Five days. Five days had I spent at home. Far longer than planned. At this point several weeks were more likely. Though for good reasons I suppose.

The last days had been spent mostly with my family. We did some catching up. My siblings showed me proudly their progress with their studies, magic or weapons. It was nice to see that they were eager to learn and improve. I wonder what they will do in a few years?

Silas would probably end up somewhere inside the administration of the duchy. Though he did seem to enjoy using his sling. I just couldn't imagine seeing my little brother hurl stones at people instead of trees.

Ivy loved her magic. She had the talent to match it. I could already see her wearing robes and experimenting all day. Though my sister was not one to sit around idle. War-mage, maybe? I hoped not. War-mages didn't tend to live long.

Iris was the only one that knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to join the legion as a legionary. Serving two years before becoming an officer. Much like her cousins did. My parents didn't like the idea. I didn't either. But we supported her nonetheless. We at least had a few years to prepare her and us.

My parents also integrated me into the daily activities of the duke and the duchess. I joined them in the office. Sitting at the desk my aunt would sit normally. She and uncle were still on their estate north of Napule.

You could say the difference between being a governor and duke was not that much. You would also be wrong to think that. In my province, there was one man who decided where we were going, me.

My parents had a lot of power. But they had to consult the nobles for every matter that concerned them as well. Only in the lands directly controlled by us were my parents the absolute rulers.

My parents spend their time meditating with or between the nobles of the duchy. Always trying to find common ground and a solution that all participants could live with. My parents reigned with their vassals.

The next aspect was foreign relations. My own accomplishments were little in comparison. All of them were trade deals with countries, or provinces, that had a favourable relationship with us. My parents dealt with diplomats several times a day.

Rastus helped a lot with managing those envoys, but the envoys of powerful countries often deemed it an insult if my parents didn't show up personally. The east was a good example of that.

"Remember, never show how you really feel. Be polite and friendly. Never affirm intel or information. Do not make promises you can't hold", mother said as two servants made my hair and shaved the early beginning of a beard. Formal clothes laid behind me on my old bed.

"I know mother. Father will be there as well", I responded. I was a bit nervous, but I also knew I could do this much. Accompanying father to a meeting with an eastern envoy shouldn't be a big deal.

"Only talk when he speaks to you. Never contradict your father. Never interrupt him. Understood?", mother continued. Seemingly unimpressed by my words. "You are representing our house and duchy. Every mistake will have consequences for all of us."

I nodded, changed into the toga and waited for the servants to add the last finishing touches. "Don't worry so much. I got this."

Mother checked if my toga sat rightly, twice. And continued to fill my head with basic rules on how to greet and see off an envoy correctly. I remembered most of it. My tutors had drilled that into me long ago. Though I had rarely had to use it over the last years. I think the last time was in Aegyptus when I meet the houses there.

I left the mansion and met up with father outside. Eight soldiers of the ducal guard stood around us. Wearing polished armours and weapons. Father wore the same clothes as I. The only difference was the purple drape. The ruling pair wears purple. All other members of nobility wore red drapes. Heirs were the exception. They could wear purple, emphasis on could, only when the ruling pair was not present.

"Ready?", father asked.

"Always", I replied.

Father gave me a once over and nodded. "Then follow me. Stand to my right but never overtake me. Remember what Ren told you."

I rolled my eyes and nodded.

We moved through the streets of Napule. Our destination wasn't that far away. A mansion, a kilometre away. Residence of the eastern envoy. The mansions near this one were also occupied by envoys. We had one for the franks, the goths, for Raetia and of course for the east.

Two of our guards moved forwards to knock against the door when we reached the mansion. It didn't look different from other mansions I had seen. Though the two big flags of the east hanging next to the door were unique. The flags were split up into five parts, each equally big, each representing one of the five factions inside the east.

A blue wave on white ground for the sea-folk. A black hammer on brown ground for the dwarves. A red sun on yellow ground for the demi-humans. A golden laurel-wreath on red ground for the humans. A silver bow on green ground for the elves.

The door opened and a servant greeted us. Beckoning us inside to follow him to his lord. We followed four guards in front, four behind. We left the mansion and ended up in the garden. In the shade of a tress, surrounded by bushes and flowers was a table with four chairs. Two of them were occupied.

A young man, a dwarf. A braided black beard, short, wide build. Next to him a woman that looked familiar. Yet I didn't directly know from where exactly. She was a young elf as her long ears suggested, wearing a white dress. The woman smiled and nodded in your direction. The dwarf raised an arm to greet us.

"It is an honour to finally meet the famous Duke Jagu", the dwarf said. Standing up and moving to father. The elf followed behind him. He shook hands with father, they exchanged greetings. Then he moved on to me. "And I heard a lot about you too. Prince Lucius, right?"

"Correct. How may I address you?", I replied as we shook hands as well.

"Kothath, first in line to inherit house Greygut", Kothath answered.

"Then it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Kothath", I said. The man nodded lightly, standing proudly.

In the meantime, the elf and father had exchanged greetings as well. This time without a handshake. Instead both lightly inclined their heads as they greeted the other.

"Princess Nimue, heir to the elves, daughter of Queen Galvalla. It is my pleasure to meet the young prince personally", she turned to me, inclining her head. Now I knew why she looked familiar. Blue eyes, white hair though this one was secured as a ponytail.

"I can only agree. An honour to meet a princess of the east", I replied, copying the gesture she had done.

"Let us sit while we talk", Kothath suggested and sat down. The rest of us followed through.

I was surprised about the start of the conversation. Of all the topics we started with asking about the family of the others. Father asked Kothath how his house was doing. If his wife was fine and what his children were doing. It seemed father actually knew a bit about house Greygut.

Kothath asked father much the same. Asking about the family and his children. Though only about my siblings. This continued for a while. The dwarf was the one to switch the topic. Nimue, who had zoned out during the conversation a bit, perked up when she noticed his changed tone.

"Honoured duke, honoured prince, as representative of the council of Constantinople I am here to negotiate a pact between our nations. There is no need for another war and more needless bloodshed. We recognize the borders of Neapoli. We wish for you to stay neutral in the war of the west. May peace and friendship develop between our states", the dwarf said. He spoke carefully and with a practised tone.

"Honoured envoy, what guarantee do we have you don't turn on us as soon as Charlemagne is finished?"

"That is why I am here", Nimue said. She turned from looking father to looking at me. "A union between the east and Neapoli. A bond that will weld together our houses."

Externally I just copied father and looked at the dwarf. Internally I realized that I was just proposed to. Kind off. A marriage between a prince and a princess. Between me and her. Father saved me from answering myself.

"A marriage between my heir and a daughter of the queen is hardly the reassurance I was hoping for", father replied. "I don't see how that is going to stop your twenty-four legions."

If the dwarf was dissatisfied with this answer, then he wasn't showing it. Nimue also didn't react in any way.

"What would the east need to do to ensure your neutrality?", the dwarf asked. Father slightly relaxed. A hand went to his chin.

"A treaty signed by all the nations on Octanian. In case the east breaks their words, the rest will punish it together", father answered.

There was no way such a treaty would ever be approved by all nations. Neither had the east the power to convince everybody to sign it.

"We will look into your request. There are other matters to discuss. Would it be possible to talk alone?", the dwarf inquired.

My father looked at me and I heard a quiet whisper 'Good Luck'.

"That is no problem", father replied.

"Come. I will show you the garden", Nimue added as she stood up. I followed suit and moved to her site. We left the two behind.

At first, this felt a bit awkward. It didn't help that I was thinking about Helvallia right now. Or to be precise, about the moment she shot me with my own crossbow and bolt. Though Nimue did manage to lessen that feeling quite a bit. They looked similar but the personalities were different.

We went through the garden and she told me about the plants and where they came from. Informing me how they should be watered and what weather would spell their end.

"How come a princess knows so much

about plants", I asked, genuinely intrigued.

"You have a lot of free time if you are one of many", she replied. "I liked the gardens back home since I was a little elf. Mother gifted me my own on my tenth birthday. So I began to modify it. How about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes. Any passion you follow besides fulfilling your duties?"

I thought about it and came up with only one answer.

"I read a lot. At least I used to", I answered.

She stopped in front of a pond. Standing in front of me, her back turned to me. She knelt down and her hand moved through the clear water. The fishes inside curiously moved to the foreign object in their home. "What kind of books do you read?"

"Mostly history, sometimes a bit of fantasy, but that is mostly because it is hard to separate the two all too often", I answered. "Do you read?"

"There is a tragedy, I have wanted to finish for a few years now. I think I am twelve pages in", I smiled at that answer. "Ever read about elven history?"

"No. Not much literature around about the other races", I answered. I was also a bit biased. I just enjoyed reading from the Roman perspective more than from non-humans.

"Most non-elves know little about our history", she started to explain. "There used to be three queens for all of the elves. One for the dark-elves, one for high-elves and one for the wood-elves."

"Weren't the elves just hundreds of tribes, only uniting to fight the Empire?", I asked. That was what I had learned and read in most of the books.

"You are right and you are wrong", I must have looked confused because she began to smile. "The elves didn't unite to fight the empire. The three queens forged this alliance through decades of war and diplomacy. And why? To stop the fighting between the elves."

Nimue turned to look at the pond again. "I have read stories about how it was before the queens came to unite us. Tribes were raiding each other every season. Revenge followed on revenge. Bloodshed answered with more bloodshed."

"If the elves were so keen on fighting each other, how did the queens unite them then?", I inquired.

"Power", she turned to look at me. "That was the one thing the tribes respected above all else. And once united the new generations did never want to go back to the old days. The old style of living died out."

"When you say power, do you mean military power?"

"Magic, warriors and alliances", she answered. "And the queens had each other for support. I don't know much more."

I nodded. Details would be hard to find, but I could try to find something out. It seemed worthwhile to look into it if I have the time for it. Though there was one thing I needed to ask. "What happened with the queens, like where are they now?"

"The high-elven queen settled in Dacia. My mother is her descendent and so am I. The queen of the wood-elves settled in northern Gaul. Their line died out through a row of unfortunate accidents. Many think house Francii had something to do with it. The dark-elves..."

She sighed. "The records say half of the dark-elves fled to different places of Octanian. The queen and the rest stayed behind. Their fate unknown. But death is the most likely outcome"

"They stayed behind? During the Great Change? Why?"

"I don't know", Nimue said. "You think the duke and Kothath are finished?"

I shrugged. "If they were, they would send somebody for us. Do you know what they are talking about?"

She laughed at that. "About nothing most likely. Come, there are rose bushes I want you to see."

I followed at her side again.

"Why are we talking if talks won't result in anything", I asked again. There was hardly a point for us to be present here if we can't find common ground.

"He is an envoy. He talks and gets paid. Your father will use the chance to gain information about the stance of the east on certain topics. The east will get the same. That is all."

"So that it is easier to predict how far the other side is willing to go? Which actions are the most likely?", I asked. It didn't sound useless but I also wouldn't call it useful.

"Correct", she said. Nimue pointed at a row of coloured rose bushes. "What do you think?"

I looked at them. They looked healthy. The green was vibrant. Mana-sight activated and the familiar colours of mana sprung to life. Each of the rose bushes was connected to an element, to a certain mana-type. Interesting. "Are these magical roses? What do they do?"

"You have keen and beautiful eyes. They look pretty that is all they are supposed to do. Though I heard some mages cook the petals to help with their mana control."

"Thanks", I responded to the compliment. Nimue now stood directly in front of me.

"So what do you think about my proposal?", she asked. Her tone different from before. A bit nervous perhaps.

"The marriage? We hardly..."

"Are you already in love?", she asked. Suddenly sounding more curious than nervous.

I struggled with an answer at first. But then what had I to lose with being honest. "I am not sure. But what I know is that I won't marry somebody I don't love."

She smiled again. "You will break the heart of a lot of parents", she said. "Though I am happy to not marry you as well. I love my gardens in Dacia too much to leave them behind."

"Why the question then?"

"Curiosity. You know there are a lot of families that want their daughters to marry you?"

"Believe me. I am aware. Very", I responded.

"Ever thought about a fake engagement? That would remove irritating suitors."

My face went through a series of expressions. It settled on a smile and a laugh.

"You are a genius!", I proclaimed. Surprising her and myself by giving her a quick hug.

"Thanks?", she said in an amused tone.

"Sorry. Heat of the moment and all."

"I don't mind."

At that moment I heard the voice of my father. "Lucius, Princess Nimue, you can return."

We went back to the table. She whispered something to me before setting down.

"You may be able to find allies under those you deem enemies", she whispered.

Kothath and father had looked amused when they saw it. No doubt misinterpreting the gesture. We bid our farewells and left the mansion of the envoy. Father waited until we reached home to speak to me. My own attempts of starting a conversation prior shut down by a short 'later'.

We reached home. Father dismissed the guards and told me to follow him into his office. There we sat down. I waited for father to speak. He looked outside the window for a while before doing so.

"So what have you learned today?", he started.

"That diplomacy isn't always about the results. It is a process. A tool to get information from the other side", I answered.

Father knocked on the table, three times.

"Yes, good. Not every meeting ends in a treaty, deal or whatever. In fact, you will often know if a deal can be struck beforehand or not. Today we didn't do much more than exchanging stances on certain topics."

"What topics?"

Father waved me away. "Nothing major. For example, the east is slowly rebuilding its fleet. He said the east doesn't like the position and size of our navy. I told him that they are there to protect our interests."

I nodded. Valerius should be the one to handle such meetings in the future. I didn't plan to attend such occasions when I am duke. Only if it really is necessary.

Father continued to speak about the details while I had been in the garden with Nimue. There was nothing noteworthy. He soon moved onto another topic.

"Lucius, have you thought about marriage yet?", he asked, surprising me.

"No", came my short answer.

"You are 18. You should start too. There are a lot of interested parties. They will visit Roma a few days after you return."

"But the war… I have hardly time", I protested.

"I started courting your mother when I was campaigning", he informed me. "Time waits for no one. We don't force you to marry someone, but at least start to look."

"Fine", I relented. The idea with the fake engagement just became more appealing.