(https://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2016-01/umaid-bhawan-palace-625-300_625x300_41453378193.jpg)
Ipsus had been a hive of activity over the last few days. First their had been the birth of a second royal child in a short period, then sad news had reached them of the deaths of two Priestesses in Waddan which had brought the city into a period of mourning. Now the city was preparing for a much more joyous occasion. Ipsus stretched either side of a river with the old part of the city to West while the further East you went the more modern it became until you reached the cities most glistening new jewels Blue and The Palm. Close to the mouth of the river was the Royal Palace and next to it half inside the Palace grounds and half outside was the Royal Temple where the sacred spring of Anahita rose to the surface. It was, according to scripture, the place from where all life began and today would mark the beginning of the ceremony that every Prince and Princess born to the King of Royal Seleucid undertook. A road known as the Royal Road also started from here, it ran first ramrod straight to the West across the river by an ornante bridge and then through the old quarters where sandstone houses still dominated. As it reached the old quarter the streets began to twist and turn until they reached the western wall of the old city. There the old wall and road turned North and ran in a semi circular ring back to the river where a second ornate bridge allowed crossing. The road continued its circular meanderings with the old sandstones of the West now gone replaced by steel, concrete and glass of modern Ipsus. The road too changed nature from one of old polished cobles with a stone slab an axels width apart where once horse and carts would have run. Now it was a modern road flat but it's kerbside coloured bright red marking it as the Royal Road. Once to travel the road and use its bridges a fee must be paid and permisson of the Soter's sought however in the 1920's the then King had seen fit to gift the road to the people all days of the year with the exception of on days such as this. The new section of road ran to the coast before making its turn back to the Palace and Temple.
The Palace grounds had been freshly watered and in the early morning the smell of the flowers and grass was rather fragrant. The Soter family sat on the terrace enjoying breakfast before the day began. It would be one rather chaotic at times but hopefully enjoyable. The King and his eldest son Golzar and their cousin Danyaal would clamber aboard a flatbed horse drawn cart, this would depart the Palace and turn right to the Temple. There the mothers, Queen Chyrssa and Queen Haniyah, would hand the two children over to the men who would then take off around the city introducing the new royals to their people. Crowds were already assembling on the streets to pay their respects all carrying Oleander flower petals which they would ensure strewn the streets as the King passed. Meanwhile inside the Palace the female members of the family would be watching the procession and events in the street from the top of the Palace in the Rotunda where a reception would be held once the lap of the city had been undertaken. With the family breakfast finished the two month old Prince Aali Akakois was wrapped in a purple blanket while his eight day old sister Katayun was wrapped in a green one. There would be a few moments to allow any significant guests to arrive before the trio began their journey.