Princess of Elileithel

The choice seems obvious to even to the other young women standing before you. By now they have all heard of the heroic fight against the demons in what is often being fabled the Battle of Mt. Sargasso. While the particulars of the activities during the celebration afterwards was far from repeated, it is reasonable to suspect others to come to their own conclusions. Especially other young women.

Tales of your heroics are far from fanned by you, but rather your people as the last two cycles around Thessia’s star of your rule has seen an explosion in the Itherian economy as a whole and a stark increase in quality of life.

Before you, some of the more exotic young women such as Fiona, likely was influenced by what her family’s informants told her of the King of Itheria. Even for duty to family and state it is difficult to abandon one’s home, and all that you know, for an unknown.

Abruptly there is more noise coming from the doors to the chamber as the royal guards relay another message to Lord Gilbert

Torn between amusement, concern, and embarrassment Sir Gilbert anticipates your will and comes forward quickly. “Your majesty it appears the earlier report from our docks failed to consider Queen Cielina’s arrival as news. They were referring to a different young woman, an Elven Princess from Elileithel, thirteenth in line to their throne wishes to enter and compete as well.”

Lord Gilbert looks apologetically to Cielina for the unintended diplomatic embarrassment. Her honor guard of Amazonian warriors’ were blistering under the social slight against their Queen; However, she quiets them with a warm smile at Gilbert. “Regardless of education it is unreasonable to expect plebeians to always fully understand the political implications to their state, of their singular actions let alone the chain of actions that the message has passed through.”

Perhaps unintentionally, Cielina’s words and actions have shown her to be an ideal choice. That is far from saying the others were inferior in any way, the difference is only that they are simply unknown.

“Please bring her in then Lord Gilbert.” Regardless of your choice, to do less would be insulting. And insulting an already insular and reclusive species is far from a good idea, believe does you.

As the doors to the Chamber open again, you notice that Lady Vessa is particularly perturbed with this apocalypse. {lifting of veil} However, she is silent for now.

As the Elven Princess strides through the double chamber doors with a remarkable degree of poise, grace, dignity, and confidence in comparison, you glance and take in the other abundantly viable candidates.

“My King, I present Princess Elenwë Arinyagimli” A memory from Lady Vessa’s tutelage regarding Elvhen customs reminds you that the Elvhen people display their family name first, instead of last. Though you are at a loss for what her name means, it does sound very pleasant when spoken.

Cielina appears somewhat concerned with the elves appearance and approach for some reason. What Lady Vessa says next maybe the source.

“Please excuse my brusque manner Princess Arinyagimli, but wouldn’t you have difficulty with conceiving children with our King let alone carrying them to term?”

With a genuine warm smile, maybe at seeing another elf in the room, even if Lady Vessa is a half elf, Arinyagimli responds, “By our reports, our Kingdom has been at war with the same demon tribes that you and your king encountered at the Battle of Mount Sargasso, and it is our hope to unify our collective efforts against them militarily. With my hand in marriage, we are also willing to expand our trade exclusively with the Kingdom of Itheria.

_“That is necessary to give reason for the answer to your question, Lady Vessa. Our…" Arinyagimli seems slightly embarrassed with speaking of such carnal matters. "Our species’ birth rate puts the Elves at a distinct disadvantage to the Demons._

“Anticipating this issue early, we began developing different solutions to the problem. Princesses Kalisah may better understand one of those solutions as a vaccination that will be applied beforehand, during the second term of a pregnancy, and afterwards.”

Startled with this news Lady Vessa dart’s her eyes to glance at you, but manages to continue her inquiry. “What are the side effects?”

Amused Arinyagimli seems abundantly willing to share this information. “Besides enhancing the opportunity to successfully breed with other species we were already able to breed with in a limited fashion?”

Lady Vessa only nods her head slightly, “We are using a non-toxic method of delivery and thus it fails to be fatal. Beyond that concern it is still a new development and we are still collecting data. As you may imagine, even with the threat of a demonic invasion, some of our people refuse to adjust.”

That alone muddies the waters of your choice considerably. The sight of Queen Cielina offering herself to you made you immediately want to say yes. That surprises you given the lapse in time. However, Queen Cielina seems to abundantly reciprocate your genuine feelings for her.

However, you are far from unsympathetic to the Demon’s blight upon the Elven people. A royal union would ally the two states and make Itherians exponentially more likely to be the subject of Elven suitors. Furthermore, the ratio of such unions would probably increase as time progressed, think do you.

Perhaps that is what motivates Queen Cielina to abruptly cut you off before you announce your choice. “Please, King Bryce, would you allow me to talk with my fellow… competitors, privately?”