New River - moomoorare - Empires SMP [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Chapter Text

June has flown by and now July’s chirping sun welcomes her with its embrace and promise of melodic news.

It's mid evening now and Lizzie is in the same place as she was the month before (same pink beach, on the same white wooden folding deck chair) and happily drinking pink lemonade.

The day is fuzzy, calm, content. It's a good day.

She hears music in the distance, probably some bard entertaining the streets with their melodies.

The nereid hears steps in the sand before the voice speaks up, calling for her full attention.
She puts down the glass onto the little pink rigid cooler bag.

“Your highness, the letters have arrived!” announces her old friend’s voice.
“Oh, joy.” Lizzie's response is muffled by the breeze as she's sprawled, sunbathing with a new book in hand.

The offender steps closer to her side.

“Dearie, you know you oughta,” the lady reprimands her, fondness in her voice sweet like peaches.
“Very well, show me them.” She sighs, extending her hand to Lady Marceline, who poses the envelopes there with great carefulness.

Six letters, each from their respective Empire.

Inside will be the final accords for the open market and roads proposition throughout the entirety of the Empires, cause of commotion for a while now. Pretty big deal.

“Thank you, Marcy. Is it all of them?” she asks, knowing it is, but still counting anxiously, her earlier calmness evaporating.

One, two , three, four , five, six, one, -

“I think so, yes!” The lady nods short and resolute, the straw sunhat hiding her face at the motion, the white ribbon tied loosely flowing with the breeze.
“You’re welcome, my Queen. And… Oh! Your brother has sent some gifts. I'm assuming to pair with his letter.” She scratches her chin and then makes arrows with webbed pink fingers to the palace.
“Jimmy sending me gifts and a letter? Oh boy, what has he done now…” the Queen laments exasperated.

Usually he'll have broken some temple statue or slimed up ponds. Typical stuff.

She looks for the olive green envelope between the other colorful ones and finds it, closed by a simple round yellow and blue cod wax seal, with tiny feathers creating a circular frame around the fish.
She furrows her eyebrows, A new seal? It's… cute.

She readies herself for the worst and opens it.

╭─––--——───-——-𓍊𓋼𓍊 𓆏 𓍊𓋼𓍊-——-───——--––─╮

“Hello my dearest sister,

I know what you're thinking, I'm okay!
I sent those gifts just as an apology because I won't be able to be to the ceremony, a new empire requires tons of attention and traveling, as you know, so unfortunately it's all I'll be doing this year. Though I also send you many hugs and hope we'll see each other soon.

Your beloved brother,
Jimmy of the Cod Empire

P.S. I FORGOT TO SAY! Yes, I mean, yeah, open commerce for everyone and open roads, though those are yet to be built since it's all a jumble of sand and mud for the most part. Will be taking care of that soon. K bye xxxx”

╰──–--———──—-𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟-—──———--–──╯

Lizzie is a bit eviscerated by the letter, one because she misses him a lot and two because he's so ridiculous it's impossible to stay mad at him.

He is right though, most of his empire is swamps, mesa or desert, so pretty difficult to build roads on and navigate. Lizzie herself had always tried to not involve that part of the empire for trading routes since it's such poor terrain.
It's good that her brother is taking this seriously though, shows that two brains are better than one when taking care of such a big expanse of land. And people.

“Ohh phew… Skies above and Oceans below, he's perfectly fine, just busy being a big business man,” laughs the Queen, putting the letter down on the book she was reading, now in her lap, her beverage trapped between her legs.

“Should we send some gifts back to his Majesty?” asks Lady Marceline, stressing the hems of her pastel blue dress.

“Oh yes, darling Marcy. We could send him some… what would be appropriate for a new empire?” she asks, a bit comical, exaggerating her expression and thinking pose, hand on chin and scrunching up her nose, making the old lady laugh.

They turn to the slight crunch of footsteps on sand, smiling.

“Hello, my Queen!” greets Sir Strawberry as he walks over before kissing the hand of his beloved wife, who's still giggling at her queen.

“Hello, my old Berry. We are debating what would be a proper gift for my brother…” she sighs deeply, theatrical, with a grin stretching on her face and hands on her heart and forehead like she might pass out.

The axolotl hybrid brushes his pink gills back, thinking with a snicker of his own.

“All this time and still you struggle?” He laughs good naturedly, Lady Marceline bats his hand with a honeyed frown, mouth downward but eyes shimmering with mirth.

“Be kind, it's to show our empire supports his newly established one,” she admonishes him, still light in her tone.

“Yes, exactly!” Lizzie puts her weight on the arm of the chair, propping her face up with both hands, squishing her cheeks up ‘til her eyes are squinted and almost blinded by the light reflecting off the water.

Sir Strawberry looks deep in thought for a second and then, like lightning has struck him, he pricks his lover's side, ignoring her annoyed huff.

“Oh I know! We would usually send him food or trinkets. I'm sure he'll need something fancy for his new castle now though” he says. Uh oh.

“Gosh! I hope he's building one… Actually we could send builders and architects to design one to his liking, that'd be a proper gift, would it not?” Lizzie asks, excited.

“That's a marvelous idea, my Queen!” Lady Marceline claps her hands, happy.

Her husband laughs and kisses her on the cheek.

The sight of the two makes Lizzie's heart fond but also incredibly yearning.
To be loved like this, it's a luxury Sovereigns have difficulty finding. She's glad she's got friends like this though. It makes it worth it.

“I'll personally look for the best ones we have in our court, your Highness,’’ he smiles, old eyes crinkling, fist on his chest in a gesture of commitment, and to be funny.

Oh these old axolotls and their big hearts.

She wishes they could live forever, they've been at her side for a long time, but such is the life of a normal axolotl hybrid, time isn't as kind.

They're not on their death beds but she appreciates the effort they put in, even at this age, some of the first citizens of her Empire.

First royal guards, now retirees, helping around the Palace for accounting and planning.
Gentle people, strong, kind. Loyal.

Lizzie sits up and takes their hands, a warm smile on her face.

“Thank you so much my darlings, you do so much to help me. One day I'll repay you as much. A peaceful retirement whenever you want it, a generous wage and jewels, food and shelter. I'll make sure of that.”

“My Queen!” Lady Marceline gawks, surprised but moved, her voice trembling with happiness.

“Thank you so much, your Majesty. We'll treasure whatever you'll give us. Your kindness is unmatched.” Sir Berry bows, smiling wide, eyes crinkling with warmth.

“As is your admirable work. It's just what you deserve.” Lizzie smirks, lips upturned and showing sharp teeth. Harmless to them.

They bow, hand in hand, excited and taken by surprise.

“Very well now, go go. I have to read all these! Marcy, I'll come to you if I need a trusted ear. Ocean's blessings!” she waves as the old couple walk away, their laughter and excited murmurs carrying softly in the growing breeze.

It'll be a windy day tomorrow.

“Ocean's blessings, my Queen!” They exclaim back, and they're gone.

Seagulls also raise a yell over Lizzie's head.

With a content sigh the nereid sits back on her chair, and looks at the envelopes in her hands.

Five closed envelopes wait for her eyes to read their words. A menacing rainbow of paper and wax.

Each one color coded to its Empire, correspondence and stamps on the back and their respective seals in wax to close them off. She's a big fan of seals and wax, having spent some time with it as a hobby.

She sighs again, closing her eyes and chin up to the warm sun. She'll need a swim soon.

She puts away the green letter in the book she was reading, "History and Myths of the Mainlande".

Unfortunately this genre doesn't wear the most exciting of titles, but what's inside is what counts.
A thick blue leather cover, fish and birds delicately painted on the fore edge, pages lined with gold.
A gorgeous book and an interesting read, many discussions about old ruins, secret passages, through her empire too.

She wonders if kids find these things out by exploring and then rat out to their parents, who in turn write books. Or if historians are jumping into any mound of rocks and dark galleries available.

Actually, knowing one, it's possible. She smiles to herself.

Speaking of Pix, she picks the orange envelope, the color of fresh copper, which her old friend and ally loves.

The wax seal is teal and blue, picturing a dodo under a beautiful froglight ripe tree. Pretty appropriate, Pix’s latest project has been to bring back the almost extinct bird, all while starting a new froglights orchard next to his museum and Ancient Capital restoration.

She wonders how a phantom can do any of this, especially with the night and day problem. Though he's never been an early bird anyways.

Lizzie had been surprised when she came to know the Copper King was a Phantom hybrid, a bit of a cruel joke - a curse - for living in the desert and mesa, with so much sun. It speaks volumes about his adaptability and sound mind.
He's never been an early bird anyways.

The handwriting is neat and the message is exactly what she expected:

╔═════◆═══════ [ ◙ ] ═══════◆═════╗

“Good day, Ocean Queen,
Hoping this letter finds you well and that the news within it will delight you, I inform you that our commerce will be renewed as per your request and our handhold will stay solid, in hopes for a stronger grip on the land and sea and its treasures, history and myths.
Wishing you a good summer season,

Historian Pixlriffs, The Copper King of
Pixandria

P.S. I have many new books for you, I'm certain you'll appreciate them! They're coming soon, bye!”

╚══❖-══════════-◈-══════════-❖══╝

He's an evasive guy, though very thoughtful and kind.

His merchant town always has treasures for him and Lizzie, and it's never been a bother for him to keep some books or cute trinkets he found inside his trusted satchel until they meet again.
Of course Lizzie repays with delicious foods and ancient ocean loot, which he's a real fan of.
Especially coins and amphoras.

Many of those in exchange for his sturdy glass too, he's a talented glass blower, though only as a hobby.

The rest of it, made by labourers and sold abroad. And Lizzie buys that too.
Makes for incredible windows and glasses.

She likes his empire, it's pretty colorful despite all the sand and stone, it's very interesting. A good ally to have for sure. A good friend too.

Thinking about friendly and lovely empires, she puts down the orange envelope to grab the yellow one.

It's a bit sparkly and it has an oval moss green seal, simply picturing a raffinate S adorned with tiny pink flowers and leaves, probably standing both for Sausage and Sanctuary. Double meanings and all, the least with this guy. It's very cute.

She opens it, taking a sip of her pink lemonade.

╒══════════- {‹*°✿𓆈«❀.❁•`-═════════╕

“Hello, lovely Ocean Queen,
With joy and trepidation I announce to you, yes, we’ll renew our commerce ways and hopeful, I wait to meet again and hang out, it's been too long. I have so So SO much gossip to talk over tea! Maybe some choco pastries or well, or maybe I could eat fajitas and you could eat sushi? I don't know!! So exciting to think about !!

See you soon, many hugs,

Sovereign Protector Sausage
of Sanctuary.”

╘═══════════-\.𓇕𓇣 ꕥ 𓇣𓇕./-════════════╛

He really is such a sweet guy, and the allure of sushi and fajitas is strong. And ooooooh gossip? That'll be fun.

Hanging out with Sausage is always so interesting, he's a really funny guy, either up to lots of good or to no good, a mischievous goofball. Hand in hand, really.

Great friend and a strong ally to have.

Chocolate, jungle wood, bamboo, weapons, shields and armour but most of all, a safe place. A sanctuary for refugees, that's a perfect ally to have. And! His empire is littered with ruins, in between pandas, ocelots and parrots, there's so many books and myths to discover, it's Lizzie's dream place.

She should visit soon.

With a hum she puts the letter with the other two.

So far, in past missives, the Council of Empires (or Crown Council) had asked little, just pushing everyone to open and renew the commerce ways, which makes sense for a prosperous era.

But then some calculations were made.

She'd offered tons of commerce ways and produce, which was a well received offer, but because of the extreme secrecy surrounding her reign a leap of faith had been requested by the three previously non allied empires: accept into her court a new member from each, to show no malice was meant and that there would be no secrets anymore.

Lizzie's not dumb to even entertain the thought that her secrets will not be immediately divulged, but in exchange, the Ocean Queen was offered the possibility of touring the entirety of the Empires and connecting more. To see everything for herself.

The Queen’s true secrets, the ones that matter, are never gonna be divulged, not when she's the only one to know them, so whatever stupid gossip the other Courts will wrangle between themselves for copious amounts of gold, it'll only amuse her.

But Lizzie craves for knowledge too, so it's only fair to open up a little.

What would their folklore be like? Or their customs? How does the land look in real life? Surely better than the vignettes she's seen in pamphlets. How are people around there?

Lizzie's got so many questions.

It isn't a must do, touring is the most time consuming, expensive, weakness causing choice she could make, if she decided to start a tour she would not be able to step back.

It'd be like a tour of glory, parading her richness and stability. Though a tour de force would be a more accurate description. Alone, away from home, at constant danger, having to continue on with no ability to just turn around and disappear.

It'd be a very long and strenuous trip.

She had agreed to the strangers, though a bit unwillingly. She's a loner who likes her private time, so having three new people around her at all times seems… a bit oppressive.

Surely she'll be able to schedule something so that she'll have some time for herself.

She had asked for more time to see if it'd be a realistic risk she could make to accept the invite to other peoples’ courts (of course she hadn't used those exact words. “Important ocean affairs would need to get sorted before she could focus on the delightful courts of the inviting Empires, but it'd be kept in mind” ).

Coming down from her thoughts she glances down at her allies’ letters in her book, then at the ones on her lap.

Red, magenta and black.

Her mismatched pupils closed, she shuffles them around and randomly picks one.

Open eyes are presented with red.

A deep crimson envelope, gold dots and splashes on the side of the paper, the seal a round gold braided brim with a gold feather inside, painted with ink, over a normal purple wax. Very elegant.

She opens it, with bated breath, a bit nervous. The Avian Empire is a Big One.

In neat dark gray ink, it reads:

┌────────𖡎─═━◇▿ 𖤓 ▿◇━═─⛈────────┐

“Most valued Ocean Queen,

We have reviewed the latest pact proposed by the empires whole and agreed to, along with opening our commerce to the entire Overworld, to extend our hand and offer one most trusted and capable knight, leader and confidant of our court, Pearlescent Moon of Helianthia, so that peace can be secured and prospering, may our empires meet soon.

Hoping this letter finds you more than well,
Empress of the Ocean,

Emperor Xelqua Helios of the
Avian Peaks”

└──────❅／＼∆^𓅼𓅪𓅩𓅂𓆃∆—--──────┘

Okay good, so one letter down.

The Avian Peaks will be part of the treaty.

The sign off is weird to Lizzie, but it is an old empire and their sovereign had been appointed recently, she's not actually sure when, because much of that empire is kept under wraps.
It's one of the only empires who never introduces their sovereign through an open ceremony (like her own) though to be honest, the costs of changing emperors so much must weigh on them.

Lizzie's only heard rumors, quiet ones, of weird and creepy happenings going on in those frozen snowy lands.
People do like spinning tales about people they don't like, she just hopes this new emperor isn't absolutely abhorrent, though they seem respectful. So that's good.

She shrugs.

Good thing this is so positive, she's curious what the Avian Empire will look like.

She's seen in maps it's mostly mountains, hills and spruce forests, so not really the perfect match for her species, surely lovely though.

Full of birds and bears and wolves probably, their commerce consists mostly of soil materials like stone, granite, diorite and similar.
Spruce wood, ice and snow too, since they're so high up in the mountains.
Surprisingly also wheat and bread, from a region below that gets tons of sun.
She's curious what it would taste like. She's read that grain from different lands tastes different, because of the weather and the soil.

Lizzie sighs, sliding down in her seat.

Okay well, one down. Yeah. Two to go. So far all good. So…

She picks the gloomiest, the black one.

The paper is soft and grainy, beautiful, and the wax is a mix of red, gray and brown, a square double edged seal, picturing a wilting wither rose, dangerous and delicate.

She opens the letter and is surprised to see gold ink. Quite raffinate.

┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 𖥧𓆭𓋼𖤣🕸𓇕𖥧𓋼𓍊 ━━━┓

“Grim Salutes, Ocean Queen,

I've decided to accept the accords proposed and follow the clauses of the treaty, we open our commerce to you and the Overworld entire, and with our best benevolence in order to win over your blessing, we entrust you with our most capable accomplished cavalier and leader, Gemini Tay of Crystal Cliffs.
With these offers we hope for a steady accord to a peaceful future.

Best, grim wishes to you and your empire,

Sovereign Viscount fWhip of the
Grimlands”

┗━━━ 𓆱 ·˚ ༘ * 𓆱 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Good good!

Another Emperor has accepted, and in quite the spectacular way.

Lizzie's heard a bit of the Grimlands, stories, gossip.
During her early days, while she was living by the sea minding her own business, due to a war inside the Fairy Court, the old empire had been split in two and the Grimlands became a home for anyone who was deemed “less than gorgeous” or unacceptable. Different.

Lizzie sneers at that.

To so coldly divide and repude your own citizens simply for difference in appearance or potential, is something the nereid cannot understand.

Though she's glad the schism happened, the Grimlands is a very prosperous and advanced Empire.

Gunpowder for explosives and fireworks (though her own Gotham district produces some for home use), redstone, mines full of coal and iron, amethyst (that too her city has mines of, though not as an export) and mangrove wood (which her little brother is able to sell too), potatoes (can be grown anywhere really), but despite all the repeats the one thing that shines through, along with nether items, are real dragon eggs.

Rare and delicate, they can give the owner a long lasting companion.

Lizzie thinks if she ever were to get married, she'd ask for one egg at least. She'll have all the time in the world to raise it.

Well, unless she's stabbed by some annoying little fairy.

Speaking of, the last envelope awaits her scrutiny, slightly crumpled in her hand.

The letter looks beautiful, glittering in the sunlight, little flowers and leaves painted on each side of the magenta paper.

She notices a pink, lilac and white round double edged seal, picturing a flowering oleander flower in the middle.
Inside the writing is neat and written in very light pink ink. So much pink.

The paper also smells of too many flower fragrances to distinguish, it's a bit disorienting.

It reads:

⋆.𐦍𔓘❀°┄───~~~~──——.♡.——––~────𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘──╮

“Gorgeous greetings, Ocean Queen,

The Fairy Court is most cheerful to announce the acceptance of the peace treaty.
We will open our commerce to any one on land, water and air.
As a token of good intention and trust we offer your kingdom our most valued court warlock and most skilled knight, Earl Commander Cleo of Hermitopia, in hopes our peace will be long lasting and steadfast.
With a bow and flower, we wish to meet you soon.

Empress Stress of the Fairy Court”

╰── 𓇗𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘—────~~~——───~─~──┄ 𓇗°𔓘.𐦍*. ⋆

So many saccharine words, the too sweet smell filling her nostrils and pounding into her head, all attack her senses. Okay wow.
Oceans below, at least it's a positive message.

The nereid covers her face with one hand, sliding down dramatically, finally deflated by her growing restlessness.

She hopes the carrier won't be as much of a pain or as fake as the Fairy Empress appears to be. She'll deal with it if need be, when time comes.

Peace with them, specifically, is needed.

A strong commerce, in rival to her own, with pastries and cakes, also dark oak wood, healing and other types of potions, herbal medicinal teas, fruit like apples and pomegranate, also magic books and very old libraries.

Open commerce also means open roads for explorers. In one of the oldest established courts of the Overworld.

Perfect news all around, not that she expected anything less after half a year of back and forth for this.

Still, it's a good feeling, for a time so short to get so many developments.

She must ensure peace for her empire and this is the perfect way.

The Mainlande will be strong and together like never before, a new era of prosperity awaits them all.

With a happy sigh she gets up, and folds all the envelopes into her book, puts away the glass into the cooler and carries everything inside the Prisma Palace, passing by the axolotl guards at the entrance, she waves, elated still by the news, and they all wave back, smiling behind their helmets.

The nereid leaves everything at the entrance for the janitorial body to tidy up and goes up to her room, after greeting them in a still excited voice. She's in high spirits.

But as it begins to settle, her mind shifts to the future.

It's afternoon as she takes a lavender bath in cold water, seagulls cackling outside her windows, the day being hot enough to already need a refresher.

But the pause is a welcome balm on her overheated mind.

Placid she moves, but with an evergrowning purpose in her limbs as she dries away. She's got things to do now.

The halcyon sky gleams overhead.

She glamours herself into a fair little lady, and ties her rose hair in a big braid behind her, pink to gold fading to white in the sunrays spilling from the tall windows, draping over her back as she puts on undergarments, a blue corset and vaporous long sparkly godet skirt.

The pearls at her ears dangle as she grabs a blue paper sheet from a shelf near her bed, full of types aplenty.

She takes her favorite, the shade of sky before night falls, just when glistening sparkles begin to appear.

The queen sits at her writing desk, mind made up after her cold bath, and grabs the white ink and one long beautiful pink feather, plucked directly from her own wings.

To ensure peace and make her Empire appear strong, because it is, she must show initiative.

So after drafting a speech onto a spare brown paper from the drawer, after about 8 tries she begins writing one of the six letters she'll send to all the Empires.

One of the three most special ones reads:

· · ──────── ·( ☄ .·:*¨ ☾ ⋆¨*:·.∴ •✩ )· ──────── · ·

“Most esteemed Sovereign Viscount fWhip,

I appreciate your availability in accepting and meeting the treaty’s criteria.
I extend my most heartfelt gratitude for the Consul you've offered to send me as a new Ocean Court member.
Thereby I extend my hand and my proposition for them to fill an Ambassador role between our two kingdoms.
I also write to inform you that in the second week of August I'll be hosting, inside my Prisma Palace and royal grounds, the Olive Branch Treaty Event, in celebration of the seal ours and all of the Empires have decided to put on a, hopefully, long and steadfast peace.
You are thereby invited, along with your Chosen, to participate at the Event.

Most genuine Ocean Blessings, to you, your family and Empire

Empress Queen Lizzie
of the Ocean Empire”

.˚₊‧༉︶︶︶︶︶︶( 𓆉 𖦹*ੈ‧ 𓇼 ₊˚ 𓆡 )︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

Lizzie expects two things to come from this: a few ambassadors to secure her place as a powerful empire and a letter from the sovereigns excusing themselves for their absence.

If they didn't trust her and her kingdom for commercial exports, she's not expecting them to suddenly pop up at her palace without first having heard from their spokesperson what goes on behind these walls.

Still, it's proper custom to invite them, a show of her good manners and of the hospitality of her people.

This is a momentous time for all.

So all the letters are written, her beautiful and bubbly studied calligraphy in white pearly ink on a dusk sky of paper.

She reviews them one last time.

She extended the invite to all the empires, to her new allies she'd offered a trusted ambassador and to her old friends she's promised a visit soon, accompanied by gifts.

The tour of the Overworld will happen.
It is necessary.

And while she's away, her kingdom will be run under the watchful eye of the Animalia Council, they've shown themselves to be more than capable.

With a content sigh she folds all the envelopes, scribbles on the back and attaches stamps, cute little pictures of axolotl babies and aqua lighthouses.

Lastly she grabs the ceramic wax melter from the side of the table (her current favorite, looks like a cut peach, with a lid she can actually put on with little painted leaves), pulling it close and with a match lits the flame of the tea light, she opens the drawer on her right and takes out a heart shaped tin filled with sealing wax beads.

She grabs the white and pink ones, jasmine and rose fragrance, little hearts, meticulously melting them on the wax spoon.

Then she begins to pour wax on each letter, pressing down with her favorite seals for each.

She likes to collect wax sealing kits and in her time she's got many.
Colorful, beautiful delicate stamps, from animals to paintings to plants and flowers, the sky and the sea and so forth. Creepy and funny ones too.

She'd picked up on this hobby a while ago, after Jimmy had fled, fully grown and ready for the world, a way to still connect and speak to each other, letters.

Lizzie hums thoughtfully, chooses the best seals, the ones she thinks would be paired well with each empire and their sovereign.

While she's supposed to use her empire's official wax seal, she's grown tired of it lately.
The letters will be plenty serious, enough, some fun weighs shapes won't hurt anyone.

For Sanctuary she picks a round one with a bunny eating a carrot, their population a big number of Hareons.

For Pixandria a simple rectangular one with an open book, a big inked feather scribbling on the pages.

She's unsure for the Fairy Court one, but settles on a zigzagged round seal depicting a small bird on an apple tree branch in bloom.

For Avian Peaks she picks a square one engraved with snowy mountains and tall spruce trees at the bottom.

Lastly for the Grimlands she's scratching her temple, what would be appropriate? Amethyst clusters? Skeletons?

“What's something that's not a direct offense? I can't send them a letter boasting about peace with the seal of decapitated heads, ugh.” Lizzie laments to herself, picking at the soft feather next to her hand.

Then, AH AH!

Lizzie shoots up in her seat.
She had previously chosen a simple one with gold ingots but that seems tacky so she opens the drawer at her left and moving seals around she finds the perfect one, for real this time.

“YES!!” she screams excited.
She's found it!

A little gold press engraved to picture goggles on top of sparkling dust.
Their export is redstone so it's only right she uses this one. Could also be taken for gunpowder but redstone looks prettier in her humble opinion.

She sits back, presses the warm wax and seconds later… there! All done.

Finally free from the terrible duty of writing official missives the queen turns her head to the window and is surprised to see the afternoon has turned to evening, red rays hitting her desk.

Time flies when you suck at finding the right words for diplomacy.

With a tired groan, Lizzie sits up and blows out the candle, she puts everything away and takes every letter in her hands, heading to the door and down the flights of stairs to her shoe cabinet.

She takes a white satchel from the drawer next to it.

“I'm going to the post office! I'll be back in a bit!” She yells, knowing Marceline is probably in her office next door, and she's right, because the lady pops out of it immediately to hug her goodbye.

“I'll make sure dinner is ready for when you're back!” says Marcy, smiling.

“Thank you, lovely” she says, jumping around to fit in the damn shoes. Ugh.

“May I ask why this sudden errand, my Queen?” inquires the axolotl, curious.

“Oh. I've written letters to my fellow Sovereigns. I hope the post office isn't closed.” is Lizzie's answer, happy she's finally got the damn things on her feet.

“I'm sure they'll make an exception for you, Stewie is usually down there putting everything in order around this hour” reassures the page, slipping backwards into the door she came from, giving a little wave.

“Alright, thank you Marcy, laters gators!” the nereid exclaims walking out the big wooden doors, taking the shortcut to the side of the garden, out of a small gate and through little roads to the big central avenue with the main shops.

The queen skips to the Post Office, waving at kids and their families, walking around still for their last errands or to restaurants and inns.

She stops in front of her destination, the doors are closed but from the windows a soft orange glow pools on the street.

She knocks and says: “Hello, Stewie? It's Lizzie!”

Immediately a lock rattles and the door opens, an old brown axolotl hybrid looks at her with kind eyes, dark freckles, a big beard cut by a sharp genuine smile and the cane in his hand gestures for her to come in.

He's wearing a gray wool cardigan and blue weathered jeans.

The place smells of paper and wax, a fire is running in a furnace next to him.

“You oldie, cold already? It's July!” she jokes, standing around and playing with her satchel.

“My Queen, what pleasure.” He bows his head and continues on, “I'm old that is why” he croaks a laugh, speaking slow.

He sits back behind the counter, papers and stamps all over. She knows he's baking some treats, from the sweet smell in the air.

“It is a little chilly this evening, I'll give it to you.” she concedes, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, then stopping and hastily taking the letters out of the satchel, saying “Though I'm here for a special order, so it couldn't wait!”

“Oh? A special order? Must be important.” He puts on thick glasses with trembling hands, Lizzie holding up the envelopes in front of him.

“To the Empires! Skies and oceans below!” he exclaims, surprised.

“Yes, yes. Something fun is happening soon my old friend. A celebration!” exclaims Lizzie, excited, and hands them over. Immediately as her hands are empty she claps them happily.

He smiles, combing through and putting them on the granite top.

He takes out a little cute tin box from under the counter, - rectangular, white with pink rose bushes painted on - and slips the envelopes inside, sealing them inside with a rune, able to be opened only by imperial post office distributors with the right rune.

“And I'll tell ya a secret!” She whispers loudly, cheerful, crowding closer to the countertop.

“Oh?” he puts a hand around his gills “I'm all ears!” he grins, teeth crooked and eyes mirthful.

“Yeah! Well, next month you better prepare for a crowd around here, the Palace has invited many important people” says Lizzie, hunching over and whispering out loud between her hands.

“That is wonderful news! I won't open my bumbling mouth if you invite me hehe” he jokes, flicking her forehead and taking her by surprise, she stumbles back with a laugh.

“You're welcome to come, dear. As is the whole of the Critter City. It's an open event for a peace treaty.” She boasts proudly, glad to be finally able to announce something like this.

The old man gawks, then a smile creeps up his lips. He takes her hands and shakes them vigorously.

“My Queen, you truly are a treasure!”
She laughs and beams, bashful.

“You're the treasure, old Stewie. I'll be waiting for answers soon, in the meantime I'll be preparing this place. If you have anything to report to the Council about fixes, food or fees, let them know and I'll watch over everything. It'll need to be perfect, for the event but for you all first and foremost!” the queen grabs his hands warmly and dances a little bit, a couple of steps around.

He croaks his laugh and coughs.

“Dearie I'm not like you! I'm growing old, though we match, in spirit I'm still only 80”
“Yeah I know I know, it's like you were born yesterday,” she jokes, setting back and fixing the satchel at her side.

“I do have one last thing for you though! Almost forgot,” she offers him 150 emeralds, he looks at her with annoyance but after a stare war the nereid wins, and with a huff he takes and puts them in the payment tin, filling it.

“Better go now, Marcy will be going mad over dinner” she announces, turning her heels around.

“Yes yes, say hi to her and her beautiful husband from me, will ye?” he asks, sitting on his wooden stool, cane tapping in front of him a little melody.

“Will do! Muah muah, Stewie” she opens the door and sends him kisses “Bye!” he exclaims as she's closing the door behind and skipping down the couple steps into the recently posed mosaic pavement of the avenue.

Lizzie walks happily back, taking the long way around to the gate of her palace.

The sky is gorgeous, dusk is dying out, the sun's last breaths of the day evaporating.

As she approaches her gardens she waves at the guards, who laugh and let her go after a joke or two. Funny fellas.

The gravel path to the palace entrance is lit up with sea lanterns carved into statues: dolphins, turtles, penguins, squids, seals, jellyfish and most importantly axolotls.

The grass is dark green, pink petals on the ground from everpink cherry blossom trees, the breeze pungent with the smell of lemon and orange leaves, the trees in line next to the short white calcite walls.

Lizzie takes great pride in the amount of fruit blossoms her gardens host, from peach to lemon to blueberry and strawberry bushes.

The gardens are big and full of nature, even from this side she can smell the oh so overwhelming sweetness of rose beds and jasmine vines in bloom.

She skips up to the inside of the palace, in very high spirits.

This day has been wonderful.

“I'm back!” She announces out and loud.
“Oh finally! I was worried you'd miss dinner” sighs Lady Marceline, walking out of her office eating a few cherries.

Lizzie grins, sharp teeth and round bone cheeks, double chins, the picture of happiness.

She picks one cherry from her friend's hand and gnaws it down.

“I would never!" she laughs, getting rid of the stuffy shoes and throwing the satchel on the drawer.

“Old Stewie says hi to you and Berry, by the way” Lizzie snickers as she straightens up, half mindedly dusting her skirt.

“That old rascal, we'll be sure to go by soon and chat. It's been a little while.” the white axolotl laughs.

“Okay then! I am starving!” the Queen exclaims, following her loyal courtier to the dining hall, laughs following them, as more and more people come in and eat their fair share.

That night Lizzie goes to sleep full, happy and ready for a new day of planning.