A special relationship.

[alexanderthegreat]

"I'm glad you agree, sir," Alexander grinned then. Even in these odd times when he wasn't sure if he was doing exactly everything right, it sure felt like he was. That had to make it right, didn't it? He knew from before taking the throne that he was different and was going to do differently, though sitting here now and seeing it happen, knowing it's happening, was something else--surreal.

It was a journey every ruler made, he concluded. And to these ideals he raised his glass to Benjamin.

"To a history that shall not repeat itself, a new world, sir."

[Benjamin Kírix-Unda]

He glanced around the room, soaking in the entire area for a moment. He looked back at Alexander and smiled, picking his wineglass up into the air he nodded his head to the ruler.

"Indeed. To a new world." And with that he sipped his drink. Swallowing down the liquid almost made it feel as if he was quenching a very dry throat, as if from here on out he'd look at the world in a different light. To Benjamin, Allorum had just entered a new phase of its existence, one the Unda and Santo-Luce would be playing a big role in.

Who knows, maybe a thousand years from now Undian and Santo-Lucian leaders will be drinking out of the same wine bottle he was.

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander's own sip of wine was a deep, slow one that he enjoyed from beginning to end. Right now was a relaxing time, though he knew the moment he was back on the ship headed home was going to be the beginning of a sleepless week full of plans, writing, and frequent meetings with Holmes.

"I guess something to discuss then is what do we desire in a new world? It was the one thing that Trucido always said, was that with the destruction of the world we live in we can rebuild it to whatever we want. I never wanted to destroy it, I'm glad that we have different plans for this. We have a message of peace between all countries, though I'm sure that was already a given."

[Benjamin Kírix-Unda]

"World peace is a tough thing to come by... if not impossible. Ways to get to it requires skilled diplomacy, a powerful military to remove those who wish destruction and an economy so interwoven in every country that it would render it impossible for one to declare war and not destroy their own prosperity."

"But what do I truly desire...?" He questioned, sitting down his wine glass before answering the question, "I desire a responsible society that will never let someone like Trucido get in power again. I desire a world that when Unda speaks, the world listens. A society where I no longer have to maintain such a massive Navy to make sure other nations do not take what it ours...."

He leaned forward on his chair, placing his hands together before speaking again, "What is it that you desire in the world, King Frexton?"

[alexanderthegreat]

"Myself? Well..."

It seemed like such an easy question to answer but when Alexander really thought about it, he hadn't a clue what to say. In his father's ruling Santo-Luce, in the world's eyes, had enough heart but was otherwise a very stuck-up country. Having taken on the profession as a priest in his last year or so had awakened him in full to his spiritual side, something he'd always glimpsed at but never fully involved himself in until now. Santo-Luce had a reputation for being a deeply spiritual country before but now it seemed Alexander allowed its main religion to govern the nation, and in ways he felt actually boosted the contentment the people had in general regardless of varying belief systems.
To Alexander, his goal was to encourage his own people to have an open heart to the other nations--preach the words of Felios, the god of Light, Love, and Perseverance.

It wasn't fair to say he wanted a world where they all followed one religion.

"I can't say I'm too sure, to be honest. My first want as king was to have my nation freed of Trucido's hands and I've acquired that much. But thinking of it, really thinking of it? I have and still do spend too many days thinking of several back-up plans should an inevitable takeover happen. I'm unsure of how selfish it is, but I think I would want to wake up in a world where I could trust not just our neighbours, but those overseas. I want Santo-Luce's message, as preachy as it may be of peace, unity, and love to not just be heard but taken seriously into heart so we're not picked on because we appear to be an easy enough target..." he trailed off for a moment as he frowned, "though I also realize that as much as I hate to say it, that too may never happen. At the very least I could only hope to have the relationship with the other nations to be what our lord, Felios is--the helping hand, the ray of sunshine...and a force strong enough to vanquish its own threats. I want us to be the example of a nation that doesn't have the expensive weapons because it doesn't need them and pray for others to follow."

Naive? A little. Alexander wasn't too unrealistic he didn't realize his own hopes were still a little idealistic, but he had plans for making them a reality anyway. He was working on them, his book was hopefully the key he had been looking for this whole time.

[Benjamin Kírix-Unda]

He listened to the King speak. He was hopeful and optimistic sounding. His religion seemed to guide Alexander's choices highly, he regarded his god, Felios as someone to follow morally.

Unda followed a different religion, and on contrast to Santo-Luce, it was rapidly loosing control over the state. Unda's religion spoke much the same words: respect, love and peace. But Benjamin himself had doubts in it.

Ever sense the murder of his family he lost connection with his god. Why would his god condemn his family to such a death? What god would make a father bury his own children?

He pushed his thoughts aside and stayed focused on the topic, "You clearly hold your religion highly, I now understand where your high moral comes from."

"A month from now is a royal ball at Crepusculum, I was invited and I assume you were too. I plan to write a speech and declare Unda's stance on the foreign policy, something that open and wide would be impossible to ignore. When it comes time to declare that Unda will not stand for a world of rulers that strike their own people, will Santo-Luce stand by it? Or more correctly: will you stand by me?"

[alexanderthegreat]

"It was always something that as a child I never really understood but knew it was important and, in my blood line, very real. I took better interest when I discovered one of my family's old bibles. I guess you could say it became a way of life," Alexander smiled, knowing that his first real encounter with the divine had been when he was a very small boy, taken far past the western castle grounds and through a forest-like garden of perfectly placed trees that lead to Santo-Luce's oldest, and largest, temple. His father had given him a chrysoberyl pendant of his own as part of Frexton tradition, and then once inside the temple he'd been ushered to approach the shining, marbled pedestal in the centre of the room alone.

The open ceiling window above let in a warm and bright sunlight, enveloping a small creature that sat almost impatiently waiting for the young prince. On first glance it looked to be a young, golden-coloured puppy. Yet a closer inspection showed a soft, magical shine to its coat and large, sparkling ruby-coloured eyes that held no room for normal features like pupils or an iris.
She was the proof that Alexander was indeed part of the Frexton bloodline--a guardian fox from a celestial plane, soul-bound to him and grew as he did. With something like that, there was no room for Alexander to have doubts in religious affairs.

He moved to the next topic along with Benjamin, though.

"I have been invited, yes. It's been awhile since I've made an appearance at such an event but you can be assured I'll be there," he then took a deep breath as he thought over his answer one last time, "and I will be by your side, my solid word."