[center][b][h1]The Kingdom of Thakis[/h1][/b]

[i][h3]Throne Room, Pharess' Palace[/h3][/i][/center]

[hr]


[center][hider=Current Throne Room][img]https://i.imgur.com/Peoe5Zo.jpg[/img][/hider][/center]

The grand throne room lied open and vast, its style 'modern' yet yet regal by Thakisian standards. Yet the foundations of it had been built long before she took the throne, and yet even by her time it had seen a great many renovations since she again took the throne of a nation as its ruler. Indeed it had been long shaped by the old Thakisian Royalty, the family that had once held the throne and worked alongside the Senate of the nation. [url=https://i.imgur.com/Yyhw5KB.jpg]Whilst not similar to the open temple-like structure of her old throne room[/url], the very build of this throne room had been made to her specifications and magnificent size demands as one fit for Thakis itself to reflect its history and peoples: Stone and marble enchanted and carved and made by the best artisans of Thakis' lands both ancient and current to make the walls and floors, the finest woods throughout the land to be used for internal structures and form the outer artistic 'casing' for mighty stone pillars hidden within that all held up the ceiling proper, extravagant sets of golden curtains that closed at a gesture, a grand couch-like throne to lie or sit upon in all of its comfort, braziers and lamps and symbols of the gods of her time scattered about from an ancient age long gone dotted about symmetrically, and even old reds rugs that has been recycled from those who were about prior to her rule that bore a certain Orduin-ish style to them even when paired well with newer ones. 

It was centuries and more of history, of art, of Thakis itself that had taken shape to create that throne room. As a scholar, she could not and would not forget that. It was her pride as a ruler that pushed her to create it. Even as a mage she could not help but add a magical touch to the work as well, tied to her own skills and roots. 

Though that building she once ruled from in ancient times had been restored proper, but she had preferred to choose her abode to be in this place in order to make things convenient for her living subjects. Yet every time she saw the space, and every time she sat upon the throne itself, she could recall that day she first entered into the palace with such clarity. Almost like it was yesterday...

[quote=Pharess' Recollections/Memories][center][hider=Old Throne Room][img]https://i.imgur.com/ux8OFEP.jpg[/img][/hider][/center]

Tapestries had long lined those stone-crafted walls, with colors of royal purples and crimson reds and golds and silvers all aplenty upon them. Servants had been donned in simple red attire to designate them had once walked those halls serving the royal family, well-trimmed and fitted, and even the further attendants and cooks and so forth had been adorned in red servile attire befitting a royal family indeed. Well, one of that era a few centuries ago at least. Shining sets of armor sat upon the walls, weapons hung in a symbolic crossed arrangement like an "X", cabinets displaying ancient treasures and imported valuables from afar, and even family portraits hung upon the walls. 

Such an old style...she was glad to have renovated the palace extensively since. Yet even with the aristocratic airs, the grand entrance, the mighty it didn't feel 'truly' Thakisian. It was as if the palace of old was distant, foreign in design, and made for those who sat above the land and away from. This rather than sitting upon a great throne that felt as if it was rooted in the land, in the people, in the nobility, nor did it feel as if it stood as the central pillar of the very nation itself. Perhaps it was simply her own antiquated ideas, scholarly thoughts, and so forth that had shaped such a perception of it back then and even through now, and yet she had to be true to her observations and feelings about it all the same. 

Yes, the old Thakisian Royalty had been decadent, backed by the Orduin Empire and virtually put on the throne to ensure alongside the old Senate of Thakis that the land was run smoothly. To ensure that resources that got back to the Orduin Empire. To ensure the peoples of the land were kept orderly and civilized. According to the old records this had been their charge and kept up well enough for many generations, imitating the Orduin structure...both in its advantages and eventual faults.

Oh how the corruption had run deep by the time she stepped in. Oh how deep the cruelties exerted, with Senators and the royals hand in hand hiding themselves away in the seclusion of high walls and isolation. They had left the fighting to the military, to the noble children tossed into positions even if they had not the skills, to a few old stubborn veterans who clung to their old titles and ways so closely, and in the least amount by far the few commoners that had rise in rank only to be shot down bye those of a 'higher blood' who did not act properly in line with the burden of those bloodlines and duties held to them. They had been happy to send orders given to military leaders in the field, let the commoners and lesser nobility fight. They held out looking for Orduin to save them when times got tough for them in turn eventually, and as the war had approached their grounds they were trapped in prisons of their own design. 

It was...poetic in a sense. Very few had fled for shelter away in foreign lands, only to die along the way for the most part, fall to vice and their own weaknesses in some vain attempt to live the same lives or regain 'what was lost', or in the end linger on distant soils simply to preserve themselves in some vague and most meager of senses at best. 

The armies had stormed inside as she led them with the other rulers of old, and she in particular set many of the soldiers within aside...akin to a child putting up their messy sibling's toys. Men donning armor polished like plates, royal magi attempting to combat someone far out of their league, and servants simply hiding for the sake of their own lives, and desperate attendants trying to flee with riches in their arms, among others, littered the halls and rooms. Many were slain for resistance or other crimes, others surrendered and were given mercy, and yet the most shocking was that a small handful of the very royal guards themselves opened the doors to the throne room for the leaders of the enemy army. Even they had been among those disaffected, and such was only tragedy to see at best. Still she and the others had all come that day to subjugate the throne, for that was their right and imperative and very nature at heart.   

Ah, even the executions after had been something of note afterward. Fattened nobles that burnt on the pyres of execution like fuel for great braziers, stinking for days until finally consumed in the flames. Cocky fools who were torn asunder by being tied to several beasts, all for their crimes of abandoning their people. Ancient justice was cruel, perhaps, but all the same order was needed for a land as scarred as this one. It was hard to think the kingdom of old had become a land of war, of death, and of scars cut deeper into the world than any mortal invention or magic could hope to. 

Yet they...yes, they had brought order once more. Order, stability, and safety for the people to thrive. Without them they were not rulers, without the people there was no nation to guide to greatness! Such was her personal outlook on it all at least...and the gods had returned to them once more in turn to help bless the land with the gods of the people. 
[/quote]

[color=violet]"My Pharess."[/color]

Sitting upon the throne itself already, the Pharess snapped out of her apparent daydreaming and looked to her right side at the sudden source of the voice. A tall Caeldoni, female, with six intact arms, who knelt before her at the throne very comfortably. This was because the height of the throne room eclipsed even that people's raw size. Upon the female's frame was donned shimmering golden armor, with six mighty blades of the finest Thakisian metal sat sheathed at her sides, and her musculature was both lean and yet more than mighty enough to heft all of those blades with such an ease it was as if they were lighter than air. Even so her still rather curvy and shapely body and shoulder-length-cut white hair were radiant, beautiful in their own ways and forms and manners even in the Pharess' eyes....had ever been so since. 

This was the head of the Royal Guard itself, whose name evoked the pride of her peoples' name for themselves: Caeldari. Her very name meant "Greatest Warrior", just as the name of her people meant "Greatest Warriors". A fitting thing for one of Caeldari's status, no? Despite her beauty, she was a warrior worth a whole Taimla unit on her own in battle. That wasn't just saying something either, or boasting up her reputation to ridiculous heights. It was a raw testament to her [i]raw skill and capabilities[/i] at the very least.

[color=gold]"My thanks...I find it hard to not reminisce in this room, one so very different from those centuries ago. But let us not waste time,"[/color] the undead queen said, giving a gesture of her hand and a sigh before having the arches of golden curtains be pulled together to give her and Caeldari privacy before continuing, [color=gold]"Now rise to your feet so we may speak business. I take it you received the reports from General Sylvan?"[/color]

[color=violet]"Indeed,"[/color] Caeldari said, standing up and putting her three sets of hands staunchly to her sides as she stood at attention, though even so her shoulders seemed to relax a bit as she listened to the Pharess' voice, a soft smile almost creeping up on the sides of the Caeldoni woman's mouth listening to her before she lightly coughed to get her professional composure back and speak further, [color=violet]"His reports speak of the usual centaur movements and movement of border guards and forces, and to my mind he seems to be keeping things in well order. Local cities and garrisons have been prepared for next potential incursions, and their usual doubling of temporary levy training and increased local garrison sizes have held well. However, his request for doubling garrison training and patrols is...worrisome, given the rumors of his men and especially the Hercuis ones considering him 'a slave driver' as I have heard it said about his training regiments."[/color]

The Pharess felt an imaginary headache bubble up, as if memories of ones during her time among the living were haunting her for a moment. Even so she simply sighed and shook her head slightly.

[color=gold]"He does not need to drive his men and the garrisons into the ground. The doubled yearly levy practices have been fine, and the 50% increased garrisons were approved because the resources were manageable for it in those provinces. Yet I fear his feelings about the Zentaeri League, as deep-seated as they are, will drive him to overstep his bounds one day...and whether his Hercuis troops again or others otherwise there will be many who pay the price in the end."[/color]

[color=violet]"...Indeed."[/color] 

Caeldari seemed to pause for a moment before replying once more, though did not break the professional stance and look she took on. The General had a rather bad history centaurs, that was nothing of surprise to anyone in the Royal Council or in the military chain of command. As talented as the elf was, as skilled as he became, as loyal as he even now was to Thakis with a zeal and a true fervor, he wasn't the same after his son's death and desecration at the hands of centaurs now living in the League. 

[color=gold]"His wounds run deep, but he refuses to let me assist his mind somewhat with magic. However, he hasn't gone off of the deep end yet and has been kept from the brink. His use is necessary, his skills are great, but if I must protect my people by replacing him I will make that clear as the emptiest skies and the best of Karynian glass can. So truth be told, I more am speaking and pondering over a 'what if' at best right now rather than a current problem. 

In line with this, and returning to reality, I will later today look over the reports more properly myself to ascertain the situation before calling you to my chambers to discuss once more. If such an increase in training and practice drills is indeed necessary, I will perhaps send him a response that he must hand training over to his lower officers if he desires to double their practice and drills. This might mitigate the issue somewhat, at least to make a potential assumption about the effects of that."[/color]

[color=violet]"It will be done as you request then, your Grace. I shall save the rest of my thoughts for the later time as well, as my late arrival has cut short our time together..."[/color]

The Pharess paused...then after lightly shaking her head leaned up and gestured for Caeldari to learn down to her face-to-face. The undead queen let her fingers gently caress the chin of the Caeldoni woman, and the smallest of smiles came to her face. 

[color=gold]"Do not worry Caeldari, my loyal guard, there shall be plenty of time later to talk of this business and speak of many things more. Now go, perform your duties as is fitting of your station. I shall go about my business here for the day in the meantime~"[/color]

For a moment the guardswoman seemed to ever so lightly blush at the soft, gentle teasing, and yet the reassurance it gave her seemed to put her heart at ease again somewhat. Still, as the Pharess hand fell back down and the warrior stood back up Caeldari gave a deep bow before swiftly exiting the throne room from the hidden back entrance. Her pace was somewhat quicker than normal, though as she passed through she would run into the two equally as well-armed-and-dressed Royal Guards, one a Dracis and the other a human woman, stationed to protect the other side of that entrance.

[color=9370DB]"Hey Captain, can I ask ya' something?"[/color] the familiarly jovial yet exasperating voice of a certain Dracis Royal Guard called out, albeit almost teasingly as she greeted her captain with a one-handed salute and toothy grin.

[color=FFFACD]"Don't disturb the Captain, Akari! She has business to attend to-!"[/color] the human woman began to say, berating her comrade before Caeldari held up a single hand and the human fell into a sudden silence once more.

[color=violet]"Akari, if this question is about myself and the Pharess I must remind you to hold your tongue. All other questions are acceptable. Might I remind you to not prod into mere rumors passed sadly along within the Royal Guard's very own-"[/color]

[color=9370DB]"So did you two finally choose names for your future young yet or what?"[/color]

[color=violet]"..."[/color]

[color=FFFACD]"..."[/color]

[color=violet]"Akari, you will now report to Commander Yui this evening for a one-on-one all-night training session. Full wartime gear. You say anything like that again after this, and I will personally drill you for three days straight until you pass out on your feet from exhaustion, then have the mages revive you, and then drill you three more days until you collapse again."[/color]

[color=9370DB]"...So what I'm hearing is that you are struggling for any [b]'good'[/b] names at the very least. Look, I have a few names I've heard suggested if you need ide-"[/color]

[color=violet]"AKA[/color][color=FFFACD]RIII!!!"[/color]

Meanwhile, a soft but knowing chuckle could almost be heard on the other side of the wall. Well, if there wasn't the very brief shouting going on anyways.