Autumn in the Realm was a joy to behold. The hot dry summers were giving way to cooler days with splashes of rain. The scruffy rough brown grasses that grew in the countryside were now refreshed by infrequent but hearty drinks of rain as autumn showers rejuvenated everything. While the leaves may be progressing from green to brown the grass was heading the other way. It was the perfect time for lengthy walks around the Complex of the Queen, a sprawling maze of rooms, offices and suites that the Celestial Family called home. Now was the "Golden Hour" that time of day that Queen Atalanta II loved this time of year. The sun was beginning its climb to the heavens and had just poked its head above the horizon to greet the day causings its rays to extend out towards where the Queen now sat enjoying the spectacle from the rooftop terrace of her own suite. The sun began to illuminate the pure white series of buildings off to the Queen's right where the Complex of the Gods sat, the spiritual and governmental centres of the nation within a lovely stroll of each other. Some days the Queen would begin the day by walking down the Celestial Way, a white stone road linking the venues, to offer her prayers at whichever God the day specified she honour. She sipped her black coffee as she took in the morning light that never failed to warm her soul.
"Arise oh bright sun, at the Dawn of the Day,
Enlighten the path now ahead of my way,
Praise to Apollo, oh Lord of my Life,
For thee and thy blessing I always will strife.
The new day you grant us as gracious gift,
I relish thy sunlight now soaring so swift.
Discard, Oh Apollo the Shadows of Night,
Deliver to us thy benevolent Light!
So hail to Apollon this morning anew,
As thou risest above heavenly blue,
Of all that is good the herald thou art,
Awaken the light anew in mine heart."
She had been made to learn the poem by her own mother, as had all her siblings, and now the words seemed particularly significant. By now the sun had assumed its full ball shape and the warmth was making the morning dew on the grass into a mist now as it began its evaporation that probably tomorrow would make a shower to refresh the grass once more. Life was stirring now below her as the Complex began to spring to life. The white painted buildings ringed with a single band of colour just below their roof seemed to the unaccustomed a haphazard maze of buildings a testiment to nearly 2000 or so years worth of building, destruction, rebuilding and expansion. Atalanta wasn't entirely sure how many rooms the Complex had but between those above ground and below she had once been told that through its buildings, estates and farmland around 18,000 people were employed here. To her it was like an extended family and even though she was a Manolas she had no issue sharing her home with three other families known as Celestial, the Metaxas, Floros and Andreas families helping swell the representation of the bloodline tracing back to Poseidon and Andromeda's affair.
"Good morning Your Majesty" a call came from the square below, one of many that existed at the Complex. The voice belonged to Tagmatarchis
[1] Dimos Michelakis one of the group of soldiers known as the Argyraspides who were tasked with overseeing the security of sites like the Complex of the Queen. He had been a young officer when the Military Junta took over and immediately headed off to Aosta to avoid serving it. He had returned three years later and worked gathering evidence of the Junta's atrocities hoping to get information out to those who could perhaps take action. "I trust you're prepared?"
"Of course Dimos" the Queen called down, "I thought it only proper to meet the new ambassadors in a fluffy dressing gown and my hair a mess." She responded causing the pair to share a laugh. "I shall be though, just enjoying the calm before the storm.....so to speak." Dimos bowed and headed off, no doubt checking on his own men positioned around the Complex on various duties. The Queen took the exchange as her time to actually get herself ready and so reluctantly headed back indoors to subject herself to preparation, first a brisk shower followed by allowing one of her maids to sort her hair out and then the black flowing sleaveless dress tied about the middle with a belt designed to look like it was wound from strands of golden rope. Atop her head was the crown of the Queen. She knew it was not as grand as some she had seen of other monarchs but the simple gold coloured laurel wreath was dignified in its simplicity and she liked that. Several strategically placed hair pins held it in place among her hair worn up. She thanked her maids and then headed out into the plaza below. As happened most mornings there was the smart tap of four feet coming to attention as the Argyraspides guardsman for the day snapped to attention. The Queen stood in the centre of a hollow square made by them. "Good Morning gentleman" she glanced around checking who was there. "Nikos" she addressed one of the soldiers, the youngest of the Argyraspides, a 23 year old called Nikos Kontos who was among the newest of the men assigned to her security. "I trust your mother's better?" He had returned form a week away visiting his mother who had managed to fall out of an orange tree.
"She's well thank you Your Majesty. She just won't be climbing trees for a while." The Queen had sent her flowers and a get well soon card and had called for prayers to be said at the Temple of Apollo on her behalf. "She is making you a batch of Portokali to say thank you. I must warn Your Majesty she makes it rather on the strong side."
"Good" The Queen responded, "No point drinking Portokali unless you get drunk, and tell her she need not have troubled herself." The Queen had the belief if these men were going to be the ones to protect her then she needed to look after them in return and she was rather happier when surrounded by them. She herself had served in the Navy and was proud of her service. Had it not been for the omens naming her Queen she would probably have had her own ship by now and so the connection she had with the military was strong.
As the Queen made her way to the Central Plaza which sat beneath the throne room various cars carrying the guests were arriving. In a nod to the special occasion the cars were permitted to drive down the Celestial Way, the huge Complex of the Gods on their left as they made the final turn on the 30minute or so journey from the airport. As each car stopped a member of the Navy provided an escort to the where the throne room was located. It was up a set of 30 rather steep stairs and was rather less grand than the name probably suggested. Once you crested the final step a platform with a kind of white marble building that although appearing to be perhaps three stories high was just one with super high ceilings. Two narrow doorways lead inside each with a heavy oak door which today with the nice weather was pushed open. Windows to the left and right allowed light to shine in and illuminate a huge mural that sat behind a simple wooden throne. The mural displayed the scene of the God Poseidon raising Cassiopeia to Mount Olympus to live among the Gods, a reminder of the nations mythological past. For today Aristeidis Michelakos, the Queen's brother-in-law, was serving as a kind of usher, checking the names of those arriving off and preparing them for the occasion.
As the first person arrived and was escorted through the complex with no hope of finding their way out unaided the Naval officer handed them over the Aristeidis. "Its wonderful to meet you." The greying man with a bright black beard extended a hand. "Its tradition that an ambassador present themselves to the Queen, I'm not sure if your nation still do such things but it was customary long ago to have credentials to present......I'm not sure if you still do but that is of lesser concern than you simply being here." He seemed nervous, he hoped that the more of these he did the smoother his spiel would become. He was charged with organising formal events in the Complex and his paperwork was far more confident than his presentation here today. "I'll give you the nod." He demonstrated what a nod looked like as though it was some revelation to the guest. "And then please ascend the steps......you can manage can't you. Gods we didn't consider that." He was concerned now, what if someone in a wheel chair turned up? It was too late now and he hoped to Zeus everyone could manage the 30 steps up and down. "Once your up there go in through the left door, it brings good fortune. Introduce yourself to the Queen, if you have credentials to present then please do so. The Queen will then present you with the regalia of an ambassador here, don't worry its only if you ever select to get involved in any of our many ceremonial events." He turned and took from an aide a bronze laurel wreath very similar to the Queens, "Here the Queen wears a gold one, members of the Celestial Family silver and our nobility and ambassadors bronze ones." He let the guest examine it and then returned it to the aide. "Once you've the wreath then pop back down and once everyone's been through we can have a drink together and perhaps I can introduce you to who we are sending over to your nation, be a good chance for them to get some inside information perhaps." His explanation done he climbed the steps himself, he wondered how many times that day he would be up and down these. At the top he briefly explained to the Queen who was below as she was unsighted and then theatrically nodded down to the waiting ambassador and anyone else with them.
Queen Atalanta II waited for them to appear and stood to greet them. Once inside the building she waited for them to approach and formally introduce themselves and hand over any credentials. "I am honoured as Queen of Cassiopeia to welcome you to my realm. As a descendant of Poiseidan I hope the seas are kind to your homeland. I am delighted to accept you as an ambassador to my realm and hopefully a friend to our people." She took the bronze wreath and gently placed it on the new ambassador's head. "I look forward to speaking with you more later and once again please relay my thanks to your government for allowing us this oppurtunity." The Queen waited for the first person to descend before turning to Nikos Kontos who was stood to the left of her throne. "How do you think that went?" she asked giving a sigh of relief.
"Smooth Your Majesty....very smooth." He replied his eyes kept to the front as they awaited the next person to arrive.