NationStates

Mia Visser stood in the ballroom of the Sulamze Museum of Technological History wearing a floor length black gown. Her hair was braided and hung over her left shoulder. On her breast was a pin bearing the emblem of Sulamze: a hardhat and pencil surrounded by a gear. All around people were rushing back and forth putting last minute details in place. Across the room by the display of the first calculator built in Sulamze was an open bar. Five people were anxiously waiting for the rush of orders they would be receiving soon. In the middle was a six sided granite tower with a hexagonal clock face on each side. From down the hall the smell of food wafted from the kitchen. Laguno bread, fresh crab, fish, and oysters. Pine needle tea, potatoes, carrots, and pastries overflowing with jam. Mia's mouth watered at the thought of it all. The gala would begin at eight. She looked up. Just a few more minutes.

Every time a person walked through the front doors the smell of the sea would rush inside. Soon guests would be arriving from around the Isles. They would be escorted by security to the Museum as the building was currently the center of a protest. Many Sulamze believed that the nation should take a hardline stance against the more hierarchical countries in the archipelago. People were chanting for the destruction of capitalist systems of these foreigners and their anger was being focused on the diplomats and leaders attending tonight's gala. However the Confederated Congress had implored the People's Militia to be involved for the purpose of keeping the event safe from anyone who might try to cause any trouble.

The clock in the center of the room struck eight o'clock. Mia jolted from a state of deep thought and realigned her attention to the matter at hand. She could hear the guests arriving.

It would be unsavory for a representative of a long standing royal dynasty to show up late, Duchess Elizabeth would be one of the first to arrive in an elegant yet simple and sleek royal blue dress with gold accents and a pin of the Coat of arms of Havalland bearing the old banner of the nation, her long brown hair was wavy and free and atop her head she adorned a circlet with a sapphire in the center, that circlet probably belonged in a museum itself. Beside Elizabeth was a man in a red uniform with white pants with a sword, a Havallish Knight obviously guarding the duchess though she seemed calm and was actually smiling towards Mia as if she wanted to talk.

Around ten minutes after the Havallish diplomat arrived, Ihor Bohdanovich Petrenko, Senior Marshal of the Trosrod Army, walks in, leaning on a wrought iron cane. Dressed in a full Cossack dress uniform, complete with a black fur Papakha. Holding the arm of the older man is a similarly aged man in the uniform of a junior marshal. The two are chatting animatedly, and appear to be very close. The pair see Mia and slowly make their way over, Petrenko’s bad leg making swift movement near impossible.

Havalland wrote:It would be unsavory for a representative of a long standing royal dynasty to show up late, Duchess Elizabeth would be one of the first to arrive in an elegant yet simple and sleek royal blue dress with gold accents and a pin of the Coat of arms of Havalland bearing the old banner of the nation, her long brown hair was wavy and free and atop her head she adorned a circlet with a sapphire in the center, that circlet probably belonged in a museum itself. Beside Elizabeth was a man in a red uniform with white pants with a sword, a Havallish Knight obviously guarding the duchess though she seemed calm and was actually smiling towards Mia as if she wanted to talk.

Mokov wrote:Around ten minutes after the Havallish diplomat arrived, Ihor Bohdanovich Petrenko, Senior Marshal of the Trosrod Army, walks in, leaning on a wrought iron cane. Dressed in a full Cossack dress uniform, complete with a black fur Papakha. Holding the arm of the older man is a similarly aged man in the uniform of a junior marshal. The two are chatting animatedly, and appear to be very close. The pair see Mia and slowly make their way over, Petrenko’s bad leg making swift movement near impossible.

The orchestra began to play a soft medley Mia walked to the Duchess beaming. "Your Majesty! Welcome to Sulamze. It is so great to meet you. Was your trip pleasant?" She turned towards the two men smiling wide. "Marshal. I'm glad you could make it." She spots Petrenko's bad leg. "Can I get you a chair Marshal?"

Petrenko smiles before speaking. “That would be most agreeable Miss Visser, this bum leg of mine does make holding polite conversation on my feet rather difficult. Before I forget, this” He gestures to the other man with him, “is Junior Marshal Iosef Ivanovoch Petrenko, my assistant and husband.” Iosef extends his hand to shake.

“oh I am quite well miss, The flight here was pretty uneventful, oh and you may just call me Elizabeth” the duchess had a warm calm tone for being in a nation of opposing ideals. She acted very friendly despite the current events.
“I hope our nations can reach an understanding, I feel like some may misunderstand my brother’s intentions as our issues are With a dangerous ideology... fascism disguised as socialism. I just wanted to clear up anything that may be perceived as hostile intent.”
The duchess gave a bow as thanks for listening, she seemed genuine surely the monarchy and parliament isn’t targeting the ‘revolution’.
“Now that’s out of the air I would love to get to know you some more, I prefer making personal friends rather than political friends”.

Mokov wrote:Petrenko smiles before speaking. “That would be most agreeable Miss Visser, this bum leg of mine does make holding polite conversation on my feet rather difficult. Before I forget, this” He gestures to the other man with him, “is Junior Marshal Iosef Ivanovoch Petrenko, my assistant and husband.” Iosef extends his hand to shake.

Havalland wrote:“oh I am quite well miss, The flight here was pretty uneventful, oh and you may just call me Elizabeth” the duchess had a warm calm tone for being in a nation of opposing ideals. She acted very friendly despite the current events.
“I hope our nations can reach an understanding, I feel like some may misunderstand my brother’s intentions as our issues are With a dangerous ideology... fascism disguised as socialism. I just wanted to clear up anything that may be perceived as hostile intent.”
The duchess gave a bow as thanks for listening, she seemed genuine surely the monarchy and parliament isn’t targeting the ‘revolution’.
“Now that’s out of the air I would love to get to know you some more, I prefer making personal friends rather than political friends”.

Mia motioned to one of the workers to bring them a chair. After a few moments a pine wood chair was provided and Mia helped the Marshal sit. "Are you comfortable?" She turns to his husband. "And it is a pleasure to meet you as well Iosef." Mia then smiles at the Duchess. "I'm so sorry your trip didn't go well. Let's make up for that. Do you want something to eat?" She then spoke to the rest of the group, "And you as well. Would you like some food?

“Absolutely, I have heard such good things about the food here, I honestly couldn’t wait” the princess seemed genuinely excited to expand her palette. The beautiful young woman gave a chuckle her voice was sweet and excitable like a young lady in a candy store or a Havallish gentleman in a tea shop. The Knight also spoke up “I too would be honored to try your food m’lady oh and I’m Knight Gabriel m’lady” his accent was thicker but just as posh and proper as the Kingston accent.

Havalland wrote:“Absolutely, I have heard such good things about the food here, I honestly couldn’t wait” the princess seemed genuinely excited to expand her palette. The beautiful young woman gave a chuckle her voice was sweet and excitable like a young lady in a candy store or a Havallish gentleman in a tea shop. The Knight also spoke up “I too would be honored to try your food m’lady oh and I’m Knight Gabriel m’lady” his accent was thicker but just as posh and proper as the Kingston accent.

Mia escorted her guests to the side of the room, which was lined with square tables carved from wood and glossy with a spectacular finish. As they sat a worker brought a plate of steaming cubes of crab and fish, along with a pot of pine needle tea and saucers full of melted butter. "Dig in!" Mia said smiling.

Petrenko lifts a glass of tea. “A toast! To prosperity and peace!” After speaking he breaks into a fit of coughing, after which his handkerchief can be seen to be stained by blood.

Prince Victor, Crown Prince of Wellsia, stood in the door, waiting to be introduced. He could see that he was late, and for this, his scribe would have some explaining to do. He looked about the room, scrutinizing the other guest, at least Havelland and sent a noble woman to the gala. Prince Victor wore the traditional garb of a Wellsian nobleman, a mid-thigh length tunic of forest green, white pants underneath, inside mid-calf length black leather boots. On his back supported by gold chain hung a white cloak with a wolf hide collar. Around his waste was a black leather belt, with the traditional eating/carving knife.

Mokov wrote:Petrenko lifts a glass of tea. “A toast! To prosperity and peace!” After speaking he breaks into a fit of coughing, after which his handkerchief can be seen to be stained by blood.

Wellsia wrote:Prince Victor, Crown Prince of Wellsia, stood in the door, waiting to be introduced. He could see that he was late, and for this, his scribe would have some explaining to do. He looked about the room, scrutinizing the other guest, at least Havelland and sent a noble woman to the gala. Prince Victor wore the traditional garb of a Wellsian nobleman, a mid-thigh length tunic of forest green, white pants underneath, inside mid-calf length black leather boots. On his back supported by gold chain hung a white cloak with a wolf hide collar. Around his waste was a black leather belt, with the traditional eating/carving knife.

"Oh dear!" Mia exclaimed, visibly concerned. "Marshal are you alright?" She looked up to see Prince Victor arriving. Turning back to the group she spoke, "Please excuse me. If you need anything call over one of the workers and they will assist you." She stood up, shot a worried glance at the Marshal, and walked over to the Prince. "Your Majesty. It's an honor to at last be meeting you. Was your trip pleasant? Please, come join us for some food." She gestured towards the table. The orchestra finished their song and began a new one. A young man took the center of the stage and sat on a wooden stool. As a soft rumble of drums rose behind him he began to play on his Erhu. It was a smooth calming piece with hits of sadness.

Marshal Petrenko waves off Mia’s worries, and gives a tired smile. “The MPR sent some bastard with a makeshift bomb to try and off me just after they took over the Kingdom. Got some shrapnel lodged in my lungs, and my left knee is kaput. I ensure you that I gave that assassin what for with my pistol.”

“It’s a shame, Grand Knight Richards was blinded in a gas attack from the NCP.” The knight said with a hint of honor. “Or he was, that man though blind was a fighter made us all proud to be knights, lived to be 113 right as I joined”
The Knight reminisced or the day he met a modern legend who lead him through the oath, he was proud of his knighthood.

Petrenko perks up at the mention of Knight Richards. “My father, Bohdan Ivanovich Petrenko, served as an artillery officer in the War of Ideology, and knew the honorable Knight personally, thanks to his friendship with Boris Kalintov. Dad actually introduced me to Grand Knight Richards when I was a child.”

Victor watched as his hostess approached and smiled at her words. Giving a slight bow toward her, "It's Your Highness, milady, only my great-grandfather the king is entitled to Majesty. It was a pleasant trip and His Majesty the King sends his best regards and hopes this gala will lead to good will between all nations present, even those with different ideologies.".
He looked at the Mokov marshal and thought of the Civil War Mokov was involved in, even if at present there was a cease fire. The war had been poorly fought, but bravery always deserved to be honored. Lifting the glass of wine Victor had picked up from the table, he saluted the Marshal, and also the Havalish knight, "A toast to bravery, may it never go out of style."

Petrenko raises his cup once more. “To bravery! Let us hope us honest Cossacks get all of it so those spineless fascists have none!”

The next to arrive to the gala was Brulafi's Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Navant Prijorđef, dressed in a simple evening suit with small lapels and a Brulafi flag lapel pin. As his sedan wound its way through the crowds of anti-capitalist protestors, he wondered if they knew that his country was a socialist one or not. As the evening went on, the crowds had gotten larger, and so the car moved slower, until he realized that he would be arriving much later than anticipated. As the vehicle finally pulled into the cul-de-sac by the museum's wing and Navant was released to enter the building, he was now decidedly late, and he felt so sincerely bad about it. If the honor of his nation were not at stake here, he would have simply returned home with how late he was.

But the honor of his nation was at stake, and so, with a heavy heart, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs approached the door, and waited to be allowed in. When he was, he approached the gala, taking a deep bow of humility before speaking.

"Please, let me extend a hundred apologies to the nations gathered here, and let me hope that this late arrival does not negatively impact the process of forming lasting friendships. I have been detained in transit by factors out of my control. With all of that being said, I hope that you can forgive me for my indiscretion, and that I may join my gracious host and her guests at this table of honor."

Victor, burst out laughing at the explanation of the Brulafi delegate, "You got stopped by the vermin as well? I just got here myself because of the protesters, you would think they would learn who their friends are? Protesting me is one thing, a capitalist nobleman from a decadent county, but you dear sir follow a similar ideology, irony at it's best."

“It’s a shame that they do not think as open mindedly as our dear host” the princess said sipping a glass of champagne.
“Honestly I had hoped we could mend our differences but some people just seem so angry all the time, the people of Havalland are very happy, yet foreigners will call my brother oppressive... it’s hard because he’s family and I love my brother and yet I’ve read such horrible things that people want to do... it’s hard to swallow that some people want your family dead but I can’t let it get to me.” She said putting back on a smile after a brief moment of vulnerability.

Petrenko pulls out his hip flask and takes a swig. “I know how that feels, my own god brother has sent assassins after me on numerous occasions.”

Mia kept her frustration hidden. It was upsetting to hear the guest's rude tone towards the people protesting outside. She didn't agree with the protesters but she understood their position. It is difficult dealing with nations who operate under oppression and having to pretend such oppression simply does not exist. She blinked, took a sip of tea, and cleared her head. "Its so nice to meet you Navant. Please join us. They're about to bring out more food". Just as Mia spoke, a worker came and placed sliced loaves of laguno bread around the table along with a few bottles of mead and some empty glasses. In front of each guest was placed a plate of steaming salmon steak.

Navant bowed once again, slightly shallower this time to express gratitude, before taking his seat at the banquet table. The dialogues by the other guests certainly made him feel like he was in a tight squeeze again, but this time, the Sulamze host was in the same boat as him. At least, barring some sort of pained expression on Mia's face that he would expect, he assumed that she was. Regardless, he tried to maintain a polite smile as he began to cut into his steak. "I... certainly would not refer to the citizens of our gracious host as vermin, personally, but that is a choice for each person to make," he said, trying to indicate his buddying up with Sulamze as tactfully as possible and without offending the other guests. In a scenario like this one, must always tread carefully. Even between allies, one wrong word could lead to disaster. "Thank you for the welcome, madam. This food looks delicious," Navant said to lighten the tension that he might have just created. He scanned the room, trying to recognize everyone more properly.

"Please, don't let me be a spoilsport. What was the conversation about before I arrived?" He said in between small bites of steak.

“He is right they aren’t vermin just misguided perhaps, maybe that’s just me hoping that things could be more understanding between my people and them, but as long as they don’t hurt anyone they are well within their right to protest” *the princess said before taking a bite.
The Knight spoke up “this is a fine cut of beef m’lady, as I had fortold that the supper would be incredible.” The Knight said with a smile to his host.

Mia smiled back at the knight from Havalland, chewing on some bread. After swallowing she spoke to the princess, "I've always had a fascination with monarchies. Tell me about your family. What is it like growing up as royalty?"