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Cielo-Saros Relations
Topic Started: Jun 16 2016, 02:25 AM (378 Views)
Saros
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A twinge of annoyance swelled in the breast of Magistrate Thaunaris, as he sat in the back seat of a nondescript state car, looking out the tinted window toward the faraway mega-skyscrapers of downtown Orteio. That, the bearded Ishkar reflected, is where he should be: The Celestial Palace of Cielo. However, the Sarosian ambassador to the United Kingdoms was perhaps the first to feel the effects of the Western League's formation. Whereas before, he would be received in more regular fashion, now his audience had to be more discrete. Currently, Thaunaris was being transported further outside of the city, "for the easier convenience of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Thaunaris was alone on this diplomatic mission, joined neither by a robotic Voxir officer or a dusty, bespectacled Tzarkar. There was no need. Thaunaris' superiors understood that this was no formal affair; certainly, there would be no reception such as the delegation to Castratene had received. 'Besides,' Thaunaris reflected privately, 'I have served on delegations to the United Kingdoms longer than anyone else living. I know these kingdoms, this ancient empire. I know the language. I know the manners. I can handle myself.'

Thaunaris' journey ended as his vehicle arrived at the predetermined spot. The Sarosian magistrate let himself out of the state car, and proceeded in to meet with his interlocutor.
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Cielo
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Dux Dilecto

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Toderick Caldwell, greeted the Magistrate as he was being brought in my military personnel. They were meeting at a Cieloean air base just on the outskirts of the capital. For obvious reasons, many of the newer technologies and prototypes were off being used in war games (in storage).

The Deputy Minister shook hands with the Magistrate, then they sat at a conference table on opposite ends with about four seats of distance between them. Deputy Minister Caldwell proceeded, “The United Kingdom is grateful for your cooperation thus far; we know this is highly unusual diplomacy and Her Majesty sends her apologies if you feel the slightest bit of disrespect. We simply could not afford to strain the alliance we have made with the other western powers as I am sure you are aware. Now, the other members of the aforementioned alliance are of course totally against cooperation with either you Sarosians or the Austianese. Her Majesty’s government is not so blind. With increased instability in the East and the unknown objectives of the Alturian government in the West, we are aware that solidarity among those with sane, stable governments is necessary. We would petition you and your government to consider an informal agreement for mutual defense concerning states other than Carbadia and Gliegen, and any state either of us allies with henceforth. We see the value in Saros’s role in maintaining a naval advantage in the area where the Devinarian and the Marcentro meet and we would like to see cooperation in that region in particular.

United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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Saros
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Thaunaris nodded at Caldwell's words. "I am pleased to hear this, Deputy Minister. I can assure you that the people of Saros wish only for continued peace, prosperity, and commerce with the people of Cielo. Assurances that continued peace, cooperation, and trade with Cielo are most welcome, as they will prevent Saros from being over-reliant on the nations of the east.

"As to an informal agreement, I find this agreeable, insofar as our own more formal allies are not concerned. We are, after all, interested in defending our trade partners in Cielo."
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Cielo
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Deputy Minister Caldwell nodded in pleasure, "We are most certainly glad to hear this. Now, as I said, we have a particular interest in assuring naval advantage in the area where the Devinarian and the Marcentro as a defensive footing against the eastern powers. Will your military be able and willing to cooperate with our own to secure the area?"

United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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Cielo
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Dux Dilecto

Septish and Caroline Discuss the Aftermath of the World War 1405

Onboard Aelon Prime[1]
Council City, Saros


The Cieloean Queen and the Cieloean Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs had been discussing the question of royal succession in Anglea & Cambria over tea and pastries before they were given the warning that they should prepare for landing. After strapping herself into her seat, Caroline peeked outside the frosted window and caught a glimpse of Council City. It looked like something out of a fairy tale book her father would have read her as a child. She saw pillars of smoke rising and wondered momentarily if they came from cozy homes. She couldn't be sure as the window didn't grant her full visibility and she was currently much too high to see much. Looking across to the Deputy Minister she pulled herself back to reality and fought the urge to request another cup of tea with a few drops, or pours, of whiskey. She really was becoming her father, yet by thinking that she sounded more like her mother.

Eventually, Aelon Prime's wheels touched down on Sarosian tarmac as gently as the behemoth of a plane could achieve. Everyone fell into an easy rhythm as they prepared to exit the plane. There wasn't any hullabaloo outside awaiting the Queen. For one, it was colder than a Gorvikian heart outside. Also, this meeting hadn't been very publicized. Both Caroline and Septish wanted more time to simply talk as equals outside ever indignant eyes of voracious thousands both here and abroad. The media in both nations had been given the wrong date for Caroline's arrival and Orteio would say the date had changed last minute as an excuse.

In no time at all, Caroline and the Deputy Minister were stuffed into a state vehicle and escorted to meet their host.



[1] Aelon is historically revered as the chief celestial over the winds, especially the Western Wind

United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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Saros
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Grand Library
Citadel of the Guard
Council City, Saros


Among the altar-mounted busts of stern and martial countenance, the Voxir Commandants of Sarosian history, guarding shelves laden with volume upon volume of long-forgotten tactical treatises, the Lord Protector of Saros seemed out of place to his retainers. His clean-shaven face had, to them, become too associated with a vision of change to settle easily well with symbols of the bygone, even that mythic past that Septish's vision of the future nested in so comfortably. Septish had disbanded the Voxir as an independent force, after all. To see the hard expressions of the Guard's many ancient commanders turned on the Lord of Saros seemed almost a cold judgement from the past.

Nor did this sedate setting conform to the spectacle that Septish had cultivated, the image of the man whose very appearance compelled attention. Certainly, his most recent reappearance had done just that in Saros. After the World War had been concluded in Tirscail, the Lord Protector had withdrawn from public life. Holed up in the Grand Temple of the Law, Septish spurned the amorous advances of the associated press, his once beloved paramour, electing instead to communicate through trusted spokesmen. These beautiful intermediaries of his put a rational face on their lord's furlough from the public eye, claiming the Lord Protector kept such a low profile only because his tireless labors to "win the peace" for Saros kept him occupied. Nonetheless, the gossips made their rounds, and rumors circulated.

Then, suddenly, Septish called off his melancholy retreat and stepped once again into the winter sun, baited out of his lair with a worm too fat and juicy to resist—a personal talk with Caroline, Queen of Cielo, Devinaria, Solterra, and now Anglea. The heiress of the Celestial Emperors of old proposed to sit down and face the successor to the Prophet Visith, whose fervent disciples had met her own steadfast subjects on the field of battle just months previously, and speak cordially. Whether curiosity or something else entirely had motivated Lord Septish, not only had he accepted eagerly, but even gone as far as to invite this monarchess—this living symbol of impious nepotism and hereditary injustice that Visith's word had cast the lawful and meritocratic Saros in contrast to—to meet with him in Council City, the very heart of the Dominion of Saros.

This decision caused an uproar almost immediately. Even risking the Lord Protector's wrath, Septish's Council of Lords advised him that, by longstanding Sarosian tradition, it was a great evil for a hereditary monarch to set foot in Saros. The last to do so, Otto V of Keiligen, had lost his head for the offense. Septish responded that Caroline was technically not a hereditary monarch, as she had been chosen among numerous candidates to sit the United Kingdom's throne, and was now Queen in Anglea by usurpation rather than birthright. Though this reasoning was ultimately accepted by the Lords Consular—such that they could deny the Lord Protector's resolved will even if they disagreed—the decision to bring this monarchess to Saros sat ill with many members of the regime.

The Lord Protector had, at least, chosen to meet with her outside the Grand Temple of the Law. To bring any foreign infidel into that holiest of Sarosian sancta, let alone a monarch, would be too profane for even Septish to risk. However, for a guest of such magnitude, the Diplomatic Headquarters would not do. Rather, the Lord of Saros had selected the former headquarters of the Voxir Guard in their city, the Citadel of the Guard. Opposite the Grand Temple on the lengthy Temple Avenue, the Citadel was designed as the second pillar upon which Council City stood. Though stark, it was beautiful in an imposing way, with fortified tall walls of grey-cloud granite. The disestablishment of the Voxir Guard as an independent military order had freed this building for other uses. It was still the headquarters of the Sarosian Armed Forces, but today the Grand Library—once the personal library of the Guard's Commandant, and still the private preserve of Admiral Malix in his role as Commander of the Sarosian military—had been freed for use in these talks. The High Admiral had readily consented to this use of the Grand Library, and was attendant today to greet the Cieloan Queen and her retinue, albeit with the same reservations about the situation as the Lords Consular. High Magister Thanaphis of the Diplomatic Magistracy and Ambassador Thaunaris, the envoy to Cielo, were also present to greet the Queen.

After greetings were exchanged, though, Lord Septish looked forward to a private conversation with the Queen of Cielo and so many other places. Some advisors had suggested that Lord Septish arrive late intentionally, but the Lord of Saros had declined. Such petty games were beneath his station. Instead, he waited patiently for the queen's arrival at a pleasant table in the center of the Grand Library
.

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Cielo
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Embassy of the United Kingdom of Cielo, Solterra, and Devinaria

The building hadn't seen much fanfare since its dedication many years ago. Ambassador Elijah Turnage had to research the protocol for a royal visit and found it lacking in content. For the most part he had to improvise. He had the guards lined up at either side of the entryway, and all of the ambassadorial staff was present and accounted for within reason (some had previously scheduled business trips). As the clocks struck noon, the large wooden doors opened and revealed the Queen in all of her beauty. As she walked forward, the guards bowed as she reached each of their positions then they would promptly stand erect again. The staff remained bowing the entire time until the Queen reached the ambassador and accepted his greeting. Afterwards, the Ambassador escorted the Queen to his office for a debrief before joining her on a trip down to the Grand Library at the Citadel of the Guard.

On the Road

As they made the short drive over, Caroline noticed glances and glares aimed at their motorcade. Ambassador Turnage noticed the Queen looking out to disgruntled faces as they motorcade drove past a local park. "Majesty," he carefully pressed, "You must understand that the Sarosians are, to put it lightly, a staunchly traditional people. They abhor monarchs, especially hereditary thrones." He saw a sneer on his Queen's face. Well if she had bothered to read his reports in detail she would already know what he was about to say, but he would have to inform her face to face. "You see, while you are a duly elected head of state and government, my Queen, it is well known that the throne in Orteio has been held by one family since its democratization. The Sarosian people have no reason beyond the words of our codified law to believe that you are anything more than a hereditary monarch. Furthermore, a Monarch being hosted by their Lord Protector in their capital is simply unheard of in any generation. You are setting a new precedent, ma'am." Caroline turned to the Ambassador and said, "I know. I read your reports. It still doesn't erase the disdain I have for ignorance. Our people have elected the House of Rogulus to hold the throne because they know it to be the most prepared and experienced House in all the country. They know we will rule with grace and strength." She turned back to the window and noticed they were within coming up on their private parking. Sinking back into his seat in guilt for doubting Caroline, Ambassador Turnage replied, "Yes, Your Majesty," and looked through his notes for the meeting. Beside him, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs laughed inwardly. That wasn't the first time someone underestimated Caroline, and he doubted it would be the last. He hoped Septish would be less blind to who she was.

The motorcade filed into the private parking area and the Queen, the Deputy Minister, and the Ambassador were quickly escorted to inside. The Deputy Minister and the Ambassador were to meet with High Magister Thanaphis of the Diplomatic Magistracy and Ambassador Thaunaris while Caroline would meet with Septish.

United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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Saros
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As Queen Caroline and her retinue entered the Citadel's Grand Library, Lord Septish and the attending dignitaries rose to greet them. Some offered a nod of the head to the Queen, as they would offer to Lord Septish himself, but none bowed.

"Caroline, Sarkasatha," Septish greeted the queen, using a generic honorific—one that could be translated very roughly as 'your majesty' or 'your excellency' but without implication of inequality—to refer to her. "I welcome you to the Sacred Isles of Saros. It is an honor to finally make the acquaintance of the ruler of Cielo, successor to the Celestial Empire."

Each of the assembled dignitaries greeted their nearest counterpart amiably. As Caroline and Septish took their seats across from one another, all others left the Grand Library. These dignitaries would continue separate talks elsewhere, to allow the two leaders their conversation in full privacy.

"Before we start, I must beg your pardon," Septish offered. "I know that generally, diplomatic etiquette demands that state dignitaries offer guest monarchs a bow. I'm sure your ambassador explained why we cannot. But nonetheless, I hope you do not think us rude for the oversight."
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Cielo
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The Queen was most pleased by Septish's political awareness and lack of facetious small talk, something she found all too common in world politics. An honest smile adorning her face, she responded, "Thank you for the apology Lord Protector, but it is quite alright. As a matter of fact, I must thank you even further for circumventing tradition somewhat by hosting a monarch, duly elected in some states or not. Please be aware that such a gesture is not taken for granted, and it will serve to create a smoother course to cooperation if we so desire."

"Besides," she smiled, "I can not think of a more secure building in Saros than the Citadel of the Guard." She hoped that Septish found her words reassuring that no offense was taken by her personally. Not wanting conversation to lull for the sake of sentiment, she marched forward, "Well, Lord Septish, I find it is always best to acknowledge the big, hairy, ugly mammoth in the room to clear a pathway for more constructive conversation to follow. As we are both too well aware, our nations fought a brief war on opposite sides. While our respective governments managed to work out peace in the end; Anglea and Cambria were stabilized as much as possible under both of our watchful eyes, and the perpetrators of the unfortunate conflict are being brought to justice at Saros and Mastropa's discretion. As neither of our nations had much direct animosity between one another, the war did not see us come into much military conflict. However, your qualms with Gliegen, Cielo's sister-state of sorts, run ever deep, ever strongly rooted...

I propose we discuss first how well the Anglean and Cambrian people are settling under foreign rule, then we should discuss Cielo's position concerning the ever-steady Sarosian-Gliegen tension."

Where was the tea?

United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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Saros
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Septish smiled, pleased at Caroline's understanding. "I agree, it is better not to avoid the topics that need the most addressing. I-"

A low whistling sound cut Septish off. The Lord of Saros smiled sheepishly before standing, offering a simple, "Forgive me once again." Septish walked to the side of the room, where a small table—no larger than a night stand—bore a silver tray. Upon this tray were two tea cups, a box of teabags in all types and flavors, and the source of the whistling: a battery-powered electric kettle, just beginning to boil. Septish took hold of the tray and brought it to the table where he and Caroline sat.

Talking as he walked, Lord Septish continued. "I assure you that whatever the circumstances while we were at war, now that our countries are at peace, I am committed to returning our foreign policy to its original state. Namely, Saros seeks friendly relations with all nations—even Gliegen, although the terms of such a friendship have always proven elusive. And I am most appreciative of the steps that we have seen Cielo take towards restoring those good relations.

"I promise too, the welfare of the Anglean and Cambrian people is a constant concern of mine. Their people have gone through turmoil after turmoil—tyrannical and inconstant governments, warfare on their nation's soil, partition. I hope that now, Cielo can help their people achieve much needed peace and stability. Can I offer you a cup of tea? I believe we have most flavors—except for jasmine, I'm afraid. I've always been terribly allergic to jasmine. I can arrange for coffee, too, if you would prefer."
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Cielo
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"If you have Earl Grey that would be delightful. If not, peppermint, or any sort of mint, would suffice," the Queen responded. She glanced at the boxes of tea and the electric kettle, her eyes slightly widening in distaste before turning to her personal tablet device which chimed with a message from Congress. It would seem that her bid for granting Anglea and Cambria special-ally status had been approved by a small yet pivotal margin. Technically a sitting monarch didn't need congressional approval but the public was much less apathetic nowadays, especially given the recent conflicts. Going through congress would give the public a sense of ease and assurance that they weren't being strung along by the ego of their Queen.

Once Septish placed her tea on the table and retook his seat, Caroline offered her thanks then continued to conversation as she poured a small amount of milk into her tea, "Yes, well, our promises are but words until we put in the work to fulfill them. On my end, I have procured the status of Special Ally for Anglea and Cambria which will grant them tax cuts and/or exemptions, military aid, and much more. We believe the first step towards a true recovery is job growth and redevelopment which can go hand-in-hand. What are your thoughts on that?"


United Kingdom of Cielo Solterra & Devinaria (aka Greg)

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