The inside of Colen's royal palace left little to be desired. Its floors were covered with luxurious red carpets, its walls with portraits of smiling nobles, and its ceilings with shining chandeliers that burned throughout the day. Very little space was left unfilled by decorations of one kind or another, to the point where the smooth white walls barely showed at all through the gaps in a sea of gilded embroidery. Pairs of guards stationed at key areas blended into the scenery like statues in their ornate steel armor, though as far as Mathis was concerned, they were as decorative as everything else in the rooms he was being led through. Assassins were likely a much greater problem away from his home, but he knew well enough that it didn't take the most seasoned fighters to catch and kill one, especially when there were so many more important things that a good soldier could be doing.<br/><br/>Stopping in front of a large pair of doors, the man leading Kenneth and Mathis exchanged glances with another two guards and nodded before turning to address the foreign lords.<br/><br/>"King Demetri Colen and his court are convening within. I'd sooner send you both away than interrupt the proceedings, but the king - praise his generosity - has very specific orders regarding visiting diplomats. Once we check you for weapons, you may enter."<br/><br/>"Weapons? Oh dear, I've got a knife on me," Kenneth replied, drawing a small blade hidden within his clothes and offering it to the nearest guard. "You might confiscate that, sir. Granted, its there for marauding bandits and such along the way, so I will want it back."<br/><br/>The man merely scoffed as he sheathed the weapon in his belt. "Some good this'd do you against a group of bandits. What about you, then?" he gestured towards Mathis, who had mostly kept silent since their first arrival.<br/><br/>"Nothing more than a silver spoon to brandish at your lord, I'm afraid." was his response, though he raised his arms and allowed the guard to poke around his robes all the same. The idea of an inferior being invading his personal space so freely was nothing short of disgusting to him, but Mathis hid his emotions well. He never let his hatred for compromise get in the way of his duties as a practiced diplomat.<br/><br/>"You look worse off than a plague victim, lordling. If you weren't moving, I'd take you for a dead man." the guard growled, glaring at Mathis suspiciously.<br/><br/>"A rare and harmless, if tragically permanent, condition. I wouldn't be traveling with a companion if it were contagious. Will that be all?" he replied without enthusiasm. It was easy to forget just how much of a chore justifying his appearance was in foreign lands.<br/><br/>"Seems it will be. Show our king the respect he deserves, or-"<br/><br/>"Guard, out of curiosity, are all these rooms wood-paneled so finely? I might seek out the carpenter if he still lives." Kenneth gave the man an innocent smile to match the hateful scowl he was receiving.<br/><br/>Unwilling to submit himself to further ridicule, the guard turned around and swung both doors wide open, revealing a massive council chamber that was filled to almost full capacity by members of the local nobility. At the far end of a long rectangular table sat an aging man with an extravagant red robe and an unmistakable air of authority, who seemed be caught up in a heated debate with one of his more modestly dressed peers. If his behavior alone wasn't enough to eliminate all doubt that he was the most important man in the room, the sparkling crown upon his head easily accomplished the rest. Kenneth and Mathis entered the room largely unnoticed while everyone's attention was focused upon him, allowing them a chance to quietly find an empty pair of seats. It wasn't until the king himself stood up and gestured towards the two that the room fell silent in anticipation of his greeting.<br/><br/>"Friends, we have visitors! I don't believe that we've been expecting you, but no matter - you'll not find the council of Colen lacking in hospitality." he said with a welcoming grin. "Please, share your story with us. Who are you, and why have you come to our fair city?"