What's new

The Christmas Summit

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The New Palace, Eschenbach, Elben

The great hall of the palace was festooned with red flowers as the Christmas season was in full swing. The aristocracy and other chief magnates of the kingdom, visiting for Christmas Court, were lined up in each side amid the pillars that held up the vaulted ceiling. A section was cordoned off for the press. A court photographer moved around unobtrusively, documenting the occasion for posterity. At the head of the hall was a throne on a dais where sat King Friedrich Maria. Around him stood his son and grandson and nearby were his unmarried daughters, granddaughters, and Princess Mireille.

Despite news reports, the king was not looking well. Earlier in the week, when the court had first gathered, whispers had quickly passed through the assemblage of how far the king had deteriorated. For today at least, he looked better, as if receiving guests from abroad offered a brief respite from his decline.

The great doors at the far end of the hall were opened and royal guardsmen stood at attention as a voice introduced the queen of Gunnland and Leader Blackthorn...

Later...

With formalities concluded, all parties retired for a time of refreshment before reassembling in private. This room of the New Palace was well appointed for Christmas hospitality. Once more, the Gunnish were ushered into the presence of the king and his heirs and the foreign minister.

The king took Julian's hands in his own and gave them a squeeze. "My dear, it is a pleasure to see you. Please, sit! And Leader Blackthorn, welcome to Elben. It is a pleasure to meet you. Plenty of chairs." The old man's command of his guest's language was excellent as he found his own chair and sat down after the lady present had done so. "I hope this not too informal for you. But this is Christmas. We will talk first and then meet formally for the cameras later."
 
Last edited:

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Jake Blackthorn looked up admiringly at the ceiling with the slack-jawed smile that gave him, rightly or wrongly, the reputation of a political lightweight. Queen Julian would do the talking. The two Gunnish leaders had arranged this in no uncertain terms on the train. Their relationship had been a little strained since Blackthorn almost allowed Gunnish intelligence, 15AR, to bring the North into a war against Kadikistan without Julian's knowledge.

Friedrich Maria looked wan. Julian glanced from Karl to Leopold. So the hour for Elben's king was growing late. More bad news.

"Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, royal cousin, I am going to step into a more assertive foreign policy role. James..." Jake gave a smirk and rolled his eyes, as if to say, Well, shoot, I'm in no position to argue, in the goofiest way possible. "...and I have agreed this is best for stability in Gunnland and in the region."

There was a short silence while the queen paused. Gunnland was emerging as a regional power, but this had undeniably destabilized the region. It had meant the end of security guarantees for Trivodnia and an increasingly aggressive Kadikistan. There was some hope in certain quarters that the liberals could unseat Blackthorn and allow Julian to take a more pro-Eiffelland foreign policy, but none of this was certain.

"Security is my number one priority, despite the Blud crisis. First, the Army Council has recommended a review of our joint defense plan. My colonels are planning for a long war of attrition, guerilla warfare, and sabotage in the event of a communist invasion that leverages decentralized clan paramilitary commands. Second, we should consider expanding the Council of the North. Third, back-channels with Eiffelland need to be strengthened: this is one reason that I am considering moving back to Schloss Klippenstein, once I can find a capable prime minister that can represent me adequately in Windhaven."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
Friedrich Maria listened as Julian spoke. With this visit, he had perked up quite a bit, looking enthused to be hosting the neighboring monarch. Her words were weighed carefully and Blackthorn's expression was noted.

"I agree that our joint plans need to be updated. A long, drawn out war is something that we do not believe Kadikistan could sustain, which is to our advantage in an asymmetrical war. A war of attrition, though, that is something to be avoided. They could give up ten of theirs for every one of ours and still be doing better in the exchange. We must find ways should it come to war to make them pay and rue their losses while limiting our own.

"But aside from strategy, tell me more about what you envision for Gunnland's relationship with Eiffelland. Do you view them as a serious strategic partner?"
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Leader Blackthorn looked at Queen Julian with pursed lips of mock interest. She ignored him. Julian had lost her parents in a plane crash, survived a kidnapping, learned her father was alive but deathly ill, learned her mother was still alive but insane, outlived her kidnappers, endured nasty tabloid attention in Eiffelland for an "affair" with Prince Ludwig, single-handedly negotiated a status quo agreement with Kadikistan, sent her mentor Robert Gunn away, won her libel suit, and avoided bringing Gunnland into a global war at the eleventh hour. Julian was a confident woman. Older than her twenty years.

"I love Radeberg. I think I have found a prime minister with a stronger political presence in Windhaven, one that will allow me to return to Robert Koch Universität this term without feeling like things are out of control at home..." Julian gave her assistant Maddie a conspiratorial smile. Jake's mouth hung open: he had misinterpreted this to mean that the inexperienced teenage step-and-fetch-it was going to be named prime minister.

Jake interrupted. "Yeah. She even insisted on playing Weissenfelser frat boys singing Christmas carols on the train." He laughed. Since Blackthorn was himself something of a frat boy, it sounded oddly appreciative. Julian smiled and shook her head. As long as he sticks to making comments like that.

"...there must be a quiet understanding with Eiffelland and Engellex that we are ready to balance against the communist threat. Obviously we need to be even more careful than them, but we need to share some red lines. As far as closer ties, regardless who controls the Thing next year..." She raised her eyebrows at Leader Blackthorn, whose poll numbers continued to slip. "...Hammersmith will always be a harder sell than Trier."

"Our first priority should be strengthening the Council of the North by expansion to our regional neighbors, with strict neutrality as our public policy. We shall see what room there is from neutrality in the new Gallo-Germania."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The four Elbeners watched these interactions between the queen and the leader without comment. The crown prince's son was not much older than Julian. He frowned slightly and turned away to hide it as Leader Blackthorn made light of her (or so he took it).

Friedrich thought carefully and answered, "Yes, balance. A third way. Aside from Eiffelland and Engellex, let us also look farther afield to Rurikgrad's other border, by land and sea.

"Before Caledonia was mentioned as a candidate, but the invitation was never extended. Shall we agree to extend it now?"
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Julian chuckled and leaned forward to slap Blackthorn's leg now, with a gleam in her eye.

"Remember the Sean Morgan Affair, Jake?" She had almost forgotten Gunnland nearly intervened in a rightist coup in Caledonia before wisely returning the National Union leader to justice. "Sometimes the best course of action is just waiting for things to moderate." Jake rolled his eyes. This stung. He was the underestimated one. He thought, this entitled blonde bitch has no sense of humor, the only thing she finds funny is when she turns out to be right. She's too dumb to realize how fortunate she is.

Julian's tone became more serious. "I think the Freudenberger thesis exaggerates the similarities between our countries, but I see that Caledonia is having all of the problems related to rapid modernization that Gunnland has been trying to avoid. I shall instruct Beata MacBenach to vote in favor of inviting Dun Eidyn to join the Council. Culturally, geographically, strategically, it makes sense. One deliverable from this summit for the newspapers to report.”

“After the elections I shall have the new prime minister embark on a diplomatic tour of Salen, Fleur, and Lars. The increasing influence of Jyskerige-Østveg in our continent via ECONAMS is troubling to me, especially because it seems Eiffelland no longer takes my brother’s claim to the Auswegian throne very seriously.”

“I shall wait till the summer to make diplomatic visits, but I would like to be the first Gunnish queen in centuries to step foot in Hammersmith and Avalon.”

Blackthorn sat up in his chair. She wanted to go to Engellex. 'Zounds. He figured it would be a good time to get his one item in. "Your Majesty, it has been some time since John XXIII has taken the papal throne, and still Archbishop Woodstone hasn't been made a cardinal. Many in the Gunnish church were hoping for two cardinals, with a northern pope, you know. Do you know his mind?"
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
Here the king frowned just slightly for a moment, as in remembering some distant memory, the memory of a conversation with the pope not long ago over the Rosencranz affair. Then, "I cannot say that His Holiness and I speak on a regular basis. I know only that he is working steadily on his efforts to reform the church bureaucracy and ensure solid bishops are chosen. And I read the news and see those Orthodox from Pelasgia are in Tibur for that meeting."

Crown Prince Karl took the opportunity of his father's silence to add, "We're hoping as well to see our own archbishop of Eschenbach receive the red hat. Along the same line, does Gunnland have any intention in future conclaves of exercising a veto on certain candidates? No country has tried it for quite awhile, but with modernists like those Eiffel cardinals lurking around, perhaps we as the Catholic North should consider it?" The crown prince knew all too well the end for his father was not far away. The pope was an old man as well and wouldn't be hanging around too much long, surely. Time to think ahead.
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Julian's eyes widened. "That's a little old-fashioned, isn't it? I think Archbishop Strelecki is a good man..."

Blackthorn could not mask his laughter in a coughing fit. His freckly face turned red under his full head of red hair. "Lord Almighty, Julian. You and Broithe..."

Justin Broithe was the liberal-leaning Bishop of Ayr. When Blackthorn said Pope John XXIII should name two Gunnish cardinals, he did not mean Broithe. He meant Monsignor Gallagher, Cardinal Stewart's old right hand man.

"...Those Eiffel liberals are barely Christians! Archbishop Woodstone may not be a fighter like Cardinal Stewart was, but I'm glad he's not as easily fooled as you are. I need a drink."

Silence fell. Blackthorn of course knew that the late Cardinal Stewart had something to do with Julian''s mysterious disappearance before she was crowned queen. But he didn't know that Julian had personally intervened with Pope John XXII to make sure Stewart's man Gallagher didn't become archbishop.
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The two younger Elbener royals stood in polite silence, their faces masks, long trained for how to react to faux pas. Schlabrendorff as a diplomat was used to hiding his own thoughts. The king though, old and tired, had gone red, looking like he was ready to throttle Blackthorn for speaking in such a way to his sovereign. The count could see his master and jumped into action before the old man popped a blood vessel.

"Mr. Blackthorn, what may I get you to drink? And you, Your Majesty?" He glanced at Julian for just a moment to read her expression.
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Julian thought about asking her hosts if they could make her a cosmopolitan, or one of those purple cocktails with crème de violette that Maddie made her, but she decided not to send Jake into a full-blown meltdown. Gunnland's head of government was under a lot of stress, she knew. The moderate Integrity politician could no longer hold his party hardliners and the liberal-leaning business community of Ayr-Arundel together in a popular coalition; even his loveless marriage to Mary MacLeod, Countess of Arundel, couldn't keep a lid on the liberals. Give them an inch and they'd take a mile.

"An Ardmar 16, with a little water, for Miss MacNicholls and me, thank you" said the queen politiely, narrowing her eyes at Blackthorn. He had waited for her to order first, at least, but still harrumphed loudly. A Gunn queen drinking the Keith whisky, of all the stupid little gestures, he thought. "A Glenwillie 10 for me, neat."

Julian continued, "After the security situation, our current economic recession..." Jake winced when she used the r-word. "...troubles me, and I need to do what I can to restore investor confidence."

"Here is another deliverable for our summit. If you accept, Graf von Schlabrendorff, I would like to organize a ministerial-level conference either in Windhaven or in one of the small central Gallo-Germanian countries to coordinate customs and infrastructure. I hope this will compensate for the setback that we had when Crotobaltislavonia scuttled our proposed commercial agreements, which was very embarrassing for Leader Blackthorn as well as me personally."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The queen's reaction seemed to sooth the king. His own son went over to join Schlabrendorff in making a stiff one for the old man as well as himself. While the two men were busy, they exchanged raised eyebrows, as if bullets had been dodged, not only by the king not having a heart attack, but also the Gunnish had not exploded.

The queen's words were tabled for a moment as drinks were served. Finally, Schlabrendorff smiled and replied, "Such a conference would be welcome. I know that Elben would appreciate more stable means of transporting certain imports like oil after last year's energy crisis."

Crown Prince Karl added, "We also would like to discuss basing rights in a Gunnish port. Elben has recently acquired three submarines to be based at our islands in the Implarian Ocean. But occasionally we would like them to operate in the Gothic to fly the flag so to speak. However, due to the Kadiki stranglehold of our coast, a base in Gunnland would be most convenient."
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
The queen and the parliamentary leader looked at one another and nodded, approving basing rights. Julian asked if there was an Elbener tradition of brewing Glühwein and asked for one. Blackthorn did not. His whisky had taken its course, along with the hip flask he dangled rougishly in the privacy of the train. He cut into the conversation during a lull.

"You might also secure basing rights in Chinde, Prince Karl. Julian has exiled my friend Robert Gunn down there, and I'm sure he could arrange something." He looked slyly at the queen. "The chief still has a few tricks up his sleeve to beat the Liberals next week, he's told me..."

"Exiled!" Julian rolled her eyes.

"...you see, the Liberals are excited about changing anything and everything. Diversity. Women. Cutting interest rates. I don't know. But they have all the momentum, see? Forcing an election in a big economic downturn and whatnot. So the Gunn calls me up and tells me to pressure a few of my candidates to step down, Rob has a few of the most exotic women you can find ready to stand as independents who will tow our line. Every color of the rainbow. Except the Liberals will be excited to vote for them, see? It's a goofy world out there, I tell you."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The request of the queen was seen to by the foreign minister. Meanwhile Karl nodded at the suggestion of a base at Chinde as well.

But then the two Gunnish leaders started their back-and-forth again. However, this time the bickering was a bit more informative as Blackthorn shared something of Integrity's strategy for the upcoming election. Elben's delegates to the Council had kept it well informed of events in Windhaven and Gunnland at large and what the election meant. Karl took a long drink at the thought Integrity had a plan. Maybe we won't have to deal with the Liberals after all.
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Blackthorn was, truth be told, a little tipsy. Tipsiness was his modus operandi. Not a few people found him to be tactless, a boor, a great annoyance. And, truth be told, he was all of those things. But he had a guilelessness, an at-ease-ness with the world, that many, many people loved him for. It had taken the surgeon far in politics, though it made him plenty of detractors along the way.

"Speaking of a big old goofy world out there, how does a man get to meet Francis-Francis? I hear he is in town."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
The king himself was getting tired; the double name left him slightly confused. His grandson, who had not spoken at all beyond greetings up until now bent low and whispered in his ear, "The Justosian ambassador." This jogged the king's memory.

Crown Prince Karl picked up the slack and answered Blackthorn, "Yes, here to set up an embassy for the Great Southern Kingdom. I'm sure if you left a message at his hotel, a reply would be immediate. No doubt a meeting with Gunnland would be as equally welcomed by Justosia as one with us was."

While all this went on, Schlabrendorff served the queen Glühwein. "Our own blend of spices, Your Majesty. I hope it warms you during these cold times."
 

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
Blackthorn was eager to meet the Justosian ambassador rumored to be a Catholic, since he was filled with questions about the southern kingdom, its sudden prominence on the world stage, its strange religion, everything. Julian encouraged him to go, because she was not. And so Blackthorn left. Julian sighed when he did so.

"Well, he won't be the Leader much longer. I don't know if he ever really was. You know Jake is widely liked outside the Party, a sort of acceptable figurehead to the rest of the nation. But other than his friendship with Robert..." Julian assumed they knew she was talking about the chief of her clan, Robert Gunn, once and perhaps still widely seen as the éminence grise in Gunnland. "...he has no power centers in the Party."

She sipped her Glühwein and felt a little embarrassed for feeling so at home among these Elbeners whom she hardly knew, except that they were friends of her father and the cautious but reliable allies of her own fractious country. But being queen was a lonely thing.

"The Party... the Party... It's in complete disarray! The younger generation of leaders have a martyr-complex, like they're the last refuge of Christendom! They lack the calm that the statesmen had in my father's generation." Julian blushed, only now realizing that her comments could be understood as flattery. Friedrich Maria and even Schlabrendorff were not spring chickens. She suddenly changed her tone. "It doesn't matter. They'll never really lose power, even if they're in opposition. They're more united than the Liberals can possibly be. Gunnland is Gunnland, and the Liberals will always only be able to define themselves in opposition to that."

She smiled. "But enough of my unruly subjects." In fact, she hoped the absence of Blackthorn would make them more forthcoming not only about the state of affairs in Elben, but also about the surprise elections in Gunnland.
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
Schlabrendorff handed Blackthorn off to one of his foreign ministry flunkies to see the leader safely to his limousine, and then he closed the door. Listening to the queen speak, he made mental notes as was his job.

Meanwhile the three sons of Eschenbach looked far more relaxed. Certainly the king had deflated. As Julian shared her thoughts on her homeland, he nodded sympathetically. "Your father was a great man, yes."

Karl stood leaned against the back of a chair as Julian finished. "Gunnland has its share of interesting characters, that's for sure. Young martyrs with a cause. They could stand to learn of the old Tiburan proverb, 'cunctando regitur mundus…' The world is ruled by delaying. On the other hand, people want change because they think the grass is always greener, but when real disruptions come, they learn otherwise." The crown prince smiled and added, "That could apply to young people in general." His gaze when from the queen to his own son.

Leopold nodded, aware he was just given another lesson on 'kinging'. He looked to Julian and asked, "Do you mind if I invite in my wife? I know she is wanting to meet you in person. She was telling me of some friends you and her have in common from Eiffelland."
 
Last edited:

Gunnland

FTR
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
2,035
Location
Virginia, USA
Capital
Windhaven, Gunnland
"Mireille, of course! I would love to meet her."

Julian wondered if marriage between her and Leopold had been discussed in Elben, or for that matter, in Windhaven. But then, there was the whole debacle with Prince Ludwig at about the same time. It made her sad to remember that. She was not naïve enough to think that just because she hadn't been privy to these conversations about her own marriage, that Robert and the politicians weren't having them. She had her own ideas about the matter, of course -- that is, her marriage -- to remain a single "Virago Queen," to wait for a political match understood to be what the Southerners called an 'open marriage,' even to blow off ancient duties of state and fall in love with a commoner. Iain MacLean, the handsome accountant called to Dunrobin Castle several weeks ago, in yet another shenanigans involving the Gunnish banks (Julian didn't know exactly what), came to mind. She realized her mind was wandering because Maddie pressed her hand. She was being introduced to Mireille. Maddie, she thought painfully, she was infatuated with Iain, wasn't she. She wondered if her assistant was seeing the accountant as she felt herself incline her head at just the appropriate angle and heard her own voice, as language itself was on autopilot.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mireille. I hear we have mutual friends in Weissenfels."
 

Elben

Established Nation
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,450
Location
Iowa, USA
Nick
Malat
Mireille had been waiting for years, whether it was back in Eiffelland while her powerful mother did business with the Serenien emigres or the global bankers. Now in Elben she did the same. Now at least she was carrying a royal heir and was to be queen someday. And of course she and her husband were getting along quite well. Quite well indeed. Eschenbach wasn't Trier, but it wasn't the end of the world either.

A court flunky showed her in and her husband greeted her with a kiss and motioned towards Julian. The queen's assistant was motioning her own principal forward and Mireille smiled as they were introduced. The princess detected just a hint of something, as if Julian was not totally present in the present. God, there must be a lot going on in there.

And then Julian mentioned Weissenfels and Mireille nodded as she mentioned some of her friends she thought the queen might know from her time there.

As the two women talked, the old king sat and looked pleased at this domestic scene. Leopold made himself a drink and then stood with his father as both listened. In the meantime, Schlabrendorff had slipped out to be about his business.
 
Top