Ignis looked out the window of her still carriage. Domi was standing far, talking with one of the returned Knights, who was sent ahead to book a vessel for them to cross the Gool Sea. Her face was grim when she returned to Ignis.
"Any problem?" Ignis asked
"We will mostly reach the port by evening, but, the captains are not ready to take out their vessels in the open sea during night, the reason being poor weather conditions"
"Even if we left at noon, we still had to travel through the night. Wouldn't that have been a problem as well? We are already half a day late, we cannot make the King wait for us more. Bribe the captain, if needed, we are sailing today" Domi nodded and left ahead to make arrangements along with the two Knights.
By the time the party reached port, Domi had already arranged a vessel big enough to accommodate the forty Knights, their horses, few servants, three carts of goods and around twenty members of a merchant guild.
The leader of the merchant guild, Max, walked towards Ignis, bowed, and handed her a letter. She took the letter and saw the familiar sign on it. She read the few words on the tiny piece, probably delivered by a pigeon, and let out a sigh of relief.
"When are we expected to reach the Azure port?" Ignis asked Max.
"As per the captain, we are going against the tide and, also, the weather may change for bad at night. We are expected to arrive around noon" He further added "Also, the King of Aqua has arranged a banquet to welcome you. I concur, by the speed we are moving, we will arrive at his estate around the same time the banquet starts. You will need to prepare for the banquet along the way"
"Understood! Thanks Max, you are as thorough as you have always been" Ignis smiled.
Max bowed and left. His ears were glowing red. Ignis let out a small laugh, finding him adorable.
She looked at the small piece of paper again. It said:
The King knows. Around 100 Knights and 200 soldiers are dispatched to the port. Please hasten.
She went to the captain and asked him to continue at top speed on every opportunity the sea looked calm. The anxiety of getting caught couldn't let Ignis get any sleep. She stayed at the back of the ship to keep an eye for any sighting of another ship. Domi stayed with her, leaving a few times to get a warm meal or fetch warm clothes to cover Ignis from the cold.
As informed by Max, the party reached Azure port by noon. Two Knights with black armour, bright blue cape and royal crest on the heart greeted the princess. The Princess smiled.
The King sent two Royal Knights to escort us? He is not as heartless, as per the hearsay.
Once they crossed the port, she noticed, the Aqua Land filled with lush greenery on all the sides. They climbed up and down the mountain without stopping. There were many little streams of river and waterfall all throughout the land. On one certain hill, she could see the Azure port and a wide blanket of mangroves surrounding the port. Unlike Aqua Land, the Fyre Land was filled with sand with one main riven flowing right in the middle splitting the land into north and south. The area around the river was the only part where cultivation took place, hence, the majority of the population were dependent on livestock.
Domi looked out the window and frowned.
"My Lady, you should start getting ready early for the banquet. The carriage is shaking terribly, we will require more time than we normally take to prepare"
Ignis nodded but couldn't move her eyes from the setting sun on the crystal blue sea. Domi grunted and pulled the curtains. That annoyed Ignis but she didn't say anything.
They reached the estate when the last light of the sun was consumed by dark. The two Royal Knights asked some guards to take the merchant guild, staff and the carriages to their allocated place. Ignis, Domi and all the Knights followed the Royal Knights to the Great Hall.
When the carriage came to a still, a young Aqua Knight opened the door for the princess and escorted her towards the stairs that led to the entrance of the Great Hall. The vast staircase was divided with one spacious landing where a huge army of Knights and other nobles of the Aqua Land stood to welcome the Princess. Her eyes darted towards one man standing at the lead.
She slowly took one step at a time, fascinated by what she was seeing.
Amidst the assemblage, he stands, a figure of striking contrast, dressed up in an all navy blue suit with gold embroidery. A leather baldric across his shoulder and waist supporting a huge sword that almost reached the floor. A white cape with fur along the neck completed the look. His wavy silver mullet falls in a graceful cascade to his neck, framing a face of sharp angles. A few strands of the neatly combed hair fell on his dark blue eyes, akin to the depths of the ocean, mirroring the tranquility of icy still waters and the hidden depths beneath. His broad chest hints at strength, while a slender waist adds an air of elegance to his athletic frame.
She was so busy, all the way, looking at him that she didn't realize that they have already reached the landing, her troop standing behind her. When both of them didn't say anything, Albert cleared his throat and whispered something to the King. He frowned but didn't take his eyes from her. Ignis realized the crowd's gaze on her and looked sideways to Domi. Her eyes screaming 'What are you doing? Greet the King'.
Ignis did a deep curtsy "Your Majesty, it is an honor to finally meet you".
"Princess Ignis Calid, the Land of Aqua and I, Adrian Mari, welcomes you" with a voice as deep as an ocean and a smile that seems to stretch for eternity, adorned his face. With each grin, his eyes were lit with an inner fire that dances with life and energy.
He extended his hand and she placed her fingers in them. He slightly turned towards the building and asked "Shall we?"