Spring in the Principality (MT/Applicated/IC)

[The Selkie]

"Nay, we haven't such a thing in mine Princedom," came the Princess's reply. "Most folks see not the worth of learning the book arts, for they work as farmhands, millers and blacksmiths. Even physicians and apothecaries need not know the letters, for they can hire scribes to read and write for them."

She took another bite of the bread rolls, then continued.

"Some families, if they're wealthy, might hire a tutor or governess to teach their kids the book arts, as well as Latin, French, geography and music." She switched to a hushed tone again. "Mine own mother and father never gave me any of that. They had wanted a son, so from mine birth they cast me aside, treated me as a failure. Kept me locked away in a tower for all of sixteen years until I did the unimaginable, God forgive."

"But luckily I have Celeste here," she said in regular volume again, "who hath been kind and patient enough to teach me. Anyway, how's the food?"

Fiona and Princess Veroniek (March 20, 2023)

The raw sausage tastes very intense of pepper and coriander, but is not particularly hot. The soft cheese tastes like caraway but is otherwise quite mild and the crusty may seem a bit strange to the untrained tongue, it is very strong, but also a bit bitter and smells strongly of salmiak.

You actually eat all of this with butter on the bun, which is why there may be a few confused and a few understanding looks from the die-hard Saalenians when the princess eats it off the plate.

The tea is a simple peppermint tea at first glance, but at second glance it was amazingly waking up, as if caffeine was in it.

[...]

For everyone on the market suqare!

The small orchestra on the stage started playing, which could be heard across the entire market square and therefore attracted the attention of all people, both visitors and employees. Many Saalenians dropped their food, interrupted their conversations or closed their shops at short notice. They all ran to the stage, leaving mostly puzzled tourists behind. The song played by the orchestra could be recognized by those in the know as the Saalenian national anthem.

From the west entrance to the market place arrived a carriage which can be traced back to Victorian times. It was drawn by two bay horses and the flags of Saalenia waved from the corners of its roof. The national coat of arms was embossed on the sides. As this carriage, escorted by a police escort, made its way through the crowd to the stage, it was cheered on as if it were an international rock star.

When she got to the stage, the coachman got down and opened the door. A beautiful woman in a black dress and a typical German princely crown on her open blond hair stepped out, who, with a little knowledge of Saalenia, can be recognized as the princess and head of state of the principality, Katarina II. As she got out, the cheering grew louder. She was followed by two young people, a man and one in their 20s, who looked quite alike and were probably twins. They were followed by a young lady, maybe 18 years old, who wore the typical German count's crown on her head. All were blonde.

They all came on stage waving while the orchestra played the anthem incessantly. Katarina II approached Clara Maria von Jacob and shook her hand, with the minister leaning slightly forward. Then there was a small conversation between the two politicians.

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
Before I could make my disbelief known, there was music from the orchestra, some sort of hymn or an anthem, with a carriage arriving shortly after. A number of passengers disembarked, the local crowd cheered, I remained, where I was, enjoying my tea (a wake-up-blend? Neat.) and breadrolls.
"Seems like quite the bigshots arrived.", I remarked as the lead-woman approached the minister.
"Either way...", turning back to my conversation partner, I smiled, "...maybe an idea to take home?"

[Alzatia]

It must've definitely been a culture-shock for Fiona, when the Princess told her that there weren't any schools in her homeland, or that the Alzatians didn't value an academic education since most of them worked manual labor jobs.

But before Fiona had time to react, the band gathered on the stage had started playing a lively orchestral piece. As if on cue, almost all of the locals immediately stopped what they were doing and gravitated toward the stage. The Princess was confused by this at first, as she had no clue that this was the Saalenian national anthem—or that this was a national anthem at all, seeing as her own country didn't have one. But given the crowd's enthusiasm, she could guess that somebody famous or important was coming.

She was right. Not long afterward, a carriage proceeded across the square toward the stage, drawn by two horses. In front of it was a strange machine (a police car, unbeknownst to the Princess) with a flashing blue light, clearing a way through the crowd of people. The carriage stopped in front of the stage, after which the driver opened the door and helped the passengers off. The first one off was a blonde wearing a black dress, and a crown which resembled that of Alzatia. This was definitely a princess or queen of some sort, just like Veroniek. As this woman made her way on stage, she was accompanied by a small entourage, most likely attendants or bodyguards.

The Princess had finished all but one of the bread rolls by now. "Let's go take a look, shall we?" she suggested. She wanted to get closer to the stage, so that she could see them better and hear what they had to say.

[The Selkie]

It must've definitely been a culture-shock for Fiona, when the Princess told her that there weren't any schools in her homeland, or that the Alzatians didn't value an academic education since most of them worked manual labor jobs.

But before Fiona had time to react, the band gathered on the stage had started playing a lively orchestral piece. As if on cue, almost all of the locals immediately stopped what they were doing and gravitated toward the stage. The Princess was confused by this at first, as she had no clue that this was the Saalenian national anthem—or that this was a national anthem at all, seeing as her own country didn't have one. But given the crowd's enthusiasm, she could guess that somebody famous or important was coming.

She was right. Not long afterward, a carriage proceeded across the square toward the stage, drawn by two horses. In front of it was a strange machine (a police car, unbeknownst to the Princess) with a flashing blue light, clearing a way through the crowd of people. The carriage stopped in front of the stage, after which the driver opened the door and helped the passengers off. The first one off was a blonde wearing a black dress, and a crown which resembled that of Alzatia. This was definitely a princess or queen of some sort, just like Veroniek. As this woman made her way on stage, she was accompanied by a small entourage, most likely attendants or bodyguards.

The Princess had finished all but one of the bread rolls by now. "Let's go take a look, shall we?" she suggested. She wanted to get closer to the stage, so that she could see them better and hear what they had to say.

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
I shook my head, my mouth full. Raising a finger to ask for a moment, I spoke as soon as I had swallowed: "Nah, go ahead without me. I'll watch from afar.", I told her with a smile and then raised my hand for a greeting. "Should we not see each other again, have a good one - it was a pleasure to meet you... and your escort."
I threw the maid a wink.
"And keep your little idea for back home in mind.", I added, regarding the schools, "I'm sure it'll be quite useful!"

[Alzatia]

"'Twas mine pleasure too," answered the Princess, smiling back. "Well then, I'm off to see the fayre. Till we meet again, mademoiselle. Fare thee well!"

With that, she finished her last bread roll, left the table, and headed toward the stage where most of the locals were now assembled.

[Krainin]

Alexis and Katie arrived to the marketplace after a lovely train ride. They walk into the marketplace arm in arm wearing casual civilian outfits, as to not draw too much attention. After the Minister of Culture's small speech, Alexis looks over at Katie.

"What do you want to do, sweetie?" Katie thinks for a second before responding.

"Well, the trip took a while. I'm a little hungry." Alexis nods and the two turn to head towards the nearest food stand. There appears to be a small group of people over there. Katie lays her head on Alexis shoulder while they walk. "Lexi, it feels good to travel again."

"Yeah it does. Let's enjoy it while we have time." Alexis kisses Katie on her forehead. Alexis began to take a mental note of the lack of cars, suggesting some sort of law restricting vehicles. That's a little odd, especially from a person from The Isles, considering that there is little laws restricting vehicles, just some environmental ones.

They stop a few feet from the stand and look at the menu, deciding what to choose.

[Saalenia]

I shook my head, my mouth full. Raising a finger to ask for a moment, I spoke as soon as I had swallowed: "Nah, go ahead without me. I'll watch from afar.", I told her with a smile and then raised my hand for a greeting. "Should we not see each other again, have a good one - it was a pleasure to meet you... and your escort."
I threw the maid a wink.
"And keep your little idea for back home in mind.", I added, regarding the schools, "I'm sure it'll be quite useful!"

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

When the princess and her lady-in-waiting were on their way to the stage, Fiona was almost alone at the food stand. Only the vendor was still standing, still facing the stage. On the rest of the square there were now a few surprised tourists, who were not quite comfortable with this scenery.

What Fiona could see was the violin player from earlier, who now came to the stall with his violin case. The salesman immediately looked at him.
"The usual?" he asked the musician.
"Yes, a Pilsner please," he replied.
The salesman gave him a narrow, tall glass filled with a light brown, almost golden bubbled liquid and a head of foam. He was now sitting at the stand and talking to the seller.

"'Twas mine pleasure too," answered the Princess, smiling back. "Well then, I'm off to see the fayre. Till we meet again, mademoiselle. Fare thee well!"

With that, she finished her last bread roll, left the table, and headed toward the stage where most of the locals were now assembled.

Princess Veroniek (March 20, 2023)

When Princess Veroniek and her lady-in-waiting reached the stage, they had to weave their way through a crowd made up of different people. You could see how many small Saalenian paper flags were waving, especially children. There seemed to be a variety of people from all walks of life in the crowd. There were men and women dressed in simple clothes, clothes that looked more country looking, very smart clothes and people dressed in very old fashioned clothes that reminded a bit of Hollywood glamour.

You could hear all sorts of murmurs.
"This princess's dress is magnificent," a woman was heard saying to her husband. "We have to see tomorrow if I can get it from the tailor"

"There's the princess, I think I can see her. Have you ever seen her?" a little boy was heard talking to an enso young girl.

"The new countess is also there," two women were heard blaspheming. "Let's see if she will be introduced. At 18 so much responsibility, if she can stand it".

Alexis and Katie arrived to the marketplace after a lovely train ride. They walk into the marketplace arm in arm wearing casual civilian outfits, as to not draw too much attention. After the Minister of Culture's small speech, Alexis looks over at Katie.

"What do you want to do, sweetie?" Katie thinks for a second before responding.

"Well, the trip took a while. I'm a little hungry." Alexis nods and the two turn to head towards the nearest food stand. There appears to be a small group of people over there. Katie lays her head on Alexis shoulder while they walk. "Lexi, it feels good to travel again."

"Yeah it does. Let's enjoy it while we have time." Alexis kisses Katie on her forehead. Alexis began to take a mental note of the lack of cars, suggesting some sort of law restricting vehicles. That's a little odd, especially from a person from The Isles, considering that there is little laws restricting vehicles, just some environmental ones.

They stop a few feet from the stand and look at the menu, deciding what to choose.

Alexis and Katie (March 20, 2023)

When the two arrived at the marketplace, it looked surprisingly empty at first. On second glance, however, one could see that the crowd had centered around a stage at the other end of the square. However, there was a stall in the vicinity that smelled of food. On the side of the stall, there was a menu:

"Saalenian dumplings
Saalenian Rostbratwurst
Saalenian Rostbrätel
Mutzbraten
makeup
beer soup
Beer roast, beer meat
Baked dumpling slices"

and various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

"How can I help you?" They heard a young female voice, which turns out to be the shop assistant. She may be in her 20s with back-length brown hair and big brown doe eyes. She spoke English with a German accent.

For everyone at the market-square

Princess Katarina stepped up to the microphone and spoke as the cheering died down.
"Dear Saalenians, dear guests. I welcome you to the Saalenian Spring Festival.", she spoke in a perfect standard German, her speech was repeated in English by a translator. "I'm glad to see how many people came here to celebrate how the goddess Gaya brings nature, but also our spirits to wake up. Of course, for us Saalenians it's also important to show people from the world how it is here in our principality. I therefore recommend that in addition to the festival here on the market square, you should also see the rest of the city and get in touch with people, so that the exchange will enrich us". She pointed to the three younger people standing behind her. These appeared to be due to the same crest on their clothing as their children. The youngest of the three stepped forward.

"I would like once again to salute my daughter Laura, who came of age four months ago and is now the rightful Countess of Matria in the name of the sacred and secular matriarchy". Laura bowed and the crowd cheered. "I don't want to keep you too long and continue the festivities. Over the week we want to celebrate the beginning of spring and I hope we can all get together under this roof. Thank you." With these words she also bowed and the crowd cheered more intensely.

"'Twas mine pleasure too," answered the Princess, smiling back. "Well then, I'm off to see the fayre. Till we meet again, mademoiselle. Fare thee well!"

With that, she finished her last bread roll, left the table, and headed toward the stage where most of the locals were now assembled.

Princess Veroniek (March 20, 2023)

When Princess Veroniek and her lady-in-waiting reached the stage, they had to weave their way through a crowd made up of different people. You could see how many small Saalenian paper flags were waving, especially children. There seemed to be a variety of people from all walks of life in the crowd. There were men and women dressed in simple clothes, clothes that looked more country looking, very smart clothes and people dressed in very old fashioned clothes that reminded a bit of Hollywood glamour.

You could hear all sorts of murmurs.
"This princess's dress is magnificent," a woman was heard saying to her husband. "We have to see tomorrow if I can get it from the tailor"

"There's the princess, I think I can see her. Have you ever seen her?" a little boy was heard talking to an enso young girl.

"The new countess is also there," two women were heard blaspheming. "Let's see if she will be introduced. At 18 so much responsibility, if she can stand it".

The Princess gave her speech and it was well received by most. There was clapping and the nobles went down into the crowd. Under the strict gaze of secruity, people were allowed to have a brief chat with the princess.

[Motoyasu]

Yua Saito, Matria Market Square (March 20, 2023)

The musician looked up when Yuna gave him the money. He started smiling too. "I have to thank you, dear lady," he said. "It's nice to see that my music is also pleasing to foreign ears. I hope you've enjoyed your stay in the Principality so far".

He packed up his violin and sealed the packaging, then turned back to Yuna. "May I ask where you're from?"

"Oh it's my pleasure. So far, it's been a nice trip but I still feel like I've only just got the bare basics of everything, so far. I'm from Motoyasu, since you asked. Not particularly significant but it's home! Safe to say you're local, yes?"

[The Aituia]

At the Maln Station - Matria

Man (me), wearing his uniform, with a great mustache, would walk out his passenger train. I, the man, would mumble 'What a nice day today, it is very nice. Very nice...' in German. He walks out of the station with excitement. He finds a local bakery, he opens the door, it dings. He says 'We should add these in our nation!' in German. He orders a bread, he waits and sits. A few minutes in, and he finally got his order. He eats, and leaves the bakery with a large tip.

[Alzatia]

For everyone at the market-square

Princess Katarina stepped up to the microphone and spoke as the cheering died down.
"Dear Saalenians, dear guests. I welcome you to the Saalenian Spring Festival.", she spoke in a perfect standard German, her speech was repeated in English by a translator. "I'm glad to see how many people came here to celebrate how the goddess Gaya brings nature, but also our spirits to wake up. Of course, for us Saalenians it's also important to show people from the world how it is here in our principality. I therefore recommend that in addition to the festival here on the market square, you should also see the rest of the city and get in touch with people, so that the exchange will enrich us". She pointed to the three younger people standing behind her. These appeared to be due to the same crest on their clothing as their children. The youngest of the three stepped forward.

"I would like once again to salute my daughter Laura, who came of age four months ago and is now the rightful Countess of Matria in the name of the sacred and secular matriarchy". Laura bowed and the crowd cheered. "I don't want to keep you too long and continue the festivities. Over the week we want to celebrate the beginning of spring and I hope we can all get together under this roof. Thank you." With these words she also bowed and the crowd cheered more intensely.

***

Princess Veroniek (March 20, 2023)

When Princess Veroniek and her lady-in-waiting reached the stage, they had to weave their way through a crowd made up of different people. You could see how many small Saalenian paper flags were waving, especially children. There seemed to be a variety of people from all walks of life in the crowd. There were men and women dressed in simple clothes, clothes that looked more country looking, very smart clothes and people dressed in very old fashioned clothes that reminded a bit of Hollywood glamour.

You could hear all sorts of murmurs.
"This princess's dress is magnificent," a woman was heard saying to her husband. "We have to see tomorrow if I can get it from the tailor"

"There's the princess, I think I can see her. Have you ever seen her?" a little boy was heard talking to an enso young girl.

"The new countess is also there," two women were heard blaspheming. "Let's see if she will be introduced. At 18 so much responsibility, if she can stand it".

The Princess gave her speech and it was well received by most. There was clapping and the nobles went down into the crowd. Under the strict gaze of secruity, people were allowed to have a brief chat with the princess.

After the Saalenian princess had given her speech, which was met with applause from the crowd, she and her group stepped down from the stage to greet her loyal fans.

I could never do that, thought the Alzatian princess. All that attention would've given me a heart attack!

Thankfully, most of the people had their attention on Katarina, herself included. She really wanted to meet her fellow princess and get a chance to talk to her, although Veroniek's shy and introverted nature made this a bit of a challenge. She and Celeste made their way up to where the Saalenian princess was meeting and greeting people. Hopefully, Katarina would notice her—not difficult, since her pink Disney-like dress and hair bow, as well as Celeste's maid outfit, would've been unusual among the others' outfits.

[The Selkie]

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

When the princess and her lady-in-waiting were on their way to the stage, Fiona was almost alone at the food stand. Only the vendor was still standing, still facing the stage. On the rest of the square there were now a few surprised tourists, who were not quite comfortable with this scenery.

What Fiona could see was the violin player from earlier, who now came to the stall with his violin case. The salesman immediately looked at him.
"The usual?" he asked the musician.
"Yes, a Pilsner please," he replied.
The salesman gave him a narrow, tall glass filled with a light brown, almost golden bubbled liquid and a head of foam. He was now sitting at the stand and talking to the seller.


[...]

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
As most people ran to watch and hear that lass, the cute violin player from before apparently had a short break. He walked to the stall, got himself a beer and it seemed as if the two knew each other.
I looked him up and down.
He was cute.
Not 'I'll swoon if he turns towards me'-cute, but cute-cute.
Swallowing the last of my breadroll, I decided to get acquainted with the local male population. I cleaned my hands, disposed of the trash and went to the stall.
"Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen...", I said with a confident smile, "...but could I have another tea, please? Oh, and his beer..." I nodded into the cutie's direction. "...is on me."

[Saalenia]

"Oh it's my pleasure. So far, it's been a nice trip but I still feel like I've only just got the bare basics of everything, so far. I'm from Motoyasu, since you asked. Not particularly significant but it's home! Safe to say you're local, yes?"

Yua Saito, Matria Market Square (March 20, 2023)

"Oh yes, madame," he said. "I was born and raised in this city. Motoyasu sounds interesting, at least it sounds Japanese. Well, I'm not culturally well educated to judge that. But my untrained understanding tells me that. I hope the culture shock wasn't that big when you came here."

Man (me), wearing his uniform, with a great mustache, would walk out his passenger train. I, the man, would mumble 'What a nice day today, it is very nice. Very nice...' in German. He walks out of the station with excitement. He finds a local bakery, he opens the door, it dings. He says 'We should add these in our nation!' in German. He orders a bread, he waits and sits. A few minutes in, and he finally got his order. He eats, and leaves the bakery with a large tip.

Emperor Hölenč Kuvonič II, at a bakery at the main station of Matria (March 20, 2023)

The door was pushed open. A tall man in uniform and a mustache came into the bakery and spoke his order in a loud voice in an imperative tone. The employees were a bit taken aback, but got to work quickly. When the meal was ready, they presented it to the emperor, who they did not recognize as such.

However, as quickly and suddenly as he had come, he was gone again just as quickly and suddenly. He left a princely tip, but the employees, the other customers and also onlookers from outside were a bit puzzled.

After the Saalenian princess had given her speech, which was met with applause from the crowd, she and her group stepped down from the stage to greet her loyal fans.

I could never do that, thought the Alzatian princess. All that attention would've given me a heart attack!

Thankfully, most of the people had their attention on Katarina, herself included. She really wanted to meet her fellow princess and get a chance to talk to her, although Veroniek's shy and introverted nature made this a bit of a challenge. She and Celeste made their way up to where the Saalenian princess was meeting and greeting people. Hopefully, Katarina would notice her—not difficult, since her pink Disney-like dress and hair bow, as well as Celeste's maid outfit, would've been unusual among the others' outfits.

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)


In the midst of the crowd, in all her handshakes, the Princess finally got to Veroniek. And sure enough, her dress was unusual. Even the local nobles didn't wear one. The princess stopped at her titular colleague, looked at her and you could see that she had seen these costumes before.

She turned briefly to one of the security guards standing by. "Tell the driver to bring the carriage up," she ordered calmly.
"Yes sir, my princess!" the security officer said and he made his way to the coachman.

"Hello, my lady," Katarina II finally said to Veroniek. "I'm looking at your dress right now and I've seen this style before. Alzatia right?". She glanced at Celeste and nodded benevolently. "My children and I would have to leave right away, do you and your companions want to come into the carriage and accompany us to my castle?".

With the question, the carriage drove up to the market square.

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

The vendor was just about to collect the violinist's coins when Fiona ordered her tea and took over the beer. He withdrew his hand and nodded. "If that's the case. Of course I can bring you a cup of tea right away."

"Well, I can only thank you, madame," said the fiddler, while vendor went to work. His dialect was quite pronounced, which is why he addressed Fiona with the French madame. "In this country, it's actually common for us men to spend something on women. Which, on closer inspection, is actually very unreasonable, since local men actually always have less in their pockets than local women." He gave a short laugh.

The vendor brought Fiona her tea and took the money. The violinist raised his glass and toasted her. "So you are not that interested in the princess?".

[Alzatia]

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)


In the midst of the crowd, in all her handshakes, the Princess finally got to Veroniek. And sure enough, her dress was unusual. Even the local nobles didn't wear one. The princess stopped at her titular colleague, looked at her and you could see that she had seen these costumes before.

She turned briefly to one of the security guards standing by. "Tell the driver to bring the carriage up," she ordered calmly.
"Yes sir, my princess!" the security officer said and he made his way to the coachman.

"Hello, my lady," Katarina II finally said to Veroniek. "I'm looking at your dress right now and I've seen this style before. Alzatia right?". She glanced at Celeste and nodded benevolently. "My children and I would have to leave right away, do you and your companions want to come into the carriage and accompany us to my castle?".

With the question, the carriage drove up to the market square.

OMG! Could it really be? she thought.

As luck would have it, the attention of the Saalenian princess was immediately caught by the Alzatians thanks to their looks, and she stopped right in front of the pair, clearly interested in them. Katarina greeted them in Standard German, which to Veroniek sounded like how Received Pronunciation would sound like to English speakers—not a dialect that herself could speak, but one that she could mostly understand, if spoken clearly. What's more, the Saalenian princess had immediately recognized the two as being from Alzatia, even without hearing them speak.

Veroniek was quite impressed and surprised. This princess was clearly very knowledgeable and educated, for not many people knew about Alzatia—it was a small, landlocked, rural backwater in the middle of nowhere, about as relevant as Andorra or San Marino. And now she was inviting the two Alzatians for a ride in her carriage and a visit to her castle. Of course! Veroniek thought. This is going to be awesome!

"Aye, Veroniek of the Princedom of Elsass. 'Tis mine pleasure to meet a fellow princess," she replied in Alzatian. "Really? Oh yes! I'd love to come along with thee!"

[The Selkie]

[...]

The vendor was just about to collect the violinist's coins when Fiona ordered her tea and took over the beer. He withdrew his hand and nodded. "If that's the case. Of course I can bring you a cup of tea right away."

"Well, I can only thank you, madame," said the fiddler, while vendor went to work. His dialect was quite pronounced, which is why he addressed Fiona with the French madame. "In this country, it's actually common for us men to spend something on women. Which, on closer inspection, is actually very unreasonable, since local men actually always have less in their pockets than local women." He gave a short laugh.

The vendor brought Fiona her tea and took the money. The violinist raised his glass and toasted her. "So you are not that interested in the princess?".

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
"Not interested might be the wrong term.", I told him with a smile, then took a sip, "Excellent. Anyway, she is not what I am here for. I am here to see the country, get to know its culture, have fun and meet cute guys."
I threw the violinist a wink at the last thing.

[Saalenia]

OMG! Could it really be? she thought.

As luck would have it, the attention of the Saalenian princess was immediately caught by the Alzatians thanks to their looks, and she stopped right in front of the pair, clearly interested in them. Katarina greeted them in Standard German, which to Veroniek sounded like how Received Pronunciation would sound like to English speakers—not a dialect that herself could speak, but one that she could mostly understand, if spoken clearly. What's more, the Saalenian princess had immediately recognized the two as being from Alzatia, even without hearing them speak.

Veroniek was quite impressed and surprised. This princess was clearly very knowledgeable and educated, for not many people knew about Alzatia—it was a small, landlocked, rural backwater in the middle of nowhere, about as relevant as Andorra or San Marino. And now she was inviting the two Alzatians for a ride in her carriage and a visit to her castle. Of course! Veroniek thought. This is going to be awesome!

"Aye, Veroniek of the Princedom of Elsass. 'Tis mine pleasure to meet a fellow princess," she replied in Alzatian. "Really? Oh yes! I'd love to come along with thee!"

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)

"Very good," Katarina said with a smile as they made their way through the crowd to the carriage. The door was already opened by the coachman and the two princesses and the lady-in-waiting were able to sit down. When everyone found space, the carriage door was closed and the vehicle drove off. In the carriage there was room for exactly six people on opposite, upholstered benches. All seats were taken. The three young nobles who were already on the stage with the princess were sitting on the bench on the driver's side. They were a little taken aback when Veroniek and Celeste first got in and sat on the opposite bench.

After closing, the carriage drove away. Katarina took the crown off her head. "Nice that we met by chance," she said to Veroniek. One of the other nobles raised an eyebrow.
"Are we taking in every foreign noblewoman now?" she said.
"Well, not everyone," Katarina II replied. "That's Princess Veroniek of Altazia, so more of a monarch than a simple noble." The aristocrat's eyes widened and she only gave a busy "oh well".

"Excuse her, princess," Katarina said to Veroniek. "She still has some customs to learn. By the way, this is my daughter Daliah, heir to Saalenia." Then she pointed to the young man sitting next to her. "This is Philip Christian von Saalenia, my son and Daliah's twin brother," she now pointed to the third person, a blonde lady like Daliah, but a little younger. "This is Laura, Countess of Matria, my youngest daughter".

All of the three young nobles leaned forward in brief introductions. The carriage drove through the market and Veroniek could still see the sales stand with Fiona, who is now talking to the violinist.

"Well, I'm glad you agreed, Princess Veroniek." Katarina began. "It amazes me what a high noble looks for in the common market. Are you here for diplomacy or to celebrate?"

"Not interested might be the wrong term.", I told him with a smile, then took a sip, "Excellent. Anyway, she is not what I am here for. I am here to see the country, get to know its culture, have fun and meet cute guys."
I threw the violinist a wink at the last thing.

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

A smile crossed the violinist's lips. "Well, those are good reasons to be here, but I wouldn't be interested in the Princess' rehearsed speeches either. I've been listening to them all my life," he said. "I can assure you that the cute guys here have an eye for foreign ladies. May I ask where the lady across from me is from?".

[Alzatia]

As soon as the Alzatian princess had agreed, the carriage arrived to pick up the group. She and Celeste climbed aboard and sat on one side with the Saalenian princess, while the opposite side was occupied by the latter's three children. It was a full load, but the interior was spacious enough to fit all of them comfortably. The eldest daughter—Daliah, it turned out her name was—then cracked a little joke about being a taxi service for nobles, to which Katarina corrected her and slightly admonished her to mind her manners.

"Oh, it is fine," Veroniek replied, laughing a bit at their banter. "Mine pleasure to meet y'all."

The Saalenian princess then asked her about her reason for coming to the festival. "Truth be told, I came hither for the sights and the food—which is quite good, if I say so mine self. But meeting the princess of the land, 'tis even better!"

Realizing that the thick Alzatian dialect could be a language barrier, Celeste entered the conversation using standard German. "Hello, your Highnesses. I'm Celeste, attendant to her Serene Highness. I am honored to be in your presence." Turning to Katarina specifically, she added: "I hope our language..." (referring to their Alzatian dialect) "... which you've already heard a little of, isn't going to be too much of an issue for your Highness. I can offer to translate everything if you wish."

[Saalenia]

As soon as the Alzatian princess had agreed, the carriage arrived to pick up the group. She and Celeste climbed aboard and sat on one side with the Saalenian princess, while the opposite side was occupied by the latter's three children. It was a full load, but the interior was spacious enough to fit all of them comfortably. The eldest daughter—Daliah, it turned out her name was—then cracked a little joke about being a taxi service for nobles, to which Katarina corrected her and slightly admonished her to mind her manners.

"Oh, it is fine," Veroniek replied, laughing a bit at their banter. "Mine pleasure to meet y'all."

The Saalenian princess then asked her about her reason for coming to the festival. "Truth be told, I came hither for the sights and the food—which is quite good, if I say so mine self. But meeting the princess of the land, 'tis even better!"

Realizing that the thick Alzatian dialect could be a language barrier, Celeste entered the conversation using standard German. "Hello, your Highnesses. I'm Celeste, attendant to her Serene Highness. I am honored to be in your presence." Turning to Katarina specifically, she added: "I hope our language..." (referring to their Alzatian dialect) "... which you've already heard a little of, isn't going to be too much of an issue for your Highness. I can offer to translate everything if you wish."

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)


"Oh don't worry about that," said the princess happily. "I often travel internationally and have heard a few crooked dialects of the German language".

"A translation would be good," Laura said sheepishly. She really didn't seem to have understood Veroniek. "If it doesn't cause any trouble".

"Well, thank you dear Celeste," added the Princess. "The fact that you are here for the festival now explains to me why there is a princess in the market square and not in the cathedral courtyard, where the aristocratic celebrations take place. Well, I wouldn't blame you for avoiding that either. I'm not a great friend of such internal circles".

The carriage left the market square westward and passed the large four-towered church. The street descended a little and ran intoanother market place, which was a bit smaller and not busy with stalls. However, the streets were not empty. People flocked to the market and the carriage had to watch out for trades crossing the street. When they left the market square, they came from cobblestones onto a paved road. The carriage suddenly stopped jerking and drove quite smoothly.

The journey continued into some intricate streets and alleys reminiscent of a typical medieval building structure. They drove over a few more squares, past a large, towerless cathedral whose entrance sign said "Saalenischer Gayasdom". Eventually they came to the last square, which had a large moated medieval castle standing on it. The carriage turned in there.

"This is the Sarania Castle," the princess began, "the ancestral seat of my noble family and my official residence."

[Alzatia]

"Oh, it won't be any trouble at all, miss," reassured Celeste. "For me it's second nature, along with English and French."

The Saalenian princess then mentioned something about another event taking place at the cathedral, one for the nobility. She also mentioned that she didn't get along well with said nobility. "Me neither," Veroniek replied in agreement—she wasn't a fan of stilted formal interactions or rigid courtly protocol, either. But, she couldn't help but be curious about that gathering, particularly if it offered free food. "Unless there's cake. Cake is always good, hehe. Maybe I'll go and check it out if there's time."

The carriage took them away from the main market square, through a smaller one, onto a series of small streets past several historical buildings, and finally over a drawbridge right to the entrance of Sarania Castle. This was the princess's residence and the seat of the Saalenian ruling dynasty, and was considerably bigger and fancier than its Alzatian counterpart, with things like a water-filled moat, which the latter didn't have.

"Ooh, nice!" exclaimed Veroniek. "That's much bigger than the castle I have. Thou liv'st here all the time, or only com'st here for stately matters?" (Do you live here all the time, or only come here for official business?)

[The Selkie]

[...]

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

A smile crossed the violinist's lips. "Well, those are good reasons to be here, but I wouldn't be interested in the Princess' rehearsed speeches either. I've been listening to them all my life," he said. "I can assure you that the cute guys here have an eye for foreign ladies. May I ask where the lady across from me is from?".

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
"I'm a Selkie.", I told him with a smile. Gods, he really needed a few lessons in flirting, but nothing I couldn't work with. "I'm from a land of wild and untamed nature, deep and dark forests, rolling hills and happy little streams. But also a land of towns and cities not unlike this one, of rolling golden fields, of cattle herds and herdsmen."
I smiled.
"I could go on for the rest of the day and still not find a place to end, but it would not change one thing: Oilean na mBeo, the Land of the Living, has to be experienced... or you are as lucky as I am and are born a Selkie." I shrugged, which caused an interesting bit of movement a bit below my eyes. "Either works."

[Saalenia]

"Oh, it won't be any trouble at all, miss," reassured Celeste. "For me it's second nature, along with English and French."

The Saalenian princess then mentioned something about another event taking place at the cathedral, one for the nobility. She also mentioned that she didn't get along well with said nobility. "Me neither," Veroniek replied in agreement—she wasn't a fan of stilted formal interactions or rigid courtly protocol, either. But, she couldn't help but be curious about that gathering, particularly if it offered free food. "Unless there's cake. Cake is always good, hehe. Maybe I'll go and check it out if there's time."

The carriage took them away from the main market square, through a smaller one, onto a series of small streets past several historical buildings, and finally over a drawbridge right to the entrance of Sarania Castle. This was the princess's residence and the seat of the Saalenian ruling dynasty, and was considerably bigger and fancier than its Alzatian counterpart, with things like a water-filled moat, which the latter didn't have.

"Ooh, nice!" exclaimed Veroniek. "That's much bigger than the castle I have. Thou liv'st here all the time, or only com'st here for stately matters?" (Do you live here all the time, or only come here for official business?)

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)
"Oh yes, there are some good cakes from the best pastry chefs in the Principality," replied Katarina II. "It is also my main residence, I live here privately and officially, as do Daliah and Philip. Laura, on the other hand, has been living in the Countess' residence for some time , a bit south of here near the cathedral we drove past. However, I am at home here most of the time. I still have a small holiday residence in the form of a junker estate on a patch of land to the west, which lies as an exclave before the actual realm borders, but I've never really been there since my mother died".

While the princess was speaking, the carriage drove into the courtyard, which could be closed off with a gate, but seemed to be basically open. For such a medieval castle, the architectural styles were surprisingly diverse and one could discern different eras of improvement and rebuilding. The carriage stopped in the middle of the yard, you could hear the driver getting off the carriage and stepping on the gravel floor. Then she opened the carriage door and the princess was the first to get out, then Veroniek and Celeste could get out, and finally the children. A number of employees came out to take care of the carriage and horses. Katarina spoke to a lady in a very smart dress who had approached the princess beforehand: "Please bring a Dornfelder to my office, we'll be there soon".

Looking around, Veroniek and Celeste could see that almost everyone in this castle was a woman. The only visible exception was a young man who appears to be serving as a stable boy. Nearby on the stone wall stood a statue of a medieval woman, with the following German text on the pedestal:
"Saint Sarah, 750 AD to 821 AD, first mother of the House of Sarania and warrior of the Gaya"

Katarina now came to the two. "Because you asked," she pointed to a lock compartment in the shape of a yellow-plastered house, which was right next to the entrance. "This is my private residence and this..." she then pointed to a Renaissance building across the courtyard "This is my workplace".

"I'm a Selkie.", I told him with a smile. Gods, he really needed a few lessons in flirting, but nothing I couldn't work with. "I'm from a land of wild and untamed nature, deep and dark forests, rolling hills and happy little streams. But also a land of towns and cities not unlike this one, of rolling golden fields, of cattle herds and herdsmen."
I smiled.
"I could go on for the rest of the day and still not find a place to end, but it would not change one thing: Oilean na mBeo, the Land of the Living, has to be experienced... or you are as lucky as I am and are born a Selkie." I shrugged, which caused an interesting bit of movement a bit below my eyes. "Either works."

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

"Well, that sounds very picturesque and mysterious, something I would like to see with my own eyes. Unfortunately, the borders of this realm remain closed to me," the rather turgid idiom clashes somewhat with his dialect. "I hope with a home like this, you can still enjoy this country here. Our forests may not be dark, but you can see the greenest grasslands and the most idyllic meadows in this world, our cities are old and marked by history and it old legends could certainly be experienced here: Good and bad countesses strive for power, a bourgeoisie strives for freedom, a church strives for influence and everything is held together by a controversial princess. Imposing castles, heroic knights, beautiful ladies. Here it is not nature, which is exciting, but society".

[Camp Hebron]

Henrietta Galverston
Cathedral Courtyard, Matria
The diplomat looked about at the festivities taking place around the courtyard. Having been sent by the Imperator on what was perceived to be an easy diplomatic mission, Henrietta was expected to handle herself well while in the foreign land.

Having been born to a working-class family, she had never quite grasped the various mannerisms of the aristocracy and the rich. Her clothing choice was also quite peculiar, causing her to stand out like a sore thumb when compared to the others in the courtyard. Figuring she would not be dealing much with important figures such as judges or even royalty, Henrietta opted to release herself to what the rich may have considered "primitive" or "uncivilized" pleasures, viewing what stalls and vendors there were in the area. As she was browsing to see what wares there were, she couldn't help but let her mind drift back to the question she had been asking since she received the letter handwritten by the Imperator. "Why me?"

Henrietta had only been a worker in the Ministry of Foreign Relations for two years, doing little except reading and rereading various treaties, sitting in on meetings with various senior diplomats, and attending seminars relating to foreign culture and languages. She had not once stepped foot in foreign territory, nor dealt with those who were not Hebronian. When the assignment was given to her, she had wanted to ask Minister O'Well why a more experienced diplomat was not being sent to Saalenia, though the Minister only told her "the Imperator's judgement is right." Henrietta had thought the statement was odd, as it had been slowly floating around the Ministry for the past few weeks, always in hushed circles. Was the Imperator trying to claim divinity? No, not possible, Samuel was much too humble to claim himself as a god...right? Had he maybe been given the power to foresee the future? Afterall, there might have been some sort of anomaly captured by the P.E.C.F. As she continued to browse the market, she was partly hoping to not run into someone of influential status. What would they think of her, in her black jeans and blue flannel shirt?

[The Selkie]

[...]

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

"Well, that sounds very picturesque and mysterious, something I would like to see with my own eyes. Unfortunately, the borders of this realm remain closed to me," the rather turgid idiom clashes somewhat with his dialect. "I hope with a home like this, you can still enjoy this country here. Our forests may not be dark, but you can see the greenest grasslands and the most idyllic meadows in this world, our cities are old and marked by history and it old legends could certainly be experienced here: Good and bad countesses strive for power, a bourgeoisie strives for freedom, a church strives for influence and everything is held together by a controversial princess. Imposing castles, heroic knights, beautiful ladies. Here it is not nature, which is exciting, but society".

Fiona Oliwyn of the Tribe of Navan.
I raised an eyebrow at the comment about the borders being closed to him.
"I still enjoy my time here. Being somewhere, where it is not like at home is the spice of travelling, after all.", I told him with a smile. Either he focussed on the difference or he believed, that there was no society in the Free Lands. Either way, it sounded fun... even if, in days long past, the 'heroic knights' would have ended up as porcupines from fourhundred metres away. But that was a different story. On a more pressing topic: "But, let's back up for a moment. You said, that the borders are closed to you - why, if I might ask?"

[Alzatia]

Princess Veroniek and Celeste (March 20, 2023)
"Oh yes, there are some good cakes from the best pastry chefs in the Principality," replied Katarina II. "It is also my main residence, I live here privately and officially, as do Daliah and Philip. Laura, on the other hand, has been living in the Countess' residence for some time , a bit south of here near the cathedral we drove past. However, I am at home here most of the time. I still have a small holiday residence in the form of a junker estate on a patch of land to the west, which lies as an exclave before the actual realm borders, but I've never really been there since my mother died".

While the princess was speaking, the carriage drove into the courtyard, which could be closed off with a gate, but seemed to be basically open. For such a medieval castle, the architectural styles were surprisingly diverse and one could discern different eras of improvement and rebuilding. The carriage stopped in the middle of the yard, you could hear the driver getting off the carriage and stepping on the gravel floor. Then she opened the carriage door and the princess was the first to get out, then Veroniek and Celeste could get out, and finally the children. A number of employees came out to take care of the carriage and horses. Katarina spoke to a lady in a very smart dress who had approached the princess beforehand: "Please bring a Dornfelder to my office, we'll be there soon".

Looking around, Veroniek and Celeste could see that almost everyone in this castle was a woman. The only visible exception was a young man who appears to be serving as a stable boy. Nearby on the stone wall stood a statue of a medieval woman, with the following German text on the pedestal:
"Saint Sarah, 750 AD to 821 AD, first mother of the House of Sarania and warrior of the Gaya"

Katarina now came to the two. "Because you asked," she pointed to a lock compartment in the shape of a yellow-plastered house, which was right next to the entrance. "This is my private residence and this..." she then pointed to a Renaissance building across the courtyard "This is my workplace".

"Oh goody!" said the Alzatian princess excitedly. "Then I'll go there for sure!"

The carriage dropped them off in the center of the palatial courtyard, where it was met by a handful of staff who tended to the horses. While Katarina was busy chatting with one of the female staff (in fact, nearly all of them were, save for a young stable-hand), the others had a little look around the courtyard. The castle seemed to be a combination of different architectural styles, with some parts appearing more traditional, and others more modern. Veroniek came up to a stone statue of a woman. Not good with reading, she asked Celeste to translate the inscription on the plaque for her, and was surprised at how long ago this Principality was founded—her own wasn't until 1806, when the Holy Roman Empire collapsed and split up into many successor states, Alzatia being one of them.

Meanwhile, the Saalenian princess had gotten back to them. She showed them two buildings, her private residence and her official offices. Veroniek thought that this would be a good time to ask her about a bit of history, so she did. "That statue over there, she was the first princess, right? It sayeth she lived and died over a thousand years ago. That's quite a long time, 'tis not? And I bet, a lot hath happened in this land since then. I'd love to hear some of those stories, I'm sure they'd be interesting!"

[Saalenia]

The diplomat looked about at the festivities taking place around the courtyard. Having been sent by the Imperator on what was perceived to be an easy diplomatic mission, Henrietta was expected to handle herself well while in the foreign land.

Having been born to a working-class family, she had never quite grasped the various mannerisms of the aristocracy and the rich. Her clothing choice was also quite peculiar, causing her to stand out like a sore thumb when compared to the others in the courtyard. Figuring she would not be dealing much with important figures such as judges or even royalty, Henrietta opted to release herself to what the rich may have considered "primitive" or "uncivilized" pleasures, viewing what stalls and vendors there were in the area. As she was browsing to see what wares there were, she couldn't help but let her mind drift back to the question she had been asking since she received the letter handwritten by the Imperator. "Why me?"

Henrietta had only been a worker in the Ministry of Foreign Relations for two years, doing little except reading and rereading various treaties, sitting in on meetings with various senior diplomats, and attending seminars relating to foreign culture and languages. She had not once stepped foot in foreign territory, nor dealt with those who were not Hebronian. When the assignment was given to her, she had wanted to ask Minister O'Well why a more experienced diplomat was not being sent to Saalenia, though the Minister only told her "the Imperator's judgement is right." Henrietta had thought the statement was odd, as it had been slowly floating around the Ministry for the past few weeks, always in hushed circles. Was the Imperator trying to claim divinity? No, not possible, Samuel was much too humble to claim himself as a god...right? Had he maybe been given the power to foresee the future? Afterall, there might have been some sort of anomaly captured by the P.E.C.F. As she continued to browse the market, she was partly hoping to not run into someone of influential status. What would they think of her, in her black jeans and blue flannel shirt?

Henrietta (March 20, 2023)
Henrietta is actually showing off her clothes. Most wore clothes reminiscent of Hollywood glamour. Some women wore sashes with crests sewn on, a few wore crowns. A third group of women all wore long robes reminiscent of orthodox priests, and all had blond hair of varying lengths. A middle-aged lady even had hair reaching her legs.

In addition to a table full of wines, sparkling wine, cakes, tarts, appetizers and all kinds of meat, there was a lot of jewelery and pendants to be seen. In the center of the courtyard was a tree with budding leaves, which is adorned.

Many eyes wandered to Henrietta. Sometimes with interest, sometimes with suspicion.

I raised an eyebrow at the comment about the borders being closed to him.
"I still enjoy my time here. Being somewhere, where it is not like at home is the spice of travelling, after all.", I told him with a smile. Either he focussed on the difference or he believed, that there was no society in the Free Lands. Either way, it sounded fun... even if, in days long past, the 'heroic knights' would have ended up as porcupines from fourhundred metres away. But that was a different story. On a more pressing topic: "But, let's back up for a moment. You said, that the borders are closed to you - why, if I might ask?"

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

"I can imagine that the foreign can be exciting," replied the violinist. "Why are the borders closed? Well, it's forbidden for Saalenian men to leave the country until they are married. Personally, however, I don't believe in committing myself like that, so I prefer not to move freely."

"Oh goody!" said the Alzatian princess excitedly. "Then I'll go there for sure!"

The carriage dropped them off in the center of the palatial courtyard, where it was met by a handful of staff who tended to the horses. While Katarina was busy chatting with one of the female staff (in fact, nearly all of them were, save for a young stable-hand), the others had a little look around the courtyard. The castle seemed to be a combination of different architectural styles, with some parts appearing more traditional, and others more modern. Veroniek came up to a stone statue of a woman. Not good with reading, she asked Celeste to translate the inscription on the plaque for her, and was surprised at how long ago this Principality was founded—her own wasn't until 1806, when the Holy Roman Empire collapsed and split up into many successor states, Alzatia being one of them.

Meanwhile, the Saalenian princess had gotten back to them. She showed them two buildings, her private residence and her official offices. Veroniek thought that this would be a good time to ask her about a bit of history, so she did. "That statue over there, she was the first princess, right? It sayeth she lived and died over a thousand years ago. That's quite a long time, 'tis not? And I bet, a lot hath happened in this land since then. I'd love to hear some of those stories, I'm sure they'd be interesting!"

Fiona (March 20, 2023)

"Well, I can actually tell you a bit about our history.", Katarina replied to Veroniek's request. "Let's go to my office and I'll tell you about it on the way." With these words, the children of the princess said goodbye and went on their way. On the way to said work building, Katarina started talking. "I have to correct you on one thing. The Sarah von Tal portrayed in the statue was not the first princess, but the founder of the noble family of Sarania, which initially belonged to the landed gentry. At their time, the Saalenian early Middle Ages, there was no principality, but on the territory of today's country there was a conglomerate of sovereign city-states, which arose about a few centuries earlier from Christianized Germanic tribes. Sarah von Tal, whose then home village Tal is now called Sarasroda, was not only the progenitor of my family, but also initially a nun in the Christian nunnery, which proclaimed Gayanism and matriarchy, which is why she was one of the first priestesses of the Gaya. You can see she was an important woman for us today."

The Princess opened the door of the workhouse and made a gesture inviting Veroniek and Celeste to proceed. "The principality was not founded until some centuries later in 1316, but I must first go back a little on that." When the three entered the workhouse they came into a very neatly scrubbed hallway with a few doors and stairs leading up which can be identified as offices . The group stopped at a maphanging on the wall, titled "Principality of Saalenia."

"You must understand that in 1050 these city-states joined together and formed two independent counties," she pointed to the map. "In the north was the County of Matria, which includes today's dominions of the city of Matria (OOC: number 1 on the map), Wittenhaus (2), Friedelberg (3), Teuteberg (4), Treu (5), Betzenburg ( 20) and Sarastal (21) and ruled by my family of Sarania. To the south, the remainder of the dominions, extended the County of Ironvale."

The group continued, up the stairs, and Katarina continued to evaluate: "The two counties coexisted and competed for the next several ages. In 1316, through a wise marriage policy, the then Countess of Matria Amalia was able to lay claim to the title of Countess of Ironvale , to which she was crowned on May 19, 1316. She now ruled both counties that made up today's Saalenia and unified them. That is why she is considered the first princess of Saalenia, even if she never bore the title herself, and May 19th is the national holiday of the founding."

They now arrived at a door on the top floor and Katarina stopped just in front of it. "This is my office, I hope I didn't bore you". A dimpled smile formed on her face.

[Chia Dal]

After arriving on a train from Hamburg to the capital of this Principality Matria, Josephine Wagner steps off the train with her roll-on suitcase being pulled behind her. While she is indeed a diplomat for the European Federation, Josephine is here to visit this beautiful country and attend the Spring Festival. She walks up to the immigration officials and shows them her diplomatic passport waiting for a response.

[Camp Hebron]

Henrietta Galverston
Cathedral Courtyard
Henrietta glanced about at the way the others in the area were dressed, making sure to avoid eye contact when she noticed how elegant they all were, especially compared to her. Looking up at the tree in the center, noticing how it was adorned. She had always wanted to grow her own tree, though figured it was much too late for that now. Maybe she could start that project after she retired, and let her descendants take care of it, sort of like an heirloom.

Henrietta felt the eyes looking at her, putting her off and making her anxious. She knew she should have worn something nicer, and felt like sinking into the floor to escape the gazes. Figuring she might as well try to blend in, she moved to one of the stalls and began examining the jewelry on display. Her boyfriend had gifted her a silver locket a few months ago, which she thought was a mistake given the money he used was supposed to be his union dues. Regardless, she figured with the income she was making at the Ministry now, she could afford to buy something and gift it to him. Maybe they had something of gold?