Latveria Who: Dr. Doom, Scarlet Witch, Kristoff Where: Doomstadt, Latveria When: August 16th, 2012 (backdated a bit) What: Victor and Wanda repair the frost shock. Mega spells going on. Rating: PG
The private jet the Scarlet Witch flew in had some of the finest accommodations first class had to offer. Kristoff himself was on board of the jet, seeing that all comforts were met. Sleep was easily managed compared to most air travel. Landing in Europe went without incident, the small airport not hindered by any other traffic.
But that was where normal ended in Latveria.
The first oddity was the vehicle waiting for Wanda. With favorable weather, it was an open cart drawn by two fine, sleek back horses. Unlike a normal cart, however, it traveled so smoothly that there were fewer bumps than a car over a paved road. It fairly float behind the pair of equines, the driver guiding them along easily. Doomstadt was also a peculiarly clean city. The morning air was practically crisp with freshness. Trees were common, though plants had suffered the frost. There was no hint of the usual pollution most cities of this size held aside from occasional wood smoke. People went about their business, though paused to tip their heads as the cart with its gracefully trailing green standards passed on its short trip to the castle gates and proceeded up the stone patterned road.
The capital's castle was fairly impressive, though it held none of the romantic structure of a palace. The stone was a dark gray, shadowy against the morning slant of sun rays. It was a fortress, an oppressive, heavy landmark that dominated the horizon above Doomstadt. Past the towering walls, the courtyard was of functional, gothic design. The cart stopped before three levels of steps that led to two massive heavy oak doors supported in black iron, each partly open.
The tinge of magic on the castle grounds was easily noticed. Glimpses could be caught of the glyphs that were etched into stone acting as functional protection on the old structure. Waiting on the steps was the opposite of magic, though. The large robotic sentries in their green cloaks held perfectly still, waiting to act when needed, four of them on either side. Kristoff, of course, was used to seeing these sentries. They were standard guard on the steps.
And at the first landing of the stairs stood the dictator himself, arms folded as he waited for them, cloak about his armored frame. He stood just as still as the sentries, as immobile and grounded seeming as the stone castle itself. It was only when Kristoff approached and knelt that he tipped his head to him in acknowledgement.
"Rise, Kristoff von Doom, heir to Latveria." Baritone, absolute, and edged in metal. Wanda received much more than a tipped head, however. He gave a small bow her direction, not complete, but more than most would ever see from the leader of Latveria. "Welcome, Lady Wanda Maximoff, to Latveria." He straightened, brown eyes steady and observant and motioned to the waiting entrance, expecting them to follow.