The Emperor's Birthday (see OOC/RSVP thread)

[Excalbia]

"I think that would be interesting, sir," she says. "Mr. Joaquín is my adviser on substantive foreign policy." She gestured briefly to the foreign ministry representative. "I think he might be a more comfortable contact with a Communist regime than I." She gave a small shrug and then smiled at the Emperor's reaction to her question. "Reasonable people. That's good to know." For Communists.

She followed the emperor's gaze to Father Silvano. "Yes, sir. We are a Catholic monarchy and, of course, we are all Christians. There are Protestants in Culhuaca. I don't believe your Church of Excalbia has a presence but there are Anglican and Baptist groups. Charismatic and Restorationist Christian groups have grown a lot in recent years." She paused, her blush returning. "I'm sorry, sir. Most Protestants don't consider Restorationism a part of Protestantism, do they?"

"A large majority of our people are Catholic and an overwhelming majority are Christian. The rest are mostly Jews, Muslims, and non-religious people, although there's also been a revival of some traditional indigenous belief systems. Adapted to modern conditions, of course." Which was a polite way of saying sacrifices were not allowed in Culhuaca. "Freedom of conscience and of worship is constitutionally protected in our country."

The Emperor nodded and appeared to look at the ground for a moment. “My understanding is that Restorationism is a rather broad term that can encompass anything from recognizable Protest denominations, like the Disciples of Christ, to groups considered more… marginal by most orthodox Christian denominations. So, it would be hard to say, for instance, whether the Church of Excalbia would consider Restorationist groups in your country Protestants, or even Christians, without knowing more about the particular group.”

Looking up and bestowing a smile on the young archduchess, the Emperor added, “In any case, I applaud your country for recognising and practicing religious freedom. It is a fundamental human right all too often denied.”

The Emperor uncrossed his arms. “In fact, it sounds like our countries hold some values in common. Since you’ve brought an advisor from your foreign ministry, perhaps we should look to establish normal diplomatic relations.”

The Emperor glanced about and called out to an attractive woman in a red gown with square framed glasses. “Lady Christina, a moment, if you please.”

The woman approached and bowed to the Emperor. “Your Imperial Majesty,” she said.

“Madam, may I present our Minister of State, Lady Christina Freedman,” he said turning to Carlota. Then, to Lady Christina he said, “Lady Christina, may I present Archduchess Carlota of Culhuaca. She’s been telling me a bit about her country and I think it may be worth exploring the establishment of diplomatic relations.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty,” Lady Christina said with another slight bow. Then turning to Carlota she said, “Your Grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The Emperor turned to Carlota and gave a quick bow. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Madam, but you’ll forgive me if I go greet some of our other guests.” He looked towards his Minister of State. “However, I leave you in competent hands with Lady Christina.”

[Excalbia]

The Emperor of Excalbia officially started the event with a greeting speech. Heavenly Emperor Cheonsa, ever the eccentric introvert, wandered off with his arm around his concubine's to examine the room's decoration, ocassionally nodding in amazement of its beauty. If there was an aquarium, he would definitely

Their daughters, however, the twin vampires Carmilla and Camellia took a glass of water each and walked to the youngest people around and tried to talk to them.

Tariq, Jennifer and Benjamin were standing in a tight circle laughing and sharing glasses of wine as the twin daughters of the Heavenly Emperor approached. Tariq was shorter than most Excalbians and his complexion was far more Mediterranean. His hair and eyes were both dark brown and wore a rather tight-fitting tuxedo of very modern cut. Jennifer was tall, taller than Tariq, and wore her brownish-blonde hair up, with curls cascading down the sides and back. Her blue evening gown matched her eyes. Benjamin was also tall and very, very blonde. His skin was pale, and made his black tuxedo stand out as an even greater contrast. All three appeared to be about college age.

Ever the dashing gentleman, Tariq turned to the two young women as they approached and bowed deeply. “Good evening, my ladies,” he said with a smile. “May I introduce myself? I am Tariq, Lord of Mezciems, son of the Imperial Princess Christiana and nephew of His Imperial Majesty.” He stood and gestured to the two people beside him. “These are my cousins: Lady Jennifer of Latgale; and Lord Benjamin of Salaspils.”

Jennifer gave a brief bow and smiled. “Hello,” she said pleasantly, “welcome to Excalbia.”

Benjamin bowed and smiled, though not quite with the same flair as Tariq. “Good evening,” he said.

[Culhuaca]

The Emperor nodded and appeared to look at the ground for a moment. “My understanding is that Restorationism is a rather broad term that can encompass anything from recognizable Protest denominations, like the Disciples of Christ, to groups considered more… marginal by most orthodox Christian denominations. So, it would be hard to say, for instance, whether the Church of Excalbia would consider Restorationist groups in your country Protestants, or even Christians, without knowing more about the particular group.”

Looking up and bestowing a smile on the young archduchess, the Emperor added, “In any case, I applaud your country for recognising and practicing religious freedom. It is a fundamental human right all too often denied.”

The Emperor uncrossed his arms. “In fact, it sounds like our countries hold some values in common. Since you’ve brought an advisor from your foreign ministry, perhaps we should look to establish normal diplomatic relations.”

The Emperor glanced about and called out to an attractive woman in a red gown with square framed glasses. “Lady Christina, a moment, if you please.”

The woman approached and bowed to the Emperor. “Your Imperial Majesty,” she said.

“Madam, may I present our Minister of State, Lady Christina Freedman,” he said turning to Carlota. Then, to Lady Christina he said, “Lady Christina, may I present Archduchess Carlota of Culhuaca. She’s been telling me a bit about her country and I think it may be worth exploring the establishment of diplomatic relations.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty,” Lady Christina said with another slight bow. Then turning to Carlota she said, “Your Grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The Emperor turned to Carlota and gave a quick bow. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Madam, but you’ll forgive me if I go greet some of our other guests.” He looked towards his Minister of State. “However, I leave you in competent hands with Lady Christina.”

"It's a mixture," Carlota clarified. "What we call Restorationists are mostly Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. We class the Charismatic groups separately and they're largely Pentecostal. We're still speaking of a small percentage of the population. Most of our people are Catholic, with different levels of observance, and both Evangelicals and what are often called Mainline Protestants are more common. But Charismatic and Restorationist groups tend to come with a certain fervor that attracts comment and they grow swiftly. Whatever I may think as a believing Catholic, all I can say as a representative of the Crown is that they are Culhuacans seeking ultimate truth according to the dictates of conscience. Although I might add that Baptist and Anglican leaders in my country might welcome more contact with the Church of Excalbia."

She nodded as he spoke of basic human rights. "Unfortunately, it is a lesson learned the hard way. Up until 1946, our political history was troubled by religious extremism on one side and extreme anti-clericalism on the other. They tended to validate one another's perspectives."

"I think diplomatic relations would be wonderful," she says. As Lady Christina arrives, she inclines her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." She smiled warmly and glanced back to her entourage. "Mr. Acosta, would you join us please."

"Of course, Your Imperial Highness," Acosta said as he approached.

"This is Quirino Acosta Jiménez, Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs," she said as Acosta bowed at the waist.

"Of course, sir," she said as the Emperor took his leave. "Happy birthday." She curtsied again and Acosta bowed before both turned back to Lady Christina.

It was Acosta who spoke. "I think my government would be delighted to establish more formal relations with the Empire of Excalbia. We are just turning our attention once more to the international scene but we try to conduct diplomacy as it has been traditionally been done between civilized states acting in good faith. We recognize diplomatic immunity, the extraterritoriality of embassies, the inviolability of diplomatic communications." He smiled warmly. "I don't see any particular difficulties on our end."

[New Mushroom Kingdom]

Vince smiled as the man introduced himself as the type of person he was indeed looking for. Clearly they were one of the higher-ranking staff employed at the Palace, as revealed by the slip of the tongue with 'my'. He said back to the man "Greetings Sir Benjamin, today you have the pleasure of greeting Regent Vince from the New Mushroom Kingdom and your welcome is happily accepted, I imagine the palace is even more splendid once inside. I was surprised to hear it is on it's own island though - most unusual."

“Your Excellency,” Sir Benjamin said, “welcome.” He gestured to the interior of the Summer Palace and towards the Grand Ballroom. “Oh, it is very lovely inside. An indoor Eden. Please, allow me to show you in.”

The Yeoman Warder led Regent Vince through the open multi-story glass doors of the Palace and into the Ballroom. They arrived just in time to hear the formal introduction of the Imperial Family.

Vince watched the formal introduction of Excalbia's imperial family, with a moderate amount of interest. He paid attention to all the people introduced, even though he likely wouldn't be speaking to most of them he could not be certain and the more you know, the better at events like these. Unlike maybe some others, he was not at this event to find any sort of relationship, even if that's what the attending girls would be doing.

After the grand ceremony had finished, it was time for Vince to take a look around, both to see what this place was like but also to find someone that would be interesting to talk to, though he expected that most people would be occupied already some would certainly be free, and hopefully they wouldn't all be boring...that said, he was in no particular rush so he made sure to take his time and didn't dash around the place.

[A m e n r i a]

The Emperor of Excalbia officially started the event with a greeting speech. Heavenly Emperor Cheonsa, ever the eccentric introvert, wandered off with his arm around his concubine's to examine the room's decoration, ocassionally nodding in amazement of its beauty. If there was an aquarium, he would definitely

Their daughters, however, the twin vampires Carmilla and Camellia took a glass of water each and walked to the youngest people around and tried to talk to them.

Tariq, Jennifer and Benjamin were standing in a tight circle laughing and sharing glasses of wine as the twin daughters of the Heavenly Emperor approached. Tariq was shorter than most Excalbians and his complexion was far more Mediterranean. His hair and eyes were both dark brown and wore a rather tight-fitting tuxedo of very modern cut. Jennifer was tall, taller than Tariq, and wore her brownish-blonde hair up, with curls cascading down the sides and back. Her blue evening gown matched her eyes. Benjamin was also tall and very, very blonde. His skin was pale, and made his black tuxedo stand out as an even greater contrast. All three appeared to be about college age.

Ever the dashing gentleman, Tariq turned to the two young women as they approached and bowed deeply. “Good evening, my ladies,” he said with a smile. “May I introduce myself? I am Tariq, Lord of Mezciems, son of the Imperial Princess Christiana and nephew of His Imperial Majesty.” He stood and gestured to the two people beside him. “These are my cousins: Lady Jennifer of Latgale; and Lord Benjamin of Durbe.”

Jennifer gave a brief bow and smiled. “Hello,” she said pleasantly, “welcome to Excalbia.”

Benjamin bowed and smiled, though not quite with the same flair as Tariq. “Good evening,” he said.

Both young women noticed the group, though one of them were quicker to respond. Her hair was black and shoulder-length, and her dress was as dark as her hair. Her skin was very bright, almost pale, complimenting her beautiful face. Her figure was tall and slim, just like her mother. Both she and her sister bowed slightly to Tariq. "I'm Carmilla, vampire, superheroine and noblewoman of house Ambro Enre, daughter of the Heavenly Emperor himself. This is my twin sister, Camellia." She gestured to the person next to her.

Camellia's dress was more conservative than her sister's, and her hair was long and brown, styled in a princess cut. Aside from her hair and clothing, she looked exactly like Carmilla, with the same beauty, despite emanating a more cheerful and youthful aura as opposed to her sister's aura of elegance and maturity. "Hello" she greeted, rather nervous at the sight of Tariq.

"Nice name though, Tariq. Do you have any Middle-Eastern heritage, by any chance? Your appearance sure suggests so, but I could be wrong." Carmilla asked, looking at Tariq fr head to toe. "Yes, you certainly look unique." Added Camellia

[West Phoenicia]

The West Phoenician delegation looked on with the rest of the guests as the royal family of Excalbia was paraded out before the arrival of the Emperor.

Queen Alotta Gryphon- Bush sat at a table fanning herself with a scarlet fan that displayed a scorpion icon. Her step children Prince Glenton Gryphon-Bush III and Princess Arsinoe Gryphon-Bush II sat on either side of her, clapping politely when they knew it was the appropriate time. And nodding and smiling as the Emperor introduced himself and gave his speech. Even for his age he still looked regal in the white imperial uniform. Pure royalty of old not like some of these new upcoming royals who wanted to dress like the people they were ruling over so they could not be told apart.

"There not much for jewelery. When one is of the nobility class one really should display it," Queen Alotta said as she looked over the Empress with disdain. She received a nod of agreement from the Deputy Prime Minister and her ladies in waiting. West Phoenician women of nobility loved nothing more to adorn themselves in the best clothes, jewelry and cosmetics.

The Prince and Princess looked on with little interest. They had attended numerous galas, parties and state affairs they all seemed cut out from the same cookie cutter. They eyed the other guests wondering who to strike up a conversation with.

Deputy Prime Minister Countess Tia High stood up and excused herself. It was time to make the rounds of the room and talk politics and continue with the social connections.

"Do let us know when the gift giving will take place. West Phoenicians are known for their generosity. We have a number of gifts to bestow upon the Emperor of this lovely little country," Queen Alotta said to the steward who had arrived with their drinks.

[Excalbia]

"It's a mixture," Carlota clarified. "What we call Restorationists are mostly Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. We class the Charismatic groups separately and they're largely Pentecostal. We're still speaking of a small percentage of the population. Most of our people are Catholic, with different levels of observance, and both Evangelicals and what are often called Mainline Protestants are more common. But Charismatic and Restorationist groups tend to come with a certain fervor that attracts comment and they grow swiftly. Whatever I may think as a believing Catholic, all I can say as a representative of the Crown is that they are Culhuacans seeking ultimate truth according to the dictates of conscience. Although I might add that Baptist and Anglican leaders in my country might welcome more contact with the Church of Excalbia."

She nodded as he spoke of basic human rights. "Unfortunately, it is a lesson learned the hard way. Up until 1946, our political history was troubled by religious extremism on one side and extreme anti-clericalism on the other. They tended to validate one another's perspectives."

"I think diplomatic relations would be wonderful," she says. As Lady Christina arrives, she inclines her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." She smiled warmly and glanced back to her entourage. "Mr. Acosta, would you join us please."

"Of course, Your Imperial Highness," Acosta said as he approached.

"This is Quirino Acosta Jiménez, Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs," she said as Acosta bowed at the waist.

"Of course, sir," she said as the Emperor took his leave. "Happy birthday." She curtsied again and Acosta bowed before both turned back to Lady Christina.

It was Acosta who spoke. "I think my government would be delighted to establish more formal relations with the Empire of Excalbia. We are just turning our attention once more to the international scene but we try to conduct diplomacy as it has been traditionally been done between civilized states acting in good faith. We recognize diplomatic immunity, the extraterritoriality of embassies, the inviolability of diplomatic communications." He smiled warmly. "I don't see any particular difficulties on our end."

The Emperor smiled and bowed slightly. “Thank you, again,” he said, then took his leave.

Lady Christina smiled as Acosta spoke. “Excellent, sir,” she said in a pleasing voice. “We should move forward then to establish embassies as soon as possible. I will dispatch an envoy next week to begin looking for a site for an embassy and to begin establishing formal relations with your government.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “At the risk of moving too quickly, perhaps we could also begin to look at establish trade and other beneficial exchanges.”

[Excalbia]

Both young women noticed the group, though one of them were quicker to respond. Her hair was black and shoulder-length, and her dress was as dark as her hair. Her skin was very bright, almost pale, complimenting her beautiful face. Her figure was tall and slim, just like her mother. Both she and her sister bowed slightly to Tariq. "I'm Carmilla, vampire, superheroine and noblewoman of house Ambro Enre, daughter of the Heavenly Emperor himself. This is my twin sister, Camellia." She gestured to the person next to her.

Camellia's dress was more conservative than her sister's, and her hair was long and brown, styled in a princess cut. Aside from her hair and clothing, she looked exactly like Carmilla, with the same beauty, despite emanating a more cheerful and youthful aura as opposed to her sister's aura of elegance and maturity. "Hello" she greeted, rather nervous at the sight of Tariq.

"Nice name though, Tariq. Do you have any Middle-Eastern heritage, by any chance? Your appearance sure suggests so, but I could be wrong." Carmilla asked, looking at Tariq fr head to toe. "Yes, you certainly look unique." Added Camellia

“Your Imperial Highnesses,” Tariq said with a smile. “I’ve never met a superheroine. Nor a vampire. You and your sister are most intriguing.” As his spoke Jennifer turned to Benjamin and rolled her eyes; she was used to her cousin going overboard with every attractive girl he met.

Ignoring his cousin, Tariq continued to smile at Camilla. “A very keen observation, Your Imperial Highness. Yes, my birth parents were Pantocratorian Turks.” A brief look of sadness and, perhaps, anger flashed across his face before his smile returned. “They… perished in a civil disturbance and Princess Christiana, my adopted mother, just happened to be visiting Pantocratoria at the time. She took me in and adopted me.” His smile broadened. “Which brought me here to meet you and your lovely sister.”

[A m e n r i a]

"Oh, I'm..terribly sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to bring that up. It must be harsh for you." Camellia looked at Tariq with a concerned expression. "A-anyways, let's talk about something less depressing, alright?" Suggested Carmilla. "So, you've never seen a vampire before, huh? Well, my fangs are retracted right now, should I unretract them and show you?" Carmilla added, smirking. "Carmilla.." Camellia said, putting her hand on her sister's shoulder. "What? I'm just trying to get the mood up. It's not like they're afraid of us or anything."

[Culhuaca]

The Emperor smiled and bowed slightly. “Thank you, again,” he said, then took his leave.

Lady Christina smiled as Acosta spoke. “Excellent, sir,” she said in a pleasing voice. “We should move forward then to establish embassies as soon as possible. I will dispatch an envoy next week to begin looking for a site for an embassy and to begin establishing formal relations with your government.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “At the risk of moving too quickly, perhaps we could also begin to look at establish trade and other beneficial exchanges.”

"Not too quickly at all," Acosta said cheerfully. "The government's looking to expand our international trade. What other sort of beneficial exchanges were you thinking of, Madam?"

[Excalbia]

"Not too quickly at all," Acosta said cheerfully. "The government's looking to expand our international trade. What other sort of beneficial exchanges were you thinking of, Madam?"

“In the past,” Lady Christina began, “we have found cultural exchanges, such as student and academic exchanges, and exhibitions of the arts, to be beneficial in building mutual understanding and friendship. Of course, as our countries get to know each other, there may be opportunities for additional interchanges, an exchange of military officers, for example.” She smiled. “But for now, we could start with trade and cultural exchanges.”

[Excalbia]

"Oh, I'm..terribly sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to bring that up. It must be harsh for you." Camellia looked at Tariq with a concerned expression. "A-anyways, let's talk about something less depressing, alright?" Suggested Carmilla. "So, you've never seen a vampire before, huh? Well, my fangs are retracted right now, should I unretract them and show you?" Carmilla added, smirking. "Carmilla.." Camellia said, putting her hand on her sister's shoulder. "What? I'm just trying to get the mood up. It's not like they're afraid of us or anything."

“There is no need to apologize,” Tariq said, giving Camellia a reassuring smile. “It was a long time ago.”

“But, yes,” he said in response to Carmilla’s suggestion, “let’s move on to more interesting topics.” He gave a slight shrug in response Carmilla’s initial question. “No, I’ve never met a vampire. There aren’t many, pardon the expression, mythical beings in the Excalbian Isles.” He smiled. “I did once meet a trollish woman serving in the Imperial Marines. She seemed quite pleasant.”

All three of the young Excalbians laughed at the exchange between Carmilla and Camellia. “It’s ok. It would be fascinating to see your fangs,” Tariq said. “What do you feed on? If I may be so forward as to ask.”

[Excalbia]

Deputy Prime Minister Countess Tia High stood up and excused herself. It was time to make the rounds of the room and talk politics and continue with the social connections.

A gentleman with brownish-blonde hair and black, round framed glasses approached the Deputy Prince Minister. “My Lady,” he said with a bow, “good evening. I hope that you - and Her Majesty - are enjoying the evening.” He nodded slightly. “Allow me to introduce myself, Dr. Arturs Anders, Minister of Defence.”

"Do let us know when the gift giving will take place. West Phoenicians are known for their generosity. We have a number of gifts to bestow upon the Emperor of this lovely little country," Queen Alotta said to the steward who had arrived with their drinks.

The steward raised an eyebrow at the reference to the Holy Empire as “little” but said nothing. “Your Majesty,” he said with a bow, “there is no formal presentation of gifts scheduled, but I shall inform His Imperial Majesty.” With another bow, the steward departed and disappeared into the crowd.

[Culhuaca]

“In the past,” Lady Christina began, “we have found cultural exchanges, such as student and academic exchanges, and exhibitions of the arts, to be beneficial in building mutual understanding and friendship. Of course, as our countries get to know each other, there may be opportunities for additional interchanges, an exchange of military officers, for example.” She smiled. “But for now, we could start with trade and cultural exchanges.”

Acosta's smile broadened to a grin. "I'm sure we can work something out in all of those areas. For Culhuacan students learning English, an immersive overseas experience among native speakers would be extremely helpful. They say full immersion is the best way to learn a language." Acosta shrugged slightly. "Exhibitions of the arts, yes, we would be happy to host something like that or, if you prefer, we would be happy to mount an exhibition."

"Anything in the Imperial Gallery could certainly tour," Carlota added. "Perhaps Excalbians might also have an archaeological interest? The Emperor and I did discuss the ancient Culhuacan Nahuan Empire."

[West Phoenicia]

A gentleman with brownish-blonde hair and black, round framed glasses approached the Deputy Prince Minister. “My Lady,” he said with a bow, “good evening. I hope that you - and Her Majesty - are enjoying the evening.” He nodded slightly. “Allow me to introduce myself, Dr. Arturs Anders, Minister of Defence.”

Deptuty Prime Minister Countess Tia High returned the bow, and offered her left hand for him to kiss it.
"Pleasure to meet you Dr Anders. I do apologize that our own Minister of Defence Major Aaron Townsville is not attending this birthday party. He had a pressing engagement back home. West Phoenicia is assisting a faction in the Atovian Civil War so he is needed to take charge of that engagement.
This evening is looking at going well. We do not have much diplomatic connections with Excalbia, so it's an honour to be invited to the birthday of its Emperor."
A steward stopped to offer a selection of canapés. Countess Tia High looked for a small sandwich thanking the steward.
"So how is your portfolio in Defence? Excalbia does not look like a nation that engages in much warfare?

The steward raised an eyebrow at the reference to the Holy Empire as “little” but said nothing. “Your Majesty,” he said with a bow, “there is no formal presentation of gifts scheduled, but I shall inform His Imperial Majesty.” With another bow, the steward departed and disappeared into the crowd.

"He came across as rather rude," Queen Alotta said to her two step children and ladies in waiting. As they sat at their table sipping their drinks.

"May just be one of their customs," Princess Royal Arisnoe Gryphon-Bush II replied. She ran her hand through her hair as she checked her reflection in a nearby mirror. She was gorgeous and she knew it. She wondered if there was any handsome Excalbian to flirt with. Yes she was promised to marry her eldest brother. But a little flirting didnt hurt. Many siblings marriages in West Phoenicia were in place to keep the bloodline pure, but that didnt stop anyone from having an affair on the side. Of course they would have to be worth it, simply being a member of a royal house did not mean the Princess would lower her standards.

"Start to arrange the gifts for the Emperor, let him realize how beneficial it would be for him and his people to ally with West Phoenicia, " Queen Alotta said to her ladies in waiting.

[A m e n r i a]

"See, he wants to see them!" Carmilla chuckled and smiled gleefully as she unretracts her fangs. "We eat normal human food. Sure, we drink blood every once in a while, but not that often. Imams of other worlds would disapprove, but our people came up with the fatwa that drinking animal blood or blood from consenting humans to be permissable for vampires, since we're supposed to do so at least once every twenty years or so." She continued to explain.

"Oh, that's right, would you mind if I ask you something?" Inquired Camellia to Tariq with an innocent expression of curiosity that some might find cute.

[Brasland]

“I’m sure they will, Your Highness,” Lady Ashley said, still looking off in the direction of the Imperial Family. She, and her fellow former Liberals, has spent years trying to change policy on same sex marriage, among other things, to no avail. Then, the Emperor’s sister decides she wants to take her relationship public and suddenly it is the Emperor pushing for change.

The Chancellor turned towards Leopold. “I am sure that His Imperial Majesty will be pleased that His Majesty, your brother, has sent you as his representative. I know that the Emperor - and all of us in the government - are anxious to renew our ties with Brasland is an important ally in a… challenging part of the region.”

Leopold chose his words carefully.

“It’s indeed challenging, Ma’am, but since the end of the war things have been quiet, hopefully for the best. We always keep our guard up, though. Daytans have always tried to influence Braslander politics and that has caused enormous troubles in the past. This, of course, is a matter of public knowledge.”

[Excalbia]

"See, he wants to see them!" Carmilla chuckled and smiled gleefully as she unretracts her fangs. "We eat normal human food. Sure, we drink blood every once in a while, but not that often. Imams of other worlds would disapprove, but our people came up with the fatwa that drinking animal blood or blood from consenting humans to be permissable for vampires, since we're supposed to do so at least once every twenty years or so." She continued to explain.

"Oh, that's right, would you mind if I ask you something?" Inquired Camellia to Tariq with an innocent expression of curiosity that some might find cute.

Jennifer trade a questioning look with Benjamin. She wondered why a human would “consent” to feed a vampire, but she said nothing and Tariq appeared oblivious to the looks she traded with their cousin.

“Fascinating,” Benjamin said at the display of the fangs. Tariq turned to his cousin and smiled, then turned back Carmilla and Camellia.

“Of course,” Tariq replied to Camellia’s question. “How could I turn down such a lovely lady.”

[Excalbia]

Leopold chose his words carefully.

“It’s indeed challenging, Ma’am, but since the end of the war things have been quiet, hopefully for the best. We always keep our guard up, though. Daytans have always tried to influence Braslander politics and that has caused enormous troubles in the past. This, of course, is a matter of public knowledge.”

“Of course,” Lady Ashley said, “we are well aware of the… challenges presented by Daytanistan. And we remain troubled by the ongoing situation in the Ostmark.” The Chancellor paused, as if considering whether to continue or not. Finally, she spoke. “I wonder, Your Highness, whether there is anything we can do to support your country in the challenges it faces. I can’t help but feeling that our… withdrawal from world affairs might have disadvantaged some of our allies.”

[Excalbia]

Vince watched the formal introduction of Excalbia's imperial family, with a moderate amount of interest. He paid attention to all the people introduced, even though he likely wouldn't be speaking to most of them he could not be certain and the more you know, the better at events like these. Unlike maybe some others, he was not at this event to find any sort of relationship, even if that's what the attending girls would be doing.

After the grand ceremony had finished, it was time for Vince to take a look around, both to see what this place was like but also to find someone that would be interesting to talk to, though he expected that most people would be occupied already some would certainly be free, and hopefully they wouldn't all be boring...that said, he was in no particular rush so he made sure to take his time and didn't dash around the place.

Princess Christiana, the Emperor’s sister, approached the Regent of the New Mushroom Kingdom, her glittering red gown twirling about her. “Your Excellency,” she said with a bow, “good evening. Are you having a good time?”

[Excalbia]

Deptuty Prime Minister Countess Tia High returned the bow, and offered her left hand for him to kiss it.
"Pleasure to meet you Dr Anders. I do apologize that our own Minister of Defence Major Aaron Townsville is not attending this birthday party. He had a pressing engagement back home. West Phoenicia is assisting a faction in the Atovian Civil War so he is needed to take charge of that engagement.
This evening is looking at going well. We do not have much diplomatic connections with Excalbia, so it's an honour to be invited to the birthday of its Emperor."
A steward stopped to offer a selection of canapés. Countess Tia High looked for a small sandwich thanking the steward.
"So how is your portfolio in Defence? Excalbia does not look like a nation that engages in much warfare?

* * *

"He came across as rather rude," Queen Alotta said to her two step children and ladies in waiting. As they sat at their table sipping their drinks.

"May just be one of their customs," Princess Royal Arisnoe Gryphon-Bush II replied. She ran her hand through her hair as she checked her reflection in a nearby mirror. She was gorgeous and she knew it. She wondered if there was any handsome Excalbian to flirt with. Yes she was promised to marry her eldest brother. But a little flirting didnt hurt. Many siblings marriages in West Phoenicia were in place to keep the bloodline pure, but that didnt stop anyone from having an affair on the side. Of course they would have to be worth it, simply being a member of a royal house did not mean the Princess would lower her standards.

"Start to arrange the gifts for the Emperor, let him realize how beneficial it would be for him and his people to ally with West Phoenicia, " Queen Alotta said to her ladies in waiting.

Dr. Anders took a canapé from the tray and nodded his thanks to the steward. “No, fortunately, our armed forces have rarely been called upon to defend our nation.” He gave a knowing smile. “One of the advantages, I suppose, of having a large and diversified economy supporting a large, technologically advanced military; few seem interested in challenging us directly. It also helps that we have generally have peaceful relations with our neighbors and the other countries of the Western Atlantic.

“That said, we have had occasion to employ our armed forces in various humanitarian interventions. Esperi, Marlund, Upper Virginia, Iesus Christi, southwestern Epheron and the Ostmark.” He didn’t mention that the last three ended ambiguously, due more to political machinations than anything that happened in field.

“Does your country find itself engaged in frequent conflicts?”

[Excalbia]

Acosta's smile broadened to a grin. "I'm sure we can work something out in all of those areas. For Culhuacan students learning English, an immersive overseas experience among native speakers would be extremely helpful. They say full immersion is the best way to learn a language." Acosta shrugged slightly. Exhibitions of the arts, yes, we would be happy to host something like that or, if you prefer, we would be happy to mount an exhibition.

"Anything in the Imperial Gallery could certainly tour," Carlota added. "Perhaps Excalbians might also have an archaeological interest? The Emperor and I did discuss the ancient Culhuacan Nahuan Empire."

Lady Christina’s eyes brightened and for a moment she seemed to be lost in a memory. With a slight shake of the head, she turned her attention to Acosta. “An intriguing proposal, sir. We have had some… success in building relationships through scientific expeditions. I believe that the Ministry of Technology and Science would certainly be interested in sponsoring an archaeological expedition by some of our universities. In full cooperation with your academic institutions and under the authority of your government, of course.”

[Culhuaca]

Lady Christina’s eyes brightened and for a moment she seemed to be lost in a memory. With a slight shake of the head, she turned her attention to Acosta. “An intriguing proposal, sir. We have had some… success in building relationships through scientific expeditions. I believe that the Ministry of Technology and Science would certainly be interested in sponsoring an archaeological expedition by some of our universities. In full cooperation with your academic institutions and under the authority of your government, of course.”

"Excellent! Excellent!" Acosta said. "I'll let my government know and we should be ready to move forward in the next few weeks. This has been a very productive trip already."

"Thank you for your time, Lady Christina," Carlota added. "Excalbia is known the world over as a center of commerce and a bastion of liberty. I'm grateful that we've been welcomed so warmly. I'm only sorry my uncle wasn't able to make it himself."

[Brasland]

“Of course,” Lady Ashley said, “we are well aware of the… challenges presented by Daytanistan. And we remain troubled by the ongoing situation in the Ostmark.” The Chancellor paused, as if considering whether to continue or not. Finally, she spoke. “I wonder, Your Highness, whether there is anything we can do to support your country in the challenges it faces. I can’t help but feeling that our… withdrawal from world affairs might have disadvantaged some of our allies.”

"You are too kind, Ma'am", the prince said. "His Majesty has always held Excalbia as one of our closest and most trusted allies. We will never forget your support during the war, and I speak as a veteran who is grateful of those countries that helped us. But what can Excalbia do, you ask? Well, the time may come when things in Transmontana get heated. When it will be? I don't know, but it could be sooner than we think, as the situation in the Ostmark is uncertain and Narvasar, the Daytan satellite state, might feel an appetite for expansion. What you can do is to continue your support towards the King and his government, because we need the backing of a foreign power of solid international standing to face any... challenges that our neighbors may pose, or to initiate actions to preserve our territorial integrity and regional peace."

[Grubaria]

Lady Christina’s eyes brightened and for a moment she seemed to be lost in a memory. With a slight shake of the head, she turned her attention to Acosta. “An intriguing proposal, sir. We have had some… success in building relationships through scientific expeditions. I believe that the Ministry of Technology and Science would certainly be interested in sponsoring an archaeological expedition by some of our universities. In full cooperation with your academic institutions and under the authority of your government, of course.”

"Excellent! Excellent!" Acosta said. "I'll let my government know and we should be ready to move forward in the next few weeks. This has been a very productive trip already."

"Thank you for your time, Lady Christina," Carlota added. "Excalbia is known the world over as a center of commerce and a bastion of liberty. I'm grateful that we've been welcomed so warmly. I'm only sorry my uncle wasn't able to make it himself."

Hrogg stumbles over, looking a little drunk, and interupts the conversation by saying "Science? I love science! I'll have you know that we still have the remains of the bottom-class rebel who laid down his life liberating Ernrac. He's my namesake, you know." He then starts into a long story about the caste system from hundreds of years ago. Suddenly, he realizes what he's been doing and stops. A moment of awkward silence occurs while he formulates his response. "I'm quite sorry for that, Lady Christina and Lady Carlota. It would seem that I have had too much to drink." He chuckles quietly.