Welcome to Gaia! ::

The afternoon sun was high overhead and the summer’s breeze lazy as it languished over the land, sending flurries of dried grass into the air and catching grains of sand it its wake. On the horizon where once only a lake interrupted the distant outline of bare stone mountains rested the skyline of a city. Called Re-Sefu after the brother who died to save his country, its streets were filled with the resurgence of life that had graced its walls in these good times. Traders harked their wares to those who passed by; young children played tag through the twisting and turning rows of stalls avoiding their school work. Mothers haggled for goods in animated gestures as their husbands carried on a conversation with the stationed police officer, embarrassed by their wives' boisterous demands for a few coin less paid for vegetables. As one moved inward into the heart of the city, large temples devoted to the twin goddesses Acacia and Zarina dominated the streets. Many shrines and statues devoted to this pair of goddesses dotted the central courtyard where a large fountain brought the sweet water of the lake upward in a fantastic spray. Careful irrigation granted the people gardens of lush greenery in which they could escape the heat and rest beneath shading limbs of imported trees.

Kuzoth had returned. Her glory was rivaled by few others, yet she remained modest. Wanting no part in the conquest of the world, she rested her power instead on the domination of the sea. Trade was her lifeblood and like the Phoenicians of that strange land, she had no enemies, only trade partners. High atop a hillock rested the heart of the city, her palace. Low and expansive, the limestone structure was open to the desert air, its hallways lined with uncountable columns connecting the closed off quarters to the open air wings of the complex. Men and women dressed in rich attire hurried about their duties, but a young boy ran the swiftest of all. Dressed as a messenger from the north, the youth flashed a signet to allow himself to be escorted into the throne room where the King resided over his country. Ushered forth by the royal guard, his young eyes wandered the large chamber before resting upon its single occupant. Seated on a raised dais containing a black granite throne engraved with religious scenes and adorned with mosaics of lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, and tourmaline, sat the King.

His long legs were stretched before him as a hand massaged a weary temple. Today had been a long one, missives from the north bringing with them more and more troubles in the newly annexed land that could cost more than they where worth. The Praetor was already having troubles from a low harvest due to more rain than the soil could contain during the spring months and now the people were blaming the south for not sending enough aid. Seeing the boy enter, Apollo dropped the note he had been reading and waved him forward. “Yes, boy?”

In a voice bearing the hard accent of the north, particularly the Thordis region, the messenger cautiously spoke. “Praetor has sent me to deliver his message. It is most urgent.” Thrusting a sealed scroll forward, a guard seemed to materialize from the shadows which lurked around the cavernous room to take the scroll and hand it to the King before disappearing just as silently as he had come. Breaking the seal and reading the spidery scrawl within he was quick to his feet. “When did your Praetor send this message, boy?”

“Just today. Sir had me run ahead while he waited at the gates to let King Xephira know he requests entry into the city.”

With a laugh, Apollo approached the messenger and gave his head a pat. “Tell Praetor Alucean that she is welcome in these walls. It has been a long time, and I wish to see my friend again before she goes off and starts another war.”

Outside of the city’s walls, awaiting permission to enter, rested a small band of armored men carrying the crimson and gold standard of Thordis. Their armor and garb was decorative and their formation precise almost as if on show, not a man an inch out of line as their leader stood at the head waiting on the messenger boy to sprint back. At first glance the leader looked like any of the other men, armored in the northern fashion despite the desert and head with a light helmet, but Dorian would know exactly who it was even before the helmet was removed.

Fairest ashen hair matted with sweat clipped short as any other soldier’s and green eyes lined with the beginnings of creases from both the bright sun and her advancing age was Justice. Turning to Dorian it was obvious she was quite surprised to see him there, surprised enough that a pair of soldiers stepped forward hands on their blades.

“Sir? Is everything alright?”

Waving a hand to let the inquisitive man know all was well, she approached Dorian with a smile.

“And you are on the wrong side of the wall to be watching the Queen, Dorian…”

Inside the city walls, Apollo was quickly down the hall to where his wife resided. He threw the doors open with a wide smile on his face.

“Get up, get dressed, get your shoes. Our friends have returned! Justice awaits just outside the wall and I have heard whispers that a certain albino guard of yours is with her and his little friend lurks not far behind.”

As Apollo hurried Tinuviel to her feet to greet their friends, Miu was at her brother’s side, her hand resting in his so she would know if he should move. Her difficult vision made her frightened to be left behind more than most children her age, but her sheer curiosity kept her from simply hiding away all day on someone close’s lap. She understood little of what the tutor said, but she was intrigued by the sound of his voice and enjoyed just being around her brother. Even if he was being sulky.

Dorian harrumphed dramatically at the Protectorate's words. "Precisely. -Watching- the Queen, not guarding her. Just because she's doomed to live like a caged songbird for the rest of her life doesn't mean I've accepted my fate so easily."

Dorian's eyes scanned over the soldiers, particularly Justice herself. "Dress uniforms. I see no fun to be had in Serr either." With a sigh and a shake of his head, Dorian mused allowed. "There's just no fun left in this world is there?"

Tinuviel smiled at her husband's antics, hanging back from the small crowd herself. Still upset with Dorian, she remarked, "I had forgotten what the outside had looked like."

Knowing all too well that it was no social call that brought Justice to their door, she inquired, "How goes the campaign in the north?" She imagined that Justice herself would only come in times of most dire need. Had things been going well, she would have simply sent a messenger or a low-ranking platoon. Tinuviel bit her lip and waited, cursing herself for being unable to simply enjoy such meetings as Apollo did.

Tumaini pressed his face against the window and arched his neck downward so he could better see what was going on. There was the pale-faced guard they had missed...and a woman soldier he did not know.

"Dorian's back," he told Miu. "And a woman in armor leading troops. She must be the Praetor Father has spoken of."