Eternity RPC Board
Astratt, Sindar-Astrasia (27 Marth 1588)
"Speak frankly my dear. We are within the confines of walls without ears."
"Are you not even going to ask about the welfare of your nephew and niece first, Lord Desmond?"
The Grand Duke of Sindar-Astrasia erupted with amused laughter at the retort of her sister-in-law. Desmond Redever, the fourth of his name, was a lumbering man whose status as a member of his country's ruling elite was reflected in his well-fed middle. Despite his great wealth, the difficulties of advanced age and excessive eating had already made an impact on his health. The Grand Duke was diabetic and had already lost the sight of his left eye due to retinopathy, although he kept his energy levels - especially in the presence of family - at the roof.
His mind also was still functioning well enough to the point of being able to discuss matters of state. The Grand Duke was a constitutional monarch, a chain on the legs of the House Redever and their parent line ever since the separation of Sindar and Astrasia from Adwest. This fact alone was deeply resented by every man who sat upon the throne of the country, although this source of their anger was the very reason which prevented them from doing anything about it.
A blatant power grab would be met with the end of more than five hundred years of monarchy in this part of Kvaenna, at the hands of the philistine masses. Those who reigned in Sindar-Astrasia remembered history very well, and took the tragedy of the Taeunas rebellion as a lesson to bear in mind.
Resurgence of the fatherland, however, presented the opportunity to change reality in more ways than one. And the Grand Duke saw this opportunity clearly.
"Cease with the formal address, Sophia. And yes, of course, forgive me for my straightforwardness. How are the young ones? it is a shame you have arrived at this hour. There was not much time for me to speak with Laura after supper."
Sophia smiled curtly at this. It was true after all. The HMAS Zealous had arrived in Astratt airport by eight in the evening.
"They are doing good, brother. Laura is a diligent pupil and has picked up the violin. While Edward, he is young, quiet. Maybe he will be like me and grow up studying and working on the enhancement of the land."
The answer to the Grand Duke's question came from Euram, his younger brother. The three were inside Desmond's personal library, where a fireplace with crackling embers provided warmth for the chilly Spring evening.
"My children will not be farmers, Euram."
The chide from Sophia solicited even more laughter from Desmond. The Prince-Consort went silent after this, serving the two others with tea and joining them in front of the fire. As courtesy and out of minor interest, Sophia inquired about his brother-in-law's own two children. Their small talk would extend for another ten minutes, although as the hour hand of the clock approached ten in the evening, they deciphered it was in order to get on with more important subjects.
The Grand Duke opened the discussion again after a sip off his cup.
"And now may I ask, does the fatherland still welcome the western territories? does it have anything in mind for such a reclamation? I am beginning to worry I will die rotting as a mere mascot and not the overlord of my subjects, Sophia."
The Adwestene Queen was slightly taken off-guard by this. She knew well that Desmond was an ally, but did not expect his eagerness for immediate action. Regardless, this was a benefit that she knew could be capitalized upon with what she had in mind. She was confident now, spurred on by the straightforwardness of this man to break free from the shackles on his power.
"Reunification with the western territories remains the primary thrust of my court, you can rest assured. But you and I both know this will not be easy, mostly due to the resistance of several jealous powers."
"Yes. That is unfortunate." concurred the Grand Duke depressingly.
Sophia continued, her eyes fixated on the fire as she did "Like a noose around the neck of the fatherland, our enemies gather and prepare to choke us when we make just one misplaced move, Desmond."
The Grand Duke looked at his sister-in-law in a stern manner. "And is the fatherland ready for such a war?"
"We are" came the response.
"My emissaries have been hard at work ever since my ascension to secure friends, both within and outside the region."
The Grand Duke remain unconvinced, manifesting perhaps his only similarity with his democratically-elected governments until recent years, which was lack of interest in foreign dealings. He would question further the Queen on who these friends were and how willing they would be to fight side-by-side with Adwest.
Such complexities were also of nuisance to the Queen who, although recognizing the value of alliances, placed more importance on the improvement of her country's war-readiness in all aspects. Her response came some moments after, giving thought to the second question more.
"We have at least one nearby state that is treaty-bound to defend us against our enemies. The rest....they are either across the oceans or simply disinterested in assisting us. The collapse of the fatherland could be the only relevant factor, and even that would not be enough. That is why as much as possible, our army is trained and equipped to deal with all threats simultaneously. That is one area I could commend my predecessors for."
The Grand Duke nodded solemnly at this assessment, and Sophia went on speaking.
"Our enemies believe strength lies in their numbers. We, unfortunately, do not have that luxury. A conflict with one will be a conflict with all. But we have been preparing for this for a long time, arguably more than a century ago upon the re-establishment of Adwest as a united country under my house. Now it is my turn to ask you, Desmond, a question."
Sophia's thin-lipped smile returned as she posed her inquiry. "What does the Grand Duchy plan to do to assist us?"
"You know we can't, Sophia. We will not fight your war."
Silence and the crisp sound of burning logs filled the gap of conversation after those. Sophia shifted her glance to challenge those of her brother-in-law, who knew well what the Queen's expectations of him were. He held her look for a full five seconds, although eventually broke away and stood up from his armchair.
The Grand Duke took a few steps away from them and towards a space in the walls that was beneath two bookshelves. On that part of the wall hung a portrait of Cauis II, an ancestor of the House Redever. The man, painted in complete armor and with an air of nobility about him, was the last real monarch of Sindar-Astrasia. He was a victim of murder by forces which wanted to seize his power for their own, but nevertheless remained a figure that the Grand Duke never failed to aspire to become. Or a figure to return to. He stared at the portrait, as if looking for an answer from his ancestor.
Behind him, Euram spoke up again, addressing Sophia. "Perhaps it is too early to convince Desmond. It would be very dangerous for him to engage in such an act, especially if he is unable to muster the necessary support. And our support does not guarantee the success of this."
While the Prince-Consort uttered his words in hushed tones, the Queen went the opposite direction, speaking loudly and firmly.
"We have waited long enough and discussed plans long enough. The time for talk and deliberation is past. Every day, the people of Sindar-Astrasia, Adwestenes by blood, stray further away from the path of reunification. My subjects and vassals. Lord Desmond, a truly deserving leader is one who possesses the iron will to steer the course of his ship through difficult and rocky waters. Are you one? or have you resigned yourself to a life of being a symbol of days gone by?"
The final words of his sister-in-law resonated strongly in the Grand Duke's mind. He felt a sense of powerlessness with his position throughout the years, constrained by the political system in place in most of his affairs. Even recently, his Prime Minister had attempted to dissuade him from meeting the Adwestene royal family - it took him the last remaining ounces of his political capital to allow his family into Astrasian soil. The world had turned, and he found himself caged.
But he knew this was not the natural and correct way of things. Resentment coupled with weakness was what led to the decay of the strong traditional order which once held sway over these lands long ago. And Desmond had no wish to see himself desecrated continuing that weakness. He would rectify the errors of his predecessors and now was the time to do so.
The Grand Duke turned on his heel with a solemn yet steely demeanor, then spoke with the same firmness carried in the voice of the Queen.
"I have not"
He then knelt on one leg, head bowed to Sophia.
"I fear nothing, and I will do what I must for the eternal glory of the fatherland, your majesty."
"Speak frankly my dear. We are within the confines of walls without ears."
"Are you not even going to ask about the welfare of your nephew and niece first, Lord Desmond?"
The Grand Duke of Sindar-Astrasia erupted with amused laughter at the retort of her sister-in-law. Desmond Redever, the fourth of his name, was a lumbering man whose status as a member of his country's ruling elite was reflected in his well-fed middle. Despite his great wealth, the difficulties of advanced age and excessive eating had already made an impact on his health. The Grand Duke was diabetic and had already lost the sight of his left eye due to retinopathy, although he kept his energy levels - especially in the presence of family - at the roof.
His mind also was still functioning well enough to the point of being able to discuss matters of state. The Grand Duke was a constitutional monarch, a chain on the legs of the House Redever and their parent line ever since the separation of Sindar and Astrasia from Adwest. This fact alone was deeply resented by every man who sat upon the throne of the country, although this source of their anger was the very reason which prevented them from doing anything about it.
A blatant power grab would be met with the end of more than five hundred years of monarchy in this part of Kvaenna, at the hands of the philistine masses. Those who reigned in Sindar-Astrasia remembered history very well, and took the tragedy of the Taeunas rebellion as a lesson to bear in mind.
Resurgence of the fatherland, however, presented the opportunity to change reality in more ways than one. And the Grand Duke saw this opportunity clearly.
"Cease with the formal address, Sophia. And yes, of course, forgive me for my straightforwardness. How are the young ones? it is a shame you have arrived at this hour. There was not much time for me to speak with Laura after supper."
Sophia smiled curtly at this. It was true after all. The HMAS Zealous had arrived in Astratt airport by eight in the evening.
"They are doing good, brother. Laura is a diligent pupil and has picked up the violin. While Edward, he is young, quiet. Maybe he will be like me and grow up studying and working on the enhancement of the land."
The answer to the Grand Duke's question came from Euram, his younger brother. The three were inside Desmond's personal library, where a fireplace with crackling embers provided warmth for the chilly Spring evening.
"My children will not be farmers, Euram."
The chide from Sophia solicited even more laughter from Desmond. The Prince-Consort went silent after this, serving the two others with tea and joining them in front of the fire. As courtesy and out of minor interest, Sophia inquired about his brother-in-law's own two children. Their small talk would extend for another ten minutes, although as the hour hand of the clock approached ten in the evening, they deciphered it was in order to get on with more important subjects.
The Grand Duke opened the discussion again after a sip off his cup.
"And now may I ask, does the fatherland still welcome the western territories? does it have anything in mind for such a reclamation? I am beginning to worry I will die rotting as a mere mascot and not the overlord of my subjects, Sophia."
The Adwestene Queen was slightly taken off-guard by this. She knew well that Desmond was an ally, but did not expect his eagerness for immediate action. Regardless, this was a benefit that she knew could be capitalized upon with what she had in mind. She was confident now, spurred on by the straightforwardness of this man to break free from the shackles on his power.
"Reunification with the western territories remains the primary thrust of my court, you can rest assured. But you and I both know this will not be easy, mostly due to the resistance of several jealous powers."
"Yes. That is unfortunate." concurred the Grand Duke depressingly.
Sophia continued, her eyes fixated on the fire as she did "Like a noose around the neck of the fatherland, our enemies gather and prepare to choke us when we make just one misplaced move, Desmond."
The Grand Duke looked at his sister-in-law in a stern manner. "And is the fatherland ready for such a war?"
"We are" came the response.
"My emissaries have been hard at work ever since my ascension to secure friends, both within and outside the region."
The Grand Duke remain unconvinced, manifesting perhaps his only similarity with his democratically-elected governments until recent years, which was lack of interest in foreign dealings. He would question further the Queen on who these friends were and how willing they would be to fight side-by-side with Adwest.
Such complexities were also of nuisance to the Queen who, although recognizing the value of alliances, placed more importance on the improvement of her country's war-readiness in all aspects. Her response came some moments after, giving thought to the second question more.
"We have at least one nearby state that is treaty-bound to defend us against our enemies. The rest....they are either across the oceans or simply disinterested in assisting us. The collapse of the fatherland could be the only relevant factor, and even that would not be enough. That is why as much as possible, our army is trained and equipped to deal with all threats simultaneously. That is one area I could commend my predecessors for."
The Grand Duke nodded solemnly at this assessment, and Sophia went on speaking.
"Our enemies believe strength lies in their numbers. We, unfortunately, do not have that luxury. A conflict with one will be a conflict with all. But we have been preparing for this for a long time, arguably more than a century ago upon the re-establishment of Adwest as a united country under my house. Now it is my turn to ask you, Desmond, a question."
Sophia's thin-lipped smile returned as she posed her inquiry. "What does the Grand Duchy plan to do to assist us?"
"You know we can't, Sophia. We will not fight your war."
Silence and the crisp sound of burning logs filled the gap of conversation after those. Sophia shifted her glance to challenge those of her brother-in-law, who knew well what the Queen's expectations of him were. He held her look for a full five seconds, although eventually broke away and stood up from his armchair.
The Grand Duke took a few steps away from them and towards a space in the walls that was beneath two bookshelves. On that part of the wall hung a portrait of Cauis II, an ancestor of the House Redever. The man, painted in complete armor and with an air of nobility about him, was the last real monarch of Sindar-Astrasia. He was a victim of murder by forces which wanted to seize his power for their own, but nevertheless remained a figure that the Grand Duke never failed to aspire to become. Or a figure to return to. He stared at the portrait, as if looking for an answer from his ancestor.
Behind him, Euram spoke up again, addressing Sophia. "Perhaps it is too early to convince Desmond. It would be very dangerous for him to engage in such an act, especially if he is unable to muster the necessary support. And our support does not guarantee the success of this."
While the Prince-Consort uttered his words in hushed tones, the Queen went the opposite direction, speaking loudly and firmly.
"We have waited long enough and discussed plans long enough. The time for talk and deliberation is past. Every day, the people of Sindar-Astrasia, Adwestenes by blood, stray further away from the path of reunification. My subjects and vassals. Lord Desmond, a truly deserving leader is one who possesses the iron will to steer the course of his ship through difficult and rocky waters. Are you one? or have you resigned yourself to a life of being a symbol of days gone by?"
The final words of his sister-in-law resonated strongly in the Grand Duke's mind. He felt a sense of powerlessness with his position throughout the years, constrained by the political system in place in most of his affairs. Even recently, his Prime Minister had attempted to dissuade him from meeting the Adwestene royal family - it took him the last remaining ounces of his political capital to allow his family into Astrasian soil. The world had turned, and he found himself caged.
But he knew this was not the natural and correct way of things. Resentment coupled with weakness was what led to the decay of the strong traditional order which once held sway over these lands long ago. And Desmond had no wish to see himself desecrated continuing that weakness. He would rectify the errors of his predecessors and now was the time to do so.
The Grand Duke turned on his heel with a solemn yet steely demeanor, then spoke with the same firmness carried in the voice of the Queen.
"I have not"
He then knelt on one leg, head bowed to Sophia.
"I fear nothing, and I will do what I must for the eternal glory of the fatherland, your majesty."
|| Democratic Republic of Mayari ||
There is no solution to the peasant problem but to wage armed struggle, conduct agrarian
revolution and build revolutionary base areas
There is no solution to the peasant problem but to wage armed struggle, conduct agrarian
revolution and build revolutionary base areas