NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Anyone can send guests but please use common sense when RPing in this thread. No assassinations, terrorist attacks, etc please. Please TG me with questions so as not to clog this thread with OOC posts.

It had been the end of a rather short era. With Queen Ravana having abdicated the throne in favor of life as a publically open lesbian tied to a courtesan in the slavery of mutual love - for what else is Love? - the era of Queen Nymira was about to begin under rather pleasant circumstances. If you had been in Olyan upon the advent of the impending coronation, you would not have seen the citizens doing anything but living their lives as they always had. The money upon which you would find the image of Ravana, which was going to be worthless in a matter of days, was being shoved into wallets for spending sprees. Some students skipped school to buy the latest albums while a group of elderly card players bought drinks while complaining over one of them possibly cheating. Posters foretelling the rise of the musician Tzofi's latest album were plastered all over walls while there were heated discussions over the latest men that women - fashionable, sophisticated and wealthy - had slept with or had had an interest - to some extent - in sleeping with.

In the course of general events leading to the coronation, a monarch must always prepare themselves mentally and emotionally for the challenges and duties lying ahead of them. In keeping with this observation - rooted in empirical evidence - Princess Nymira had been adjusting her outfit while Vara Klomas silently stood to watch from behind. Vara, being Nymira's aide-de-camp, had always been around. "I will make this nation great and prosperous."

Vara simply nodded her head before going into explaining the situation in that faraway nation - Nymira didn't seem too interested - where Europeans were being brutally massacred by native rebels along with plenty of other things. Nymira simply replied - in a stoic and emotionless tone of voice - that she would order any interventions at all. When Vara brought up the crisis in Taiwan, Nymira didn't listen. She turned around, then, and uttered that same mantra again. "I will make this nation great and prosperous," before beckoning Vara to follow her out of her room and into the world, a world of kings and queens, of loves and heirs, of politics and wars. Of course, for Nymira, she intended to keep Kageb closed within the iron curtain, built of steel reason, of well made selective isolationism.

They were at the country chateau where Nymira had largely lived since she was about fifteen. It was a lovely chateau that she had demanded would be her personal property upon her ascension to the throne but she, of course, was content with living in the massive Royal Palace of Olyan where Ravana and their parents had lived. Nymira laughed. It was going to be fun being Queen, she thought, and she was going to maintain the status quo - it was going to be time for many more years of absolute monarchism. Why? Because it was efficient. How could it stay that way? If her future children were properly educated.

Nymira slipped steadily into the awaiting limosuine with her aide-de-camp trailing behind before it sped off towards Olyan. You would think that, perhaps, Nymira was a little nervous but it turns out that she must have hidden any fright well for she was - all in all - surely confident in her abilities to rule to the point that ineptitude was rejected as something she didn't have. She couldn't have had that sort of thing. "Your Highness, I'm thinking that you're going to have to deal with the homosexual question after your coronation." Vara observed, "and I do think your opinion will be hit pretty hard either way."

Nymira looked out the window and sighed. She knew that question was going to be heard soon enough.

--------------

Nelenna Ghevas had decided to go to a cafe for a refreshment after a hard day's work at the police department. She was in her thirties with tanned whitish colored skin and luscious auburn hair that - combined with her slim physique - made her look more suitable for modeling than detective work. Yet the woman who had brought pedophiles and murderers to jail with ruthless determination wasn't considering a change in career but had been rather happy to be doing what she was doing. At the cafe where she visited, the television was blaring something about the coronation while people talked over the newscasters about it. Oh, one person uttered, I'm sure Nymira will be good, but another goes to say that, aye, Ravana should have been able to keep on reiging.

Nelenna purchased her cup of tea and then took her seat by the window and wondered about her future in the new Queendom, even if she had always seen herself working as a detective for many more years. It had been her passion ever since her friend - her best friend - had been murdered back in what you'd call her high school years. Nelenna had moved on, yes, but she always had to deal with her memories when someone asked for why she wanted to be a detective at all. Her friend's image was burned forevermore in her head.

The Olyan Times reported, Nelenna noticed in the paper she had snagged from a nearby rack, that Nymira had already sent many invitations to world leaders for the coronation along with several prominent citizens of the city of Olyan. While she thought about that, her cell phone with the classical music brand of ringtone began to ring - she answered it and heard her friend, Korvas, on the other end. "Korvas - what is it? I'm on my break."

"You've been invited by the Royal Court to the coronation....." Korvas said simply while reading the invitation's elegant calligraphy - it mentioned how Nelenna had been an honorable citizen but that was only because Nelenna had been in the news for her ability to track down hard-to-find criminals. She was a hero for saving a little girl from an oncoming car and had been well liked in the city for her work. Nelenna smiled. "Oh, well, I'll go. It'll be nice to see the Queen up close."

"It says you can bring a guest along and, well, I'm pretty much open for the next -,"

"Yeah, you can be my guest. Just don't misbehave or I'll have to disclipine you."

Korvas laughed before saying his goodbyes. Nelenna and Korvas had been partners in the Olyan Police Force for several years and for plenty of cases had they been able to work quite well. After finishing up at the cafe, Nelenna entered the closest fashion store and purchased a lavish evening dress.

--------

Prince Espar was sitting in the room that he had set aside for himself aboard the Royal Train while it sped off towards Olyan simultaneously with those of the various ministers who had been out of town beforehand. Espar had been confident that his sister would be able to reign quite well and knew that he'd always be considered for the throne no matter what the situation was. He didn't mind being King but he didn't have the passion for it right now and, well, he felt that'd make his reign quite a disastrous reign.

Espar was looking over the daily bulletin while sipping from his cup of this exotic tasting drink that the people of Kageb often enjoyed. Yet, this was a man who could drink soda pop as well as something refined. As it turned out to be the night, Espar was dressed in light clothes but, at the door to his room, his wife was scantily clad in the latest lingerie, beckoning him to come with her to the bed. And so he did. He kissed his worries away.

------

Princess Janata had been able to snag a ride upon her brother's train. She was going to be staying with her cousins while Espar and Esther were able to be alone together without any of them. Janata was only fourteen but she could easily take care of these little ones without much quarrel. Oh, Janata thought, they weren't so bad to deal with. They were constantly giggling and filled with plenty of energy - delighting that "Auntie Janata" or "Aunt Jan" was going to be playing with them, two little toddlers dressed in lovely nightwear that would make any woman swoon with cries of how-adorable-they-look, something Esther took much pride in. While Janata told the kids wonderful stories of the history of Kageb, she wondered about Ravana. Wasn't she going to be attending the coronation?

Indeed, she would. And her train was heading towards Olyan at a steady pace.

------

Nymira adored the elegant aesthetics of the Royal Palace in Olyan even though she had been accustomed to them for so long that you'd think she'd be indifferent to it all. While she meticulously inspected every single room from top to bottom, Vara Klomas followed her without a sound save for the little sounds made by her feet upon the ground. Vara was the daughter of a local aristocrat who had worked in the government for numerous years and she, too, had been accustomed to the aesthetics of palaces and mansions. She was even said to be in the process of inheriting one but her father hadn't died yet.

Nymira was already making a mental checklist of plans that she hoped to implement during her reign. Her first plan was to give more funding to the Armed Forces and then build up the economy along with foreign relations. Let all three be built with equal passion. The Queen planned to protect Ravana and Scarlet from all prospective attackers out of sisterly affection, even if she considered their relationship to be somewhat discomforting. Nymira, then dressed in a very lavish dress typical of women of her station, was walking down the halls of her palace towards her bedroom while Vara had been dismissed, allowed to do as she wanted. "We'll make Kageb great and strong, we'll drag it to the forefront, of our world's stage."

Nymira walked into her room while steadily taking off her clothes in order to change into one of her many nightgowns. No one had really seen her nude before except as a baby after birth and in the few cases of her bathing, with her maids being there to give her things upon request if she wanted them to do that. She looked absolutely stunning in the nude as she did while clothed, but no man had ever gotten that close to her just yet. And, soon enough, she'd have to find a man who she wouldn't mind letting get that close.

To: Kageb
From: Office of the High Councilor, Takaram

The High Councilor Marshall has been following the situation in your nation very closely, and would like to request that he and his wife Jessica be allowed to attend.

Louis Strong, Secretary of High Councilor David Marshall, Takaram

To: Kageb
From: The Holy Imperium of Angenteria

His Majesty Emperor Marcus Riektal regrets that he would be unable to attend the event, but would like to send his sister, Camilla Riektal, to represent him in his stead.

He hope you find this arrangement acceptable

Tiberius Reginus
Lord-Minister of Foreign Affairs

-----------------------------------------------------------------
"So, tell me again why I have to go?" The sound of the playful female voice swept through the cabin of the plane. The plane itself, a high-speed diplomatic jet bearing the crest of the Angenterian Royal family, was flying at a high altitude over the skies of Kageb, and was preparing to begin it's descent. At it's flanks was a small wing of four F-18 fighter jets, ensuring the safety of the delegates traveling inside.

"Because you're my sister." The male voice said through the video screen, playing on the audio speakers on either side.

Camilla Riektal folded her arms as she leaned back in the leather seat. A young woman in her mid-twenties, she had a slender figure, coupled with short brown hair and dark eyes. Like many people of her country, her skin was was an off-whiteish color.

"But the invitation was for you..." She said, holding up a white piece of paper, embossed with beautiful calligraphy.

"Correction..." Emperor Marcus Riektal smiled, stifling his laughter. While only having been Emperor for a few years, following the death of his and Camilla's father, Anticus, he was beginning to grow into the position of Emperor, beginning to get used to the authority and decisions he had to make. Being in his early thirties, he was a tall man of 6'2", with short black hair and matching dark eyes. Camilla, only standing 5'8" herself, often found it ironic that there was a time where she was actually taller, before Marcus had hit puberty. But it wasn't height that determined the next ruler of Angenteria, it was age. And Camilla found herself trailing in that department. But she held no animosity against her brother for being older than she was. In fact, she was almost relieved. She had no idea what kind of Empress she would be, having to make all those decisions Marcus seemed fit to address. Yeah, she sometimes envied him, but generally was glad that they got along as well as they did. Angenteria's history had enough bloody sibling rivalries.

"...the invitation was for, if I remember, 'The Royal Family of the Holy Imperium of Angenteria.'" Marcus said, making the appropriate quotation marks with his fingers. He generally enjoyed the company of his sister. It reminded him of earlier times, where life was much easier.

"And you're in that family, aren't you?"

"But I can't go."

"Why not?"

"I have some things to do." Marcus said. "You know, Emperor things."

Camilla raised an eyebrow. "Then if you're so busy, why didn't you just send some diplomat. Emperor's get a lot of power, you know?"

Marcus grinned even wider, as if about to deliver the punch line for a joke. "Because the invitation wasn't for them. It was for us. Or, more specifically, you. It would be impol-."

"Okay, I get it." Camilla said. "I'm already on the plane, anyway. There isn't much I can do now, is there?" She smiled. "Besides, I've heard that the circumstances around the new queen are pretty special." She didn't doubt for a minute that her brother really had to do something important. "So I go, do my noble lady thing, and come home, right?"

"Something like that, yeah." Marcus said, looking over his shoulder to an opening door, where an aide stepped in. He strode over to the Emperor, and whispered something in his ear. "Alright, I have to go. I'll leave everything from here to you."

"Okay." Camilla smiled. "See you later." She flicked a button on the chair, and the screen shut off. She reclined on the chair, and closed her eyes. When she woke up, they would be in Kageb.

Tazuren sighed a bit as he walked out onto the snowed over tarmac of his private airfield and right to his Supersonic transport (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Sukhoi-Gulfstream_S-21.jpg) as it awaited for him to get on so that it would take him to Kageb for the new Queen's coronation, and wondered what the new Queen would be like. He sighed a bit and looked into the blowing snow and sighed softly before he got onto the transport and then sat down on his seat and then sighed a bit more as he pulled out his laptop and looked over what he had wanted to talked to the new Queen about.

after a few minutes of checking the transport the cabin door was shut and the jet taxied to the runway and put out full afterburner as it roared down the runway. After covering two thirds of the distance it pulled away from the pavement and soared gracefully into the air. Soon the wheels pulled inside and the wings swept back to halfway from upswept and fully swept as it pulled higher and higher into the sky. After a few minutes and out over open water the jet hooked up to a KC-10 Extender and filled up it's tanks to full levels and then unhooked and pulled into a steep climb to its cruising altitude and headed towards Kageb at full speed of Mach 2.5. Tazuren leaned back and sighed a bit as he had wanted to fly himself but due to some injuries he sustained he was forbidden to fly any plane by his personal doctor. He looked out of the window at the water far beneath the plane.

After many hours and several refills of gas the pilot contacted the Olyan airport and said "This is Emmerian One with the Royal President Tazuren Savu'len to attend the coronation of the new Queen of Kageb. Requesting landing clearance. Over." The pilot sighed softly as he brought the speed down to High subsonic instead of trying to make a supersonic or transonic landing as if he did would have to spend a full month of training under the watch of 'The Witch of the Military', who had a reputation as being the most strict Instructor, known to beat anyone who even had their shirt having even a single wrinkle.

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/Vegas_Ireland/NationStates/CoatofArmsofAthanes.png
The Federation of Athanes
The Office of the President

Your Majesty Queen Nymira,

Despite disagreeing with the abdication of Queen Ravana, the Federation of Athanes sends its greatest wishes to Kageb on the beginning of your reign. As President of Athanes, I would like to request permission of you to attend your coronation in Kageb, which I believe is taking place soon.

If I am granted the right to attend your coronation, expect to arrive in Kageb as soon as possible, along with my advisors. No matter what, I wish you the greatest of wishes in your goverance of Kageb and I hope you will lead Kageb into an age of prosperity.

Signed,
H. Falkland
President of the Federation of Athanes.

It was the day of the coronation. You probably would have known that since children were given a holiday from school while most of the national work force were able to stay at home and celebrate in whatever way that they thought was best. People all over Kageb were told that this was the beginning of a new era, an era in which the Crown would lead the people into bright days filled with peace and prosperity. It must be said that Queen Nymira was very happy as this day dawned upon her - she was fully confident that she would become a great queen. She was confident that she would lead the masses of Kageb well and had already begun shaping - in her mind - the numerous policies she hoped to have implemented. Soldiers were being sent to compose the honor guards that would greet foreign visitors while guests such as Nelenna Ghevas made their way to the Palace's ballroom where they'd be attending the pre-coronation gala.

The ballroom was already decorated with the finest decorations and filled with the elite of the elite - the high ranking nobility and aristocracy were all gathered in one single room along with members of the Royal Family who were hear to pay their respects to the new Queen. Espar and Janata had already arrived amidst much fanfare and each had their own tables at which they'd talk about whatever came to their minds. Janata, in particular, was eager to meet the foreign guests.

It must be said that the Baron Soryana was the one who greeted Tazuren when his plane was given permission to land, it was him who sent a message to Falkland explaining how he was welcome to attend the coronation, it was him who ordered one of his underlings to greet Camilla. He was the orchestrator of every thing that was to happen. When Tazuren landed, the Baron - dressed in a lavish outfit befitting his station - greeted him with a smile. "Welcome to Kageb, my friend. I am Baron Tomas Soryana, the Foreign Minister of Kageb. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please follow me to your motorcade."

The underling that the Baron had sent to greet Camilla had given him the exact same message - she was to follow him to her motorcade which would take her straight to the palace. The same would be done for Falkland and any others. So far had things been working as had been hoped. Nymira hoped that it'd be like that for the entirety of the day's events.

To: Kageb
From: Office of the High Councilor, Takaram

The High Councilor Marshall has been following the situation in your nation very closely, and would like to request that he and his wife Jessica be allowed to attend.

Louis Strong, Secretary of High Councilor David Marshall, Takaram

The High Councilor Marshall and his wife are both allowed to attend the coronation of our new monarch.

Signed,
Office of the Foreign Minister

Bumped.

Smoke hung thick in the room. Despite the current fashion worldwide many men in Slavian smoked indoors and several men in the green/brown uniforms sat in the room going over papers for the last time, a list of expected dignitaries on the top of the pile with further documents added carrying more detailed information.

- Most of this countries nobility... ah, pardon. Aristocracy. An imperial sister, presidents, councilours... the list goes on.'

The Commonwealth ambassador to the Queendom of Kageb, Szymon Melewicz, didn't reply immediatly instead observing what was going on outside. Flags were up and, as a national holiday had been declared, he saw citizens of Kageb walking by looking as if they felt it was one. Undoubtedly the mood in the country was much better since the prievous monarch abdicated... 'It was a good thing she did.' Melewicz thought. 'Better to leave with dignity rather than be forced.'

Of course the new monarch might prove problematic but intelligence seemed to show otherwise and the man hoped that all the hard negotiated pacts would stay the same, the stockmarket saw enough wavering over the personal life of Kagebs elite as it was.

Melewicz sighed as he turned from the window and waved the men in the room to continue. Like most men in Slavian the ambassador had served in the army and like most of the government he had served longer than what was mandatroy for male citizens of the Commonwealth and it showed, despite being past his fifth decade, smoking and drinking for most of that time he still had the health men younger than him envied. He sat down to re-read the invitation absent mindedly stroking his moustache.

- 'All these high and mighty showing up and the government sends me to represent it, lets hope they don't see it as an insult.'
- 'Should hardly think so sir what with the Monarch being on a state visit elsewhere and the Prime Minister visiting the troops... we know nothing of anyone seeing it as a problem.'

Another sigh as Melewicz envisioned the evening to come, heads of states and polite conversation on food portions that would starve a sparrow and without the ability of getting drunk.

- 'Get the car ready, I'll be down in a moment.'
- 'Tak jest, panie Ambassadorze.'

OOC: Slavian Republics, you can send your guys into Kageb. Just send them to the ballroom - this goes for the other guests as well, unless you'd like to RP a conversation with your Kagebi escorts before that.

High Councilor Marshall and his wife sat across from each other, both staring out the window of the jet as it sped over the ocean. David turned his head slightly, glancing at one of the F-22 escorts who would leave as they entered Kagebi airspace.
Jessica looked at him. "I find it sad that a people could be so intolerant that they suddenly turned on a ruler who had been so beloved before," she said.
"Well, I agree with you, but there isn't much we can do. It was an internal issue, and the best we can do now is make friends with the new Queen," David replied.
As he returned to looking out the window, he saw the F-22's turn and head in the opposite direction. They would land on an aircraft carrier out in the ocean and wait for the end of the coronation.
Soon enough, the plane was landing in Kageb, where they exited the plane and into a limo that would take them to the ballroom where all of the foreign dignitaries were gathering.

Emperor Resantole looked at the invitation and then to the aide who had brought him it. He had had a quiet reign for a while and was enjoying it but a coronation was not something he wanted to attend.

"You know how I hate going to all these fancy things where most of the people are stuck up. I'd rather go to the game this weekend, like I usually do and support Resa FC. Instead of attending, I'll send a personal video to this new Queen, congratulating her on her ascension to the throne and if she has any questions to ask then she should contact me. These coronations are not fruitful in the long run with every world leader trying to get a slice of the new pie."

"As you wish Emperor. I shall set up the recording studio." The aide left and 10 minutes later called the Emperor to tell him the studio was ready for him.

"3...2...1..." The aide put his thumb up to signal that the cameras were rolling. Marcus spoke.

"Hello Queen Nymira. I am Emperor Marcus Resantole of Londim. I apologise for not being able to attend your coronation however I wish you all the best. You are probably tired after the events of the day and the last thing you probably wish to see is the face of another world leader hounding you with questions and requests. Take comfort in the fact that I have no questions or requests. This is purely a sign of congratulations. If you have any questions regarding anything, please do not hesitate to contact me. Welcome to the world."

With that, the camera was turned off and the film packaged.

"Send that with great security to the Queen. She will probably receive it in a day or two and watch it when she has the time." remarked Marcus

The underling that the Baron had sent to greet Camilla had given him the exact same message - she was to follow him to her motorcade which would take her straight to the palace.

"Okay." Camilla said, running a few fingers, dripping with water, through her hair. Her short nap in the plane's seat had come to an abrupt end when the plane touched down on the runway. Camilla, now regretting the fact that she had forgotten to buckle her seat belt prior to the plane's landing, despite her aide's best efforts to wake her, which seemed to consist of several shakes and manners of liquids poured on her face. Having quickly changed from casual attire to clothing more befitting of diplomatic representative, more formal attire, with nothing to tell of her status, save for a small necklace, which displayed the Angenterian royal crest.

"So, let's go over everything."

"Well..." Her aide, a man named Louis Hamill, replied, consulting a piece of paper. "we're coming here for the coronation of Queen Nymira of Kageb-"

"Louis?" Camilla suddenly cut in.

"My lady?"

"I already know that part."

"O-oh." Louis replied, blushing slightly. "Right." Louis Hamill had been Camilla's personal aide for a few years, entrusted by the Emperor to see to her needs. He has acted as butler, secretary, chauffeur, and even bodyguard when the needs have arisen. An older man in his mid-40's, he had been serving the Imperial family faithfully since Camilla's father, Emperor Anticus, had been on the throne. "Right. In that case, you should know that the previous Queen-"

"Abdicated because she was a lesbian." Camilla quickly said, looking over her shoulder away from the mirror. She flashed a wink in his direction.

"R-right!" Louis quickly put in. "Queen Ravana. You should know that they are all siblings, by the way. Queens Ravana and Nymira, as well as Prince Espar and Princess Janata."

"What happened to their parents?" Camilla asked.

"Dead, I think. Their father, the King, died while in power. We have no idea about her mother."

Camilla turned over her shoulder again, flashing a grin. "I thought Angenterian intelligence was second to none."

Louis returned the grin. "Only when it needs to be, My Lady."

Camilla chuckled. "Of course." She stepped away from the mirror, crossing the diameter of the room to the door, to where Louis was standing. She had no time to properly dry her hair, and strands of it were still wet, and hung loosely from her head. While this would diminish the looks of some, it only make her look more exotic. Whether this was accidental, or deliberately planned by her, Louis did not know. She folded her arms.

"Ready?"

Louis nodded. Reaching out, he opened the door to the plane's cabin.

-------------------------------------------------------

Stepping off the plane, Camilla, Louis, and two Royal Guardsmen, both wearing the white uniforms of their station, descended the stairs to where the single dignitary awaited them.

"Welcome to Kageb, my friend. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please follow me to your motorcade."

"Of course." Camilla replied, nodding. "My brother sends his deepest regrets on being unable to attend. He has been called away on an important matter." Honestly, she had no idea what Marcus was up to this time. For all she knew, he sent her in order to not have to do anything. But she new her brother. If he said he had to do something, he wasn't lying.

For now, she followed the dignitary to the waiting motorcade.

The ballroom was already filled with the nobles and aristocrats of the realm along with the young ones who had snagged the chance to attend, those teenage nobles and aristocrats who danced away worries, who flirted with each other and who giggled and laughed like jackasses - depending on who you were talking with about them. Princess Janata had been sitting at a table with her friends while Espar and Esther spoke to some nobleman fondling his moustache - he must have been one of those military officers, the sort of officer who had a Victorian look but a modern mind. Most of these guests were not stuck up at all - sure, a few were - but most were amiable individuals.

The Queen had been sitting at her very own table along with Vara Klomas and the highest nobles in the entirety of the Queendom. Nymira was gorgeous in the eyes of the men who took their seats on both sides of her - their eyes sizing her up while she herself was indifferent to their attraction. She had the look of Botticelli's Venus but the ruthless ambition of Stalin flowing in her veins. Her scarlet eyes examined everyone from the lowly butlers to the women in lavish dresses, a few of them looking like they'd run off with the men that they were talking with. As she took casual sips from her drink, she occassionally whispered to Vara.

-----------------

The dignitary hardly spoke to Camilla about anything beyond the usual rhetoric about the sights and sounds of Olyan. He was a young and strapping gentleman and surely could have struck a chord with this foreign princess - but this dignitary had a pregnant wife waiting for him with their first child, and he loved her too much to consider cheating. The chauffer vanished as soon as Camilla and Louis arrived at the palace where they were greeted - swarmed, though, being the appropriate word at times - by the locals including Nymira who bade Camilla welcome in the name of solidarity among world royalty - something she added in for kicks, or was it sincere?

Nelenna and Tomas had been sitting at their own table while they talked about the most recent case that they had solved. Something about a man who had raped a young woman, Nelenna recalled, and how he was captured after being spotted by a bunch of Girl Scouts. Heroines, she thought. Tomas, on the other hand, was too busy staring at Camilla in order to listen. "I'm going to talk to that princess," Tomas said with a grin, "I think she's pretty sexy...."

Nelenna sighed and did the gesture you know as the facepalm. "There is no way she's going to consider you as a possible lover at all. You're just a commoner while she's goddamn royalty - well, she could consider you, but I don't know about that. I guess you've got to risk it."

Tomas smiled before he stood up from his seat. "Then I shall," he proclaimed before waltzing over to Camilla with a bow and a smile - followed by the following information: "Your Highness, my name is Tomas Korvas - a representative from the Olyan Police Force and I must say how pleasurable it is to meet such a beautiful woman as yourself. May I, if it is to your liking, speak with you? I'd love to get to know you and I'd be able, I'm sure, to answer any questions you may have."

Upon Camilla's arrival, she was sort of, but not really, surprised to find herself swamped by a number of people from around the country, all sending their greetings and best wishes and all sorts of formal things. Camilla was no newcomer to the world of formal gatherings, and returned them to the best of her abilities, including that of the Queen-to-be Nymira. During their brief conversation, Camilla sized her up. She was beautiful, that was certain, but there was something about her demeanor that screamed 'I'm ready for this job.'

"She's something all right." Camilla would later comment. "Beautiful, but very ambitious. One with plans, that's for certain."

As time went on, people had begun to pay less and less attention to the Angenterians, returning to their previous discussions, or scurrying off to greet some other important dignitary upon their arrivals. Camilla was fine with that. It didn't matter to her either way. Grabbing a drink off a passing waiter, she noticed a man crossing the room, heading in her direction, with a bunch of people sitting at a nearby table behind him, pretending like they weren't watching her. Upon reaching her, he bowed gracefully.

"Your Highness, my name is Tomas Korvas - a representative from the Olyan Police Force and I must say how pleasurable it is to meet such a beautiful woman as yourself. May I, if it is to your liking, speak with you? I'd love to get to know you and I'd be able, I'm sure, to answer any questions you may have."

Camilla grinned, crossing in front of Louis, who looked like he was about to head him off. He was brave, Camilla noted. It took a lot of balls for him come up to her out of nowhere and try to strike something up. Quite a healthy change from tiring nobles, who couldn't talk without the endless need to list their innumerable achievements crediting their loyalty and birth and all sorts of things like that.

"The first thing you should know." She said, tilting her head to the side. "Don't bow so low. It just doesn't look right." She smirked. "First thing I want to know." She covertly gestured to the table with the gazing people, or those who pretended not to be, probably his partners. "Which one of them put you up to this?"

It was quite last-second that Duchessa Venturini decided to attend the coronation in the backwater nation of Kageb. She had no personal attachments to the people, the woman in question, or anything of the sort -- but she was invited and it was a party, and it was the perfect chance, perhaps, to practice exerting influence over other nations. After all, if the plan against the Regnancy was kicked off and the government was rebuilt, she knew she was first in line as candidate for the open position … what were they calling it, State Affairs Councilor? And she certainly would have de Rossi support, since Marco wouldn’t be running.

She had taken the Venturini family jet, the high-end, pricy number known as the Falcon 7X that had been gifted to them by the domestic Dassault manufacturers, none other than the Marquess Corporation, damn their ever-grasping hands.

The flight left something to be desired, however. No matter how fine her transportation or the service aboard, or how lovely her company was, she was still going to the ass end of nowhere. Her, the head of the great House Venturini and soon-to-be Councilor… Marco never had to go to places like this. As they flew over Kageb, all she could think was “My God, these poor people.”

Indeed, in comparison to Santheres and her family, they were.

“I heard Marco joking about buying the entire country,” said her companion, Giovanni.

She smiled, “Their product is 3.2 trillion. I daresay any family except the Condozzi could buy it, dear Gio.”

A chime played over the intercom. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are making our final approach and will be in on the ground in Kageb within fifteen minutes.”

“Ready to slum it?” Giovanni asked, smiling back at Bianca.

She shook her head and looked out the window. “Dear me, no,” she chuckled. “Not at all.”

When they landed, they took simple transportation to the royal palace, slightly ahead of word of their impending arrival. At this time, the palace would be receiving a call that the duchessa and a guest were in Kageb and would make their presence known in the capitol quite soon.

OOC: Santheres, Kageb wouldn't take too kindly to such thoughts - we're a fully developed and prosperous nation. We're not some backwater hellhole but I apologize if I've misinterpreted your characters' line of thought.

While the Duchess Bianca and her companions were being escorted to the Royal Palace as had all the other guests been, their entrance into the palace announced and the Queen and all others swarming them with welcomes and the like, Tomas Korvas was busy trying to explain to the Princess of Angenteria that he had introduced himself to her out of his own free will and not on bets made by others. With a smile upon him, Tomas explained that he just wanted to get to know a guest or two before the gala ended and was glad that his position in the social strata didn't seem to prevent a conversation from occuring. She made her living in the confines of royalty while he made his in tracking down pedophiles and murderers.

"Your Highness," Tomas began with a gentlemanly tone, "we ought to find a table for ourselves. If you wouldn't mind it, I'd love for you to tell me all about Angenteria and yourself - I'm sure that there is more to you than the simple fact that your parents were royalty - even royalty have personalities and hobbies. As for myself, I'm just a detective who spends his days tracking down the scum of society in the name of the people. I've been doing that for numerous years and I plan to do it for many more years, depending on what Fortune throws upon me. I am a commoner who is touched by your kindness to talk with me so far and I'm honored to meet you. I never would have thought that I'd ever meet, let alone talk with, royalty because, well, I simply assumed I'd live my life like every other commoner I know."

Camilla listened intently as Tomas tried desperately to explain herself to her, saying over and over that nobody had put her up to it, and he did it all on his own. He's a good person, Camilla remembered thinking. He just didn't know what exactly to say. It wasn't every day one got to talk to a princess, after all. Unless you're a noble, then you can probably get in touch with one via a phone call. Plus, he probably thought she was sexy, and that was already a definite plus. Well, today would be his lucky day. Besides, it would give her an excuse to not have to talk to that Dutchess from Santheres, who was already beginning to waltz her status around.

Camilla chuckled. "It's okay. You don't have to try to impress me." He put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be happy to talk to you." She looked over her shoulder. "Let's go before the Queen Bitch of the Universe over there comes here."

The sights along the way were … not bad, Bianca supposed. Granted, they were being driving through the best the city could offer, as would be standard procedure for anywhere -- you don’t take visitors through the bad parts of town unless they ask for it or you can’t avoid it, after all. That ruins the reputation and can crush the tourism industry. Some of the blocks were impressive, some the architecture as good as they would expect find at home. Others looked as though they attempted to be great but couldn’t quite meet the bar.

Bianca sat in silence with Gio throughout the trip. The prejudiced thoughts going through their heads couldn’t very well be voiced anymore, not in such close quarters to the driver, a Kageb native. They didn’t want to offend anyone, after all.

They remained quiet until they reached the palace. At that point, they both smiled in approval. Finally, there was something that was good and high class. As expected. After all, money flowed from the top and without proper constraints, the purchasing power of the nobility far outstripped that of even communities of lower born.

“Well, that sure it nice,” Gio said. “Nothing like that in Santheres.”

Quite so, as even the central residences of the seats of power of each great house were much more humble and more in-line with the homes of the moderately-wealthy around them. It helped that the unofficial income caps and taxes vastly decreased the gap between the middle and upper classes.

Bianca nodded in response and said in Italian. “Yes. We’ll see if that’s a good thing or not, though.” She spoke with a tone that implied she was practically on a shopping trip. Whether or not she would buy the wares that upcoming queen would hawk -- trade agreements, alliances, perhaps some kind of greater influence over Kageb’s affairs…. The options were many, really, and she would take it upon herself to make as many inroads on political and diplomatic relations as she could. It would certainly not hurt her future bid for councilor.

They were announced in the palace and swarmed by … well, they weren’t overly sure who all was there, but the queen was certainly amongst them. She was easily identifiable.

“Queen Nymeria, I believe, it is an honor to meet a woman of such … similar perspective,” she said, offering her hand to the evidently much younger woman. “And so young, too. How darling. I am Duchessa Bianca Venturini. And this is my, ah, prospective fiancée.”

Gio followed quickly, offering his own hand. “Marchese Giovanni de Rossi; it is a pleasure.”

Tomas was quite happy to know that Camilla was warming up to him despite the obvious differences that could be found between them. It was possible that she found him to be a very handsome man like he had found her to be a very appealing woman but that had remained to be seen. After leading her to the table and helping her take her seat like a gentleman would, Tomas began to ask a variety of questions about her and Angenteria. He studied her physique and grinned. "I'm sure that the men of Angenteria swarm you like locusts upon wheat, Your Highness. Heck, I would not be surprised if the odd lesbian took that sort of interest in you. I'm sure that, as we speak, the eyes of many a man are upon you."

When Tomas found himself staring at the little bit of cleavage that was showing, he pulled himself out of the staring and sighed, feeling a bit embarressed that he had done that to Camilla. He found her gorgeous but he wasn't going to objectify this woman. That wasn't his style, no matter how tempting it was. "Your Highness, do you have a special someone back in Angenteria? I assume there's some nobleman who has chased you around or some aristocrat's son that your father had his sights on, in plans to tie you to him."

------

Nymira had finally acquired her meeting with Duchess Bianca and welcomed her with an affection befitting a royal. Despite her seemingly pleasant attitude towards Bianca and Giovanni, there wasn't a likely chance that Nymira would give Santheres any influence in the direction of government. Nymira was a very beautiful woman but underneath the vixen was a serpent willing to strike at its enemies. She was like the flower and the serpent that was under it. "It is a pleasure to meet the famed Bianca Venturini. Please take a seat at my table so we may discuss business."

Nymira spoke in the refined tone of voice but if Bianca listened closely to every word then she could tell that Nymira was being very serious. "It is a pleasure to meet the Duchess and her fiancee - I myself have no man that I wish to tie myself down to but it is possible that I will have a man for my own sometime in the future. Anyways, I believe it's time that our nations became close friends. You ought to know, Duchess, that I supported your words in those messages you wrote about my sister - poor Ravana, Love drove her away from the Court. Just like it did with Espar - his marriage to that supermodel was more important to him than inheriting the throne. That's the only reason why Ravana was even Queen at all. After she abdicated, Espar refused to assume control and it fell upon me to do so."

As Vara introduced herself to both Giovanni and Bianca, Nymira continued to talk while sipping from her glass of expensive wine. "It is my goal to make this nation great and prosperous and to protect it from any enemy that dares to attack us. I love my nation and my love for it flows through my veins. It drives me to rule."

The other nobles around them were listening to the conversation or simply sitting around and talking amongst themselves. Nymira was very happy to speak with Bianca, hoping to convert her into a good friend. "Kageb and Santheres ought to become close friends in this world. I don't see why we'd need to become enemies. First of all, let us exchange embassies and open trade networks. We can have our people interact with each other in cultural solidarity - we can learn from each other in a friendly pursuit of knowledge. Do you, Duchess, have any ideas?"

From: Julian Marskovic, Secretary to the Crown.
To: Her Highness, Princess Nymira of Kageb.
Re: Forthcoming events.

Your Highness,

His Imperial and Serene Majesty, Michael VI of New Chalcedon, directs me to send the Empire's congratulations on your forthcoming coronation, and requests that a representative, Lieutenant-Colonel Marcus Phoraktes, be permitted to attend to witness upon his behalf. Ordinarily, he would do so himself or send a family member, but the situation in the Empire is rather unsettled at present, and the lives of the remaining loyalist Imperial Family members are too valuable to risk. Please respond at your convenience.

Regards,

Julian Marskovic
Secretary to the Crown.

From: Helena Draskovic, Secretary to the Crown.
To: Her Highness, Princess Nymira of Kageb.
Re: Impending events.

Your Highness,

Please accept the congratulations of Her Imperial and Serene Majesty, Eirena IV of New Chalcedon, upon the felicitous accession of yourself to the throne of Kageb. Her Imperial and Serene Majesty would consider it an honour if a representative of the Crown were to be permitted to attend. Please respond at your convenience.

Regards,

Helena Draskovic
Secretary to the Crown.

From: Maria Opthalamea, Secretary of State for the Republic of New Chalcedon.
To: Her Royal Highness, Nymira of Kageb, Queen-elect.
Re: Events to come.

Your Highness,

His Excellency, Cyaxares Melepotas, President of New Chalcedon, has directed myself, as Secretary of State to the Republic, to offer the congratulations and felicitations of the Republic and her people to yourself and your great nation of Kageb.

His Excellency the President would count it a personal favour if the Republic were to be permitted to send Senator Leonides Hashanas, a close confidante of His Excellency, to witness the events taking place in Kageb and discuss matters of mutual benefit.

[Signed]

Maria Opthalamea
Secretary of State, Republic of New Chalcedon.

OOC: You'll understand why the three separate requests when you read this (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=590114).

The duchess smiled at the comment about enemies and said, “Was there a chance we’d become enemies to begin with?” She accompanied it with a slight chuckle to make it obvious that she wasn’t serious. “Indeed, we do have an embassy program that I’m sure your staff can deal with at some point. I would think trade is no problem, though I have little say in such things at the nation-wide level. That would, if not through individual companies, go through State Affairs and I’m not in that position … not yet, at least.

“I am quite sure there is much good to be done between us. Mm, some of which must be discussed in a more closed-doors environment, you understand.”

Gio cleared his throat. “If I may, on behalf of State Affairs, simply offer you a position to be filled with your application. We would fast track its approval, I assure you. My brother is, you see, for now the one who is in that position.”

Bianca nodded, “Of course, I would defer to you on such matters. I can certainly speak for House Venturini as far as official trade goes. I’m to understand that we have some trickles of trade with your nation, small business ventures and such. We could easily see about making some large in-roads here with some of the businesses which my family oversees. That may or may not bring in some competition from other companies.”

"Duchess, it is my sincere hope that the nation of Santheres and my beloved homeland will be able to look upon this meeting as the pitoval moment; the day in which our nations became the best of friends. One can only hope in politics - nothing in politics is ever certain. An alliance may once pass away into obscurity and an empire may rise again from the ashes."

Nymira took the brief moment of silence to sip from her glass before she continued to speak again to the Duchess. She seemed pretty glad to be speaking with a foreign noblewoman that she had agreed with, a woman that was getting stares from some of the men in the ballroom. "We can easily arrange a meeting for us to have when only we are around in a given room, Duchess, and I'll recommend to you that you arrange it with the Baron Soryana, my Foreign Minister who deals with such matters as his title obviously entails."

She smiled at the Duchess and looked over towards Giovanni. "If Santherean businesses were to become entrenched in Kageb then would it be possible for Kagebi families to do the same in Santheres? I expect that some people will reject a one sided argument totally in the favor of Santheres. As for fast forwarding, as you said, our application, I think that's a good idea. A Kagebi ambassador can easily be dragged up from the depths of the Foreign Ministry to represent us in Santheres."

Nymira gulped down the rest of her wine and then dabbed her mouth with a napkin before looking to see if she could get some more food. "Duchess, do you think it will be possible for me to visit Santheres? As the Queen, along with my expected duty to marry and continue the dynasty, I think I must see the world. As such, I hope you will be able to help me see Santheres. In exchange, I can easily secure for you both a tour of Kageb."

The Foreign Ministry of Kageb was filled with thousands of workers who conveyed messages and collected valuable information concerning foreign relations along with many other tasks. One of the workers was a young man who had recently come back from work after marrying the woman he loved. Here was a hard working man with a very flirtatious, loose but loyal woman. She called herself a personal slut, a woman whose body was all for her husband's taking and this young man couldn't wait to get to her at home after his shift was finished. As he sat there, staring at a portrait of him with his wife that sat on his desk, the three messages from New Chalcedon came onto his desk.

The young man looked upon the messages with a calm mind despite the confusion that he had over which one ought to be accepted. Kageb had heard about the conflict in New Chalcedon but hadn't done anything about it, because Kagebi citizens believed in neutrality in foreign conflicts. Yet, here were three messages from each faction and three paths which laid open. Should Kageb side with fellow monarchists or ironically throw its support behind republicans? The nobility wouldn't take too kindly to supporting republicans who may end up inspiring anti-monarchist feelings in the Queendom, the young man had thought, but he sent all three messages to where they had ought to be sent regardless of that.

Every message from any foreign statesman went through certain channels which all ended up being connected to what everyone called the "heart" of the Foreign Ministry which was the office of the Baron Soryana, the Foreign Minister of the Queendom. The "heart" pumped the "blood" or orders through the "veins" or channels. The entire government was like the human body with all of its components. The Crown, of course, was the heart of the nation.

When the Baron Soryana had been told about the messages from a messenger who had rushed to the palace without relent, he seemed quite intrigued by the prospect of a diplomatic problem albeit he didn't really want that at all. He simply looked upon the message and stashed it into his pocket. As he walked over to Vara, who recieved the message and then discussed it with Nymira (who proclaimed all three were accepted - each faction could send a guest), the Baron watched Janata walk by with her posse of friends. He smiled.

Princess Janata was the youngest of the four Charka children. She had been concieved under circumstances of passionate lovemaking during a vacation to a seaside resort and was praised as being very beautiful when she came out of the womb - a bloodsoaked blessing of Heaven in a blue blanket, in the hands of Queen Consort Kara who was well known for her own beauty and, in the words of her husband, for being a wildcat in the bedroom. It seemed that royalty always found the best women.

Princess Janata looked over to stare at Bianca Venturini and smiled. If Bianca and/or Giovanni had chosen to look at her in return, she would wave to them and greet them with the usual formula. My name is Princess Janata and it is a pleasure to meet you both. Something like that. If Nymira hadn't been able to acquire children, and if Espar refused to rule again, Janata may end up one day on the throne but it couldn't be too hard for Nymira to find a proper husband?

Right?

OOC: New Chalcedon, all three requests have been accepted. I was thinking that they would all be competiting for Kagebi recognition and support. I'll edit my post if needed.

Camilla leaned forward in her seat, listening intently to what Tomas had to say, and answering his questions about Angenteria and the lives of royalty. She was surprised to learn that he was so curious about such things. She found the inner-politics of royalty and it's accompanying nobility to be bothering and tiresome. However, in order to survive in such a world, she had been forced to gain a working knowledge of it's alienable ways. Despite her relative youth, she was well-versed in Angenteria's noble ways. Who was in power, who was out of power, who was up-and-coming. Which houses had the most High Lords in office. Things like that.

"I'm sure that the men of Angenteria swarm you like locusts upon wheat, Your Highness. Heck, I would not be surprised if the odd lesbian took that sort of interest in you. I'm sure that, as we speak, the eyes of many a man are upon you."

Camilla chucked. "You're too kind, Tomas." She took a sip of her wine, which she had left untouched since she had picked it up. "But I don't think this is the best time to be mentioning lesbians around here. Speaking of which..." She covertly motioned to the table Tomas had been previously sitting at before. "That woman over there seems to taking a good look."

She laughed, ensuring it was just a joke. "Do you know her, by any chance?" Taking a good look at him, Tomas didn't seem like the type of person to strike up a chat with another woman while his significant other was in the room, no matter of that other woman happened to be a blue blood.

"Your Highness, do you have a special someone back in Angenteria? I assume there's some nobleman who has chased you around or some aristocrat's son that your father had his sights on, in plans to tie you to him."

"The houses? They would, and my face is up here, just so you know..." At that comment, Louis tensed, shooting a short, but intensely cold stare at Tomas, before going back to nibbling on some finger food. A clear warning to not do that again. "...have loved to get one of their people to marry me. But my father wouldn't have it. He said he wanted me to find somebody for myself, regardless of birth. And my brother knows not to try that." She grinned. She seemed to have written off Tomas' idle state. He had corrected it himself, and began to turn red. He seemed honestly sorry.

“Santherese,” Bianca corrected when Nymira used an inappropriate demonym.

The both of them allowed her to finish speaking after that. When she was done, the duchessa nodded and replied, “Of course Kagebi could do what they could to access our markets, we have no intent of keeping anyone out.” A minor lie, but honest enough. She added, in the spirit of truthfulness and preservation of continuing relations, though, “Unless you deal with Anghele, of course, or their MAC contractor which produces the most dreadful-looking weapons. Truly dreadful, I would be embarrassed to be seen with guards armed with them.”

Gio laughed, but quickly regained his composure. “Of course, that is serious. We are embargoing Anghele and just about everyone who trades with them above a certain, very low, amount lira value. As such, I feel it would be important to impart the seriousness of the duchessa’s seemingly lighthearted comment. Put simply, buy from MAC, and we cut ties. Naturally, I believe this shouldn’t pose a problem as there are many, far superior weapons manufacturers in the world. Etoile Arcture has a number, and of course there’s always the Leistungi shipyards.”

Bianca cleared her throat. “But back to the subject at hand. I am more than positive that you could visit in an official capacity. You could, of course, visit in an unofficial capacity whenever you’d like. Though, for the sake of protection as, how to put this… your title implies a certain level of tyranny of which the populace is wary, I would suggest an official visit with all the pomp and circumstance. They’ll find out who you are sooner or later in any case, so there would be no hope of being incognito, as they say.”

Olyan International Airport

Three different aircraft approached the airport, from three directions - the details had been worked out such that no two factions' representatives would have to see each other.

From the East, the state-of-the-art luxury airliner Imperial Grace began to make her final descent, carrying Senator Marcus DiAntonio, representing Empress Eirena's government if Constantinopolis Secundus.

From the West, a chartered AirBus 600 personal transport carried Lt.-Col. Marcus Phoraktes, representing Emperor Michael's faction, which was based at Novoa Hadrianopolis.

From the South, the Bombadier Learjet 85 cruised the final two hundred miles whilst carrying Senator Hashanas, having been delayed by the need to detour around the vast majority of the Empire that was in the hands of one Imperial government or the other.

(OOC: Sure thing, Kageb. And the reason Grace's type isn't given is that it's a one-of-a-kind aircraft, not analogous to any commercial model. It's a symbol of Imperial power and prestige, and Eirena's use of it for this indicates that she's placed a fairly high priority on Kageb's friendship.)

Camilla chucked. "You're too kind, Tomas." She took a sip of her wine, which she had left untouched since she had picked it up. "But I don't think this is the best time to be mentioning lesbians around here. Speaking of which..." She covertly motioned to the table Tomas had been previously sitting at before. "That woman over there seems to taking a good look."

She laughed, ensuring it was just a joke. "Do you know her, by any chance?" Taking a good look at him, Tomas didn't seem like the type of person to strike up a chat with another woman while his significant other was in the room, no matter of that other woman happened to be a blue blood.

"Nelenna Ghevas is my partner in the Olyan Police Service and she's well known for her heroism and ability to track down criminals. She was invited here as one of the esteemed commoners so to speak, and I got to be her accompanying guest. Don't think she's a lesbian. She isn't."

Tomas chuckled. "She could find a man for herself but it doesn't seem like she's interested in such things but, then, she could probably find someone good. As for myself, well, I've never really looked into women that much but, then again, I guess my line of work really blocks off your love life."

"The houses? They would, and my face is up here, just so you know..." At that comment, Louis tensed, shooting a short, but intensely cold stare at Tomas, before going back to nibbling on some finger food. A clear warning to not do that again. "...have loved to get one of their people to marry me. But my father wouldn't have it. He said he wanted me to find somebody for myself, regardless of birth. And my brother knows not to try that." She grinned. She seemed to have written off Tomas' idle state. He had corrected it himself, and began to turn red. He seemed honestly sorry.

Tomas nodded his head. "I must say that I'm sure you would find a great man to settle down with. There's no way, methinks, that you will not be able to find one at all. You're just too beautiful and nice to be forgotten like that. Perhaps you would like to talk with the Queen after this? Or, if it is your fancy, may I have the honor of a dance? I can hear the faint sounds of the local musicians and the mutterings of the ladies, you know."

He looked over to Louis and smiled. Louis must have been the sort of man who'd protect his liege - Camilla - from possible threats. It didn't matter to Tomas because that's what he did with Nelenna whenever some crazed gunman was in their sights or what have you. Tomas studied Camilla while he finished his meal. It was hard to keep his eye off her at all, and he even stared into her cleavage for a moment before quickly withdrawing. "Even the knight has his flaws," he uttered.

“Santherese,” Bianca corrected when Nymira used an inappropriate demonym.

The both of them allowed her to finish speaking after that. When she was done, the duchessa nodded and replied, “Of course Kagebi could do what they could to access our markets, we have no intent of keeping anyone out.” A minor lie, but honest enough. She added, in the spirit of truthfulness and preservation of continuing relations, though, “Unless you deal with Anghele, of course, or their MAC contractor which produces the most dreadful-looking weapons. Truly dreadful, I would be embarrassed to be seen with guards armed with them.”

Gio laughed, but quickly regained his composure. “Of course, that is serious. We are embargoing Anghele and just about everyone who trades with them above a certain, very low, amount lira value. As such, I feel it would be important to impart the seriousness of the duchessa’s seemingly lighthearted comment. Put simply, buy from MAC, and we cut ties. Naturally, I believe this shouldn’t pose a problem as there are many, far superior weapons manufacturers in the world. Etoile Arcture has a number, and of course there’s always the Leistungi shipyards.”

Bianca cleared her throat. “But back to the subject at hand. I am more than positive that you could visit in an official capacity. You could, of course, visit in an unofficial capacity whenever you’d like. Though, for the sake of protection as, how to put this… your title implies a certain level of tyranny of which the populace is wary, I would suggest an official visit with all the pomp and circumstance. They’ll find out who you are sooner or later in any case, so there would be no hope of being incognito, as they say.”

Nymira attentively listened to every word that flowed from Bianca's mouth while ignoring the lewd glances of the noblemen's sons, a group of young men that resembled high school jocks rather than the sons of nobles who were chivalrous and gentlemanly when it came to dealings with women. Nymira didn't really want to spoil things by telling Bianca that she was being stared at and perhaps, as the feminists would tell you, being raped with their eyes. What else would you call a man who's imagining a noblewoman of the House Venturini in his bed, with nothing on but lingerie?

While she listened to Bianca, she tried to pick out suspicious things. This whole affair with Anghele - what was that about? "Why have you embargoed Anghele? Can I assume that Santheres had a score to settle with them?"

Nymira had her glass of wine refilled. "I am glad to know that I'll be able to visit Santheres and I really don't mind about the reaction I'll get - it's expected that some nations don't like monarchs, after all."

Nymira adjusted herself upon the seat and took a good look at her acquaintances. "When do you think we may finalize the embassy and trade agreements? We can now - in another room of the palace - if that is what you would like."

Olyan International Airport

Three different aircraft approached the airport, from three directions - the details had been worked out such that no two factions' representatives would have to see each other.

From the East, the state-of-the-art luxury airliner Imperial Grace began to make her final descent, carrying Senator Marcus DiAntonio, representing Empress Eirena's government if Constantinopolis Secundus.

From the West, a chartered AirBus 600 personal transport carried Lt.-Col. Marcus Phoraktes, representing Emperor Michael's faction, which was based at Novoa Hadrianopolis.

From the South, the Bombadier Learjet 85 cruised the final two hundred miles whilst carrying Senator Hashanas, having been delayed by the need to detour around the vast majority of the Empire that was in the hands of one Imperial government or the other.

Each faction's representative was graciously recieved by the Kagebi officials appointed hastily to greet and escort them to the pre-coronation gala. There was an atmosphere of political confusion over them as the three were carried off in armored motorcades of equal worth, off towards a single woman whose favors that they would undoubtedly seek. As they went onward, down towards their destination, Nymira recieved word of their arrival and smiled. "This should be fun," she uttered softly under her breath.

All three representatives were soon led into the ballroom where they recieved the stares of the local nobles and aristocrats and of the other guests. Nymira was one of the first to immediately notice them from her position at the Queen's Table - she smiled and welcomed them all, knowing she'll be the object of their attention throughout the gala. The Baron Soryana picked up the signal that he may soon be needed while the Queen watched them, as did mostly everyone else. Who knows what was going to happen?

"Hello Queen Nymira. I am Emperor Marcus Resantole of Londim. I apologise for not being able to attend your coronation however I wish you all the best. You are probably tired after the events of the day and the last thing you probably wish to see is the face of another world leader hounding you with questions and requests. Take comfort in the fact that I have no questions or requests. This is purely a sign of congratulations. If you have any questions regarding anything, please do not hesitate to contact me. Welcome to the world."

The following letter was sent whenever Nymira had recieved Marcus' gift:

"Emperor Marcus,

I would like to know if it would be possible for our two nations to become close friends - perhaps our foreign ministers could meet together at a mutually acceptable location to discuss the details of an exchange of embassies and the creation of trade - and I am touched by your welcome and best wishes. I hope that, perhaps, you and I can meet one day - until then, I wish you all the best as a fellow monarch."

“Santheres has no scores to settle. Anghele is a tyrannical, genocidal regime that has in the past murdered millions of people for minor crimes, and has according to intelligence sold millions more into slavery abroad.” Her voice was completely deadpan, the most eminently serious tone that Nymira had likely heard someone use. She didn’t smile, her eyes remained fixed on the queen the entire time she was speaking.

Then she chuckled. “And that is that, as they say. It’s all a simple reaction, the best we could do without outright invading and crushing the little twits.”

Gio said, “Of course, we would much rather not invade anyone. War is quite the last resort. I know many in this world don’t believe so, but c’est la vie, what can you do? We must remain noble and cultured in spite of it all.

“Regarding the embassy, though, milady, if you just send an aid to message State Affairs and fill in an application, I can accompany it with a call to forward it through immediately. Here,” he pulled out a card from his breast pocket, extending it vaguely toward Nymira and some of the others in front of him, “is the contact information.”

Bianca added in, “Trade, however, may best be left for a little later, shall we? I would so hate to leave the lovely company of everyone here.” She glanced over at a group of young men, likely half her age, who were gathered off to the side and watching the proceedings, or watching her, she wasn’t entirely sure. It certainly wasn’t the sort of behavior she expected to see in court, and certainly not the kind targeting a woman of her age.

"Perhaps you might introduce us to some other notable attendees?"

OOC: Embassy link in sig.

Official Message
From: TSRT Foreign Ministry
To: Her Highness, Princess Nymira of Kageb.
"The Totalitarian State politely congratulates Princess Nymira in her upcoming coronation and leadership as Queen. We hope that she may have a long and productive reign to help strengthen her nation and bring it fully on to the world stage.

As a offering of our appreciation, the Red Tidean State wishes too send Vyacheslav Gromkyo as a guest too your new leaders coronation. We also hope to negotiate various trade and diplomatic agreements as a necessary precurser to a long productive relationship. Once again, congratulations and we wish you a long life."
End Message

The Totalitarian State was not usually one to bother with such diplomatic niceties as the coronation of yet another monarch. In the event they ever did, the most that would show up would be some diplomatic flunky from the faceless ranks of the Foreign Ministry's mid-level bureaucracy. And even in those events, the nation in question had something that the Red Tidean State wanted. To send the Foreign Minister himself? It was unheard of... unless the TSRT had taken a particular interest in the Queendom of Kageb, which would not bold well for them if that was the case.

The fact that this message was sent merely an hour before the Foreign Minister was going too arrive could not have helped at all.

Of course, what made it ironic was that the TSRT genuinely did not have any interest in Kageb beyond the usual: say hello, establish basic relationships and trade agreements, leave a phone number, and probably barely interact ever again. The fact that the Red Tidean Foreign Minister was coming in this one case merely meant that the Red Tidean leader, National Secretary Basvoricsh Narmonov, had a flight of fancy and Gromkyo merely went along for the preservation of his own skin.

Whether any of these facts would cause consternation amongst the Queendom of Kageb did not occur to Narmonov and, if it had, he probably would not have cared. So it was that Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Gromkyo found himself on a private international jet with a escort of two men from the Intelligence Commissariat (to keep an eye on him AND keep him safe), his aide/secretary, and a translator who was probably scared stiffless and had the barest idea of what was going on.

Gromkyo was probably one of the least expressionable men on the planet. This 55 year old man of average height and looks would most likely be wholly unremarkable had he not been the current Foreign Minister and the National Secretaries 'de-facto' favorite, heir apparent, and friend (or as close as one a paranoid dictator could have, at any rate). He was not of noble birth (there was no nobility in the Red Tidean State) and truly only showed any sort of emotion to his slightly younger wife, who he had been married for 14 years.

The business plane landed at the designated airport without incident and the Foreign Minister's secretary and one of the two Commissar's were the first off the aircraft. The Secretary (with a large number of folders full of paperwork in under one arm and three briefcases under the other) approached the head of whatever motorcade had been arranged (probably not a very suitable one, given the little time the Kagebians(sp?) would have to scrounge it up) and politely said, in decent if heavily accented english, "The Foreign Minister apologises for any inconvenience you may have had in setting accomodating us on such short notice. If it would not be troublesome, the Minister would like to request me and the Commissar-Colonel here..."

The secretary motioned to the Commissar who was slowly scanning the tarmac, "... be allowed to set-up a room at a local luxury hotel. The Foreign Ministry will compensate for any inconvenience if it is necessary..."

The secretary paused awkwardly as one of the suitcases began too slip and he had to shift his stance to prevent it from falling out from under his arms.

"The Foreign Minister also wishes too let you know that the Commissar's have left all their weaponry-" Which in this case consisted of nothing more then hand guns and pocket knives, "-on the aircraft, if you have any concern about that."

And with that the Secretary began to hobble over to the back of the limo, followed closely by the Commissar. There was a few moments pause before, finally, Foreign Minister Gromkyo came down the stairs, accompanied by the translator and the other commissar.

The small delegation piled into the assigned vehicle and it was quickly made clear that only one Commissar, the translator, and the Foreign Minister would be attending the coronation that was going on right now. The secretary and the other commissar would wait. And so, off they went, driving to the Royal Palace.

Each of the three delegates seemed to want to speak with the soon-to-be Queen, but apparently none of them wanted to be the first to speak with her for fear that their rivals would overhear the conversation and tailor their own words accordingly.

Instead, Senator DiAntonio, a wizened older man with an irreverent sense of humor, approached Baron Soryana, immediately sensing that he held the young Princess' ear. Meanwhile, Lt.-Col. Phoraktes started mingling with such members of hte military as were present as guests, hoping to influence them on behalf of his Emperor. Senator Hashanas, meanwhile, gambled on his rivals' preoccupation and approached Nymira herself.

David walked in with Jessica on his arm, and looked upon the array of important people. A few he recognized, either do to relations with Takaram, or just being prominent political or corporate figures from various nations.

As the ballroom quickly became a haven of international intrigue and romantic machination - factoring in the fact that many a man found a woman to occupy himself with - the developments out in the city were really nothing special at all but had rather been nothing more than what always happened. A group of people put posters for a K-Metal concert upon on the walls while fashionable women were rushing to one of the local salons. It was ordinary living for these people who weren't privileged enough to get into the pre-coronation gala but most of them didn't seem to care about it. Most of them simply did other things like make love to their spouses or head bang to the latest album from Platinum Lion, a K-Metal band that was one of the most popular bands around. Even royal and noble teenagers loved them and it's said that a princess who rides her horse for practices will listen to the band on her music player while jumping over hurdles.

As Foreign Minister Gromkyo was being escorted into the ballroom by whoever it was in charge of doing that for him, and as David and Jessica from Takaram were being greeted by the local nobility with much laughter and questioning, the three guests from Chalcedon recieved mixed responses. The Baron Soryana asked DiAntonio what he had wanted to discuss, the generals were mixed in their reaction to Phoraktes while Nymira beckoned Hashanas towards her seat with a smile. Nymira looked pretty young - looking more like she ought to have gone into modeling or something like that - but she had ruthless ambition - an ambition found in wannabe Stalinists who ruled with iron fists. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Senator Hashanas, but methinks you're here simply to attempt to cultivate support within me for your faction in the conflict in your homeland - do so if you wish but I won't guarantee success."

Nymira grinned. She knew that's why any of these three men were here at all and was going to play with them - she probably was going to hold back from supporting any of them but to listen to them debate and what not, well, that sounded pretty entertaining when she thought about it. Vara was standing around as she always had, looking as pretty as she ever had, staring at Hashanas while waiting for him to respond. Nymira stuck her fist under her chin and smiled. "The Kagebi nation is willing to hear the petitions of the downtrodden Chalcedonian, Senator, but we do hope your rivalries won't impair the celebration we're having here."

Camilla drained the last bit of liquid in her wine glass, setting it down on the white tabletop. A good vintage, she thought. Or maybe not. I don't really know.

"Nelenna Ghevas is my partner in the Olyan Police Service and she's well known for her heroism and ability to track down criminals. She was invited here as one of the esteemed commoners so to speak, and I got to be her accompanying guest. Don't think she's a lesbian. She isn't."

"I'm sure she isn't." She said, shooting a quick look across the room, before diplomatically responding "I was just joking, at any rate. I'm sure she's a fine policewoman. After all, she has you around." She smiled.

"She could find a man for herself but it doesn't seem like she's interested in such things but, then, she could probably find someone good. As for myself, well, I've never really looked into women that much but, then again, I guess my line of work really blocks off your love life."

Camilla leaned forward in her seat, steeling her fingers, interest written on her face. Whether it was feigned or not, Tomas wouldn't be able to tell. "Is that so? A man like you doesn't seem like he'd have a problem with that sort of thing...but then again, I'm not a detective."

Louis took a larger bite out of his food, noticing Tomas' smile. Is he trying to be snide? He thought. He seemed like a genuine person, and Louis detected no ulterior motive. He was usually good at reading people, but one couldn't be too sure...

"I must say that I'm sure you would find a great man to settle down with. There's no way, methinks, that you will not be able to find one at all. You're just too beautiful and nice to be forgotten like that. Perhaps you would like to talk with the Queen after this? Or, if it is your fancy, may I have the honor of a dance? I can hear the faint sounds of the local musicians and the mutterings of the ladies, you know."

Camilla chuckled, before taking a quick glance around the room. "Well, I'm sure Her Highness has her time occupied with the Santheres Dutchess over there. So, in the meantime..." she elegantly held out her hand. "It would be a pleasure."

As the ballroom quickly became a haven of international intrigue and romantic machination - factoring in the fact that many a man found a woman to occupy himself with - the developments out in the city were really nothing special at all but had rather been nothing more than what always happened. A group of people put posters for a K-Metal concert upon on the walls while fashionable women were rushing to one of the local salons. It was ordinary living for these people who weren't privileged enough to get into the pre-coronation gala but most of them didn't seem to care about it. Most of them simply did other things like make love to their spouses or head bang to the latest album from Platinum Lion, a K-Metal band that was one of the most popular bands around. Even royal and noble teenagers loved them and it's said that a princess who rides her horse for practices will listen to the band on her music player while jumping over hurdles.

As Foreign Minister Gromkyo was being escorted into the ballroom by whoever it was in charge of doing that for him, and as David and Jessica from Takaram were being greeted by the local nobility with much laughter and questioning, the three guests from Chalcedon recieved mixed responses. The Baron Soryana asked DiAntonio what he had wanted to discuss, the generals were mixed in their reaction to Phoraktes while Nymira beckoned Hashanas towards her seat with a smile. Nymira looked pretty young - looking more like she ought to have gone into modeling or something like that - but she had ruthless ambition - an ambition found in wannabe Stalinists who ruled with iron fists. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Senator Hashanas, but methinks you're here simply to attempt to cultivate support within me for your faction in the conflict in your homeland - do so if you wish but I won't guarantee success."

Nymira grinned. She knew that's why any of these three men were here at all and was going to play with them - she probably was going to hold back from supporting any of them but to listen to them debate and what not, well, that sounded pretty entertaining when she thought about it. Vara was standing around as she always had, looking as pretty as she ever had, staring at Hashanas while waiting for him to respond. Nymira stuck her fist under her chin and smiled. "The Kagebi nation is willing to hear the petitions of the downtrodden Chalcedonian, Senator, but we do hope your rivalries won't impair the celebration we're having here."

Marcus DiAntonio was frank with Baron Soryana's question. "Baron, left to ourselves, the government of New Chalcedon would not attempt to export our conflict, but the presence of my counterparts here confirms our judgement that we could not afford to allow our rivals to gain allies whilst we stick to a principled stand. For ourselves, a pledge of neutrality from Kageb would be quite acceptable, although an offer of assistance would most certainly not be turned down."

Meanwhilst, the Lieutenant-Colonel was saying little but being his charming self, smiling often and being the epitome of gallantry to any woman who crossed his path. He knew better than to press the issue whilst his target audience was iffy, so he instead began to make them more comfortable with him.

Both of them noticed Hashanas seating himself down at Nymira's side, but were powerless to stop it without appearing rude, leaving him with a free hand. Hashanas' manner was all easy charm and grace, making his presence nearly irrestistable. "Of course we are, Highness! But this is not to say that it needs to be detrimental to Kageb. After all, the Empire is vastly wealthy. Anyone who backs the winning side - which will be the people - can expect to be greatly compensated for their trouble."

Marcus DiAntonio was frank with Baron Soryana's question. "Baron, left to ourselves, the government of New Chalcedon would not attempt to export our conflict, but the presence of my counterparts here confirms our judgement that we could not afford to allow our rivals to gain allies whilst we stick to a principled stand. For ourselves, a pledge of neutrality from Kageb would be quite acceptable, although an offer of assistance would most certainly not be turned down."

The Baron smirked. "Wouldn't the offer of assistance pretty much negate any neutrality we'd possess in your quarrels? I really don't see any reason why our nation ought to get involved at all but, indeed, a person's opinions are never permanent. If I told you that, "no, we will never help you," it's possible that such a view may change later on. Tell me of your situation, Marcus."

Meanwhilst, the Lieutenant-Colonel was saying little but being his charming self, smiling often and being the epitome of gallantry to any woman who crossed his path. He knew better than to press the issue whilst his target audience was iffy, so he instead began to make them more comfortable with him.

Some of the local women were staring at him with their fans waving in front of their faces, their eyes fluttering in an exquisite fashion, their fine figures clad in fancy dresses. If the Lieutenant Colonel had wanted one of them, he could rest assured because plenty of women would have considered dancing with him, being with him, getting into......

Princess Janata had noticed that he was walking around but she didn't look at him like other women had. She simply considered him some stuffy officer from a foreign army and left it at that ----not knowing what would happen when, as she was walking with her friends, bumped into him. It made her stumble and such, but what had happened to the Lieutenant Colonel? She looked around in search of him ---- was he going to be angry with her?

All the while, one woman was staring intently at the Lieutenant Colonel, imagining things of a sensual kind.


Both of them noticed Hashanas seating himself down at Nymira's side, but were powerless to stop it without appearing rude, leaving him with a free hand. Hashanas' manner was all easy charm and grace, making his presence nearly irrestistable. "Of course we are, Highness! But this is not to say that it needs to be detrimental to Kageb. After all, the Empire is vastly wealthy. Anyone who backs the winning side - which will be the people - can expect to be greatly compensated for their trouble."

Nymira smiled. "You cannot come here and expect for me to blindly believe you will win the conflict against the monarchists. How can I not tell that your efforts will be in vain? Then again, how would I, an absolute monarch, justify the support that I could give to you? Nonetheless, Hashanas, I'll hear you out. Even if I refused to help you or the others, all three of you are free to stay here at my palace for the coronation - even if you're probably only here to ask me for support. No offense, though."

Nymira looked over to Vara who spoke something softly into her ear for a moment. If any of the Chalcedonians needed access to the Queen, then Vara Klomas was the key to the Queen's chambers as she was, after all, the Queen's aide-de-camp and confidant, her best friend in the whole of the Royal Court. Nymira giggled a little before turning back to Hashanas. "The Queendom of KAgeb swears itself to the utmost neutrality in foreign conflicts but, Senator, perhaps that could be bent just a little. Tell me of your faction. What are your aims?"

"I'm sure she isn't." She said, shooting a quick look across the room, before diplomatically responding "I was just joking, at any rate. I'm sure she's a fine policewoman. After all, she has you around." She smiled.

Tomas laughed. "Oh, she's a mighty fine policewoman! Not only did she recently save a little girl from an oncoming vehicle but she's apprehended numerous pedophiles and murderers ----- the pieces of shit were all dragged off the streets by her nimble hands, thank God. As for me, well, I'm there to help whenever I can. We're friends on and off the job."

Camilla leaned forward in her seat, steeling her fingers, interest written on her face. Whether it was feigned or not, Tomas wouldn't be able to tell. "Is that so? A man like you doesn't seem like he'd have a problem with that sort of thing...but then again, I'm not a detective."

"It's not that I'm against marrying someone, or even finding someone, but that there's no women that I like in that fashion. Sure, I've seen plenty of gorgeous women around, yes, but I haven't wanted to pursue them."

Camilla chuckled, before taking a quick glance around the room. "Well, I'm sure Her Highness has her with the Santheres Dutchess over there. So, in the meantime..." she elegantly held out her hand. "It would be a pleasure."

As Tomas took her hand and led her to the center of the ballroom - where nobles and aristocrats were dancing - he placed his hands around Camilla and began to dance with her in a tender fashion. His hands were grasping her own and he felt tempted to hold her at the waist but that could wait. With a grin, he complimented her dancing before the music began to go faster - leading into one of those Kagebi "heavy energy spenders," or fast paced songs. Tomas took Camilla by the hands and began to spin her around him, while people around them watched, as she spun like a dervish around him. He hoped, though, that she wouldn't mind. Fortune forbid if she should storm off pouting and screaming at him.

Nelenna, meanwhile, had found her way over to Louis. "I see you've gotten to know my partner well, sir. My name is Nelenna Ghevas - that man there, with your liege, is my partner in the Olyan Police. He's a good man, I'd trust him. Believe me, he isn't the sort of man who'd hurt the Princess. Hell, he's the sort of man who'd severely beat up people who'd harm women and children. I know from experience how many times he's shouted, "Let me at him! I'll....," followed by some expletive or reference to amputations and castration."

She smiled. "What's it like being with the Princess? Do you find yourself content with it or are you hoping to find another line of work?"

No newcomer to the high-class ballroom, Camilla went through the usual rounds of dance, not at all surprised to find a few faster-paced songs hidden within the mix, no doubt there to attract the younger audiences, like the gaggle of teenage nobles-to-be that were standing around, idly chatting about whatever came to their small minds. She payed them no heed, instead focusing her attention of following the steps. There must've been something about the way the moved, because they were starting to gather a small crowd. She spun round and round like a top, smoothly navigating her way into his arms as the song came to an abrupt but quick end.

Meanwhile, Louis, who had gravitated away from the table adjacent from the one Her Majesty and Tomas were sitting, now leaned up against the wall of the ballroom, watching as the dance went on. Looking to right right, he wasn't at all surprised to make out the shapely figure of the policewoman making her way towards him.

"I see you've gotten to know my partner well, sir. My name is Nelenna Ghevas - that man there, with your liege, is my partner in the Olyan Police. He's a good man, I'd trust him. Believe me, he isn't the sort of man who'd hurt the Princess. Hell, he's the sort of man who'd severely beat up people who'd harm women and children. I know from experience how many times he's shouted, "Let me at him! I'll....," followed by some expletive or reference to amputations and castration."

Louis game a small chuckle. "He seems like the honest type." He remarked, before half-turning to give the woman his attention, but not taking an eye off Camilla. "A good man, but maybe a little too eager." He turned his head to them for a moment, before facing her. "I'm Louis Hamill, by the way. Her Majesty's personal knight."

"What's it like being with the Princess? Do you find yourself content with it or are you hoping to find another line of work?"

Louis shrugged. "My Lady is a very spontaneous girl, but does everything for a reason. Like this, for example." He gestured toward the dace floor. "I'm not exactly sure if she's just trying to avoid the royals, or if she's really taking an interest in your friend." He finished the last of his finger food. "As for myself, I don't really think I'll be leaving this job anytime soon. This isn't the type of job I can just leave if I wanted to."

Glancing back towards the dance floor, he held out his arm. "You wanna?"

No newcomer to the high-class ballroom, Camilla went through the usual rounds of dance, not at all surprised to find a few faster-paced songs hidden within the mix, no doubt there to attract the younger audiences, like the gaggle of teenage nobles-to-be that were standing around, idly chatting about whatever came to their small minds. She payed them no heed, instead focusing her attention of following the steps. There must've been something about the way the moved, because they were starting to gather a small crowd. She spun round and round like a top, smoothly navigating her way into his arms as the song came to an abrupt but quick end.

It had been quite a long time since Tomas danced with someone in an atmosphere other than the Christmas season parties that the police threw every year --- parties in which dancing like a drunken jackass (even if you weren't actually drunk) seemed to be the norm. As Tomas spun Camilla around, he began to flirt with the young princess as he held her close to him while everyone cheered and danced. It looked like they could kiss, said one woman. Oh, I hope they do said another. Bah, humbug! cried a man before retreating to the food table.

Louis game a small chuckle. "He seems like the honest type." He remarked, before half-turning to give the woman his attention, but not taking an eye off Camilla. "A good man, but maybe a little too eager." He turned his head to them for a moment, before facing her. "I'm Louis Hamill, by the way. Her Majesty's personal knight."

"It is nice to meet you, Mr Hamill. You have nothing to fear from that man. He's not only an honest man but can be quite ambitious and energetic is all, if he tried anything then we'd deal with him, but I know I wouldn't have to stop him from harming the Princess."

Louis shrugged. "My Lady is a very spontaneous girl, but does everything for a reason. Like this, for example." He gestured toward the dace floor. "I'm not exactly sure if she's just trying to avoid the royals, or if she's really taking an interest in your friend." He finished the last of his finger food. "As for myself, I don't really think I'll be leaving this job anytime soon. This isn't the type of job I can just leave if I wanted to."

Nelenna smiled. "It'd be shocking if anything romantic was to grow out of this little meeting tonight. You'd think that someone like Your Lady was reserved for royal and noble men but this, well, this could change everything."

Glancing back towards the dance floor, he held out his arm. "You wanna?"

She smiled and took his arm. "Why not? I haven't really danced for years --- but I'm sure I still retain my grace."

The Baron smirked. "Wouldn't the offer of assistance pretty much negate any neutrality we'd possess in your quarrels? I really don't see any reason why our nation ought to get involved at all but, indeed, a person's opinions are never permanent. If I told you that, "no, we will never help you," it's possible that such a view may change later on. Tell me of your situation, Marcus."



DiAntonio sat down and started to explain the situation like the veteran politician he was, eyeing off the snack bowls in the meantime.

"It's really quite simple. The previous Emperor, Michael, was in the habit of bullying the Senate whenever he thought he could get away with it. In the end, he gambled his prestige on a military action (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589862), which failed." The Senator took a moment to filch a sweet from a nearby tray.

"When the Admiral in charge of the fleet he sent was so impressed by the enemy's courage and honour that she wanted out, he wouldn't let her go. She resigned, and per the Constitution, the Grand Admiral of the time had to inform the Senate of her resignation and it's causes. In light of that information, the Senate voted to impeach the Emperor for malfeasance and abuse of power." DiAntonio paused, removing a pastry from a passing caterer's dish, and then continued.

"We offered the Crown to his brother, Prince Constantine, who refused it out of loyalty to Michael. Princess Eirena, however, accepted the Crown in order to end the political crisis. At this stage, Michael went off the deep end. He fled to Novoa Hadrianopolis and raised an army against his sister, swearing to kill her and the entire Senate. And that's where we all are right now."

Some of the local women were staring at him with their fans waving in front of their faces, their eyes fluttering in an exquisite fashion, their fine figures clad in fancy dresses. If the Lieutenant Colonel had wanted one of them, he could rest assured because plenty of women would have considered dancing with him, being with him, getting into......

Princess Janata had noticed that he was walking around but she didn't look at him like other women had. She simply considered him some stuffy officer from a foreign army and left it at that ----not knowing what would happen when, as she was walking with her friends, bumped into him. It made her stumble and such, but what had happened to the Lieutenant Colonel? She looked around in search of him ---- was he going to be angry with her?

All the while, one woman was staring intently at the Lieutenant Colonel, imagining things of a sensual kind.

When Janata turned around, looking for the officer she had bumped into, she found him right behind her, a brilliant smile on his face. "Good day, My Lady. I am Lieutenant-Colonel Marcus Phoraktes, of the Imperial Army of New Chalcedon, and I believe that as the wronged party in our little accident, I may claim compensation. A dance, milady?" The query was given with an elegant bow and a look upward from laughing brown eyes.

Nymira smiled. "You cannot come here and expect for me to blindly believe you will win the conflict against the monarchists. How can I not tell that your efforts will be in vain? Then again, how would I, an absolute monarch, justify the support that I could give to you? Nonetheless, Hashanas, I'll hear you out. Even if I refused to help you or the others, all three of you are free to stay here at my palace for the coronation - even if you're probably only here to ask me for support. No offense, though."

Nymira looked over to Vara who spoke something softly into her ear for a moment. If any of the Chalcedonians needed access to the Queen, then Vara Klomas was the key to the Queen's chambers as she was, after all, the Queen's aide-de-camp and confidant, her best friend in the whole of the Royal Court. Nymira giggled a little before turning back to Hashanas. "The Queendom of Kageb swears itself to the utmost neutrality in foreign conflicts but, Senator, perhaps that could be bent just a little. Tell me of your faction. What are your aims?"

Senator Hashanas understood the difficulty of the task aahead of him, but nonetheless gamely gave it a try. He spread his hands in a gesture implying truthfulness, and made his pitch.

"Your Majesty, the Republic of New Chalcedon is devoted to the advancement of the people, not the wasting of the nation's resources in petty family squabbles - which is exactly what is the case here. Michael Palaiologos, as a near-absolute ruler, let it get to his head. When he was turfed out by the Senate, he started a war because he felt bad about it. In the confusion, I and some of my colleagues made our way to Kastamonu, one of the provincial capitals, and rallied the people to our cause - again. This is not the first popular revolt (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=553445)against the Imperial Family, you know."

"The reason that we will win is simple: the people have risen before, and they will keep rising against the monarchy until they win. Monarchy may be appropriate for some nations, but not for ours, which is why the constant uprisings. In truth, Kageb could do great good by helping shorten the struggle, saving many civilian lives that would otherwise be spitefully ended by the feuding Imperial factions in our nation."

He paused, assessing the situation, and then continued. "And why should I be offended? Of course, we - all three of us - are here to garner support for our causes. Whilst I daresay each of us is genuinely happy for you, we are, first and foremost, servants of our nation - or our conception of it, anyway."

The following letter was sent whenever Nymira had recieved Marcus' gift:

"Emperor Marcus,

I would like to know if it would be possible for our two nations to become close friends - perhaps our foreign ministers could meet together at a mutually acceptable location to discuss the details of an exchange of embassies and the creation of trade - and I am touched by your welcome and best wishes. I hope that, perhaps, you and I can meet one day - until then, I wish you all the best as a fellow monarch."

"Queen Nymira,

Of course it is possible for our nations to become close friends and I would be delighted for our foreign ministers to meet at a time that best suits both. Currently we are quite busy with the Cukarican crisis but once that is taken care of we can an arrange a meeting at any time. I personally invite you to Londim for a proper state visit if you wish or just as somewhere to get away from it all."

It had been quite a long time since Tomas danced with someone in an atmosphere other than the Christmas season parties that the police threw every year --- parties in which dancing like a drunken jackass (even if you weren't actually drunk) seemed to be the norm. As Tomas spun Camilla around, he began to flirt with the young princess as he held her close to him while everyone cheered and danced. It looked like they could kiss, said one woman. Oh, I hope they do said another. Bah, humbug! cried a man before retreating to the food table.

Camilla exhaled softly, small beads of sweat running down her forehead from how fast-paced the dance was. Her head spun a little bit from the furious top-twirling she had just done, but kept her balance as she was held in Tomas' arms. Gazing up into his face, meeting his eyes with hers, she couldn't help but feel as if something was going to come out of this. And if it was, to hell with it, she was all in.

"Well..." She said quietly, silent enough so the murmuring voices of the crowd couldn't hear her voice. "...everybody's watching. What now?"


-----------------------------------------------------

"It'd be shocking if anything romantic was to grow out of this little meeting tonight. You'd think that someone like Your Lady was reserved for royal and noble men but this, well, this could change everything."

"Eh." Louis replied. "My Lady doesn't care much for the whole 'royal and noble men' thing. Takes after her father, she does." He watched at the couple danced at a more furious rate. "If something does come out of this, it'll stir something up, that's for sure. But if it's what she wishes, I won't stop them."

"Why not? I haven't really danced for years --- but I'm sure I still retain my grace."

Louis laughed. "Who said it had anything to do with grace!?"

And with that, the two made their way for the dance floor.

DiAntonio sat down and started to explain the situation like the veteran politician he was, eyeing off the snack bowls in the meantime.

"It's really quite simple. The previous Emperor, Michael, was in the habit of bullying the Senate whenever he thought he could get away with it. In the end, he gambled his prestige on a military action (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589862), which failed." The Senator took a moment to filch a sweet from a nearby tray.

"When the Admiral in charge of the fleet he sent was so impressed by the enemy's courage and honour that she wanted out, he wouldn't let her go. She resigned, and per the Constitution, the Grand Admiral of the time had to inform the Senate of her resignation and it's causes. In light of that information, the Senate voted to impeach the Emperor for malfeasance and abuse of power." DiAntonio paused, removing a pastry from a passing caterer's dish, and then continued.

"We offered the Crown to his brother, Prince Constantine, who refused it out of loyalty to Michael. Princess Eirena, however, accepted the Crown in order to end the political crisis. At this stage, Michael went off the deep end. He fled to Novoa Hadrianopolis and raised an army against his sister, swearing to kill her and the entire Senate. And that's where we all are right now."

The Baron attentively listened to what it was that DiAntonio had to say ---- he had found the whole conflict to be an interesting topic of discussion especially with the three representatives all gathered around in the same location. "So what you are basically saying is that Her Highness has become the lawful Queen and that your former Emperor has essentially gone mad? It seems that this does pose a problem. I shall attach myself to the Queen when she is free and explain things to her --- the final word as to who, if anyone, our beloved nation would support is in her alone."

The Baron Soryana smiled at the Senator before gobbling down a snack. "It must be said that we ourselves recently had to lose a monarch because of her abdication. She was a lesbian, you see, and I, being her Foreign Minister, had to stand there and watch it all unfold. She's in a civil union with a courtesan. Yes, a courtesan. I'm sure it must shock you but we've moved on pretty much."



When Janata turned around, looking for the officer she had bumped into, she found him right behind her, a brilliant smile on his face. "Good day, My Lady. I am Lieutenant-Colonel Marcus Phoraktes, of the Imperial Army of New Chalcedon, and I believe that as the wronged party in our little accident, I may claim compensation. A dance, milady?" The query was given with an elegant bow and a look upward from laughing brown eyes.

Although only fourteen --- thus the youngest princess of the former King's immediate family --- Princess Janata didn't seem to mind the prospect of dancing with a much older man. It wasn't like he was going to try anything and risk being brutally taken down by Royal Guardsmen who stalked everywhere that this girl's dainty feet had tread. They were statues, not men, and when they striked, they were monsters. So goes the saying in this nation.

Janata walked with the Lieutenant Colonel down to the dance floor and smiled at him. She bowed before getting into one of the fast pace dances that the Kagebi people seemed to love with a passion. She was spinning like a dervish in her dress and she seemed very happy ---- her friends were standing in a corner and lavishing praises, uttering words, wondering who this older gentleman was. As Janata danced with the Lieutenant Colonel, she smiled. "Were you hoping to talk to my sister? She's going to be Queen, soon, you know ---- and I'm sure she wouldn't mind hearing you out if you had something on your mind."


Senator Hashanas understood the difficulty of the task aahead of him, but nonetheless gamely gave it a try. He spread his hands in a gesture implying truthfulness, and made his pitch.

"Your Majesty, the Republic of New Chalcedon is devoted to the advancement of the people, not the wasting of the nation's resources in petty family squabbles - which is exactly what is the case here. Michael Palaiologos, as a near-absolute ruler, let it get to his head. When he was turfed out by the Senate, he started a war because he felt bad about it. In the confusion, I and some of my colleagues made our way to Kastamonu, one of the provincial capitals, and rallied the people to our cause - again. This is not the first popular revolt (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=553445)against the Imperial Family, you know."

"The reason that we will win is simple: the people have risen before, and they will keep rising against the monarchy until they win. Monarchy may be appropriate for some nations, but not for ours, which is why the constant uprisings. In truth, Kageb could do great good by helping shorten the struggle, saving many civilian lives that would otherwise be spitefully ended by the feuding Imperial factions in our nation."

He paused, assessing the situation, and then continued. "And why should I be offended? Of course, we - all three of us - are here to garner support for our causes. Whilst I daresay each of us is genuinely happy for you, we are, first and foremost, servants of our nation - or our conception of it, anyway."

Republicanism was never some foreign phenomenon that wasn't really blessed with any fandom in the Queendom ---- it had been suggested from time to time as an alternative to the very ancient absolute monarchy that had continued to rule in Kageb with the ascensions of Ravana and Nymira to the throne but it had never garnered itself with enough support to take control of the land, no, monarchy remained the numero uno of politics. This was something that Nymira had known for years. When her father had reigned, and when she was only a young girl, there had been some republican writers in local bulletins. They weren't punished, though, because the King ---- as did his ancestors --- supported free speech.

"My dear Senator ---- first of all it must be said that the Queendom of Kageb is touched by your nation's plight. It is my hope that your nation is able to heal before further catastrophes occur to ultimately decimate your fair nation. You tell me that monarchy only works for some nations, this is an interesting belief of yours. It was always the opinion around here that, to a republican, a monarchy works nowhere and is nothing than some parasite leeching off the common man. We assumed all republicans were Jacobins. Concerning our stance on this issue, I'd like to say that it will take some time for us to reach one. I will not rush blindly into your nation's conflict and throw lives upon the altar to satisfy the unseen deity of Victory. I assume that you want us to send soldiers to New Chalcedon. That will need to be discussed. If I were to simply say, "Go and take thousands of your sons and daughters with you," without consulting anyone at all, I would risk the destruction of my reputation - I'd be as Cassio, the poor soul, after Iago got him drunk. I hope that you understand the position I am in, Senator, because know that I could just as well rush blindly to prop Michael back in his place or shackle Eirena in her seat."

Nymira smiled and then continued. "You say that the people - in general being what I assume - will continue to rise again. What, though, will you do with those who support monarchism? It is common to see that many love the Crown over the Phyrgian cap and, in my nation, we've always seen many people shouting "God save the Queen," and such typical rhetoric. I would hope that, if a Republican victory were secured, that any Monarchist who hasn't turned into a rebel would be spared from retribution. If I supported you, and you ended up savagely attacking those people, I would be pretty displeased. In conclusion, Senator, we will update you when we reach our decision......"

She took a snack from a nearby tray and held it up to him for a moment, "So enjoy yourself and have fun," then she ate and swallowed it, "and please don't let the possibility of me declining to help you dampen your spirits."

Camilla exhaled softly, small beads of sweat running down her forehead from how fast-paced the dance was. Her head spun a little bit from the furious top-twirling she had just done, but kept her balance as she was held in Tomas' arms. Gazing up into his face, meeting his eyes with hers, she couldn't help but feel as if something was going to come out of this. And if it was, to hell with it, she was all in.

"Well..." She said quietly, silent enough so the murmuring voices of the crowd couldn't hear her voice. "...everybody's watching. What now?"

Tomas was thinking of the possibilities that came into his mind after hearing Camilla's question. He followed the one which told him to flirt with her --- shower her with compliments and hints ---- before pointing out the exitway to one of the palace's halls. Something told him that it meant being led to a new world, where the Queen kept her garden, where a man and a woman could.....wait a minute! Would this princess ---- this Desdemona ---- make love to a man she had hardly even known? To a commoner at that? Nonetheless he tried. "Perhaps you'd like to look around the palace? I'm sure that it's open to us to explore ---- if it wasn't, we would have been told of it. Perhaps you'll find something here that you'd like to import into your own palace's aesthetics."

Tomas felt that something about him was itching with a strange sensation but he couldn't exactly come out and tell Camilla what he thought it was. He took her gently by the hand and began leading her into that world. "Camilla, you're very pretty ---- it'd be a shame if you ended up in the hands of a man who didn't appreciate you."

Now he just sounded weird. But it was true. In general, Tomas had always thought that all women needed to be respected. Anyone could tell you how much wife beaters earned his wrath.


-----------------------------------------------------

"Eh." Louis replied. "My Lady doesn't care much for the whole 'royal and noble men' thing. Takes after her father, she does." He watched at the couple danced at a more furious rate. "If something does come out of this, it'll stir something up, that's for sure. But if it's what she wishes, I won't stop them."

Nelenna grinned. "It would be quite nice to see Tomas settle down with some woman one of these days but then again he would probably say the same sort of thing about myself - I've had plenty of men give me the look, so to speak, but none seem to fit my standard. Besides, I haven't been in any sort of relationship for a very long time now."

Louis laughed. "Who said it had anything to do with grace!?"

And with that, the two made their way for the dance floor.

Every nation in the world probably has its own variation of the Prom Night. While some nations would frown upon it as being too materialistic or too easy for Satan to do his work in someone's poor soul, other nations believed that it was a magical moment that ended someone's childhood and began their adulthood --- yet Nelenna knew that Prom Night was never really magical. People's lives were changed, ruined, and made all during this one night.

As she danced with Louis upon the dance floor with the other couples surrounding them as they whirled around, she remembered dancing with a schoolboy that she really liked, a word which here means ended up loving, ended up sleeping with in the back seat of his vehicle, ended up crying over when a drunk driver slammed into him one night as he drove his car down the street en route to deliver a gift for her birthday. She had moved on from those days in which she spent her time crying and crying, lamenting that she had given her virginity to a man who had left the world and so on --- but now she had moved on from that and was ready to love again, despite her somewhat annual visits to the boy's tomb down in the graveyard where he lay --- where he mocked her childhood self.

Nelenna sighed as the memories of the dancing began to fill her mind but at the point when the memory of the backseat passion began to rear its head, she threw it all away and focused on Louis. "Louis, don't you consider finding a woman for yourself? Is there any standard among the knights of Angenteria?"

"Santheres has no scores to settle. Anghele is a tyrannical, genocidal regime that has in the past murdered millions of people for minor crimes, and has according to intelligence sold millions more into slavery abroad.” Her voice was completely deadpan, the most eminently serious tone that Nymira had likely heard someone use. She didn’t smile, her eyes remained fixed on the queen the entire time she was speaking.

Nymira nodded. "It is expected to deal severe sanctions upon the wicked of the world and I have no quarrel with you doing any of it ---- I would hope that the situation changes through some method --- hopefully one that does not just end in a brutal expansion of the violence."

Then she chuckled. “And that is that, as they say. It’s all a simple reaction, the best we could do without outright invading and crushing the little twits.”

Nymira giggled. "Does the man with the axe have enough strength to chop the wood?"

Gio said, “Of course, we would much rather not invade anyone. War is quite the last resort. I know many in this world don’t believe so, but c’est la vie, what can you do? We must remain noble and cultured in spite of it all.

Nymira could agree with that. "War or what someone I know had called the art of "gutting and shooting the poor knaves," has to be a last resort until all other measures are extinguished in their usefulness to a nation. The Kagebi nation only goes to war when it itself is attacked, offensive campaigns are not something we are too fond about. Besides, I have no reason to send people to die in trenches and fields or daughters to wake up, panting and sweating in the middle of the night, because they've seen someone's limbs being cut off....."

She sighed and then ended that part of the conversation. She had remembered those lectures given to her as a young girl by an officer in the Armed Forces when her father reigned. He had, it was said, seen the chaos that was War and had known it well. So they said about him. It could have all just been hearsay or something you'd say, "Well, duh!," about.

“Regarding the embassy, though, milady, if you just send an aid to message State Affairs and fill in an application, I can accompany it with a call to forward it through immediately. Here,” he pulled out a card from his breast pocket, extending it vaguely toward Nymira and some of the others in front of him, “is the contact information.”

Nymira handed over the card to Vara and smiled. "We will deal with that following my coronation. It is time for fun and dance and the pen and parchment can wait to be brought out."

Bianca added in, “Trade, however, may best be left for a little later, shall we? I would so hate to leave the lovely company of everyone here.” She glanced over at a group of young men, likely half her age, who were gathered off to the side and watching the proceedings, or watching her, she wasn’t entirely sure. It certainly wasn’t the sort of behavior she expected to see in court, and certainly not the kind targeting a woman of her age.

"Perhaps you might introduce us to some other notable attendees?"

The soon-to-be Queen began to methodically point out the notable attendees of the crowd. "There's some foreign guests around such as the three Chalcedonians each gambling for my favor and then Kageb has brought forth my charming brother who originally was to be the King of this nation, my lovely sister who ---- though only fourteen ---- is a delight to be around, the Baron Soryana who I have retained from Ravana's reign as my Foreign Minister and various generals, ministers and, "expected attendees," those who you know would attend."

The small delegation piled into the assigned vehicle and it was quickly made clear that only one Commissar, the translator, and the Foreign Minister would be attending the coronation that was going on right now. The secretary and the other commissar would wait. And so, off they went, driving to the Royal Palace.

Even if the apathy that the Foreign Minister's nation had possessed towards attending this social function had been known, it would have mattered little to the soon-to-be Queen and plenty of other individuals. As the assigned vehicle went down the streets of Olyan, if they had bothered to look out the windows during this venture, they would have seen the city's vibrant life unfold before them. They would have seen people putting up posters for the K-Metal band, Platinum Lion, with its teenage girl hearthrob Karleny Calota in one of his fashionable poses --- his band pioneered industrial metal in Kageb and even princesses swooned over him whenever they heard his music or put posters of him on the wall next to their solid gold bordered mirrors.

They would have seen a group of fashionable young girls being playfully hounded by the local jocks and greasers --- young men who spent their days ogling the girls, trying to see who was more cool, trying to prove their manhood through some grandiose venture, making fun of that guy among them who had to read stories to his sister recovering in the hospital from a recent operation. It is not uncommon to posit that even royal and noble teenagers acted like this. Indeed, they had done that numerous times, and the unwritten records prove this.

They would have seen, just before they had pulled up at the front of the palace, a poet reading his latest work to a group of people gathered around him at one of the city's local parks. Sometimes a poet would emulate the street musician and read his work for anyone who wanted to listen, anyone who wanted some poetic inspiration, that poet's girlfriend who wanted to support him by means other than leaping into his bed, and so on. It wasn't long before they pulled up at the Royal Palace and before they were escorted into the ballroom......

"Queen Nymira,

Of course it is possible for our nations to become close friends and I would be delighted for our foreign ministers to meet at a time that best suits both. Currently we are quite busy with the Cukarican crisis but once that is taken care of we can an arrange a meeting at any time. I personally invite you to Londim for a proper state visit if you wish or just as somewhere to get away from it all."

"It would be a pleasure to visit Londim; in reciprocation of your invitation, I invite you to visit Kageb whenever the opportunity arises. I am sure that this correspondence of ours is only the beginning to a long lasting friendship between us, not only as nations and leaders, but as human beings as well."

"Perhaps you'd like to look around the palace? I'm sure that it's open to us to explore ---- if it wasn't, we would have been told of it. Perhaps you'll find something here that you'd like to import into your own palace's aesthetics."

Tomas felt that something about him was itching with a strange sensation but he couldn't exactly come out and tell Camilla what he thought it was. He took her gently by the hand and began leading her into that world. "Camilla, you're very pretty ---- it'd be a shame if you ended up in the hands of a man who didn't appreciate you."

Camila blushed when Tomas' words reached her ears. She smiled only in a way that she knew how. She knew then, this was going to be the time, and he was going to be the one. She knew it was love, and it was going to happen.

"What's this?" She said softly. "What happened to 'Your Majesty?'"


----------------------------------------------------

"Louis, don't you consider finding a woman for yourself? Is there any standard among the knights of Angenteria?"

That took him back. Louis considered his words carefully, nearly missing a step in the process, but quickly making a recovery. He decided to just tell her. "My wife died in the civil war." He said somberly. "We were young then, only in our twenties. She was killed in rebel's initial bombings. My son's still alive, though. He's in the Guard, taking after his old man." He said with a mix of both sorrow and paternal pride.

Looking beyond her shoulder, he noticed Camilla and Tomas making their way across the floor. He gestured with his head. "And there goes the neighborhood."

Camila blushed when Tomas' words reached her ears. She smiled only in a way that she knew how. She knew then, this was going to be the time, and he was going to be the one. She knew it was love, and it was going to happen.

"What's this?" She said softly. "What happened to 'Your Majesty?'"

Tomas simply smiled at Camilla before leading her down one of the palace's many halls without anyone really noticing them doing so --- they had entered a hall adorned with some portraits of various individuals and doors which lead to various rooms. As they crossed one room which probably was a guest room, Tomas grinned at Camilla and felt himself wondering if Camilla was going to drag him inside. Not that he minded, of course, but he wasn't going to force her to anything like that.

All he did was walk with her and continue to flirt --- hoping to learn more about this mysterious Angenterian damsel. If she wanted to leap into the bed of that guest room with him, let it be done by merit of mutual attraction. If she wanted none of that, so be it. Yet, he couldn't restrain himself from staring at her backside just a little. Even men who spend their days wishing destruction upon perverts have such inclinations from time to time.


----------------------------------------------------

That took him back. Louis considered his words carefully, nearly missing a step in the process, but quickly making a recovery. He decided to just tell her. "My wife died in the civil war." He said somberly. "We were young then, only in our twenties. She was killed in rebel's initial bombings. My son's still alive, though. He's in the Guard, taking after his old man." He said with a mix of both sorrow and paternal pride.

Looking beyond her shoulder, he noticed Camilla and Tomas making their way across the floor. He gestured with his head. "And there goes the neighborhood."

Nelenna sighed. "I am not ignorant of the sorrow that plagues you. Back when I was only a teenage schoolgirl, the boy that I desired to be with for years passed the threshold of death and left this world. I remember that I always cried, always lamented, always visited his tomb --- I visit it, from time to time, though I've moved on from him. Oh, Louis, I know how you feel. You can trust me."

She then looked over to Camilla and Tomas, her expression changing from a contorted portrait of a spiritually disfigured woman to one of a lovely woman dancing amidst the falling rose petals. "With it, centuries of custom," Nelenna uttered.

The Kingdom of Norberd
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/Vegas_Ireland/NationStates/CoatofArmsofNorberd.png
Den Kungarike av Norberd
Ministären av Utländsk Affärerna

Your Majesty Queen Nymira,

Our country sends its greatest wishes to you under your reign, and hopes you will lead Kageb into a new era of prosperity. Norberd is interested in establishing diplomatic relations with Kageb, and in order to secure relations our own Prince, Harald II, will be sent to represent our country at your coronation.

Signed,
Ström Lindberg.
Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Norberd.

* * *

Prince Harald downed the last of the tea he had been drinking as the plane arrived in Kageb. The plane was a converted Airbus, suitable for state visits like his own. He was late for the coronation, though he was more stressed over the fact he was missing Kistania destroying Uldof in the KIA League four goals to nil as they made a wild gamble to grab the champions spot...oh well, this visit would be interesting. Though he wished his mother, Queen Edla, could attend. Though she was old now, and was enjoying the last years of her long life by putting her feet up in Kistania Palace.

As he walked down the aluminum steps onto Kagebi soil, his thoughts were stuck on the KIA League and the fact that Norberd was clusterfucking Smaloan. After greeting the crowds, he was whizzed off to the palace and soon found himself arriving in the ballroom. He ordered a cup of tea and sat down at a table. He started sipping it.

The Baron attentively listened to what it was that DiAntonio had to say ---- he had found the whole conflict to be an interesting topic of discussion especially with the three representatives all gathered around in the same location. "So what you are basically saying is that Her Highness has become the lawful Queen and that your former Emperor has essentially gone mad? It seems that this does pose a problem. I shall attach myself to the Queen when she is free and explain things to her --- the final word as to who, if anyone, our beloved nation would support is in her alone."

The Baron Soryana smiled at the Senator before gobbling down a snack. "It must be said that we ourselves recently had to lose a monarch because of her abdication. She was a lesbian, you see, and I, being her Foreign Minister, had to stand there and watch it all unfold. She's in a civil union with a courtesan. Yes, a courtesan. I'm sure it must shock you but we've moved on pretty much."

DiAntonio chuckled. "Actually, not all that much, in fact - the late Empress-Consort was a courtesan, a very highly-thought of one, too. It's one of our traditions that the ruler marries for pleasure: every other aspect of their lives is dominated by duty, so marriage is their own. It makes for generally harmonious family life, which makes the ruling couple more efficient."

He rose and bowed to Soryana. "And I will sop taking up your valuable time, Baron. Thank you for your understanding; I truly appreciate it."

Although only fourteen --- thus the youngest princess of the former King's immediate family --- Princess Janata didn't seem to mind the prospect of dancing with a much older man. It wasn't like he was going to try anything and risk being brutally taken down by Royal Guardsmen who stalked everywhere that this girl's dainty feet had tread. They were statues, not men, and when they striked, they were monsters. So goes the saying in this nation.

Janata walked with the Lieutenant Colonel down to the dance floor and smiled at him. She bowed before getting into one of the fast pace dances that the Kagebi people seemed to love with a passion. She was spinning like a dervish in her dress and she seemed very happy ---- her friends were standing in a corner and lavishing praises, uttering words, wondering who this older gentleman was. As Janata danced with the Lieutenant Colonel, she smiled. "Were you hoping to talk to my sister? She's going to be Queen, soon, you know ---- and I'm sure she wouldn't mind hearing you out if you had something on your mind."

Marcus' eyes sparkled down at Janata. "Why, thank you, Your Highness. After the dance, that would be most appreciated of you." Tellingly, he seemed to have no trouble keeping the pace, although he sometimes had trouble knowing where to put his feet - the steps were new to him.

Republicanism was never some foreign phenomenon that wasn't really blessed with any fandom in the Queendom ---- it had been suggested from time to time as an alternative to the very ancient absolute monarchy that had continued to rule in Kageb with the ascensions of Ravana and Nymira to the throne but it had never garnered itself with enough support to take control of the land, no, monarchy remained the numero uno of politics. This was something that Nymira had known for years. When her father had reigned, and when she was only a young girl, there had been some republican writers in local bulletins. They weren't punished, though, because the King ---- as did his ancestors --- supported free speech.

"My dear Senator ---- first of all it must be said that the Queendom of Kageb is touched by your nation's plight. It is my hope that your nation is able to heal before further catastrophes occur to ultimately decimate your fair nation. You tell me that monarchy only works for some nations, this is an interesting belief of yours. It was always the opinion around here that, to a republican, a monarchy works nowhere and is nothing than some parasite leeching off the common man. We assumed all republicans were Jacobins. Concerning our stance on this issue, I'd like to say that it will take some time for us to reach one. I will not rush blindly into your nation's conflict and throw lives upon the altar to satisfy the unseen deity of Victory. I assume that you want us to send soldiers to New Chalcedon. That will need to be discussed. If I were to simply say, "Go and take thousands of your sons and daughters with you," without consulting anyone at all, I would risk the destruction of my reputation - I'd be as Cassio, the poor soul, after Iago got him drunk. I hope that you understand the position I am in, Senator, because know that I could just as well rush blindly to prop Michael back in his place or shackle Eirena in her seat."

Nymira smiled and then continued. "You say that the people - in general being what I assume - will continue to rise again. What, though, will you do with those who support monarchism? It is common to see that many love the Crown over the Phyrgian cap and, in my nation, we've always seen many people shouting "God save the Queen," and such typical rhetoric. I would hope that, if a Republican victory were secured, that any Monarchist who hasn't turned into a rebel would be spared from retribution. If I supported you, and you ended up savagely attacking those people, I would be pretty displeased. In conclusion, Senator, we will update you when we reach our decision......"

She took a snack from a nearby tray and held it up to him for a moment, "So enjoy yourself and have fun," then she ate and swallowed it, "and please don't let the possibility of me declining to help you dampen your spirits."

"Of course, Your Majesty. However, I will leave you with one thought: unlike the other factions, the Republic will be quite content with any support you have to offer, military or otherwise - we aren't a greedy, selfish, cowardly lot, unlike them." Hashanas rose, bowed to the Queen and a little less deeply to her companion, and withdrew, observing standard royal protocol.

DiAntonio chuckled. "Actually, not all that much, in fact - the late Empress-Consort was a courtesan, a very highly-thought of one, too. It's one of our traditions that the ruler marries for pleasure: every other aspect of their lives is dominated by duty, so marriage is their own. It makes for generally harmonious family life, which makes the ruling couple more efficient."

He rose and bowed to Soryana. "And I will sop taking up your valuable time, Baron. Thank you for your understanding; I truly appreciate it."

"It must be said that not everyone here is too keen on princes of the blood marrying courtesans - it'd be, to them, like a common miner sleeping with a royal princess - some people still've got that love of the old ways about them. As for this whole debacle, my dear friend, I'll talk about it with the Queen and see what she thinks is best."


Marcus' eyes sparkled down at Janata. "Why, thank you, Your Highness. After the dance, that would be most appreciated of you." Tellingly, he seemed to have no trouble keeping the pace, although he sometimes had trouble knowing where to put his feet - the steps were new to him.

Janata straightened herself out while she continued to dance around with Marcus - thinking he was going to use her to get to the Queen for whatever purpose that he had on his mind. She didn't seem to mind it, the idea of helping this foreign officer out with his tasks. All she had to do was to lead Marcus to the Queen - a simple task, no?

"Of course, Your Majesty. However, I will leave you with one thought: unlike the other factions, the Republic will be quite content with any support you have to offer, military or otherwise - we aren't a greedy, selfish, cowardly lot, unlike them." Hashanas rose, bowed to the Queen and a little less deeply to her companion, and withdrew, observing standard royal protocol.

Nymira smiled while taking a sip from her drink. She seemed pretty eager to learn more about the conflict but had then been called upon to inspect the grounds of the ballroom - she knew that she had ro make sure that everyone knew how safe it has been. As she walked around, coming with Vara, Nymira noticed the table at which point had been occupied only by Vara, which had been occupied by only Harold, a man who Nymira smiled at. She looked at him. "I hope you find this gala to be a pleasurable one. I am the soon-to-be Queen, Nymira of Kageb. Who am I speaking to?"

As Harald finished his tea, he turned towards the beautiful Queen Nymira, and smiled at her. His messy blonde hair seemed to be uncared for, which somehow contributed to his look. His alert blue eyes stared at her for a moment, but not in a romantic way. The young twenty-two-year-old then began to speak;

"I am Prince Harald of Norberd, Your Majesty. May I say, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Camilla glanced toward the door as they walked alone - for now, at least. Louis was bound to start trailing them from the shadows sooner or later (such was his duty) - through the halls of the Kageb palace, their footsteps echoing on the polished, shiny floor. She stopped, and looked into his face. In him, she saw a plain, earnest desire. No ulterior agendas, no half-baked power plays. Just a pure, honest wish to be with someone. She felt it too. No noble chasing her halfway across a country, no stuck-up prince who thinks he God's gift to women. Just love. She smirked, noticing a glace down her back.

"Oh, I see." She said. "Now it's my butt. My brother's not gonna like that." She tugged him - by the tie - towards the door.

------------------------------------------------------------
"I am not ignorant of the sorrow that plagues you. Back when I was only a teenage schoolgirl, the boy that I desired to be with for years passed the threshold of death and left this world. I remember that I always cried, always lamented, always visited his tomb --- I visit it, from time to time, though I've moved on from him."

"I'm truly sorry to hear that." Louis said somberly. "It seems like we're both cursed in that regard." He sighed, this topic bringing back memories he'd rather not remember. "I've tried to move on, after the war, but it's hard. Whenever I see my son, I can't help but be reminded of her, and I think to myself 'Wasn't there anything you could have done?'"

"Oh, Louis, I know how you feel. You can trust me."

Louis smiled softly. "We're not so different, you and I. Thank you."

Now wishing there was a different topic of discussion, Louis danced in silence for a moment, watching as Camilla and Tomas made their way into one of the palace's many corridors.

"With it, centuries of custom."

Louis stopped dancing mid-step as the two departed through the door, almost comically tripping his partner in the process, but managing to keep both of them on their feet.

"I can't just leave her alone." He said, becoming serious. "C'mon." He took her by the arm, and began to lead her through the spinning forest of dancing couples.

As Harald finished his tea, he turned towards the beautiful Queen Nymira, and smiled at her. His messy blonde hair seemed to be uncared for, which somehow contributed to his look. His alert blue eyes stared at her for a moment, but not in a romantic way. The young twenty-two-year-old then began to speak;

"I am Prince Harald of Norberd, Your Majesty. May I say, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Nymira studied the young prince for a moment --- smiling as she noticed the messiness of his blonde hair combined with the typical regality of his overall look ---- she was happy to meet a fellow royal and hoped that he could somehow influence political decisions back in Norberd in her favor, so to speak.

"Technically I am still Your Highness ---- the coronation has yet to be conducted. It is a pleasure to meet you, and I do hope you won't mind if we could have a little discussion? I'm hopeful you could, in some way, help our nations become good friends."

OOC: The coronation will begin soon; I just want some more posts for the gala done first.

"Oh, I see." She said. "Now it's my butt. My brother's not gonna like that." She tugged him - by the tie - towards the door.

Tomas had never expected to be making love to a foreign princess but with someone like Camilla tugging him towards the door by the tie, it made him feel like a whole new man, pretty soon becoming the dominant character in this play of passion, leaping onto the bed with his newfound partner in sensuality - as everyone else danced, and talked, the headstrong detective and his lady lass were shedding their clothes while kissing each other.....it seems that a new monarch wasn't going to be the only product of this day in Kagebian history.

"I'm truly sorry to hear that." Louis said somberly. "It seems like we're both cursed in that regard." He sighed, this topic bringing back memories he'd rather not remember. "I've tried to move on, after the war, but it's hard. Whenever I see my son, I can't help but be reminded of her, and I think to myself 'Wasn't there anything you could have done?'"

Louis smiled softly. "We're not so different, you and I. Thank you."

Nelenna adjusted the hem of her dress and smiled slightly at Louis. "I've been acquainted with death for several years as a policewoman. I've seen the corpses of murdered children and the battered, pretty pathetic, figures of raped women. Death has always been around me. Yet, I've been able to handle it all quite well."

"I can't just leave her alone." He said, becoming serious. "C'mon." He took her by the arm, and began to lead her through the spinning forest of dancing couples.

"I hope you don't suspect Tomas of anything --- he isn't going to hurt her."

Nelenna kept up with Louis as they zoomed towards the lovebirds. She was hoping that Louis wasn't going to end up fighting her partner and best friend. "Louis, what if they've found some infatuation? You know what I'm talking about, right? I mean, it's possible that they're both, um, making the beast with two backs if you get my drift. If Camilla is consenting to it, I don't think we ought to distrupt them."

Behind the door could the sounds of passion be easily heard. Nelenna was able to guess immediately what was going on, if they ever did reach Tomas and Camilla's location. This would be a spectacular achievement in the eyes of everyone down at the station.

Louis and Nelenna moved silently through the corridors of the royal palace, keeping vigilant for signs of Camilla and Thomas. What were they doing, he wondered. The palace was a big place, and they could be anywhere by now.

"I hope you don't suspect Tomas of anything --- he isn't going to hurt her."

"It's my job to worry." Louis replied as they walked. "Besides, I'm more worried about her doing something, rather than him." Eventually, they would have come to the room where the two were making love, the sounds of such reaching their ears. Louis chuckled as they stopped in front of the door. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to tell what was happening.

"Let's go." He said simply. "Nothing there you haven't seen before."

<<OOC: Wow, Sorry I havn't posted anything, it's just I've been swamped with other things in RL that required my attention.>>

Harald smiled at her, and spoke after ordering a glass of red wine. While vodka was typically the national drink of Norberd, Harald had developed a likeness for red wine, though, like all Norberdian men, he still wouldn't say no to a glass of vodka, fine or cheap.

"I apoligse," he replied. "And of course. Friendship with other nations has never been turned by my country. What would you wish to discuss, Your Highness?"

He sipped his red wine calmly.

"It must be said that not everyone here is too keen on princes of the blood marrying courtesans - it'd be, to them, like a common miner sleeping with a royal princess - some people still've got that love of the old ways about them. As for this whole debacle, my dear friend, I'll talk about it with the Queen and see what she thinks is best."

DiAntonio stood, wincing as his knees protested. "Thank you, my friend. I'll leave you to enjoy the festivities for now, I think."

As he left Baron Soryana, he started looking for representatives who may be sympathetic to the Empress. He decided that since the Empire had had dealings with Santheres before (albeit of a rather peripheral nature), that they would be his first choice for contact.


Janata straightened herself out while she continued to dance around with Marcus - thinking he was going to use her to get to the Queen for whatever purpose that he had on his mind. She didn't seem to mind it, the idea of helping this foreign officer out with his tasks. All she had to do was to lead Marcus to the Queen - a simple task, no?

Marcus was making it easy on Janata to steer him toward her sister; additionally, he was also trying to make sure that she enjoyed the trip. One thing that he hinted at was that he could help by telling her, later, how his Emperor had adjusted to his own sudden accession to the Crown - perhaps there were parallels that the Princess may be able to apply. On their way to the Queen's table, he spotted the woman who had shown such pronounced interest in him earlier, and winked in her direction.

Nymira smiled while taking a sip from her drink. She seemed pretty eager to learn more about the conflict but had then been called upon to inspect the grounds of the ballroom - she knew that she had ro make sure that everyone knew how safe it has been. As she walked around, coming with Vara, Nymira noticed the table at which point had been occupied only by Vara, which had been occupied by only Harold, a man who Nymira smiled at. She looked at him. "I hope you find this gala to be a pleasurable one. I am the soon-to-be Queen, Nymira of Kageb. Who am I speaking to?"

Senator Hashanas looked around; he could see few promising opportunities; a glance at Baron Soryana showed him that he and DiAtnonio had gotten along quite well, making it a losing proposition to approach him.

With little better to do, Hashanas decided to simply make himself available on the dance floor, then saw an opportunity. As Phoraktes, the Emperor's representative, approached the area, Hashanas snagged an agreeable dancing partner, then used the steps of the dance to subtly trip up the Lieutenant-Colonel. Alas, his efforts were confounded when the man simply stepped over his outstretched foot (looking silly in the process, but better than falling on his backside in a ballroom), forcing him to quickly withdraw it from Janata's path, which he did, blushing furiously and glaring daggers at the officer, who smiled blandly.

If Nymira had wanted a show, she was certainly getting an entertaining one, which got more so as DiAntonio offered a drink to Hashanas with a quip and a sly smile, who turned it down, obviously fearing poison. DiAntonio then offered it to Phoraktes, who drank it down.

(OOC: I was listening to "Murder on the Dance Floor" when composing this. I hope that all and sundry have fun!)

Harald smiled at her, and spoke after ordering a glass of red wine. While vodka was typically the national drink of Norberd, Harald had developed a likeness for red wine, though, like all Norberdian men, he still wouldn't say no to a glass of vodka, fine or cheap.

"I apoligse," he replied. "And of course. Friendship with other nations has never been turned by my country. What would you wish to discuss, Your Highness?"

He sipped his red wine calmly.

Nymira's flashed her pearl white teeth upon Harald as she unsheathed a smile upon him. "First of all, let us discuss friendship between our two nations. Have you been gifted with the power to officialize deals of exchanging embassies and such? If so, let's get that stuff dealt with now so we can move on to more important and complex things."

DiAntonio stood, wincing as his knees protested. "Thank you, my friend. I'll leave you to enjoy the festivities for now, I think."

As he left Baron Soryana, he started looking for representatives who may be sympathetic to the Empress. He decided that since the Empire had had dealings with Santheres before (albeit of a rather peripheral nature), that they would be his first choice for contact.

The Baron Soryana had not been the only minister attending the coronation, as there were plenty of them from the Minister of Defense to the Minister of the Treasury that could be found, and free to talk with. There were some provincial governors and their wives, the wives of ministers, and so on. Who was to say that DiAntonio couldn't talk to any of these?

Marcus was making it easy on Janata to steer him toward her sister; additionally, he was also trying to make sure that she enjoyed the trip. One thing that he hinted at was that he could help by telling her, later, how his Emperor had adjusted to his own sudden accession to the Crown - perhaps there were parallels that the Princess may be able to apply. On their way to the Queen's table, he spotted the woman who had shown such pronounced interest in him earlier, and winked in her direction.

As Janata was talking about something - she didn't care to find out what exactly - with Marcus, the woman who he had winked out covered her face sensually with a dainty hand as if hoping to further secure his interest. She was an olive skinned nymph clad in a fancy dress that accented her figure and which would remind one of the old style dresses that were once worn about over twenty years ago. She was a young woman, her hair in a bun, her scarlet eyes tracing lines of study over the Chalcedonian. Perhaps Marcus would leave with something after all. Janata, meanwhile, didn't seem to notice the woman. With her attention ruled by Marcus, she pointed the Queen out to him and then smiled. "She seems busy but I don't mind talking to you if you're willing. Is there a pressing issue you need to speak with my sister about?"

Senator Hashanas looked around; he could see few promising opportunities; a glance at Baron Soryana showed him that he and DiAtnonio had gotten along quite well, making it a losing proposition to approach him.

With little better to do, Hashanas decided to simply make himself available on the dance floor, then saw an opportunity. As Phoraktes, the Emperor's representative, approached the area, Hashanas snagged an agreeable dancing partner, then used the steps of the dance to subtly trip up the Lieutenant-Colonel. Alas, his efforts were confounded when the man simply stepped over his outstretched foot (looking silly in the process, but better than falling on his backside in a ballroom), forcing him to quickly withdraw it from Janata's path, which he did, blushing furiously and glaring daggers at the officer, who smiled blandly.

If Nymira had wanted a show, she was certainly getting an entertaining one, which got more so as DiAntonio offered a drink to Hashanas with a quip and a sly smile, who turned it down, obviously fearing poison. DiAntonio then offered it to Phoraktes, who drank it down.

Although it was safe to state that every guest was most likely a monarchist eagerly awaiting the coronation of another beloved monarch, some of them may have seen opportunities in supporting a republican faction's claim to power over New Chalcedon. The chiefs of staff of the various branches of the Armed Forces could easily be spotted in various positions. The chief of staff that led the Army of Kageb, General Yani Loran, had been standing with some of his comrades in what you knew was a rather embellished uniform. The one in charge of the air force had gone to the washroom, but the female admiral who functioned as the chief of staff for the Navy was standing all alone with her back leaning against the wall, one leg raised a little with the sole of the foot touching the wall. She wore a white uniform adorned with medals and black lines down the sides of her legs. She was olive skinned, as were all Kagebi people for the most part, and she looked almost exotic, tempting to a man's eyes. She was Admiral Rava - her name, which meant ravishing, certainly was true - and she spotted the Senator with a mere nod of the head.

She smiled as she waltzed up to him with steady steps and it seemed like she was interested in listening to whatever it was that he had to say to her - "You must have something that you want to spread around," - and she grinned a little before pouring herself a glass of red wine. "I am Admiral Rava Lukara, the Chief of Staff of the Kagebi Navy and you must be someone looking to spread some word. Well, I'm willing to listen."

"Let's go." He said simply. "Nothing there you haven't seen before."

Nelenna couldn't believe that Tomas was striking it big with this little escapade between him and an Angenterian princess but, then again, it was nice to know that someone had taken such an interest in him, so she guessed while walking with Louis back to the ballroom, not hearing the last glorious sounds of passion before everything went silent. Cuddling together in the cover of blankets, Tomas stared into the eyes of the princess and smiled, brushing her hair back with his hand. He let her rest her head upon his chest and he felt very happy with himself and with this woman. This must have been love, it couldn't be just some one night stand.

"That was wonderful, Camilla. I never would have thought that I'd get laid at the Queen's coronation, let alone with a princess of all the women that'd be attending, but I have no regrets. I think this could be the start of something. If you want to keep in touch with me after you return home, we can exchange information...."

"That was wonderful, Camilla. I never would have thought that I'd get laid at the Queen's coronation, let alone with a princess of all the women that'd be attending, but I have no regrets. I think this could be the start of something. If you want to keep in touch with me after you return home, we can exchange information...."

Camilla smiled back, revealing pearly white teeth, and ran her thin, slender hand up Tomas' bare chest. She thought for a moment. It's not like she could just give someone her number, smile and tell him to 'call me." She dearly didn't want to have to say goodbye, not after what just happened, but things just didn't work the way that way with her.

"It's not that easy." She replied. "I can't just give you my phone number, you know."

"That was wonderful, Camilla. I never would have thought that I'd get laid at the Queen's coronation, let alone with a princess of all the women that'd be attending, but I have no regrets. I think this could be the start of something. If you want to keep in touch with me after you return home, we can exchange information...."

Camilla smiled back, revealing pearly white teeth, and ran her thin, slender hand up Tomas' bare chest. She thought for a moment. It's not like she could just give someone her number, smile and tell him to 'call me." She dearly didn't want to have to say goodbye, not after what just happened, but things just didn't work the way that way with her.

"It's not that easy." She replied. "I can't just give you my phone number, you know."

Tomas smiled. "I'm sure that we can arrange something. Perhaps your beloved companion would be willing to help us? I'm hoping that this won't be our final meeting and, well, I'm sure you are hoping for the same.....one can easily recall those muttered words of yours during our....fun together, if you get where I'm going, Camilla."

He grinned and then slid out of the bed to get back into his clothes. This was a simple and honest man that had just made love to a woman he probably shouldn't even be around by her nations' standards. To have gone this far would have driven the most rigid of noblemen over the edge. "Camilla, do you have any ideas or should I leave you as a one night stand, eventually hearing that you've moved on and I as well? I understand if you don't want to pursue this further because women ought not to rush into the arms of men. Believe me, I know."

Her Majesty Barazene I, sovereign queen of Bardar and grand Duchess of Bezelia was bored. The throne room in Baradech was silent today, most of her advicors were helping the Royal Government with establishing procedures on how they should address the newly elcted National Assembly. The queen felt neglected, the last month since the War of Victory or Operation Leopard Roar had been extremely boring. There were so much administrative things to take care of that she felt her staff had completely forgot her, even though she was nelwy crowned Grand Duchess of Bezelia. She called one of her assistants, Gedelia Zum, a boring lady of the Court, married to some insignificant Zum family minister in the Royal Government.
"Anything interresting going on?" she asked.
"Nothing important, Your Majesty", the assistant politely answered.
"My nation sure is boring right now, is there anything happening abroad?"
"There's some kind of coronation in Kageb, Your Majesty, they will get a new queen".
"What, a party?? Why have I not been notified. I should represent Bardar on all great Royal occasions".
"But, Your Majesty, we have no diplomatic relations with Kageb, and we are not even invited."
"Hah, I am the sovereign queen of Bardar and Grand Duchess of Bezelia, the Monarch of two nations and the leader of one of the most feared warrior peoples on this Planet, I don't need invitations. Prepare the Royal Jet, and have those lazy maids prepare a dress for me. Those coronations are long and boring procedures and Kageb is not far from here, I still might catch up with the party. What are you waiting for, it's an ORDER!!"

Camilla frowned, moving out of the bed herself in order to get back into her own clothing, now wondering about the future. Slipping into them, she began to look around for her necklace, the only item that informed others of her status. Finding it under the bed, she hung it around her neck. It was an beautiful thing. A sapphire, Angenteria's state jewel, hung from a silver chain, with the Imperial Eagle (http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p98/l33t-h4x0r/300px-Imperial_eagle.jpg?t=1242271239) inscribed in the center. Hearing Tomas' question, she slipped a grin, crossing over to were he was changing.

"Well..." She said, putting her arms around his shoulders. "What do you want it to be?"

During the three and a half hour long time it took to travel from Bardar to Kageb the queen decided to use to learn about the nation she was visiting. The files on Kageb were not very large. Bardar had never considered Kageb a military threat, so there had been no need to know much about them. The queen ssighed, she hoped she would have a great time. She wondered how many monarchs from different countries would show up. That cow Gedelia had tried to "convince" her to behave herself. Like she, a sovereign queen needed that cow to tell her anything. One of the stewards announced "We're approaching Kageb".