Persephone was at her desk again by the time the messenger reached her. It had taken her the rest of the day on the day of the Senate vote to coalesce her thoughts and retain her mental calibration. She had been, to be blunt, out of sorts, until she had gone to bed. It was upon rising the next day - after a full night's slumber and a calming few hours of peace, that she had awoken, as per normal, with the first rays of the sunshine. It had been so alike to every other morning that it had given her feet - and mind - a grounding. Despite her whole world having changed - for she was now the legal heir to the throne of her kingdom - the sun had risen as normal, she had awakened as normal and the world went on as normal... It had helped her bring everything a little more into focus and she had been able, since then, to put stylus to parchment and clay and continue with her work.

Upon the Senate's decision, her offices had been inundated with letters sent from nearly every province in the kingdom. Those who had voted against the law change wanting to make nice, those who had voted for it wanting to make sure she was aware of the loyalty, dedication and sacrifice it had caused them to do so. A little emotional blackmail to ensure that appropriate favouritism and reward would be coming their way for their show of benevolent allegiance.

It had taken Persephone nearly the whole day to work through the letters, arranging meetings with some, sending replies back to the others. She had found Dione's letter amongst them all, familiar with her elegant script and rounded lettering - a testament of her exuberant nature and giving personality. She had held a little trepidation upon opening it, for Dione had always loved the Court but not the political Senate. So, what she had to say upon this turn of political events, Persephone had been ignorance and curious.

The letter had said little, simply asking for an audience with the princess and Persephone had organised for such a meeting to be arranged for a few days’ time - for her timetable was booked solid until then. She managed to squeeze in the meeting with her friend at the earliest opportunity for two reasons. One, she was genuinely curious as to what the girl wanted and two, she had always enjoyed Dione's company and was excited to meet with her again.

The two young ladies had been acquaintances for many years. Dione had always been attending of Court with her mother and Persephone had always been there stepping in for her own. The two of them had known each other since they were young. But it had been in recent years that Dione had started to take an avid interest in the Court. As a member of the second branch of the Nikolaos House, she had been made aware, upon maturing, that she was the lowest possibly rank within Court; the relative of someone who's nobility had been given, not born. That didn't stop her being permitted to attend and it didn't stop her being due the respect of a noblewoman, but it made a difference in the eyes of many of the ladies in Court. As such, Dione had started to learn and become adept at handling such matters. Becoming charming and social and elegant and all the things a noblewoman was expected to emulate, in order to win over those around her and ensure that she was never considered beneath those she mingled with.

Persephone had watched the transformation from her position of holding the Court sessions with interest. She had put similar lessons and ideals into practice herself, in order to win some camaraderie as well as loyalty in the Court, but her role as princess forbid her from being too friendly with others. For to show great friendship with one person would only solve to worry another. Which was possibly why the young women she felt closest to in Court were of the less powerful Varonos families than the Dynasteias.

On the day of the appointed meeting with Dione, a young messenger approached the door to Persephone's office. Waiting for her attention to be his, the man was quiet and stood with the kind of respect and patience that a long-time worker of the palace would naturally develop. Once Persephone was finished with the line of text she was writing, she looked up at the man and was surprised when he informed her that the Lady Dione was out in the palace gardens. She was a little early, but by no means intrusive.

"Shall I instruct her to one of the solar rooms, Your Highness?" The messenger asked and Persephone smiled and stood.

Her gown that day - a chiton of pale peach, fluttered as she moved. She wore fitted wrist cuffs and bands around her upper arms in rose gold and her hair had been curled into a style more feminine than was her usual.

"That's alright, Meros." She told the man, remembering his name due to his longevity in palace occupation. "I could do with some fresh air, anyway."

Thereby, instead of having the visit attend upon the royal - as was tradition - Persephone left the room to head to meet her guest, being told she was sitting amongst the rose-beds. The guard at the door to her study followed Persephone through the corridors, refusing the permit her privacy until she had actually entered the gardens, located the right area and had Dione within view.

The gardens of the royal palati were reserved areas. Only members of the nobility were permitted to enter and had to give their full name to the guard on watch at every entrance and exit. The guard would then inform the master steward of the visitor and it would be dealt with accordingly. Commoners were not permitted inside the royal grounds without formal permission and no-one but Xanthos blood was permitted inside the Xanthos family's royal gardens. With all of this into account, the gardens were usually devoid of people entirely and the security was high, allowing the guard to have shadowed Persephone about the palace to take up a station within view and easy reach but distanced enough not to eavesdrop and to give private communion to the two young women.

Persephone approached the young girl Dione from her left, noting her bent posture and her concerned stance. Had she not been so well trained her features might have fallen into a frown, an expression of concern... but instead they remained calm and non-committal. This is, until she spoke. At which point a small, friendly smile crossed her lips.

"Dione." Persephone commented, her formal title dropped a little in favour of familiarity, as was her right as a princess. "It is pleasant to see you." She told the young girl, waiting for her to stand so that they might greet one another and continue about whatever business had caused the young Nikolaos girl to request their meeting...

Persephone nodded her assent as the young girl asked that they were able to walk and talk simultaneously. Whilst she had never allowed herself the time to form a habit of such things herself, Persephone knew that many people preferred motion while trying to establish difficult to form thoughts into verbal communication. She herself had been trained to think and speak without the need of moving any of her muscles - let alone walk - but she had never seen the need as a weakness in others.

"But of course, Dione." She assured the girl. And the two of them began to walk amongst the flowerbeds, now in a position where they could speak more easily - she hoped.

Persephone said nothing to begin a conversation, nor prompted or nagged at Dione to continue her thoughts or express her feelings. She was genuinely a little nervous and curious as to the girl's attendance on her that day and stayed quiet so as to encourage her to voice her mind with her own words.

When the girl finally did speak, and began regarding the Senate vote, it was instantly clear to Persephone where her thoughts and concerns had manifested. A soft and polite smile had spread across her features by the time Dione had finished what she was saying, encouraging that she would support Persephone as a Queen and knew her to be a strong and intelligent leader already. Such compliments caused a soft warmth in Persephone's chest. Whilst she heard flattery on a regular basis, most of such words were spoken on her appearance or her feminine elegance. Rarely was she given such positive comments regarding her skills in a male dominated field such as leadership.

"Dione..." Persephone began with a hand raised slightly in order to halt her words as she came to the end of her thought process. "Please trouble yourself no more on this." She smiled softly. "Whilst we are all loyal to our families, we are not always in unison with them regarding thoughts and values." Her gaze turned intelligent and insightful. "Many families voted against the change in law that day. And I choose to believe it to be comments on their feelings towards a change in law and tradition rather than a chastisement of my own efforts. The vote was a debate in the changing of law. About whether women should rule more easily in general. Rather than whether I, personally, should be monarch." She raised one brow. "If anything, all of womanhood should be the ones slighted. Tradition almost won over a future change in favour of our gender."

With her head to one side in consideration, she continued. "But the vote was swayed in the end and now the responsibility of rule will eventually fall to myself." She glanced at the girl beside her. "I supposed it will be my responsibility to prove that such a risk by so many was not foolishness."