Family is complicated, and large families exponentially so. And nothing brings out complicated more than a family reunion.

  The intricacies and complications of such a family reunion were not lost to the Grand Duke and Duchess Trevell. For centuries, their household have readily hosted members close and far at their estate in the trade city of Qui?ha. And while there were grander venues across the family holdings, only the dynastic seat was appropriate for the week-long affair.

  The annual family gathering of the Trevell clan was eagerly anticipated every year by both the citizenry of Qui?ha and any nation that traded frequently with the city state. The various cousins and branch families would come from associated trading posts and cities with ships of goods and commodities - and while the family members would attend the festivities at the palace, their agents would work to set up tents and shops to introduce and sell goods from all other the world. It was the closest thing that the people on the Adylian Ocean had to a world fair.

  This would of course mean that the city was full of visitors, traders, and tourists, which the city of course, was well prepared for. There was a dedicated fairgrounds just outside the main city. This year the talk of the town was from the delegation of Olivia Tree, a landlocked kingdom far to the west. Their newest good, a magical flute made from Green Stone could help even the most musically inept whip out the most charming tune.

  Zarbey, of Zarbey’s Trade Emporium Review, had given the product rave reviews - and he wasn’t easily impressed. His publication office was the essential guide for the traders that flocked to Qui?ha and it wasn’t surprising that his publication was usually the most anticipated release from the printing press. It’s only peer in terms of reach and profitability was the dry-as-a-desert monthly newsletter from Madame Fautier, describing political updates and global commodity prices - who coincidentally, was his wife.

  So oddly enough, occasionally the reader would gather insight into the Fautiers’ daily lives. This year, Zarbey’s apparent infidelities on his business trips resulted in a tips and rewards page on Madame Fautier’s. Which was followed by a call to action on the latest issue of Zarbey’s for a gift appropriate to calm an angry wife - backfiring into a prolonged opinion piece on Fautier’s about the foolishness and uselessness of husbands and a surprisingly handy guide on self-pleasure.

  A copy of this latest issue of Fautier’s was handed out by the newsboys of Qui?ha free-of-charge to the attendees which had led to amusement to those who were in the loop and utter confusion by the random sailormen who were on shore leave.

  A wise businessperson could sell the two publications in a bundle for a reader to easily follow any evolving story in either trade or the Fautier’s personal lives. Though at this point, most readers were diligently cataloging the publications in scrapbook, which became a generational experience Anyone who grew up in the Adylian Seas in the 1320s could prattle on about the whole saga, which at this point was just starting its petty decade-long run.

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  The Trevell's personal lives on the other hand, was a little more hush-hush, if not due to the disappointing mundanity of their family reunion - no free-flowing barrels of alcohol, revolving door of party-goers, or illicit drugs there. As a well-established - if not ancient family - of the Adylian Archipelago - the dynasty was not known to be decadent (at least by royal standards), and historically the family heads were eager to disown troublemakers or adopt talented children into their family.

  This year's reunion was sure to be an interesting one. While the Archipelago was peaceful, the southern kingdoms were hinting at war with one another. Just a few months ago, two delegates from the Tunda Kingdom and the Sumira Kingdom had arrived within days of one another, while they were hosted in different wings, the Duchess convinced them it was unreasonable for the hosts to attend two separate dinners that each day so the delegations ended up awkwardly sat next to one another as the Duke prattled on about his latest crop of “almost pastel pink, and a few crops away from perfection” strawberry Bushes.

  By the end of it, between the “no business over food rule” and general lack of commitment from the Duke, the two ambassadors had bonded over mutual boredom to the extent of negotiating a brief peace between the nations.

  However now the fragile peace was starting to break down and the two nations had restarted levying their armies. And the Duke couldn't play dumb again.

  ??———————— Just a Crush ————————-??

  And you what now?

  Jonas put the paper down, confused, surprised, impressed, disgusted, admittedly, a tad aroused.

  Jonas had been on a cargo ship the last three months, sailing from Tundian port of Bekin, and had just arrived to Qui?ha. After a good clean scrub in a nearby inn, he and his crewmates were heading out to enjoy themselves and see the sights before a young boy handed Madan Faultier's Monthly Newsletter to one of the ladies in the group, Isabella. He had run off before she had the chance to toss him a coin.

  Not eager to carry the newsletter throughout the night, she had convinced the group to sit down for a quick meal so they could catch up on events before trading the pages for bottles of liquor. However, having started reading the publication, she quickly realized it's value as entertainment.

  Jonas looked glancingly at Isabella, sat at the other end of the table. She was laughing with some of her friends, clearly joking about the ending commentary in the newsletter. He couldn't help notice how she ran her fingers around the rim of her drink.

  He blushed and looked away. Perhaps not too many drinks tonight.