Peace Talks

[visualspice]

OOC: Tags to @Rhindeer !

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The war had gone on long enough. Long was the suffering, the blood and the energies spent. Perhaps he had become jaded... perhaps he had become weak to decide at such a solution, but the war had been coming to a stand still- with hostilities at their peak, and no which way but death to lead her.

He had reigned the entirety of the war. He had championed changes that was meant to bring about peace and stability against those mages who weakened the system and lead to the former leader's death.

The fact a mage could so outwardly and so cowardice... murder a man in cold blood- and one so high ranking as the Grand Duke himself...
It had been an unforgiveable offense. One that started it all. The Connlaothian Civil War.

But it had been over a decade now and they were heading towards a second and his people...
The division was growing terrible, and finally, duchy's were resistant to the demands and were forcing his hand.


The Grand Duke was only as powerful as his fellow men, and the division was making that clear. This... Duke Blaith Harmond- a man he had never personally met upon the battle field, except when championing inside the houses when laws were met and proposed and passed.

There had been lurking something dark within him...
something that left a cold chill in the pit of his belly. And somehow the man had made remarkable moves in marrying the 'White Lily' child of the Duke of Orchy. Of all the radical things...

But it made the war more 'even'- and both sides were stiff with impasse.
And he'd taken a long time to speak with the church, to speak with all duchies and it seemed...

It was time to talk of peace.


He had to wonder if it were even possible. After so many years of blood shed and strife....
Could he truly go through with it? It's why they had decided on reaching out to Serendipity- a bold choice, to be sure. It wasn't that relations with that nation were... strained...
It's just Connlaoth would rather keep it's nose turned the other way when dealing with... the magical kingdom neighboring to the south.


It would be a big ordeal, certainly, and a dangerous journey to be sure- but the Queen had accepted the invitation, - as had the Duke whom he had been waging war.


Blaith Harmond....


The man should be dead. This war should end with his head on a spike- shown off to the entire nation what those rebelling against the crown ought to have cost. But here he was.... suing for peace.


He couldn't believe he was doing this- or the method at which he had to achieve it. Of all things...

It was to start off with a magical 'talk' in the mirror.  Calent drew in a long breath, exhaling slowly as he stared at the magical mirror across the room. He had accepted it, as it had been carted in from Serendipity and the Queen herself. A mirror in which to talk...

Too bad this wouldn't suffice for the actual meeting. No.. but this would expedite it.

He gave a wave to his hands so that the summoners could begin, and he waited there for Queen Qianna Di'Veera to answer his call.

[Rhindeer]

At first, the Grand Duke would only see his own face staring back at him. A second passed, two, and then his reflection began to warp and shift, the features of his face changing, softening, until a pale-skinned black-and-violet haired woman had taken his place, framed against a blue-velvet backdrop.

Qiana Di'Veera sat in her throne room, alone save for several advisors that sat just out of frame. She had had plenty of time to think this over and consider all angles, had talked it through with several strategists, and it still felt a bit insane--but also hopeful. The war in Connlaoth was long and bloody, a war that divided families and ended bloodlines. The people were tired, weary, and no doubt the entire nation was weakened from it pouring all their resources and bodies into conflict on their own soil. Connlaoth was no threat to Serendipity now of all times, not when they would have to pour their remaining resources into rebuilding, so the risk to them was low.

The whole situation was just curious.

They wanted peace.

And they wanted her nation's help.

And as Qiana looked into the man in the mirror's eyes, she couldn't help but wonder what a humbling experience this might be, to be using magic to speak to her on top of it all! He truly must be desperate to debase himself so, and she couldn't help but respect him for it. For putting his pride aside for his people.

"Grand Duke Calent Allarrick, you are most gracious for accepting this means of communication," she greeted with a small smile, meeting his eyes. "I understand this can't be comfortable for you, but I could think of no better alternative."

[visualspice]

It had been sometime since he'd seen or paid much attention to this southern monarch. But Qiani was, surprisingly, as he had remembered.  A youthful beauty, no doubt curbing her age and looks with magic. Where as he... 

He had aged. The softer features he may have had in his youth now looked hardened, perhaps even weathered. The war had not been kind, his eyes like stone, and his face... well, the ugly scars he had suffered would remain with him until the day he died. Yet despite the marring looks of a man hardened by years of war, he still kept his grace, his posture perfected and even the air around him seemed commanded. 

There was no mistaking that this man ruled a nation of war.

Although, at her comment, something subtle seemed to change- and he bowed his head in reply. 

"They say the first steps are the most painful," he replied, voice softer than one might have expected from such a man. 

He allowed a long pause of silence to linger befire he spoke again. 

"This is not an easy subject for me or my people. And with houses divided, I could only think of one solution that would allow for a fair resolve with peace talks against.. this... the Duke of Turgall. He.. it would seem.. has found ways to make unifications and peace of his own... and I could only counter in kind."

He went quiet again, studying the vision of the Queen in the mirror. 

"It is why I must request we both hold our audience in your lands, so as to offer a location that is not politically backing one man; or the other. Despite our differences, we have held a peaceful border for many generations and we do hold you and yours with the utmost respect.  But, as my letter stated.." he went on, posture still crisp. "This is a discussion of grave importance to all of Connlaoth. And a request via letter does not hold the weight and truth of the spoken word. "