Someone from the Past—Lagaronians and Yohannes
Part of a series on Embassy Exchange Programme of Yohannes
The new Lagaronian ambassador came to see her on a cold winter morning in June.
Princess Elisabeth was in the brainstorming room, signing her letter.[1] She had written Ambassador Liu a cordial greeting and was about to sign another for Ambassador Kenske,[2][3] then go on to watch the Navy documentary series on Parliament Channel. Today’s episode would talk about the historical importance of the Commonwealth Navy. As an island country, the Navy was important to Yohannes. But late 18th-century Yohannes could not afford to maintain a standing navy. She had learned last week of its immense cost. This week she would learn about late 19th-century Yohannes. The radical change into a centralised fiscal state; the high taxes and the growing number of civil servants; and the instruments of debt of a national bank to finance a standing navy. Elisabeth could not wait to finish this letter.
She was about to call her secretary, dutifully waiting somewhere outside, when she felt the vibration of the phone in her pocket. All calls to senior diplomatic phone numbers in Yohannes used international codes. The caller did not use an international number format, meaning they were here somewhere in Royal Alexandria. Elisabeth could see that her assistant did not block the call. This person was likely a very important person. The messenger tab on her notebook said, “A personal call from the incoming ambassador of the Lagaronian Empire.” She had not expected to see that message from her secretary.
What should she say? Her father had not told her anything about this new, incoming ambassador. Maybe it would turn out to be nothing, just the usual ambassador’s greetings?
Leaning back in her high-backed chair, Elisabeth picked up the phone and said, “Hello?”
Princess Elisabeth was in the brainstorming room, signing her letter.[1] She had written Ambassador Liu a cordial greeting and was about to sign another for Ambassador Kenske,[2][3] then go on to watch the Navy documentary series on Parliament Channel. Today’s episode would talk about the historical importance of the Commonwealth Navy. As an island country, the Navy was important to Yohannes. But late 18th-century Yohannes could not afford to maintain a standing navy. She had learned last week of its immense cost. This week she would learn about late 19th-century Yohannes. The radical change into a centralised fiscal state; the high taxes and the growing number of civil servants; and the instruments of debt of a national bank to finance a standing navy. Elisabeth could not wait to finish this letter.
She was about to call her secretary, dutifully waiting somewhere outside, when she felt the vibration of the phone in her pocket. All calls to senior diplomatic phone numbers in Yohannes used international codes. The caller did not use an international number format, meaning they were here somewhere in Royal Alexandria. Elisabeth could see that her assistant did not block the call. This person was likely a very important person. The messenger tab on her notebook said, “A personal call from the incoming ambassador of the Lagaronian Empire.” She had not expected to see that message from her secretary.
What should she say? Her father had not told her anything about this new, incoming ambassador. Maybe it would turn out to be nothing, just the usual ambassador’s greetings?
Leaning back in her high-backed chair, Elisabeth picked up the phone and said, “Hello?”
Notes and references
1. Office of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of Valentian Elysium. (2019). Incoming Ambassador-Designate Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth Schäfer, Duchess of East Lindblum. Retrieved from viewtopic.php?p=36392596#p36392596
2. Emmanuel Liu is the current Laeralian Ambassador to Yohannes. See “Prologue, December 2019” in Yohannesian Peace at viewtopic.php?p=36319547#p36319547
3. Janek Kenske is the current Saarkonian Ambassador to Yohannes. See Princess Elisabeth and the Chamber of Parliament at viewtopic.php?f=4&t=475505
1. Office of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of Valentian Elysium. (2019). Incoming Ambassador-Designate Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth Schäfer, Duchess of East Lindblum. Retrieved from viewtopic.php?p=36392596#p36392596
2. Emmanuel Liu is the current Laeralian Ambassador to Yohannes. See “Prologue, December 2019” in Yohannesian Peace at viewtopic.php?p=36319547#p36319547
3. Janek Kenske is the current Saarkonian Ambassador to Yohannes. See Princess Elisabeth and the Chamber of Parliament at viewtopic.php?f=4&t=475505
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