Clay
Imperial Topaz, the beloved Advisor for the SkyWing Kingdom, stood tall amongst a few guards. Her gaze held confidence and pride, striding across the Great Hall to meet Calve, the IceWing visitor. She made a conscious effort to be more respectful, recognizing the diplomatic importance of the occasion.

"Good morning, welcome to our kingdom," She hummed, her tone measured and polite as she approached the IceWing. Imperial extended her wing in a graceful, almost regal manner, a gesture of both greeting and deference. "I trust your journey was without incident, Calve?"

She studied the IceWing with a discerning eye, noting the visitor's posture, attire, and demeanor. It was clear that Imperial intended to assess the guest's every detail, as she believed that such meticulous scrutiny was crucial to maintaining the dignity and security of the SkyWing Kingdom.
Norman
The moment lost in his judgmental bout of reverie was broken by the chime of the nearby Skywing- his eyes jutted sharply in her direction in an unimpressed, half-glare as he flicked the tip of his tail to the left in a singular quick motion before speaking. "Good morning, I suppose..." His voice, much like the look in his eyes, posture, and the odd bubble of air that surrounded him, was deafeningly cold. "Indeed- though..." He looked Imp up and down in a scrutinizing manner before meeting her gaze once more. "With whom am I speaking to, exactly?" He softly scoffed as if to indicate that most had no business approaching him, let alone *Speaking* To him - so for her to have the audacity to do so, she *Must* Have held some semblance of importance beyond the dragons rushing to and fro around them. 

Calve wore nothing but the best jewelry for the occasion, a set of sapphire earrings dangled from his ears, and on his wrists were various silver bracelets that carved an even clearer divide between him and the Skywing culture surrounding gold. "Your palace is . . . Something." He gestured around them, holding the unimpressed look. "I had to readjust several of the paintings myself, so clearly someone isn't doing their job as they should be- I'd recommend contacting whoever's in charge of the maintenance in this quarter of the building- and is there any way for you to expunge the dreadful, noxious smell of smoke - it's making it difficult to *Breathe*." He took a mall hand mirror from a pouch strung around his neck with a small silver chain and seemed to look at himself admiringly in the mirror, running his talons through his horns like one might run their fingers through their own hair.
Clay
Imperial Topaz, ever the embodiment of regal poise, met Calve's cold demeanor with a grace that hardly wavered. She observed his unimpressed glance, the disdain evident in his every movement, and his focus on the details of her appearance. A dragon of his caliber certainly knew how to convey his displeasure.

With a calm and measured tone, she replied, "Good morning to you as well, though I regret any shortcomings in our palace that have displeased you." Imperial didn't flinch under the weight of his scrutiny; instead, she stood with unwavering composure.

"As for your inquiry, I am Imperial Topaz, Royal Advisor of Treasury for the SkyWing Kingdom." She extended her wing in a subtle gesture of introduction, acknowledging the possibility that her title might carry more weight in his eyes.

Imperial listened attentively to his critique of the palace, the audacious manner in which he suggested improvements. She refrained from reacting to his blatant disapproval of her surroundings, understanding that dragons of his prestige had high expectations.

Her response was as poised as her demeanor, "Your feedback is duly noted, Calve. We value your insights and shall make every effort to address your concerns promptly." With a slight incline of her head, she signaled for one of her attendants to discreetly take note of his recommendations regarding the palace's maintenance.

"And as for the noxious odor," Imperial continued, her voice calm and controlled, "I assure you it will be investigated and dealt with swiftly. Your comfort during your stay is of the utmost importance to us."

As Calve inspected himself in the mirror, Imperial remained composed, fully aware that this initial interaction would set the tone for their future negotiations.
Norman
The regal head butler was pleased with her accommodating nature, though felt he couldn't let a fracture of his truer self show like he could when he wasn't 'on-duty' such as the time he had entertained himself with Twig. He had to be pure, diluted and refined Icewing nobility - he had to represent himself and his people as he had passively learned and had been explicitly told. "No matter, it's probably not your particular place to manage the castle in it's entirety." He peeled his eyes away from the handheld mirror with the most subtle flash of interest in his eyes at the announcement of her title. "Apologies for the coarse dialogue then, Imperial Topaz. I figured you were some kind of thrall - though I was seriously mistaken it seems." He closed the mirror and placed it back in the small bag. 

"Seeing as you already know my name, I assume you know who *I* Am- so there will be no need for me to properly introduce myself... Though I must ask, what brings the advisor of the treasury before me on this sweltering morning within the confines of the mountain fortress?" He sort of walked off, turning his back to her for a moment before standing still, his long tail swaying like snowdrift along a cobblestone path. "Not to say I'm complaining, but it's a rather unprecedented encounter to say the least - though I'm surprised your position exists given the history of the Sky Kingdom- Typically the queens aren't too fond of others placing their paws on their precious treasure." There was a sense of racism held in his tone as he glanced back at Topaz, only subtly turning his head and allowing his cold eyes to look at her from their corners.

"Though I suppose this place isn't *Terrible* - so forgive my judgmental approach I suppose... It's certainly leagues better than the Mud, Sand, Rainforest, Hive, Leaf, and even the Sea Kingdom's Summer Palace- I'd say you're neck and neck with the Night Kingdom, but I'll give you bonus points for making the palace so goth it brings the mood into the floor." He scoffed with a slight chuckle - truly - he wasn't a fan of the Night Kingdom-nor was he a particular fan of Nightwings in general.
Clay
Imperial Topaz maintained her composed demeanor as she listened to Calve's commentary. His approval, subtle though it was, did not escape her notice. She understood the need for him to maintain his noble facade, especially in a foreign court.

"No offense taken, Calve," She replied with a gracious nod, acknowledging his apology. "Your initial assumption is understandable given the unfamiliarity of our roles."

As he turned away briefly and then inquired about her presence, she followed his movements with a keen eye. "Your observation is astute, and I appreciate your candor," She replied. "I am here to represent the interests of the SkyWing Kingdom, particularly in matters related to our treasury and the broader economic well-being of our nation."

She couldn't help but notice the hint of disdain in his tone when mentioning the queens of the Sky Kingdom. While it did not sit well with her, she kept her composure. "Indeed, the treasury is a sensitive matter, but our Queen trusts in my ability to ensure the prosperity of our kingdom." She chose to address his comment with diplomatic neutrality.

Calve's assessment of the palace and his candid opinions on other kingdoms drew a faint, polite smile from Imperial. "Your perspective is enlightening, and we value your insights. We strive to maintain a unique identity here, and it appears we've succeeded in that regard." She noted his distaste for the Night Kingdom, a sentiment not uncommon among IceWings.

Imperial recognized that their conversation was a delicate dance, a chance to build rapport and find common ground. She remained ever the diplomat, poised and attentive, ready to navigate the complexities of their diplomatic negotiations.
Norman
Unfortunately, Topaz's approach only proved to appear predatory given his perceived prejudice - only earning soft, almost inaudible hiss as he tried to suppress seeing the worst in the situation- and hoped the Sky Kingdom wasn't *That* Naive as to try to squeeze coin from the assets of the Ice Palace and it's court. "I see... Shall we walk as we 'discuss the economic affluence' of trade deals?" Topaz could tell from the tone of his voice- he must've hated discussing the flow of money within an economy, but still held fast to unspoken duties related to obtaining information and being of use to his masters. With that, he gestured with a wing for her to follow him as he walked within the great hall - heading towards a set of halls he had already known to lead to more admirable vistas in the palace. 

Her comment about trust from the queen earned a sarcastic snort- while the Ice and Sky Kingdoms were on... Relatively good terms these days, Calve wasn't quick to forget the centuries of history between the two which at more recent points before the arrival of a 'new era' so-to-speak. "Of course, the duty of any Icewing is to enlighten those... Less fortunate." He chuckled- never dropping the facade- and always halfheartedly complimenting or reciprocating sentiments and feelings despite his comment about the Sky Kingdom being one of rather high regard beneath the surface.

"So then, on with your desire for diplomacy- I'm curious what you have to offer us that we don't already have... But if you impress me, I'll put in a good word to the King. Don't count your dragonets before they hatch though, I won't so easily fall for a blatant con." He glared back at Topaz as if to purposely extinguish any sense of hopeful optimism that might've glittered in her eyes... In truth he held not strong opinions about this poor dragon at the mercy of his business personality- he wouldn't say it, but she was impressively composed given his multitude of comments that almost seemed custom-tailored to get under her scales. In truth he was sizing up her ability as a noble- and she was doing an admirable job of dutifully representing her Kingdom and it's interests as Calve was doing with his. There was a subtle curiosity as to who she really was- but it wasn't something he'd be quick to show.