⛓ TALA MY LOVE PLZ GIVE ME MY FAVOURITE THING EVER.
emon or zack?? unless u have another option in mind
Emon knew of many reasons for a marriage to be spoken of into truth for politics, but to think that the King of his Kingdom would be giving him something so… mundane in the form of a letter. Pleading with him, of all Mages, to step forward for the sake of their people and their needs and their lives - over his own comforts of being a free roaming spirit. As he sat at his desk, chained to it at the ankle at this point, his wards were vehement upon him finishing his boring tasks this evening - he found himself humming low into the silent tower-top floor. Staring over inked words that spoke of the ideas of having their two countries bountiful in rewards from joining together…
Emon, moved his gaze to the windows, ceiling to floor, crossed with metal and stone - clean and everclear towards the mountains and fields of golden wheat that never fell to common weather failures with their mana imbued soils. He watched a hawk slide by, a message upon its ankle. Horse and carriage below feeding through buckets of fresh grass and water for the travels they were to embark. A longing stare upon adventurers taking their time to team up, bond and eat within the inns here that provided room and food for one silver plate. Ah - he missed that sensation of waking in the morning to the noise of Zack retching, Yuriy laughing and Qiang snorting himself awake as Xion continued to force Zack into inhaling a smelling salt made from the innards of a gnoll and hobgoblin.
It was a laugh those days --- still, as he moved his attention back to his own predicament, he found himself sighing with some resentment. Zackery - ran. Always a hero on the run, be it from the Gods, the people, the praise, the hopes and guilt of being their saviour. He was out there somewhere, fighting the good fight, sleeping in trees and mudhuts provided by rabbit-folks. It was strange to be the one tied down here. He was always the one to flutter away with the winds, to venture with a new thirst for a world unknown but recently - he was tired? Though he didn't think that was the word for it. Tired… no, he was bored. Ah… that was it. He was bored of the world he knew already.
A sharp inhale and an exhale of relief rolled from his lips, twisting his fingers through his ivory locks and tugging free a quill of dragon feather and phoenix bone - the nip, a mythril sharpness that emitted a soft light as he etched upon the very reality. Carving his words from his mana heart towards the world itself… That was when the tower began to rattle, shudder and the folks within it came running to his office. The doors slammed open, all five of them -- and the Grandmaster stared upon his wards with a smile eased with mischief. "I'll meet you all in the castle, sweet learners."
Of course, bellows of 'Master you promised!', 'Who didn't check his hair for the quills!' and so-forth, but the sudden teleportation of the Grandmage to the Throne room of his King, was done. Stepping through a cracked fragment of air and onto Royal rugs with a gaze filled with mirth. His King wasn't present - never was, too busy in the back rooms making his life harder than it needed to be at times. Still, he stood on his lonesome, staring upon the ceiling paintings of war, strive, victory and life. Twisting his head enough to watch stained glass shimmer and the souls of a song hum in the air. A magic of his own doing. Protection from the elements, from age, from all things harmful and those of watchful eyes beyond their stars.
It took him twenty years in his own mind to fathom that one out. Nearly died but the results were perfect. Still, he stood in the silence, watching the life of what he knew and was terribly bored of now pass him by.
"You're early…? Ah, don't say you're about the run this time too?"
"Ah - don't think of me so fleeting, King. I came upon your request. I heard an Arranged Marriage to a place of Ro'maki? Dragon lands that were forbidden for many aeons that are now opening their borders?" Curiosity tickled his attention, stepping forward with staff thunking with each right foot. "Ro'maki, the land of Tol'yika?" He had one fragment of one of their divine trees, an element that he was always in awe from. Fire resistance magic was good, but it was just magic. If it wears away over time, the item was useless. But Tol'yika wood, a foreign gift from a foreign time, was a naturally fireproof growth. "Are you selling my hand in marriage for trees, King?"
"A-ah, don't get it twisted you fool." The laughter was bright, a friendship long lasting but still the duty of King and Grandmaster were stronger. "Ro'maki and it's King - are opening their nation for trade. Goodwill, if you think of it so but underneath it's war. They need aid of neighbouring strengths, a nation of Nar'mu is on the rise and the King of Ro'maki asks for more than just a wedding of two, but defence lines where his eyes can not see at all times." The King of Aarphine could only sigh in worry at first, it was a big ask - but nations of their kind needed to stick together. Specially when one as proud and exclusive as the Ro'maki was in need of aid so sudden.
The Grandmage could only stare upon his long-term friend, moving to press his fingers to chin in thought. A marriage with a promise of aid in war wasn't uncommon, just not what he expected. Though he knew of boiling points of nation borders being the weakest of all things to stop war from forming, he never would have thought a Nar'mu nation would be behest of such violence first… and after so long of being so darn quiet. "Who sits upon the Ro'maki Throne?"
"The offspring, Nen'bayo. Crowned and True, King of Ro'maki for the Ro'maki."
Emon stared upon the King for a silent moment, but it wasn't long at all for the sparks in his eyes to illuminate with an interest that devoured every other thought he could have had. His smile etched wide, his brows raising in delight and of course --- that boredom that he felt since the beginning of time almost evaporated with a billow of his magic and desires coming to the surface. "My King! You've given me the most delightful of gifts!"
"Arrange the festival at your own leisure, send word to the King Nen'bayo, may our hands meet over the passions of marriage."
Laughter came from the knowledge hunting maniac, cracked with wanting to know more. Just so - so - so much to ask, to know, to seek out the answers that blossomed at his feet alongside his mindseye. "Just what is happening upon Ro'maki lands?" A breath of his wonder, a blink of another fragment crack and the Mage was gone.
The King, only covering his face in defeat upon his throne and groaned as his Knights came through with knowing concern. "I totally forgot he is a monster for information." His hand rose to summon his servant for the day, smiling in defeat and resting aside some of the worry of rejection from his shoulders.
"Write a letter post haste. Allow Nen'bayo know of the conditions of his needs to be met by Aarphine. A hand in marriage to solidify our unification and promises to be kept for their border turf wars. Send him an original map of Ecro-Aarphine, the older the better." He stood with flourish, twisting himself from his chair and adjusting cape over shoulders with a laugh on his tongue.
"Send the flame-hawk as another gift. It should live well within their volcanic lands, its eggs are a delicacy that we have, maybe he will enjoy it all the same."
To say that Emon was excited was beyond what the Tower was witnessing. Magic flared from basement to attic of his tower home, rumbling in good bliss, curiosity scratching at the noggins of all around but Emon, stood within his bathroom - stripped to the bone, settled deep within heated waters and hand to chin as his cleaning items moved upon their own to clean him thoroughly all over.
"Borders at near war, a new king who dares open their lands after aeons of being shut so tight that even a whisper of a wind nymph couldn't get through. A thriving nation that needs little outside items, technology, thought or whispers of life unknown to them - but suddenly needing such a thing?" Oh, how his brain twirled in desires to know more, just how much should he be able to question his new Fiance on their first date?
Ah, he was eager to meet them.
Three nights, he had to wait. Three long sleeps. God, it was driving him insane but the letter was sent, the invitation and time of meeting. Nen'bayo nay leave his Kingdom, instead, he was to provide a space and place an etched sigil upon the floor upon the time asked for… Magic thrived in its lines, inked and hand-drawn.
Washing seemed so slow, so he rushed himself to wash his hair thoroughly, oils and flora extracts for his roots, the tips doused in oils to revive split ends and dryness. Rinsing as his body was scrubbed clean, his nails and toes pristine with his ears, teeth and lower regions soon following. Fresh as a daisy, the bath waters drained upon his exit and his skin dried with a heat magic blossoming from his palms.
"Ah, they are of Volcanic origins… so, orange, red, yellow with black and gold." Listing off the colours he'd like to adorn, he moved with ease in his own room. Pushing doors open to his wardrobe that twisted and twirled clothing as he sought for them. Dismissing bland long coats, three piece suits, all-in-one suits too.
Instead, he moved to layer himself well. Undergarments of gold, socks of white with red stitch upon the openings. Twirling his hair into braids and loops of decorative black jewels, gold and red. He moved with ease to slide his arms through robes of orange hues, starting at its brightest upon his skin, going darker outwards until the last fourth layer was black as the volcano mountains this King sat within.
Jewels were usually not Emon's thing, but he allowed it to be so on his current self. Though only a head garment of red and gold - chains that hung by the ears to connect to those in his hair. Staff pulled from its floating space and his shoes, thigh high but hidden as he moved through his office once more. A moment's break, the rush of reading himself, he knew his King would set up what was necessary for their meeting.
Emon centred his thoughts, stepping through the luxury doors of the King's throne room, the silence that followed was nothing short of an ego boost. He knew he looked amazing. Preening with dismissives to the onlookers of their council men and old party members vibrating in delight - he gave his King a smile. "Let us be off, Sire. I have many questions to ask of my soon to be husband." Of course, he could hear Yuriy sigh in the back, along with Nishikisui's laughter muffled in his arms. Leon did snort, knowing just what that manic was like in the questions that were needing to be asked.
Staff was risen, the magic circle expanded and the mana flows with lights of the Earth and Stars. "No more dilly dallying." The power surge was strong, rippling across the country in the form of a simple strong wind. The King only sighing with a smile hidden by his hand as he stared upon the spotless floor before him and then to the window. Emon and his party of friends landed there, in the heart of the mountain as placed by the King and his people… The sudden surge wasn't invasive but it did caress over those present. After all, mana had its own mind sometimes and it was just as curious as its master as they stood upon new grounds.
Expecting weaponry really, Emon's posture was regal but subdued, after all, this King was not his best friend nor long time brother in arms, but his future husband. He had a hope that his clothing choice was appropriate… Yuriy and others lowered their gaze but their knight uniforms and weapons were on full display - though Nishikisui seemed to hide himself in hood and thicker cloaks with a grimace upon his scaled face. The heat most likely. It was a sharp one, itched at the skin, drying it out fast. "Greetings, King of Ro'maki and People of Ro'maki… I am Emon Procella, the Grandmage of Aarphine and chosen Husband of Nen'bayo's hand. Forgive our grand entrance but we deemed it more safer for your lands to host and board for the celebration and marriage of two."
Emon bowed with his staff at hand, his team giving their own forms of respect but still, as warriors should - alert with attention to their surroundings. Straightening his spine and allowing his gaze of starlight to twinkle with interest spiking upon those around him, the Mage smiled with gratitude for a new feast before him and stared upon the Throne sitter.
"My King… my husband-to-be… I greet you with all of Aarphine's promise and agreements met."
