Aestir was vexed.
And yet, the Strexxan prince knew he couldn't show it. It would only impede his kingdom's efforts at forging an alliance with Aephis and needlessly distract his subjects. The prince was currently being transported at optimum speed via beletex -a highly mechanized, automatic mode of Strexxan transportation- to Aephis. He looked out of the window of the beletex as they warped through the exit tunnels of Strexxa, trying to determine the most sensible approach for enduring the bright, convivial land of Aephis for three months.
The mere notion of being surrounded by a race of elves that believed in joy and unrestrained emotion as a central tenet sickened him, and Aestir weighed the true benefit of an alliance with Aephis in his mind for what wouldn't be the last time. He briefly wondered if this was his retribution for the meticulous chaos he'd spread throughout Stelle before tossing the thought out of his mind, knowing how foolish it was to consider something like the law of give and take existing.
Life was the last thing that could ever be predetermined; if one was logical and precise in everything they did, they would be guaranteed to rise to the top. And as unfortunate as it was, those who remained on the bottom had yet to understand and accept this universal fact.
And beings beneath him were the least of his concerns.
Aestir exhaled softly in an effort to quell some of his frustrations, a tense expression on his face as he mulled over what the next three months would be like. Even though he'd combed through every book the Strexxan libraries and archives had on Aephis and its people, he still felt woefully inept for this endeavor.
And being incapable of anything was discordant with how he lived his life.
Pulling out his Axilan -a convenient device all Strexxans carried that allowed them to connect to the database of their kingdom's compiled information- Aestir began to swipe through his previous searches on Aephis. Waving his hand across the screen, he projected the holograms into a larger picture in front of him, trying to pinpoint what he needed.
From what the prince understood about Aephis, the kingdom of light reached out to him and his mother because they believed it was time for an alliance. The four other prominent elf kingdoms in Stelle were now two budding coalitions, and the king of Aephis thought that if they didn't unite quickly, it would not bode well for either kingdom in the future, should war strike the land.
And while Aephis and Strexxa were the mightiest of the six elf kingdoms, it was challenging to say which of the two kingdoms was more robust than the other. They both had opulent armies, varying forms of advanced technology not seen in other domains, and a comprehensive understanding of Sihir that they each used to their benefit.
The only advantage Aestir could see his kingdom had above the realm of Aephis was that Strexxa did not have a strict employment or gender caste system. People of Strexxa were free to identify as they wished and work in whatever field they believed they were suitable for, as Strexxa valued ambition and innovation above all else. Who were they to deny someone that would only take their domineering kingdom to unparalleled heights if given the chance?
The members of his court -as well as scholars intrigued at the notion of learning new knowledge- were currently following him to Aephis. The prince hoped that while there, many of their top intellectuals could learn more about the kingdom and its practices, as well as their technologies and spells that were currently unknown to Strexxa.
"We're two hours away, sir."
Aestir glanced briefly at his personal attendant Oliver, his brow furrowing in agitation. "Mm."
His attendant offered the prince a rare smirk, inclining an eyebrow at him. "Are you nervous?"
"What do I have to be nervous about?" Scoffed Aestir, a smirk chancing across his own lips at the absurd notion. "I'll spend three months in a kingdom whose core tenant is peace. I couldn't be safer." He looked back down at his Axilan's screen, tapping on it twice to bring up a page explaining the holidays of Aephis. "They should be more concerned about me."
Oliver wisely remained silent, so Aestir continued to speak. "It seems that during our stay, the Midsummer Festival of Hope will occur, so… if we can get through that, we'll be fine." The prince grimaced at the thought of being surrounded by singing, dancing, and praises for an entire month, knowing that he'd have to participate in some way to show Aephis that he and his kingdom were willing to compromise in the name of unification.
"That wasn't what I meant." Murmured Oliver, an indecipherable look in his amber eyes as he stared at Aestir.
Aestir frowned and sat up straighter in his seat, worried that Oliver had knowledge about Aephis that he wasn't privy to. "What did you mean?"
"I meant your betrothed."
Aestir rolled his eyes and let out a flippant huff, immediately returning his attention to his screen and holograms. "What about her?"
"Are you ready for marriage?"
The prince made a face at this, not even bothering to look at Oliver. "What is there to be ready for?"
"I imagine she will expect you to love her, as love is a core tenant of Aephisian marriages. So how will you navigate being unable to give that to her?"
Aestir snorted in a rare display of emotion, amused that Aephisians really allowed themselves to be controlled by such a trivial emotion as love. "Well, this marriage will have compromising as its foundation. She will have to learn to live without it."
Oliver hummed, remaining silent for a moment before speaking again. "And what about children?"
Aestir momentarily paused his research before sighing, wondering why Oliver was being so talkative. "I suppose we'll artificially inseminate her upon our return to Strexxa to produce a male heir since women cannot rule in Aephis." His attendant laughed boldly at the statement, which unnerved Aestir and caused him to narrow his eyes at his attendant in warning. "What is there to laugh at?"
"Aephisians do not believe in artificial insemination. Any heir born that way will be rejected by their people and not considered a true descendant of the sun." Informed Oliver, raising an amused eyebrow at his prince. "They believe that copulation in marriage is the personification of a divine union, and through their display of love, the sun blesses them with children."
Aestir's lip curled in disgust as Oliver explained this fact, and he quickly swiped through his Axilan, adding unnecessary sex to his growing list of things he'd have to compromise on in his marriage to Celeste. So far, there were over 100 items on the list, and he wondered yet again if this alliance was even worth it. "Oh, By the Six; I swear, every day, I wonder if this alliance is even needed. Surely Aephis cannot be as strong as they were in ages past, as Solar Sages are vastly nonexistent; they only make up 7% of Aephis' population, yes?"
Oliver nodded, affirming the fact. "Might I add that Aephisians do not believe in intercourse before marriage?" The attendant bit back an amused chuckle at his prince's horrified expression. "They regard the marriage night quite earnestly, as it is thought to be a unification of two beings into one, under the rising sun. It symbolically represents that just as the sun's love is eternal, so is their own."
"You're joking!" Exclaimed Aestir, utterly baffled by the nonsensical belief. "How will they know if we consummate the marriage? Surely we can just pretend?! And surely children aren't expected to be conceived the night of the wedding?!"
"Now that, I'm unsure of; that will be between you and the princess," Oliver murmured, minute sympathy in his gaze. "I only know this much because my grandmother was an Aephisian."
Aestir widened his eyes in disbelief, suddenly looking at his attendant in a new light. Because the man was directly connected to Aephis, he was more beneficial to Aestir than the prince initially assumed. "Interesting; which of your parents was the hybrid elf?"
If Oliver was offended by the prince calling one of his parents a hybrid elf, he didn't show it, instead choosing to promptly answer the prince to the best of his ability. "My mother. And looking at her disposition, you would've never known; I'd argue that she's more callous and calculating than my father."
Aestir nodded in approval and returned his attention to his axilan. He opened up his archive regarding his practical musings and typed in his beliefs about the situation now that he knew this unexplored information. If his children were raised in Strexxa, they would be Strexxan. Their Aephisian weaknesses could be molded out of them, and by the time one of their children was ready to take the throne of Aephis, they could, in turn, influence their people to Strexxan ideologies.
Yes, if he structured this marriage and rule strategically, he could ensure that, in time, Aephis and their ways were replaced by Strexxan thought and innovation.