Princess Roannia realised midway to Arcadia that she had forgotten to bring enough dresses with her. It might have been an insignificant detail for someone with a little imagination but, for her, the situation was quite serious. Goddess Harmonia, whose situation was similarly uncomfortable, was sitting across the table from her in their shockingly comfortable cabin onboard HMS Victory.

"I mean... I brought just twelve of my most loyal and trusted maids along with ten Guardsmen... That must have been a shock after the attack. I just took the bare minimum of my personal belongings..." The Princess groaned. "I'm completely unprepared."

"Well... I can relate. I only have the things you see me wearing." Harmonia looked depressed. "Asking my brothers to have your father send an airship with the necessary things is stupid, and we came out as two vain girls... I don't think I could teleport the distance we have already covered."

"I don't know which would be worse: silly vanity or arriving as some rural and insignificant country bumpkins..." Roannia pouted, snapping angrily at anything in particular. "I know how it usually goes! Once the news spreads that we have arrived, all of the local nobles, merchants, and whatnot will begin their power plays. They will invite us to dinners, parties, balls, and Heaven knows what else! There will be a lot of politics, trade talks, and who knows what else. The worst part is, we know nothing about Arcadia, who is important, so we, or at least I, have to visit, and who we can safely but politely ignore. Dresses are my political battle armour!"

She groaned but, thankfully, her Goddess understood her.

"I will have to speak with the Arcadian Pantheon so I understand your concerns. Hmmm... I have fifty gold coins. I think that might be enough to buy a few decent dresses." Harmonia took out a leather purse and placed it on the glass table.

"Oh!" Roannia's eyes went wide as she darted towards her personal bag and started digging. After a moment, she returned with a more confident smile. "I have all my allowance with me! I saved my money simply because I didn't need anything... I have..."

She put a much larger pouch on the table and started counting the money. "Two thousand gold pieces. We should be good... Ufff, that's a relief."

"So we only need permission to go shopping. I think I can arrange it..." The Goddess nodded. "Aunt Hestia should let me go sightseeing with just a few guards in tow. However, sneaking you out might be problematic, Roannia."

"If your request to bring me fails, please take one of my maids." The Princess shrugged. "It's just a city and buying a few dresses. There's nothing to be excited about."

"Well-" A sudden click startled the women and they turned toward the closed doors with surprise.

"Good morning. We are approaching Avalon and the city is already visible to the starboard." The voice of the ship's captain came from a small box over the entrance.

Both women exchanged surprised looks, followed by synchronised shrugs, which amused them. Nonetheless, they approached the large window. In the distance was a truly massive city, in the centre of which, in an oasis of greenery, on the bank of a huge lake, stood a magnificent palace. The city was divided into three rings and walled with unbelievably tall and thick walls. In utter silence, they gaped at the sight of the foreign capital that dwarfed any city in comparison. The massive city gates were open, but the traffic wasn't impressive. However, suddenly something long, fast, and slim darted out of the city and, quickly, disappeared in the nearby woods.

"What was that?!" Roannia asked in shock.

"I have no idea..." Harmonia slowly shook her head, still mesmerised by the view of Avalon.

More and more details became visible as the ship crossed the city and slowly descended toward the lake near the palace. Near the outermost ring of the city, where the Princess expected to see the poorest dwellings and, perhaps, slums, spread immaculate plains. They were full of what seemed to be agricultural installations and empty spaces, the second ring was bustling with activity. Thousands of people hurried about, chasing their day to day business. But they were still too distant to observe specifics unlike the details on the absurdly well-maintained buildings. From above, Roannia marvelled at the unfamiliar, but beautiful, architecture. The masterful city planning allowed it to avoid the cramped and suffocating atmosphere of most cities she knew. Patches of green were spread across the city, which she previously took for bizarre buildings, turned out to be public gardens with trees.

Roannia looked at Goddess Harmonia and cleared her throat. "Well... Now, I have to see this city up close."

•••

Roannia was dizzy. Whatever she expected to see in Avalon, it certainly wasn't the mind-staggering display of grandeur and riches she witnessed. She refused to believe her eyes when she entered the throneroom of Arcadia. The amount of wealth needed to build something like it was simply absurd. Yet, she was there and she was nervous like an insignificant speck standing before a God and introducing themselves as his equal. Emperor Theon Avalon wasn't helping with his presence. Even Goddess Harmonia was speechless in his presence. Oh, he attempted to be casual and, certainly, he was friendly and honest. But, by the Gods, his very presence was unsettling. She would have been lying if she said her heart wasn't beating faster as he kissed her outstretched hand. He carried himself in a nearly forgotten regalness and her heart jumped every time he smiled at her. Then, the Empresses of Arcadia introduced themselves.

Never before in her life did Princess Roannia feel so outclassed and ugly as when she stood before these ten women. Well, eleven, as she begrudgingly admitted, because Princess Cassmira Metaka, the fiancée of the Emperor, was present as well. All of them were the very definition of beautiful, stunning, and gorgeous. She felt embarrassed by being so mediocre, or even ugly, in comparison. Her best dress, which she had worn, was like a rag of a slightly better class compared to the magnificent dresses of the Empresses. Her jewellery, the most intricate and beautiful works of art from the best Jewellers of Aclium, looked like cheap bobbles in comparison to what they were wearing. At that moment, the Princess of Aclium started questioning everything she knew. She would have fallen into some black pit of despair if not for the Emperor.

"I'm happy to host you both in Avalon, Princess Roannia Aclium and Eternal Harmonia." He smiled though his smile quickly vanished. "I heard the news about the attack on your person and I was shocked by the audacity of the Ibrevellians. They attacked my wives' ship and, then, they tried to abduct you. They will pay for their foolishness..."

"Thanks to the swift arrival of the Arcadian Praetorians, I avoided whatever fate they intended for me. It was a dreadful experience I do not wish to repeat." She shuddered.

"I imagine so..." He shook his head and smiled at his wives who nodded with an honest concern. "If there is anything we could do to alleviate your gloomy mood, let us know. I'm afraid it will take some time to call the general assembly of NATO members in order to introduce the membership application from the Kingdom of Aclium. It will only take a few days if we are lucky..."

Roannia took a deep breath and nodded to herself. That was much quicker than she imagined but it should be enough time to learn more about this country. Not to mention, visiting a few shops... She dreaded the number of invitations from local nobility she expected. Attending events she didn't want, but must attend would be tedious. However, there was one thing she had to clarify immediately.

"Emperor Theon Avalon..." She took a breath and tilted her head for a better look at the much taller man. "With all respect to Empress Irene, I was under the impression that the invitation to your alliance was given as a whim of your wife. I would like to inquire about the real chances of admission for the Kingdom of Aclium to the North Aderon Treaty Organisation. Considering the circumstances, it is a vital mission and I must succeed."

"I don't see any reason why the whimsical nature of an invitation would reflect on the actual sincerity of Irene's offer." He simply shrugged. "As for the admission itself, I don't see why your pledge might fail, Princess Roannia. The leaders of the Organisation will hear your plight and make their decision."

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"Making enemies of the Ibrevellian Elves is certainly a good start." Princess Cassmira chuckled. "As the acting Ambassador of the Empire of Metaka in Arcadia, I can assure you of our support."

"Thank you, Princess Cassmira. Your support means a lot to my country." Roannia sighed a sigh of relief. She adjusted her voice to try to sound friendly and neutral at the same time. "Since we still have days, if not weeks, until the summit, Goddess Harmonia and I would like to explore Avalon and see the city for ourselves and, if it's possible, its people. If you don't mind, of course, Lord Theon. After all, our countries have never had any prior relationships."

"In that case, I would like to spend some time with my niece, Theon!" Goddess-Empress Hestia stepped towards them with a smile and looked at slightly blushing Harmonia with sparkling eyes. "I could show them around while I'm at it!"

"But of course, my Dear." The Emperor smiled and nodded with conviction, then he looked at the Princess. "I imagine it would be boring to sit all day in a room, no matter how fine the room is. However, the city is vast Princess Roannia and, while I'm confident it is safe, I'm equally confident that it's easy to get lost. So, please, do me a favour and allow my Praetorians to be your guides whenever you wish to go sightseeing. Whether you would like to see a shop district, a theatre, or the University, the Praetorians will help you navigate the streets of my city."

Jackpot! The Princess smiled and curtsied. Not only was she permitted to see the city, but she was also, basically, invited to visit the places mentioned by the Emperor. Not to mention she would be protected by Praetorians who she knew were absolute elite warriors.

"Thank you for your permission, Emperor Theon. I'm convinced that we can build a friendship supported by mutual understanding and fair trade." She marvelled at the fact that, right now, she was absolutely honest. It was a feeling she had nearly forgotten about after dealing with various nobles and foreign envoys.

"I'm glad to hear that." He slightly bowed his head. "But we shouldn't take more of your time, Princess Roannia. You both are certainly tired after travelling and I'm sure you would like to refresh yourself. My butler will show you the way to your apartments."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Imperial Highness." Goddess Harmonia nervously replied to the impressive man.

•••

"You must be kidding me..." Roannia moaned in shock when they arrived at what could only be described as a small palace. "This is beyond absurd. Just how wealthy is he?!"

"He certainly knows how to make a good impression..." Harmonia nervously curled a strand of her hair around her finger.

"My Goddess... Why are you so nervous?" Roannia blinked at her in surprise as the carriage came to a halt.

"Because I don't know what to do now, Roannia," Harmonia whispered as she looked at people behind the gates. "Everyone around us is a firm believer and their faith burns brightly. Sometimes, I can tell who they worship or what troubles them... Their faith fuels their Gods and I can't imagine how powerful their Pantheon is. Those people are strong, Roannia. I expected to find a Kingdom that rose from the chaos of war. An unstable realm, ruled by a fragile connection between nobles who supported the rise of the new ruler. I expected him to be a weak king who adopted the title of Emperor from puny ambitions. I will be blunt with you, Roannia. Never before in my life have I been so horribly wrong."

"I... I'm not sure if I follow your chain of thoughts, my Goddess..." Roannia swallowed.

"Just call me by my name, Roannia." Harmonia sighed. "In the throneroom, we were alone with the Royal Family of Arcadia. There was not a single noble present in that room."

"But that was just a simple welcome..."

"Really? And just how many people did your Father have to invite to the negotiation table during the meeting with the Arcadian Empress and the Ibrevellians? How many of them were outraged later?"

"Oh..." Roannia looked at the Goddess with a shocked understanding.

"We both must be careful, little Roa." Harmonia warmly smiled and patted the Princess' head. Roannia cherished the Goddess' affection as it reminded her of her childhood and their time together.

The doors to the carriage opened, after a moment, and the Princess' servants stepped to awkwardly welcome her to the palace. Roannia decided it was better to let them cling to what they knew instead of demanding the unreasonable, like ordering them to calm down. The mansion was big, a four-story building with a private garden and a functional courtyard. The Emperor was probably making a point with keeping as much greenery within the boundaries of the city, but the Princess was oblivious to his intentions. She had to admit that the space was comfortable and, somehow, calming. But, besides that, green space was a huge loss of space. The immaculate flags of Aclium were lazily waving in the soft breeze, welcoming her, making this foreign place feel much more like home. Her maids and soldiers were waiting in two rows near the doors. The head maid and captain of her personal guard were waiting in front of the doors with their heads bowed towards her.

"My Goddess, My Lady! We must beg your pardons because we are not familiar with the mansion. We studied its layout and remembered most of the arrangement thanks to the plans provided by the Arcadians, but... It may be an inconvenience for you to try to rest now because nothing is prepared to host you, my Ladies!" The middle-aged woman nervously put her hands together.

"We are also heavily understaffed and we have no knowledge of the dangers that might wait for you in the city, my Lady." The Captain was very nervous. "Admittedly, the help of the Arcadian Praetorians is appreciated but we can't trust them! We are working blindly, my Princess."

"Listen... I know I made a mistake by not bringing a bigger entourage with me but there is nothing we can do about it right now." Roannia smiled at her people.

"I'm not sure if more would help us to be honest..." The maid looked at the Captain.

"I'm afraid that Camilla is right, my Lady. There was a very serious debate among us recently concerning the loyalty of the palace's staff. While all of these soldiers were loyal to your father, some doubted your skills, my Lady. They have not openly questioned your position but they might be swayed by another noble faction."

"I'm aware of this, Captain Rex. Thank you for voicing it loudly in a foreign and potentially hostile place as you suggested." Roannia rolled her eyes.

"I beg for your forgiveness! That was stupid..." He lowered his head but she just chuckled nervously.

"We are all on the edge, Rex." The Princess sighed softly and put her hand on the veteran's shoulder. "Even Goddess Harmonia is nervous after everything we went through. Let's get inside."

"Just a few moments, Ma'am... Please let my men check the house, even if it's just the most basic sweep." The Captain lowered his head.

"There is no one inside except for our soldiers, Captain," Harmonia said with her eyes closed. "I also don't sense anything dangerous inside."

"In that case, let's step in." Captain Rex slammed his fist on his chest and lowered his head.

The entourage entered the mansion in nervous silence but the inside was brightly lit and appeared as if it had just been cleaned and prepared to host them. The impressive and functional hall led to a fairly spacious ballroom which was surrounded by a few adjacent rooms. One of them was a comfortable living room containing a small table, a few couches, and armchairs near the fireplace. The Princess chose a big couch and unceremoniously dropped onto it while Harmonia sat on an armchair and sank into its plush pillows.

"So here is my plan for today. Goddess Harmonia and I want to have something to drink. It can be tea, it can be water, or, frankly, anything drinkable while you get yourself familiar with this place." Roannia chuckled as Harmonia wordlessly raised her thumb up. "I imagine that keeping this place running will be incredibly hard but, I can promise, I'm going to ignore every single mishap or mistake. If you decide that we need more staff, after all, I want you to tell me honestly beforehand."

"As you wish, my Lady." Camilia bowed and nearly jumped, scared as someone loudly knocked on the entrance door.

Captain Rex tensed but nodded at the remaining soldiers to stay with the Princess while he dashed to the doors with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Moments later, an awkward commotion erupted in the hall. The visibly embarrassed Captain returned or, rather, was closely following Goddess-Empress Hestia, who entered the room with an honest and wide smile. Behind her, a small army of maids and Praetorians entered the room and positioned themselves along the walls.

"Aunt?!" Harmonia stood up in shock only to be closed in a rib-crushing hug from the taller Goddess.

"I couldn't wait any longer, my little pumpkin!" Goddess Hestia pampered the Goddess of Agreement with parental affection. "Anyway... I know you are rather short on hands so I brought some of my personal Maids to help you out. They are unquestionably devoted to me so you don't have to worry about anything. However... Your girls are very smart, Princess Roannia so they will learn quickly from my Maids. As for the Praetorians... Well. As you can imagine, they are absolutely loyal to my Husband, so you can trust them with your life, albeit, I wouldn't be too talkative about your country's secrets with them around."

Roannia opened and closed her mouth, too stupefied to respond, while Harmonia gasped for air between pats on her head. The Princess blinked... Then, she softly smiled. Arcadians were certainly strange and eccentric but at the same time very likeable...

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