“Cities that became capitals ended up that way due to various reasons. Some cities simply had the blessing of a strategic location, typically in the crossing of multiple trade routes, that made them into a natural center of economy for a region. Other cities were built into impenetrable fortresses in order to house important people within them. In those cases it was not the city itself that merited the title of a capital, but more because of the fact that it housed important people within.
Yet others would end up as capitals due to tradition. Perhaps they were the original hometown of a conquering emperor, who brought their hometown to the same heights they had reached. Yet others might become one due to history, at times simply by being the first city to be founded in a region. The possibilities were endless, and as time goes on, we can expect new beginnings to crop up.” - From a lecture by Garth Wainwrought, Professor of Socioeconomy for the Levain Institute for Higher Learning, circa 498 FP.
“These are the permits for the ports and for passage through Meergant territory. I’d advise having whoever is leading the group when the time comes to hold these if you’re not with them,” said Graf Lloyd McBaine as he handed Aideen several documents that had been signed and sealed with his personal signet. “This one is an introduction letter from me, you can hand it over to any official you run into in the Royal Capital and it should get you an audience faster.”
The main reason for the several days’ delay was because the dwarves used special parchments for the permits they handed out, especially longer-term ones like what Aideen got. The permits were valid for a good three hundred years each, and the Graf had to ask his subordinates to process the parchment first since they rarely kept some in hand.
One main reason why such parchments had to be made on demand was because the enchantments that helped preserve them made them impossible to alter other than a rather brief period at the end of the enchantment process itself. It was during that brief window of time that the text on the permit was written, the signature and seal also applied at the same time.
So prepared, the parchment would likely be able to last a good millennium or more if stored in a safe place, though it was still quite destructible by fire and other means. The enchantments mostly preserved it from decay and the passage of time, ensuring that the text, signature, and seal all remained legible even after ages had passed.
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It was just that the preparation and enchantment process was on the troublesome and time-consuming side, which led to the delay to the permit’s completion. Had Aideen asked for a permit that would be used within a short period of time, they would have just used regular parchment for it and she’d have finished her business by the next day at the latest.
“Many thanks, Your Grace,” replied Aideen as she received the permits as well as the introduction letter and stored them within her storage ring. The storage artifact she used at present was a massive one, made out of nigh-indestructible adamant, apparently a masterpiece made by a master craftsman many centuries ago. Grandpa Aarin had given it to her before she left on this journey, calling it a little gift, even if storage artifacts of that size were so rare that not even the Lichdom had more than a few of them.
Rather than wear the ring, Aideen embedded it directly inside her body, around a part of her clavicle with only a tiny bit of it visible where it broke the surface of her skin. It was easy enough for her to alter her flesh to snugly fit the ring, and while it took a bit of getting used to at first, storing and retrieving items from the unconventional location was easy enough with some practice.
“Oh right, Lady deVreys, since we’re on the subject have you arranged for transportation to the Royal Capital?” asked Graf McBaine politely. “If you haven’t, I happen to have some acquaintances who run carriage services that I could recommend. Their quality can be guaranteed to satisfy.”
“The offer is much appreciated, Your Grace, but I plan to take a more leisurely and scenic route to the Royal Capital. Part of the reason I came to Alcidea this time is on business, true, but another reason is because the youngsters in my group had never been here before, and I would like to show them around while we’re at it,” replied Aideen just as politely. “I plan to take them wandering around central Knallzog a bit before we head for the Royal Capital.”
“Not a bad idea. People should indeed travel around while they’re young. I’ve traversed most of the continent myself in my youth,” said the Grad with a reminiscent look on his face. “In that case I bid you farewell, Lady deVreys. May the winds fill the sail for you and your endeavors, and may the waves remain calm in your travels.”
“Many thanks again, Your Grace, may you live long and prosper in your endeavors,” replied Aideen in turn with a southern phrase.
From Meergant to the Royal Capital of Knallgant was not too far it one headed straight north along the main road, a distance her group could cover in a few weeks at most even on foot, but she planned to take them around a bit first and only head to the capital around autumn. Because of that, her planned itinerary was a bit more convoluted.
That evening, the group had a feast to bid farewell to Engel and Marivella as they planned to continue their travels the next morning. Eilonwy took the chance to prank her brother by spiking his fruit juice with fruit liquor that tasted sweet, and Rhys ended up drunk and rambling at the table to the amusement of everyone involved.