NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: This thread is closed strictly to anyone but Neo-Ixania. I mean, if you really, really, reeeeally have a marvelous, brilliant idea that absolutely cannot go to waste and cannot be used anywhere but this thread, I suppose you can TG me and I'll consider it.)

The meeting had been long. Too long, according to Sir Damien Riso. He felt drained. Apparently, Prime Minister Magliari echoed the sentiments, as she couldn't seem to get out of that hotel fast enough. She'd damn-near tripped over herself on the way to the exit, practically barreling through her waiting limousine. Maybe she was as exhausted as Damien felt, or maybe it was just that she knew what was coming next and that it didn't concern her; it was a private matter of the Royal family's. She'd always been too polite for her own good.

Indeed, Coldheart didn't appear much better. She shifted nervously in her chair, suddenly very aware of the handsome suitor's eyes directly on her. The feeling was something she'd never felt before. It wasn't exactly nervous, but a sort of exhilaration mixed with a brand of anxiety that she couldn't quite describe, but wasn't altogether unpleasant. Stolen glances at her proposer revealed striking golden-brown eyes, well-defined facial structure, and a mane of hair that she'd once dreamed of. She had to get control of herself.

Queen Belladonna was possibly the only occupant of the room who didn't look entirely out of sorts. Contrary, she looked positively radiant. The Queen beamed in a way that Damien couldn't remember seeing since the Queen was a much younger woman and he was just a child. He remembered admiring her through his teens, thinking that she was the epitome of power and glory, and held the position with a kind of grace and amicability that didn't seem to fit a woman of such stature. A true royal, the Queen was never cross or visibly upset; at least never in public. She had a dignity that only royalty can uphold, for reasons Riso still couldn't quite place, despite being around them his entire life. But Damien Riso knew royalty when he saw it, and Belladonna was, indeed, royalty in every sense of the term. Coldheart, born into royalty, only echoed her mother's grace; she would make a fine queen someday.

The Queen turned her head towards the Ixanian diplomat, smiling ever-so slightly, "Sir Alexander. Once again, I thank you for attending this meeting. It has been most productive. I envision a long and fruitful alliance with your country."
The Queen turned now to Silvester, cocking her head in a way that made the young noble flinch - not in fear, but from the sheer magnitude. The Queen absolutely pulsed with power, to the extent where the simple gesture hit the young man like a physical force.
"Sir Silvester... I am most honored to have you here, and for the purpose of proposing to my daughter, Princess and heir to my throne. Your reputation proceeds you."

This was the part that the Queen had been waiting for all evening.

(OOC: I don't have a picture of Sebastian, so I'm just working off of my imagination as regards to his appearance. When you send me the picture, I'll change things accordingly.)

(OOC: This thread is closed strictly to anyone but Neo-Ixania. I mean, if you really, really, reeeeally have a marvelous, brilliant idea that absolutely cannot go to waste and cannot be used anywhere but this thread, I suppose you can TG me and I'll consider it.)

The meeting had been long. Too long, according to Sir Damien Riso. He felt drained. Apparently, Prime Minister Magliari echoed the sentiments, as she couldn't seem to get out of that hotel fast enough. She'd damn-near tripped over herself on the way to the exit, practically barreling through her waiting limousine. Maybe she was as exhausted as Damien felt, or maybe it was just that she knew what was coming next and that it didn't concern her; it was a private matter of the Royal family's. She'd always been too polite for her own good.

Indeed, Coldheart didn't appear much better. She shifted nervously in her chair, suddenly very aware of the handsome suitor's eyes directly on her. The feeling was something she'd never felt before. It wasn't exactly nervous, but a sort of exhilaration mixed with a brand of anxiety that she couldn't quite describe, but wasn't altogether unpleasant. Stolen glances at her proposer revealed striking golden-brown eyes, well-defined facial structure, and a mane of hair that she'd once dreamed of. She had to get control of herself.

Queen Belladonna was possibly the only occupant of the room who didn't look entirely out of sorts. Contrary, she looked positively radiant. The Queen beamed in a way that Damien couldn't remember seeing since the Queen was a much younger woman and he was just a child. He remembered admiring her through his teens, thinking that she was the epitome of power and glory, and held the position with a kind of grace and amicability that didn't seem to fit a woman of such stature. A true royal, the Queen was never cross or visibly upset; at least never in public. She had a dignity that only royalty can uphold, for reasons Riso still couldn't quite place, despite being around them his entire life. But Damien Riso knew royalty when he saw it, and Belladonna was, indeed, royalty in every sense of the term. Coldheart, born into royalty, only echoed her mother's grace; she would make a fine queen someday.

The Queen turned her head towards the Ixanian diplomat, smiling ever-so slightly, "Sir Alexander. Once again, I thank you for attending this meeting. It has been most productive. I envision a long and fruitful alliance with your country."
The Queen turned now to Sebastian, cocking her head in a way that made the young noble flinch - not in fear, but from the sheer magnitude. The Queen absolutely pulsed with power, to the extent where the simple gesture hit the young man like a physical force.
"Sir Sebastian... I am most honored to have you here, and for the purpose of proposing to my daughter, Princess and heir to my throne. Your reputation proceeds you."

This was the part that the Queen had been waiting for all evening.

(OOC: I don't have a picture of Sebastian, so I'm just working off of my imagination as regards to his appearance. When you send me the picture, I'll change things accordingly.)

OOC: His name is Silvester, not Sebastian. I'll look for a picture.

Alexander had been pleased with the results of the meeting; he had just made a new friend for the Ixanian Empire and knew that the Imperial Government would be pleased with his work. Although he knew that the only reason that Silvester accompanied him was because he was planning to marry Coldheart, he did not mind it at all and within the confines of his mind wished the charming duke the best of luck in his endeavor. Alexander studied Coldheart briefly and thought she was beautiful but he had a wife back home and would never think of any other woman as highly as he did her. "Your Majesty, shall I stay here to keep an eye on the proceedings? If not, then is there a place in which I may stay for their duration?"

As for the handsome, muscular and youthful Silvester who, to the eye of many women, would look like one of the best looking men that they had laid their eyes on, he could do nothing but think about Coldheart. He had thought about her ever since he first got onto the plane back in Ixania and, being able to see her now, felt that the picture he had of her did not do any justice to her pristine beauty. Bowing respectfully before the Queen, Silvester began to speak calmly. "It is a pleasure to be here and to see the lovely Coldheart; whose beauty has, I am sure, ravished the hearts of men completely. I am hopeful that you shall consider me to be a goodhearted suitor for her hand."

(ooc: Whoops. Name changed. Sorry 'bout that.)

Princess Coldheart could not have contained the blush if she'd tried. The heat rose in her face so rapidly, she had to strain her ears momentarily to be sure that the heating system had not been turned on while she was unawares. Once confirmed, to her embarrassment, that the heat she felt was hers and hers alone, Coldheart quickly looked away from Silvester, studying the elaborate, draping curtain in the picture window to her left which had, inexplicable, began to seem more and more enthralling.

Sir Damien Riso cleared his throat loudly, drawing all attention in the room to his silent, almost brooding presence. As he did so, he regretted it immediately, lowering his eyes, embarrassed to have caused such a silent scene.

Queen Belladonna just smiled uniformly, like a doll that had been crafted solely for its stunning smile. But in her eyes was a glimmer of pure delight; sparkling with a rapture that was unfamiliar to everyone in the room. It was safe to say the the Queen may have been more excited about this entire ordeal than anyone, including Silvester and the Princess.

"Indeed, Sir Silvester, the pleasure is all ours." The Queen gestured for the men in attendance to sit, exuding an almost giddy anxiety.
"You will find, noble Silvester, that my daughter is quite more progressive in her views than I am. I come from a time when marriages were arranged by leaders of nations and done so for political purposes. I do not wish to rob my daughter of the happiness of marrying someone that she loves, so I am not in a position to command my daughter to marry anyone. However, there are some parts of me as old-fashioned as I'm sure your parents are, and their parents before them undoubtedly were. As such, I will be conducting an interview with you on my daughter's behalf; such is custom in our culture. Damien Riso will also interject as he sees fit. He has known Coldheart since she was very young, and I doubt you could find a man more protective over a woman than Damien is to the Princess. Once we have approved your proposal, Coldheart may feel free to accept or deny it as she sees fit."

The Queen studied the young man intently. "You don't look nervous. This is a good sign. I ask you, Sir Silvester, what are your motivations for seeking a wife in my Empire, and moreover, in my daughter?"

(ooc: Whoops. Name changed. Sorry 'bout that.)

Princess Coldheart could not have contained the blush if she'd tried. The heat rose in her face so rapidly, she had to strain her ears momentarily to be sure that the heating system had not been turned on while she was unawares. Once confirmed, to her embarrassment, that the heat she felt was hers and hers alone, Coldheart quickly looked away from Silvester, studying the elaborate, draping curtain in the picture window to her left which had, inexplicable, began to seem more and more enthralling.

Sir Damien Riso cleared his throat loudly, drawing all attention in the room to his silent, almost brooding presence. As he did so, he regretted it immediately, lowering his eyes, embarrassed to have caused such a silent scene.

Queen Belladonna just smiled uniformly, like a doll that had been crafted solely for its stunning smile. But in her eyes was a glimmer of pure delight; sparkling with a rapture that was unfamiliar to everyone in the room. It was safe to say the the Queen may have been more excited about this entire ordeal than anyone, including Silvester and the Princess.

"Indeed, Sir Silvester, the pleasure is all ours." The Queen gestured for the men in attendance to sit, exuding an almost giddy anxiety.
"You will find, noble Silvester, that my daughter is quite more progressive in her views than I am. I come from a time when marriages were arranged by leaders of nations and done so for political purposes. I do not wish to rob my daughter of the happiness of marrying someone that she loves, so I am not in a position to command my daughter to marry anyone. However, there are some parts of me as old-fashioned as I'm sure your parents are, and their parents before them undoubtedly were. As such, I will be conducting an interview with you on my daughter's behalf; such is custom in our culture. Damien Riso will also interject as he sees fit. He has known Coldheart since she was very young, and I doubt you could find a man more protective over a woman than Damien is to the Princess. Once we have approved your proposal, Coldheart may feel free to accept or deny it as she sees fit."

"The princes and princesses of Ixania can have a voice in their love lives and in the choosing of whom they marry and my parents are somewhat old-fashioned despite adjusting to these modern times in which we live and I understand that you will be conducting an interview as you must want your daughter to marry only the best man possible. Damien Riso, by what you have said to him, is similar to my cousin's (the Empress of Ixania) personal assistant, Vladimir Vinogradov, who is quite protective of his liege and who has been at her side since childhood. I must say that it is a pleasure to be meeting all of you."

The Queen studied the young man intently. "You don't look nervous. This is a good sign. I ask you, Sir Silvester, what are your motivations for seeking a wife in my Empire, and moreover, in my daughter?"

"Although there were many women that I could choose from; it is Coldheart that has caught my attention completely. She is beautiful, indeed very beautiful but she posesses traits that I find admirable in a woman such as her independent streak, her professionalism in her work, and her committment to her nation. Coldheart is an admirable and respectable woman, Your Majesty, and I would be honored to marry her; it is not a common occurance that a Coldheart is born into this world. I am sure that Coldheart has more to her than just a devotion to politics and I wish to discover the complicated splendor that is Princess Coldheart; I wish to understand and know about all of it."

Silvester smiled. "Your Majesty, do not hesitate to ask me questions which you want answers to; I must say before you start that I admire you for raising Coldheart well; for I am sure that how she acts in her life was an inheritance from you."

It was Queen Belladonna's turn to blush. It was a rare feat that a man could make her blush, especially one so young. Belladonna had been on the throne over forty years; there were very few compliments that she hadn't heard. But this Silvester had complimented The Queen on her mothering skills, something people rarely did. Most compliments came in the form of flattery, or congratulations on a successful alliance or a good decision. For a stranger to take note of something so... personal was out of the ordinary, to say the least, and the Queen found herself liking this Silvester character more and more.

"Your kind words are certainly appreciated. It's nice to know that I am not the only mother left in this world who still teaches a child to compliment properly."

For the first time in the entire night, Princess Coldheart smiled. The smile was directed entirely to Silvester, who caught note of it and reciprocated. Indeed, Silvester was a charming man.

The Queen watched the display of subtle affection before speaking once more. "Sir Silvester, you speak highly of traits you admire in a woman, many of which my daughter possesses in spades. Coldheart devotes an enormous amount of time to her work, true, but it is my belief that she does so for lack of a family of her own. However, she is a fiercely independent woman in all aspects of her life. This is a highly admirable trait, to be sure, but the negative aspects of such a trait are stubbornness, an argumentative nature, and a distaste for archaic chivalry. Do you believe this to be something you could find yourself attracted to?"

It was Queen Belladonna's turn to blush. It was a rare feat that a man could make her blush, especially one so young. Belladonna had been on the throne over forty years; there were very few compliments that she hadn't heard. But this Silvester had complimented The Queen on her mothering skills, something people rarely did. Most compliments came in the form of flattery, or congratulations on a successful alliance or a good decision. For a stranger to take note of something so... personal was out of the ordinary, to say the least, and the Queen found herself liking this Silvester character more and more.

"Your kind words are certainly appreciated. It's nice to know that I am not the only mother left in this world who still teaches a child to compliment properly."

"My mother would be overjoyed to hear the compliment of Her Majesty concerning her parental values."

For the first time in the entire night, Princess Coldheart smiled. The smile was directed entirely to Silvester, who caught note of it and reciprocated. Indeed, Silvester was a charming man.

The Queen watched the display of subtle affection before speaking once more. "Sir Silvester, you speak highly of traits you admire in a woman, many of which my daughter possesses in spades. Coldheart devotes an enormous amount of time to her work, true, but it is my belief that she does so for lack of a family of her own. However, she is a fiercely independent woman in all aspects of her life. This is a highly admirable trait, to be sure, but the negative aspects of such a trait are stubbornness, an argumentative nature, and a distaste for archaic chivalry. Do you believe this to be something you could find yourself attracted to?"

"Coldheart's traits would not prevent me from being attracted to her unless she herself tried to make them so. I would not mind her, if she does marry me, continuing her work in the service of the Empire of ka-Spel and of her mother but I would, I admit, want her to be at my side at times so we could be together. Coldheart's independence is nothing new to me as many Ixanian women are fiercely independent in all aspects of their own lives and Coldheart would find herself at home in that department. Although I would want Coldheart to be able to be at home, with me and any children that we may have, at times, it is not a problem for me to see her working. Coldheart has a duty to serve her nation and any one, man or woman, who is firmly determined to fulfill that duty is admirable in my eyes. I am sure that Coldheart would not be prevented through marriage in continuing to serve her beloved nation and I must admit that I would prefer her living with me in Ixania but it would not be a problem for her to visit ka-Spel and continue to work for it."

Silvester smiled. "Coldheart, as a woman, is truly admirable in my eyes. You see, I am not a man who just wants beauty; although that is something that I would like in a woman. I want a woman with more than just beauty; and Coldheart has more than just beauty. She has talents, she is professional in her work and has a passion in serving her nation and all of these, when merged with beauty, makes her a perfect woman in my eyes."

Coldheart's eyes visibly widened. Living in Ixonia? The thought hadn't crossed her mind. She had just assumed that if she were to marry, she would... well, she hadn't really thought about it. I suppose she had just always assumed she'd marry locally.

Who was she kidding? She had always just assumed she wouldn't ever be married.

Even Queen Belladonna seemed caught off balance by this, though she was entirely too royal to let it show in her face. Years of practice and you develop a "Queen face"; utterly pristine, always looking just slightly amused, and an air of confidence despite anything you're facing. The Queen's mask seemed to be sliding down her face, but she regained her composure quickly enough.

"Living in Ixonia. What an interesting proposition. I must admit that we had not previously thought about where the Princess would be living. Naturally, she would always have a home here in ka-Spel, but the idea of living in Ixonia would seem awful enticing. Irregardless, that is a matter for you and your future wife to sort out."

The Queen smiled when she said this, casting a knowing wink at the Princess. Coldheart blushed fiercely, lowering her eyes.

Sir Damien Riso, who had watched this entire ordeal with downward-cast eyes suddenly spoke up.
"Sir Silvester," his voice was neutral, but held an vibration of hostility detectable only to those who truly knew Damien. Silvester was a bright young man; he may have picked up on it, but no one could be sure. "You talk of taking our dear Princess out of this country, if you could have your way. So tell me, Silvester, what exactly does that entail? What does this marriage mean for Ixania, and perhaps more importantly, for ka-Spel?"

The Queen shifted uncomfortably. The thought had been on her mind all the previous two days. That much she'd expressed to Damien. She wanted to know the answer to this question as well, even if she was too caught up in the charm of Silvester to think to ask earlier. This may have been the most important question of all.

Coldheart's eyes visibly widened. Living in Ixonia? The thought hadn't crossed her mind. She had just assumed that if she were to marry, she would... well, she hadn't really thought about it. I suppose she had just always assumed she'd marry locally.

Who was she kidding? She had always just assumed she wouldn't ever be married.

Even Queen Belladonna seemed caught off balance by this, though she was entirely too royal to let it show in her face. Years of practice and you develop a "Queen face"; utterly pristine, always looking just slightly amused, and an air of confidence despite anything you're facing. The Queen's mask seemed to be sliding down her face, but she regained her composure quickly enough.

"Living in Ixonia. What an interesting proposition. I must admit that we had not previously thought about where the Princess would be living. Naturally, she would always have a home here in ka-Spel, but the idea of living in Ixonia would seem awful enticing. Irregardless, that is a matter for you and your future wife to sort out."

"It would not be a problem for me to have a home in Ka-spel; although our main home would be my residence in Ixania as I am still a member of the Ixanian nobility. I do not mind discussing where we would live with Coldheart."

The Queen smiled when she said this, casting a knowing wink at the Princess. Coldheart blushed fiercely, lowering her eyes.

Sir Damien Riso, who had watched this entire ordeal with downward-cast eyes suddenly spoke up.
"Sir Silvester," his voice was neutral, but held an vibration of hostility detectable only to those who truly knew Damien. Silvester was a bright young man; he may have picked up on it, but no one could be sure. "You talk of taking our dear Princess out of this country, if you could have your way. So tell me, Silvester, what exactly does that entail? What does this marriage mean for Ixania, and perhaps more importantly, for ka-Spel?"

"My way is adjustable, sir. As for the marriage, it would bring our nations closer together and would create an alliance between our nations. In all ways, we would be closer together because of this marriage; although I hope that love will flourish between myself and Coldheart; because, truth be told, I am attracted to her and one can call my feelings for her love...."

Silvester smiled. "Our marriage would not be built merely as something to bring our nations together; I would work to cultivate love between us...between me and Coldheart. For, in marriage, love is the foundation and trust, honesty and the like serve as support columns."

Princess Coldheart had had enough. She could not possibly sit here, in a chair that grew more and more uncomfortable by the moment, and listen to these talks. And especially not with the gorgeous Silvester casting his brilliant smiles in her direction every time he spoke. It was too much; she needed air to breathe.

"Sir Silvester, Mother, Damien, if you would excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Coldheart all but bolted out of her seat, exiting the Conference room without so much as a backwards glance.

Silvester looked puzzled; the Queen just continued smiling.

"I think you are in luck, Sir Silvester. She seems to have taken quite a liking to you." Another knowing wink was cast his way. "To be quite honest, I don't feel the need to ask anymore. I've heard quite enough. I hereby grant full blessing for you to marry my daughter, if you so choose, and she accepts."
The Queen smiled brightly, and Silvester, rightfully, looked pleased. Damien, however, did not.
"Well, in that case, I have no further business here." Without waiting for dismissal from his Queen, Damien left the room.

The Queen watched Damien exit, and released a sigh as the door closed. She turned to Silvester.
"Sir Silvester, you mustn't mind Damien. As I said, he is quite protective over our Princess. Unfortunately, he as also grown a healthy distrust of people as of late. I apologize if he offended you in any way."

____

Damien felt the need to search the hotel corridors, but he knew he didn't have to. He knew exactly where the Princess had gone.
The back stairwell on the top floor of the hotel led to an enclosed courtyard that rested dead in the center on the roof. The surroundings were lovely; uncommonly comfortable benches and lush flowers decorated a cobblestone walkway that led to the other entrance. To the left was a picnic table and Princess Coldheart, puffing away on her cigarette. Damien was surprised she'd held out as long as she had.

"You alright?" Damien called as he walked towards her, sitting down beside her.

"I'm fine Damien. Just needed to air. Thank you."

"The meeting's over. Your mother granted blessing." Damien's voice held just a thimble of bitterness. Coldheart may or may not have picked up on it. Damn, he scolded himself. He was usually much better at controlling himself than this. Then again, he had never met a suitor for the Princess' hand before.
Coldheart, on the other hand, was unreadable. She puffed on her cigarette, staring up at the stars, expressionless.
"Are you going to marry him?"
Coldheart took a long drag and blew out the smoke in a grey-blue cloud before extinguishing the cigarette. Instantly, her expression changed from blank to that of content. "Yeah. I am."

Damien looked away. He refused to break right here. The timing was terrible.

"Do you give me your blessing?" Coldheart looked expectantly at Damien, a slight smirk gracing her visage, as though the question were merely a formality; she expected a "yes" and wouldn't dream that Damien would say anything but.

Damien lowered his eyes once more. Voices screamed for a resounding "NO", but in the end, he was loyal to the Royal Family. And more importantly, he couldn't disappoint the Princess, even if he didn't much like Silvester.

"Naturally, Your Highness."

(OOC: We can end this here if you'd like, unless you have something else to add. Also, if you'd like to RP the wedding, feel free to open a thread for it. I don't mind either way.)

OOC: We do not have to RP a wedding but I would not mind doing so; if you want to, then I'd like you to create the thread as I am assuming a wedding would be in ka-Spel. Sure, we can end this here and no, Damien did not offend Silvester.

OOC: We do not have to RP a wedding but I would not mind doing so; if you want to, then I'd like you to create the thread as I am assuming a wedding would be in ka-Spel. Sure, we can end this here and no, Damien did not offend Silvester.

OOC: Nah, there's no need to RP the wedding. And yes, Coldheart can re-locate to Neo-Ixania. However, she will have a home at the Palace when she returns, and of course, will inherit the Palace when she inherits the Empire.

OOC: Nah, there's no need to RP the wedding. And yes, Coldheart can re-locate to Neo-Ixania. However, she will have a home at the Palace when she returns, and of course, will inherit the Palace when she inherits the Empire.

OOC: Feel free to mention Coldheart's marriage, etc in other RPs that you do.

Did you want to RP the visiting of the Royal Family to Neo-Ixania?