The Duke's Villa
A tall blonde man with greying hair sat cross-legged in a lavish room filled with silk-covered chairs and elaborate glass tea tables at the side of every chair.
The light crystal fixtures above spread a steady glow across polished floors, and faint music from a harp played by a servant girl in the corner kept the atmosphere gentle.
There were a slew of guests sitting on the chairs or simply standing, talking to each others whilst sipping tea and speaking in restrained voices.
They were nobles of Carinthia, families who had clawed their way into power or inherited it centuries ago, and each carried themselves with an air of self-importance that Duke Venton had grown accustomed to.
Their clothing reflected wealth and vanity.
