A Meeting of Monarchs

[Adwest]

Balfonheim, Adwest

It was nearly three in the afternoon this particular Tolven day, and the arrival of King Frederick at Gregory III International Airport was greeted by a full honor guard from the Royal Adwestene Constabulary and her drum and fife corps. He was met by the Count of Laxenhive and Lord Protector of Adwest, Neil Gore-Culross, who would, for the most part, serve as the Lomarren monarch's tour guide until his meeting with his counterpart in this country.

There was no better man to do the job nevertheless; Neil had been appointed by Sophia as Lord Protector of Adwest a little over two weeks ago. He was the third nobleman to hold such a prestigious title within the realm, and had tremendous shoes to fill. Much of this included continuing imperial restoration after the demise of Garithos Ashford, and it was instrumental to seek foreign support for this.

Neil Gore-Culross did not waste time. Talks between Adwestene and Lomarren leaders at increasingly higher levels have been in place since at least the previous decade, and the new right hand of Sophia made it his priority to finalize these. His efforts paid off of course, with the sovereign of Lomarre himself already within the soil of the fatherland and eager to come to an agreement of mutual interests.

When the chatter died down and the rest of the formalities came to an end, the Lord Protector led the Lomarrens to their waiting diplomatic vehicles.

King Frederick of Lomarre got just what he desired as his entourage of vehicles began what would be his final trip for the rest of the day - a scenic stroll through the heart of Adwest. A drive of not more than twenty minutes from the airport all the way to Balfonheim provided more than enough sights the Lomarrens could feast their eyes upon, especially during their arrival in the Inner City.

For many major urban centers throughout much of the world, the most prominent features were skyscrapers of different varieties which represented affluence and power. In this corner of Kvaenna however, national identity was a more important factor when it came to laying down the groundwork for the capital.

Balfonheim, a city as old as time itself, was unique in that regard. At the very core of it all was a mountain, where the seat of the Adwesene royal family was grafted into. Extending outwards from it was a tiny portion of private woodlands and then further was Old Balfonheim or what was commonly called the Inner City.

The Inner City was as mysterious to many as it was famous; it was a district that took up 1/3 of Balfonheim's total area and served as the hub of Adwest's traditional powerbrokers, separated from those who did not possess the blood of nobility and churchmen regardless of wealth. Despite such an accurate depiction, what the Inner City actually looked like was unknown to much of the world. Photography of anything by non-Adwestenes was strictly forbidden, and even tourists were not allowed inside. To be invited to the Inner City was the highest diplomatic privilege afforded to foreign leaders and diplomats, and was a sign of recognition by the Adwestene monarch and High Nobility of a guest's stature.

The King of Lomarre and his delegation were driven at a leisurely pace as soon as they passed the highly guarded walls which separated the Inner City from the Outer City. Down the southern half of the two kilometer Kailbruy Boulevard - which bisected the Inner City - they drove, passing, among others, residential spaces housing grand palaces and structures. The epitome of Adwestene architecture and conservatism could be found nowhere else, evidenced by the ancient structures which lined the streets of Old Balfonheim.

At the edge of the horizon and from inside their vehicles, the Lomarrens could catch sight of Stormwind Mountain and the residence of the royal family itself, although today's arrangement would not exactly take them there. Whoever was allowed into the personal spaces of the House Durnador was a matter firmly under the sole discretion of the sitting monarch. High-ranking officials were selectively chosen, and especially foreigners, irrelevant of their rank.

This was nevertheless a non-issue for the Adwesene Foreign Ministry, which arranged the technical aspects of visits like these. The Inner City was replete with many empty but well-kept venues for any and all kinds of events. In the place of hotels and the like, the Foreign Ministry could easily use any of the many palaces and castles dotting the district as they were usually not the main place of residence for the Lords who owned them. Setting up and tidying these places was also not a problem, as the Lords who owned them always kept their staff all throughout the year to maintain these second homes.

Usually, these grand residences were only used whenever a noble from outside Balfonheim obtained an important promotion in the national government demanded their twenty-four hour presence in the capital. Or when their children were sent to study in the capital. In extreme cases of national emergency, many nobles would also hole up in the Inner City away from their domains, under the protection of the Grand Army.

This month was not a time for any of those three scenarios, and so many of the palaces of the Adwestene aristocracy found themselves without much residence but kept well in their pristine and stately conditions.

The meeting today of King Frederick of Lomarre and Queen Sophia would take place in the Balfonheim residence of the House Eriengord, the Counts of Trabrus in western Adwest. The Lord Eriengord VI - a stalwart ally of the Queen - did not have much business in the capital, and had already lent his residence numerous times for official state functions. It was by far the favorite of the Foreign Ministry to rent, although this probably owed itself more to the fact that Minister Callaghan especially liked its design, among other reasons.

The convoy of vehicles carrying the Lomarrens stopped in front of the marble staircase, where Queen Sophia awaited them at the top. Behind her were handpicked members of her court, most of which were in full evening dress. In a few seconds, the meeting of real monarchs would commence.