[center][h3][b][u]The Imperial Palace, Bushu, Musashi System, The Musashi Empire[/u][/b][/h3][/center]



Following the conference of the Confederation’s leadership a letter detailing a list of grievances inflicted by Princess Saeko had been sent to the Emperor of Musashi. The letter had made its way to him during a session of court and he had decided to view its contents then and there. A few moments later he had dismissed the court and locked himself away in his throne room. The court had increasingly attributed this sort of behavior to a coming storm, many officials choosing now was the time to find something urgent to personally attend to outside of the palace. And the further from the palace the better.

A court official had been sent to the Confederation embassy with instructions to bring the Confederate ambassador to the Imperial court so they could discuss in person these so called grievances. At the same time Princess Saeko had been summoned. It was thus that Woolsey and Saeko found themselves standing side by side, looking up at where the Emperor was seated atop his throne.

“I have heard that you feel slighted by my niece.” The Emperor said as he looked down at Woolsey, his tone conveying the annoyance his masked face couldn’t. “I shall grant you the opportunity to word your grievances now. Speak.”

Bowing deeply and apparently unconcerned with Saeko’s presence Woolsey did as he was bid, “Of course your Imperial Majesty.  In accordance with my role as the legal representative of the whole of the people of the Confederation, I shall convey to you those elements of your nieces behaviour to which they have taken exception.”

His attention focused on the Emperor alone Woolsey continued, “To begin, in our recent negotiations your niece unequivocally stated that the Confederation and its people are in large part responsible for your Empires impending invasion of the Second Imperium.  The Confederation takes this opportunity to refute the validity of these accusations and convey to you, on whose behalf such statements were made, that it finds the notion of its culpability for the sovereign actions of another state thoroughly offensive.”

“Furthermore,” Woolsey paused only momentarily for breath, “Mere moments after her preceding transgression your niece proposed a defensive pact between our two states, but while doing so showed unveiled contempt through her reluctance and demeanor.  By doing so it is perceived that she disrespected the representative, and by extension the people of, the Confederation.  As such the Confederation wishes to state that if the representatives of your Imperial Majesty and the Empire cannot treat negotiations with the Confederation as negotiations with an equal state, they will cease.”

“Lastly, the Confederation expresses its willingness to see the slights inflicted by your niece as mere signs of inexperience.  However, the Confederation also expresses its disappointment that a novice statesperson was assigned to act as the representative for your Imperial Majesty in such high level negotiations.  As such it must be stated that if the Empire of Musashi is unwilling to treat its negotiations with the Confederation as serious and demanding care, they will cease.”  With that Woolsey fell silent and still, not for a moment expressing his uncertainty given the Emperors seemingly poor disposition.

For a moment the Emperor simply stared at Woolsey, almost statuesque in how he didn’t move. Finally however he rose from his throne and began to descend the many steps that raised it above the rest of the room. “I have heard your grievances” The Emperor stated. “You speak of my niece’s inexperience, but you forget one thing. Experience is of secondary importance.” The very tips of Saeko’s lips began to turn upwards as the Emperor spoke. “Of greater importance is her status as my relative.” By this point he had reached the bottom of the stairs and was standing in front of Woolsey and Saeko and it only now became clear how much of a giant the Emperor was, standing just short of being head and shoulders over Woolsey. “I sent her as a sign of how important I felt the matter was. And in return you spit in my face.” He sounded truly disgusted. “There is but one who stands above her and that is me.” He seemed content to simply tower over Woolsey for a moment before continuing.

“And what have you to say about his accusations?” He turned to Saeko.

Saeko couldn’t quite keep a triumphant look out of her eyes as she began “I simply stated that our actions were in part caused by our recent war with-”

“Enough.” The Emperor’s voice seemed to boom. Saeko’s mouth snapped shut and the color drained from her face.

“I sent her to your embassy with one purpose” The Emperor said as he turned back to Woolsey. “To ensure that you would remain neutral as we dealt with the Second Imperium. Speak honestly and do not hold back. Did she put this objective at risk with her behavior?”

The reaction of the Emperor was near enough to make Woolsey cringe, but he remained unflinching.  Looking to the Emperor and Saeko he answered, “Had the Princess Saeko never even come to offer us a defensive treaty, the position of the Confederation would have remained the same in regards to our neutrality.  We will abide by the peace treaty we signed and honour its intent, that has not changed.  However as a result of the Princesses transgressions, even with the gesture of her presence in mind,  the attitude of my government towards Musashi has changed markedly.  As a result I am obliged to inform you that the Confederation officially declines her offer of a defensive treaty.” 

“I wouldn’t have even offered a defensive treaty had Yuki not insisted that-” Saeko blurted out, only for her sentence to be cut off as one of the Emperor’s hands shot out with startling speed and clenched her throat.

“Do not blame Yuki for your own mistakes. It is unbecoming child.” The Emperor’s calm tone contrasted starkly with the hand clenching Saeko’s throat. “If you did not agree with her advice you should have simply disregarded it.” His hand clamped down on her throat as he lifted her into the air with the one arm. “I gave you but one objective” He snarled, “and you put that at risk. You decided that your own agenda was more important than mine. I assure you that is not the case.”

Saeko gasped for air as tears streamed down her cheeks. A few times it appeared that she would bring her hands up to try and claw away at the Emperor’s grasp of her throat, but she somehow remained rational enough to keep them at her side.

“This is my Empire!” The Emperor shouted as he drew her close. “Not your plaything. You would do well to remember that.” He released his grip on Saeko’s throat, dropping her to the floor.

“My…. apologies” Saeko managed between gasps for breath as she prostrated herself on the ground before the Emperor. “It… will not… happen again.”

“Ensure that it doesn’t.” He said as he turned his back to her and began to ascend the steps back to his throne. “I tire of these games you, your brother, and cousin insist on playing.” He said as he reached the throne and settled back into it. “Tell them that the next time this occurs I shall not be so forgiving.”

The Emperor paused for a moment before turning his head towards Woosley. “Tell your masters that I desire no conflict with them. I shall not point my sword at them so long as they do not point their own at me.” He seemed to ponder something before adding “I shall pay for the materials needed to build your embassy here as an apology for the way my niece impugned upon your master’s honor. Is there anything else you need to address while in my presence?”

Woolsey was still somewhat pale from what he’d just witnessed when he looked back to the Emperor.  To see a man threaten his own blood in such a manner, and before a foreign dignitary?  Woolsey had thought he’d seen the underbelly of politics in his time, but this was unlike anything he had conceived of.  He’d not dared to interfere though, even as he feared his actions would again cause a life to be extinguished; it was not his place even if he desperately wanted the power for it to be.  Finally he spoke with as much poise as he could manage, “You have the gratitude of the Confederation for the gesture Your Imperial Majesty.  As an affirmation of our mutual commitment to peace, and in the hopes of reconciliation after this unfortunate happening, if it is your wish we could codify such commitment in an agreement of non aggression if nothing more.  Only if such is your desire of course.”

“If such a document is prepared I will personally grace it with my signature” The Emperor answered, suddenly sounding exhausted. He seemed to have slumped in his throne, seeming almost on the verge of sleep. “You may leave now” He said with a lazy gesture. “Both of you.”

“Thank you for speaking with me heika” Saeko said before rising from the ground. She spared Woolsey one glance before all but running for the door, pausing only to put her mask on before slipping out of the throne room.

Woolsey gave another deep bow, “It was a great honour, your Imperial Majesty.”  Turning to leave he grasped the mask that had been prepared for him and looked down in shock to see his hand shaking.  Saeko’s glance had been poisoned, and he feared it would overwhelm him.  As he fled the room holding his arms close to still them he began to wonder if Musashi was at all the place he’d imagined it to be.

“Saeko-denka!” A man said as he approached with purpose. He wore no mask, implying that he was the lowest ranked individual in the palace, or at the very least this section of the palace. Saeko turned towards the man and he suddenly flew backwards as if he’d been struck by a car. Several of the Imperial guards tensed, seeming about to draw their katanas or level their rifles at Saeko, but immediately reverted to their guard stances. The man, from somewhere down the hall, let out a long groan before climbing to his feat.

“I appreciate the learning experience” Saeko said as she turned towards Woolsey. She carefully kept her tone neutral. “I shall take it to heart.” She didn’t wait to hear his response, instead turning and making her way down the hall. The poor servant she had thrown like a ragdoll with her psionic powers rushing to catch up with her.

“Well that was interesting.” A woman said as she approached Woolsey. She removed her mask as she neared, clearly not phased at the thought of Woolsey or the Imperial guards viewing her face. “What caused that?”

Woolsey hesitated, “I…  I would say that was the result of an official reprimand quite foreign to me.  I’d be overstepping my bounds to elaborate though, I am a stranger in the halls after all.”  Stopping momentarily Woolsey collected himself just enough to remember basic etiquette, “I don’t believe we’ve met though, I am ambassador Steve Woolsey, chief diplomat of the Confederation to Musashi.  Would it be too much to ask your name?”

“Of course not” The woman said with a warm smile. “I am Xaio Xiang. And before you ask, less my uncle is the minister of the interior, but that’s where my importance ends.” She winked at Woolsey. “Not many get to speak to the Emperor. Especially of late. In fact… you may be the only foreigner who ever has or ever will speak to Yamamoto-heika. You should be honored.”

Woolsey smiled wryly slightly under his mask, an honor was it?  He took a moment to take stock of Xiang and replied, “It was an experience I will not soon forget, and an honor that I will take to heart.”

“Well it pleases me to hear that.” Xiang replied. “I for one fear that I will never have that honor myself.” Something in her tone implied that that wasn’t such a terrible thing. She smiled again as she said “I hope to see you again after the completion of your country’s embassy Woolsey-dono. Have a good day.” She rendered a bow before putting on her mask and turning to leave.

Woolsey scratched his head and spoke simply, “And to you as well.”  Something about the woman said she was, or expected to be, a great deal more than one whose importance ended at a family relation.  He shook his head and made a note of her name before turning to leave himself.  The Cabinet would be pleased, if not horrified, by the way things had resolved.  They had gotten what they wanted, and now they would push for more.