First Strides

Aiyrania was always a place that surprised. Sitting atop the eponymous plateau, it is a vast and warm place, dry and shielded by mountains on all sides. And yet this vast area is home to the largest and most populous Rasian cities. Much of the empire's workforce and draftable population hailed from this place and they were, first and foremost a proud people, for it was they together with the collapsing Haemian empire that formed what now is, Old Ras, and in their privileges position they set themselves above many, perhaps even above all. Large towers of glass and steel consume the cities of the plateau, growing ever larger and closer to one another, strands of light connecting by the road network.

And yet Thousand Pillars would be odd, even among the many suffocating cities prevalent to the region. It would be quite easy to see from the plane as it landed, the city was as if one had cut a gigantic hole in it, and covered it in green. Gigantic channels encircled the Old City, more a palace than a town, raised up on high terraces with retaining walls rising up and sloping at varying heights and angles. A city that is large can be rather intimidating, and yet the way this entirely different world stands, despite its much smaller size, it seems as if the New City is designed to bend away from it, to shrink away as if the palace radiated outwards, a star amidst giants.

The welcoming party was made up of two greeters and several attendants. A man in robes of bright orange and red, contrasted by a woman in hews of green with sparrows in flight caught upon her dress. Bowing in unison, the two spoke just the same:

"We greet you emissary, in the name of our King of Kings, our Satrap, and the Holy Flame. May our hearth warm you and our hospitality comfort you. Our herald awaits your words with warmth and we to take you to their side."

Their act finished, the two stood up, flashing smiles at the diplomat, as they awaited her reply. Such was the strangeness of the prefecture, and such were its customs.

"He who is Šâhanšâh's word and will made manifest thanks you for your gift, noble lady." the man bowed as some of the attendants filed out to receive the gifts, heads lowered at all times, "As he receives it so too does Šâhanšâh."

"In turn Šâhanšâh knows that generosity is met with generosity." the woman bowed this time, "For as there is no dusk without the dawn so too can there be no receiving without giving."

Snapping her fingers the woman stood aside, six attendants shuffling in pairs of two. The first pair bore two heavy bolts of fabric, velvet silk in red and blue. Behind them two more carried boxes of incense and further behind them two more bore bore unmarked containers.

"As ceremony demands for our exchange, we give you silk, incense and spice, gifts earned and gifts made." the man said, the nature of the unmarked containers revealed, "These are the products of all our people, the gift of our land and the generosity of our Šâhanšâh to those who come as friends."

"But please, we are certain duty rouses you to perform as your station entails." the woman extended her hand towards vehicles that were prepared, "We shall take you to one who speaks with Šâhanšâh's voice."

The two, flanked by what attendants remained, escorted Ami towards the vehicle that would carry her towards the Old City, where the meeting was to take place. The airport, though originally built on the outskirts, had long since been consumed by the city, and the road that led to the inner city was uncluttered, traffic having been cleared in that section so as to not delay the Communal emissary.

Aiyrania and its cities were never touched by the civil war, blessed as they were by their secluded position within the eastern mainland, and so the cities were pristine and unmarked by any sort of violence. Trees of all sorts, from palms to cypress trees were placed along the roads of the city, and as the inner city got closer, and the roads contracted further, their leaves provided shelter from the sun, light breaking through the canopy dancing upon the road as it wound towards the city center.

The Old City, or Palace district, was much larger than it appeared from the air. A marvel of ancient engineering, what once served nobility and as a retreat for the ruling house of the empire now served as a tourist destination, droves of people gathered both outside of and inside of the city. And at the entrance into the old city a massive gate stood, outside of which the vehicle stopped.

"Vehicles are not allowed within the Taht my lady, so forgive us but we are going to have to escort you on foot." the man said, opening the door to the car and escorting Ami out.

The gates were massive, a mark of a bygone era, two gigantic lamassu flanking either side of it, winged bulls with the heads of crowned men. They stood at six times the height of the average man and the gate even higher, pillars depicting a procession of warriors, nobles and priests leading across the channel and into the Old City proper.

What followed was a burst of colour. The terraces and retaining walls, something that could only slightly be made out, now revealed their true beauty. Every wall and every gate bore bas-reliefs coloured in vivid details. What once were just priests and warriors became processions of people bearing offerings and instruments, cattle and animals herded ever onward towards some great goal. No two people were alike, each wall depicting a folk of different dress and make, a different people that once came to this city to offer tribute to a king of kings.

Stairs rose ever upwards into the greater palace complex, lush gardens and green grasses giving off the impression of an oasis, an earthly paradise, and something that in those days, and even in these, was meant to stir something within, to rouse and to galvanize. Cloth of all colours hung over the openings in the ceiling, the floor bellow reflecting the colour of the textile through which the light shone, and in turn heavy ornaments of metals and semi-precious stones hung off the walls, almost as if the building itself wore jewelry and fine clothing.

Depictions shifted from scenes of revelry to scenes of reverence, from scenes of harvest to scenes of war. One second offerings of wine and incense and water and earth were being presented to the ruler, who in the next led processions of these many different warriors, disparate groups from many varying lands, towards an unknown war. Then the scene shifted to gigantic oxen tilling fields and people celebrating a harvest, revelers dancing and playing music under a starry sky. The scene finally shifted to divine creatures of myth and gods themselves, before turning into a priestly procession offering gifts to a single figure, a crowned man encircled by wings holding a circle in some cases and a bow in others.

At long last the two escorts led Ami towards a door, one of the many in the large winding palace, leading towards a spacious room overlooking the rest of the city, a large balcony meant for lounging and enjoyment. The floor was decorated with numerous carpets, blasts of light and intricate shapes blending into each other within the complex weave of the fabric, no one carpet alike or even symmetrical. Each unique in its own way. Above the ceiling stood marks of progress, proof that one had not been transported into the past, lights and ceiling fans hanging over the room, providing cooling air when the large terrace could not.

Many different people stood in two rows as they waited for the diplomat, with even more vibrant clothing than the two escorts, purples and dark blues, pinks and oranges, cyans and crimsons, all interwoven together, at times depicting animals and at times merely shapes, or just colours blending into one another. All bore masks of wood and metal and of varying complexity, all save the herald.

At the head of the group sat an man in his fifties with a trimmed white beard. He wore a robe of blue covered in disks of orange and gold encircled by halos, the hem showing a procession of lions on a black field. Whispers started among the arrayed nobility, some fanning themselves as they watched the girl walk towards the aged emissary. Amidst all the light it gave a slightly sinister foreboding to the meeting. Around the halfway point the nobles stopped leaning in towards each other, the whispers ceasing immediately as a small chime played, an attendant next to the old man ringing it.

"Greetings to you, noble emissary of your people." the man spoke, a voice of firm authority, "I salute you in the name of Šâhanšâh, in the name of his people and in the name of our city. I come to you in the formal garb of my folk, in one of the greatest cities of our people, to hear words you bring to the ears of Šâhanšâh, with the Council's authority to deliberate upon them and act within accordance to our laws."

With Ami having reached his seat he stood up at long last, the nobles dispersing from the room, the entire scene as if some kind of theater, centuries of traditions choreographed in a display designed specifically for situations like these, "I hope your flight was enjoyable?"

"A treaty of friendship?" the man raised an eyebrow, "Very well then." gesturing with his hand towards a table that sat against the parapet, the man and his attendant lead Ami into a seat. The masked attendant stood behind the emissary, holding several folders and waiting to be called upon.

Sitting after Ami, the herald looked over the edge of the parapet at the gardens bellow. The view wasn't high up, only a story or so, and the gardens extended downwards, terrace to terrace, water fountains, fields of flowers, bushes and trees decorated the paths until they reached the canal bellow, the surrounding buildings like small islands amidst the lush verdant green. Bellow a group of tourists was being led about by a guide.

Finally turning towards the Communal, he put his hands together and spoke, "It has been over a year since the incident", his face betrayed no emotion, though calling the civil war an incident may be quite telling to some, "By decree of the Council diplomatic activity was to be pulled back until the beginning stages of Restoration and Revitalisation were complete. Now that this time period has passed, here you are, one of possibly many."

He tapped his finger on the table and a folder was gently placed next to him, "The people are always willing to embrace in friendship all bellow the sky, it is, after all, our way. Yet i hope, and do not take my words as disappointment, that you desire to do more with this treaty than just reaffirm a friendship. Ras is always willing to take negotiations one step further. After all, is there no finer thing than diplomacy?"

"Empathy?" the man raised another eyebrow. Tapping his finger on the table again the attendant placed another folder besides. Reading them up he seemed to spend quite a bit of time comparing the two, his assistant motionless as a statue behind him. Tapping yet another finger on the table he took another folder and went to comparing, the minutes stretching out, only the noise of the shuffling papers and the song of the birds outside making sounds.

"One may find this to be adequate, the costs of covering transport of the aid itself seems to be no issue either. In accordance with the Ocheia Agreements these materials can be used in public works projects and the rest can be either put in storage until reassignment or placed within the dole proper." He looked at one of the folders he had taken out, reading it while speaking, "And yet one finds such contributions, or rather their implications...troubling." Closing the folder he set it down on the table, putting it to his left rather than with the other folders.

"I am authorised by the Council to negotiate on behalf of my people whereas you, dear lady, from your explanation, appear to be acting the role of courier if this is all you bring. I do hope i am mistaken. Wonderful as your offer of assistance may be it is not what would provide actual aid to a nation in need of it. What is needed, is a sustainable growth. And such an undertaking would require aid with a bit more commitment than this. Our people are not beggars and yet to turn away aid is to amount to being worse than one, hence our predicament."

Putting his hands together the man looked over at Ami, perhaps not grimly but certainly sternly, "If you, young emissary, are not authorised to discuss anything beyond this agreement, i understand, and hold you no ill will, yet i must ask that we are either given someone who is or that said authority is provided to you. Our desire is to strengthen economic ties and reach agreements that will not only bring back foreign business that left our lands and strengthen our own businesses abroad, but also provide new opportunities, and in rejuvenating what falters also provide you with profit."

"You have a remarkable gift for speaking much while saying little." the diplomat looked the girl up and down, "So to summarise, and please do correct me if i have misinterpreted the intentions conveyed yet again, i am getting on in my years, but: You can negotiate further agreements with me but you won't. You believe a treaty such as this and you sending aid would be enough to encourage businesses to move. To restore faith in place of a war you would present a piece of paper without renewed trust and hope it works. As such you come into our nation with a verbal promise to "do something" in the future without discussing it as you await for some metaphoric foundations to be established. Lastly you blurt out something about tourism, which either indicates that you want to sign into place a treaty that would ease transportation, or that you're adding yet more vague verbal promises on top of the many other "profits" you believe will come from this treaty."

He placed his hands on his lap, taking a deep breath before continuing, "If i forgot anything please do help me, old age has finally gotten to me if diplomacy has changed so much since last i participated that verbal promises of greatness are enough to sway someone to your way of thinking. Or perhaps what was once an experienced diplomatic corps has been replaced by politicians, performers and sycophants? Or are we returning to the days when barbarian gunboats annexing a port is the only way to elicit a reaction out of your nation?"

"But perhaps it is my fault." he exhaled, "The empire expects much of nations such as yours. Such potential. Perhaps Šâhanšâh's merciful advocating in your name is too tinted by kindness? That is quite alright. Or perhaps you do not comprehend the situation at hand. The regime has not changed and the nation remains the same. What relations we've had with you and yours, as well as others, has not changed, past wrongs have not been forgotten and forgiven, or past rights neglected and discarded. If you wish to act as if an incident such as this one has wiped the slate clean, then by all means, we shall not prevent you. Do not expect the same of us."

Extending his arm upwards, he was handed a folder by his attendant, "We are not here to offer you fake promises like some barbarians, or to smile and pretend as if all is well. Without concrete numbers and facts all agreements become ephemeral, falsehoods on the winds. If all your nation wishes is to send us charity, then our nation is grateful for that, and we apologise for thinking higher of you. If however you are a diplomat, capable of thinking on your own or contacting your superiors if not, then i offer you this." he pushed the folder to her side of the table, "Concessions, lowering of tariffs, potential subsidies from the rejuvenation budget for businesses you vouch for from your nation. All this and more. If your tourism proposal is not bluster then i will, as my authority allows, immediately get the ministry of culture on the phone as well as the ministry of tourism."

Sitting back in his chair the envoy eyed the foreign emissary. Performers as diplomats? No wonder half the upper class in the city found this hilarious, "If you wish to exchange empty promises and platitudes we believe you have nations like the dictatorship that borders us to engage with. They'll smile at you as you smile at them as their population suffers under bonds of slavery and you do nothing but watch. Or you may visit the kingdom in the north, and enjoy getting dragged into another crisis of theirs. Or our errant brothers to the west, they are far more tolerant of such talk. We however can offer more. We offer the world, as is our right, and from our promise comes an actual concrete guarantee of prosperity. Others may pick up this offer where you would not, and thus may profit while you regret your inaction."

He put his hands together once again, leaning into the table, "A concrete answer would very much be appreciated in this case, noble emissary. The empire thanks you for your forthcoming candor."

The emissary barely held his face together as Ami stood up and excused herself, looking over at his attendant as she just...left, the attendant shrugging in response. A gamble, to be certain, but not an unknown one. And this is the reaction? Either the girl was legitimately distraught, or her career in performance gave her a flair for the dramatic. This would definitely go into the report, others would want to know. Could also prove troublesome if overused though definitely useful.

Turning over to his attendant he gestured for them to come closer, an exchange of whispers occurring just as Ami returned. He concluded by handing the attendant a folded piece of paper, the attendant passing by the Communal emissary and out the door just as she entered and began her monologue.

Taking out a small handkerchief he took the tablet with it before reading over the contents as Ami spoke. Rather quick turnaround, that. As she finished her talk he handed her the tablet back, "So i shall assume that either they said yes or the time you spent in our bathrooms was most productive. Either way, this agreement is agreeable to us. Your country has thus far shown no issues which would cause trouble in granting you visa-free travel in and out of Ras in return for the same. In regards to the 2% we also find this proposal amenable and a good beginning of a response to our offer. Of course, there is a catch, the exception to this rule, as it were."

He placed the tablet down on the table "Old Ras will not, can not, extend these privileges to the location known as Port Henri by the northern rats. Your inability to maintain the fullness of your sovereignty or to expel the barbarians causes great concern for our people. While we can trust you, it is only to an extent until this cancer is expunged, and barbarity is expelled from the shores of your island."

He turned to face the balcony, "To that extent it may be possible that, by divine intervention as it were, help in these matters comes along your way. Of course this aid would have nothing to do with us, busy as we are maintaining our border with the savages." he tapped his fingers on the table, "I would ask that your leadership consider this thing above all others. We know the pain of having our people be imprisoned." he turned towards the girl, his face dour and serious, "So we would, without doubt, be willing to send a few prayers your way. The gods are always listening, after all."

He held back his desire to roll his eyes. At the very least she was trying. Still, the steering of the conversation was enough of an answer, "Enough is said by the lack of a concrete reply. Inform your superiors then. I hope your reports are more detailed than your rhetoric." he started, ignoring the girl's question at first, "Either way, we expect you to not fumble in regards to this. Our laws are not to be skirted around. And cancer is the only way to describe that malignant and parasitic growth. Incapable of civilisation the savage grasps at it in furious envy, attacking all in kind to sate his pathetic sense of pride. Lazy as he is he takes the work of others and claims it for his own. He stupidly wonders why he is isolated when he seeks agreements while plunging his filth ridden shiv into your belly. There is no negotiating with cancer. It only grows and festers while you try to coddle a disease with words. And so, as it is only willing to be cancer, it must be cast out, excised. Reason, logic, respect. These are a privilege that can be lost like any other."

"As for your question," He paused, looking the woman up and down, "Šâhanšâh is ever merciful and kind, and values all peoples and nations, as is his duty. All nations have a place at his table, so long as they are willing to act in accordance with the law, which maintains peace and prosperity for all. Those incapable of controlling their base urges lose that privilege. Do try to keep yours in check. Thus far you have kept to that promise, better than some, if not most. Šâhanšâh sees your effort and values it as he values our own. Yet to better one's self is the constant goal of anyone who wishes to bask in his light. Of course we would never leave anyone helpless and alone in so great an endeavour, and offer our help as freely as we offer our friendship. One need but ask."

The man stared at her with a deadpan look. Peformers. Typical. More than typical, this woman must be the personification of all the jokes everyone makes about their kind.

Taking a deep breath, he calmly spoke, "We would never publicly state anything of the like. Publicly. Suffice to say your leaders should know that when it comes to the removal of the unclean, they will always find a helping hand in our people. We too suffer, as you suffer, and is suffering not lessened by leaning upon another? As such tell your leaders that they need only ask for support and they will be given it. Ras itself will not negotiate with the savages. They spoke all the words they needed to when they stabbed us in the back like the cowards they are. But there's more than one way to skin a rat, and knowing these rats, their preferred world is one in which you are their puppet and they're allowed a military base. Effectively re-branding the cancer. So, before the conference you have our support. And after it, when the cancer proves to be just that, and we are proven to be right, as we always are, you will have our support then also. To that effect, and because the cancer will be infuriated, if unwilling to show it, we also offer a public exchange. Wherever, whenever. Share in the fruits of each other's work upon the Allsong, and all shall prosper. Any such details could be worked out now, or later, as it appears you have been quite overwhelmed by our previous discussion, and so as to prevent you needing another session to calm your nerves, i shall not bother you further in regards to this."

"This prospect may get the adequate permissions." the emissary leaned back in his chair, "And yet a few questions i would ask, if you would humour me yet again. Where exactly do you want to hold this event, do you want to hold it independent of anyone or in cooperation with someone, like our own ministry? How many people would come in on average? And most importantly of all, is this street facing two ways, that is to say may we also participate, but in your nation as you do in ours?" tapping hif fingers on the table he looked outside, relaxing.

"To be clear, i am not saying no, nor am i going to be making requests that would be unreasonable. Merely i wish to further understand the situation at hand. I have been authorised and encouraged to discuss this subject with you as extensively as your people desire, but i none the less require concrete information so that the truth may be clear to see. Ras is a big nation, there are plenty of places to hold it, there are plenty of organisations and individuals to hold it with, be they related to our most august government or not. In turn we must be made aware of projected figures for attendance as well as the one's participating. Health and safety concerns remain a thing, as i'm sure you'll understand. And of course our government encouraged me to propose a cultural exchange as i did, so i believe there is opportunity for both participating nations to prosper as a result of such an agreement and exchange. We are of course aware that in any case this is less to our advantage. You have fewer people, we have more, it's quite clear who will be gaining the tourist surplus. Yet none the less such an act could, under the right circumstances, foster greater cooperation between our peoples and much more importantly get the public opinion on our side in regards to this cooperation and any potential ones in the future."

He turned to face Ami, a slight smirk forming on the old man's face, "And i need not mention the benefits of others seeing such things, need i? Small seeds sprout great oaks. And where others join it would provide much needed benefits for all, and much more importantly on our end, work towards restoring international trust in the empire being back. It is easier to trust in someone's return if you see it with your own eyes, and the more eyes see, the greater the truth becomes."