23(20 years earlier):
As several fleets of spacecrafts prepared to depart, successful in what they had been hoping to achieve, alliances; two people, one male, one female, stood a small distance away on the low battlements, which surrounded the city of Amria. Fingers interlinked they stood in silence, their happiness saddened by the thought that soon it would be over. When a voice called to them from the base of a flight of stairs nearby, the man turned to face the woman at his side. His hand tightened lovingly on hers as he planted a tender kiss on her lips. Then slipping his hand from hers and whispering a promise of return he left.
She watched as he shook hands briefly with Amria's queen, Ijuni, smiling as he did to the two small children, brother and sister, hiding shyly behind their mother, before he walked away.
Opening her hand, the woman looked down at the golden heart shaped necklace encrusted with rubies, sapphires and diamonds, which her lover had left in her hand as they parted. As she stared longingly after the departing crafts her fingers closed around the necklace again, so tightly that if she looked she would see the marks left on her palm by her long nails. And as she gazed one thought remained in her mind, his promise that he would return.
Ok, it's a bit short, but it lets you see a peaceful day in Amria, which is what you all seemed to want. Most questions of who's who will be answered either in the next chapter of Flame of Amria or in the sequel yet to come.