Pelasgia
Established Nation
Propontis, Pelasgia
Sitting at the heart of a sprawling metropolis of nearly twelve million souls, the Great Palace of Propontis seemed like an otherwordly oasis of calm and peace. Adjoined by the famous Imperial Gardens, the complex of buildings that had served as the seat of the Orthodox Sovereigns since 330 AD had undergone many expansions, renovations, destructions and reconstructions—all coming together to create a unique mélange of edifices that boasted a unique architectural style and plan combining both modern and downright ancient elements, along with everything in between. It could be nothing but alien and awe-inspiring to all those except the porphyrogennetoi—the "born in the purple" princely offspring of a reigning Baseileus. Yet, though Nikephoros IV Notaras-Dalassenos had been a porphyrogennetos born in the red and white marble walls of this very palace to Emperor Andronikos I Notaras and his consort, Empress Maria Dalassene, he too felt a certain unease within the Great Palace's labyrinthine halls. Born to the title of Grand Despot of Pelasgia and heir to the Sublime Throne, Nikephoros had "lost" the purple with his father's deposition when he had been merely nine years old. He had spent the rest of his life a noble but not an imperial one, always treated with great suspicion by the authorities of the State of Steel, a plight that had only eased with two unfortunate events: the death of his father ten years after his deposition, in 1993, and the end of the Carian monarchy with the proclamation of the "Second" Carian Republic.
As he walked through of the monumental structure that had served as his birthplace and childhood home, Nikephoros saw the marks of the previous dynasty everywhere: the twin lions and the single-headed eagle of the Notaras Dynasty had been stripped from every inch of the Great Palace's surface, giving way to the double-headed eagle favoured by the Vatatzes Dynasty, who claimed descent from the House of Laskaris. It is a blessing that they at least refrained from turning the red marble into green, he thought to himself—though of course they very well would have, had the red marble not preceded the Notaras Dynasty. Such was the way of the Vatatzedes, a family taken straight out of medieval Pelasgian history and seemingly not in the least bit changed since. The Emperor stopped beside the grand gallery, where portraits and icons of every reigning Emperor stood—and he recognised that of his father. At least they did not take this down, he figured—and he turned his glance to the likeness of the three Vatatzes Emperors who succeeded his father, all of whose reigns he had recognised as legitimate for the sake of peace and unity. And for her sake, Nikephoros reasoned, thinking of his wife.. Perhaps Irene Vatatzaina thought the same, or perhaps she could read his mind; for at the same moment, the sister of one Vatatzes Emperor and the daughter to another took his hand, just as she had when they had gone to the late Emperor Theodore to ask for his blessing of their union.
"They are compatriots of the deposed Empress," she said, glancing at him with deep blue eyes. She was rare among the Vatatzes line to have not inherited their characteristic brown eyes, though her other features, particularly her sharp chin, were quite clearly Pelasgian. "My brother's wife."
"And you are the sister of the deposed Emperor, and the Empress of Pelasgia," answered Nikephoros. "The Rheinish are a pragmatic people—they know as well as we do that this is a symbolic meeting mostly, while Grand Secretary Angelopoulos and Chancellor Lauritzen deal with the actual business of maintaining our countries' relationship." He leaned closer, knowing this to be a more sensitive subject. "We will discuss the matter of your family with King Philipp—along with the other matter."
"I still think that the children should have met the Rheinish royals separately, on another occasion," Irene explained.
Nikephoros, however, shook his head. "Nonsense! Andronikos is a man, old enough to serve in the Army—and Maria is almost an adult and, biologically speaking, already a woman. It is good that they should be used to these formal functions, especially the Grand Despot. Theodore and Anna-Irene are still teenagers, yes, but you can keep track of them, while you talk with the Rheinish Queen. I will handle business with the King."
The Vatatzes' woman's pale blue eyes filled with motherly concern. "And Andronikos?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Nikephoros replied, scratching the edge of his slightly long, sharp nose. "The Rheinish don't do arranged marriages... but we can certainly arrange for him and a suitable Rheinish woman to meet. From that point on, I leave it to them." He paused, and lowered his voice again. "At any rate, it is good that we should mix the blood a bit. All this inter-mingling between Pelasgian nobility, and soon we'll start marrying our cousins."
"You and I are technically very distant cousins, I believe," Irene noted sarcastically, and she toyed with the gold and ruby Propontine earrings that stood out from her long, curly dark brown hair.
Nikephoros' reply was fully serious, as cold as his pale, azure eyes—a hereditary trait of the Notaras family. "I am aware."
Their conversation was interrupted by none other than Harald Larsen, the tall, pale and unfathomably large man from Jysken (@Jydsken-Østveg ) who served as the Captain of the Varangian Guard—a distinction indicated by the ornate red embroidery on his bright red uniform. "Your Majesties, the royal guests from the @Rheinbund are due to arrive soon."
"Thank you, Captain," answered Notaras, still true to his military habit of addressing everyone by rank. "Now then," he said, and he motioned toward the large bronze doors of the Great Palace. The Pelasgian Imperials exited the entrance hall, facing toward the great courtyard that stood directly opposite the Hagia Pronoia—the Patriarchal Cathedral of Divine Providence—at the end of a line of Varangian Guards in red tunics and the Bucellarian or "Pelasgian" Life Guards in light beige summer uniforms. To the sound of a band playing celebratory marches, the Basileus started forth to meet his counterpart, using the German that he had learned as part of his childhood education. "Willkommen in Propontis, Eure Majestät. Ich gehe davon aus, dass Ihr Flug angenehm war?"
Sitting at the heart of a sprawling metropolis of nearly twelve million souls, the Great Palace of Propontis seemed like an otherwordly oasis of calm and peace. Adjoined by the famous Imperial Gardens, the complex of buildings that had served as the seat of the Orthodox Sovereigns since 330 AD had undergone many expansions, renovations, destructions and reconstructions—all coming together to create a unique mélange of edifices that boasted a unique architectural style and plan combining both modern and downright ancient elements, along with everything in between. It could be nothing but alien and awe-inspiring to all those except the porphyrogennetoi—the "born in the purple" princely offspring of a reigning Baseileus. Yet, though Nikephoros IV Notaras-Dalassenos had been a porphyrogennetos born in the red and white marble walls of this very palace to Emperor Andronikos I Notaras and his consort, Empress Maria Dalassene, he too felt a certain unease within the Great Palace's labyrinthine halls. Born to the title of Grand Despot of Pelasgia and heir to the Sublime Throne, Nikephoros had "lost" the purple with his father's deposition when he had been merely nine years old. He had spent the rest of his life a noble but not an imperial one, always treated with great suspicion by the authorities of the State of Steel, a plight that had only eased with two unfortunate events: the death of his father ten years after his deposition, in 1993, and the end of the Carian monarchy with the proclamation of the "Second" Carian Republic.
As he walked through of the monumental structure that had served as his birthplace and childhood home, Nikephoros saw the marks of the previous dynasty everywhere: the twin lions and the single-headed eagle of the Notaras Dynasty had been stripped from every inch of the Great Palace's surface, giving way to the double-headed eagle favoured by the Vatatzes Dynasty, who claimed descent from the House of Laskaris. It is a blessing that they at least refrained from turning the red marble into green, he thought to himself—though of course they very well would have, had the red marble not preceded the Notaras Dynasty. Such was the way of the Vatatzedes, a family taken straight out of medieval Pelasgian history and seemingly not in the least bit changed since. The Emperor stopped beside the grand gallery, where portraits and icons of every reigning Emperor stood—and he recognised that of his father. At least they did not take this down, he figured—and he turned his glance to the likeness of the three Vatatzes Emperors who succeeded his father, all of whose reigns he had recognised as legitimate for the sake of peace and unity. And for her sake, Nikephoros reasoned, thinking of his wife.. Perhaps Irene Vatatzaina thought the same, or perhaps she could read his mind; for at the same moment, the sister of one Vatatzes Emperor and the daughter to another took his hand, just as she had when they had gone to the late Emperor Theodore to ask for his blessing of their union.
"They are compatriots of the deposed Empress," she said, glancing at him with deep blue eyes. She was rare among the Vatatzes line to have not inherited their characteristic brown eyes, though her other features, particularly her sharp chin, were quite clearly Pelasgian. "My brother's wife."
"And you are the sister of the deposed Emperor, and the Empress of Pelasgia," answered Nikephoros. "The Rheinish are a pragmatic people—they know as well as we do that this is a symbolic meeting mostly, while Grand Secretary Angelopoulos and Chancellor Lauritzen deal with the actual business of maintaining our countries' relationship." He leaned closer, knowing this to be a more sensitive subject. "We will discuss the matter of your family with King Philipp—along with the other matter."
"I still think that the children should have met the Rheinish royals separately, on another occasion," Irene explained.
Nikephoros, however, shook his head. "Nonsense! Andronikos is a man, old enough to serve in the Army—and Maria is almost an adult and, biologically speaking, already a woman. It is good that they should be used to these formal functions, especially the Grand Despot. Theodore and Anna-Irene are still teenagers, yes, but you can keep track of them, while you talk with the Rheinish Queen. I will handle business with the King."
The Vatatzes' woman's pale blue eyes filled with motherly concern. "And Andronikos?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Nikephoros replied, scratching the edge of his slightly long, sharp nose. "The Rheinish don't do arranged marriages... but we can certainly arrange for him and a suitable Rheinish woman to meet. From that point on, I leave it to them." He paused, and lowered his voice again. "At any rate, it is good that we should mix the blood a bit. All this inter-mingling between Pelasgian nobility, and soon we'll start marrying our cousins."
"You and I are technically very distant cousins, I believe," Irene noted sarcastically, and she toyed with the gold and ruby Propontine earrings that stood out from her long, curly dark brown hair.
Nikephoros' reply was fully serious, as cold as his pale, azure eyes—a hereditary trait of the Notaras family. "I am aware."
Their conversation was interrupted by none other than Harald Larsen, the tall, pale and unfathomably large man from Jysken (@Jydsken-Østveg ) who served as the Captain of the Varangian Guard—a distinction indicated by the ornate red embroidery on his bright red uniform. "Your Majesties, the royal guests from the @Rheinbund are due to arrive soon."
"Thank you, Captain," answered Notaras, still true to his military habit of addressing everyone by rank. "Now then," he said, and he motioned toward the large bronze doors of the Great Palace. The Pelasgian Imperials exited the entrance hall, facing toward the great courtyard that stood directly opposite the Hagia Pronoia—the Patriarchal Cathedral of Divine Providence—at the end of a line of Varangian Guards in red tunics and the Bucellarian or "Pelasgian" Life Guards in light beige summer uniforms. To the sound of a band playing celebratory marches, the Basileus started forth to meet his counterpart, using the German that he had learned as part of his childhood education. "Willkommen in Propontis, Eure Majestät. Ich gehe davon aus, dass Ihr Flug angenehm war?"
Last edited:
