The Kingdom of Asnye was a kingdom with a close connection to the sea. They were born and raised by the sea, and most of the people made their living off it, either as fishermen or as merchants. The sea was used for fishing, transportation, and most of the entertainment was also held on the beaches. Even their religion was closely tied to the sea. Many of their ceremonies were held at the beaches, and their main temple was built so that, when the doors were open, the sea could be heard.<br/><br/>It was overall a good place to live. The people in general had enough to live, the Royal Family was well-liked, and everything seemed to be going well. Actually,<span style="font-style: italic">almost</span>everything. Though the kingdom did not have serious internal matters, there was a very pressing external matter. In a word, war. Or the threat of war.<br/><br/>The Kingdoms of Asnye and Savania had never had cordial relations. Still, a very delicate balance was kept between the two kingdoms. This delicate balance seemed to be off lately, though, and subtle hostile acts here and there were making war a very possible event. Naturally, it was a matter of concern for both kings. No matter how strong your kingdom is - or you assume it is - war is never either desirable or predictable. With King Alois II ill, the politics became even more unstable. In case of the king's passing, there was no knowing what the next king would do.<br/><br/>So, King Ethan of Asnye decided it was time to take a step towards peace. And, as it happened, a very common step in that direction was by marriage. His firstborn daughter was out of the question. Not only was she already betrothed, the King would never give his eldest daughter to a foreign husband. His second daughter was already betrothed as well. His only choice was his youngest, Alanna. And it was her King Ethan offered, as a gesture of his good will, as a wife to Prince Bastiaan of Savania.