After Enaeria informed him a second guest entered the hall. They had short elf-like ears and animal-like slitted eyes. The figure was a towering seven feet tall with a torso nearly half again as large as Zethis's own. Though he was wearing nice clothing that appeared to be made in Haedda, he also wore various pieces of jewelry made of animal bones around his neck and arms.
Bangles with small animal bones decorated his wrists. Where a warrior might have metal pauldrons on his shoulder, there was the top half of a beast's skull. His arms were exposed and he had a series of black and green tattoos covering the entirety of his skin. It was clear the artwork went underneath his clothes as the piece continued up to his neck.
It was uncommon to see a half-elf, half-beastman in Alorek which was already a slight shock. What was more shocking though was the rest of his aesthetic. Tattoos were not something that were common to find on the continent. Save for small pieces kept in hidden locations on the body, this man flaunted the art for everyone to see.
"My lord husband-to-be," Enaeria cooed, "Please welcome Sir Mer'Krul, a representative of the nations of the Far Shores."
If everything up till now was not a surprise, this was certainly one. Everything seemed to be moving faster than he could comprehend. Mer'Krul's presence here represented nothing short of a miracle of the highest caliber.
Haedda was known as an isolationist nation, the famed 'kingdom in the mist,' so named for the magical mist that encompassed their borders which seemed to magically prevent entry by people not granted access to the kingdom. This same mist prevented many countries with access to the oceans from venturing beyond the shelf surrounding their continent.
Any ship that moved into the deep waters of the ocean found themselves turned around or disappeared forever into the mysterious mist that surrounded their continent. One exception to this ancient barrier's rules were the mysterious ships belonging to a country simply known as 'The Far Shores.'
The way he saw it, no matter what it was these two nations wished of him, their offers were far more likely to benefit Alorek if taken than if left to its own devices. Zethis decided that even if they wanted his soul, his money, or his country, if they could destroy the Union... or even that despicable man named Titan, then they could take whatever price they wanted.
"Lord Zethis, what is it that is bothering you?" Enaeria questioned, though her tone indicated she was already aware what weighed on his heart.
Zethis took a deep breath before asking in a dark tone, "What do you want from me? Haedda and The Far Shores possess many secrets and wonderful technologies. Things that Alorek could only dream to possess. What do you want?"
Enaeria smiled and cupped his cheek in her hand. "Sweet Zethis... your time for thinking is done, my sweet."
Before he realized it, his mind became foggy. Thoughts became harder to form and grasp and any words he wanted to say simply caught in his throat. He noticed a dull glow coming from the back of the princess's left hand from a black sigil that he had not noticed before.
For a moment he thought about raging against the charm effect coming from the elven princess, but those thoughts faded and all he could bring himself to feel was desire. He had to make this woman his. She offered herself to him. Her mere presence brought promise of greatness to his country. Though their children would be half-elf, their blood would be strong. They would be perfect.
Zethis tensed his arms and picked his bride-to-be off her feet. "Enaeria, my love. Let's make our nations prosperous and powerful. With you by my side, we will move mountains."
Any concerns he had before were gone. Zethis went to bed that night content in both heart and body, with a perfect vision of beauty clung to his arm. Nothing else mattered; only Enaeria.