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You decide to make the Army bigger.

The Advisor leaves, and Gabrrel immediately resumes the little 'skirmish' you two had.


You receive a letter from one of your nobles, Count Arrat Viejo, from the southern ports. In the letter he writes that he has recently had a guest in the form of a Wetteredian diplomat. You never heard of such a nation, but Count Viejo elaborates:

It's a Kingdom located in the far north, past the borders of Gellaine and Maellia, on the other side of The Black Sea (itself being north from The Green Sea). These peoples are sailors and traders mostly, though apparently make fine woolen fabrics from goat and sheep fleece. The Wetteredian diplomat in question was sent by the ship to seek Kingdoms that haven't been met by his peoples yet, and it happens Kastoria is first on the list.

He has found a translator for the man already, and is asking whether he should recommend him a visit at your palace, or should he be let to continue his journey in search of other nations.

A) I won't meet this 'Wetteredian' envoy. What's worth establishing ties with nations that aren't even on our maps?
B) I will meet this strange diplomat right away! Who knows what tales, goods, fashions and trades his people might have in store for us!
C) I will send Orano to meet with him in my stead. The bard surely knows more about 'Wettereds' than I do.

You declare that the reconquesring of Aroserema at this moment would be a bit hasty. The warmongers grumble and the remainder rejoices.


Tragedy strikes!

One of your half-sisters, Zaria, was too careless during horse-riding through the forest. A squirrel startled her mare, kicking her off the saddle and onto rocky ground below. She broke hear ribs and fractured her neck, dying in the arms of the horse-riding tutor before her party even returned home.


A letter from Queen Yvanna II of Maellia arrives today.

It seems that the shrewd matron of the northern country really wants to get in good and a close relationship with Kastoria. In the letter, she notes that most of your half-sisters are both young and without a prospective match. And she happens to have her youngest of three sons still unmarried. He is of gentle nature and has seen thirteen winters so far. Queen Yvanna would be pleased to see him enter adulthood with arrangements for marriage already in place.

A) No.
B) Fine, I shall ask Ixara to marry him in the future.
C) Fine, I shall ask Elea to marry him in the (far) future.

"Eh, it's in the eastern wing's main court. Books on the left, staves and medicine on the right, enchanted jewelry and such on the other side from entrance. We will be going now, bye." The group quickly accelerated away, but a loud smack over someone's head did reach Shae Trio's ears.

You order the Army to go to the east and deal with the orkish raids!

4

There are reports of success! Several raiding parties were dealt with, and few hamlets successfully protected from immediate destruction.

By the evening, however, what you've dreaded of begins in earnest! You feel the kicking of the child (or children), as it demands to be delivered upon this world. You quickly call for the nurses and maidens to help you to a spare bedroom. Hot water and soft towels are prepared as the ladies undress you and lay your nude, bloated body upon the large bed, locking the door as the men are not allowed to witness this miracle of life.

After hours of sweating, being in pain, screaming and crying, you finally give birth - to two squealing children! The nurses take the newborns away as you breathe out in relief.

"May Father and Mother bless you further, my Queen." The matron hands the two tiny, towel-wrapped bundles, into your waiting arms. "They're both boys." Boys! Surely, Gabrrel will be delighted to hear that he has not one but two sons.

He arrives shortly afterwards, smooching up your hands and holding the children for the first time. After some deliberation, he decides to name them Amet and Arrat. You wish them long and prosperous lives.

6

Great victory for your Army in the east! Not only they've destroyed the little raiding parties over several weeks' time, they've also caught up with the main horde. Your soldiers bravely fell upon the orks, and apparently, have beheaded one of their High Chiefs. As High Chiefs are one of the smartest, strongest, and usually, longest-lived of orks, this is no mere feat.

It will definitely cause the brutish orks to seek plunder and destruction far, far from the borders of Kastoria.


Gold bullion arrives from the mines, supplying the Treasury with much needed money.

The council gathers as some of your nobles, encouraged by the victory against the orks, have arrived at the capital to discuss a certain matter with you.

"My Queen," one of them begins. "Our Army is strong, our levies numerous, and a certain territory requires reconquest!"

"Yes!" Another echoes their predecessor. "It is best of times to fall upon Aroserema and reestablish Lycwyllian rule over the land!"

"We must be careful, my peers." One of the less-bloodthirsty nobles chimes in. "They've established ties with Maestrimar, and whilst our victory against orks was truly glorious, orks do not wield steel nor they build castles that require sieges to capture them."

The war-mongering nobles quickly boo the cautious nobleman. "You're afraid! And there's nothing to be afraid of! We will be victorious!" They shout in agreement, but its evident that a (smaller) part of the court is less than enthusiastic about the war.

You decide to...

A) Begin preparations for the war at once. Aroserema must be punished!
B) Declare that there will be no war - instead, you will work on establishing peace and friendship between Kastoria and Aroserema.
C) Side with the cautious part of the court, and postpone the reconquest of Aroserema, for two, maybe three years, or so.

You decide to try and put the sights on paper.

3

You spend quite a long time on that, and you struggle with the written forms. After all, poetry is so formal, it has rules and you need to match the words for rhythms and whatnots.

After tearing up the fourth vellum scroll with some words scribbled over it, you decide to give up. Maybe poetry is not for you.


Your husband becomes sick! The rapidly changing weather, from cold winds to dry, warm air, has caused him a fever.

4

The worst is behind you. He takes and kisses your hand as you replace the cold towel on his head.

Few days later, he is back to good health.


News come from the upstart, rebellious nations of Aroserema; the rebel leader called Matin Gurpilla has married off his only son, Nil, to one of the (numerous) daughters of the King of Maestrimar, Cornu IV. Your courtiers murmur, quite suredly too, that this is his attempt at seeking support abroad for the inevitable conflict with Kastoria later on.

Few days later, you seek services of the local priestess of the Mother, one that is responsible for prayers for difficult pregnancies. Not that yours is very difficult so far, but your stomach is so extremely bloated as of late. Even your dearest husband gets a bit worried.

The middle-aged lady consults her scrolls, then runs her hands on your stomach, and then smiles warmly to you.

"Either a half-giant child, or twins." Your can hear your heart go into gallop - you never gave birth to one normal child, and now you're going to give birth to half-giant! Or worse, twins maybe! Your panic only makes the priestess laugh.

"Consider it not a burden, but a blessing."

'Sure thing, you're not the one that's going to give birth to them.' You keep your thoughts to yourself as the carriage takes you back to the palace.


Orks have attacked the eastern borderlands!

It is the usual affair, ancient as the trouble they've caused for the past half a millenia or so. Riding giant wolves, the orks care nothing but to rape, pillage and burn, not necessarily in that particular order. As the report reaches your ears, it is evident that at least several villages have been attacked, and dozens of lives were lost.

A) The army shall march forth and deal with the raiding scum!
B) We can't do anything about them right now, sadly.
C) I'm sure we can make them stop the raids with big enough bri- I mean, tribute.

You decide to give the money to the poor and the needy, making use of the money as the late merchant himself probably would.

Everyone liked that!


As you pat your no-longer flat belly, you look outside. The weather is rather stormy this year, and long past seem the old days of your father's rule when the air was warm and winter rains sporadic.

Ah! Here comes the Advisor, which means that its time to peruse the Scrolls of Kingdom Status. As he lays them on your desk, you lean forward to check the numbers...

Happiness: 4
Population: 3
Economy: 4
Army: 3
*Navy: 4

These are, sadly, rather average.

"I won't try to disrupt the delicate balance of our current situation with suggestions, your Majesty. I'm pleased to announce that the lengthy period of investing in new settlements and households has been finished. In the coming year, we should see an increase of population."

You thank the Advisor for his visit and dismiss him.

As you look outside the window, at the blue-grey cover of clouds and the delicate curtains of silvery rain, as the discus of the Sun pierces through in three grandiose, bright beams, an inspiration strikes you. You feel like something within you calls for this beautiful scene of natural beauty to be immmortalized!

How will you do it?

A) It will be a lovely, melodic song.
B) It shall be a beautiful, written poem.
C) Let's ask Orano the Bard to do it!
D) ...Actually, let's not.

You decide to part with the money requested, as to make the two kingdoms even in this regard. The diplomat bows his head in gratitude, and later on, he and the wagon of money he takes are escorted to the northwestern borderlands.


A wealthy merchant has died of old age. Instead of giving his wealth to his children (for he had none) or his wife (for he hated her), he decided to bestow it upon the Crown of Kastoria!

The man, Migel Urrasa, was known for contributing to the peoples of his hometown as well as donating to orphanages and local temples and houses of the sick.

The Treasurer wants to know what to do with the money.

A) Use it as the merchant would, and dispense it amongst the needy and the poor.
B) Load it up into the Treasury, I'm sure we will find a use for such a bounty one day.