Abbas and Alya Safavid, the imperial couple of Tamora, were on the imperial plane on their way to Lijiang. Abbas rarely traveled abroad and almost never did so outside of Midaranye. The reasons were many but the main one remained that the longstanding tradition in the country was that the Tamoran Emperor was too important to travel abroad representing the country unless there was something special about the visit. Abbas choosing to go to Lijiang was not by accident. The reports he got about Lijiang intrigued him as did the initial diplomatic signals he got from them. The fact that they dealt first with Royal Seleucid was a sign that Lijiang did not care much about the opinion of the internationalist powers and that it was not afraid to follow its own agenda. But what it intrigued Abbas even more was that Lijiang had spent the last one hundred years in isolation preserving its ancient ways including its feudal system. In that regard, Abbas thought, Lijiang had many in common with Tamora in that it was not in synchrony with the ways much of Mundus operated.
The imperial plane entered Lijiang's airspace when Abbas was done reading a report on the customs and etiquette of Lijiang. He was clearly annoyed with it and did not hide it:
" How is it that our staff cannot find anything relevant about their ways other than something about not wearing the color yellow? I thought the reason we gave refuge (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=845.msg19562#msg19562) to that exiled girl of theirs was precisely to learn more about them and yet we know nothing."
Alya was used to Abbas' impatience and rather demanding attitude so she was not taken by surprise:
"She is very young, the staff had little time, there is a language barrier and Lijiang is not exactly your usual Mundus nation. "
Abbas didn't get a chance to retort since the staff informed him that the plane will soon reach its destination.
After a few moments, Abbas took Alya's hand and in a slow voice started reciting a prayer. Alya silently joined him.
(https://i.ibb.co/C94h8Kn/imperial-couple.png)
Alya (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=862.msg6796#msg6796) and Abbas (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=862.msg6781#msg6781) Safavid at the Lijiang wedding reception
Abbas and Alya arrived just as the Ikhan delegation was extending their greetings to the host. Abbas was wearing his official white uniform while Alya wore the standard black hijab and dress.
As Abbas noticed the Ikhan emperor and he discreetly asked Alya:
“Is that child the Rokkenjiman ambassador?”
“No, he is the Emperor of Ikhan. “ Alya assumed Abbas wanted a short briefing so she continued “He is 25 years old but he already speaks more than four languages…”
“Are any of them Parthian?” Abbas interrupted Alya.
“No.”
“Then it was a wasted effort.”
Alya did not reply as they were drawing too close to the hosts.
As the couple got near to Lord Kexing, they both made short nod, greeted him, presented themselves and Abbas added:
“In the name of the Tamoran people I offer congratulations to the imperial couple. We also thank them for the invitation.”