Utica International Airport.
Day 1 of the State Visit of Emperor Anaximander and Empress Anna to the Sultanate of Kyrenaia.
"Prince, arrival in a few minutes.", the aide of Utica International Tower spoke to the boy, who was slowly becoming a man.
Prince Mahmut ibn-Idris, a young man of thirteen years with golden eyes and a mop of brown hair crowning his head, nodded.
"Thank you, Sir.", he said and bowed his head slightly. He was to welcome Emperor Anaximander and Empress Anna of the Empire of the Scarlet Eagle, as well as their compatriots, in Kyrenaia, at Utica International, in a scene very similar and yet very dissimilar to what Duchess Marcella and Princess Gisella had witnessed a few months before during their state visit.
The young man's thoughts turned to the UIS' Princess, who he was in love with - how was she? He would have to write a letter tonight.
He shook his head, returning to the present, as was dressed in a fine suit, waiting on the tarmac under an umbrella at the red carpet in the scorching heat of Kyrenaian Summers, which was why the protestors had retreated from the viewing platform of the main terminal into the upper deck of the terminal itself. And there were a lot of protestors, which was understandable, as the relations between the Empire and Kyrenaia were not stellar: It had all begun with the Khanate of Jazirat Alshahwa and Kyrenaia moving troops in to keep up the public order, which had escalated a little bit.
Diplomatic upheavals had followed, threats and wild accussations being flung around, nicknames being given, and... a few months ago, during a visit to Camelone for a completely different matter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent their most effective charme weapon to offer a state visit to the Emperor and the Empress at their earliest convinience.
Which was, apparently, now. That did not hinder the protestors, which kept it typically Kyrenaian and classy, flying flags of the Khanate of Jazirat Alshahwa amongst other things - the Kyrenaian name for the Va'a Mamao Islands.
Mahmut was glad about the timing, as that meant, that he was finished with his finals, even Maths, and most likely made it. He had at least a very good feeling about it.
He had been selected to welcome these important guests of state, for which Utica International and the Main Access Motorway into the 50 million people metropolis of Utica had been blocked. That had quite a few people miffed, but by the end of the day, both would be open again.
The security was extra tight, the Chandshar and Utica Metropolitan Police working together with the Order of the Tabardariyya to ensure security of their guests. There was no honour guard of the Army and the Navy, though, but an honour guard of the Utica Metropolitan Police, one of the regular police service, one of the Motorcycle Squadrons (to which Prince Damir had belonged during his Service), both in Blue Dresses, as well as of the Utica International Fire Department.
Mahmut watched with a nod as the vanguard appeared: Four planes, all of them Kyrenaian Aircraft Factories KAF-18 Dabur Multirole Fighters, escorted Eagle One, the plane carrying their guests, two at the tips of the wings and two as a vanguard to make sure, that the airspace was clean.
Where the pilots had delighted with a small airshow a few months prior, though, the pilots of these two planes kept it to the normal routine. There had been a reprimand after their air show, after all.
"Showtime.", Mahmut said and drowned the last of his glass of water, handing it to a handmaiden, giving her a grateful nod as he stepped out of the shadow cast by the umbrella, towards his position.
This was his first time welcoming and important guest of state and if he was honest, he was excited: This was huge. And in the distance, he could see the planes, a relatively medium-sized A380 approaching with two planes at the wings, as he closed the buttons of his jacket and corrected the fit of his deep blue tie.
This would be fun, he thought and smiled slightly, and slightly cocky, under the Lioness' Loving and Scorching Gaze.