforts to display the ever growing wealth of the Skekarii crowns. Built largely as a floating platform the crown jewel of the barge was essentially a large home in traditionally garish Skekarii style, complete with multiple bedrooms, balconies, baths, and servants quarters, each piece of wood composing the entry ways and the railings was carefully carved to depict scenes from the war of unification, but even the permanently frozen faces of the thousands of soldiers seemed to open ever so slightly in awe of the splendor of the capital city of the Arkronians. 
	The crew members of the three vessels worked with the translators of the port and the native dock workers in order to make the unconventional form of the barge fit amongst the other ships docked in port. Standing towards the prow of the barge were the triarchs themselves, waiting and watching as the workers went about their business. 
	[Color=MediumVioletRed] "It's fortunate we made the time we did, late as we are we'd be more so were it not for the Saa'Kaleed. Hopefully they'll enjoy the gifts we sent more than the Aegire."[/color]
	[color=Gold] "Not likely. The few times I've ever met a reptile they didn't seem too interested in fruity liqours and gemstones. They seem a pretty rustic bunch. Regardless, we're here and I'm starting to freeze over. I'll never understand why the Arkron would settle somewhere so far north when they had their pick of the litter." [/color]
	[Color=MediumVioletRed] "Not everyone's made for the summer heat, I imagine. Should I wake our dear husband?" [/color]
	[color=Gold] "No, no. It'd best if he's in a good mood when he meets the Arkronians. They're a very orderly people, they love nothing more than proper etiquette, especially the ones here in the capital." [/color]
 	[color=MediumVioletRed] "What was it like when you were here last? What brought you all the way out here?" [/color]

	King Vahn sighed a little under his breath, his eyes going a bit out of focus as though he were trying to see something he'd long forgotten about. In truth he was just allowing himself a moment to remember that there was little more than obligation and mild friendship in their marriage, she'd never know him the way her predecessor did, nor would he ever experience the affection he had before her passing again, at least not in the same way. While there was no romantic affection, Vahn did feel a ever so slightly like a father figure to the young queen. Regardless, it didn't hurt to share stories from time to time, after all, he felt his own years go by more and more quickly and soon enough his son would replace him, as was the way of life.
	[color=Gold] "I wasn't too much older than you are now, it was shortly after my coronation so I couldn't've been much more than 25. At the time I was the first new monarch to be crowned since the 3rd rebellion, so I guess the Arkronians wanted to impress me or terrify me, I'm still not sure what their goal was, they did both in equal measure. You see, back then Wyacannae wasn't nearly so large as it is now and the court didn't have the same wealth it does now, but we've always been proud people so naturally when I got a personal letter from Arkron I accepted it. It wasn't any particularly grand affair, just some state banquet to honor some high lord or another, but what the Arkronians consider a mundane affair is extravagant to anyone else who's lucky enough to see it, but back to the story. I know I seem dull to you two now, but I was young and in a position of power and had the self confidence to match that, I had the largest ship in the Wya fleet outfitted with the best I could at the time and set sail, all the while thinking I'd show up and be talk of the town, so imagine my suprise when my ship was nearly knocked to pieces by a whaling vessel- a solid reality check. The moment I stepped off my ship and left the port into the actual city is one I don't imagine I'll ever forget, even with my memory failing from time to time as it does now. The sheer splendor of the city, the gridlike order of the streets, and the marble monstrousity of a palace. The Arkronians may not love color so much as we do, but they make up for it in spades with the scale they build in, the definition of that old addage 'money and ambition to challenge the gods'. . . I think that the moment I stepped into the palace is the moment I knew that there would never be any point in defying the Arkronians. I just hope that Mahd can learn that too." [/color]
	[color=MediumVioletRed] "You've known Mahd longer than I, you know he can be a bit. . .Difficult when he's got an idea into his head, but he's stubborn because his plans have worked out well so far, just look at the mines. You have to temper him over time if you want him to listen well. . . He's got ambition, and he's working on the money. Maybe one day he'll challenge the gods too, I just hope that they don't strike him down. " [/color] and with that Hastor leaned into her older counterpart, less like a queen to her king more like a daughter to her father. She bore a familiar resemblance to her aunt who had preceeded her but she had her own unique beauty to her, they had the same tall and slender frame, but Hastor had the wide almond shaped eyes of the nomadic clans of her mother that gave her the impression that she was always mildly suprised by whatever was going on, no matter how mundane. 
	After a few more moments of leaning Hastor left to go direct the a handful of dock workers in what to unload and how from the cargo deck. Vahn felt the chill of the city cut ever so slightly closer.