Tempest: The Value of Diplomacy II [MT | Attn: Esvanovia]

[New Azura]

---

---

---

It has been one month since the Azuran delegation led by First Governess Guilia Trevisani visited the Aquilinian Free State,
negotiating the beginnings of the Trans-Esvanovian Economic Partnership and the Trans-Esvanovian Security Partnership. In
the intervening month, the Aquilinian leadership began to settle into its new order after the tragic death of former Praetor
Dr. Innhauser and the rise of former Empress-Abdicate Lucille Silvanus Aquili to fill the position in his stead. The host from
the Evenguard returned home to much fanfare in the press, signaling a new age of cooperation with Azura's neighbors. And
one Calixte Vardanyan delivered news of the happenings in Aquilinia to Caesar in Krytopia, who began to take an active and
passionate interest in the happenings between the Evenguard and the Free State. It was a time of tremendous excitement.

However, whispers began to filter through the corridors of power in Raevenna that a power struggle between the Supreme
Council and the First Governess had broken out upon her return home to the Evenguard, that factions inside the Council had
begun leveraging their position in a bid to unseat the Governess and install one of their own to power. Rumors of the turmoil
traced their way all the way to Aquilinia, leaving the future of negotiations hanging in the balance. The Governess is said to
be waging a silent cold war inside the halls of power in Raevenna against the interlopers, hoping to root out the cabal that
had risen against her and bring the objectors to heel before bringing her foreign policy plan to fruition. It stands to reason
one side will ultimately win out, and the other fail, bringing a very different landscape to Azuran politics in place of the old.

Now, one month on from the negotiations, the Aquilinian host from the Free State is on the precipice of a return visit to the
Evenguard, looking to cement the negotiations it had hammered out back in Aquilinia. The First Governess is pinning all of'
her hopes on a favorable outcome to the next round of negotiations, while her political enemies begin to move all around
her, shirking their responsibilities in favor of bringing down the reign of Azura's next, best hope for political evolution. And
in the northlands, a powerful force is awakening that threatens to bring about a hammer-fist of change to the entire picture,
renting the landscape in two and bringing its own form of power projection down upon the land. These combustible political
elements combine to form a cauldron of tempestuous ingredients that could change the scope of Esvanovian politics forever.

---

---

---

2350 Hours

Casa di Giada, Ancient City of Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

The evening was wearing on at a blistering pace, threatening to rob Guilia of the last of her free time before the Aquilinian delegation was due to arrive at the airfield in the morning. She had planned to call an early night for her staff so that they might be refreshed and ready to extend every diplomatic courtesy to their new friends from the Free State, but the strategic planning of a political cold war had her and her staff running ragged from one end of the city to the other, plotting their maneuvers and buying off friends in hard-to-reach places. In truth, the delegation's oncoming arrival could not have been scheduled at a worse time from a tactical standpoint; Guilia was no longer thinking about tactics at the moment, however. She badly needed the political capital that a successful summit could bring and was counting on her friends from Aquilinia to deliver just that for her. Anything less would prove disastrous to her career.

The previous month had been something of a disaster for Guilia Trevisani, and though she was managing to keep a brave face up before the public and her staff, her patience was running out. The press had loved her machinations with the Aquilinians, but the goodwill had stopped there. As predicted, she had met stiff resistance from not only the Supreme Council on their negotiated package of provisos, but also from the Council of Deputies no less, all of whom 'wanted a bigger say' in diplomatic affairs. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand that there were political machinations being played out and both levels of the legislature, seemingly overnight. The Lorist Party leadership had at first taken a pragmatic view of the situation, but had lately become more agitated by the controversy stirred up by Trevisani's adventurism in Aquilinia — a clear sign where the leadership was leaning on the matter. Her time was soon running out.

And so she had sequestered herself in the Jade House, handling the affairs of state as quietly as she could while she strategized her next move, spending as much time going to war with the establishment in Raevenna as she spent governing for the most part. If there were any positives to be found, they rested in the loyalty of the people and her staff, respectively; there had been no high-profile defections from her team upon their return to Raevenna the month prior, and the commitment of her inner circle towards battling the internal insurgency had only galvanized their support for her rather than drive them into the arms of the opposition. Coupled with high support from the general populace, Guilia had a solid — if unspectacular — base from which to launch her campaign from. But it was going to be a dirty, insidious affair from the ground up, with casualties along the way undoubtedly. Weren't there always casualties in warfare?

The only notable person outside of the inner circle right now was Aristide Di Norcia; she had him working the angles on the Supreme Council, trying to find someway in to broach their inner sanctum and find the silver bullet that would neutralize them as a weapon. In his stead, she had come to rely quite heavily on her staff manager, Cristian Marchese and her administrative assistant, Matilde Gigliotti. Both Cristian and Matilde had been mainstays in the inner circle for some time, but both had been really upping their presence in her office since returning from Aquilinia. Without their help, poor Lia Simoni would be completely swamped for certain. Speaking of Simoni, she had gone on ahead to the airport to ensure that last minute preparations at the airfield were all in place, as per the custom for diplomatic arrivals. Everything needed to be perfect, as much to pay back the Aquilinians for their hospitality as anything to do with politics.

"Madame Governess, I have made the alterations request to your personal tailor, and he believes that everything can be finished before you depart for the airport tomorrow morning. I have also had Frederica bring a late supper to your private quarters in the west wing should you choose to indulge in sustenance for once this week. Will there be anything else that you require of me before I leave for the evening?" Guilia looked up at Matilde, feeling pangs of guilt and regret at having pushed herself, and by proxy her staff, so hard over the preceding weeks. Gigliotti was a beautiful young woman by any measure or standard, but the late hours in the office were beginning to catch up with her. Dark circles and stress lines were beginning to form along the young secretary's face, indicating a high work load over long, stressful hours. Even so, her assistant put on a brave face and smiled towards her: "I can stay if you wish me to."

"No, no, that will be quite alright," Guilia remarked casually, giving her assistant a warm smile and a pat on the shoulder. "You have a big day tomorrow along with the rest of us, and I already feel guilty at having kept you here this late. Go, head on home and get some sleep. In the morning we will reconvene and go over any last minute details there are in preparation for the arrival of our Aquilinian friends. With any luck, tomorrow should go off without a hitch."

Her staff manager, Cristian Marchese nodded at Matilde politely, then turned to face Guilia in front of her desk. "Do you have tomorrow's itinerary committed to memory? If necessary we can go over the finer details again if you wish, but having the basic outline of tomorrow's schedule committed to your memory will help keep things moving along in the morning. After all, you have planned quite the busy day for you and your friends from the Aquilinian Free State."

Guilia leaned back in her chair, slightly vexed at having to go over tomorrow's itinerary for the twelfth time in as many minutes. "We will greet the Aquilinian delegation at Susana Lorenzo International Airport in South Raevenna, where a formal constabulary procession will lead us back to the capital. After a formal service at the capitol fountain in Toscani Square, we will arrive back at the Jade House for a banquet lunch and negotiations. Evening dinner buffet to follow."

"Ahh, you forgot the speech in front of the Council of Deputies," Marchese remarked, clicking his tongue as if to express disappointment at her. "I thought you said you had this all down? Here you are missing the keynote piece of the entire agenda for day one right out of the starting block, Madame Governess! Whatever would the Council do if they realized you stood them up and did not even bother to bring the Aquilinian host by for a visit and a speech?"

Guilia stared blankly at the staff manager for a moment, trying to decide whether to fire him out of the nearest canon or have him run up a flag pole for trying to trick her this late into the game. "The speech before the Council of Deputies isn't scheduled on the first day, you nincompoop. Don't try to play me, friend, I get up too early in the morning to fall for your happy horseshit. Stick to dad jokes and puns, you're better at those than you are gross deception."

"Just trying to keep you loose and flexible, is all," Marchese said with a devilish grin, his teeth bared and looking quite menacing rather than humorous actually. He quickly changed tact on her however, reverting back to his more normal, reserved self. "I just wanted to try and interject a little levity into your evening, you've been stressing so hard here lately. Everything is going to go smoothly, your team has been hard at work for weeks on this diplomatic event."

"It isn't the diplomatic functions that have me concerned," Guilia confessed to him, turning in her office chair to stare out her window with a sigh. "I have every confidence that myself and my team will conduct ourselves accordingly, and that we will show the Aquilinian delegation a good time here in Raevenna. What concerns me is whether my enemies will choose to move on me now while they're in town, to maximize the embarrassment in front of the country."

[Aquilinia]

Radio Levinci: Politik am Abend, mit Michael und Yukiko!

Yukiko: "And that's Lucas with the weather. Looks like the clouds will finally go away over the next few days! Speaking of clouds, some of our most senior government represenatives are, of course, on their way to Azura right now, to return the pleasure of their visit last month. I mean, despite the tragedy of the late Praetor's untimely passing, it looks like they had some very successful times!"

Michael: "You can say that again, Yukiko! <laughs> Of course, the AS kicked up a bit of a fuss in the Senate, but with the support of all other parties, it's not much of a surprise that the preliminary agreements were passed. But the Consul's not the only one who's been busy, hasn't it? I mean, just look at what's come from the Praetor's desk, in only her first month in office!"

Yukiko: "Oh for sure, it's definitely a blast from the past! Restoring the old Imperial title to the Air Fleet, and renaming the Fleet to the Imperial Navy, I mean that one's going to clear up a lot of confusion at least! And now the petition to restore the Praetor's imperial titles has reached enough signatures that the Senate will have to consider it. We all knew she was popular, of course, but this is quite the surprise!"

Michael: "I say it's about time! If you ask me, she should have never abdicated when she did. She has always been our Empress, and that is what her official title should still be!"

Yukiko: "Well, let's hear what our listeners think. But first, some music!"

---

In the air en route to Raevenna

"Hey, wake up." Lucille gently shook Zoé's shoulder. "Coffee?" It had been a quiet flight so far, soaring almost silently through the night sky over the southern Esvanovian sea. The sun had begun to rise to the east, and while most of the passengers had been asleep, Lucille had taken over at the aircraft's controls to allow the pilot, a young Decurion from the newly rechristened Imperial Air Fleet, some rest. Now, however, he was back in his seat, and the Praetor had returned to the passenger compartment to wake the Consul.

Once Zoé had a mug of fresh, steaming coffee in her hand, and the seats had been bolded back into chairs, Lucille sat down opposite the Consul. "Feeling ready?"

Zoé took a long sip of coffee. "Ready as I can be. I mean, we've all heard of the trouble Guilia's been in. The TEP seems to be quite the hard sell over in Azura. Maybe you'll be able to talk some sense into them when you address their... what do they call it again, Council of Deputies? Yeah, that's it. I do hope things go well."

Lucille nodded. For the past month, experts from all government magistries had been in near-constant contact with their Azuran counterparts, ironing out details and finalising the agreements that would form the foundation of the Trans-Esvanovian Partnership. "I'm sure Guilia will do just fine. You've chosen a good team for this trip, Zoé." She nodded towards the back of the compartment, where General Dietz, the Magistrate at Arms, was still happily snoozing. Next to him, the newly-appointed Foreign Magistrate, Naoto Kujikawa, was going through her notes. Kujikawa was a neko, one of the cat-like faunus that originally inhabited the island of Levinci. With her short, boyish stature and her messy brown pixie cut hair with the obvious cat ears sticking out, one could easily mistake her for a schoolboy, but even though she had only been a Senator since the last election, she had already proven her skill as a politician. At only twenty-five years old, she was one of the youngest Senators in Aquilinian history, and by far the youngest Magistrate; yet she had already served on the Provincial Assembly of Levinci for four years before being elected to the Senate. As well as the four politicians, delegations from all of the large corporations dominating the Aquilinian economy were on board, ready to investigate potential investment opportunities in the Evenguard.

Zoé chuckled. "It was rather difficult to convince Sakura not to come along, I will admit." The kitsune had resumed her position as Lucille's unofficial chief of staff, without anyone batting an eye. "Of course, knowing her, she'll be on the next flight out of Waldemar Cato anyway."

A chime sounded through the plane. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. We are beginning our descent into Susana Lorenzo International Airport and are expecting to land within the next thirty minutes. Please return your seats to the upright- I mean, you know all of this, none of you is a first-time flyer. Prepare for landing."

Lucille smirked. "Better head back to the cockpit and give him a hand. I know, computer-assisted flying has advanced quite far, but I'd still rather have two people on the flight deck during landing. I'll see you on the ground."

[New Azura]

0935 Hours

Susana Lorenzo International Airport, South Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

Guilia Trevisani was mentally fatigued but physically excited to welcome her old friends from the Free State to the Evenguard this day. And though things on the homefront were still dicey for her, she would be happy to see her friends again, and had spared no expense in trying to make them feel as welcome and as special a diplomatic host as possible. More than twelve-hundred civilian onlookers had been permitted onto the tarmac across from the photographers' bank to welcome the Aquilinian delegation to Susana Lorenzo that morning, most all of them alternating the waving of handheld Aquilinian and Azuran flags. The flags and streamers hanging from the flagpoles she had especially cast for the event gave the tarmac a gala-like appearance, more than befitting the high esteem she held Consul Dr. Zoé Metelli and Praetor Lucille Silvanus Aquili in. Only a few more precious minutes remained before their final approach to the Evenguard.

The choice to use Susana Lorenzo International Airport for the arrival of the Aquilinian host was not an accident; despite being the furthest outlying airfield of the capital district's three major aerodromes, it was the largest and enjoyed the most scenic positioning on the eastern shore of Lake Serrata. Though it was occasionally acceptable to allow diplomatic flights to enter one of the other aerodromes for the sake of convenience, the regalia with which Guilia intended to serenade her Aquilinian friends with really required Susana Lorenzo for the full effects to be felt. The diplomatic coffers had gone to great lengths to dress the airfield up for the occasion, and the hard work of her staff and that of the diplomatic corps had rendered the airfield in South Raevenna a work of pure art. If there was any more that her team could have done to prepare the grounds for the arrival of their counterparts from the Free State, she herself was unaware.

Once the Aquilinian delegation had landed at the aerodrome, their aircraft would taxi to the end of the runway nearest the battery overlooking Lake Serrata, where elements of the Azure Army's 1st Capital Artillery Cohort had positioned a battery of F604 155mm Towed Howitzers. Behind them, the 5th Century of the 9th Raevennic Rifles were kitted in their dress blues, standing at the ready to offer a twenty-one gun salute to the arriving Aquilinians, their short swords sheathed in brass holsters affixed to silver-buckled belts. More than a thousand military personnel were on the tarmac, ready offer tribute to the Free State's arrival by airplane that morning; Trevisani had insisted upon the pomp and pageantry of it all, reckoning it apropos for the former Empress-Abdicate-turned-Praetor and the Consul of the Aquilinian Free State. After some brief pushback from the Council of Deputies, she had won the day and gotten the military.

Speaking of military personnel, a cadre of soldiers stood guard in their dress uniforms, holding unsheathed sabers at the ready at eye level down the full fifteen-meter long purple carpet, fashioned to approximate the shade which adorned the Aquilinian Free State's flag. This was specifically why the airfield at Susana Lorenzo International played so well for these types of occasions: fixed in the ground were small dugouts plated with golden holsters, capable of supporting flagpoles to celebrate the arrival of visiting dignitaries. Guilia had personally ordered an silver-cast nautical flagpole placed every three meters on either side of the carpet, with the Aquilinian and Azuran flags flying underneath the yardarms and wreaths of laurel and carnations hung from the upper halyards. A spun golden ball adorned the top of each flag mast, with golden cleats and a gold-cast flash collar at the base of the pole finishing off the frame. With five flagpoles on each side of the carpet leading to the T-junction at the far end from where the plane was to finish taxiing, no expense was spared.

At the end of the fifteen-meter purple carpet on the tarmac — itself pressure washed for more than a day to excise the smell of grease and oils from the grounds — was a black maple podium baring the relief of the Azuran crest of state cast in iron and silver. The First Governess stood approximately one meter behind the podium, flanked by Second Governess Silvia Luoni on her left and Foreign Affairs Minister Patrizio Palermo on her right. The Governess's Own Azure Navy Band was positioned on risers behind the podium, positioned to play in the arrival of the Aquilinians once they had touched down and disembarked from their aircraft. The press had been cordoned off to the left of the carpet in a special area of the tarmac, where a cavalcade of photographers were awaiting to capture pictures of the Consul, the Praetor and the rest of the Aquilinian host. Everything was affixed according to the Governess's personal machinations.

Of course, the grand finale that had been appropriated for the event came through some finagling with the Azure Air Force, and a considerable amount of red tape with the country's transportation authorities. Though it had caused a minor stink with the Minister of Transportation, she had cleared all air traffic to and from Susana Lorenzo International Airport for the hour, redirecting flights to other regional airports. That afforded her the crescendo of the welcoming of the Aquilinian host, a multi-level flyover provided by the Azure Air Force's newest military aircraft, rolled straight off the assembly lines from Royal Marquesan Exports. Five LFI.16/1R4 Super Revenant Interceptors and five AHI.12/1R2 Morrigan Interdictors would fly from the northwest and southwest flying a crossing pattern at 900 meters and 1,800 meters, respectively. Then, flying from the south at 2,400 meters, 10 SSP.47/3R3 Blackheart Supersonic Bombers would complete the maneuver directly over the heart of the airfield, creating a truly magnificent spectacle for all involved. At least, that was the hope of it all.

In front of the Governess and her entourage at the podium were three young children wearing azure flower dresses, each bearing gifts for the Aquilinian delegation. One held a bouquet of white roses for the Consul; one held red roses for the Praetor, and the last held a ceremonial dagger cast in bronze and finished with inlaid pearls and diamonds in the handle, bearing the crest of the Free State in its hilt and pommel. The latter was a gift of the Evenguard of Azura to General Dietz by way of Intelligence Officer Aristide Di Norcia, who had been one of the most closely-associated Azuran government officials working with the Aquilinians during the month leading up to the arrival of their party to Raevenna. The youngest of the three children began nervously fidgeting in front of her, prompting Guilia to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, little one; you will do just fine. I will be with you every step of the way."

[Aquilinia]

Susana Lorenzo International Airport
South Raevenna
Azura

Slowly, the Aquilinian state aircraft, callsign Night Raven, came to a stop. It was a modified civilian airliner, its fuselage and tail painted completely in black, with a gold-purple-gold band matching the colours of the Aquilinian flag running across the centreline. The tail sported a cut-off golden Aquilinian Seal, and the words Etat Liber Aquilini - Freistaat Aquilinien were painted on the fuselage in the same colour. Instead of a civilian registration, the military identification code AQ-01 was visible in white letters below the tail.

Once the Night Raven had come to a full stop, its engines shut down and the boarding stairs had been moved in position, the door opened, and the Praetor, Lucille Silvanus Aquili, stepped out, wearing her teal-coloured Air Fleet dress uniform with the rank insignia of a Centurion. Once she began making her way down the stairs, the Consul, Dr. Zoé Metelli, followed, wearing a simple ensemble of a black knee-length skirt, white blouse and teal blazer with matching tie. Once again, she had decided against wearing the sash her office entitled her to. Once the Praetor and Consul had disembarked, General Dietz followed them. He, too, was wearing his black dress uniform, with a row of medals glinting in the sunlight.

Finally, the new Foreign Magistrate appeared, hear cat ears twitching nervously. Kujikawa had chosen to wear the traditional garb of the Faunus of Aquilinia - except that she had chosen the variant usually worn by males, with elegantly-crafted black hakama trousers, a short grey kimono, and a black haori jacket. Like the Praetor, she was wearing a silver pin in the shape of the Aquilinian Seal on her collar.

When all four had disembarked, they slowly walked towards the Azuran delegation as the band began playing the Aquilinian national anthem. The two wearing uniform saluted the Azurans, while the Consul simply bowed her head in greeting; Kujikawa, meanwhile, gave a deep bow. The Praetor took the lead in greeting the Azurans. "Madame Governess, it is a pleasure to meet you again. The welcome you have prepared here is most impressive! You have, of course, met the Consul, Dr. Zoé Metelli, and General Rudolf Dietz, the Magistrate at Arms. However, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Senator Naoto Kujikawa, the recently-appointed Magistrate for Foreign Affairs."

When she was introduced, Kujikawa bowed again, although her ears revealed her embarrassment at the fanfare being made around her. She hoped that once business got underway, she would feel a lot more comfortable; the spectacle at the airport was overwhelming her slightly. Nevertheless, she did her best to maintain her composure. "Madame Governess, I am honoured to make your acquaintance."

[New Azura]

Susana Lorenzo International Airport, South Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

Guilia watched as the Aquilinian host proceeded down the carpet apace, taking stock of the welcoming ceremony unfolding around them. She obviously recognized Consul Metelli and Praetor Aquili, as well as the Magistrate at Arms, General Dietz. She was unfamiliar with their Foreign Magistrate however, Naoto Kujikawa. They certainly cut an impressive figure, and were certain to be talented given the penchant for the Aquilinians to selected talented lieutenants for their governmnetal structure. If there was one thing more than any other she had come to appreciate about the Aquilinians during her time getting to know their national leadership, it was their panache for professionalism and wisdom; there was always someone at the ready who knew how to solve a problem, regardless of its severity or its tumultuous nature. It was comforting to recognize the capability of her counterparts among the Aquilinian delegation.

As the First Governess watched intently, the three children moved forward on cue with their gifts to the delegation; the two bouquets of flowers and the ceremonial blade were presented to Praetor Aquili and Consul Metelli, respectively as a show of goodwill and faith in the Aquilinian-Azuran partnership that had first been forged back in the Free State. Now with the Aquilinians in Azura proper, it was time to see if the seedlings of promise that had sprouted in the Free State could be cultivated into the blossoms of success that both sides were so ravenously hungry to achieve. The Governess bowed before the Aquilinians in the customary Azuran manner, taking great care to salute each member of the envoy personally, showing equal respect to them all. As she was certain they already knew, Guilia was going to come to count on each and every one of the Aquilinians to achieve her ultimate aims while they were in the Evenguard of Azura.

"Your Excellencies," the Governess said, just barely getting a word in before a cannonade volley sounded off into the inland sea. "Welcome to the Evenguard of Azura, and more specifically welcome to Raevenna. We are very honored to have you all here with us for this auspicious occasion. To you, Consul Metelli, General Dietz, Foreign Magistrate Kujikawa and the illustrious Praetor Aquili, we offer our home to you. Live forever, honored guests!"

The Foreign Affairs Minister moved up to stand beside the Governess, smiling: "Your Excellencies, my name is Patrizio Palermo, and I serve at the discretion of the First Governess of the National Congregation. It is my responsibility to keep our honored guests apprised of the schedule for our diplomatic summit meetings over the next several days. If I can be of any service whatsoever, please, do not hestitate to ask for me or someone from my office."

"And I am Silvia Luoni, the honorable Second Governess of the National Congregation and official auxiliary to Governess Trevisani," Silvia responded after the Foreign Minister had made his formal introduction. "It has fallen to me to make sure that you have everything you need for your stay while here in the Evenguard of Azura. Whether you need additional accommodations, food, anything down to additional parchment, my office will be happy to oblige."

Guilia nodded towards them both, then raised her arm up over her head almost in rhythmic timing to the overflight of Blackhearts, Morrigans and Super Revenants. As the group turned towards the carpet leading to the right at the T-junction, a fleet of Venneri Giaguari four-door luxury coupes rolled forward from beneath one of the auxiliary hangars nearest the air terminal. The Governess motioned towards the cars; "If you would please, we have a busy day ahead."

Altera Fountain at Toscani Square, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

The constabulary procession had taken them straight through the heart of the Ancient Capital down the Via Di Moze, giving the Aquilinians a chance to view the unique architecture of the city's ubiquitous aqueducts, fountains and other public works from the early Raevennic period circa the 20th century BCE. Raevenna was unlike any other city in the Evenguard; it was neither fully classical like a Brigantium or Cira, nor fully modernized like San Luca or Valle Crucis. It was instead a hybridization of the ancient city and the modern sprawl of a megalopolis, combining the best tenets of both worlds create a fusion culture that both clung to ancestral roots while plowing forward into modernization and urbanization. Yet the core centerpiece of the city, for all its old world charm and new world technology still remained the indescribable beauty of Toscani Square and the massive Altera Fountain which stood guard along its eastern flank.

The fountain was the work of Phaedra Caius I Achaeon or the House Anaximander, who had constructed the magnificent structure as a tribute to his reign during the late-Kingdom period of the city's history. Using sluice gates that controlled artificial aquifers underneath the Palazzo dell'Innocenza, a water wheel constructed just underneath the marble floor beneath the rotunda of the Palace of the Justiciars brought water up through a canal running the length of the building down the steps in an artificial waterfall, flowing out through a grooved channel that led down into the onyx-crafted upper fountain basin. The fountain was surrounded by a granite well that enclosed the entire piece, with water flowing out of a sluice beneath the lower lip of the western side into a reflecting pool below, whose floor was cast as a sea made of golden plates interlocking with one another. It was a truly magnificent piece of structural engineering.

As the motorcade came to a stop by the fountains, their constabulary escort opened the doors for Consul Metelli, General Dietz, Foreign Magistrate Kujikawa and Praetor Aquili. Foreign Minister Palermo and Second Governess Luoni approached from the third car in line, while the First Governess had been joined in the lead car of the procession by her adjutant, Lia Simoni and her intelligence officer Aristide Di Norcia, both of whom had served with her on the trip down to the Free State of Aquilinia the month prior. As their Aquilinian friends took in their new surroundings, the Governess quietly walked to the lip of the fountain, dipping her hands into the crystal-clear water and letting it run down her arms. It was clear to the Aquilinians that there was some sort of ritual, some sort of symbolic significance to the gesture, though there was little explanation at first. The Governess turned to the four of them, hoping to end the mystery.

"This is the Altera Fountain, also known colloquially as La Sorgente della Giustizia in our mother tongue — the Wellspring of Justice. It is considered a token of good luck to rinse your hands in the purified water of the fountain when you approach it; the gesture is said to imbue a person with good fortune and righteousness of purpose in all their pursuits. If you would like to partake of the custom, we would be more than happy to let you tour the area."

[Aquilinia]

Toscani Square
Raevenna
Azura

The city of Raevenna was truly impressive, with a beautiful mixture of the modern and the historic, not unlike Anima, the capital of the Province of Corvenna, the first capital of a united Aquilinia. As the Aquilinian delegation took in the views around Toscani Square, General Dietz noticed Aristide di Norcia, wíth whom he had had quite a few calls over the past month to work on the details of the Security Partnership. He walked over, and saluted. "My friend Di Norcia, salve! It gives me great pleasure to see you again, and to finally be able to visit your beautiful country!"

Kujikawa, meanwhile, stayed at the back of the group, trying to be as invisible as possible. She always took some time to warm up to new people and situations, and all the pomp and ceremony was close to overwhelming her. When she saw the Governess wash her hands in the fountain and explain the significance of the action, however, her ears immediately perked up, and she quickly went over to the fountain. "That is fascinating," she declared. "Among the Faunus, we have a tradition that a bowl of water is offered to any visitors who enter the house, to cleanse themselves from any evils they may have brought from the outside, and receive the blessing and protection of the house spirits while they are visiting." She dipped her arms into the water, making sure to wet the hem of her sleeves. "Wetting the clothes slightly is part of that, so that you carry that blessing with you."

Zoé smiled at seeing Kujikawa come out of her shell a little, and stepped up to the fountain as well, mirroring Guilia's actions, before Lucille and finally the General did the same. "Truly remarkable how such different cultures as the Aquilinian Faunus and the Azurans can still share such similar traditions, is it not?", the Consul remarked. "Thank you for introducing us to some of what makes your nation what it is, Madame Governess."

[New Azura]

Altera Fountain at Toscani Square, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

The Governess smiled as Kujikawa dipped her arms into the fountain, embracing an almost cross-section of Aquilinian Faunus and Azuran cultures. Guilia turned towards Dr. Metelli and smiled; "I take great pride in showing off our culture, Your Excellency. I must say, it brings me so much happiness and joy to be able to see you all here with us today. After our parting in Aquilinia, we all have missed you quite dearly. Even the usually stoic Aristide here!"

Even as she said this, Aristide was already moving forward towards General Dietz, a warm smile on his face as though he were embracing a friend from ages ago. "Salve, Herr General! I am most pleased to see you made it here to Raevenna today. We have quite the surprise lined up in store for you all here when we return to the Jade House momentarily for luncheon and tea. The Governess spared no expense at preparing a grand five-course feast."

"Ah, yes, luncheon!" Guilia remarked, clasping her hands together. Once you've all had a look around Toscani Square, we have prepared a five-course meal for you all back at the Jade House, our executive manor as it were. It will be an absolute pleasure to show you the culinary tour of Azuran cuisine, just as we enjoyed the tour de force that was Aquilinian cuisine back in the Free State. Come, everyone, let us enjoy the fruitfulness of this glorious day!"

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

After several minutes of driving spent snaking their way through the cobblestone streets of Old Raevenna, the motorcade of Venneri Giaguari coupes came to a stop outside of an ornate villa overlooking the River Viadanica, about ten minutes to the east of Toscani Square. This time, Guilia didn't bother waiting for the constabulary escort to open the doors for them, feeling more than at home in front of her, well, home. As the rest of their extended party began exiting the vehicles, she took a few steps forward towards the statue of Phaedra Scaeva, holding his famed scepter and golden bow while posed in a toga. A praecisura under the command of Prime Sentinel Marino Corsetti exited the palatial house as Guilia approached it, filing out by two's down either side of the steps leading to the open-air portico. Their dress kits matched those of the soldiers worn at the airfield at the celebration upon the arrival of the Aquilinian delegation.

"Live forever, Madame Governess! Welcome back to Jade House!" Corsetti exclaimed, saluting in the traditional Azuri fashion. When he arose from his bow, he spoke more candidly before Guilia: "I take it your excursion to Toscani Square was a fruitful endeavor? We have been following the progression of your motorcade through the streets of Raevenna on our police scanner; everything here is accounted for and ready for the ceremonies to begin this afternoon."

"Hai fatto bene, Prima Sentinella," Guilia remarked in her native tongue, then again in English for the courtesy of the Aquilinians who had begun walking towards her position by the lead coupe. "Well done, Prime Sentinel. If you would please, assist our friends from the Free State of Aquilinia in taking their belongings inside to their quarters. Meanwhile, alert the chef that our party has arrived and will be entering the Arcade presently to enjoy his preparations."

At the First Governess's instructions, a flurry of activity got underway in front of the villa; Prime Sentinel Corsetti began barking orders at his troops, ordering them down to begin collecting the luggage gear of the Aquilinian delegation. Trevisani motioned for the party to follow her up the main staircase into the portico of the villa, walking into a large open-air antechamber decorated with carnations, poinsettias and an ornate fountain as its centerpiece. The marble tile flooring was alternating between black and jade-colored tiles, indicative of the villa's name. Through the antechamber, the group turned to the right into another large room fitted with fluted sconces and columns around the center of a large open space. This time, there were elegantly-crafted maple wood tables carved extensively, draped in clean white linens arranged in a row. Guilia smiled, noting that one of the main preparations had already been achieved.

Upon the center of each linen-draped table was a floral centerpiece of figs, grapes and roses situated in a flower-stuffed into a bouquet basket. Surrounding these arrangements were gobs of food and refreshments prepared by the executive chef of the manor, Frederica Guerrotte, all of them handled with delicate care and the skilled eye of a master artisan. Each place setting was carefully arranged to maximize elegant function and utility, with trays of fresh fruits and vegetables placed between each side of the table: apples, baby corn, carrots, citrus fruit, figs, olives, peaches, scuppernong grapes among other assortments. Sterling silver trays of fresh seafood also were present, featuring baby octopus, crab legs, fantail shrimp with cocktail sauce, and steamed oysters with remoulade. The entire spread was carried by fresh Serrotean caviar pâté, one of the most luxurious of Azura's foodstuffs on offering to the Aquilinians.

"Please, sit wherever you like!" Guilia roused cheerfully to her guests, motioning for them to sit down at the tables presented for them. "Chef Frederica has prepared an elegant spread for us to enjoy prior to our official luncheon menu today, which I am told will be a culinary tour of the Azuran Evenguard! I cannot wait for you to try some of our cuisine in repayment of the amazing dining experience we had while we were in the Free State a month ago prior."

Lia Simoni moved up towards the First Governess, sliding in next to her in the arcade. "Today's luncheon will feature hors d'oeuvres of spiced heirloom tomatoes with cream cheese and red pepperoncinis on biscuit crisps, followed by cream of butternut soup with roasted potatoes and sage, to be succeeded by an appetizer of frutta mista salad with kale and garlic breadsticks. Our main course will be flash-fried calamari with lemon wedges and rice pilaf. Oh, and make sure to save room for dessert as well, for it is the specialty of the house: Azuri tiramisù made from sweet fingers, mascarpone cheese and caramel."

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

Zoé was stunned by the beauty of the Jade House, struggling to take in every little bit of the sights. While she had spent plenty of time in the equally gorgeous Crystal Palace since Lucille had become Praetor, she did not have her own official residence - throughout history, Aquilinian Consuls had simply resided in whatever apartment they found for themselves in the Free City, which in her case was a modest two-bedroom flat in a block not far from the Curia and her office in the Forum. She could see that the rest of the Aquilinian delegation was equally impressed, and even Kujikawa was beginning to overcome her awkwardness. When they arrived in the dining hall, and Simoni explained what was to be served, the Consul clapped her hands. "Simoni, Madam Governess, this sounds wonderful. I am particularly looking forward to the dessert, as tiramisù has always been a favourite of mine!"

At that, Kujikawa shook her head. Her ears had popped up noticeably when Simoni had mentioned that the main course would be seafood. "No, no. Sorry, Consul, but the real highlight is going to be the calamari!"

General Dietz chuckled and gave his colleague a friendly bump in the shoulder. "Of course. Cats and fish, who couldn't see that one coming."

Kujikawa's ears drooped as she blushed. "Hey, old man. Just because I, personally, like seafood, and I happen to be a Neko, that doesn't mean all of us..." She began to stammer as the General burst out laughing.

"Just some friendly banter, my young friend. I'll have you know I'm quite fond of Azuri-style seafood myself, and I am looking forward to tasting the real thing! But, really, all of it sounds absolutely delightful."

Lucille, who had remained silent throughout the little exchange, nodded. "I can only agree with you, General. It does appear as if our Azuran hosts have decided to try and outdo us in every aspect of the visit." She sat, and the other Aquilinians took their places around her. "But first, we shall enjoy this little snack!"

Kujikawa, who only now noticed the seafood already on offer, immediately grabbed a plate and piled on as much as she could. She glared at General Dietz, before he could make a comment. "Shizukani," she muttered in her native language of Gengo, literally "the language", spoken by the Aquilinian Faunus. The General chuckled. "Daijobu, I won't say a thing," he replied, fixing himself a plate almost as heavy on seafood.

Zoé smiled as she watched the oldest and the youngest member of the Union Council. She had worried before the visit that the two would not get along, considering their very different political platforms - Dietz was a member of the Zoé's party, the liberal PLA, while Kujikawa represented the environmentalist PPN, the PLA's junior coalition partner. She was pleasantly surprised to see the two engaging in friendly banter. "You speak Gengo?", she asked the General, while slicing up a peach.

Dietz nodded in between two bites of octopus. "My son married a Kitsune. And since Faunus traits are inherited through the mother, that makes my granddaughter a Kitsune as well. I've spent quite some time with my daughter-in-law's family, they are lovely people, with a wonderful culture. So, I learned the language, as best I could. Which isn't easy, seeing how different it is to either Aquili or German. Much greater challenge to learn than, say, Azuri," he added, turning to the Azurans. "Grazie mille per la vostra invitazione, amici mei. Siamo molto onorati di essere in Raevenna. E il cibo, il è molto delicioso! Grazie!"

[New Azura]

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

The Consul, the General, the Magistrate and the Praetor — quite the coterie of individuals, that — all seemed indubitably impressed with what they had experienced thus far in the Evenguard of Azura, making Guilia Trevisani particularly thrilled. Raevenna was an ancient city full of magic and wonderment, but it could also be a cold and calculating place to outsiders sometimes. She was thankful that her friends from Aquilinia had not only adapted to their surroundings but were seemingly immersed in them, confirming that the good tidings she had felt coming out of Aquilinia had not in fact been a mirage, that she had indeed achieved her goal of winning the respect, if not the friendship of her counterparts in the Free State. In the stress of her political maneuvers over the past month, she needed a solid anchor that she could come to depend on, something tangible as it were that she could look to as a beacon during these difficult times. Simple words alone could not possibly hope to expect to describe how glad she was to see her friends from Aquilinia here in Raevenna this day.

Aristide took a particular liking to the General's use of the Azuri language, raising a glass in his direction. "Siete i benvenuti più, Generale. Bella presa anche sull'accento che usiamo!" He then turned back to the Consul and the Praetor, bowing slightly at the table as he spoke. "We have decided to put our best foot forward not as a show of force or power, but as a show of respect. Your hospitality towards our delegation last month warranted this level of detail."

"Indeed, hear, hear!" Lia Simoni said graciously as she sipped from her glass of cabernet, also raising it towards the Consul and the Praetor across from her at the table. "Without a doubt, our affection towards you is demonstrated in our welcoming ceremonies for you. I can speak for myself and probably Aristide as well when I tell you that our experience in the Free State was an eye-opening experience for us all in the administration of the First Governess."

"What they're trying to say is that you taught us how to do diplomacy right," Guilia mentioned towards Lucille, getting her own opportunity to raise a wine glass towards the Aquilinians. Yours was the first major state visit my administration had undertaken of any import since I became First Governess, and the level of care with which you handled the affairs in Aquilinia gave us a blueprint for how we wanted to not only treat you upon your return visit, but others."

"Yes, yes, it is what we would say around here, il motivo di questa stagione, or the reason for this particular season," the Foreign Minister of the Evenguard said, choosing to abstain from the wine glass-raising for the moment, taking a more analytical approach to the luncheon revelry. "Our diplomatic corps have been given specific instructions to administer unto our guests every courtesy at our disposal. We have taken to calling it the 'Aquilinian' protocol."

"He makes it sound more formal and robotic than it actually is," Guilia added, looking towards Palermo as she spoke. "The nomenclature is purely honorific and indicative of our compliments to our Aquilinian friends. We could learn quite a bit from them on how to conduct ourselves on the world stage, especially if we are to partner with them on TESP an TEEP. I understand the ground work for TESP has already begun to be laid out in practice, Mister Di Norcia?"

"Mm, yes," Aristide answered, swallowing his wine before answering her more clearly. With the communiqués I have been exchanging with our friend General Dietz here, I am happy to report that much of the preliminary work necessary is well underway at the present. We still have a long way to go, naturally; many dotted 'i's' left to go before we reach the proverbial Promised Land, but the General and I will continue to execute the plan as laid out in the Free State."

"Ahh, well then," Foreign Minister Palermo said abruptly, turning towards Kujikawa as he spoke. "Perhaps you and I should begin an official correspondence as well, to keep track of 'other' progress to report moving forward. After all, I'm sure that the Evenguard and the Free State would like two of their most capable officers at the helm of any and all future discussions and correspondence, right? We would be derelict of duty not to begin advising the other of goings-on."

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

When the Foreign Magistrate did not respond to her Azuran Counterpart's question, the Praetor nudged her in the shoulder. Kujikawa looked up from the pile of seafood in front of her. "Huh?", came her reaction, muffled somewhat by the large piece of octopus she was in the process of devouring. Quickly, she chewed and swallowed. "Oh, yes. Yes, Minister. That does sound like an excellent idea. I mean, there's been plenty of correspondence between our teams, of course, I mean, the Aquilinian Magistry for Foreign Affairs and its Azuran counterpart, um, excuse me." She grabbed a glass of wine, and took a large gulp. "Anyway. Yes. While our repective staff have communicated quite effectively, I do think a direct line between the two of us is going to be much more efficient. The TEP is a great project, and promises great things for both our nations. So we definitely need to make sure it all goes well, and, well, that there aren't any major issues we haven't yet found. If there are any, of course, then we'll need to fix them."

General Dietz nodded. "Yes, I agree. As my young friend here said, the Trans-Esvanovian Partnership has the potential to be the single greatest achievement in regional diplomacy in generations. My dear friend Di Norcia and I have already made great progress working out the details of the security aspects of the treaty, and Magistrate Cato is busy working out the kinks on the economic side as well. Unfortunately she was not able to join us here today, but as Second Consul it is her role to represent the Consulate whenever the Consul is out of the nation, or otherwise unavailable. She did ask me to pass on her wishes for a successful visit, and her hopes that she herself will be able to visit at a later date, even if that will be in a somewhat less official manner."

Kujikawa wolfed down another piece of octopus and nodded. "Yes, Magistrate Cato has briefed me extensively, and expects me to fill her place while we're here. I'm not as familiar with Aquilinian trade laws as she is, of course, but I will do my best. This wine is excellent, by the way," she added, taking another big sip. "We'll definitely need to look at the sections about food, because I definitely don't want the folks at home to miss out on all this great stuff!"

At this, the Praetor laughed. "Well, yes, Magistrate Kujikawa, you make an excellent point. While Azuran cuisine is quite popular in Aquilinia, there's quite a few chains of restaurants offering so-called authentic Azuran foods, their offerings would surely be much improved by having easier access to genuine ingredients." She turned to Aristide. "Signore Di Norcia, the Consul mentioned that you quite enjoyed our own wines when you visited the Free City last month. You will be delighted to hear, then, that a case of excellent vintage moonwine is among the items we have brought as hospitality gifts for our hosts."

[New Azura]

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

Aristide's facial expression was one of pure enchantment at the mention of the Aquilinian moonwine being present. He slid back in his chair with an exaggerated relaxed posture, wiping at his brow playfully. "Oh, my, you've brought moonwine to the Evenguard, how exquisite! I do very much appreciate the gesture, it is impossible to find moonwine here in Azura despite its popularity with the local sommeliers. I should retire with a case if you have it to spare."

Guilia stared after her intelligence officer with predictable bemusement, noting his meticulously choreographed performance. "My dear Mister Di Norcia, you know as well as I what effect moonwine has on your temperament, let alone your cognitive abilities. Our friends from Aquilinia have come to discuss matters of serious import, not to help you get your buzz on. Perhaps the indulgence of drink should wait until after we have meted out an accord of some form?"

Aristide shook his head sadly, recognizing the value of the First Governess's words. "I suppose that would be the prudent course of action, yes. Though you will forgive me if I pull General Dietz aside after lunch to share a brandy on the veranda to discuss important matters regarding our... security arrangement."

Lia Simoni shook her head: "You just cannot turn it off, can you Aristide?"

"I am a veritable man of professionalism at all times," Aristide countered, in between sips of wine. "I will have you know that I had the opportunity to imbibe numerous spirits over the course of the last twenty-four hours, and I only turned down half the offers. I consider that a model of temperance in action myself."

The First Governess merely sighed, looking down at her lap for a moment before staring up at the ceiling. "Aristide, my good friend, you are too much. If it weren't for your panache at political maneuvering, I would have had you transferred to the ass end of nowhere by now. Sadly, we must abide by your company."

"Indeed!" Aristide exclaimed, raising his wine glass in pure merriment. "Like the boil that cannot be lanced, so too am I indispensable to your person, Madame Governess. Without me, you would simply be lost in a flood of bureaucratic red tape from which there would be no escape. I do have my uses, see?"

Guilia let out a chuckle at that; he had her on that one, of course. Things were progressing nicely through the luncheon; a lighthearted affair without much in the way of substance, by design. The luncheon was the most important meal of the day for the Azurans, though business was rarely conducted at the lunch table. It was a more formal occasion used for light chit-chat, a time for catching up with friends and colleagues. This particular instance was unique of course in that it was a meeting of the two heads of state and their respective entourages. It had been great catching up with the Consul and the Praetor, both of whom Guilia had come to respect quite sincerely over the last month. But the clock was ticking on her with her enemies circling just outside of view, and it was becoming more apparent with each passing day that her attempt at decorum may break in favor of rushing to achieve progress. Not today though, not yet.

"So, if I may inquire of Your Excellency," the Governess directed towards the newly elected Praetor, given everything that has happened over the last several weeks with the death of your predecessor and your own ascension to the position, how have you been settling in to your new office?"

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

Lucille shrugged. "Really, it's the same office I had before, just with a different title and some different ceremonial details around it. I will say, however, that I feel much more prepared for it now than I did when I first became Empress. The daily business of government remains in the Consul's capable hands. It has been a little bit of an adjustment to step back into public office, I won't deny, but I am well settled into the job now."

The Consul smiled. "The Praetor has been most helpful already. She has been able to mediate between groups in the Senate on some rather contentious policy concerning public transport that had been in deadlock for months, and we finally got it passed. I think that great things are in the future, including, of course, the TEP." She turned to Kujikawa. "Magistrate Kujikawa, I believe your office has prepared some documents?"

The young Neko nodded while cleaning off the last bits of food from her plate. "Yep, my team and I have drafted a preliminary version of the TEP treaty, covering the things that we have agreed upon so far. Things like free trade, ease of travel and immigration, investment regulations, security arrangements, it's all in there. We can go over it all once we sit down for business, though. As I recall, our Azuran hosts have stated that formal business will wait until after lunch, no?" She reached for her wine glass, finding it empty. "Oh." She chuckled. "Well, I better stop drinking wine until we finish the day's work, anyway. Could I get a cup of green tea, with honey and plenty of lemon? Make it a big one, please."

Lucille raised an eyebrow as the young Foreign Magistrate ordered the same drink that Sakura always insisted on having when she wasn't drinking alcohol. If she hadn't seen both of them in the same place a few times, she would have been suspicious.

When a server put a large mug of steaming tea in front of Kujikawa, she took a sip, and smiled. "Oh, perfect. My grandmother would be very impressed." She turned to the Praetor. "I saw you being surprised at my order. Sakura is my grandmother on my father's side. It's a habit I picked up from her."

[New Azura]

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

Guilia smiled politely as the Consul and Praetor discussed the goings on in the Aquilinian Senate and on their home front, though she perked up noticeably at the mention of documents having been prepared for their afternoon discussions. Luncheon was a major ceremonial occurrence in Azura, but for once Trevisani was ready to move past the frivolities of their station and get down to work with her dear friends from the Free State. Something within her recognized the importance of the work to be performed this day, just as their work was fruitful while in Aquilinia prior. It was as if history was resting on their shoulders, and the weight of providence was being brought down to bear upon them while agreements remained unfulfilled and papers unsigned. As per usual, she was cautiously optimistic about getting things in order, though the movement of political adversaries around her was still a cause for grave concern.

The First Governess took a sip of wine, fortifying herself for the work yet to accomplish, then turned towards Aristide. “Mister Di Norcia, I believe we have some paperwork as well to accompany the work brought forth by our Aquilinian guests, correct? Some fine tuning of the details previously agreed upon during our past visit to the Free State? As well as a slew of new proposals that could be put on the table for discussion today?”

“Yes, Madam Governess,” Aristide replied, himself taking a sip of wine before responding again. “Our staffers worked hard to prepare a list of proposals that we thought would be of benefit to both the Aquilinian and the Azuran people via the Trans-Esvanovian Partnership. At least, ideas in principle that could be put to great affect for our two countries here and truly hammer home the sincerity of the friendship of the two states.”

Lia Simoni watched as the Magistrate enjoyed his tea, suddenly envious for a cup herself. She turned to face the First Governess, piggybacking off from what Midnight had said. “Yes, like Aristide said, we have a slew of policy proposals that could be put to the discussion table this afternoon, including the cooperation of our domestic sporting leagues. I for one and especially eager to see what becomes of those policy proposals, honestly.”

“Ah, yes! Because what better way to demonstrate national cooperation than watching two of our finest football clubs beat the ever-loving piss out of one another on the pitch,” Aristide chortled, looking at the Aquilinian delegation with bemusement at the thought of sport equaling the importance of national security interests. “Truly, such a grand overture of friendship should be recognized as the lovingkindness it truly represents!”

The First Governess shot a disapproving look towards Di Norcia, but understood at least in principle what he was aiming for – sporting competitions and trade shows were a far cry from the security interests that were being put to the table this day, and Trevisani knew it. There were more than a dozen policy proposals at last count that her friends on the hill wanted brought up during this tête-à-tête with their friends from the Free State, policies that would have lasting ramifications for both the people of Aquilinia and the people of the Evenguard. Aristide was correct, in his own perverse way, about ensuring that the true meat and potatoes issues were brought up first. With any luck, their efforts would bear as much fruit as was bore during their prior visit to the Free State, what now felt like an eternity ago with all the happenings and political machinations afoot in Raevenna. Guilia could not remember what sleep felt like.

For now, however, decorum and protocol must be observed; it was the least she could do, in recompense for the extravagant time her former Aquilinian host had provided. She turned towards Magistrate Kujikawa, amicably motioning towards his cup of tea. "You know, honored Magistrate, if I had known your predilection for tea, I could have arranged to have you tour some of our tea plantations in the north. Perhaps we still could?"

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

Kujikawa looked up from her cup of tea and smiled. "My grandmother would certainly be rather upset with me if I declined that opportunity, First Governess. I assume this fine brew here comes from those same plantations?" The combination of wine and tea had gone great lengths towards relieving her usual awkwardness insituations like this, and she was suddenly much more confident than just moments earlier. "If there is time during our visit, I definitely would like to see the plantations, but we should probably focus on the business at hand, first."

The Consul nodded. "I agree with the Magistrate, while touring some of your agriculture would certainly be enlightening, we did come here for an immediate purpose. I propose that, after lunch, we adjourn for a brief recess, so that my companions and I may freshen up from our journey and review the proposals presented by your colleague Di Norcia, and to give you the time to do the same with our proposals."

[New Azura]

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

As she listened to the Magistrate and the Consul both remind her of the importance of the work still at hand, Guilia Trevisani frowned but kept her composure. They were technically right, there remained much to be done before the frivolities of sightseeing and state tourism could begin. She looked at the magnificent spread before them, inlaid with the finest crystal and cutlery available at Jade House and wondered to herself if she had made a mistake appropriating a large lunch for her guests. But soon enough she put those thoughts out of her mind, reminding herself that this was as much about the prestige of the Evenguard as it was for the benefit of their honored guests. The luncheon would proceed apace at their own schedule, facilitating plenty of time afterward for policy discussions and the like. Guilia nodded inwardly, recognizing that things were going to work out for the betterment of relations; her fears, as they were, were ill-founded. The stress of getting things just right had gotten to her, is all; things were proceeding as well as they could possibly go thus far.

Guilia motioned to the server to begin bringing the entrées to the luncheon hall, then turned towards the table's preexisting thread. Maybe she had over done it a smidge, but it was to be expected. Hosting her first formal diplomatic gathering was certainly a tall task, but one in which she relished accepting the challenge. It had been a major undertaking, getting everything just right for their Aquiliian guests, and no detail had been spared in making sure they were treated as warmly and as accommodatingly as possible. It was more than just friendship on the line for Guilia and the Evenguard here; it was their reputation in the world, their standing and their prestige that stood in the balance. The Evenguard was one of the most powerful nations in Esvanovia, but it had for too long been sidelined with domestic matters. That changed under her watch; it must change, for the Evenguard was too important a chess piece to leave off the board forever. How they handled the diplomatic visit of the Aquilinians would say much about future hosting duties in the region at large.

The First Governess smiled at the Consul, nodding in agreement. "There will be time for seeing the sights, but you are correct; this is not the appropriate time. Let us finish our luncheon feast and then retire to the parlor for cognac and cigars, where we will have a more appropriate atmosphere for our talks. The refinement of ade House is at your beck and call while you are here; please, if there be anything you need, you have but to ask."

"I believe the General and I will be taking up usage of the parlor before the afternoon is over," Aristide said with his customary frivolity. "Perhaps Her Exellency and our distinguished guests from the Free State would find better usage of the verandah overlooking the pool, or perhaps your main office? After all, the General and I cannot be expected to keep up a dignified visage while there is the chance to imbibe drink and cigars, you know."

"Do not belittle our guests with your buffoonery," Lia Simoni said angrily, nearly throwing her ornate tablecloth napkin across the way into Aristide's lap. "We will have decorum in this house, or else you will be asked to leave. These are our humble guests, and you insult them with your proclivities for drink! The nerve to show yoursel to be an ass in front of our guests! I have not the stomach for it, and neither does the First Governess, sir! Shame!"

"Try not to be too hard on Aristide," Guilia attempted to assuage her personal secretary, patting her on the shoulder calmingly. "Aristide simply marches to the beat of a different drummer and means no offense. Besides, the estate is plenty big enough that we should find some quiet sanctuary to discuss politics and arrangements after luncheon. Let us enjoy ourselves in the moment and worry about the hassles of the afternoon later, yes?"

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

General Dietz chuckled. "Mio amico, there is a time for work, and there is a time for pleasure. And we do have important work to do before we can relax. Like my colleagues have said, it is probably best if we adjourn to our quarters after lunch. I, for one, feel in need of a shower after the long flight, and we need to actually read your proposals before we can discuss them. But I see no reason why we could not retreat to the parlour once the day's business is concluded."

The Consul and the Praetor nodded in unison. "I would say the General has a good plan," Zoé added. "Personally, I would quite like to tour this magnificent building and its grounds once we conclude, and I am sure the Praetor will want to join me for that as well."

Kujikawa shook her head. "None of that for me. I mean, I am fascinated by this place, but there are a few things I need to take care of this evening, work related, unfortunately. Our ambassador to Marquesan indicated that he wants to retire, so I've got to go through piles of dossiers to find a suitable replacement."

The General slapped his hand on his young colleague's shoulder. "You will do no such thing tonight, my young friend. Let your staff back home deal with that, that's their job after all. You are part of a trade delegation to a friendly nation, the last thing you should do is lock yourself in your bedroom and pore over paperwork in the evening, when there's things to see and drink to be had! Surely, Aristide won't mind if you join the two of us in the parlour?"

[New Azura]

Executive Manor at Jade House, Raevenna, Evenguard of Azura

Guilia smiled and nodded at the General, acknowledging the truth in his words: she would be remiss in not getting to speak more with Kujikawa before the evening was done, and of course spending time with the Praetor and the Consul were on the agenda. The luncheon was progressing nicely as far as she was concerned, the disagreements between Aristide Di Norcia and Lia Simoni notwithstanding – of course, that was to be expected when the two of them were around unfortunately. Still, as the servers brought champagne and more hors d'oeuvres to the table, things were progressing in a positive direction. The Aquilinians had become valued allies in a time when Esvanovia was shaking itself apart it seemed. Between the Kaskaidans running weapons into Ashilosa and attempting to destabilize Azura’s close allies in Anagonia, the Aureumterrans threatening warfare with the Kingdom of Sombreland and the International Coalition of Nations running to put out the brushfires all around, things seemed a bit chaotic in the moment. They could only hope things would settle quickly.

The luncheon proceeded apace, concluding with the consummation of their meal and drink, everyone getting a full measure of the offerings on display from the culinary culture of the Evenguard. Aristide was longingly staring off towards the parlor across the great hall, envious of the time he was preparing to spend with his friend the General there. There was much work to be done still this afternoon, but Guilia hoped to convey a sense of leisure and frivolity whilst the two diplomatic teams worked together, not wanting to come across like a taskmaster. In truth, the various brushfires popping up around Esvanovia had begun to take their toll on her, the stress of her work beginning to catch up with her. Sipping on cognac in the parlor with Aristide, Kujikawa and the General sounded like a pleasant diversion from the strain of her work as First Governess. But this was more a pipe dream, a fantasy than the reality of the situation. The Trans-Esvanovian Partnership still had much work to be fleshed out before it bore the full measure of its promise, and Guilia knew that. Her work was just starting.

Aristide beamed brightly at the suggestion that Kujikawa join them in the parlor. Guilia smiled and nodded at the General, acknowledging the truth in his words: she would be remiss in not getting to speak more with Kujikawa before the evening was done, and of course spending time with the Praetor and the Consul were on the agenda. "Absolument, Herr General," Aristide spoke boldly, raising his glass towards Kujikawa. "We would be honored for you to join us."

"Perhaps, then," Guilia inquired, "the Consul and Praetor and I could head with Miss Simoni to my office while you, the General and Miss Kujikawa could retire to the parlor and discuss affairs at your leisure." The First Governess turned towards Lia Simoni, looking to get her tacit approval of the plan moving forward. "What say you, Lia? You care to join us in my office, or head with Aristide and company to the parlor? I will leave the final decision up to you, of course."

"If at all possible, I would prefer to have a break from Mister Di Norcia and his zany antics for a minute or two," Lia sighed, shaking her head incredulously as her remarks drew chuckles from the gathered party. "I would be honored to attend the office meeting with our honored guests; in fact, I have several matters of business to bring up with the Consul and the Praetor that would be of some benefit to the gathered host. The others I'm sure have their own matters."

"I can't promise that the General and I won't be drunk running through the hall before the afternoon is complete," Aristide quipped, shooting a wink and a smile in the direction of a half-disgusted Lia Simoni. "No," he relented, "the General and I would be prone to discuss matters of national security and other issues pertaining to our common defense with Miss Kujikawa. We split up and get more work done, then we could meet back up in a few hours to discuss our findings."

"That's not a bad idea, for sure," the First Governess said amicably, turning towards Lucille and Zoé where they were seated at the table. "With your permission, we could retire to my office while the others attend to matters in the parlor. Then, after a brief session sharing ideas and discussing matters, we could allow everyone to retire to their quarters for a few hours to freshen up. Then we could reconvene this evening to present our findings. What say the two of you?"

[Aquilinia]

Executive Manor at Jade House
Raevenna
Azura

Kujikawa shot an unsure glance in the direction of the General, who gave an encouraging nod. "Okay," she eventually said. "Unless the Praetor and the Consul want me to join them instead?," she added questioningly.

Lucille shook her head. "No, Di Norcia is right. The General and yourself should join him in the parlour to discuss matters of foreign policy and security, while the Consul and I join the First Governess and her aide to discuss other issues. I believe this would be the most efficient use of our time."

Zoé put down her now empty glass. "I agree with the Praetor. Magistrate Kujikawa, General Dietz, I am sure you know what our positions are on the matters you will discuss with Signore Di Norcia. There is much to discuss still, and we are not in Azura all that long, so splitting up into committee is definitely the best way to get this done."

General Dietz slapped a hand on Kujikawa's shoulder. "Well, that's that settled then. Come, my young friend, let's enjoy the old-fashioned way of diplomacy, over drinks and cigars!"