NationStates Jolt Archive

((OOC: This thread is open only to Latin Byzantines and Qaitia.))

Fahim Salr, heir to the Qaitian Throne, sipped the English cup of tea which he had become addicted to. Tea was virtually the only trade deal Qaitia had with those English, but by Allah was the tea good.

He was aboard the Crown Aircraft, the luxury Qaitian aeroplane used to transport members of the Royal Family abroad. This time, Fahim would be landing in the nation of Latin Byzantines, which had been founded by Crusaders and Byzantines. The populace would never forget that, especially the religous leaders. The Battle of Saldir, whenever the Crusaders slaughtered thousands of innocents only to be stopped about a month later after a Qaitian assault on their captured capital, was viewed as a great tragedy in Qaitia.

"My Majesty, we are about to land in the Latin Byzantines' capital city.." said a waitor, before Fahim smiled and thanked him for sharing this knowledge.

"Remember, don't greet them with Allāhu Akbar," joked the waitor, raising a round of laughs on the aircraft.

The idea of a Muslim monarch's son visiting the Greco-Frankish Empire had been recieved with mixed results ranging from a reluctant acceptance to a coldhearted hatred but that was expected from some of the citizens whose forefathers spent their whole lives waging war against the alleged defilers of the holy places where Christ's mere presence sanctified them. Needless to say, the Greco-Frankish Empire's government decided that it would permit his visit to the capital, New Constantinople, where he would get a chance to meet the political personalities of the realm at his leisure.

The Arab's plane landed at the International Airport in some safe part of the complex; it had been separate from the rest of it due to a need to keep average citizens from spoiling the greeting of this Muslim prince from Qaitia. Obviously, he wouldn't be bluntly told that conservative newspapers were printing condemning articles about his presence which, in one writer's opinion, was like spitting in the faces of the heroic soldiers killed defending Constantinople from the Muslim Turks. After all, Byzantine refugees came in two great waves and the beginning of the Ottoman Empire centered in Constantinople was the second and last one with the first having been after the Fourth Crusade. Some citizens, elderly ones, were busying themselves with anti-Qaitian rants from their stools in bars and taverns well known for their nationalist customers.

Sitting at his desk in his office with his new wife and consort hanging at his side quite affectionately had been Manuel IV of the House of Argyros-Valois. He was busy reading some reports including one that said the Prince had arrived. Manuel was amused by this. "It seems that we'll have a Muslim visiting our nation. Those men of the desert prophet....didn't our ancestors have an outright hatred of them?"

Irene smiled. "I'm sure you've been taught about them in your education, my love. When I was in school, the teacher told us bluntly that Muslims were viewed as the defilers of the places of Our Lord in the eyes of our forefathers. He told us that the Crusades were a reaction against Muslim policies. Heck, if you've heard, many people here still use the word Saracen when talking about Arabs and what not."

Manuel nodded. "I am sure the Prime Minister and his government can handle this well if they come to see that problems will arise from this. I fully trust them. If I did not trust them, much of their laws wouldn't have gotten my approval. Besides, they supported my marriage to you, my love. I think I'll give them some more of my trust."

Irene threw herself onto the desk and smiled at him; she knew that he would love these antics of hers. As the Emperor and his new wife fooled around in his office, the Foreign Minister stood at the red carpet. William de la Roche had been one of the ministers who gained an ever-so-elite post from the Prime Minister and he had been quite well known for his efficient work ethic. Since it had been snowing quite a bit, he stood in a warm winter coat with his eyes looking over the plane as it had landed. When the Prince stepped out of his plane, eventually, William rushed to greet him while the honor guard did their routine. "Welcome, Your Highness, to the Greco-Frankish Empire. I am William de la Roche, the Foreign Minister of His Majesty's Government. Please follow me to the motorcade."

They walked to the motorcade while some music reminiscent of Tzarist marches played in the background and while some nearby citizens tried to get a look at the goings on. As they got inside, William began to speak as the chauffer drove into the cosmopolitan metropolis that had been New Constantinople; it was possible to see skyscrapers and cathedrals looming over you from where you sat. Posters of the band, Kronos, could be seen on the walls. Kronos was an industrial metal band that many people loved. "Your Highness, I do hope you'll take quite the liking to our nation. You will most likely see some opposition to your presence from nationalists and concerned citizens. I am sure, though, you need not have me explain all of this to you. Now, first of all, it's best that we head over to the site of our conference. It's in a hotel. I'm sure it will be adequate."

As the motorcade sped towards the hotel, William mentioned that the Prince could meet the Emperor if His Majesty would be available for such a meeting; it would be possible, as well, for the Emperor's new wife to see the Prince as well. "The Emperor's new wife caused a bit of media havoc here. She's a commoner so some traditionalists got a tad upset."

They passed some more landmarks and went down some streets marked with the taverns and the general stores until they finally got to the hotel. It wasn't the only one in the city but it was one of the best known. Getting inside was quite easy and so had been getting to the conference room. The young and pretty front desk clerk looked at the Prince as he walked by; she smiled just a little before getting back to her work. Once they got into the conference room, and took their seats, William smiled. "Now, shall we discuss the embassy exchange?"

"Yes, I do know about the fierce opposition to my arrival," replied Fahim, in fluent English. "Though, I do believe that acceptance will be granted sooner or later."

"For the embassy exchange, I request that Qaitia be granted an average building, but with an Arabic aura to it," replied Fahim. "As to pay homage to our nation's culture. Also, I believe that we may need more security guards, as we all know that your population is not to favourable on my presence, so we may need an execption."

"As for your nation's embassy, I would direct you towards my nation's Embassy Service, which conducts all embassy business," explained Fahim.

As he walked pass, he caught a glimpse of an New Constantinople Herald, carrying the headline: A Saracen in Our Nation? Suddenly, for a second, Fahim's face went into anger, but he calmed down and went on.

"Yes, I do know about the fierce opposition to my arrival," replied Fahim, in fluent English. "Though, I do believe that acceptance will be granted sooner or later."

"You musn't think the entire population is opposed to your arrival. Not everyone here is spiteful towards you. It's just that some people have memories of what they were told as children or what they've read in books or on the internet."

"For the embassy exchange, I request that Qaitia be granted an average building, but with an Arabic aura to it," replied Fahim. "As to pay homage to our nation's culture. Also, I believe that we may need more security guards, as we all know that your population is not to favourable on my presence, so we may need an execption."

"All of that can be obtained for you. Our embassy would probably be built according to Western architectural styles if that were possible; I assume it would be if you were to get an Arabic style embassy in New Constantinople."

"As for your nation's embassy, I would direct you towards my nation's Embassy Service, which conducts all embassy business," explained Fahim.

"That sounds proper to me. Shall we discuss trade next? What goods does your nation have to offer us?"

You musn't think the entire population is opposed to your arrival. Not everyone here is spiteful towards you. It's just that some people have memories of what they were told as children or what they've read in books or on the internet."
"Yes, you are correct. But I can assure that Qaitia will never attack the Greco-Frankish Empire in any way, politically, economically, militarily or in any other shape or form."



"All of that can be obtained for you. Our embassy would probably be built according to Western architectural styles if that were possible; I assume it would be if you were to get an Arabic style embassy in New Constantinople."

"We have all many of embassies in our nation, and Western embassies are no problem. As for a Qaitian embassy in New Constantinople, we would request a Western struture, but possibly with a small religous centre in it for Islamic worship."

"That sounds proper to me. Shall we discuss trade next? What goods does your nation have to offer us?"

"Yes. Qaitia is rich in many natural resources. Oil, gold, copper, silver, precious stones, precious metals, the list goes on."

"Yes, you are correct. But I can assure that Qaitia will never attack the Greco-Frankish Empire in any way, politically, economically, militarily or in any other shape or form."

"We shall never attack you in any form unless provoked prior to the attack, Your Highness. Warfare should only be relied upon when a severe wrong has been committed by another nation."


"We have all many of embassies in our nation, and Western embassies are no problem. As for a Qaitian embassy in New Constantinople, we would request a Western struture, but possibly with a small religous centre in it for Islamic worship."

"We believe that this can be fully arranged although you may become infamously notable among some citizens for having the first Islamic religious centre in our nation's history attached to your embassy; if our ambassador desires it, we hope a Christian centre could be attached to our own.

"Yes. Qaitia is rich in many natural resources. Oil, gold, copper, silver, precious stones, precious metals, the list goes on."

William laughed. "It seems that our nations have something in common there. Does Qaitia need any resource in particular?"

"We shall never attack you in any form unless provoked prior to the attack, Your Highness. Warfare should only be relied upon when a severe wrong has been committed by another nation."

"This is very good, and it is nice to see another nation with our policies on warfare. War kills far too many, and with modern weapons it may very well destroy mankind and the Earth."




"We believe that this can be fully arranged although you may become infamously notable among some citizens for having the first Islamic religious centre in our nation's history attached to your embassy; if our ambassador desires it, we hope a Christian centre could be attached to our own.

"It would be interesting, I admit. And as for a Christian centre in your embassy, that would be no problem at all. You'd probably get a few converts, depending if your nation is Catholic, Protesent or Orthodox. Most Qaitian converts become Catholics."



William laughed. "It seems that our nations have something in common there. Does Qaitia need any resource in particular?"

"Indeed, we do. Mainly timber, but otherwise we are good in terms of resources. Is there any reason the Empire may wish for?"

"Also, would it be a possiblity to meet the Emperor of your nation? My father was delied due to a PR stunt with the military, and the Prime Minister was held up with a massive debate in the House of Commons on the Belasaladani Crisis, for your infomation."

"This is very good, and it is nice to see another nation with our policies on warfare. War kills far too many, and with modern weapons it may very well destroy mankind and the Earth."

"War should only be waged on a good intention coupled with sufficient evidence that it would be needed, that is, a proper casus belli. At least, this is my nation's opinion."






"It would be interesting, I admit. And as for a Christian centre in your embassy, that would be no problem at all. You'd probably get a few converts, depending if your nation is Catholic, Protesent or Orthodox. Most Qaitian converts become Catholics."

"We are primarily either Catholics or Orthodox depending on the ancestral makeup you were given at birth but there are minorities such as Protestants and those who don't concern themselves with religion. I am sure we can work something out."



"Indeed, we do. Mainly timber, but otherwise we are good in terms of resources. Is there any reason the Empire may wish for?"

"We can offer you plenty of timber....at a good price, of course." William said with a smirk.

"Also, would it be a possiblity to meet the Emperor of your nation? My father was delied due to a PR stunt with the military, and the Prime Minister was held up with a massive debate in the House of Commons on the Belasaladani Crisis, for your infomation."

"I am sure that a meeting with His Majesty can easily be arranged for you. Perhaps we may visit him after this meeting; I am sure we can just stop by his palace and so forth. We'll give him the heads up, of course."