The Allure of the Uniform

The sounds of busy footsteps could be heard through the halls as the staff moved back and forth in a frenzy trying to get everything ready for the banquet that would be taking place at the end of the week. The kitchen was busy preparing all sorts of delicious smelling food while the maids were cleaning all the rooms in the large castle in preparation for the guests that would be arriving shortly. Apparently some very high class nobles would be arriving from Cadia as well as the royal family in celebration for the new alliance that had been formed recently. The whole kingdom of Erilin was abuzz with the news of a new ally and its people. Cadia was a kingdom that seemed so driven and militaristic which was such a stark contrast to their own whimsical nation. Yes it seemed as if everyone in the nation was excited about this banquet. Well...almost everyone that is.

A heavy sigh could be heard from the balcony as a young woman leaned over the railings to take in the sight of the people moving below her. Soft chestnut hair hung in loose curls as it spilled over the side of the railing like Rapunzel who was waiting for a prince. Pink lips were pursed in a pout as dark blue eyes watched everything with a mixture of annoyance and boredom. It seemed as if everyone was so busy with this stupid party that they didn't have any time to spend their attention on a very particular someone. Princess Mina was the sole daughter of the King Tommin and as such was the apple of his eye. The king would give his daughter everything her heart desired and decreed that whatever wish she had would be fulfilled on the spot. This had been cute when she was younger and all she wanted were toys and flowers but as she grew older things got a bit more difficult. The king might have had the best intentions at heart but his constant spoiling of the girl had turned her into a veritable brat. Mina was used to always getting what she wanted and if someone refused to give it to her then she'd just throw a world class tantrum until she got it. The princess was a young woman now at nineteen years of age and some in the court were worried that her demeanor would scare off potential suitors. Not to mention the rumors that the dear girl had been with just about every man in the castle.

Ha! That was the one rumor that amused her more then anything else. The girl was by no means an innocent virgin but she definitely had standards and wouldn't waste her energy on anyone who was less then perfect in her eyes. This alliance might be taking away from her attention but it did give the girl a chance to check out some of the guards that Cadia had sent over. Besides, she had grown tired of the Duke who had been her last play thing and needed something else to keep her mind occupied. Pushing herself off the railing she dusted off the dark blue dress she was wearing before making her way down the main stairway and out into the corridor. Now all that was left do was find something to keep herself busy for the time being while she waited for the preparations to be over and done with already.

"So you're telling me that this whole alliance is over resources?" The soldier was seemingly stunned by such a comment, taking a brief sip of his ale. He was but a mere boy it seemed, though he was a soldier by the looks of his chain-mail and crimson tabard. The other two men seemed to be engaged in a game a chess beside him, each man over-looking the simple checkered board as a battlefield, inquiring of their next move. "Exactly, Cadia has no interest in this kingdom beyond it's wealth, do you honestly think our people would like to be allies with these hedonists for any other reason?" The soldier's tone seemed annoyed, his hand rubbing over his cleanly shaven head as he moved a pawn forward, looking to his opponent with his a raised brow.

His opponent moved his rook in response, blocking off the pawn's path. The boy beside them seemed still quite dumbfounded, taking yet another nervous sip of his ale. He seemed quite imposed by the two men before him, as he was but a new recruit, yet to receive his trial by fire. "I don't think their hedonists, they are just enjoying life, when you don't have war you don't need to be so stri-" The poor boy was cut off as the bald soldier had struck him across the head, sparking a painful whimper from the recruit.

"There is a reason we are one of the oldest kingdoms, Joey!" The man barked at the recruit, sighing as he looked back to the chessboard. "We know the only way to survive is to fight, and even if fighting isn't necessary, you have to make sure the enemy knows you are always ready to fight. That means no lallygagging, no playing around, Cadia is a soldier in itself, every man and woman knows their duty, you should of learned that in training." The man scolded, moving his knight about the board.

Joey nodded, biting his lip as he rubbed at his short mesh of brown hair. His training was of harsh physical exercises and hours worth of lecture of Cadia, why they fight and how to fight. Joey listened, but was still applying it. He was but mere boy. Joey had looked to the bald man's opponent, watching him yet again block his elder's path with a decisive move.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him Frank, he's ignorant, we all were, he'll learn his own way." This particular voice came from the opponent of the bald man known as Frank. He was dressed as the other two, clad in chain-mail. Frank looked to him with a raised brow, sighing. "I suppose you're right," he agreed as he took a move with his queen. "Check," he replied with a victorious like grin, crossing his arms.

The opponent ran a finger along his own blond chinscruff, observing the purposed 'check'. "Joey, one day you'll be like Frank, scolding young soldiers to mind their role in society, their eternal job." The opponent commented as he placed his finger over his own queen, slowly idling the piece back and fourth. "Sooner or later you'll see everyone as a threat, you'll think taverns are homes of criminals, that merchants secretly deal in slaves, that every wizard has a daemon hiding somewhere, all you'll know is fighting and evil, that once you stand you will never be able to sit again, that the world will reveal it's true ugly colors and you will either win, or lose."

"Wow Ivan," Joey said, rather astonished by his words. Frank himself was smiling, rather proud of his opponent's words. "I taught you well boy," he commented as he shifted in his seat, leaning back with a soft of accomplishment. Ivan looked to Frank, giving a muffled chuckle. "Too well," he pitched in as he moved his queen in direct sight of Frank's queen. "Checkmate," he said as he gave a lax salute, sliding out of the booth. Frank was immediately stunned with shock, looking over the current game. "Bloody hell, how'd you-" Frank was about to ask his opponent of his move, but Ivan was already out of the tavern, leaving but him and the boy.

"He cornered your king hiding behind your pawns, Frank." Joey stated, peering over the board. "Oh shut it!" Frank said, striking Joey upon the head once again.

Ivan was a well-rounded soldier. He wasn't entirely bulky, but he wasn't a twig either. He was the symbolic image of a soldier, a soldier many aspired to be. He had the scars, all of them did. One particular one that curved along the right side of his nasal bridge, curving down to rest an inch or two above his lip. Not many men had the ability to survive frontal blows, but Ivan did, and was kept quite handsome to boot. Neatly groomed blond hair, with a matching trimmed facial hair that dotted mostly his chin, with a pair of complementary sideburns.

It was one of the reasons he was the figure-head of his particular squad of men. Frank was the highest ranking, but the General purposed he would meet with the nobles of Erilin, as such a people would probably feel more comfortable with a young spokesperson. As such Ivan was found himself in the castle's main room an hour or two after the chess game. He was clad in the same armor, but it was heavily polished, with a sporting cape that bore his country's chosen insignia, a bull. He was directed by the various servants to await the daughter of the king, who was apparently getting ready for the banquet, in which his own lord would be attending at week's end.

His eyes, the brilliant hues of blue, seemed to briefly look about the magnificent castle. Instead of coats of arms, he found portraits and statues, vibrantly dressed servants instead of royal guards. The place was such a sharp contrast to his own lordship's castle, he felt a tad uneasy. But it wouldn't be seen. As a soldier, he was trained to hide such futile emotions. Even in the presence of friends, never let them see one sweat. Even then, he surely didn't feel at home.

All that noise had begun to get on her nerves causing her to seek some quiet in the gardens. Mina was used to having people constantly moving around her considering the fact that the castle was always in the midst of one celebration or another but this one was unnerving her for some reason. While the new guards might be fun to look at now and then and also tease there was something so stern about them that seemed to throw everyone else off their game.

Erilin had always been a kingdom that enjoyed great wealth and pleasure. They were near one of the biggest seaports on the continent so any shipments had to pass through their kingdom before being allowed to go anywhere else. With all the tariffs they collected from trade they had managed to build quite a wealth for themselves and were able to make some very powerful allies. Erilin's standing army was only a couple hundred men strong and most of them just knew the basics of how to handle a sword and ride a horse. They had always had someone else there to protect their kingdom since a disturbance for them would be a disturbance for the entire trade of the continent and no one wanted to see that. Their easy lifestyles were in such a direct contrast to the strict people of Cadia. Honestly, how people could be happy living under such an iron fist would forever evade her.

"Princess, there you are." Mina looked up from her position on the bench just in time to see Elmyra coming towards her. The woman had practically raised her and was the closest thing to a mother she had. That also meant that whenever anyone needed Mina to do something it would have to be Elmyra who would guilt the sullen princess into it. With a slight groan Mina got up off the bench and walked over to the older woman. She was in her mid forties with dark brown hair and vibrant green eyes that made her seem much younger then her years. She also had a motherly nature about her that at the same time made you love her as well as fear her.

"Now what is it? I wanted to spend some time reading in the garden." Mina said with a pout as she crossed her arms over her chest. The older woman merely gave her a look like one would give their child if they found them with their hands in the cookie jar. Elmyra didn't believe for a second that reading was what Mina had been planning and she'd really rather not know just what the princess was up to today. Sometimes she was surprised that her hair wasn't starch white with all the things she'd had to put up with Mina doing over the years.

"Reading? Ha, that's rich." Elmyra said with a snort as she placed her hand's on Mina's shoulders and started pushing her towards the castle. "While I'm sure you had many things to do there is a job that the princess needs to attend to. Your father wanted you to meet with one of Cadia's soldiers and make sure to welcome them graciously into our kingdom. After all, it's important to make sure our new allies are happy and that they feel welcomed." Mina sighed heavily but she made no move to stop Elmyra from pushing her towards the main room. While the girl might love the power of her positions she didn't like the responsibilities that came with it. Since the Queen had passed many years ago it had fallen upon her to play hostess for visitors.

"I don't see why Jacob can't ever do it." Mina muttered under her breath as they stopped in front of the entryway to the main room. Of course her brother couldn't be bothered with simple things like this when he had to prepare to take over the throne one day. Elmyra merely rolled her eyes before patting Mina on the shoulder once and leaving to take care of all the other things that needed to be done. No doubt she'd go to the kitchen and start yelling at the cook about the quality of the pheasants they had.

Well, it seemed as if the soldier was already there. Not giving away her presence she took a moment to examine him with curious eyes. He seemed very different then the men she was used to seeing. Whenever one read stories about princes and brave knights he was probably the image they got when they thought about the characters. A strong man with golden hair in gleaming armor with his cape flowing behind him. A smile spread on pink lips as she silently thanked whatever gods had shone favorably on her today. The men of her kingdom had become boring as of late and this foreign soldier would be just the new distraction she needed.

Clearing her throat to announce her presence Mina made her way towards the man. "Hello, I am the princess Mina. It is a pleasure to welcome you to our kingdom." Gathering her dress she dipped down into a low curtsy and made sure to be at just the angle where he could get an eyeful of her cleavage. The dark curls spilled out around her as she stood back up so her own blue eyes met his. One her face was a shy smile as she batted her eyes up at him with whatever fake innocence she could muster. Daintily she held out her hand for him to greet.

In her mind Mina was already calculating just how long it would take before she had this man eating out of her hand. Taking into account that he was a foreigner she gave herself about a week before she had a new plaything. Maybe this alliance might be more beneficial then she first thought.

The men of Cadia had no formal way of greeting foreign nations, aside from lunging a sword into their throats. Cadia's nobles were seasoned veterans, and their only demand of others was respect with a brief salute. Frank was usually the one for such tasks, but he was a warrior of the old ways. Back then, Cadia didn't need allies, it only needed enemies. That however wasn't the case now. Cadia needed to portray more class, more sophistication among it's neighboring countries. Ivan would fill that role for the time being. He wasn't like Frank, he didn't pick fights, the fights picked him.

The princess was rather easy to spot, for various reasons. Instead of looking for war medals, he merely looked for the most extravagant looking person around. Not to mention that body, which Ivan would admit captivated him slightly. Cadian soldiers were only men, as women had more homely roles. That meant in war, most men wouldn't see a female for months, maybe even a years depending on the campaign. Ivan was fresh from the southern front, it'd had been ten months since he had last saw a woman. Especially one like this.

"The pleasure is mine, princess." He retorted with a calm and respectful tone, grasping her hand only briefly to kiss upon her wrist, briefly in-taking the gaze of her cleavage. Yes, he actually took an hour or two before arrival to practice how he'd address Erilin nobility. It was quite foreign to him, but he seemed quite adept at this role. "My name is Corporal Ivan Wolfgang (VULF-gun), representative of the 3rd Jungle Fighter's Battalion," he stated as seemed barely phased by her appearance. It took quite a bit to resist the urge to look over her more, but he kept his wits about him. First impression was everything.

"My comrades are some of the finest soldiers you will see from Cadia, and will provide you and your family and the inhabitants of this castle the best protection only countered by invincibility." He admitted with soft smile. He and his fellow soldiers were quite hardened from their fighting with the orcs, they had been dealing with unorthodox tactics from day one. That made them the perfect unit to protect the Erillin royalty from assassins and the sort. "I will need to see the various exits and entrances to the castle, obvious and obscure, you wouldn't mind a small tour would you?" He'd inquire, raising a brow.

Mina watched him with a careful eyes to see just what he would do. From what they had heard there was very little etiquette dictation in Cadia where they preferred to meet each other with swords and use as little pomp as possible in dealings. It was such a direct contrast with Erilin where everything was done with such grandeur and pretense that one found it hard to remember all the rules dictating different social aspects. Still, he knew how to greet her and Mina felt a slight jolt of electricity travel through her as his lips brushed her skin for the briefest moment.

"Well Corporal, we are very excited to have you and your comrades here. Rumors of Cadia's forces have traveled very far and we are quite lucky to have men such as you protecting us." Mina batted her eyes again as she flashed him a small small. Men were all the same and if you inflated their ego enough they became putty in your hands to do with as you please. The girl always found it amusing how everyone assumed that men ruled the world when it was really the women who pulled the strings behind the scenes. Face it, women could start or stop whole wars just with a few simple words or touches. As for herself, she had gotten very good of manipulating people over the years and would have no problem getting the handsome Corporal as a new toy.

"Oh, of course. Anything to make your job here easier." It seemed like the game of cat and mouse had started as she quickly looped her arm over his and started dragging him out of the main room and towards the hallways. No doubt he wouldn't be very used to being so close to a woman after being on campaign for so long but Mina wasn't one to just let a moment like this pass her up. Her fingers lightly brushed over his skin as if by accident while she started walking him towards the castle and pointing out some of the more obvious entrances that the castle had.

"The main door and the back door by the stables are where most people come in and out. The kitchen also has an entrance and there are doors on the east and west wings as well." The princess waved her hand out and pointed out the various things he would need to know. Of course there were some secret passages as well that she had found when she was younger and would do anything possible to get out of going to her lessons. Mina would show him a couple but she wasn't about to give away everything. "There is also a secret passage that leads from the main corridor to the armory. I'll show you where it is." Pulling him towards one of the tapestries she pushed it aside revealing a small door behind there. With one solid pull it swung open revealing a very narrow hallway.

"If you would just follow me I can show you exactly where it leads." Not waiting for him to answer she pulled him in behind her and started leading him through the hallway. With each step it got more and more narrow until his shoulders would be brushing the walls and he'd have to start walking sideways to avoid hitting the walls. After about five minutes they would come to another door at the end of it all. With mischief in her eyes Mina turned around just in time to stumble slightly and fall towards him. In the narrow space she currently found her chest pressed up against his with her hands on his side as if bracing herself for a fall. "Oh, oops." Hm, at this rate he'd have less then a week.