The archway that kept the portal through the Veil open between the Kingdom of Arvadia and the mysterious other world, commonly referred to as Arcadia, the dark mirror of the mortal kingdom, was made of a luminous, dark stone, one that seemed to pulse with the power of the silver-white portal as first two armored guards stepped through the liquid-like substance. Then the rest of the Queen's entourage, male and female alike, stepped through, some in armor, some scantily clad as servants, others dressed in the respectable uniform of a wait staff. Most of the servants were humans and many had puncture wounds in several places from multiple feedings, but all of the wait staff and guards were the creatures that the King of Arvadia, the flame and might of the west, feared. Vampires.<br/><br/>"Is your Queen late then? How considerate of her to waste my ti-" His words were cut short as finally a woman stepped through the portal with the pendant of the Queen held against her alabaster throat, eyes flashing cautiously in the light given off by the King's men's torches.<br/><br/>"I am here, Keagan. No need to get your underthings in a twist over attendance to your own surrender after all." She murmured in a low town, rubbing a slender finger over the teardrop shaped ruby at her throat, almost absentmindedly. "That is what you called me here for, is it not? I am not here to waste anyone's time, least of all my own."<br/><br/>As the Queen's blue eyes flashed in menace, King Keagan gave her a slight incline of his head, the flame-shaped crown slipping a little on his brow from the sharp gesture. "Elara, I did not expect you of all people, I expected..."<br/><br/>"I know what you expected, little King." Elara replied, her dark hair falling down the sides of her face in soft ringlets that made even her severe expression seem less deadly than it was. If it was any other summit, one might chuckle, as Elara was a head shorter than the King and she was calling him little. No one dared though. "Sadly, Queen Ava took a horrible case of beheading in your little war, and the throne passed on to her best general."<br/><br/>Keagan sighed and shook his head, beckoning his eldest forward. "We do not seek surrender, Elara, but a peace treaty... one I think you might be open to."