[h1]January 7th, Ilezabeta City[/h1]

Prime Minister Nikolas Cinsti stood completely erect, his hands respectfully behind his back, his head held high, and everything about his posture feeling of servility. That was how one had to present himself before the King. Even if he was now King of the Zenovii instead of the King of Zenovia, ostensibly a King of the people, the mannerism of addressment towards the King had hardly changed. Actually it had not changed at all. His Majesty Mircea II was actually the first to actually take that new title seriously and with honor, much to Cinsti’s chagrin. Cinsti, however, had moved passed the fact that the King seemed willing to break the neutrality of the monarch if it edged towards populism, and was now dealing with the issues of the current day. His Majesty Mircea II always seemed to be doing something when Cinsti addressed him, and he was often doing things which were quite strange. He had his face nearly pressed against the glass of his personal aquarium, where the King kept exotic aquatic animals imported from all over the world. His majesty was a bit eccentric.

“Your esteemed Majesty,” Nikolas Cinsti said.

“Yes, Prime Minister?” Mircea II said.

“It is that matter, your majesty, of great import, of consequence and importance, of your majesty’s sister, her majesty Miruna,” Cinsti said.

“Ah yes, the Queen Dowager,” Mircea said as he let odd-looking green fish food fall into his aquarium from his hand. “It is a noble enterprise which she endeavors. Give me…give those papers.”

Cinsti brought the papers, and put them on a coffee table that Mircea was standing near. Then Mircea, without ever taking his eyes off of his precious aquarium, grabbed them. He rested the papers on aquarium, and scoured the papers for anything that Cinsti had neglected to mention. Cinsti wished he could be a normal constitution monarch and just sign these things. After a minute, he did in fact sign it with his pen, signing his signature.

“I do hope, Prime Minister, that this organization is helpful for the cause of world peace,” Mircea said. “That is something I do like very much.”

[h1]January 8th, Ilezabeta City[/h1]

Lord Boris Perigord, 1st Count of Focreguine, Minister of Finance, arrived by cable car to the Queen Dowager Miruna’s hotel. The King’s sister had realized it was easier to meet him in this setting than arranging a meeting at the royal palace. Perhaps it was a simple matter for her brother, but not for her. She expected, anyhow, that she would soon depart on her mission of humanitarianism and friendly diplomacy. The two of them met in a private lobby that had been reserved for the time for only the two of them.He bowed respectfully to Queen Dowager Miruna when he arrived, and bowed deeper and again when he came closer to her.

“With joy, your majesty, it pleases me to inform you that the Honorable Prime Minister had approved of your venture, and his Majesty your brother Mircea II, may he reign long, has signed your project. It was all reveal to me, your majesty, in a cabinet meeting this morning.”

“Oh, happy days, Perigord!” Miruna said. 

She uncharacteristically grabbed the ministers hand and spun him around, making the two of them go round in circles like school children. She was certainly excited, but Perigord was so shocked and surprised that he was frozen in surprise for a moment before pulling himself back. He cleared his throat with an honorable “ahem!” sound to break the awkwardness of the moment, and Miruna gave a slight giggle.

“Well, your majesty,” Lord Perigord said. “I think we may now begin preparations. In mere weeks, your majesty, I have arranged for there to be a full-fledged humanitarian organization.”

“Oh, I can hardly wait, Perigord!” Miruna said. “Oh, but I suppose I will have to.”

[h1]January 10th, in the capital of Avalia[/h1]

[@Skepic]

Serghei sat in a car, driving his way towards the embassy. This gentle old man, adorn in a quaint-looking suit, did not have the air about him of an outstanding or impressive man. In truth, this unassuming figure was Serghei Blocare, now ambassador to Avalia. Born the son of a country lawyer, he fought in the Great War and, after returning as an artillery officer, was able to get into Ilezabeta Divinity University. In 1896, he published his magnum opus [i]On Liberalism[/i], when he was only 29, for which he was called “the most dangerous man in Zenovia,” as his writings were used as an intellectual manifesto for the Liberals, but then only four years later was called “the greatest man in the nation,” after Liberalism became the prevailing thought. It is a philosopher that history remembers him, both for his political theories and for his thoughts on metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Religiously, he was a Aeonist Universalist, who denied He refused a county when the King offered him one in 1912, and has always been a staunch monarchist. He was Professor of Politics at Ilezabeta Divinity University from 1901, where he wrote most of his major philosophical work. He has had a long and venerable political career, but has never been a moving force in parliament. He served in a rural, strongly Conservative (later Patriotic) constituency near his home town from 1914 to 1919, where he opposed the Little War, and returned as MP when he was drafted for nomination and returned to office from 1930 until his resignation in 1937, during which he wrote an essay that thoroughly disproved protectionism, but was ignored. Facing increasing hostility all around him, he left political life and returned intellectual life.

Three months prior he had been given the quite large surprise of the appointment to the ambassadorship of Avalia, and humbly accepted. A minor scandal had followed, especially from the aristocrats, for appointing a radical, as the Patriots had made it their position to not appoint a Radical to anything. Many suspected it had been Perigord who had arranged the appointment, but Serghei knew better, and knew that Cinsti was far more pragmatic than the Patriots were keen to accept. He had been appointed because he had a plethora of experience and because he was comfortable in Avalia. On account of their atheism, some Zenovii were uncomfortable around the Valkyria, but he had no such qualms, having spent extended periods of times within Avalia in the past, and not regarding such things as very important. Whatever the case, the ambassadorship was not considered in itself very important, and at the time people thought this would simply be Serghei’s last act of governmental service. Many people had served as ambassadors to the past, later going on to do nothing with their civil and political service. Serghei, however, had been informed by Cinsti that the role he was to play was indeed important. Serghei only hoped that something would be accomplished, that the world’s two premier democracies would form closer ties, and that war with Moravia would be avoided.

“Many thanks, boy,” Serghei said to his driver in Valkyrian as he dropped him off at his location.

Awaiting at the embassy were a group of people standing in front of him, clearly waiting for their new ambassador to arrive. The last ambassador had been compelled to resign after being embroiled in scandal, but thankfully it was nothing that would affect relations with Avalia. Still, they were likely eagerly awaiting their new ambassador. All of those in front of him were Zenovii, like himself. 

He was helped to ease into his position and shown his office, which looked quite comfortable. He had brought along only a few possessions, but they were quickly carried into his office by his companion. He allowed his driver to be on his way, as Serghei felt that he had done enough. After a few clear minutes, he was leaning back in a comfortable leather chair at the head of a desk, with a bottle of wine next to him, and a smiling aide asking to make sure everything was alright.

“Arrange a meeting with the President of Avalia,” Serghei said.

“Sir, you’ve only just arrived. Don’t you think that you should wait a while longer to settle in before engaging in diplomatic discourse?”

“With all due respect, I will have to disagree. While on my way here, I had much time to think. As you may know, I have the ability to think quite a lot on things. I have decided that I have been given enough time to think, and I would now like to start acting.”

“Very well sir, I shall arrange everything.”

[h1] January 11th, 1940, Ilezabeta City[/h1]

Lord Boris Perigord, Minister of Finance, was once again meeting with the Queen Dowager Miruna. This time, however, it was in a different place, and the circumstances were different. She had instead come to the House of Parliament herself, having arranged a meeting here. However, she had become excitable after reading the paper. Along with her and himself, Prime Minister Nikolas Cinsti was there as well. She had a certain naivety about how the world worked, and was surprised to hear about what had happened. The paper had read:

[i]The National Neutral Observer

Receiving reports concurrently from both the Empire of Fuso, of which the Kingdom of Zenovia extends diplomatic recognition to, and the Izuno Shogunate, of which Zenovia does not extend the same honor, it appears that a naval skirmish has yet again occurred on the seas between the two. Many brave souls perished from the conflict, and reports of honorable patriotism, death for one’s nation, and reports of ferocity, honor, and valor come from both side. Analysts report that that Fuso may attempted to gain on this recent victory, but that remains to be seen. [/i]

“Oh, how horrible it is!” Miruna said. “And yet the two of them have fought for as long as I can recall. Longer, in fact. This has given me the greatest idea. Prime Minister, Minister, I believe I can help. If I go over there, perhaps my organization could have its first victory.”

“Your majesty, I must advise against it,” Lord Perigord said. “Fuso and the breakaway faction of Izuno have always warred, and have fought so long that survival is in fact a synonym for cowardice. As they say themselves, ‘die for the emperor, or die trying.’”

“I cannot agree with you,” Cinsti said. “If her majesty’s organization is truly for world peace, and be given the chance to succeed, we cannot pull punches. Let her majesty go to Izuno and Fuso.”

“I believe that human nature is inherently good, and people are always willing to prefer peace over war,” Miruna said.

“Your majesty, the honorable Nikolas Cinsti,” Lord Perigord. “I would never attempt to impose on either of you. Instead, the honorable Cinsti, I would like to inform you that only conquest will satisfy either of those far northern state, and as a statesman of fifty years, I would like you to only inform you of my own opinions.”

“It is I who am prime minister,” Cinsti said. “Not you.”

“Is politics always so stuffy?” Miruna said.

Cinsti coughed. “I would recommend, your majesty, to begin your touring at once. Whatever path you wish to take is entirely up to you, your majesty. Of course you will be able to go to Fuso and Izuno. The ministry of foreign affairs will help organize your speaking tour, isn’t that right, Minister?”

“Of course,” Lord Perigord said.

“Oh, how many new people I shall meet!” Miruna said. “But it is for world peace! I hope I do make much of a difference. Perigord, I don’t know much about the ministry of foreign affairs, but as queen I did organize many things. I would like to oversee at least, what you are doing for this.”

“Of course, your majesty,” Lord Perigord said.