Snippet #2271415

From the south they came; as many as twenty horsemen accompanied by spearmen, crossbowmen, men at arms, servants, wagons and others.
Fifty persons all in all rode past the fields; some baring the colors of Avalon, others the great Eagle of Luxor and the white Oak of the De Mandeville family.

It was not every day that a new ambassador was chosen and Nicholas made every effort to make that impression. For five decade now the post of Ambassador had been granted to lesser men incapable of managing their own petty little mud huts let alone the representation of Luxor in Avalon, Nicholas was no such man and he knew exactly what had to be done.

Avalon was not weak, it was a powerful kingdom which whiles it did not possess the same vast colonial possessions the Luxorian Empire now held Avalon was a rival to Luxor and dangerously so at sea.

Avalon was certainly not weak however it was unstable, divided and uncertain. James's hold on the crown was not as firm as the young king supposed and therefor opportunities where abundant for a veteran such as Count Nicholas De Mandeville.

Nicholas smiled briefly; he had been sent to Avalon as ambassador in order to keep him away from the court by a rivaling faction and already he saw great rewards in his task.

"Make way for the Lord Ambassador!" shouted the captain of the accompanying Royal Guards men who had been sent to guide the procession to the capital; the city of Arva.

Nicholas's ship had arrived two days later than expected due to a storm in the channel and from what he had heard he had sadly missed the festivities but may still arrive in time for the grand tournament.

The procession entered the city, while his servants, wagons and some of his guards went ahead to the embassy where they would relieve the pervious staff and redecorate the embassy per Nicolas's preference.
Nicholas in the meantime accompanied by four Royal guards and two of his household knight's entered the Arena; Nicholas hoped he had arrived in time for first impressions where often lasting ones.

"Announcing the The Right Honorable Count De Mandeville; Grand Master of the Octavian Order, Conqueror of the East, Vanquisher of the Ostran hordes, Galmarian Clans, Republic of Kirasongal, Kingdom of Pentos, Filimari Dominions and the Silkarth Empire, Knight Defender of Luxor, Lord Ambassador to the court of Avalon"

Nicholas entered and searched for the Royal box, he would have to remind his knights to avoid using his full collection of titles since in Avalon there was a marked distaste for conquerors.