The Switch
Chapter 14
The next morning, you awoke with a start, right at dawn and immediately reached for your pen and latest journal to write as fast your hand could move across the page as your new pen barely kept the ink flowing freely enough to keep up with you.
Because while you had tried to shrug off the "altercation" with your former King and Queen. It had still bugged you and you felt like you were missing an obvious solution to the problem and after sleeping on it and even dreaming about it, you awoke with a solution.
You barely had it written down before you got out of bed to quickly relieve yourself and keep writing as you did so and barely had the lights dimly lit so you could go to your desk and keep expounding on the idea and before you knew it, you were using up all the ink in this pen. You tried to use your second and spare pen to trade out while the other hand refilled the ink reservoir as the other hand just kept writing- like a woman possessed, trying to get it all out and all down as it was like the most beautiful flower blooming in your mind as suddenly everything came together and with just a quick look at the bank note from Solowards- and the sale of the land that Saffiro had left behind, you beamed when you did some quick math and calculations right there in your notebook and then- like finally placing the last pieces of a puzzle together. Suddenly with only a new page, using your now- refilled pen, you drafted the first The Order of Radiance Lease Agreement and when you had finished the contract you took a few shaky breaths but stared at it and your face suddenly bloomed in a smile of relieved victory.
This was it.
This was how you were going to deal with them, this was the perfect solution. And how you were going to practically own them and every other unsavory royal you had ever encountered and ever would encounter. And this was how you were going to protect yourself, the Contessina Order, which from now on would be known as The Order of Radiance- using your official Dorierran given honorific title, so that future generations wouldn't have to worry about distinguishing themselves from you on an individual level. And this would protect Salgria Shipping and every other person in the D.A. who would ever even think of landing on Solowardian Soil or even airspace for that matter.
And then like magic, once the flower seemed to fully bloom in your mind, another seemed to come into view and suddenly you were reaching for a stack of papers and suddenly you were writing as fast as you could, trying to get it all down and write with one hand and draft with the other, without really looking at what the other hand was drawing as you kept closing your eyes and seeing it in your mind and trying to write it all down. You were going to make each skyport a flower. A perfect- daisy like flower. A single, beautiful divinely simple, stately stem, but with a disk like face with each petal making up the face when it would need to bloom and show off it's pretty petals.
And no sooner had you done that before suddenly you were using up every flower you knew of to create more versions of what you could clearly now see in your mind as your imagination created it as fast as you could write it down as you were creating stacks and stacks of papers from both hands as you were so infinitely grateful you were ambidextrous to allow this feat as you were putting each stack of notes with each drawing into one big, rather messy pile in front of you, trying to criss cross them so that you could keep them all separate.
You had drained two whole bottles of ink and were on your third just as Kragan woke up a couple of hours later as you were so far down the rabbit hole, your eyes were traveling back and forth between the two stacks of paper to make sure that each thing you were working on with two separate hands doing two separate things were- somehow perfectly in sync. You didn't care if your fingers were going to permanently turn midnight blue from the ever precious indigo ink. This was pure genius. And it was like you were on some kind of super drug where time was no longer a concept your brain was accustomed to. You barely registered the sun rising, only that the room was getting lighter from the greater increase of light coming into the room through the windows helped you work.
"Tess?" Kragan murmured once he woke up and reached for you, only to find the blankets pulled back and you were no longer beside him. And even the bed itself was now cold from your absence as his eyes soon snapped open to see you no longer in the bed and he felt panicked to no longer see or even hear you.
"Tess?!" Kragan called out a little louder and it caused you to finally pull you out of your hyperfocus and jumped in your skin and caused both hands to jerk the ink on the pages.
"I'm here. I'm here. I...I am having the best and most genius idea ever and I'm writing it down." You answered as you finally seemed to come up for air for the first time you woke up before you seemed to take a nose dive right back into it.
"Ok... wanna tell me or if you do, you'll lose momentum?" Kragan asked as his body relaxed as he looked from the bed, to where you now resided in the middle of the room where your desk was- to feel like a fool for not realizing that if you were not in bed- of course you would be at your desk.
"I'll lose momentum. I can't stop. I'm not done yet. I mean, I'm almost done but I can't stop now. If I stop now, it'll stop blooming and I can't cut the flowers off before they bloom." You cryptically answered him back.
"Flowers?" He repeated in confusion.
"Yeah, flowers. So many flowers, all blooming, all at the same time. Like late spring, when the whole garden starts to bud and then bloom all at the same time. But I have to get to all the blooms. I can't miss any of them or else they'll wilt before I get them all. I can't miss them." You implored desperately.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Kragan asked.
"Yes! I got the best sleep of my life! It's where the first buds of the first buds of blooms started to appear and when I woke up the buds bloomed." You answered manically as you continued to go at a hectic pace.
"Are you...are you on drugs? You're...you're manic. Why are you manic?" Kragan asked worriedly when he recognized your tone and got up and came over to the desk to see you working like some kind of supercharged machine.
"No! I'm not on drugs. Well, not any of the ones that any mortal can make. My brain is giving me my own drugs. My own fireworks of flowers. It's like divine inspiration, when the gods inspired the holy books to be written by the prophets. Same thing but just..less holy but if this is what divine inspiration feels like- I get it. I'm almost done, I'm almost done, I only have a few more flowers to get to." You repeated as you wrote so fast, the writing was near illegible and you were writing in shorthand too! And your hand and wrist and forearm from the other hand were already stained and you didn't care if you were smudging your own drawings, they were still there enough for Kragan to look at and redraft officially if he needed to.
"If you must look, start with the bottom section of the stack in front of me, but, very, very carefully, don't disturb the rest of the stack." You urged him as you kept moving your head and your eyes back and forth as you drew and wrote as fast as your fingers would let you.
"...okay..." Kragan frowned but did as you asked and oh so carefully pulled the section at the bottom of the stack out and left the rest as undisturbed as possible before he looked at the drawing and then to the pages as you had put the lease agreement first and then the first flower, the daisy plans with that.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho! Yes! Oh Babe, this is genius!" Kragan cheered when he read it.
"Thank you, Now look at the flower! Look at the flower!" You urged him as you continued at your near frantic pace.
"What the...oh, wait, wait, what? What did you...Did you seriously design a ship with no sails but...but that could move in the twelve winds because you...you redesigned the propulsion engine motor?!" Kragan gasped when he saw the "flower" and all of it's beautiful, glorious petals.
"Oh, oh this is giving me an idea. Have you tackled the sunflower yet?" He asked.
"That's the third one." You answered as he then took the next two out from under the stack, and got the "sunflower" one out and laughed in delight.
"Oh! This changes everything! This changes everything! Oh my gods, this, this completely changes everything! This is perfect! I love you so much! You're the smartest being in the universe! You're divine!" He announced as he kissed your cheek emphatically before he took it and went to his desk that was on the other side of you and did a freehand drawing first, using your sketch and your writing as a guide and just as you were finished with the current flower and changing putting it all together and simply made a second stack, he was just diving into these first ones.
Kragan practically giggled as he drew out the basic design and then gave it bones and flesh and then skin, like creating a new life from scratch. And because he knew the real world applications and know-how and even used your inspiration to spark his own imagination and his own spark of creativity as he then redesigned how it would all work and how it would all be built and what the dimensions needed to be. What everything needed to be- in order to work. And work like the dream came to life that it was.
"So it's possible?" You asked as you took a moment after finishing your last set to look over at him and watched fondly as he worked.
"Yes. Very much so. I never would have thought to do anything like this without your divine inspiration." He beamed happily back at you as he looked at you with absolute delight and giddy excitement.
"I don't know if it's divine..." You allowed.
"Oh, it is, trust me. This is how you're going to catapult us into the future. And if you're doing these based on flowers, each country and each place has it's favorite flowers, you could totally tailor these to more suit the aesthetics of each place. And they will be perfect works of art and wonders of the world and will be its own destination. Plus I love the change to the Order. It'll make the privilege of knowing you personally that much more precious and intimate in a way." He began.
"That and it'll be easier for the future generations to not constantly feel like they're in my shadow and have to constantly differentiate them from me." You explained.
"Yes, I agree. It would be confusing in a lot of ways, like it has with the ships themselves." He agreed with a nod.
"I'm happy you agree, I have another idea but I wanted to run it by you." You began.
"I'm all ears Dearest." He invited.
"I want to give Millie a job." You began and it caused him to frown slightly in confusion for a moment.
"Doing what?" He asked, trying to keep his tone light and not betray how much he was against Millie ever tearing down anything you had built up.
"My mother has always insisted that Millie was always a princess and future queen in the making. And with this wedding, she is loving all of the attention and the favors and the royal treatment and everyone kissing her ass so to speak. And she couldn't be happier with that. And it's a spectacle where she's the star of the show." You began as you saved your best "flower" for last as you slowed down and really took your time with it.
"Ok..." Kragan slowly nodded in agreement as his frown deepened.
"But Millie is dreading her life as Countess Lavine in Solowards. Because here I am, practically empress of my own empire and she's being looked at and expected to repeat what I've done and she...she has no idea how to do that and wouldn't even know where to start. Because all she knows is the performance. She doesn't know anything else. And that's only because she's had it practically beat into her since she was a child to be nothing like me, to be the exact opposite of me, all flash but nothing of real substance. Because if anything of real weight is a burden and no one wants to be a burden. To not be too educated, to not be too intelligent, to not be anything other than a little doll to be dressed up. Or a jewel in a jewelry case, to be worn and to be an accessory to Ron but not be her own person. And now that others are expecting her to be her own person, she's having a hard time figuring who and what that person is without being told by someone else. And even now, Gwendolyn is terrified to even leave the house. She hates all the pressure that I've unknowingly and unintentionally put on her and Millie. And she's incredibly introverted and very shy and she hates the spotlight of any kind. And she is dreading the thought of even following in either my or Millie's footsteps. But I have an idea for her, but I want to go over it with my parents. But before I do that, I want Millie to have a chance to stay in the spotlight so that Gwendolyn never has to even get on the stage, not until she really wants to." You explained.
"So..this is more, how to save your sister Gwendolyn from being a spectacle, while making it so that Millie stays the spectacle?" Kragan concluded.
"Yes." You confirmed.
"Ok. What did you have in mind?" He asked curiously as his knitted brow relaxed.
"When people will no doubt get their ships and are eager to set sail on the twelve winds and see the world, the rich and powerful and most likely royal ones- will need something of a guide. I want to promote Millie to be a Radiant Diamond. Which is really, only a fancy title that will make her feel important. But it'll be so that she can go around to all of these capitals first, go to all the opulent opera houses and go to all the courts and palaces that- for those who want to pay the price of staying a night in a castle and live like a royal guest for a day, she could create a guide and her own diamond system. I'm thinking of giving her- her own rating system of diamonds. Specifically five. So if she will go to these eating establishments or will go to these other palaces to stay and live like the princess she's always wanted to be and has been trained, since birth to have the super fine, opulent and super luxurious tastes. And she can rank and rate everything the world over, starting with Wakanear first since she will be there on her honeymoon. And after the honeymoon, simply either transition or keep it going and sail around and the moment a skyport is opened up, she will be there, trying out everything first to see which places are worth the time to get to. And the fuss that everyone will have when they see her ship, followed by it's fleet of huge cargo ships behind her and surrounded by other guard ships, as if she is the most precious new bride in the world, more precious than even the Dorrierran ones. Not only would and could she do such a thing, gleefully and joyfully, it would be something she could and would take very seriously. Because it puts her as the seat of judging everyone else and everything else instead of herself being judged and she would have her chance to have her nearly impossibly high standards to be met. And she wouldn't have to worry about the Solowardian court or really trimming down from Princess to Countess, if anything she can keep herself as she is if she wants to be. She would amass her own empire of all things luxurious and refined sophistication. Since, one, she has the training, two she has the desire and the patience and the skill for that arena that I simply don't want to have. Hell I was going to go and ask High Councilor Langashi for that biggest and most grandiose crown and present it to her as a wedding present and "anoint" her as such after the wedding. Because then it would be seen as I would only ever trust her super refined luxurious tastes to suit The Order of Radiance Luxury Guide Book." You relayed.
"That..that would be perfect for her." Kragan blinked in surprise as his eyebrows lifted for a moment but a smile soon bloomed on his features.
"So what about Gwen?" He asked.
"Well, she's always been more intellectual like me. But because she is so private and likes the comfort of home but doesn't want to be a home body all the time and is only currently that because she has a fear of being judged and picked apart if she were to leave the house. She even moved into my old suite of rooms at home, eager to have a private space of solitude, but at the same time, confinement is better than being thrust into the spectacle with Millie. But at the same time, I think she will do better at finding the super secret gems. Like the opposite of Millie, where Millie will be quick to be drawn like a magnet to the really popular and pave the way to the best time of your life at any point in your travels around the world. Gwendolyn will be anti-popular, but for those who want the real, authentic experience, she'll be the super secret guide. The places where you can't make reservations. The places that don't cater to tourists but where you can find the real truth and real soul and real authentic experiences at various places instead of falling for the tourist traps. I want her to find the opposite of that and her guide will be for the precious few intellectuals, artists, those who are more genuinely interested in not going along with Millie's extravagant luxury guide, but are happy and content to be much more discrete and where no one gives a shit about who you are and what you do and how much money you make or that you're wearing the latest and greatest. If anything, it will be the opposite, where you can just be and be comfortable. Like when you were just a sailor on your ships before you met me. All of those places that you knew you could and would be accepted just the way you were. But places that might not break out in brawls because these will still need to be safe for others to travel to without getting into trouble or come to any kind of harm. But that you're not just a tourist, that you're taken as you are without any kind of pretense, you're just passing through like any other person. I want her to find the kind of places that will be happy to welcome you in, you can clap along to the music, drink the beer and enjoy really good music and your evenings after doing art or music or reading or appreciating architecture or meet authors and artists and musicians and enjoy their company and either join in or appreciate them as they are. Places like Souja Tavern. The places that make you feel like you're a local. That you're no better or no worse than anyone else and where everyone is equal and as long as you have some coin, and good manners, you can still have a good time. The artist circles, cafes, the little eateries, places like that. For the people who march to the beat of their own drum, but can do so safely." You expounded.
"And then I want you and your brothers and even your dad- to make your own list of places that- if you want rowdy, if you want rough and tumble and dangerous and thrilling, these are the places for you. You either can or can not use your own name of course. But it would be a very much- travelers beware- danger can lurk here- kind of thing." You carefully expounded.
"Yes, I believe I can do that." Kragan laughed with a nod.
"Thank you." You thanked him.
"But otherwise? That five diamond thing? I think Millie would take to that job like a fish to water. And I think your parents would love that for Gwendolyn to feel involved and feel included but not have to be part of the production like Millie is. I think that's brilliant. And it's your empire, you do with it what you want and of course I would be happy to help you and support however I can. But yes, I think those are excellent ideas and I think Millie especially will be ecstatic."
"Also I want to give Millie- plaques that her super famous, super luxurious places she will undoubtedly find- can proudly display. But I want Gwendolyn to have her own marker. But I want it gold with black laquer. Like a super secret code. Or like a password to get into the secret but exclusive places that only those in the know and those in the intellectual, musical and theological, and artisanal spaces would be happy to have those like minded and be beacons where those of likemindedness can come and be themselves without judgment or without too much dangerous exposure, does that make sense?" You asked.
"Yes, perfect sense." Kragan nodded with a proud smile.
"Thank you." You smiled.
"Also, I want to hire a police and security force and especially a lawyer team and an investigative branch as well. Like I want The Order of Radiance to be taken seriously and have it's presence felt and understood with crystal clear clarity." You added.
"Oh yeah, of course." Kragan nodded in agreement before Mildred knocked on the door.
"Yes?" You and Kragan answered before Mildred came in with a small tray of tea.
"Oh my goodness, up and doing business already and not even dressed?" She teased.
"Tessa woke up quite inspired, it couldn't wait." Kragan readily excused with a proud smile.
"Oh?" Mildred asked as she set the teapot down and poured a cup of tea for each of you before she got you a little plate and passed it to you.
"Oh my goodness, Lady Tessa! Your hands! And your arms?! Are you tattooing yourself in your ink again? You and your ambidextrousness, both hands are like this." Mildress teased before she tried to grab a rag to try to clean it up.
"But look at what she was making." Kragan said as he handed her the finished sketch he just then finished up.
"It's beautiful. I have no idea what it is. But whatever it is, looks beautiful." Mildred praised.
"Mildred, when you watch a daisy bloom and atop a stately stem, suddenly a table like bloom rests serenely atop it's stem?" You asked.
"Yes." Mildred nodded.
"Now you know how a leaved table, with a simple pull on the outer fram and a few adjustments, suddenly a table that once only could seat four, could now seat six or even eight, depending on how many leaves you put into it?' You continued.
"Yes..." Mildred slowly nodded as she still tried to see how the two things would be related.
"Now, imagine, instead of pulling the frame apart with the table to set the leaves inside. Imagine adding the leaves to the table on the outside. And you can add as many leaves or in this case- petals, as you want. And you can interlock them to the center stem. And, if the petals are supported, not all the stress of bearing the weight is on the stem, suddenly, you can make that flower as large as you want." You explained as you showed her your original sketch before Kragan showed her his and how it would work and how you could make a "flower" out of the skyport. And potentially make it to be as big as the city itself if you needed it to.
"But what about those under it? Wouldn't that block out the sun from them?" Mildred asked.
"It would only be up for a few days for special occasions. Otherwise the petals can be like little additional meeting rooms on the skyport. But with each having it's own engine, they can be flown and arranged anywhere on the skyport that they're needed and with retractable walls. They can either make a larger enclosed space or even be open to allow a good breeze to come through." You expounded.
"Oh, well that would be lovely. Like little additions to any of the skyports or even the ships themselves." Mildred noted before you and Kragan and yourself immediately seemed to light up excitedly.
"Oh Dear. I've done it again. Ok, let me get you both your breakfast and most likely lunch and dinner delivered to your rooms. And I'll send for more paper. Large drafting paper especially. And I'll even get more inks if I have to." Mildred sighed in defeat before she saw herself out and had another cart brought in, covered in various dishes from the kitchens before she went ahead and got at least a dressing robe on you both, should anyone actually call you on the messengerari and not still see Kragan shirtless and you in nothing more than a nightgown and opened the windows to let the fair breeze into the rooms.
"Happy Anniversary by the way My Lord and Lady." Mildred said as she brought in fresh floral arrangements into the room and set it by the window so that the breezes would waft the scents into the room. .
"Anniversary?" You questioned as you looked up at her and looked at the date.
"Yes, it's been a whole six months already. And you're still halfway through your pregnancy. But with your sister's wedding still a good three months off. It will be a wonder what will happen first, your sister becoming Countess Lavine or you becoming a mother because they should be happening at about the same time. But my midwifing instincts say they won't. Your sister should walk down that aisle before you walk into motherhood with his Lordship walking beside you in fatherhood." Mildred cooed happily as she replaced the floral arrangement on the table you were eating from too, making sure the fragrance of the blooms would be appreciated as much as it's beauty without getting in the line of sight between yourself and Kragan since the small table was really only big for two people and their dishes for breakfast.
"Oh gods, please don't come before the wedding or even the day of. The day after? Go for it my Darling." You worriedly told your belly as you rubbed at the babe inside as they seemed to still be sleeping.
"Oh don't even speak such things My Lady. Don't be tempting Fate like that, lest they make it somehow ten times worse." Mildred urged you.
"Seriously, don't." Kragan shook his head no.
"But yes, happy 6 month anniversary My Love." He added when he kissed you sweetly.
"Happy Anniversary Beloved." You mirrored happily.
"And if my midwifin instincts are still as sharp as they ever were, I would actually wager your sister being done with her honeymoon by the time the babe comes." Mildred wagered.
"Then I trust your word for it." You offered before a thought came to your mind once you took a bite of breakfast and chewed it thoughtfully.
"Mmm! We should call the notaries, the bankers and others to come to the house for the lease agreement as well as make the changes to The Order." You reminded both Kragan and yourself.
"Perhaps you should get dressed in something other than a nightgown and a robe if you are to entertain guests of any kind, My Lady." Mildred urged.
"Yes, after breakfast though." You nodded before you quickly jotted down a list and handed it to Mildred.
"While I finish up eating breakfast, could you please call those people and tell them that I will need to speak with them at their earliest convenience?" You asked Mildred sweetly.
"Of course My Lady." She smiled as she took the list before she put it into her portable "phonebook" she kept in a notebook of her own that had all the messenerari numbers on it of all the people you liked to keep in contact with.
Once you had eaten your fill, then you let the other servants come in and help you dress in your new dresses that had been delivered the day before to suit your growing belly and bosom and support you while still keeping you in surprising stylish comfort. You chose something much more discreet and much more demure for today- than what you had gotten yesterday.
And once you were dressed, then you called your parents, who thankfully informed you that the King and Queen both refused court today because they were still reeling from the call yesterday. As you told them about the plan you had hatched that morning and showed them the lease agreement and the countermeasures you had already drawn up. They were ecstatic for it and thought the plan was ingenious.
And when Langashi called you, at Mildred's request, you showed it to her and even she thought it was ingenious and was quite impressed and agreed that this was the best honey trap imaginable and that if they did not go into the honey trap, she would the iron fist to back you and The Order up. Which you were eternally grateful for.
Within the hour, you had teams of notaries, bankers, and even Langashi came with Dorierran Judiciaries to your palace, and in particular to your "official reception room" where you were content to put on a simple diadem instead of a full crown in your head as you sat at the head of the long business table with Langashi at your right as others took seats along the table as they drafted up official paperwork to do as you wanted and needed them to.
You had the Masters use their special paper, their special inks, and their special magic tools to make the lease agreement or the purchase agreement, whichever their Majesties would prefer as you wrote out your official offer to them, making it the best sales pitch you could, full of ass kissing flattery and strokes to their egos and instead of giving them a choice where they felt they were within a rock and a hard place and instead of challenging the norm. Offer them the option to keep it a cost they would happily pay, while also releasing others from it if they wished to leave it.
And it seemed it all came to be done all at the same time because the ink had no sooner dried on the official document and the seal already stamped in place before your messengerari had rung from your parents and the Lavines.
"Well, it is all done. All that needs to happen is for the exchange of money and land holdings to go into your name." Your father proudly informed you.
"Perfect. Then let's get our business done first, and then from there, we can negotiate with their Majesties." You nodded before you took the special messengerari pen and signed the documents your father had prepared as well as Count Lavine before a Banker processed the large transfers of wealth to their D.A. accounts and made ready for the influx of wealth to the King and Queen of Solowards.
"Pahpah, I now grant you the office of my Official Ambassador of the former Contessina Order, which has just been changed to The Order of Radiance- simply for my own simplicity sake- as well as the title of Supreme Chancellor of Commerce for The Order of Radiance as well. And as Ambassador, your estate, land holdings are now property of The Order and I am granting it to your ownership and stewardship. And those in your household and tenants are now all officially citizens of The Order of Radiance. Please note that The Order holds every man, woman and child as individual citizens. Every man, woman and child of the commonwealth will now receive a yearly stipend which is to be used as a base income in The Order of Radiance within the Dorierran Alliance of a thousand gold denari and 500 silver denari in addition to any good or service they may provide to supplement such an income in union with their support of The Order. They shall receive this as a living starting at the age of 1 and shall go into immediate effect. They are all protected under The Order of Radiance Charter. As well as enjoy the rights and freedoms as stated within The Order's Bill of Rights. Do you, as landholder and renter to The Order of Radiance tenants- agree to these terms on their behalf and under penalty of The Order of Radiance Law- swear to uphold the Law of the Order as it coincides with the Dorierran Alliance Law and Order?" You offered.
"It is my pleasure to uphold such an honor." Your father agreed before he signed the papers of Nobility under the Order as well as relinquished his former title as Duke for the King and Queen of Solowards, with one stroke of the pen- freeing himself, his family and those he cared for as landowner- of Solowardian Law and fully into the D.A. and The Order of Radiance.
"Excellent. Congratulations Ambassador." You smiled.
"Now, for the details. It is decreed under The Order of Radiance that, as Ambassador to The Order- you will only ever owe the nominal fee to the D.A. as a citizen of the D.A. As well as to The Order of a thousand gold Dorierran danari a year. Otherwise there will be no other taxes collected by The Order. Only those by the D.A. which we are all international citizens of. But otherwise, you will now have an income from The Order- and that salary is this amount. Is this agreeable?" You officially informed him once you wrote that number down for him to quickly see.
"I do." He smiled as you could tell he was already thinking of ways to turn that sum of a hundred thousand gold denari into millions.
"And my beautiful Mamah. You are my Prime Radiance of The Order of Radiance Official Court. Where you can choose any court site of your liking to hold your court. You may hold your court in conjunction with The Order's Court of Commerce. Or, if you wish to keep your court separate and have it be any other kind of court you see fit- you are empowered to make this court how you see fit and I now empower you to accept or decline anyone whom you deem worthy into your court, if I or any other Lady of the Order do not accept them into the court previously. And that, as also my Ambassador to any and all other courts within the Dorierran Alliance, that you will be the Order's eyes, ears and mouthpiece should you see fit." You informed your mother proudly.
"It is my pleasure to hold this honor." She gleefully agreed.
"Excellent. Also your income for this office, both as Ambassador and as Prime Radiance- to be used how you see fit and engage in any business you so desire both in and out of The Order's Court of Commerce." You grinned before your mother gasped when she saw the same number for her.
"Are...are you sure?" She couldn't help but blurt out.
"Yes. Both of you are heads of your courts. I couldn't have one- make more than the other. I need to empower and fully realize both courts." You nodded.
"I'm...humbled by your generosity." Your mother offered as her lips wavered while her eyes grew glassy with tears but she signed it before you pulled the papers back.
"Excellent. Now I will need all of my siblings to please enter the room, if they are not already present." You offered.
"We're here!" Your other sisters and brothers giddily announced as they came around to be with your parents on the Messengerari.
"Now, Toulouse, I know you want to be a lawyer, I'm going to count on you to help me with The Order's interests in navigating Solowardian Law, I'll be sending you law books and a team from Dorierra to bring you up to speed on the D.A. side of things, and I'll need your help drafting more than just the Bill of Rights ok?" You requested.
"Yes, on it." He readily reassured you.
"Saffiro, you're already my Chief Financial Officer for The Order. So that's already taken care of. Bellamy, I know you're really good at sneaking. I'm sending you a team of investigators. I'm gonna need you as my Chief Investigator for The Order, you think you might be up to learning to be that? I know you're only 15 but you're pretty good at it as it is." You urged him.
"Yes!" He beamed.
"Gwendolyn, I need you to help me find the best musicians to provide music for various functions The Order will no doubt have. Because you're a natural talent for it. I'm counting on you helping me find the best talent- even if it's in unexpected places and I'll send you the finer details later, but for now I need you to sign here." You worded with a meaningful look as Gwen blinked in surprise to hear that but did as you asked and signed it before a packet came to her own private messengerari in her room.
"So what do I get to do?" Millie asked expectantly.
"I have saved the best for last, my Dear Millicent." You grinned.
"Yes!" She cheered.
"Since you will be getting your ship first and you will be the first to use it to sail around the world with Ron and his family. I'm making you Premiere Diamond DeCuisine- which I want you to take the special plaques that- are still being finished as we speak, because this was going to be a wedding present, but there's no time like the present- but I want you and Ron to go around the world and make a Premiere Diamond DeCuisine Guide Book for The Order of Radiance. Every royal and every noble with the pocketbooks of a royal will need to know where they can go in any given location at any given time of year and receive the best banquet their money can buy. You will give a rating system of five diamonds. If you find a place that has the food, service and atmosphere worthy of those five, perfect, flawless diamonds in the rating, then all those who have a Radiance Ship, will happily follow where you will lead them in the culinary arts and your word, your nod will be as good as gold and diamonds. But, you can't let anyone try to beguile you or find a way to bribe you into giving them that five diamond rating if they are not worthy and are not capable of giving everyone who would follow you there- the same five diamond experience. Because others will trust your word in that guide as if it's the gospel truth. Do you think you and Ron could do that?" You urged her.
"Yes!" Ron immediately agreed.
"Yes! Wait, won't I get fat?" Millie asked as an afterthought.
"Not if you judge them based on a single bite." You answered.
"Then yes! I would happily and proudly do such a thing. Do I get my own crown?" She asked.
"Yes. You will get your own crown. I will crown you as your wedding present. How's that?" You proposed.
"As long as it's that really big one you had the option of getting." She answered.
"You mean this one?" Langashi asked as she seemed to have brought that with her and practically pulled it out from a bag she had brought with her.
"Yes! That one!" Millie squealed in delight.
"I won't have to wear a crown will I?" Gwen asked fearfully.
"Nope, not at all. I know how much you don't like them and how discrete you like to keep yourself, I'm hoping you will conduct yourself and your task with as much anonymity as you wish to keep." You reassured her as she blew out a breath of relief.
"So how much will the income be?" Millie asked you.
"This much." You offered as you wrote down 25,000 a year. Which you were sure her food as going to be comped anyway.
"Yes! Can't wait!" She beamed.
"Awesome, now Count Lavine, I'm hereby anointing you as my Prime Vizier of Commerce to assist the Chancellor in the Court of Commerce for The Order of Radiance. And if you will sell The Order of Radiance- all the lands to which you own within the Kingdom of Solowards, so that The Order will pay the one time sales tax to the King of Solowards- so that such properties will be under the same embassy protections of The Order. And I will in turn- grant you said lands and estates as Prime Vizier of Commerce your estate, land holdings are now property of The Order. And those in your household and tenants are now all officially citizens of The Order of Radiance. Please note that The Order holds every man, woman and child as individual citizens. Every man, woman and child of the commonwealth will now receive a yearly stipend which is to be used as a base income in The Order of Radiance within the Dorierran Alliance of a thousand gold denari and 500 silver denari in addition to any good or service they may provide to supplement such an income in union with their support of The Order. They shall receive this as a living starting at the age of 1 and shall go into immediate effect. They are all protected under The Order of Radiance Charter. As well as enjoy the rights and freedoms as stated within The Order's Bill of Rights. Do you, as landholder and renter to The Order of Radiance tenants- agree to these terms on their behalf and under penalty of The Order of Radiance Law- swear to uphold the Law of the Order as it coincides with the Dorierran Alliance Law and Order?" You questioned.
"It is my pleasure to hold such an honor." Count Lavine smiled happily.
"And is this income sufficient for such an office?" You asked as you showed him an offer of 50,000 gold denari a year.
"Yes, more than generous." He smiled.
"And Countess Lavine, I would like to anoint you as Premiere Vogue. You will assist Her Prime Radiance with The Order of Radiance Official Court."
"It would be my pleasure to accept such an honor." Kathryn happily squealed in delight and readily signed as you had to quickly write down her income, also 50,000 denari a year to which she practically had diamonds floating in her eyes to see.
"However, I urge you to help Her Prime Radiance to keep the styling and fashion of the court of The Order, comfortable for all and simple, timeless elegance so that none of us have to worry about investing in huge wardrobes that will be in fashion one year and out the next, or colors that will be in fashion one day and out the next. I wish for every woman to embrace the stylings she is most comfortable in. And simply have something simple- like a sash, to be worn over her desired clothes to signify that she too is a Lady of The Order of Radiance Court and is an a court of equals and I wish for the matters of the day to take precedence over what anyone else just happen to choose to wear that day to court. And gentlemen, I urge you to do the same. Find a style that is timelessly elegant, but perhaps a bit more discrete in it's lavishness, because I wish for the Court of Commerce to care more about the business of the day rather than what everyone else is choosing to comfortably wear. Please take His Royal Radiance Supreme as a great example of what fashions should be. The Order has the whole of the Supersphere within it. And being a part of the Dorierran Alliance, we should be embracing other people from other countries and other locations. We should be welcoming towards all, not excluding anyone else- also welcomed into the Order. No matter their country of origin, race, ethnicity, creed, tribe, kind or tongue of language. We are a worldwide organization. We should embody that and keep that in mind always. For we are always stronger together than apart. Agreed?" You urged them all.
"Agreed." Everyone echoed.
"Excellent, now Young Count Lavine, I would like to anoint you as Golden Radiance. Because as we are all aware, that no jewel is safe unless it is in a setting most befitting the jewel. So your job is to secure Her Diamond Radiance so that together, you may find the best places to see and be seen in. Opera houses, theaters, restaurants, casinos, and any other venue of entertainment. And that the masses that will soon follow and join you on your flights around the world may enjoy such diversions with you- in safety, style and comfort. Do you accept this anointing?" You asked him.
"I do. I never thought in a million years I would ever say 'I do' to you for any reason, but I'm happy to be wrong and I wholeheartedly do pledge 'I do' to that anointing." Ron couldn't help but laugh at the irony of his choice of words.
"Then please sign and agree to the income." You urged him as you wrote down an income of 25,000 gold denari a year. Knowing he would most likely get everything he would ever want to spend on food and entertainment comped anyway. But it would protect them from Solowards, just in case the King decided to strip away anything else that wasn't listed in these documents.
"So that should be everything? If I missed anything, we can work it out later, because I feel it's time we face the King and Queen of Solowards, don't you think?" You asked.
"Yes." Everyone grinned before you punched in the code to call them.
"Your Radiance. We were not expecting to hear from you so soon." Queen Phelicity offered a bit nervously.
"I came to offer an apology." You offered as you kept your family and the Lavines on a separate screen so that it looked like it was a private call between just you and her.
"Oh." She blinked in surprise.
"Please call for the King." Queen Phelicity urged her attendants.
"Thank you so much Your Radiance, really, we meant no disrespect yesterday." She tried to soothe over as you simply gave her a polite but serene smile.
"I know you didn't. Which is why I'm calling." You answered as she looked so incredibly relieved.
"My King, Her Radiance has called to apologize." She informed her husband when he came into the room.
"Oh, good." He seemed to breathe in relief as he came and looked at you expectantly and you could thankfully had Kragan just out of sight as you squeezed his hand when you heard him huff. But hopefully Kragan wouldn't make any other noise or really be seen either.
"King Grenevere and Queen Phelicity. I called to apologize for being rude to you yesterday. I have been incredibly busy with my business as of late and I fear that has not been good for me, it's been exhausting in all honesty. And that exhaustion has made me incredibly irritable. And I unfortunately let that irritation to vent on you yesterday. And I called to offer my apologies for not receiving you with the respect and graciousness that your Majesties deserve." You began as you could see them both relax and actually smile and even preen to hear the words. But for this to work, you needed to make a show of being humble to their faces and give them the lip service they felt they were entitled to, whether they deserved it or not.
"I was appointed the owner of a business. And while that business has been promoted to the station of it's own kingdom, I must keep in mind that you both were anointed and enthroned into your thrones by the priests from the very gods we both worship. And have been appointed by the gods we both believe in to rule over your kingdom. And I need to first- show respect and reverence for that. For- to do otherwise is to laugh in the god's faces and court disaster, which I do not wish upon anyone, lest myself." You continued.
"Yes, thank you so much for recognizing that." King Grenevere offered as you could see that such a thing had not even occurred to him. But the fact that you brought it up you could see that he was delighted to realize that he had that angle to work from.
"Our interaction yesterday did not sit well with me and I didn't sleep as well as I wished I could have. But when I awoke early this morning. I think divine inspiration has moved me to try to make things right and amend this breach so that we may both come to an understanding and a solution that we both will be happy with. So, as it stands. I have bought some lands for future development in Solowards and I wish to send you the correct tax on those sales. This is the receipt of the sales so that you may see and make sure that the calculations were done correctly." You began as the bankers sent the documents through, as a simple total was the title page.
"Oh my goodness. Yes. That is more than acceptable. I do happily accept such a sum as sales tax from your Order for property bought." King Grenevere smiled happily as he was happy and content with the total page and didn't even bother looking at what you had actually bought. Which you were hoping for anyway.
"Good. Because I do realize that taxes are how the Crown sustains itself and I must respect that first and foremost." You placated.
"Of course." They both readily agreed.
"Next, I would also like to offer your Majesties the dignity of a good choice. I do realize that it would be in bad taste to unveil the Radiance Ships at my sister's wedding and it would be the right thing to it that a ship to your Majesties was also given. However, there was a promise made that the highest bid would win the ship. And I myself can not go back on my word, neither I, nor The Order as a whole. And unfortunately, the Radiant Contessina Magnifica- the bid is currently at 499.9 million gold denari, which- each gold bouillon is equal to the gold denari. And The Order must be an organization and business of it's word. And there is nothing I can do to stop the bidding from continuing. However, all I can do is either accept new bids and then stop the bidding once it's done. But I do not wish to bankrupt the Solowardian Crown either. So, if you want to enter into the bidding of The Magnifica, only a bid of 500 million gold denari or higher will be accepted. But the entire amount would not be demanded all up front and not all at once. If needed, I could break that down into much smaller and much easier to manage payments if you wanted to buy it outright. And as it stands, with taxes and fees demanded for such a purchase, if I spread out the sum over say a 20 year period and do monthly payments, is still a payment of 2.6 million gold denari a month. Is this what you want? Or I have other options if your Majesties would permit me to explain them." You offered as they seemed to sharply inhale from "price shock" you were sure.
"What are our other options?" King Grenevere.
"What you could do- is simply lease the Radiance Contessina Magnifica while your own custom one is being built. You have to remember, that if you choose to do this, not only will you get sailing rights on the largest, grandest skyship to ever sail the twelve winds. You'd be the first royals to set sail on the skies. I'm commissioning a master cuisine magnifique to go to every single Radiance Skyport's location and find the best restaurants and other amusements. And you'd be the first royal tourists. You'd have the first of the greatest experiences the supersphere can offer. You can even sail this ship past the outer layer to the middle world and get to see everything within that since the Order is building skyports even there. And even sail to the core if you so desired." You tempted.
"You'd be in the skies to see events, such as the great moura migrations that happen only twice a year. Where they fly through the entirety of the supersphere in one single flight. You could sail with them in the skies as they fly in the northern and southern lights in the winter, following the moon and lighting up like diamonds scattered across the velvety sky. Or follow the golden sun around the equator in the summer. You would be the first in the world to do so. And every single king and queen, czar and czarina, cesar and cesaress, emperor and empress and every other kind of ruler you can think of, will all be coming to you- to learn where to go when to get the best experience. You'd be the greatest royal travelers in the superspheres and you'd do so from the greatest ship in the fleet. Protected by the best Dorierran and The Order's security detail. So that not a single thing goes missing and that not once, are either of you, nor any member of your family and household would ever be in any kind of danger. You would have the best staff if you didn't want to bring the staff from your own castle. I would personally see to it that the best staff in Dorierra would be staffing your ship for the duration of the lease. And when your ship is done. You simply get to move from- what will by then- be a five year old ship- into a brand new one. And one that will have five years worth of enhancements, upgrades and the very best of the best materials and components will be there, waiting for you to continue the journey if you so desire." You detailed, going down a quick list you had made up that morning to really "sell" them on such an idea.
"How much would leasing the ship be?" King Grenevere asked.
"Well, unfortunately, this too has been up for bidding. Currently, a bid of 50 million denari a year is the lowest bid I can take to close out the bid. But again, this would only be for a few years. At the very longest- five years. And in that five years, again you'd only be paying a fraction of what you would be- should you buy it outright. And what you're getting is the experience of getting the best- first. And have bragging rights for life for having the opportunity to do what no one else in the world can and could do. And while I can only pay purchase taxes from my business, because I never was a full Solowardian citizen. Because if women were given full citizenship rights, then they could be taxed as such as well. But Solowards and it's laws and societies have been its way for generations and for such a strong tradition to change only for you to collect more taxes, I do not know or think would honor the Solowardian Tradition- do you?" You offered.
"Well, that is a good point." King Grenevere had to nod in agreement.
"And Solowards wouldn't be Solowards if you changed too much too quickly. All I wish to do is to bring Solowards into the Dorierran Alliance and bring it into the world stage- in style." You professed with a nod as you noticed, they were nodding with you, which was exactly what you wanted.
"Now, if you choose to lease the Magnifica for that 50 million denari a year, for anywhere from one to five years, depending on how long it would take to build your Royal Solowardian Magnifica Radiance Ship, which you can name any name you wish. You can have it simply be the Royal Radiant Magnifica if you wanted, and keep my name off of it completely if you so desired. Because your custom ship, which I will see to it's building personally to make sure it is the best of the best for you- and that while we will do our best to keep the wait as short as possible, we would not do so at the cost of the quality of the workmanship being anything less than perfect. And we would never cut corners or take cheap shortcuts, which so far- only seems to make ten more new problems when you try to take them, but that has only led to ingenious solutions to such problems being discovered that don't create any additional problems whatsoever. So if it only ends up taking two years to build your perfect ship. Then that means, you will have gotten an 80% discount on the best ship of the supersphere and at end of that time, get the best ship in the world- yet again!" You implored.
"And by then, the first Magnifica will still be the first Magnifica but by then, that's when the new ships will take to the skies and by then there would be so many more royals to sail with from all over the world and in the D.A. And that's where you can boast that I, the namesake of The Contessina Magnifica was born on Solowardian soil. That my ancestors lived and served yours for the last fifteen generations and that I was the highest station outside of royalty when I was there. That once upon, not such a long time ago- I was your Duchess Contessina DeBaringer before I ever became Her Radiance, Contessina Salgria. We could even commission paintings of when I was presented to Your Majesties in your court at the height of fashion. And your ship will always be the gold standard, to which all others are measured, right from the start." You flourished, appealing to their vanity and ego and you could see it was working perfectly.
"The only thing is, is that with such a sum, on a yearly basis, means that your monthly payment will be a bit higher than if you paid for ten times the price but over twenty times the length. A monthly payment of 5.2 million denari a month would need to be paid for all taxes and fees from the Dorierran Alliance. But there is no additional tax from The Order of Radiance. For you are King and Queen of my homeland, I would never dream of charging you of all people a tax. But there is, unfortunately, nothing I can do to negate the Dorrierran tax, which we all must partake in. I myself the most of all, because they charge a flat rate. So it doesn't matter what I buy or spend, they get theirs one way or another, I assure you. But that also helps the realm, which, Solowards is also a part of. And it would trickle down to you one way or another." You reassured them.
"And, because you would be getting your own custom ship in the end, its price tag would still never be as high as the first Magnifica ship would be. And instead of paying 50 million denari for a ship a year, your ship could end up only costing you 50 million total. And that broken down into monthly payments for a twenty year loan would only end up being- a measly 434,000 deneri a month. And with all the income Solowards would receive from other royal tourists, such a sum would be a piece of cake to make and be one that you would never have to raise taxes on the people to make. That you would make it off of the other tourists instead. But keep your true Solowardian Soul and Spirit unchanged and keep it as grand in it's traditions as it is." You added.
"Surely our treasury could afford such a thing. The pride of Solowards is resting on this." Queen Phelicity urged her husband.
"Yes, absolutely." He agreed as you smiled happily while Kragan couldn't help but grin victoriously and give your hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I'm so happy we could come to such a beautiful and mutually beneficial understanding and arrangement. Now, I have three contracts for you to sign. The first- is that all those who come to tour Solowards can expect to pay fair market value on resupplying supplies, such as food and water, the necessities of life. However, on more luxury goods, that are not necessities. Like high Solowardian Society garments. Or jewelry, or wine or other spirits. You can always charge a luxury tax on such goods when being sold to other royalty and nobility who would come to tour Solowards. All of whom would be coming with their heavy pocketbooks-, eager to fill any other pocket for any memento of their wonderful travels to our magnificent homeland. You could even commission special gift shops making things in Solowards with even the Solowardian royal seal and coat of arms on them to sell as souvenirs. And you would not have to charge such a tax on your own native Solowardian citizens either." You began as you put that one down first before you got their signatures on that first. And in the fine print of course, was the rights and freedoms of The Order's citizens too.
"Next is the lease agreement for the very first Radiant Contessina Magnifica and that you will have that model of ship exclusively for the first year. So that whenever anyone will see it, they will know that it has to be no other than the Magnificent King Grenevere and his beautiful Queen Phelicity and any and all other members of your royal family- there sailing in their skies and gracing them with your magnificent presence." You flattered as you put the lease agreement down and they both eagerly signed it and were more than happy to put their royal seals into it and have that notarized as well.
"And the moment the ship is unveiled at my sister Millicent's wedding, you and any other you wish to invite on board are more than welcome to tour the greatest ship in the supersphere. You could even charge a small fee to offer personal tours so that all those in attendants will practically turn green with envy if they are not already naturally green." You giggled with a wave of your hand which got them to chuckle laughter with you.
"And lastly, is the building agreement for your own future Magnifica Ship. And here are the plans I've drawn up and we can always make changes to the little details as the building progresses and as new improvements come to light over the next two to five years. And should there be a difference in price between now and then, we can always work that out at another suitable time." You offered as they were practically drooling to sign that as well.
"And these plans are yours to keep and pour over- for as long as you want to and physical copies will also be presented at my sister's Wedding in just a few short months. And that way you can compare your plans to the first Magnifica and if you find anything about the first Magnifica that you wish was different or that you wish you could change for your own future ship, by all means, do so in the plans- so that when you do get your dream ship in a few years time- it will be perfect for you and only you." You encouraged them.
"Oh, such a thing sounds absolutely divine." Phelicity sighed dreamily.
"Well, like I said, I woke up early because this is what struck me. And if you feel it is divine, then I can not help but to agree. And this way, no other damage was done than a simple misunderstanding. But if anything, our bond and relationship can only improve and grow even more fruitful than it already has been." You flattered.
"Yes of course, it is as it always should be." King Grenevere happily praised.
"Well then, thank you so much for your time and should you have any other lands or properties for sale to The Order become available- so that more amusements and attractions might be built and made so that for years and decades and even generations to come, Solowards will be the first port of call on anyone's itinerary, you have my number. And even if I should pay the luxury tax on such things, I will be happy to. For even the Solowardian Crown was put into place by the gods." You reminded them.
"Oh no, you are a daughter of Solowards. And I hereby decree that you always were a full citizen under the Solowardian Crown. You have every right that any other citizen under the crown has. And I shall put such things into writing today, both you and the family you were born from and the one you married into. I shall promote you all to the nobility of Grand Dukes and Duchesses in our court. And the native nobility will always be saved from paying the luxury tax, because we need to keep the nobility class noble don't we?" King Grenevere offered.
"Many countless thanks King Grenevere, you are ever wise and gracious." You offered sweetly.
"Now if Your Majesties will please excuse me, I have much work to get started on." You offered sweetly.
"Yes, until we meet again Your Radiance." They offered.
"Your Majesties." You smiled sweetly and shut off the call to their Majesties as everyone else in your family and the Lavines and even those in the room with you all began to cheer and applaud you before Kragan leaned over and wrapped his arms around you to hug you from the large double seat the two of you liked to sit in and kissed your cheek sweetly before you kissed him back happily.
"You played them like fiddle." He praised.
"Did I come off as too sweet that it could be seen as insincere?" You asked him.
"Nope, from where I sat, you made it sound like the gospel truth. Hell you had me going for a second." Kragan teased as he kept his arm wrapped around your shoulders and nuzzled his face with yours before he used his other hand to pick up a pen and make notes to start looking and training guards for The Order's guardian ships. Which would honestly just be Salgria Shipping ships armored and armed to the teeth with an even darker shade of gray in the uniforms.
"I tried." You offered as you relaxed into his side while making more notes with your hand as well.
"You succeeded." He cooed.
"Very well done Dearest. You should win an award for that. Now Ladies? That's how it's done. That's how you kiss someone's ass without getting your nose brown." Your mother gestured to you with each of your sister's under her arms and squeezing them both as they both couldn't help but roll their eyes slightly.
"Seriously, I am over here taking notes!" Samantha even chimed in proudly as she literally was taking notes about this interaction.
"If I had a hundred more of you in the bride system, ugh, there would never be another war, ever." Langashi appraised.
"Please have this crown, with it's suite of jewels prepared as gifts for her Diamond Radiance and a masculine set to suit his Golden Radiance." She offered to one of her servants who came and took the crown, it's case from her and left to do just that.
"And you did it so beautifully, and while you had to put on a little show of humility, the line of reasoning you used was flawless. And perfectly executed. You really are a wonder. Kragan, do well to cherish such a treasure. For there will be nothing that the two of you together can not do." Langashi praised you and him.
"Also, I hope you will forgive me, but I did have some laws drawn up for your approval for The Order of Radiance." She offered before she made a gesture and showed you a set of manuscripts as you sat there and felt like you grinned like an idiot for every page you turned over and read as your eyes got almost impossibly wide but your smile got to be so bright and in awed wonder while your eyes glazed with tears as Kragan wasn't able to keep up with you and simply rubbed circles into your back and let you speed read your way through them as you also took your pen and were marking which laws you didn't care for as you went.
"It's like she's a machine." Langashi murmured in a gentle teasing tone.
"She's brilliant." Kragan praised.
"She's a wonder." Langashi praised.
"Well this should do it for now. Should you ever need an iron fist wielding an iron hammer, you know where and how to reach me." Langashi offered.
"Thank you, for everything." You paused and looked up at her as she began to stand up as you stood up with her to offer a more intimate goodbye with your newest best mother figure.
"You're welcome. It's young ladies like yourself that are the reason I have become what I am today. And if by smashing the patriarchy, one kingdom and crown at a time is what I have to do it- to give young ladies like yourself every opportunity to make the world a better place, then so be it." She smiled as she came over and kissed the crown of your head and hugged you as you got up to hug her back, like she was another mother or perhaps even a young grandmother to you.
"Oh, this little one, she's going to be trailblazer, just like her mother." She said as she palmed your belly as she withdrew from the hug.
"She?!" You and Kragan both excitedly gasped, as did everyone else present.
"Yes. She. Mouras, can tell with their lira light touch- at conception, what their little ones will be. Other kinds, we have to wait until midpoint in the pregnancy to be able to tell if the little one will be a girl or a boy when the sex develops in the developing fetus. And in feeling her now, she is a girl. A lovely, strong and very intelligent girl, just like her mother. Although, she does turn slightly whenever her father talks." She noted.
"We're having a girl! Oh my goodness it's a girl! I get to have an Empress and a Princess!" Kragan cheered happily and practically bounced out of the chair to pull you into another tight hug.
"Now that reaction right there, what I would give for every father to have that reaction when they are finding that their wives are pregnant with daughters, oh the world would be such a better place." Langashi laughed as you immediately flung yourself into Kragan's arms before your parents and the lavines all cheered their congratulations and immediately of course, started to throw out baby names.
"Enough, enough, Kragan and I will decide for ourselves what to name our daughter, we will let you know when we have a name picked out. I'll see you all again soon." You urged before you said your goodbyes and asked for copies of baby name books be brought your personal, private quarters along with these volumes of manuscripts.
"Of course." Langashi readily agreed.
"It's a girl! It's a girl! It's a girl! Yes! That's what I've been hoping for!" Kragan cheered as he literally jumped up and down in the room once you retreated back to your own private rooms as you laughed and hugged your belly happily as you laughed at his antics.
"What are we going to name her? Victoria? Like Victory? Or Celestra? Because she's the star of our life. Ooh! Or Lunesta? Or Lunabella? Because she'll be the beautiful moon and stars in our lives?" Kragan asked.
"Those...those are very Solowardian names Kragan. Are you sure you want to name her a Solowardian name? I thought you'd want to name her something from your culture because she's just as much from you and yours as she is from me and mine, she's ours. We can name her whatever we want or we can wait until she's born to see what she will be when we see her?" You offered.
"Yeah but, as much as Solowards is stupid, it kind of went off with the names. Solowards does have some really pretty names." He excused.
"Doesn't mean that Forestrong names are any less beautiful." You tried to gently argue.
"Darling, I love you, you're brilliant and beautiful, but come on, she should have an amazing name that means something amazing." He urged you.
"But what if she's like Gwen and hates having super auspicious name and that pressure for her to be equally impressive and remarkable has her running for the hills?" You tried to reason.
"I mean my name means royalty. Because before Ron was born, my dad was trying to marry me off into the royal family. And that would have been as equally devastating as marrying Ron would have been. Do I want her to have a pretty name? Yes. But I also don't want her to have such as extravagant name that she feels like she has to use two pages of paper to write it all out. I want to give her the choice and the chance to either taken the stage or shy away from it if she so desires. I mean, I'm happy to work at my desk, sitting in that double chair with you all the days of my life. She may want something similar or she may hate paperwork all together and never be stuck behind the back of a desk and sail the twelve winds just like you- with the sun and wind in her face and hair and a belt on her trousers and a ropes in her hands instead of a pen or gold for that matter. She may be our little adventurer where the only paper she wants to touch is the parchment of maps." You tried to contend.
"...true." He had to admit.
"...but that being said, I do like the name Glorianna and or Victoria or even Fortunata- for a middle name perhaps. Or even Adorabella, or Serephena or even simplified into Serena, or even Madelluna, or Magdellaina or whatever." You clarified.
"Adorabella Seraphina Magdelainluna. We can call her Adora or Bella or Serena or Maggie or Maddie or Del, or Luna for short." Kragan offered as he listed off the several nicknames to be had from just those names.
"OK, that does sound quite beautiful and with enough variability she could do any number of things with her own name. That's perfectly beautiful Kragan- Adorabella Seraphina Magdelainluna Salgria, there, a proper - but probably over complicated name for her Little Radiance." You offered just as the baby name books got delivered which got you both to chuckle.
"Do you want to see if we can find a prettier name or find other names for future children?" You suggested.
"Ooh, the latter. I think we have Little Serena's name pretty well settled." He offered as he giddily palmed your belly.
"Yes, Serena, I like it. Simple and if anything, she has filled me with a sense of serenity." You offered.
"Me too." Kragan smiled before he kissed you and thankfully, lunch was delivered before you could eat again before you filled your hunger from each other again before you sat down to a wonderful lunch and baby name books.