The carriage was rocking like mad and it did
nothing to help with the headache that was throbbing at the very back of
Luke's mind. It must've already begun to rain and all that accursed
smog that normally lingered high in the stratosphere was probably being
washed down to ground level. Normally Luke would've enjoyed a good rain,
but it hadn't rained in quite a long time and all that human waste had
weeks to gather up there. It would be at least twenty minutes before the
pollution is completely washed from the air and the headache would
subside. Luke silently cursed the myr's affinity with the planet. He'd
much rather stay inside with a warm cup of brightwort tea in one hand
and blueprints for the Flynn's flight engine in the other.
But he was out here instead and every one of his colleagues, even his servants and maids told him that he had to attend. Prince Kristopher Vilenthrope and Princess Hilde Lannister were to be wed today, and it was certainly an auspicious occasion. Vilenthrope was heir to Griswold, the mountainous nation famous for their forges and weapon advancements while Lannister was a lady of Pelta Lunata, the ocean-side nation filled with fertile lands and superior navy. They two nations were never on the most friendliest of terms. Several wars had been fought over territory and the battles were bitter ones. That was, however, a long time ago, and both the Vilenthrope and Lannister families were ready to make peace.
Which was why the marriage of a Griswold prince and a Pelta Lunata princess was a glorious thing. It acted as a kind of peace treaty, signed by the two nations with their blood and, as the romantics said, sealed with a loving kiss. It was only natural for them to hold the marriage in Hagar, a neutral state of trade that has always been acting as a go between for the two nations. But Luke hardly believed their marriage was going to be one of love. The two probably would be no more than mere acquaintances and would spend the first year of their marriage try to get each other's names right. But it was a necessary union, as everyone raved. Good for everyone, a win-win situation.
But for Gaea's sake, it was raining! Rain on a wedding day had to spell misfortune in some kind of religion and the smog drenched rain that was falling now must've carried some kind of omen. But today was the first of Orion, the date that marked the first major battle between Griswold and Pelta Lunata. Both parties decided that ending decades of war by marriage on the day that the wars started would be incredibly symbolic and hopefully spell decades of peace in the coming days. The marriage could not be moved, rain or shine. If Mt. Mjolnir exploded and rained ash and fire all down Hagar, or even if the bride's veil ignited and burned off all her hair, the marriage would go on. Politics never made any sense to Luke so he was out here now with a migraine developing as the rain fell harder.
And why in Gaea didn't anyone check the propulsion rods in this air carriage? It only felt like three of the four rods were working properly and none of them up to par! The wheels were clacking loudly on the rails and the axels sounded as if they hadn't be oiled in decades. And why hadn't anyone replaced the sky stones lately? The stone had just about lost all of it's luster. It wasn't even blue anymore! All Hagar engineers swore that if the stones lost power, the rails would keep the carriage from plummeting thousands of feet to the ground, but that only meant Luke would be trapped thousands of feet in the air inside a metal contraption in the godforsaken poisonous rain with a migraine pulsing behind his eyeballs. Why did he decide today wasn't a good day to bring a few of his own sky stones? Maybe he had slipped one absent-mindedly into his pocket? God, he'd be reassured just having some dust particles left on his gloves--
"Tea, sire?"
Luke jerked his head up, the motion sending a mild shock through his brain that rattled any lingering thoughts right out of his head. His eyes went to the gray haired butler standing at his side. The man's eyes seemed forever shut though Luke had often thought the man could see everything, even with those eyes closed. His black suit was uncreased, the white apron, the exact one that Luke had told the man many times to leave behind when venturing out, laying flat against his legs. The lines of his face seemed defined and hard. A man of little personality. Luke leaned back in his seat, suddenly aware that he had been massaging his eyes for a while now and a dull ache was left from where his fingers were. "Pardon?"
"Tea, sire?"
It took Luke a second to notice his butler had produced a stoneware cup, already filled with water, and a tea bag from nowhere.
"Brightwort tea, m'lord. I also have..." The butler began to cycle through several more tea bags, all seemingly pulled from behind one of his lapels. "Angleflower, Kaiser Root, and Maiden's Kiss. All excellent remedies for headaches.
Luke heaved a sigh. "Was it that obvious?"
"A servant must always be vigilant. Now, shall I brew Brightwort, Angleflower..."
"It's fine, Edward." Luke stopped the man with his hand before he could make a full cycle with his tea bags again. "It'll subside in a few minutes, just until the rain is finished scraping all the waste from the air. We're just about there anyway."
"Of course, sire. Excellent choice, sire." The cup and tea bags vanished with a blink of his eye, making Luke wonder if Edward had brought them out in the first place.
The carriage pulled to a rickety stop minutes after, the entire ship rocking back and forth. Edward turned stiffly on his heels and stepped out through the side door. A loud fwoomp sounded as he opened up an umbrella, standing a good foot out of the protection and into the rain. He turned to Luke, still standing upright despite the rain making rivulets down his suit. "Watch your step, sire."
The door shut behind Luke as he stepped out and immediately began it's rickety ascent back to the skies, leaving Luke standing before a great stone building. Hagar's King Ascoth's own Citadel. Where normally the banners of Hagar flew where now red and blue banners. One of a lion rearing up laid over a shield and the second of a great horned stag. Griswold and Pelta Lunata's own banner's, respectively. The rain had already soaked deep into the fabric and the great hall itself seemed cold and gray. Hopefully the festivities were already underway and fires were already lit.
Luke straightened his white coat and began sifting loose strands of his golden brown hair behind his ears. Edward produced a pair of glasses which Luke took without even looking and slipped them over his amber eyes. He proceeded to smooth out creases in his sleeves. "How do I look, Edward?"
"Spectactular, sire."
Luke cast his butler a quick glance, taking note of the man's still shut eyes, before looking forward again. "Right. Let's hope the groom hasn't chickened out of the vows already."
But he was out here instead and every one of his colleagues, even his servants and maids told him that he had to attend. Prince Kristopher Vilenthrope and Princess Hilde Lannister were to be wed today, and it was certainly an auspicious occasion. Vilenthrope was heir to Griswold, the mountainous nation famous for their forges and weapon advancements while Lannister was a lady of Pelta Lunata, the ocean-side nation filled with fertile lands and superior navy. They two nations were never on the most friendliest of terms. Several wars had been fought over territory and the battles were bitter ones. That was, however, a long time ago, and both the Vilenthrope and Lannister families were ready to make peace.
Which was why the marriage of a Griswold prince and a Pelta Lunata princess was a glorious thing. It acted as a kind of peace treaty, signed by the two nations with their blood and, as the romantics said, sealed with a loving kiss. It was only natural for them to hold the marriage in Hagar, a neutral state of trade that has always been acting as a go between for the two nations. But Luke hardly believed their marriage was going to be one of love. The two probably would be no more than mere acquaintances and would spend the first year of their marriage try to get each other's names right. But it was a necessary union, as everyone raved. Good for everyone, a win-win situation.
But for Gaea's sake, it was raining! Rain on a wedding day had to spell misfortune in some kind of religion and the smog drenched rain that was falling now must've carried some kind of omen. But today was the first of Orion, the date that marked the first major battle between Griswold and Pelta Lunata. Both parties decided that ending decades of war by marriage on the day that the wars started would be incredibly symbolic and hopefully spell decades of peace in the coming days. The marriage could not be moved, rain or shine. If Mt. Mjolnir exploded and rained ash and fire all down Hagar, or even if the bride's veil ignited and burned off all her hair, the marriage would go on. Politics never made any sense to Luke so he was out here now with a migraine developing as the rain fell harder.
And why in Gaea didn't anyone check the propulsion rods in this air carriage? It only felt like three of the four rods were working properly and none of them up to par! The wheels were clacking loudly on the rails and the axels sounded as if they hadn't be oiled in decades. And why hadn't anyone replaced the sky stones lately? The stone had just about lost all of it's luster. It wasn't even blue anymore! All Hagar engineers swore that if the stones lost power, the rails would keep the carriage from plummeting thousands of feet to the ground, but that only meant Luke would be trapped thousands of feet in the air inside a metal contraption in the godforsaken poisonous rain with a migraine pulsing behind his eyeballs. Why did he decide today wasn't a good day to bring a few of his own sky stones? Maybe he had slipped one absent-mindedly into his pocket? God, he'd be reassured just having some dust particles left on his gloves--
"Tea, sire?"
Luke jerked his head up, the motion sending a mild shock through his brain that rattled any lingering thoughts right out of his head. His eyes went to the gray haired butler standing at his side. The man's eyes seemed forever shut though Luke had often thought the man could see everything, even with those eyes closed. His black suit was uncreased, the white apron, the exact one that Luke had told the man many times to leave behind when venturing out, laying flat against his legs. The lines of his face seemed defined and hard. A man of little personality. Luke leaned back in his seat, suddenly aware that he had been massaging his eyes for a while now and a dull ache was left from where his fingers were. "Pardon?"
"Tea, sire?"
It took Luke a second to notice his butler had produced a stoneware cup, already filled with water, and a tea bag from nowhere.
"Brightwort tea, m'lord. I also have..." The butler began to cycle through several more tea bags, all seemingly pulled from behind one of his lapels. "Angleflower, Kaiser Root, and Maiden's Kiss. All excellent remedies for headaches.
Luke heaved a sigh. "Was it that obvious?"
"A servant must always be vigilant. Now, shall I brew Brightwort, Angleflower..."
"It's fine, Edward." Luke stopped the man with his hand before he could make a full cycle with his tea bags again. "It'll subside in a few minutes, just until the rain is finished scraping all the waste from the air. We're just about there anyway."
"Of course, sire. Excellent choice, sire." The cup and tea bags vanished with a blink of his eye, making Luke wonder if Edward had brought them out in the first place.
The carriage pulled to a rickety stop minutes after, the entire ship rocking back and forth. Edward turned stiffly on his heels and stepped out through the side door. A loud fwoomp sounded as he opened up an umbrella, standing a good foot out of the protection and into the rain. He turned to Luke, still standing upright despite the rain making rivulets down his suit. "Watch your step, sire."
The door shut behind Luke as he stepped out and immediately began it's rickety ascent back to the skies, leaving Luke standing before a great stone building. Hagar's King Ascoth's own Citadel. Where normally the banners of Hagar flew where now red and blue banners. One of a lion rearing up laid over a shield and the second of a great horned stag. Griswold and Pelta Lunata's own banner's, respectively. The rain had already soaked deep into the fabric and the great hall itself seemed cold and gray. Hopefully the festivities were already underway and fires were already lit.
Luke straightened his white coat and began sifting loose strands of his golden brown hair behind his ears. Edward produced a pair of glasses which Luke took without even looking and slipped them over his amber eyes. He proceeded to smooth out creases in his sleeves. "How do I look, Edward?"
"Spectactular, sire."
Luke cast his butler a quick glance, taking note of the man's still shut eyes, before looking forward again. "Right. Let's hope the groom hasn't chickened out of the vows already."
