Endgames

They meet with each other twice a year as a gesture of peace. War continues to build on both sides, but still, they meet year after year, first on Prospit, and then on Derse. The Kings amuse themselves by demonstrating the might of their armies, and after each meeting, the opposing King returns home and puts his inventors and soldiers to work to become better, more impressive, and deadlier. It is a public power game that keeps the nations occupied while they wait for the game to truly begin.

The Queens have their own power game, but it is a private one, and not for anyone else to see. In the purple towers of Derse, or the golden chambers of Prospit, they play chess and make wagers. Unlike their husbands, they do not wager the lives of their people. Instead, their currency is themselves.