At Your Service- A Royalty Solangelo AU

Chapter 34

The state of Nebo had long been a strange force to negotiate with. If the Hele and Aruman kingdoms were considered sisters in relation, Nebo was the estranged cousin, still relevant to protection, however any and all contact with the nation seemed distant at best. There was a simmering animosity between the three states, though it never boiled into more than a mere tiff due to the rather strenuous geographic distancing provided by the split continent. 

Roma- no more than a days trip by the water from the greco continent- was vast yet barren. While the greco nations were densely populated within smaller borders, Roma sprawled across its land, coming to heart in the center at Nebo. Anyone who wanted any powerful support whatsoever from a Roma state came to Nebo, and it was for that exact reason that the King found himself mere miles from the city center. 

As a capital hub, Nebo saw its fair share of military officials and high ranks, thus none batted an eye as the Aruman King made his way through the outskirts. All paved paths pointed towards the gleaming estate in the center, home to none other than Commander Ramirez, current head of the Roma elect, a governing body unlike his at home, centered via council through the power of the people. But today, Nico was not there to pay visit to his friend. No, he was here for business, for the one person he knew wielded enough under-the-table power to get what he needed. He was there for the one person he knew was mental enough to take his offer. 

The rural beaten path that he steered his horse onto now faded out into gravel, leading him along the edges of the city into the glowering mountains surrounding. Many who passed gave him strange looks, watching the royal climb the steep path on the war horse and heading out of the city. On more than one occasion was he stopped, the straggler warning him that he was headed in the wrong direction, that he had no business in the mountains. But he shrugged them off politely, continuing on the teetering path up the cliffs. After all, he knew what he was doing. 

Air soon turned cold in the ascent, and Nico retrieved one of the layers from the saddle pack to further hunch in on himself for warmth. The icy air rumpled his hair, stinging his skin each time it bristled past him through a gust. His hands grew stiff, but he pressed on, eyeing the gate that got closer with each struggling step of the horse. 

After what felt like hours of his climb, he came to the outskirts of the estate he sought, the metal gates swinging open with a groan after strained pushes from the guards. Stabling his horse in the nearby indoors, he rushed up to the doors of the mansion, grasping the cold silver knocker to rasp at the door. 

When the wood creaked open just enough, he slipped through to the foyer, bracing himself for a gust of warmth that never came. Instead his footsteps landed him in the cold welcome hall, servants prying him of his layers unapologetically until he was left standing nearly frozen in the entryway. A young boy- one who had not been so rude as to steal his warmth- collected him wordlessly, leading him in a silent treck across the home to a small drawing room where he was instructed to sit and wait, he would be greeted shortly by the head of the house. 

The drawing room was quaint, nothing in comparison to the rest of the house which seemed to expand 10 meters for every step one took, yet was lavishly furnished with plush couches all centered around a fireplace towards the back half of the room. Quickly plucking the nearest book off a table, Nico took up residence in the spot nearest the fire, leafing through pages to pass the time. 

When the door finally banged open, Nico rose to great the man who bustled in accompanied by a flurry of robes. 

Truly the strange of the estranged, the man stood in full ceremonial garb of old Roma, the purple billowing robes drowning his lithe figure, dawning his skin a nearly colorless white. Cut short, his hair reflected in the flickering fire light, and his eyes, crazed as always, settled finally on the man by the fire.