He was only 92 and had all the time in the world to ensure his plan worked out better than expected. Most elves in Stelle lived, on average, until the age of 300, so there was ample time to ensure that the takeover of Aephis was carefully and precisely carried out over his lifetime. He was sure what he could not carry out, his children would.
The prince closed out of his personal archives and sighed as he returned to his studying. It seemed that the Midsummer Festival of Hope would occur during the hottest month of the year for Aephis. Much to his displeasure, the month-long festival reached its most celebrated point in the middle of the month on the hottest day of the year. This day was known as "Lyphen" and was the most venerated holiday in Aephis. It was a celebration of everything the Aephisians held dear, and Aestir honestly believed that if anything could kill him in Stelle, it was having to participate in this festival.
He couldn't envision smiling, laughing, and tossing all his inhibitions to the wind for a month or dancing and singing for hours on end to praise the sun, yet… he assumed he'd be expected to. And while this would undoubtedly be the most aggravating series of events he'd ever undertaken, he was determined to see it through to its end. Failure or giving up in any endeavor were foreign concepts to him, and they were most certainly never an option.
"We've arrived, Prince Aestir."
The prince looked up from his notes, nodding at Oliver and tapping the screen of his axilan to turn it off before sliding it into his pocket. He'd been so wrapped up in his research that he hadn't taken notice of the change in scenery and felt blinded by all of the light in the kingdom.
Gold, red, orange, and yellow hues blended together and could be found in various combinations on every building and edifice. Where Strexxa was a dark landscape full of towering structures and metal, Aephis was a land where most buildings were no more than five levels and made of stone. Brilliant sculptures of gold and clay could be found on every corner, with the streets paved and orderly with glistening cobblestones.
Ornate designs were carved into the sides of every building, their roofs gilded with gold. The sun's rays shone down on this bright kingdom and were reflected off every surface, which was initially overwhelming for Aestir.
As the prince stepped out of the backseat of his beletex, he smelled the unfamiliar scent of spices and aromas he had yet to distinguish. He was surrounded by hordes of elves, all wearing hues of red, orange, yellow, white, or gold, with smiles upon their faces as they gazed at him and cheered, calls of "Prince Aestir! Future King of Aephis!" ringing through the crowds.
"I see the king and his daughter approaching now, My Prince." Warned Oliver, stepping out of the beletex behind him.
Aestir straightened up when he saw that the king and the princess had now come within close proximity. His smile felt peculiar on his face, but he forged ahead with it, unwilling to ruin their chances of forming a union by disregarding the proper etiquette for meeting these royals. From what he understood about the gender caste in Aephis, it was unacceptable to address a woman first if her father, husband, or adult son was beside her. And as laughable as he believed that law to be, he played along, greeting King Virion and reaching out a strong hand, shaking the older elf's firmly.
The prince scrutinized the king as he introduced himself, a bit perplexed by his appearance. "King Virion; it is an honor to meet you. Thank you for hosting us during this celebrated time in your land." The king had wavy, chest-length copper hair and an assortment of freckles across his pale complexion, standing about as tall as Aestir. It was his face, though, that piqued the prince's interest, as the prince couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the king and had seen him before.
He briefly thought the darkness within him resonated with the king upon shaking his hand, but the sensation dissipated so quickly that the prince now believed he imagined it. Aestir's hyperthymesia memory didn't reveal anything telling, so he was sure he was probably tired from a week of sleepless nights and was imagining whatever he initially felt.
The king eagerly returned his handshake, an enthusiastic grin on his face. "Prince Aestir! Quite the pallid fellow, eh? Hopefully, you'll get some much-needed vibrance from your stay here in Aephis." He laughed boisterously, clasping at Aestir's back a bit too comfortably next. "Allow me to introduce you to my lovely daughter, whose smile is as radiant as the sun itself; Princess Celeste."
Aestir finally looked at the princess, his breath catching in his throat as they locked eyes. She was the epitome of the Aephisian tenet of beauty, her toffee-brown skin scattered with a smattering of freckles and her eyes a unique cerulean color that matched her father's. Her curly, brown hair was intricately twisted upon her head, with rubies and various gems interwoven into it that glistened underneath the sun's light.
The prince couldn't help but notice the pleasant scent of honey and some sort of aromatic butter wafting from her, her luminous temperament exuding nothing short of confidence and grace. In addition to her captivating beauty, Celeste was also tall, at 5'10, giving her an air of command that intrigued Aestir. The prince took her hand and placed a chaste kiss against it, surprised by how smooth her skin was. "It's a pleasure to meet you, betrothed. I have only heard great things about your stunning beauty." When Celeste offered him a radiant grin in return, Aestir found himself sincerely stunned by the action.
The prince was fully aware of his reputation in Stelle and was coming into this arranged marriage with the assumption that the princess would be afraid of him, just as everyone else he encountered was. He honestly couldn't remember if there had ever been a time when someone had stared him in the eyes and smiled so uninhibited. Aestir regarded Celeste with greater intrigue, placing another chaste kiss against her knuckles before releasing her hand.
Celeste's smile only grew in relief when she saw that the prince seemed to be a little unsettled as well, so she pushed past her apprehension to respond politely, not wanting to offend him. The last thing she needed was to enter a marriage made strained by disrespecting one of the most dangerous beings in the land. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, betrothed. I look forward to our time together and impending marriage."
It seemed that her words pleased her father, who hummed proudly. "Let us show you where you'll stay until your wedding, Prince Aestir."
Celeste chanced another look at her betrothed when he wasn't looking, now understanding what her attendant Mary meant earlier. The Strexxan prince stood at about 6'3, his voice indurated by the austere accent of Strexxa. He was quite handsome, with his long, raven hair pulled back into a single braid down his back, two sections of hair framing either side of his face. He had a chiseled jaw, defined, high cheekbones, and sharp, upturned eyes that were indeed a peculiar hue.
They were an arctic blue color and looked every bit as cold and unforgiving as she heard they would be, chills beginning to run down Celeste's spine when the prince glanced at her again. His gaze was vacant of any true humanity and bereft of genuine sentiment, which terrified her. Though, the most horrifying aspect of Prince Aestir was not his eyes; it was his smile. It was strained and empty as if he had gone his entire life without having to do so. Aestir stood rigid and purposefully, with a commanding air of authority. There was no question in her mind now that the rumors about this elf were indeed true.