[hider=Photograph of Empress Maia Bastos, aged 24. Circa 1905] [img]https://ebid.s3.amazonaws.com/upload_big/9/2/2/uo_1496675566-30291-124.jpg[/img][/hider] [hr] [b]The Toubres Empire, Amzores[/b] The Empress of Toubres smiled as she read over the parchment, nodding slightly before looking back to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mariano Tejedor. The man nodded and quickly handed her the Imperial Seal. Reaching down, she signed the treaty, letting the Minister quickly take it away, she leant back in her seat. [hider=Formal Alliance] [b][u]Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Susanette de Jaloie[/u][/b] ----------------------------------------------------- [b]Regarding a formal alliance in which the Coastal Empire of Tara will: [/b] [i]-Allow the construction of a Toubres Empire embassy in it’s capital, Rigour. -Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres. -Agree to aid the Empire of Toubres at times of war. -Work in collaboration with the Empire of Toubres in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations. -Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Rigour. -Support the Empire of Toubres on the international stage. [/i] ------------------------------------------ [b]In return, the Empire of Toubres will:[/b] [i]-Allow the construction of a Coastal Empire of Tara embassy in it’s capital, Amzores. -Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres. -Agree to aid the Coastal Empire of Tara at times of war. -Work in collaboration with the Coastal Empire of Tara in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations. -Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Amzores. -Support the Coastal Empire of Tara on the international stage. [/i] ---------------------------------------------- [b]Both nations will agree to:[/b] [i]-Meet monthly to discuss issues in which collaboration between the two nations will aid in their resolution, as well as to discuss international events. -Meet annually to discuss the renewal, or adaption, of this agreement. [/i] ----------------------------------------------- [i]Please respond with your considerations of this agreement.[/i] [u][b]Regards; Her Imperial Majesty Maia, Empress of Toubres. [/b][/u] [b]Empire of Toubres [X] Coastal Empire of Tara [X][/b][/hider] [hr] [u][b](Collaboration between SonOfALich and Ascendant)[/b][/u] Empress Maia Bastos pursed her lips, leaning forward slightly, brow furrowed and eyes narrows for an instant. All at once, she laughed, a smile flashing across her face as she reached out and moved the carefully carved, ivory figure, across the board and placed it triumphantly down on a square as white as silk gloves that the Empress wore. Her bright eyes glanced up at Vicenti Queiros, sitting across the board from her, as the older man groaned slightly and shook his head. Maia spoke, her voice ringing like a bell as she smiled widely. [i]“Checkmate. You’re getting old, Vicenti!”[/i] The young woman’s tutor smiled slightly as he shook his head again, gesturing to the board in defeat. [i]“I fear I’ve taught you too well, Maia. I never noticed your queen until it was too late to do anything about it.”[/i] [i]“That was your biggest mistakes, Vicenti. The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board. You know that.”[/i] The two friends were interrupted by a hurried knocking on the door. They glanced at each other =, before Vicenti called out for the knocker to enter. One of the palace guard’s, resplendent in his dark uniform, burst into the room, gasping for breath as he bowed deeply towards the Empress as he struggled to find his voice. When he finally did, he blurted out his words, panting heavily. [i]“King Avandre. Of the Illesian Kingdom. He’s here. To see you. Your majesty.”[/i] Maia quickly turned towards Vicenti, an eyebrow raised, and saw that the smile had gone from the man’s face, his jaw set as he nodded curtly to the guard, his voice ringing with authority. [i]“Thank you, soldier. Have him shown into the Beleza Garden, and his companions entertained in the Front Lounge. The Empress will be with him shortly.”[/i] The guard nodded, and was gone in an instant, the echoing sound of his pounding boots on the marble floor quickly fading away. Vicenti turned back to the Empress, and smiled kindly, rising to his feet and holding out a hand to help her up. [i]“It is time for you to act like the Empress I know you can be, Maia.”[/i] [hr] Empress Maia Bastos breezed into the garden, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face, the smell of sweet flowers on the air, and the soft trickle of the stream mingling with the singing of birds all around her. Glancing around, she saw King Avandre VII sat on one of the carved marble benches that lined the winding stream that cut through the garden. Composing herself, she walked to face him and nodded her head in greeting, a slight smile dancing behind her bright eyes. [color=00aeef][i]“Apologies for the wait, your majesty. But I admit I was not expecting your visit.”[/i][/color] Avandre quickly rose from sitting with one leg over the over and took a deep bow, [color=0054a6][i]“Patience has always been seen as a virtue of Man, and for an Empress, my patience is as deep as the oceans.”[/i][/color] The man then held out his own hand for the Empress’ if she chose to give her own hand for him to kiss, [color=0054a6][i]“I am deeply saddened we haven’t been able to speak before in person.”[/i][/color] Maia smiled with slight bemusement as she bowed her head again in thanks, holding out her hand for the King, as he lightly kissed it and rose from his bow. Looking at the man standing before her, Maia noticed that he was not an unattractive man, and as she gestured for him to return to his seat, she blushed slightly as she sat down beside him. [i][color=00aeef]“You flatter me, sir. Your visit is most welcome, I know how greatly my father admired the Illesian Empire. Although, if it is not too forward, I suspect that your long journey is not entirely for a social call?”[/color][/i] Avandre waved his hand as if dismissing something, [color=0072bc][i]“Kingdom, we are a mere Kingdom. We hold no colonies, for at least, unlike your Empire.” [/i][/color]The young man smiled, nodding subtly at her inference, [i][color=0072bc]“You are correct, and it is not too forward at all. You see,”[/color][/i] Avandre began before briskly dropping to his knee by her side, once more holding his hand out towards her, [i][color=0072bc]“I have come to ask your hand in marriage. I know it is sudden, and that our two nations already share a Defensive Military Alliance, but it is my strong belief that together, our two nations will be significantly more stable, protected, and capable of exercising their power on the world stage. Our Union would permanently solidify and protect the border we share, and allow us to look beyond it towards the West, East, and South, as well as allow our peoples to work together in both war and economy.” [/color][/i] He paused for a moment, chuckling lightly as he added, [i][color=0072bc]“And I would be able to find a woman to be not my Queen, but my Empress, and an astonishing one at that. What do you say, Empress Maia Bastos?”[/color][/i] The Empress opened her mouth to apologise for her formality error, but her words escaped her as the King dropped to his knee at her feet. Her heart all but stopped in her chest as she listened to his proposal. She felt faint with shock for a moment, but managed to regain her composure for a moment as she looked down at the man kneeling before her. She was silent for an instant, before she spoke, a smile crossing her face as she took his hand. [color=00aeef][i]“You are certainly bold, sir. And you honour me. I say yes, King Avandre. I agree that our two nations can only benefit from our coming together. But I will be an Empress first, and your wife second. Just as I am prepared for you to be a King first, and my husband second.” [/i][/color] An immense amount of joy spread through King Avandre, mixed with a small amount of surprise. He’d been steeling himself for rejection for days, so it was a welcome surprise as the man kissed her hand repeatedly, [i][color=0072bc]“Of course. Bringing two nations closer together while achieving perhaps the best wife a man could ask for is something that few men are ever lucky enough to achieve. I will have to return shortly to Regoth in Illesia, but I can stay for a while longer while we discuss other things and formally write any paperwork we must. And then we can announce when the wedding shall be!” [/color][/i]