[color=ed1c24][center][h2]Duke Strax von Catterwall[/h2][/center]
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	"Your grace, we've arrived in the Kingdom of Provectus! We're pulling in to the port now." The ships captain announced. Duke Strax looked up from his desk. The image of such a finely groomed, regally attired man reading old, leather bound tomes belied his true, rather barbarous nature. [color=ed1c24]"Ah! Excellent!"[/color] Strax exclaimed heartily, slamming the ancient book closed with little regard for it's well being. He tossed it haphazardly onto his bed before rising slowly, being sure not to disturb the maps and small plastic markers that represented various troops, squadrons, and fleets. When put together, they told the story of one army, represented with red, utterly crushing the second, represented by brown.

	Adjusting his belt, he turned to address the captain directly. [color=ed1c24]"Have your men prepare my car. I want to be able to at least [i]see[/i] the kingdom I'll soon be ruling. Dismissed."[/color] The captain saluted his duke and left to complete his orders. Twenty minutes later, a gaudy red vehicle drove down the steel ramp connecting the C.Q.S. Midus' Right to the dock. To call it a car would be inaccurate, as it was closer to an armored tank that had been scaled down to the size of an S.U.V., though the mounted weapons had been traded for greater speed and mobility. The exterior was crimson with gold accent, while the interior was a much more muted brown, due to the genuine leather used to furnish it. Duke Strax peered out of the long, thin slats of bullet proof, metallic glass, tinted so that no one outside the vehicle could be sure of his exact position. It would take a few hours before they would actually reach the capitol city, let alone the palace itself. In the meantime, Strax ordered one of his body guards to call ahead to the palace and ensure his arrival went smoothly. Strax stroked his scruffy chin as the vehicle moved slowly but surely down the well planned route that would lead him to his future wife. He wondered what she'd look like, what she'd sound like, how well she could defend herself in both armed and unarmed combat, not well, he assumed. But most of all, he wondered [i]who[/i] she was. She, heir to a kingdom that put all their faith into technology and academics. [color=ed1c24][i]And yet.[/i][/color] He thought. [i]She chooses her husband with a contest. As if she were from ancient times.[/i] A grin slowly crept it's way onto his face. [color=ed1c24][i]No doubt she understands the need for powerful children, and thus, a powerful husband.[/i][/color]

	The ride to the palace had been uneventful. Despite his best efforts, Duke Strax had been impressed by the obvious difference in technological advancement between his nation and this one. Even the architecture seemed to be objectively more effective. [i][color=ed1c24]But utterly lacking in any sort of traditional touch.[/color][/i] Strax thought grimly, finally having found something to be displeased about. [color=ed1c24]"I'll have to fix that..."[/color] he muttered, unaware and uncaring that he had thought aloud. As the palace gates closed behind them, the vehicle finally rolled to a stop in front of the palace doors. Four armed men exited first, each taking their time to ensure the area was secure before allowing Duke Strax to vacate the armored car. He hated all these precautions and would have preferred driving himself in an open vehicle, dismounting with a thud, and striding up to the massive doors as if he already owned them and the walls they attached to. But he knew better and, after two of the four men joined him, sent a third to announce his arrival. [i][color=ed1c24]Her staff had better not keeping waiting out in the open for long.[/color][/i] Strax thought as he made some last minute adjustments to his ceremonial armor. It would do nothing against modern weaponry, but it was traditional.