Peace for a Price (1x1)

The rolling green countryside favored the river, but even beyond the river patches of green carpeted the distant hills as they rolled up into the tall, unforgiving peaks of the distant mountains. After the harsh winters, the spring rains aided the entire country with thick, lush greenery in all directions, but as they had entered early summer, that green was fading into its summer yellow hues. The ground rose higher gradually, the altitude soon reaching above that of the majority of Valeskiar, and it would only keep going up, especially in the mountains.

Most of the land favored rolling hills, but the mountains could not be ignored as they rose up like giants' teeth in crooked lines all around them There were three distinct mountain ranges in Cranovid, and multiple branches. There were a lot of mountains, and a lot of valleys, and probably more steppes if anyone bothered to count them. Most did not because most did not care to count even the valleys. Forests dotted the base of some of the mountains in the distance, adding a dark green layer to the light colors.

Several hours into their trip, Eleazar spotted a herd of wild reindeer in the distance. He pointed them out to Malisia with a quiet comment. "They follow the spring rains for now."
 
Malisia's attention shifted to the group of caribou that advanced along the terrain, surprised by the large amount of them,

"I didn't get to see much wildlife back in Valeskiar... Of course, I saw smaller groups or individuals but, it's quite different to watch them move in such big numbers."


She could get used to this.

But then it ocurred to her, beyond cattle, she wasn't sure what else lived in Cravonid, and it made her curious to find out what else waited out there, both sentient or not.


"What other species live in these lands? I assume reindeer have some form of natural predator- But I meant species as, people. I was told you were a Daefur. I am not yet aware of what this may or may not mean, but we met another like you in our wedding... Could you tell me more, your highness?"
 
He had not expected that question. He was not sure he was ready to answer it or knew how. It was so direct. He decided to stall for time as he decided how to answer her real question.

"For animals, we have some large cats that are pale orange and spotted. There are not many of them, and all higher up in the mountains, but they are fantastic predators. We also have bears, but unless you bother them, they are normally quite happy to ignore and avoid people. There are antelope, seals, foxes, rodents like weasels, wild goats, eagles, and rumors of rocs, but I have never seen them, myself." He paused to think. "Puffins and a type of swan, I think, during certain times of the year. Wolverines and wolves. Furs are possibly our best trade, though lately I have been forced to put some laws into place to ensure they are not hunted too severely. Our land could not survive too much damage done to it by greed."

There were many other animals, but he could not think of them. That meant he had no choice but to return to her original question.

"As for the people... I cannot answer that. We have never had a full census done. Every five years - give or take a year as sometimes it is not done in time - we gather broad data of approximate numbers, but we don't bother with exact numbers. Too many people are born, die, or seek refuge here, and the land itself is just too big. It is hard to keep an exact count, even of just the races."

He paused a moment to think.

"We have Daefur, like myself, and we are sometimes called Gargoyles by outside people. Others are Vampires, Were-Folk such as wolves or cats, Orcs, Brownies, a few Fae Folk, Shadowmen, and Kitsune to name a few. Those like Brownies and Kitsune have large clans and high numbers here. Others, like Vampires and Daefur, are few in number."
 
Malisia listened to him speak, clear curiosity in her eyes as she leaned in closer.

Gargoyles, that sounded a bit rude, though, it wasn't like gargoyles were a bad thing necesarily. After all, the term gargoyle came from the decorative water spouts on castles or other structures that the most advanced kingdoms had to avoid erosion in their buildings. And even then, most people associated that with protection and warding from evil spirits, though she was sure that most folk who called them this, wasn't as a compliment.

She nodded once he finished his explanation.


"I will make sure to learn about all of them when I come back to the castle's library." She said with a gentle smile, still unaware of Eleazar's plans, and at this point, not even suspecting anything, as she guessed things were going better between them now.



The princess continued to observe the lands as they passed through them, rather joyful and forgetting her own anxiety as they did.

She wondered what this other castle would be like once they were there,
 
They stopped for the night at a large inn. Word had been sent ahead that the royal party would be coming, and the inn had been kept completely empty in order to accommodate them all. The owners and staff were well compensated for the extra work, and they were excited for the acclaim they'd receive for having put up the royal party.

They were served a warm soup and hearty bread with a slice of thick ham. The innkeeper's wife apologized that they couldn't serve anything more exotic to suit the exotic princess, but Eleazar assured her that all was well and she didn't need to worry. There was only so much one could do with only a few days of forewarning.

Then the royal couple shared a room for the night. Eleazar instantly gave Malisia the bed, claiming he felt restless and not much like sleeping. He did end up going out as he did prefer to wander at night, and when he returned, he took the soft, well-padded chair near the fire. He dozed lightly, rising and readying himself for the day before Malisia was awake. He slipped out, leaving Malisia to be attended to by her maids.

Breakfast was a hearty portion of oatmeal, more ham, eggs, and a bit of sweet syrup to go with it. Then they were back on the road until lunch. Eleazar ended up dozing off in the carriage, getting slightly better sleep propped up in the corner of the carriage than he had in the chair at the inn. He woke for lunch and remained awake long enough to have a decent conversation with Malisia. He told her a little more about the country, the animals that could be found there, and a little bit about what kind of plants grew there naturally. Some people outside of Cravonid thought the country was incapable of sustaining any sort of agriculture or natural edible plants, but that was untrue. Berries flourished, as did specific types of wild garlic and onions and a few other roots like the silverweed plant. The problem came in the sheer number of people attempting to live off the land. The native flora and fauna simply could not support the demand, and most non-native plants took far more effort to keep alive than was sustainable in large quantities. Thus the reason why the ever-guarded and suspicious Cranovid had finally broached the subject of peace treaties and trade with their neighbors. Cranovid had managed to create a peace treaty with one other kingdom beside Malisia's, but that royal family had all boys, so instead of marriage, they'd arranged for a different and less secure way of sealing the treaty.

After lunch, Eleazar took a walk by himself, leaving Malisia to Ambassador Rodrick, who was only too happy to talk to her and keep her entertained. He had family who lived at one of towns along their route, so he'd agreed to come with them to spend time with his family, and then later he would be returning to Malisia's kingdom to continue his work as an ambassador. Eleazar returned from his walk after an hour, and his hair had gotten tangled in his horns on one side. He didn't seem to notice at all as they got in the carriage.

Three hours after lunch, the next castle came into view. It was not as large as the one in the castle, but it was still plenty large and built in perfect rectangles. The roof was made of bright green tiles and sloped slightly inward before winging up in the corners with a flair. The roofs were stacked at least two and sometimes three high with space between each layer that had some sort of decorative stonework between. The rest of the castle was covered with giant murals that favored the color red and often portrayed larger-than-life people. Pillars and carved grey stone were everywhere, and the massive stone wall had been smoothed out to make each section between the square supports look like a solid stone piece instead of multiple smaller ones. It was a feat of stonework and artistry that could be seen from a mile out.

Eleazar gestured to the castle while they were still a ways out as if there was anything else of interest to look at. "That is Castle Kara Korum, kept by Duke Asudai. She is what your people might call a 'Kitsune,' though that is more of an umbrella term for many canine-type races."
 
Malisia, despite it all, dindn't have a terrible time on the road, nor during their stop, she was more than happy to eat was given to her, thanking the providers of the food with and honest smile and warm attitude.

She wasn't sure how to feel about the inhabitants seeing her as this, exotic being, but she didn't turn away in anger or any sort of negative emotion, deep down, Malisia was not one to care about appearances that much, given her poor experience with people who thought of it too much, she cared mainly for the heart, and so far, all the people from Cravonid they'd encountered seemed to have to a rather noble one.

She enjoyed her talks with Eleazar, and remained polite to everyone else who approached her, learning more and more about the land, the culture and the people as time went on. Malisia was finally having a sensation of belonging, with power or not, she was comfortable being part of this land's citizens.


Once they'd arrived their stop, she took her time to admire the beauty of the work done in the construction.

She wouldn't dare to say this place was more beautiful than Eleazar's castle, but it still had a charm to it.


"Quite a delightful place, the trip was indeed worth it." She looked at him and offered a sincere smile. "Thank you."


There was no real reason for her to thank him, other than the oportunity to learn about the kingdom. She was happy, genuinely happy, fulfilled in a way that she hadn't before.

"So then, it is time to meet the keeper of the castle, yes?"
 
Eleazar dipped his head. "We will be here for two days. We were offered a longer stay, but for the sake of time and not outstaying our welcome - for a party of this size is taxing on any castle - we will only be here two days. Duke Asudai is eager to meet you. They all are, but she, in particular, is intrigued."

As they drew closer to the castle, the massive gates were pulled aside by two guards on either side. Massive bells rang out a loud announcement of the visitors' arrival. The wide roadway welcomed them in, and once through the gates, the city was visible. Houses on top of houses. There were so many packed so tightly together in a solid carpet of tiled roofs! They were placed so closely together that only a few even had small courtyards. They all looked nearly identical except for their height with some single story and some as tall as four stories, and each one had a different design painted on the wall facing the roads and narrow paths leading through them.

The citizens of the city ran toward the main road as the bells continued to toll, and they lined the sides, all of them trying to see the carriages. They waved excitedly, some of the bigger ones holding up the small ones so they could see as well. Every single citizen, though humanoid in shape, bore pointed ears, soft fur in a variety of colors, and a bushy tail. They looked much like a hybrid between a fox and a human.

Eleazar grudgingly moved closer to the large carriage window and leaned out just enough for those on one side to see him. He maintained his grim composure, but occasionally lifted a hand to salute someone or wave to the crowd with a nod now and then. Several of the smaller citizens ran along side the carriage until the guards of the caravan shooed them away. It took nearly an hour to reach the wide, sweeping steps of the castle.
 
Malisia, in contrast of Eleazar, kept a kind smile and her hand up as long as there was a citizen in view, meaning, during the entire hour they had been stuck amidst the crowd.

She waved and stayed close to the window so the crowd may see her.


The princess didn't love fame or recognition, but once again, this was all for Eleazar. She would be friendly, and welcoming to anyone who approached her, and give a good impression no matter what. That was he only job.

But something was bothering her, or rather, making her a bit nervous. The Duke was eager to meet her and as Eleazar mentioned, intrigued. Malisia hoped desperately that she would not dissapoint and be what the folk of Cravonid expected from someone who had the honor of being Eleazar's wife. Of course, no one had been mean or rude towards her during the wedding, or the time after, but people were unpredictable.
 
Guards lined both sides of the wide, sweeping stairway, all of them standing at attention. The lead carriage that held the royal couple rolled up to the bottom of the stairway and came to a stop. A footman scurried forward and opened the door to the carriage. Eleazar stepped out first and offered his hand to Malisia.

Up at the top of the stairs, three women appeared. Two stood on either side, their hands neatly folded in front of them, their eyes slightly downcast, their reddish-colored tails curled politely at their ankles. Their long off-white, narrow dresses had little detail or design, which stood out in stark contrast to the woman standing from and center. Her golden fur blended beautifully with her darker beige-toned skin, and her elaborately embroidered dress seemed to be made of many layers of rectangular fabric draped over her and tied with a wide red sash. She stood straight and austere, her hands folded neatly, her ears pricked attentively as she watched the royals descend from the carriage.

Eleazar took Malisia's hand and led her up the stairs to where the duke waited. He stopped at the top and looked at her, equally serious.

Somehow, despite the intensity of her dress, the Duke managed an elegant curtsy, dropping her head respectfully. "Your Highness. You honor Castle Kara Korum with your presence. Please be welcome here."

Eleazar dipped his head to acknowledge the duke. "Duke Asudai. Thank you for opening your home to us." He lifted Malisia's hand just slightly. "This is Princess Malisia."

Another bow, though not as deep, to the Princess. "Princess. Kara Korum welcomes you with open arms."
 
Malisia stepped down carefully, holding Eleazar's hand tightly as they made their way towards the Duke.

Every step of the stairs made her feel a deep agony. She knew it would all be alright, she was with the King after all, nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. And yet, the closer they got to her, the more inadequate she felt.

The woman, despite her strange features, was still incredibly elegant, in fact, Malisia found her fox-like features that much more exotic, giving her a charm unlike any other woman she'd seen, of course, Malisia didn't consider herself particuarly pretty or attractice, despite how most people would think otherwise.


The princess bowed deeply, though her smile was clearly far more nervous than the one she'd held in front of the commonfolk.


"Thank you for receiving us... May Kara Korum continue to prosper as it has until now."
 
"I thank you for your blessing," the duke said. She stepped to one side and swept out her arm, the wide sleeve rippling slightly as she moved. "Please. Enter. My home is your home." She waited until Eleazar started walking before turning to lead the way. The two other women with her stepped to either side, bowed as the royals passed, and then fell in behind them.

Down below, the servants were already hard at work unloading what needed to be unloaded, including a gift for the duke and the allotment of gifts Eleazar and Malisia were supposed to open that night.

The inside of the castle was white painted walls plastered to be completely smooth, and lined murals decorated the walls. Some of them looked carved into the walls themselves and then lightly colored in. The murals were not highly colorful, most of them only a few shades lighter or darker than the walls, but it gave a visual interest to otherwise smooth walls.

The duke led them down a hallways to a set of large double doors. Guards were already waiting, and they pushed the doors open to reveal a large round room that appeared to be some sort of sitting or resting room. Low chairs, large pillows, and thick blankets and hides filled the room with soft warmth while a small fire lent a bit of heat inside a massive fireplace that could easily hold a bonfire.

"These are your rooms for you stay, your majesties," the duke said, indicating the room and the doors leading off from it. There were three smaller doors and one larger door. "There are rooms for your maids and gentlemen in waiting, a personal toiletry, and access to the grounds outside. I am sure you are tired after your journey. Please, rest. I will send someone when supper is ready."

"Thank you, Duke. It is most kind of you," Eleazar said with a slight bow.

The duke left, and the doors closed. Eleazar stretched with a sigh and turned toward the washroom. It was time to clean up. To Malisia he said, "Your maids can have first pick of which room they'd prefer. It's those two doors."
 
The princess' attention was captured by the art presented along the walls and halls, taking her time to stop and look at the works for a few seconds, making it obvious for anyone who looked at her during those times that she had a deep interest in culture and the arts.

He handmaidens weren't too far behind, silent and respectful as they always were, even hard to notice at time due to their slow movements and unconspicuous their appearances and actions were.


Once they reached their next stop, Malisia thanked the Duke again, finally at ease once they were left alone and with her attention quickly shifting to Eleazar.

"Thank you, your highness." She turned to them, knowing well they'd heard his words, but didn't leave, instead looking at Malisia as if they had something to tell her in private, she understood, of course, she knew them well, and looked at Eleazar ocne more.

"Excuse me my lord... I will come back as soon as possible."


She walked with them to the furthest room from them, already choosing it as their place to rest, the eldest of them spoke gently to her, as each of them took one of the princess' hands with a tender smile.

"Your highness you are doing well. Don't lose pattience yet, you have improved. In no time the king will begin to have feelings for you, just you wait." She remained positive, though with a deep, nostalgic sigh. "You have grown so much, so has your beauty. Do not be discouraged, and keep doing your best, yes? Your people will be proud of you."


She thanked them, and remained with them just for a while longer.
 
Eleazar didn't mind her leaving to be with her maids. That meant he had time to use the washroom, wipe off the dust of travel, and fix his hair when he finally noticed it had tangled around his horns again. He took his time, needing a few minutes to decompress and be away from people. He was so very, very tired of being with Malisia. Not because of who she was, just the fact that she was a stranger and he'd been with her nonstop for days with little reprieve. And now he had to put on a good face to the Duke, who, while loyal, was quick to note any signs of weakness.

He left the washroom and went to the room he was to share with Malisia, wishing there was some way he could have asked for a separate room without making anything obvious. Maybe he would sleep out in the sitting room. Then again, the round bed was so big they could have easily fit five people in it with room to spare. If they each took a side, they might never even meet in the middle.
 
Eventually, Malisia returned, her hands held behind her back, with a slow pace as she reached the washroom, only waving a little to Eleazar if somehow they encountered each other in the way and he noticed her.

She, also needed time away from Eleazar, to gather her thoughts on what to do, as well as respecting his space. She wasn't aware of him having a hard time, but she wasn't particularly comfortable with the thought that he'd married her out of convinience just yet. Sure, she didn't hate him, nor did she think he was a bad person, but it was only natural to need time and try and convince herself that he would in fact start having any sort of attraction towards her.


Tiring, that's the only way she could really describe it.


After a while, she had managed to refresh herself as well, dressed in a similar manner to how they arrived, though with slight different on the color of her clothes, choosing red for the ocassion. She allowed her hair to flow down to her shoulders freely, sitting at the edge of the bed in silence, not really engaging with Eleazar unless he spoke to her first.
 
After a while, there came a very soft scratching on the door. Eleazar went to answer it himself and spoke briefly with the young fox-like person standing there. He told Malisia everything was ready and took a second to make sure his hair hadn't managed to get itself tangled, and then walked with Malisia down the hall to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall looked much like the one in the capital's castle, except the ceiling was a bit lower, and the single, long table was much closer to the ground. The low chairs were intended so that you could either tuck your feet under them and almost kneel, cross them in front (only if you were male), or let them rest to the side. The duke and her people were already there and waiting, as was Lance, and they all bowed to the king and queen. They waited for the royals to take their place and then sat down.

The meal was served amid near silence and only quiet murmurs.

"I forgot to warn you," Eleazar murmured quietly, "but Duke Asudai does not encourage idle chatter during meals. According to her people's tradition, it is bad for digestion. You are still free to speak, if you like, but keep your voice lowered when you do. They will not be offended if you forget or ask questions, but they will be more impressed if you do not."

While he did not see the correlation between speaking and digestion, he did appreciate the tradition because it made the meal so much more peaceful. He had a theory that the digestion thing came from someone who did not want to talk business at the table. Constant tension could cause digestion issues, so perhaps there was a tie. Either way, he was content to eat in silence, but Malisia had someone at her left she could speak to if she wanted to. An older grey fellow with a quiet twinkle in his eye.
 
Malisia had a hard time finding a way to sit comfortably, but she didn't complain either

Her eyes widened a bit behind her glasses as Eleazar spoke to her about the issue with speaking at the table, nodding slowly as she understood his words, truth be told, she was about to make small talk with him, so she appreciated the warning.

"I see- Thank you for letting me know my lord."

She was surprised about the tradition, but silence in meals wasn't unknown to her, for different reasons of course. Her father and mother had always scolded her for speaking with others during meals as it wasn't "refined", she never cared back then, but for the sake of peace and not making a fool of herself, she did her best to keep quiet, not saying a word unless she was spoken to first, but keeping a pleasant expression during the time, enjoying her meal with silent care.


In reality, she was very much ready to burst with questions and comments about the castle's architechture and story, oh how she missed speaking, she hated being quiet, but she managed to power through and resist her terrible urges.
 
Few words were spoken at any given time, but there was almost always a quiet hum as the others at the table quietly conversed in short bursts. They praised the food. Thanked their host. Requested items they could not reach. There was a lot of quiet, but it was calm, relaxed silence, not strained or bothered in the least. Except for Malisia's corner, but no one seemed to notice. That or they were politely ignoring it.

Eleazar had a bit more practice sitting on the low chairs. That did not mean he was comfortable, but he knew the least uncomfortable way to bend himself. He said almost nothing the entire meal, his expression completely impassive and a touch moody, but that was just the way his face rested.

Once the meal was over, the servants brought tiny cups of coffee in delicate cups and little sweet wafers to go with them. Those at the table began to drink their coffee at the table, but in moments, they were shifting away from the table, several sitting on the well-padded floor instead of the short chairs. Three took up station near the fireplace.

"You will be speaking now, and you might not stop until time for bed," Eleazar told Malisia without looking at her. His eyes were on his cup of bittersweet liquid, and he couldn't fully hide his amusement.

Duke Asudai glided over to their end of the table and bowed low. "Princess. Would you prefer to move to a more comfortable place to sit? I understand this is not something you are accustomed to," she said, her tone polite and formal.
 
Her brows furrowed a bit at his comment, blushing deeply and she did a bit of a pouty face, jokingly of course, which was made obvious by how exagerated the expression was. She changed her face quickly of course, smilling tenderly, she knew how to take a joke.

Malisia was a bit surprised once the Duke approached her, sittting back up straight and greeting her back with a bow.


"Thank you so much madame, but I might just, stand up for a while, the ride towards your castle left me with a desire to stretch my legs a bit."

She spoke politely, with a gentle voice rather than her usual much more excited and energetic way, she wasn't yet sure of how to handle the situation.
 
"Very well. Then please, walk with me," Asudai invited, holding a hand out to indicate the room. "A stroll about the room is delightful directly after food. If you will accompany me." She stepped back, waiting, her eyes guarded as she watched Malisia, judging her every movement.
 
She stood up, slowly, making sure not to trip in the atttempt, and bowed respectfully for the Duke to show her gratitude.

But before she forgot, she turned to Eleazar and showed him a nervous smile, almost begging for help without saying any words.


"I will be back as soon as possible, my lord." She bowed to him too.

Malisia wanted to keep a good impression, that meant treating Eleazar with the respect a king deserved rather than a husband, but, she wasn't aware that her attempt at faking normalcy only made it that more obvious that their marriage was not exactly full of love and understanding, and at the time being it was a bit... One sided.
 
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