The expeditionary zeppelin with which Warius piloted descended upon the desert city of Acadia only a day after its launch, casting a massive shadow across the sun-beaten sand. Warius squinted out the cockpit window, shielding his eyes from the glare with one hand as he gripped the wheel with the other. He couldn't help but admire the way the golden domes and white spires of the city glistened under the relentless sun.
As the great airship touched down, Warius immediately spotted a young woman who caught his attention. She was adorned with lusciously colorful silk, and makeup which accentuated her emerald green eyes, common of Acadians.
"Welcome to Acadia, Professor Warius," the soft voice of the woman greeted him as he approached her. As Warius got closer he realized it was Allana, one of the Acadian princesses, who stood before him in all her regal splendor, flanked by a towering, scarred bodyguard who Warius recognized but could not quite name..
"Princess Allana," Warius bowed, his charismatic smile lighting up his mature, weathered face. "It's an honor to meet you."
"Likewise," Allana replied, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "I do not wish to keep you or your men waiting for any longer than I have to, but I must first attend to some last-minute errands. You're welcome to join me."
"Of course, Your Highness," Warius agreed, secretly eager for the chance to explore this exotic city.
As they traversed the bustling streets filled with merchants hawking their wares and children playing in the shade, Warius couldn't shake off the feeling that every whispered conversation and furtive glance was part of some grander scheme. It was a world apart from the straightforward culture he was accustomed to back in Enthia – people in this land spoke in euphemisms and roundabouts rather than blunt truth.
"Your Highness, if I may ask," he began, curiosity getting the better of him. "What is the nature of these errands you must attend to?"
"Kingdom affairs, Professor," Allana replied with a knowing smile. "And not of the particularly seductive sort. Just making sure some affairs are in order before we depart across the Great Sea."
Their first stop was at an unassuming building where they met with a group of senators, each clad in the traditional robes of their office. Warius watched as Allana spoke to the men in a language he could not understand, though he could tell her soft-spoken words were carrying an air of weight and authority.
"Your sister, Alatricia, is she well?" Warius asked, after Allana finished her talks and the two left the senate.
"Quite well, I’m sure," Allana replied, annoyance suddenly appearing in her voice. "Last I heard she was in Gorodia, even."
“Is that why you’re coming to Enthia?”
“Oh, absolutely not. I am not my sister’s wrangler, and thank Therita for that.”
As they left the senators behind and ventured deeper into the city, Allana led Warius to a discreet alleyway where they encountered a shadowy figure cloaked in silk robes similar to that of Allana. The whispers exchanged between them were too quiet for him to discern, but Warius felt as though it was better he didn’t know.
"Who was that?" he couldn't help but ask once the figure had vanished into the shadows.
"An informant," Allana said simply, her face betraying nothing. "In Acadia, knowledge is power."
"Your Highness, I must admit," Warius confessed, his disappointment evident. "I'm not accustomed to such…intrigue. It must get tiring, does it not?"
"Sometimes, Professor," Allana mused, glancing back toward the bustling market square. "But to me, it’s all a game. A fun game, at that."
As they finally worked their way back to the zeppelin harbor, Warius ruminated on the words. He took a deep sigh of relief, acknowledging that whatever worldly plans and plots Allana had found herself a part of, a man as lowly as him would never find any part in it.