Burgo-Serenien back channels (Attn: Bourgogne)

[Serenierre]

Fortresse de Villesen​

Premier Elisabeth Martinique sat in her office awaiting the light to come alive on the black phone that connected her office to that of the Grand Duke in Chagny. It had come to her notice that Burgundian military assets had been activated and that always worried Villesen. So, when the Private Secretary had informed her that the Grand Duke had sought out a conversation by the hotline, she had been quick to arrange a session with the man.

In her seven years at the top, Premier Martinique had managed to build a fairly decent working relationship with the Chagny leadership, despite its awkward clumsiness on some occasions, but she could say fairly well that the ties between Chagny and Villesen under had improved drastically. Was Chagny now seeking to destroy all that progress for the sake of covering up for Trier's mistakes in Southern Gallia?

As the light on the phone came on and she picked up the receiver, she did so with some uncertainty but steadied her voice before speaking: "Bonjour, votre grâce," her voice was firm but pleasant. Only some time ago, no Serenien politician would have bothered to keep up the pretense of monarchist grandeur. In fact, her predecessor, the former Premier, used to simply refer to the Burgundian grand duke as 'Monsieur Duc' - which was doubly rude as it did not recognise the Grand Ducal status of the head of state of the northern neighbour. Yes, things had changed. But were they on the verge of changing once more. She exhaled. "I hope you are well."

@Bourgogne

 

[Holy Frankish Empire]

The Grand Duke's schedule had been more compact than a penny that had been flattened by a train after being placed on the tracks. Bourgogne's war machine had been in full operation over the last few days. He had slept little but had gotten Burgundian forces to a reasonable level of mobilization. Now he sat at a bunker near the defense ministry, taking daily briefings. Bourgogne had no appetite for war but simply found itself being dragged into a conflict it had worked for decades to prevent. In its view, Bourgogne had to fight or would eventually fall to Kadikistan's imperial ambitions. The Grand Duke's response over the last years to 'Monsieur Duc' was to refer to the Premier as "Madam" only and to use the "tu" version of address- as one might use with a child.

"Good evening Madam" the Grand Duke began in a somber tone. "I have been better. We all now what lies before us" he said, waving off an aid who attempted to get his signature on a document while he spoke into the phone. "These are truly dire times madam. Perhaps we might make them less dire?" he said in a passive tone.

 

[Serenierre]

"I'm listening, please do go on."