Tulsdale

They arrived at the Southern border town of Tulsdale around dusk. The town was situated along the Tuls River, from which it was named. The river, being both deep and wide with dangerous rapids rushing through its many curves and twists for the greater half of the year, acted as the formal border between the Kingdoms of Fonteria and Valens, their southern neighbors.

Tulsdale was established at the narrowest part of the river. Being the shortest distance between the opposing river banks, it was the optimal place to carry out trade between the two kingdoms. In ancient times, before the mages' engineering skills had developed, one could only cross the river in the summer and winter months when the water levels were lower and rapids less strong. At some point, many hundreds of years ago, they set up a raft crossing, pulleyed by a thick rope that stretched across the length of the river. Though not used much anymore, the old pulley and raft system still existed in rare cases of need.

About 300 years ago, a solid stone bridge was finally built over the river, making crossing easy and continuous throughout the year. Though the original bridge was quite narrow and occasionally collapsed at parts when the weight of carts exceeded it's strength. Overtime the two kingdoms had sent resources and engineering mages to the bridge to help strengthen and widen it to what it was today. The last bridge restoration project took place a year into Ava's role as Duchess of Behrllan, so she had to visit Tulsdale many times and often worked alongside Count Grier, her maternal aunt's husband and the man responsible for the smooth running of day to day border control.

Count Grier lived in a lavish estate situated on the highest point next to the river, just outside the main part of town. From the south and east facing sides of their extensive property, you could see brilliant views of the freshly gilded bridge glimmering in the distance. As the sun was setting when the entourage arrived, the warm colored rays of the soon to be slumbering sun cast the most beautiful reflection on the river below, with light perfectly hitting the clean metal bracing the sides of the stone bridge - offering what looked like daytime stars that reflected off the bridge and onto the water below.

The Count's estate was built much more recently than the Grethyll Castle. Built at a time when trade and wealth was high in the region, the grand building carried a nouveau rich air, elegantly built with a wood frame structure common in Valens, and unseen in more northern parts of Fonteria.

As they entered through the intricate metal gates, beautiful garden beds full of seasonal flowers could be seen lining the pathway up to the extravagant building. The exterior was painted a mint green with a gold-like paint lining the trim and windows. Two statues of Pegasus winged horses stood on either side of the marble steps that lead to the front doors of the estate, one with it's wings spread out and the other with it's wings folded by its side.

Ava's aunt, Countess Gertrude, stood outside in the front of the welcoming party of maids standing in a line waiting to greet them. Ava's youngest cousin, Peter, stood beside his mother, looking uncomfortable in the tight necked suit he'd been forced to wear.

As Ava approached closer on her horse, her cousin Peter smiled wide and waved his hand in excitement. He tried to run out to greet her, but his mother held him back by the collar of his jacket.

"The Duchess of Berhllan has arrived. My favorite niece is finally here!" Though her words were flattering, her back was stiff and she kept her hands clasped tight in front of herself.

"You are as beautiful as ever dear aunt. It is as if you have not aged a day since I saw you last." Ava dismounted her horse and gave the reigns to a stable boy before continuing their pleasantries.

"And Peter! What is this? Have you decided to stop adventuring and become a little count?" Ava chuckled, teasing her lively 14 year old cousin, obviously annoyed by the suit he was wearing.

"The maids caught me by surprise and forced me to wear this! You know earlier today I almost caught a white tailed fox, but then I got distracted by a lizard tha-"

"That's enough!" Gertrude gave her son a stern look then sent him back inside to change before dinner, much to his delight.

One of Ava's guards had been assisting Charlotte down from the carriage, Little following soon after, catching Gertrude's eye. "I see your lady in waiting has joined us, and who is this other, mm, imposing woman?" Gertrude studied the remarkably tall and beautiful woman making her way next to Ava's side.

"This is my guest Little. She is visiting from Qing. She has not visited the Southern border before, so I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to show her the most beautiful region in the entire kingdom," Ava exaggerated her words, knowing the flattery would soothe any of her aunt's suspicions.

The slightly grey haired Countess turned to Little and smiled a genuine smile, "It must have been quite the long journey for you. I hope you can recharge your spirits picnicking along the Tuls river, visiting the morning market at the bridge, sitting under the great willow tree..." The maids behind her made mental notes of all the regional activities they now had to plan as the Countess continued on with all the best ways to enjoy the local area that she lovingly called home.

With the sun almost completely set and the trunks from the carriages unloaded to be brought inside, Ava and her aunt made their way through the doors to the main hall, with the other close behind.

A maid took the black riding cloak Ava had been wearing for the trip, revealing the black mourning clothes she'd been planning to wear for the next two weeks as custom required. Her aunt crossed her eyebrows and commented with a frown, "Apologies for not having attended the late Duke's funeral and condolences for your loss."

Ava replied with a gracefully solemn nod, not having expected her Aunt to pay respects to the commoner Duke, she'd disapproved of.

"However, and please forgive my forwardness, your cousin has just given birth, new life has been brought into the world. For the baby's sake, I'd like to request that you not wear such depressing clothes these next few days." She finished with a pointed mark.

'Ah, there she is. I knew she wouldn't disappoint,' Ava thought to herself. Her aunt had always been self absorbed with her family's image, and she could imagine how her all black attire was probably throwing a wrench in her vision of the perfect party for her newborn grandchild.

"I'll see what I can do, but I suspect my maids have only packed mourning dresses for the duration of this trip." Ava hoped the conversation would end there, not wanting to start an argument this early on in her visit.

"That's alright, I'll have someone bring you some of Lydia's old clothes," she casually ordered. Charlotte let out a scoff in disbelief at what she had just heard, inviting a cold glare from the Countess.

Ava diplomatically stepped in front of Charlotte to shield her from the glare and thanked her aunt for the "kind" gesture, then swiftly made her way upstairs to change.