The king was out of commission again. He had been well for several days and yet always seemed to diminish after no more than forty-eight hours of strength and energy.

Persephone took the cloth she was holding to her father's brow and re-soaked it in a bowl of cold water. Twisting the garment free of excess water and then returning the cool fabric to her father's temple she smiled as the man breathed a sigh of relief. The cold dampness was clearly pleasing against his feverish skin and Persephone took a small moment of joy at relieving his suffering - if only for a moment.

"Oh, what is wrong with you father...?" She murmured to herself, for the king was already slipping in and out of consciousness.

She felt her throat tighten and her eyes prick as the almost certain knowledge that King Minas of Athenia would not be around for much longer, took ahold of her heart. The feeling of grief and doom were ones that liked to sneak up on her when she was at her weakest - when she was vulnerable. Which happened most assuredly when she was tending to the man she loved more than any other and witnessing him in his most weakened state.

Her father had been a hero of a man in her childhood. Persephone remembered his strong, stout frame, his massive shoulders, his booming voice. She remembered the way he would embrace her in a way that shut out the entirety of the rest of the world. She was, when young, unable to see past his shoulders and biceps, and would just *be*. Exist in the perfect safety of her father's warmth.

Now, the man was weak. Almost emaciated as the disease took away his ability to get up and move around, and feeble in his breathing as his lungs betrayed him and his body became a traitor to his will... It was hard to watch and one of the reasons Persephone had forbid her younger sister from seeing their father in his bad times. She did not want the responsibility of shadows of this memory floating amongst her sister's memoirs as it would her own.

When the servant who was stationed with the king today insisted on relieving the princess of her efforts, Persephone bent low and placed a kiss to her father's forehead. With a silent - and most likely futile - prayer for his health, she left the room and headed back to her own quarters as quickly as she could without the appearance of haste.

Today, she was due to meet someone. Someone who was meeting her under an arrangement she had yet to ever deal with...

When she was little and she had asked her parents how they had met, loved and married they had always made it very clear that - while their original arrangement was set up by their kingdoms, Minas had chosen Lucille (among the many presented to him) because he had loved her. On nights that seemed endless, when he was able to overcome his grief at his wife's loss, their father and sat Persephone and Emilia down and told them the story. A story they had heard a thousands times but which Persephone had never gotten tired of listening to.

Their marriage had been arrange and Minas and Lucille had never met each other prior to the meeting that saw the signing of the papers and documents needed for their union. Minas had instantly thought their mother beautiful but had also been aware of the importance of the union - to secure his reign. It had happened over time that they had fallen in love. A love that their father swore was true and impenetrable simply because it was based in the foundations of respect and admiration.

"You can never..." her father had used to say, "Fall in love with someone you do not know, or do not respect."

And while their parents had never forced either daughter to come to terms with the idea that they might one day have some form of arranged marriage, Persephone had grown up with the full understanding of her position and what the role of a princess might include, when it came to love.

And so, when the rumours of her possible ascension to the throne had spread among the kingdoms, Persephone had been inundated with suggestions of meetings and visits by many a Lord who had an unmarried son within ten years of her own age - some more so. And it was then that Persephone realised how an engagement might help her in her future claims to the Athenian crown.

Not only was she a woman - which turned the noses of many of the old-fashioned men in the Senate - she was also unmarried. Which meant, the chances of her producing a legitimate male heir to the throne were currently zero. Were she to be betrothed however, with a marriage ceremony in the near future, she would have a legitimate bargaining chip in the way of her being able to continue the royal line.

Not even Elias and his unfair gender advantage could claim that, as he was also unmarried.

And so, she had poured over the invites that had been sent her way. All of them has been masked as something else - an encouragement to come see their fine vineyards this year; a claim to having the most beautiful bloom of crocuses in their private gardens if she might like to come and see them (seeing as they were her favourite flower). Persephone had shook her head at all of them. They could tell her what her favourite flower was, but they couldn't openly discuss the fact that they were interested in a marital union. They simply wanted to blindside her with that fact when she arrived at their manors.

Persphone might have been good in the political arena, but that didn't mean she didn't value honesty and integrity and, when she had been through all the letters and found none that she warmed to, she had gone to the University and scoured the library's nobility records for each of the three kingdoms.

Several of the Houses across the realm had struck her as Houses that would be suitable and useful to form attachments with. But she hadn't known who she might contact when another letter had been sent to her. This one had been from Lord Gavriil of Dimitrou - a House in Taengea.

The letter had been simple, effective and clearly written by a man who was gruff and used to getting quickly to his point. He had suggested a meet - which he would send his son to (rather than expecting her to travel, despite traditions that the bride was always shipped to her husband) - and that he was interested in seeing if there was something worth pursuing with regards to a union between the two of them.

That was it. No trickery or false pretences, no promises or flattery. Just the simple facts that a union between the houses would be beneficial to both and that he was willing to adhere to her rank and responsibilities by making the arrangements so that they could simply explore the possibility... So simple, so honest.

So, when Persephone had checked her research and found the name Dimitrou, written in her own hand, as one of the Houses that it would be a family she thought she could respect, the young princess had doubled her research efforts and learnt everything she could about the House of Dimitrou.

When she had discovered that the young son of Dimitrou was only 6 years her senior (not the seventeen years, one Lord had tried to convince her was a good idea) and without an excessive or vile reputation in the courts of Taengea, Persephone had become curious. She had sought out her father's Master Informer and within a week had been given a thick profile of Iason of Dimitrou for her to read and review.

The gentleman was unattached, no previous marriages, engagements or scandalous relationships (though she could assume at twenty eight that he hadn't lived as a monk). He was greatly respected by his own people (as was his father before him) but considered uninteresting in the Taengean Court. Not a dissimilar reputation to herself, given her chaste relationship history so Persephone wasn't concerned too greatly that the man was dull. Just because one had a clean reputation did not always make them boring. On top of all this, the Dimitrou family had longer royal bloodlines than any of the Houses in the three kingdoms - despite them being far from able to claim the Taengean crown nowadays. For the House of Xanthos, who's royal line was only a few generations old, this would perhaps be the greatest selling point.

Persephone had sent an acceptance to Lord Gavriil by express messenger the next day.

And today was the day that had been arranged for Lord Iason of Dimitrou to arrive in Athenia.

Hurrying to her rooms to get ready - as the young lord was expected within the next hour, Persephone knew exactly how she would be dressing and presenting herself to her guest, as she had arranged the outfit ahead of time.

The dress she changed into was one of a deep forest green - the colour, she had been assured, of the Dimitrou house. It's style was not vulgar or enticing (this was a political meeting, not a seduction) and cut wide across the shoulders but fitted around the bodice. The deep green fabric was then wrapped tight around her middle, sinching in her tiny waist, and the shirts fell modestly to the floor from the hip point down. The entire gown as actually quite simple in style, with only pleats of fabric at the shoulders instead of expensive fibulae, but it was made with expensive cloth and exotic dyes in order to create the right colour.

Left bare by the dress, the tan colour of her arms was set off nicely by the forest green and Persephone secured a gold bangle around her upper arm as an additional decoration.

Her dark hair, she had her ladies braid, then circle around her head in a crown effect. The remainder was twisted into an eternity twist at the nape of her neck, and she left a curled section of hair fall free over one shoulder. Into the crown of braised, Persephone carefully arranged gold and silver pieces in the shape of ivy leaves here and there, in order to both accentuate her elegant hair style and give the impression of a crown that she would not be wearing today.

When ready, Persephone had but ten minutes before she was informed that the Lord of Dimitrou had arrived.

Steeling her resolve and taking a calming breath, Persephone left her rooms and set off for the appropriate receiving chamber that the man had been settled in. Three of her ladies-in-waiting followed her, along with two guards, but she paid them no mind. She was thinking of the meeting ahead of her...

The difficulty in her mind was balancing the idea of marriage with politics. While she had no intention of requiring love, or even the future promise of love, from the man she was about to meet, she would (were they to reach agreement) have to share the rest of her life with him. She would share his bed, her body, would birth his children... It was strange to place such thoughts and images alongside simple logic and political gain.

Shallowly, Persephone found herself wondering if the man was ugly. Perhaps this was why he had had so few public liaisons - because there was no-one interested him him?

Persephone had never considered herself to be a shallow person, but the idea of sharing her most intimate experiences with someone grotesque or unsavoury was not a thought that pleased. She had never considered herself to be an overtly self-critical person either but such thoughts then naturally led to what the man would think of her and whether he would see something in her that he liked...? She had been told on more than one occasion that she was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in Athenia but then, she was also royalty. And no-one would tell a royal they were unattractive - even if it was true.

Her entire thought process on the walk from her chambers to the reception room were ludicrous and, upon reaching the room in question, Persephone took a moment to take a deep breath in and throw all concerns to the back of her mind. If she was going to meet the man, it was important that she met the man. Not be caught up and distracted in all of her potentially unfounded concerns.

As she nodded, one of her guards opened the door and Persephone walked inside.

The room was one of their most tasteful, but also intimate, gathering places. Only designed to hold perhaps a dozen people (rather than the hundreds the main halls were structured for) the place was lit only by the windows leading to the courtyard and the fire in the centre of the lowered seating area. Even in broad daylight the room had a cosy and private feel to it.

Several guards in bronze outfits stood stoicly by both the door and the open arches that led to the courtyard beyond and Persephone had no issue with their presence. Her own guards, flanked the entrance she had come in through (as there were more patrolling the gardens outside) and her ladies-in-waiting moved to a corner of the room where they say on cushions and began to mutter low conversations to one another. Despite there being nearly ten other people in the room, this was as private an arranged as two royals could get.

Speaking of the royal in question... He was not ugly at all.

Standing a good few inches taller than her, and dressed appropriately for a man of his station, Iason of Dimitrou was a handsome man with dark hair and a roguish quality in his stubbled jawline. His features were pleasing and he had a nice frame - most likely from the work she had been reported to that he carried out in the fields and forests of his home.

Hoping that her own presence would have a similar positive reaction, Persephone stepped forward with a genuine smile of welcome on her face.

"Lord Iason..." She said, as she held out a hand. "I'm so glad you could make it. I hope you journey was graced with fine winds?"

Persephone was instantly pleased by several of the nuances in their first interlude as acquaintances. Lord Iason was both open in his body language and honest in his expressions. He returned her smile with what seemed like genuine friendliness and she also noted his polite nod towards the ladies who escorted her everywhere she went. Many Lords would ignore the women as if they were simply luggage or chattel, carted around via her position and while she would have not thought less of Lord Iason had he taken the same stance - he would have simply been a product of his background as she was of hers - she was particularly pleased to see that he didn't see the women closest in her life as simple background noise.

"I'm glad to hear of it." Persephone acknowledged, as the man commented on the journey. Persephone had never been on a ship before - as was the life of a first born princess, but the tales she had heard of the storms that could stir over the Aegean were terrifying just in theory. She would loathe to actually suffer through one and, as such, was always pleased when someone she cared about or had interest in was safely secured into port.

Persephone's polite smile of welcome, stretched a little wider and became one of genuine pleasure as the Dimitrou lord complimented both her own appearance and that of her home. She dipped her head demurely at the first in gratitude and then made comment on the second.

"My mother was always a fan of decorating the palace with artifacts from around the realms." She acknowledged, looking about the room. She attempted to see the designs and decoration through the eyes of a stranger and noted the ornate mirror over one wall, a floor to ceiling tapestry on the other of a great hunting expedition, the fine Persian embroidery of the cushions and blankets, draped over the seating area. "I happen to like the eclectic result." She offered, honest in her own opinion.

There was a small and low table beside one of the chaises by the fire pit and Persephone's manners as hostess - even as a royal one - took hold of the situation.

"Would you care for a drink, Lord Iason?" She asked and then waved to the seat opposite. "Please feel free to relax and make yourself comfortable."

At the mention of refreshments, one of her ladies maids had stepped up to pour the beverages but Persephone raised a halting hand and smiled in thanks to the girl. She had no qualms about pouring herself and her guest a glass of wine...

Unsure how to proceed in the conversation, Persephone decided that the best course of action was to start as she meant any potential relationship to go on; with complete honesty.

"You'll forgive me if my manners and protocol are lacking in these circumstances, My Lord." She commented, pouring wine into first one and then a second goblet of fine bronze. "But this is the first of these sorts of negotiations I have ever entered into and I instructed my advisors to only appear on our second meeting... I have been informed by them that a marriage arrangement between our two Houses would be incredibly beneficial to both parties when it comes to the basic facts and figures." She gracefully handed the man the goblet she had poured and then smiled again. "But I'm hopefully that you will agree with me that a union of any kind cannot solely be based on paper... I wanted to meet you in person before the politicians fought like dogs over reparations and dowries..."

Upon the Princess’ acknowledgement of the décor, Iason could not help but take a second look himself. Having been in the room for a while now he has had a considerable amount of time to look around, however, he did not fully notice each intricate detail until now. Before he had come into the room with the view point of a warrior, his eyes looked for weakness and his thoughts were tainted with anxiety and nerves, and even though they have not completely settled, he somehow felt more at ease after meeting the Princess. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips upon spotting the tapestry, but he did not allow it to hold his attention for long no matter the stories it held. It did, however, remind him of one that hung in his own home, placed there by his own mother.

The smile faded almost immediately as the memory of his mother infiltrated his thoughts and so he pushed those images aside, once again placing his focus upon the Princess in front of him. “Yes, thank you.” he moved to the chaise and sat down next to her. Not a second passed before one of the ladies brought over some wine, however, the Princess stopped her from pouring it and instead did so herself. This, to Iason, meant many things. For someone who grew up in a palace with servants to weigh on their hand and foot; surely, she never had to pour herself a glass of anything, certainly not in front of others. Yet in doing so Iason could see she did not view herself as above such tasks, and therefore she was not a woman that would simply allow someone to do everything for them just out of convenience. It also established an atmosphere of probity, a sense of openness and solidarity.

Although they were not alone, and that would be as private as it would get, Persephone had closed off the immediate space surrounding them by taking the jug of wine from her lady’s maid and in that same moment changed the tone between them as well as his impression. Once she started to speak Iason shifted slightly within his seat to better face her, quite relieved that they have jumped straight to the matter at hand. “Thank you, your majesty.” He bowed his head slightly after he took the goblet of wine from her hand and before listening to her once more, though he was curious as to why she only wanted the advisors to join them upon their second meeting and not their first, a question she then answered.

Iason nodded in understanding and stayed quiet for a brief second “I agree. In all honesty, I was a bit surprised that we would be meeting like this, though I much rather prefer it.” He straightened his back slightly. “My advisors have informed me of the same, that both our Houses stand to gain from a union between us. I-” Iason stopped himself there, his eyes turning to the floor before a light sigh escaped his lips. For days he’s been preparing a speech, carefully selecting the words to sell his House and… himself. However, being there in that moment made it all feel very much redundant since it was highly likely that the Princess already knew everything there was to know about his House just as he knew everything there was to know about hers. Besides, them being in the same room together already meant they accepted what they have seen of one another – at least off paper.

“Forgive me, I too have never been in negotiations such as this.” He forced a smile, allowing himself to appear more open. “Though, if I may be frank, I came here not knowing if I’d be able to agree to this arrangement. I mean no offense, your Majesty, I merely felt torn between two different teachings. That of love,” he said with a softer tone “and that of responsibility.” Iason paused for a second but did not allow for too much time to pass before he spoke again.

“I know what lies before you, and it will not be an easy path to walk.” His eyes glanced towards the jug of wine that she had taken from her lady’s maid earlier and then to the goblet he held within his hand and a amused smile appeared on his lips “Although you will walk it nonetheless.” his gaze returned to meet hers “And I am willing to walk it with you, if that is what you choose.”

None of the words that left the young Lord’s lips were meant to be harmful, and he hoped that it wouldn’t come across that way since he spoke with absolute sincerity. He did not plan for it to go this way, and certainly hoped he was not already putting a stop to something that barely begun. He felt himself inhale deeply as he awaited the Princess’ reaction, and was relieved when he saw her smile, take a sip of her wine and then relax onto the chaise. Iason raised a brow, intrigued, and eagerly listened to her next words. His eyes turned to the floor for a moment as she mentioned her words might sound dismissive and then it only to be similar to the words he had uttered a mere second ago. For someone who usually chose his words very carefully, he was not doing well to live up to it within this instance and had not considered that the words he spoke before might have sounded exactly likehe was opposing this union.

He returned his eyes to meet hers and smiled softly as she too has experienced a similar conflict. ”I see.” he commented reassuringly before lifting his cup to his lips and taking a sip from it. The words that followed were words he instantly related to. Although his mother and father married for love straight away - no prior arrangements having been made - he too was told from a young age that marrying for love was one of the best things to experience in life. As a younger boy Iason never paid much attention to the stories his mother told, even though she told them often, but once she was no longer there to tell them, he remembered every word.

However, he also remembered every story his father ever told him about his House’s legacy, and every single time someone told him his House’s time was over. Iason had certain responsibilities placed on his shoulder from birth, but most he chose to place there himself. He would leave the fairy tales to his sisters, and he would work hard to live up to the Dimitrou name, and hopefully he would someday be able to do just that. However, the Princess words seemed to be leading in another way, and although he would not hold it against her for choosing a different path that this, he still felt disappointment being brought to the fore. Gavriil did make it very clear to him that both he and Persephone would have a choice in this. Yet Iason could still see that his father was hoping for the arrangement to go through without a hitch, sharing in Iason’s desire to once again see the Dimitrou House on the rise. Iason may not have agreed that an arranged marriage should be the way, but he did not want to disappoint his father. For a moment he forgot to breathe properly, and upon realization, slightly cleared his throat, reaching to place the cup aside.


Caught slightly off guard by her next words – talk of support, respect and compassion without romantic emotion being involved – Iason raised a brow in question. ”I should say, that my early remarks were in no way intended to be dismissive of this arrangement. I merely feel we too, as ourselves and not as representatives of our Houses, have a say.” He smiled briefly ”As for romantic emotions not necessarily being required – well, I do not believe that it is.” He stated in thought, his eyes trailing off to the gardens ”It is possible.” And it was, though to what extent he did not know. He could compare it to friendship, a bond he shares with many others, though this would not exactly be the same no matter how they label it.

Iason laid slightly into his seat, but still kept his back straight as he leaned his arm on the back of the chaise, his fingers unconsciously playing with a one of the tassels attached to the covering’s threads. When the Princess began to speak again, he turned his gaze upon her and immediately let go of the thread between his fingers. She placed her cup onto the low table next to his and his eyes followed her every move. As she mentioned a proposal, Iason’s eyes met hers and he smiled, intrigued by the gesture. The next few sentences pleasantly surprised Iason and he his smile grew wider with every thought. A few hours before this very moment Iason had expected nothing but the opposite, believing that they would be in the company of said advisors – at the very least – and yet, here he was, alone with her, and now faced with a proposal to keep them aside so that they might have some time to figure things out for themselves.

The Princess’ last words could not stop a soft chuckle from breaking through the now grin that was formed on his lips. Iason was completely, and pleasantly, surprised by her sudden change in demeanour and the way she referred to the advisors, politicians and accountants in a way that was not the norm, but, to him, completely accurate. After regaining his own decorum, he pushed himself upright once more and adjusted himself in his seat, staying quiet for a moment, but never quite loosing the smile. ”You surprise me.” he said honestly, and it was clear in his voice that not only was he impressed by her offer, but by her in general. ”I accept your proposal,” he said after a moment with a hint of playfulness to his voice, the formality of it seeming a little silly. ”I would not have it any other way.” he said, this time more sincerely. ”This will make the choice ours, and not those of the men that only seek profit and gain.”