It was the night of celebrations in new Ramania as the great white halls lit with festival yellow lights for the people have a new leader for them to toast to.
On such night, Sir Argus stood outside the halls of the banquet where the gossips were being hurled from the table to the servants and onto the Ears of Royalties alike.
In the silence of the blue night, he stood on the veranda which extended on the garden.
His thoughts, busy and swindling around the constitution of his new leader.
That is when his eyes had caught a glimpse at a corner.
A lonely maid with brown old clothes rubbing the floor with the wet cloth. She didn't seem to know the reluctance of the floor. whitestone is more prone to dust and dirt than other materials.
He walked towards her, as his voice commanded.
" The hour is too late for you to be moping that stain."
He said, as his eyes shifted at her,
"Many maids and servants quit working in the white for it is a colour, very easy to notice dirt on."
He said as he examined her skin.
She was a dirt.
"No dirts are allowed for the night in the halls, do you understand that? Now leave before the guards have you beat and thrown out."
He suggested it to her.
Just then her eyes lifted, her black hair now behind her. An old woman she was, skin wrinkled like a dried land and eyes wary of its environment.
She bowed her head slowly as she got up to leave but just as Sir argus had turned to dismiss her presence, the old woman spoke to him.
"Have you seen the leaves, master?"
She asked him, her voice trembling but one with resolution in her words.
Just then, Sir Argus had looked outside. The wind swayed softly and the leaves…the leaves were of no ordinary tree, they appeared dark and black in the veil of night even when the moon had blessed her light upon the garden.
"Bad omen, it is."
The woman added, looking outside giving off a very faint smile. A kind of smile devious enough to trigger him.
"You dirts and your superstition."
He sneered.
"Sorry, master." She said changing her expression, "I will leave at once."
Now Sir Argus stood alone but the commotion inside had reached his ears.
He cannot ignore them for too long. The guest are waiting for his thoughts and opinions on the election. Sir Argus enjoyed their company no less than war.
He took a long breath before he entered.
Some royal celebration, tables with bouffes on both sides. Glasses of wine cheered amongst men and women. The high yellow lanterns lightning the room and the whispers and gossips endless.
From a plate the servant held, he took a glass himself as he ventured in the crowd hoping not to run into someone who deems themself a close acquaintance of him.
He smiled gently as he shook his head at many people who had noticed his presence.
Then, he saw the old woman approach him.
Dressed in a sapphire gown, age similar to him but older. Short black hair with strands of white swaying all over the dark. A skin so rich and young but a face of a cautious and cunning middle aged woman.
It was Madame Quoelina, the architect behind the beauty of New Ramania. Anyone who had ever aspired to be a builder had studied their architecture and design from her. A woman of respect, she was that everyone admired.
Sir Argus had always thought the woman to be very beguiling, A nuisance of questions she offered at many times he had the misfortune of meeting her and today was going to be one of them.
She approached. The smile, so misleading but it had its own poisonous charm.
"Oh poor Argus, and silly old me had thought I'd not see you amongst us commonfolks here."
She said with much glee as her eyes darted far on Valkaerys who sat on the other end of the room with important men around her table.
"But I am glad that you had not cast us people aside in favour of her new highness. Quite young and beautiful."
She added as she searched for a reply on his face but the man had merely smiled and shook his head.
Seeing no answer on his side, she began again.
"I hope her youthfulness is not eaten away by politics."
She said, finally noticed his silence as she prepared him a question he cannot just shake his head to.
"And how fare you, sir Argus? Has politics tasted you well enough?"
She asked as she let out a slight laugh to which Sir Argus replied,
"For now, it has filled its stomach with my taste," he said looking away at Valkaerys as she smiled forcefully at the men before he looked at her, "but it is always open to a second bite."
Madame Quoelina smiled, appearing quite alive with his answer.
"And what part of you will it please, this time?"
She asked as her emotions got tense for a moment to which Sir Argus smiled and said,
"Perhaps me as whole."
Quoelina seemed content with his answer as she changed the topic.
"do forgive me, for today is not the day for us to be having the basics of politics." She said as she took a glass herself from the plate of the servant. "Let us toast to our new leader and a new wealthy reign." She said aloud as she raised her glass.
Sir Argus cheered with her as they both took a sip of the wine.
"Now, if you may…"
Sir Argus asked her as he pointed at Valkaerys.
"why not, of course but if it ever burdens you a lot to consider your allies, I will be well enough to be use of you"
She had replied as her eyes searched for her next prey.
Walking slowly amongst the crowd, he reached her.
As she bowed her head slightly to the men as they left her presence just then she noticed him approaching.
Her smile still lingering as she asks,
"How long do I have to be around here?"
She asked, looking at the crowd to which Sir Argus followed her eyes as he enunciated her.
"For another hour, I suppose I still haven't seen a few whose presence mattered to us."
She looked at him now.
"All I had to hear was how terribly sorry they are for my father and something about spice trades… remind me which of these matters are of any importance to me?"
She had asked, Sir argus looked away seeing a man in a green coat approach them.
A young fellow of black long hair and a decent looking face.
"My lady," he greeted her as his eye darted at Sir Argus to whom he bowed again, "lord commander. I am Shore caster, son of Adam caster, the hand of lord Emmen. I come here to your inauguration on behalf of lord Emmen of seaside. He brings you gifts and wishes to your new reign and we hope that you bring us good wealth."
Valkaerys had listened as she lightened her smile,
"Surely, it is not me who brings any wealth over the seaside." She smiled sarcastically, "and how Fare lord Emmen? Is he not well enough to come himself that he sends his men to do his bickering or simply he cannot bother with the meddling of politics?"
The boy was confused for a moment before he tried to find his way around her needle spread words. She was a sharp one, he had sensed it.
"I Assure you my Lady, if he could, he would've rushed here a day before but due to the unseen waves that have seemed to crash on our shores, he finds himself very hard to leave his kingdom in such peril." The boy smiled faintly in good faith, "But Lord Emmen sends a message. He wishes to strengthen our bonds going forward with your leadership. He wishes us to be closer than just salty siblings of a nation." The boy had told her.
Valkaerys grinned as her interest was piqued by the young boy.
"Is that so?" She asked the boy, "but we barely know what goes on the piers of your country and what Sir lord Emmen thinks of us? His father was the one to abandon my grandfather's idea of a united nation and he strayed from our cause to be what? A seaport for our enemies? How can I trust your words or even your lords if your history comes to be so conflicted with ours?" She had stated her reasons with much strength and coldness in her voice.
The boy was shaken again but he had the answer that she looked for.
"Then why not build this trust today, my lady?" he began, "A whirlpool brews in the emerald seas, Winds talk of ships flying the banners of the white crown." The boy whispered to her as he stepped close.
White crown.
Valkaerys pondered as Sir Argus' hands trembled when he heard that.
He asked the boy, raising his voice.
"Colonians?" Sir Argus said cautiously.