A Mighty Gift

Karos Ivory-wolf would send a letter to Reia asking if he could come to Arian, he had a gift from Atrum for her.

Dear Reia,

Im sorry i havent written more, the re-organizing of atrum's government has been tiresome. But i would like to know if perhaps i could come to Arian for a while? I have gifts for you and your general Kouta. The gift for you i crafted myself. My brother crafted the gifts for your general.

-Hoping to hear back soon,
Karos

Reia was very joyful when news of a letter from Atrum entered the newly built courts of Arian, she had been exiting a meeting with the few remaining advisors on how to address the housing of her people when the letter arrived. A messenger was found in the hallway outside the courts and addressed his Empress with respect when giving her the letter.

"Dear Karos,

I am very happy to hear from you and I understand that a nation's well-being is hard work and you hadn't the time to write. Arian would be honored to welcome you in the newly built Katsutakashi, I look forward to your arrival and we will gladly accept gifts from a friend. I too, have a gift for you that was forged in the old Arian before the wars, I am sure you will like it and put it to good use.

I look forward to hearing from you,
Reia, -imperial seal- Nishi Reia "

Karos smiled as he read her letter. He wrote back to her and it was delivered the day before he left.

Dear Reia,
I look forward to seeing Arian's new city, and I'm glad to know things are apparently going well. I will gladly accept your gift, i should be there the day after this arrives."

-karos

Kurami had left to get him and just as Karos had said, he was there the next day.

Reia was pleased to hear he would arrive so quickly, she planned to meet him when he arrived, escorted by the Lord General Shiranai Kouta. She rose early in the morning and stood outside the gates of the capital until the time when he would arrive.

He and Kurami would move quite quickly to the gates of the city, Karos wanted to see Reia so he blinked a few times but when he saw the gates he began to walk calmly to give the impression he had been walking the entire way. He smiled wide when he saw her waiting and couldnt help but pick up his pace.

Reia searched the skies for Kurami that morning, she worried tirelessly that something might happen to them before they arrived and she tried to compose herself. When she saw Karos walking she smiled, knowing he and Kurami were safe. She waved to Karos and smiled warmly, she had wanted to run and meet him but with the presence of her Lord General, she maintained her composure and stood in her place and waited for Karos to reach them. She would bow in the traditional Arian greeting when he approached her.

He would bow back and them smile nodding "Hello Reia, how have you been? Its been too long since we've talked." She might notice his eyes had a slight green-ish tinge now, and that he had a strange symbol on his trench coat, that looked different then the one he had before. Had he gone through his ceremony?

"I have been well, the construction of the city is nearly finished now and if you would like I would gladly show you around. How have you been, look like your ceremony went well, if I remember correctly that is when you would receive the jacket you are wearing now." She smiled nervously, hoping she hadn't gotten any of his tradition confused or mixed up.

Kouta bowed slightly and stood silent by Reia's side. He new if he spoke or if his stance broke then the leader of Atrum would notice that he was not of the noble class of Arian. This always hung over him, he was not meant to be the Lord General of Arian, his bloodlines took all recognition of his abilities away from him. His blood did not allow him to become a soldier and now, through the lie of a noblemen, he had risen through the ranks. Only Kurami and the Empress herself had noticed this but he had not known that she saw it from the beginning.

He smiled and nodded "thats good, im glad to hear it. Atrum has been growing well also, and im in line for aery high government position apparently now. Thats different from the normal 'Karos go away' i usually get from sorac" he would chuckle "Yes it went quite well. Im surprised you remembered."

She smiled warmly and was very glad she remembered his traditions correctly. At her side was a curved object wrapped in worn cloth, it was very unusual to see her with a weapon at her side. She was trained in self defense but had little training with a weapons besides small daggers that were kept hidden by her robes.

"I'm glad it went well for you and congratulations on your new role as a leader in Atrum, it was long overdue that Sorac noticed you're abilities," she said that last part with a nervous laugh. "But I'm sure he just didn't want to be out shined by his little brother. Shall we continue into the city? I have prepared what I can for your arrival, though it may not be much."

He did take notice of it, but not too much. He smiled and nodded

"Im sure whatever you have will be fine." he laughs a bit "Its probably better than atrum right now. The rebuilding is happening but so is a huge amount of research into offensive magik and summoning along with forging of weapons. I dont know what my brother is planning but its big..." he would shake his head "But im not here to talk of politics and hardships, im here to visit a close al-" he began to say ally but quickly smiled and corrected himself "a close friend and give her and her general a few gifts from atrum. When you like me to give them to you? Im guessing when we get to the palace."

She smiled and didn't take notice to him starting to say ally, she was much too busy trying to keep her own thought organized to notice a small mistake like that.

"Yes, when we reach the palace will be fine. He sounds to be preparing for another war, if so, you and your people should know about it," she sounded very worried about Sorac's choice to invest in offensive weaponry and magik rather than his own nation.

They would walk through a large wooden gate that served to protect the city from intruders, then Karos may look around to see small houses and shops, smiths, groceries, jewelers and whatever else had established itself in the short time they had been there. In the center of the city the palace stood considerably smaller than the one in Spero. When they got closer he would undoubtedly notice that the halls of the palace housed the sick and injured who could not provide for themselves. In the court yard of the palace stood many canvas tents where the injured and sick slept, at the center was a larger fire pit to warm the area and cook their meals, to the left a nurse's station where their wounds and illnesses were treated and the right was a stockpile of blankets, linens and whatever else they may need for the time being.

"So cruel, fate leaves these people without a place to call home. I could not turn them away, not when they're in this condition," Reia muttered under her breath, Karos may or may not have heard her.

Karos nodded when she said that and he could tell she sounded worried "It worries me too, but whatever he is doing i know is best for our people. he tries only to serve atrum veneficus and its allies." he smiled when he saw the small town "Yea, better than atrum so far" he chuckled and once he saw the people in the palace he nodded and would timidly place a hand on her shoulder "This world recently has given us all a hard hand to play, and from what ive seen your doing the best with the cards dealt out." he smiled at her, showing his approval and respect for what she was doing.

Kurami would be standing behind them with Kouta, he would smile and ask whispering "Is he being too subtle? Or do you not care he is flirting with your empress?"

"I know that we are all going through hard times but...why can't I do more? My people believe in me and are willing to give their lives to protect me but I'm so weak I can't help them. Political matters were so trivial then and now it feels like the weight of the world has fallen onto my shoulders and I can barely keep my footing," she was very unsettled when she looked upon her people, knowing that she had failed them and they still followed her and respected her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be acting like this. I'm an Empress, I should be stronger."

Kouta glanced at Kurami for a moment then back at Reia and Karos.
"She needs a shoulder to lean on in these times and it seems she is only truly open with your Lord Karos. It's obvious to anyone looking upon them to see their feelings but I think they are both blinded by uncertainty to each other." his observations were very true in Reia's case, her lack of confidence in herself and uncertainty of Karos' intentions blinded her from his feelings toward her.

He would smile sadly at her and nod "I know how you feel, i always felt...and still feel weak. Powerless to protect or save my people, but Reia, look at this. What happened was beyond our control, Lux Lucis doing what they did was an act of fate not of any failures on our part." He might move a little closer, telling her if she needed to she could hug him or anything she might want to do, he was there for her. "The weight of the world has fallen on the shoulders of you, and i, and Arrakesh all the young rulers or in my case leaders in nations. We have the power to change this world for the better. I will stand by you whenever you need me Reia, your my closest friend, you understand me so ill be here to understand and help you. Your the Empress, but your a kid, like me. Let it out sometimes, and things will seem much easier."

Kurami smiled "it seems what you say it quite true. They seem oblivious to something so obvious. He needs someone to lean on sometimes too. Some one to calm him, Reia seems to do that well."

Karos also.....had no fucking clue

Reia hugged him but quickly returned to herself and continued into the inner courts of the palace. They might look around to see plain walls as they entered the main kept. A low standing table with mats for the guest to sit on, a few choice foods were places across the table along with water and tea. At the end of the room was a unfinished throne, made to resemble her father's throne in Arian but the carving was not finished yet.

"I hope you like tea, it's grown here in the palace garden," Reia said with a smile.

He smiled at her but had a little bit of a confused face on "Tea? Ive never had tea before actually... not many plants in atrum..."

Reia looked a little puzzled that Karos had not heard of tea before, is Arian it was a common drink and was mixed with herbs for medicine and elixirs.

"You've not had tea before? It is very common here, it's made of dried tea leaves, flower buds, and herbs that are soaked in hot water. It's slightly bitter but is very good. Here, try some," reia said as she poured some into a cup and slid it over to him. "I think you'll like it."

He chuckled "Considering Atrum was a big hunk of black rock...we didnt have many plants, or drinks besides water and some wierd tasting booze." he chuckled again and picked up the tea, slowly sipping it and smiling, nodding "Its good...I think i may ask sorac to start trading with you guys for this" he laughed a bit.

Reia nodded and smiled.

"I am very glad you like it and also I think it would profit both our nations to trade amongst each other. I think your people will also like it. I heard about the mission to free the slaves taken from Kyanon, did it end well? Have they returned to Atrum yet?" Reia sounded nervous, she wasn't accustom to talking about national matters even with Karos.

He smiled and nodded "Yes it did. I was worried about success it being the first mission i ordered but it went swimmingly for the most part. Everyone is fine which is good." he smirked "And a Shilain with a life debt is with Azero now. She is the most hyper active thing i've ever seen."

"A shilain...wasn't that what the large animals at the trials were called? She is hyper too, azero must have his hands full," she giggled. "He was the ultra serious one right, I'm sorry I only remember him vaguely."

He nodded and smiled "Yes the large shape shifters." he chuckled "Yea Azero has his hands full. She is the polar opposite of him but he has taken a liking to her, no luck getting him to admit that though, and yes he was the ultra serious one."

Reia laughs a bit before returning to the unsettled demeanor she had obtained through all that has happened. She lifted the weapon from her side and slowly unraveled the cloth to reveal the hilt of a dark Arian blade. She extended the blade toward Karos as it balanced between her hands.

"I want you to have this, a blade forged in Old Arian by Lord Koji. He imbued it with the dark magik of your people. May Yagura no Tachi serve and protect you." She seemed very formal now, as this blade was of the utmost importance.

Karos smiled and his eyes were wide with amazement at the blade "Thank you so much Reia, i shall wield it well my friend, i will honor this blade until my dying day." He gingerly took it from her and looked it over, admiring everything about the blade "This sword is beautiful, such craftsmanship...we dont see these coming out of atrum anymore" he chuckled and smiled, still looking over the blade.