Morning broke over Calensport the central of asterra.
Massive statues of past heroes and high nobles loomed proudly along the avenues.
The streets of calensport was alive with motion, different soldiers clad in polished metal armor and as they marched in and out of the gates of calensport. The tribunal court swarmed with men of high status as they marched in and out elegantly, while low nobles made their way towards the sovereigns mansion.
The site where Eryndor had been executed stood locked down by a cordon of soldiers, as they stood firecly guarding the site.
Wealthy men and women in their numbers draped in gold and silver threaded robes, gathered near the barricade of eryndors execution site, speaking in low voices about politics, power, and the future of the realm.
And then the a huge shadow cast on everyone outside calensport, as they stood heads raised to behold the wonder before their eyes.
Slowly and majestically, an airship glided into view above calensport and the neighbouring cities, its hull long and sleek, shaping the airship like a silvered spear. As it gleamed brilliantly in the morning sun.
Steam hissed from the airships hidden vents, as it pushed over Calensport gently, people stood in awe and wonder, watching the magnificient display.
Across the side of the airship, bold letters gleamed: A NEW ASTERRA.
Heads turned in unison, some speaking through eye contact as they admired the airship, murmurs rippled through calensport as people conversed between theirselves speaking on the sight they had just witnessed.
"A new calensport, hmm …" someone whispered.
"Always amazed that something so big could fly" another says.
Airships are more than technology, they are heralds of change, symbols of transition, omens of new beginnings. In Asterra, they appeared only to mark the dawn of something new.
The Sovereign's Garden (a location in calensport for noble meetings) blazed with color and life.
The garden stretched wide like a sacred field, its marble paths lined with towering huge statues of past high nobles who ruled asterra.
Beds of exotic flowers, pruned with surgical precision as it stretched in perfect symmetry across the lawns, while luxurious fountains adorned with gold and silver that caught the sunlight.
Mid-nobles, and low nobles stood and mingled freely within the garden, their silks and leathers glittering with gold and silver embroidery. Each noble held a glass of wine, conversing in careful tones, their laughter soft and elegant.
Royal servants moved among them, refilling goblets and passing platters of sugared cakes on trays of polished brass.
Shortly the crowd stilled.
AsLady Marien of House Veymont arrived.
Her boots shone like mirrors, polished to perfection. Her deep-blue military coat, trimmed with golden threads and accented with gleaming buttons.
Her hair bound back in the southern fashion.
She did not walk alone.
Two female Veymont soldiers flanked lady marien, as they appeared tall, blonde and statuesque, their black uniforms crisp and immaculate. Rifles strapped across their backs professionally.
Nobles parted ways for lady marien as she marched powerfully between them, approaching the fountains side.
Slowly, she settles in close to the fountain, her posture sturdy and elegant, Her face sat with no emotion, with her hands clasped neatly behind her back.
Then a royal servant swiftly approached gracefully, bowing low as he presents a tray filled with wine.
"Freshly brewed ember wine, my lady?" he asked.
Marien's fingers flicked in a silent, graceful decline. The servant bowed deeper, then withdrew, leaving her once more alone in her quiet dignity.
The nobles around her stole glances, their whispers fluttering like moths.
"Such elegance…"
"Look at her poise, Marien of House Veymont is a commmander and a leader" some muttered.
"She would suit the sovereign's throne." Another says softly from a distance
Their soft and murmured admiration is immediately broken by the thunder of boots.
Erry O' Kael, the northern warlord of House drakovar had arrived.
Kael stormed into the Sovereign's Garden, with his two guards flanking him like wolves in a pack. The sound of their heavy boots resounds through the garden.
Nobles stepped aside clearing a path for him and his drakovar soldiers with murmurs of awe and unease.
Kael's armor drew attention, its dark metal imprinted with the drakovar sigils. At his hip rested a sheathed sword, its bronze pommel reflecting the light.
"Lord Kael," several voices called, almost breathless. "Your armor, magnificent!"
"Look How tall he stands, like a giant"
"Would you allow us to purchase such armor for our men? Or is it only for the Drakovar elite?" Some other nobles praised as they chatted and laughed.
Kael's lips and beards stretched wide in a long grin, his teeth flashing as he basked in their attention.
"Wine!" he bellowed.
Four servants immediatelg scrambled forward, bowing low, offering crystal glasses on trays filled with emberwine.
Kael's expression darkened as he swatted one tray aside with a sweep of his arm, tossing away the contents violently, shattering glasses across the marble floor. Gasps rippled through the gathering, their expressions filled with shock at the display.
" the bottle!" Kael barked.
One servant, trembling, stepped forward and offered the bottle with both hands. Kael snatched it, tore the cork out with his teeth, and drank deeply as the wine ran down his chin.
His soldiers took the other bottles roughly from the servants' hands.
"Scramble!," one of the soldiers said coldly. The servants bowed and fled almost immediately.
Kael threw his head back, laughing as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Emberwine! No man can ever have enough of this heavenly drink!"
A ripple of hesitant laughter spread through the nobles, their voices joining Kael's roar.
Marien's countenance shifted with disgust, the calm she portrayed now cracked.
"What a Fool" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes, with her lips curling in disdain.
Shortly, the garden stilled again as the sovereign's passage opened leading to the garden.
Lord Marric of House Solherene stepped out, his attire designed in blood-red and sky-white, trimmed with fine silver thread. His presence was commanding, every step measured and regal. Around the garden, soldiers halted immediately at his presence and saluted in perfect unison.
"Hail Lord Marric!" a high minister yelled.
"Hail to our acting sovereign!"
The nobles echoed as one, bowing their heads, their voices ringing like a single chime.
And from the shadows behind Marric stepped another figure, Sylven Veynar of House Calvasset.
His hair caught the light like pale gold, his expression quiet and unreadable as he moved behind Marric toward the podium, moving with confidence and power.
On the sight of veynar behind marric, Marien's composure shattered, her face written in mild shock.
Her hands dropped from behind her back, knowing that veynar was parading himself to the other nobles. Her fists clenching tightly that the threads in her gloves snapped.
She stared at Veynar with open hostility, her poise faltering for the first time.
Meanwhile, Erry O' Kael laughed loudly, drunk on wine and attention, paying no mind to the tension that now coiled through the garden. His guards shoved another bottle into his hand, which he took eagerly, guzzling without a care in the world.
Marien returns her gaze to veynar, her disgust deepening, not just for Kael, but for the entire scene that continues to unfold before her.
Then her gazed locked on veynar, Her eyes never leaving the podium.
Finally, Lord Marric stood tall, on the podium, as sylven Veynar lingered like a shadow behing him.
Lady mariens rage boiled hot and steady, watching sylven veynar stand beside lord marric. "Slithering slime!" She mutters under her breath.
One of her guards noticing her rage steps close, pulls something out from their armour, offering a small food ration bar to lady marien. Her jaw tensed like a predator caught in a trap. For a moment, her eyes burned with something wild and dangerous. Then she exhaled through her clenched teeth, snatching the bar from her guard, as she bit into it with deliberate force.
Steam hissed tightly from her lips in the cold air as her fury began to cool, leaving her now calm and organized.
Then Marric's voice rang out across the garden, cutting through the murmurs.
"I welcome and thank you all," Marric began "Noble men and women, you honor this summons, in light of all that has befallen Asterra, However, we stand not defeated." Marrics arms gestures wide as he spoke.
"And by law, by service, and by sacrifice, we have held this country together, each playing our part. And for that, I thank you all."
The crowd murmured approval, some bowing their heads, others giving a steady and elegant clap.
Marric continued his speech, as Marien turns to her guard, with a flick of two fingers, the soldier stepped forward standing closer to Marien. She gently whispered few insructions into the guards ear before stepping back, placing her hands once again behind her.
The guard nodded silently and slipped away from the gathering.
Sylven veynars eyes caught the movement of mariens veymont soldier as His smile immediately disappeared. Then he looked past the crowd, now looking straight at Marien.
For a moment, the noise of the garden seemed to fade. Marien the industrialist and veynar the strategist locked in a tidal gazing contest, non flinching, no words spoken. Somewhere in the distance, the soft sound of a piano seemed to play, low and melancholic, decorating the mood that stirred between both of them.
Then Marric's voice shattered the silence, bringing both back to reality.
"The other contestants for the forthcoming noble elections, step forward, if you please. Lady Marien of House Veymont, the military industrialist of the South and Lord Erry O' Kael of House Drakovar, the fierce warlord of the North."
A ripple went through the crowd. The nobles clapped steadily, their applause growing as Marien and Kael began their march toward the podium.
The melancholic tension lingered as Marien walked with perfect grace, her boots marching sharply against the marble, Erry O' Kael strode beside her, as he marched slightly drunk from the emberwine, but still radiating with ferocity.
They stopped beside Marric, turned and faced the crowd of nobles, as the crowd hushed into silence.
Marric spread his arms wide gesturing towards marien, kael and veynar.
"The High Nobles!" he called.
"They stand before you, an example, a testament to loyalty and dedication to the country of asterra"
Marien, Kael, and veynar stood motionless, their faces carved like stone. Only the faint flush on Kael's cheeks showed his slight drunkenness.
"They have served, they have fought, they have shaped Asterra's history with their bare hands," Marric continued, his voice ringing with reverence.
"From their ancestors, Ergrund the First of House Calvasset, to Sophia Cranst of House Veymont, to Boro the Land-Seeker of House Drakovar, their deeds are etched into the very bones of this country.
"And now, it falls to you by law, to choose which among them shall lead Asterra into the next decade, to carry our banner into the future, so that all the world may see and remember asterra for its greatness"
He paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air before he spoke again.
"Today, being the 27th day of Lumerin (third month of the year), year 723, I want to announce, that on the first day of Solmere(the 4th month of the year), the Sovereign elections will be held"
The crowd broke into cheers, clapping and raising their glasses.
"A new sovereign shall be appointed," Marric continued. "To oversee Asterra, and to guard its future."
The applause grew louder. Some nobles shouted praises. Others whispered to one another, their minds turning toward strategy, and toward alliances for the forthcoming elections.
"You have three days to decide who shall rule Asterra," Marric said, his tone delivering with seriousnes. "Ponder well and Choose wisely."
Marric stepped down from the podium as he turned to marien, kael and veynar.
"High Nobles," he says "Join me. There are matters we must discuss in private."
He turned as he walks back into the Sovereign's Passage.
One by one, the high nobles followed.
While the mid and low nobles resumed their chatter, drinking and dining, while discussing about the elections, as the Sovereigns garden rang with laughter and music.