After the door was blocked by the guard outside, Pavitra finally looked at the people with who she was left with. There were five of them. Each one wore different robes, denoting which part of the administration that they worked for. Black for industry, green for agriculture, white for cartography, brown for population records, and finally blue for education. The men themselves all looked nervous being in the same room as the Princess, it didn't help that as she looked over them without saying a word, her face was still expressionless and cold.
Then she focused back on the person in the white robe, as he would be the most important person in this meeting.
Then she spoke to them all at once, "Well I am Princess Pavitra, and may ask who you all are?" As she spoke she smiled at them all lightly trying to help ease their nerves.
The first to come forward was the man in the black robe, his hands were shaking slightly and it looked like his robes were covered in sweat, but he tried to put on a brave face as he went to speak, to his credit he was clear in his words. "I am called Sehdev your Highness, and I work within the Industrial wing of the administration." Once he had finished speaking he took a step back into the line which they all had subconsciously formed.
The next one who stepped forth was the man in the green robe. He seemed to be much calmer in appearance as unlike Sehdev he wasn't shaking or sweating, this facade broke apart as he spoke though, his voice could be called shaky at the kindest. "I...am Arjun, your...your Highness." As he finished speaking, he almost collapsed in relief as he stepped back causing Sehdev to catch him and make sure that he didn't fall over.
The men in the blue and brown robes who seemed to know each other already gave a slight glance at each other and stepped forward together as one. It was the man in the blue robe who spoke first. "I am Vikas, your Highness," then the man in the brown robe spoke straight after him, "I am Vikram, your Highness." Then the two stepped back into the line. Leaving the man in the white robe to step forward. Out of them all, he had the most erudite appearance and his skin was fairly pale compared to the others making it look like he didn't step outside much.
His voice though was the clearest and loudest of them all. It would be easy enough to say that he was the calmest of them all. "I am called Veer Pratap your highness and as I am sure you can see, am a member of the cartography team." He didn't step back like the others though earning him Pavitra's solid gaze.
Her smile began to get wider and wider at his confidence. Then she spoke again, clearly much happier compared to how she had been when they all had first seen her.
"Well, I am happy to meet you all, though I am unsure why I haven't been able to choose you all myself as I was promised. I guess, you in the administration like to ignore royal decrees, well your bosses anyway." She then giggled a little but the five in front of her all knew that their bosses would probably be having a very bad few days from now on.
"Anyway enough about that, I am mainly here to meet you all and Veer Pratap, we need to look at some maps I believe. Would you have them brought here?" She at that moment appeared to be so innocent and naive. It would have fooled most people, yet all those in that room had seen her other side so not one of them fell for it, and least not inside anyway.
The cartographer smiled a little. "No need your Highness, I brought some maps with me." Then almost as if he willed them out of nowhere, he pulled out a large map straight out of his sleeve and unrolled it across the table.
The map itself didn't appear to be that old and showed all of the nations and major cities and roads that were on the continent. Well at least on the little bot of the continent that had been explored and mapped out. Roughly around seventy percent of the continent hadn't been explored or at least this is what was believed by everyone.
On the map was the Kingdom of Achambha, where they were currently. The capital was on the western coast of the kingdom. To the north was the three duchies, which was an alliance of three separate Grand Dukes who ruled their domains independently and worked together to deal with foreign affairs. Below the southern borders of the kingdom, was a region known as the endless plains. Some had guessed that the plains did have an end but no one was alive to see it. They had starved on their journey or more likely been captured or killed by one of the various tribes that inhabited the plains. Then there was the Ocean of Origin to the west. It was named as it was, as this is where the people who found the continent came from. Nothing much else is known at where they had come from though. Finally, that left the east. The east was the largest of the borders and contained a large mountain range as well as vast woodland as well as some flood plains. In truth, this is the only real option for the Princess and everyone knew that it was just where on this vast border would she go.
Pavita stood there looking at the map for a minute, then without looking up she asked the cartographer, "Where would you suggest? Do you know of any mineral deposit or extremely fertile lands?"
He just shook his head. "Sorry your Highness, if there was any record of that it was left in the purge during the Mad King's reign."
Then her gaze and body were drawn to a place that looked like some kind of valley. As she pointed at it and the space that was beyond it, she asked what is this. Veer Pratap, looked at where she was pointing then looked at some other places. Before simply saying, "I have no idea. We would have to go there and see it ourselves. No one has ever passed through the mountain range, those that have never returned."
The Princess then stood back and thought to herself. "That is where we will go. I don't know what is behind the valley, but there should be something that we can use, not to mention the valley itself will serve as a perfect location for a fort as well as a settlement."
No one denied her claims or had much of an opinion as to be perfectly honest, no one had a clue what was there or if it was a good choice. It all came down to the Princess anyway.
Looking up from the map, the cartographer then said, "The closest city to this place appears to be Blaik Taun, it is as far as I know a mainly industrial settlement focused on the production of charcoal and lumber. It's not that large and as long as the information is still accurate. The rebels have no presence there. The route to it, however, that may not always be the case."
The Princess just nodded. "Don't worry about the rebels, I have been given enough soldiers to deal with whatever we come across unless we come across the main rebel army but even that is located much further south than what we will be going. Anyway, I will take my leave now gentlemen. I expect you all to be at the camp within four days when I inspect the soldiers and be ready to go within ten days at the latest."
The officials all bowed slightly as she left, soon enough the carriage had arrived back into the palace. As she got out of the carriage Aarna excused herself and headed off to do whatever she had to do. Seeing her go Pavitra was sad. Her smile was all gone and replaced with a sad look. Her eyes followed Aarna until she was out of sight, then with a sigh she headed back into the palace and went straight to her quarters. Ignoring all of the servants and guards who bowed to her as she walked past.
The only time she stopped was when she passed the painting of her mother in the hallway right outside of her room.
She turned and looked up at the face. As she started into the eyes of her mother.
She mumbled, "I am doing the right thing mom? Is this what you want for me? Or should I just bow to them a be married off? What should I do?"
She stood there for nearly ten minutes waiting for a reply or at least a sign.
Nothing came and with a despondent look, she walked into her quarters.