NationStates Jolt Archive

Owain ap Cunedda, by the Grace of God, High King of the Confederated Peoples, Emperor of Nabarro Abarca and King of His Other Realms and Territories stood on one side of the large ballroom, dressed in the dark green uniform of the Confederal Army. Unlike most monarchs, he had earned the medals which bedecked his chest in combat, both in Marlund and in Zvarinograd, before he had become the High King. He was a younger man, not quite thirty, with short red hair and a thin beard. His face was stern without being severe and his deep brown eyes seemed completely focused on the situation at hand.

Of course, the situation at hand was a largely empty ballroom with large glass doors leading out onto balconies and terraces, tables filled with fine foods lining one wall, gold plating in elaborate designs covering the walls and a vast, and smooth dance floor under a glittering canopy painted with the image of the night sky. Owain could remember a time when he would have marveled at the room, taking in every little detail. Such settings had, however, grown old with time. It was not so different from dozens of other rooms he’d been in, after all.

The others in the room were also familiar. The members of the Confederal Council and the Presidents of both the Senate and the Chamber were present, decked out in their most formal attire. However, the majority of those present were the royalty and nobility of the Confederated Peoples. Except for his sister Gwendolyn, Owain wasn’t especially interested in the company. He was focused almost entirely on the foreign guests who were expected. The royals and leaders of nearly every friendly and neutral nation had been invited, after all, and he wanted to make the night a success. During the reign of High Queen Corinna, so long ago, the Resurgent Dream had emerged on the world stage with the courtship of Princess Aiwyn. This courtship ball was for Maria Theresa, Princess of Kagerlund, but he wanted it to go just as well.

Maria Theresa herself was not among the two or three dozen people already in the great room, of course. She would have a grand entrance after nearly everyone had arrived, as befitted the guest of honor. Owain would have waited to enter as well if he thought only princes and princesses, lords and ladies, were coming. However, there was the distinct possibility that foreign monarchs might attend and Confederal hospitality required that they be greeted by the High King.

"So what's our status with the ... Confederacy?... of the Resurgent Dream? Last I saw of any of them was before my hatchling started losing it." Interim-Emperor Kraah rested his large hands on his belly as he entertained Governor Seerak, sitting opposite him at his desk, who always seemed to be of that damnable habit of fidgeting whenever Kraah was around. Maybe I caused him no small amount of shell-shock during my term as Emperor. He must be chewing his spleen afresh now. Ha ha, sucks to be you.

Some events in the empire had occurred, resulting in a total media blackout of any sort exiting imperial boundaries. Gorrm had started showing signs of a severe mental collapse due to his habit of micro-managing everything that went on, and was strongly encouraged to take a sabbatical with his newly-ordained fiance Tthwiit, a Grass-Walker of outstanding family. Kraah had been named Interim-Emperor until Gorrm's recovery was total, which could not be foreseen when that is or if he would even return to his office.

And as Kraah is well aware of the responsibilities his position entails, and also gifted with the ability to delegate that responsibility (not to mention his mental fortitude), he took up the mantle of Interim-Emperor and immediately lifted the media blackout and rolled up his sleeves in order to re-establish the Sakkran name in the Known Systems. With a smile in one hand and a roast shank in the other.

Seerak twiddled his fingers between his legs slightly while his eyes pretended to be busied investigating a fascinating corner of the Imperial Desk. "Wweeellll, my liege, it seems we're still on good terms with them. Some of their allies, not so much if at all." Now his eyes lifted up a bit to observe that oh-so fascinating corner of the office. "We still have a way to go to affirm our position in the ...."

Kraah waved a hand dismissively at Seerak. "Pish tosh. Ooh, I hope no 'Pendrans are snooping about close enough to hear that." Seerak's eyes widened as he gained something new to be paranoid about. "Ha HA! Lighten your load, old man. I have already appointed several of my more trusted and competent aides to handle daily runnings of Imperial affairs. Short of another fractal cobknobbery, everything should be fine. Now I hope you have your luggage packed and an extra lunch. We leave in the hour."

Seerak nodded affirmative. Kraah couldn't resist one more jab. "I hope you have an additional lunch packed for me as well. The Imperial Girth doesn't happen by willpower alone, you know." Seerak looked ascance and started stammering. "Ha HA! A joke, a joke." The Governor started mumbling under his breath as he forced himself to slow his breathing, cursing the day he ever appeared on Kraah's radar of humor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forwarding to their arrival at the bedecked hall of King Owain ap Cunedda. Kraah wore the Imperial Mantle and a simple black leather vest and waist wrap, while Seerak wore his Mantle of Office and a dark-green leather vest and waist wrap. On visits to foreign lands, it was considered impolite to go in full regalia as it was seen as attempting to steal the spotlight from their hosts, so to speak. Kraah greeted and shook hands, or whatever passe d as a greeting to whoever his attention was fixed on, while Seerak hung slightly behind him, looking nervous, but less fidgety than normal. A small retinue of Sakkran honor guards stayed in the outer areas, six in total, so as not to appear as if they were storming the gates.

As Kraah and Seerak entered, the various notables moved out of their way, bowing or curtseying properly as the Interim Emperor and the Governor passed. Most of them had never seen a Sakkran in person before and there were as many reactions as there were courtiers. Some seemed frightened, others curious, a few confused, some awed and one or two seemed only perfunctorily interested, judging that the Sakkrans had no direct bearing on whatever social or political goals they had set themselves for the evening. To say the least, it was rather unlikely that either of the Sakkran notables would marry Maria Theresa.

Owain stepped forward as the Interim Emperor approached, a small smile touching his handsome features. He extended a hand politely, watching as his small, pinkish hand was almost completely enveloped by Kraah’s much larger, scaly one. “I’m pleased you could make it, Your Majesty. It’s been too long since we’ve had much contact with the Sakkrans, much too long. I believe the last time was when President Kairis attended your rather informal celebration.”

He paused for a moment, offering his hand next to Governor Seerak, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, as well, Governor. The Sakkran way of life has always held a certain fascination for many Confederals, especially in the chivalric orders. This is all the more true recently, after the fabric of our society has been disrupted by so much rapid change.” He frowned slightly. “I suppose you’d like to meet President Sacker and the rest of the Confederal Council?”

"And that brings us to the question of a replacement ambassador to the Confederated Peoples. There's no one to attend the shindig they're throwing."

Foreign Minister Ren Dirh looked up from his papers, surprised at the note. The other Ministry officials- the Second through Fourth Ministers, and the six sub-bureau chiefs, were conducting the weekly meeting on the state of affairs.

"Replacement? What happened to Lanwiddick?"

"Heart attack. Dead before he hit the ground." said Fourth Minister Burskae Talyya, slapping his hand against the long conference table for dramatic effect.

Dirh shook his head. "The man did love his pork. Who do we have for a replacement?"

Third Minister Sarto Irshaen shuffled over a few papers, squinting her eyes. "No one. There's no one really qualified for an embassy so high-level as the Resurgent Dream."

Dirh chewed his thumb. "Harmalan Shandreth could."

"The former UN ambassador? He retired last year, and knowing the problems he had in the General Assembly I don't think he'd want to come back to diplomacy" said Talyya.

"He'll do it, if I ask him he'll do it. He wants some excitement, I think. Farming's not so interesting when you spend time in the diplomatic world. Draw up the papers, and announce he'll be attending with some guests, the usual. Alright, let's have lunch and come back to it. Burks, you're buying."

* * *

Harmalan Shandreth adjusted his pince-nez for the third time in a minute. His long brocade robes shimmered with gold and luscious crimson, but he seemed slightly uncomfortable in them. He was average height, with short brown hair and an aquiline nose that held his small glasses precariously, and his deep blue eyes were full of excitement and interest. With him was a younger man, tallish and with golden hair and a middle-aged woman; the man in the same style of robes and hat, but in silver and purple. The woman was rather frumpy, wearing a gloriously colored dress in traditional, more befitting a village matriarch than an ambassador- there was something dignified and calm about her, a white headwrap making her look like a nun.

"These feel different." Shandreth complained as he fiddled with the red robes.

"Maybe you've gained weight with all that country food." chuckled the young man, sparking a disapproving glance from the woman.

"It's healthier for you." protested the ambassador. "At least it's nice to wear them to a party. Did I ever tell you how many times I had these things dry-cleaned in the General Assembly?" He finished adjusting himself, and nodded. "Allright, let's go make some friends. Try not to eat too many hors d'oeuvres."

With a personal letter from the Chancellor hidden in his robes, as well as one from Grand Librarian Holbrook equally hidden, the trio of Snefaldians entered the High King's party.

Kraah took Owain's hand as gingerly as he could manage. It would simply not do to fracture your royal host's fingers. "Ah yes. The beachfront gathering. THAT was a good party, and a great chance for national leaders to meet that haven't had exposure to each other before. Nice lady, President Kairis. Nice family as well. They took to the Scolopendrans quite quickly, if I recall." He allowed Seerak to make hia approach and greeting.

He took Owain's hand much in the same fashion as Kraah had. "Thank you for receiving us so graciously, your Majesty. I wish I could have attended the beachfront gathering, but alas. I would indeed enjoy meeting your President Sacker and the Confederate Council, but there is a different matter to attend first. If you would, my Liege...." With that a hand gestures towards Kraah.

The Interim-Emperor seemed to make a coughing motion, hand balled and in front of his lipless mouth. "Hrm, yes. Your Majesty King Owain, we have not come empty handed. Bearing in mind the underlying purpose of this gathering called, we present to you a gift for the Princess Maria Theresa." He leaned in a bit conspiratorily at this. "My First-Ambassador tells me that the Princess hasn't had a chance to meet with any of my peoples and may become quite spooked if such an abrupt encounter came about here." He straightened up again, puffing out his chest a bit, and produced from the inner lining of his mantle a small rectangular box of ebony, wrapped in gold-tinted silk. "My mate has crafted for this occasion this present."

On opening the package one would find a pair of platinum hairpins, inlaid with black pearls and attached to each other by a series of web-thin herringbone chains of titanium.

Owain smiled broadly at the small rectangular box but he shook his head slightly, “I think Her Most Esteemed Highness would prefer to receive it from you in person. I can assure you that she won’t be spooked, as you put it.” He glanced around briefly. “She should be out shortly, after a few more guests arrive, and my wife should be around here somewhere. In the meantime, I would be glad to introduce you to the others present if it please you?”