Eldizio I di Visconti glanced at the silver executive reactionary balls bounced from one end to the other in a steady rhythm. His nose was resting over his gloved hands, folded before his mouth, staring with the interest of a child at the simple machination. It was one of the few things on the elaborate desk of the grand duke's office, a rarely used room of the palace that was smaller and less decorated than some might have imagined. Various grand dukes had given much to the room mostly in the way of paintings and statues from scattered places across the world, but Eldizio had given most of it away in the name of various charities across Potenza. All that remained was a bookcase with antique books Eldizio was too afraid to touch lest he destroy them, and a few chairs for guests. The desk was elaborate, with lion heads on the front two corners, and the shield of the Visconti on the front end, carved into the wood. It was impressive from the side of those visiting the grand duke, although to the one sitting at the desk it was nothing more than a few drawers and a flat top.
The grand duke's eyes turned from the double doors as they opened up and a palace servant, wearing the usual early 19th century dress, stepped in and bowed:
"The Cornaro duke and heir, your majesty."
"Very good, let them in," Visconti replied, looking back to the executive reactionary balls. When he saw the Duke Prospero di Cornaro and his son the Count Plinio di Cornaro step in he arose, smiling softly, "Welcome, your highnesses."
"Your majesty," Prospero said, bowing low, and his son followed suit, "we hope we aren't too late."
"Not at all," the grand duke said, motioning towards some chairs in front of the desk, "I was expecting the new ambassador to Talemantros soon, but it shouldn't take us long. You said you desired to speak with me?"
The Cornaro and Visconti houses were as opposite as could be. The Cornaro were humble and lowly, perhaps the most "common" of the royal houses; the Visconti were nobles through and through, wealthy and possessing all the true power in Potenza. The Cornaro were members of the Reformed Church of Potenza, which was congregationalist in ecclesiology and Calvinist in soteriology; the Visconti were faithful Tiburan Catholics, answering to the Archdiocese of San Salvo.
Despite all this, the two families had important ties, both historical and political. During the War of Potenzan Unification, fought in the early decades of the nineteenth century, the Cornaro had pledged loyalty to the Visconti and assisted them in uniting the country under their banner. Part of this pledge to loyalty was a promise from the Visconti that the Reformed Church would be protected under the new, unified state, and thus far that promise by the Visconti had been held for the past two hundred years. Every now and then, of course, there were tests to that promise.
"There's a rumor," Duke Prospero began, "whispered among certain circles, that the Archdiocese of San Salvo wishes to put a limit on Reformed missionaries."
"Is that so," Eldizio said, "what sort of limit?"
"A legal limit. In essence, it would be illegal to evangelize to anyone. Of course, there are ulterior motives to this - not direct, mind you, but they're there. As you might imagine, the Reformed Church is a bit worried about this. It would in essence make anyone witnessing to a Roman Catholic a candidate for arrest. If this rumor bore fruit, can we trust the Visconti family to affirm our age-old agreement?"
"I wouldn't let any such a thing pass," Eldizio replied, "I'm not too fond of laws that restrict freedom of religion, you know."
Prospero smiled and waved his hand, "I thought as much. You know I just like to cover my bases."
Eldizio smiled and nodded, then turned to Plinio, "How have you been, Plinio?"
Plinio smiled back, "I've been good, your majesty. I should be finishing my Masters degree soon."
"Oh is that so? What..."
The servant opened up the double doors again, "Forgive me, your majesty - the Talemantine ambassador is here."
"Oh? A bit early. Show him in." Eldizio stood up and looked towards the Cornaro, who stood up and moved to the side of the desk, "You two don't mind meeting them, do you?"
"Not at all," Prospero said, "it will be good for a Duke of Treviso to make sure things are going fine at the other end of the grand duchy.
The grand duke's eyes turned from the double doors as they opened up and a palace servant, wearing the usual early 19th century dress, stepped in and bowed:
"The Cornaro duke and heir, your majesty."
"Very good, let them in," Visconti replied, looking back to the executive reactionary balls. When he saw the Duke Prospero di Cornaro and his son the Count Plinio di Cornaro step in he arose, smiling softly, "Welcome, your highnesses."
"Your majesty," Prospero said, bowing low, and his son followed suit, "we hope we aren't too late."
"Not at all," the grand duke said, motioning towards some chairs in front of the desk, "I was expecting the new ambassador to Talemantros soon, but it shouldn't take us long. You said you desired to speak with me?"
The Cornaro and Visconti houses were as opposite as could be. The Cornaro were humble and lowly, perhaps the most "common" of the royal houses; the Visconti were nobles through and through, wealthy and possessing all the true power in Potenza. The Cornaro were members of the Reformed Church of Potenza, which was congregationalist in ecclesiology and Calvinist in soteriology; the Visconti were faithful Tiburan Catholics, answering to the Archdiocese of San Salvo.
Despite all this, the two families had important ties, both historical and political. During the War of Potenzan Unification, fought in the early decades of the nineteenth century, the Cornaro had pledged loyalty to the Visconti and assisted them in uniting the country under their banner. Part of this pledge to loyalty was a promise from the Visconti that the Reformed Church would be protected under the new, unified state, and thus far that promise by the Visconti had been held for the past two hundred years. Every now and then, of course, there were tests to that promise.
"There's a rumor," Duke Prospero began, "whispered among certain circles, that the Archdiocese of San Salvo wishes to put a limit on Reformed missionaries."
"Is that so," Eldizio said, "what sort of limit?"
"A legal limit. In essence, it would be illegal to evangelize to anyone. Of course, there are ulterior motives to this - not direct, mind you, but they're there. As you might imagine, the Reformed Church is a bit worried about this. It would in essence make anyone witnessing to a Roman Catholic a candidate for arrest. If this rumor bore fruit, can we trust the Visconti family to affirm our age-old agreement?"
"I wouldn't let any such a thing pass," Eldizio replied, "I'm not too fond of laws that restrict freedom of religion, you know."
Prospero smiled and waved his hand, "I thought as much. You know I just like to cover my bases."
Eldizio smiled and nodded, then turned to Plinio, "How have you been, Plinio?"
Plinio smiled back, "I've been good, your majesty. I should be finishing my Masters degree soon."
"Oh is that so? What..."
The servant opened up the double doors again, "Forgive me, your majesty - the Talemantine ambassador is here."
"Oh? A bit early. Show him in." Eldizio stood up and looked towards the Cornaro, who stood up and moved to the side of the desk, "You two don't mind meeting them, do you?"
"Not at all," Prospero said, "it will be good for a Duke of Treviso to make sure things are going fine at the other end of the grand duchy.