A Visit To Tamora

[Beatrice]

The Kashiwa Class Destroyers Asagao and Suisen comprise the surface component of the Empress' escort. Not pictured: the Imperial Yacht Austrana.

A voyage from Rokkenjima to Tamora was one which Beatrice had not expected to be making so soon, however, following her interactions with the Heyran President she was looking forward to something somewhat more challenging. That the Tamorans had accepted a visit following recent difficulties was reassuring, however, there could be no saying how this visit would go. Unlike the slavers which had been approached before Tamoran culture had the institution deeply ingrained, almost as if the nation had taken a parallel course than the rest of Mundus. For this reason the approaches of the past would be useless; instead, gaining an understanding of why this was the case had to be the first step of the process.

The Asagao and Suisen, both destroyers of the Kashiwa Class, served as a portion of her escort, whilst the Ruby Class Submarine Spectre, most appropriate to her name, had lurked beneath the waves, surfacing only as mandated by the Fair Seas Concordat. Beatrice received notification that they were nearing Tamora's waters after a quiet voyage affording her the opportunity to relax and absorb what information she had available regarding Tamora. Trust would certainly be a factor she would wish to address early, in addition to the primary reason of the visit: learning and understanding just why Tamora had maintained a system of slavery when the rest of Mundus had moved decisively away, using what she could learn in the future approach to Tamora.

[Markus]

Tamora was a rather isolationist country, it was part of no international organization expect for OPEN and even joining that had created tensions in the country. Generally Tamorans cared little about what happened "outside" as the called the rest of the world. They watched closely what happened in their neighboring countries(Royal Seleucid being a close friend) but otherwise there was little interest for foreign affairs. Tamora's interest in Rokkenjima spiked the moment they had decided to place sanctions on Tamora . Paracambi and Lodja full boycotts of their goods were bad enough but the massive Rokkenjima economy sanctioning them was even worse. Still, the Tamoran government, just like with Paracambi and Lodja, did not retaliate in any way. It was true that Tamora already had huge tariffs on almost imports and that foreigners were not allowed to invest or own property but still Tamora could have retaliated by harassing the ships from the nations that sanctioned them, or expelled the businessmen from those countries. However, no such action was taken. When the government finally did speak, it was only to reiterate that no retaliatory sanctions will placed on those nations.

However, while the government was absent from the tariff war as some had called it, the Tamoran press was not. Owned in large part by the Manist religious associations, the press harshly criticized the sanctioning nations. They saved their worst attacks for Lodja and Paracambi but still the Empress of Rokkenjima was slandered by saying about her that "statecraft was not for her and that she should leave the running of the country to her husband". Foreigners could be forgiven for thinking that the government ordered the propaganda but that was not the case. Whenever Tamorans feel attacked they close ranks and lash out at their perceived enemies.

So when it was confirmed that the Rokkenjiman Empress would personally visit Tamora, the press gradually changed its discourse when it came to Rokkenjima. The attacks against the Empress had almost disappeared and instead the press focused more on Rokkenjima impressive economy and outstanding navy. Rokkenjima was presented as an impressive empire that stretched across Mundus with bases in various vassal states like Seaforth, Achkaerin, Dartforia and others. Rokkenjima was often described as the leader of the Free World. In this case, Free World was used to describe the nations that stood against the USR and its allies. Tamoran analysts lauded Tamora's decision of remaning in the non aligned block and not joining the Free World as that could have led to friction since Rokkenjima had turned into vassals so many countries and could have attempted to do so to Tamora. Empress Beatrice was not mentioned much in the press since Tamoran were not used with female HoS and they avoided the issue.

That all changed the day Empress Beatrice was scheduled to arrive. Since the press could no longer avoid the issue they focused on Empress Beatrice and that quickly turned into a debate about the role of women in leadership roles. The conservative analysts were adamant that women shouldn't lead countries and should focus first on taking care of the family while the liberals said it was all right as long as their husbands agreed. The moderates agreed with the liberals that it was the husbands decision to allow it but where in agreement with the conservatives that just because something is allowed it doesn't mean it's also desirable.  The press of each federated kingdom had a more diverse range of opinions with Attica leading the way on the matter. The press there compared Empress Beatrice to their own Queen Arpine and made sure to mention that both Rokkenjima and Attica were much richer than the Tamoran average. However, they were reluctant to state publicly that the correlation implied causation.

When the press managed to get a live feed of the Empress escorts vessels, they  lauded the impressive show of force considering it both fit for and Empire and as a sign of respect for Tamora. One picture went viral: the Tamoran navy flagship being dwarfed by the Rokkenjiman destroyer next to it. Almost all news channel showed the picture nonstop and analysts started a new debate on whether Tamora should change its military doctrine and focus more on the navy. The debated was heated with the conservatives and moderates calling the liberals easily impressed and too quick to change, while the liberals retorting that Tamora needs get over "the land based complex".

The reactions on social media to the viral picture were varied, but the most popular ones were:

Spoiler: viral picture and social media reactions • show

The Tamoran flagship standing next to the Rokkenjiman destroyer


"And now we know why Rokkenjima is called the First of Empire" #FistEmpireofMundus
"So this is what their Empress meant when she said their Kyle fleet will be shadowing our ships, did think she meant in literally" #HugeRokkenjimanship
"And this my friends is why Rokkenjima dominates the sea." #FistNavyofMundus

Emperor Abbas


Emperor Abbas was surprised that Empress Beatrice had decided to come Tamora after all. Generally countries that sanctioned Tamora didn't attempt to further communicate with Tamora, with Lodja and Paracambi being perfect examples of this. And it wasn't like Tamora would ever bother to initiate talks. So when Abbas heard about the Beatrice's publicly stated  intentions of learning and understanding one another he was sure what about what that meant: more sanctions. As it became certain that she was arriving in Tamora he was puzzled on why Beatrice was coming, when you intend to place sanctions you don't bother to come or at least the other countries never did so before.
Regardless of the motives, Abbas instructed his Foreign Office to make sure the visit would follow the usual lavish Tamoran protocol. If the Empress was really interested in learning about Tamora then seeing how they handle state visits would a good first lesson.

The show for the Empress

The Foreign Office made all the necessary preparations and informed the Rokkenjima embassy of the schedule. Once she would dock in Tamora she would be met a limousine convoy from Rokkenjima embassy and she will be escorted to the nearest airport to get to Djerb, the capital of Tamora. The authorities made sure that all traffic was diverted so the Empress would reach the airport as soon as humanly possible even if that meant disrupting the traffic.

The main square of Djeb was made off limits for traffic, the security services had painstakingly checked and doubled checked the square for anything even remotely suspicious. The authorities made every effort possible to ensure a safe "show" for the Emperor and the Empress.

There was a large stage in the square for the high ranking vips. Behind the stage, Emperor Abbas was already waiting for the Empress to arrive. According to protocol, the Empress would use the other entrance and they would both get on stage at the same time as to not imply either of them had position then the other. In the square there were over one hundred thousand people who came there to see the Emperor, Empress and the show. When the Rokkenjiman limousine convoy arrived, the five monarchs of the federated kingdoms of Tamora climbed up the stairs to get on stage. As they were of lower rank they would wait for the Emperor and the Empress to arrive on stage. Shortly afterwards, Abbas and Beatrice came on stage from opposite sides. As the crowd gathered saw them, they started clapping their hands at them. Abbas waved discreetly at the crowd. The Foreign office instructed Rokkenjima embassy that it would be preferable for the Empress to do the same gestures as the Emperor as to not imply disagreement so Abbas was curious to see if Beatrice would respect protocol and waive at the crowd. After waving for a couple of moments, the two imperial monarchs headed towards their seats. The other "minor" royals of the federated kingdoms awaited for them standing. They politely bowed in unison, first to Beatrice since she was a guest and them to the Emperor. After Abbas and Beatrice were seated, the other five minor monarchs also took their seats and the show began:

It was a military parade presenting some of the best equipment Tamora had: from tanks like T-14 Armata to infantry fighting vehicles and missiles systems. The air force also made and an appearance showing off their latest Su-57 fighters and creating the Tamoran flag from smoke, a gesture that greatly pleased the crowd. Another high moment of the parade was the presentation of the ethnic battalions, one for kingdom of Tamora plus the Imperial enclave. Each of the six battalions had a different uniform showing its separate and distinct military tradition. Furthermore, each battalion had in front, alongside the leading commander, a priest or equivalent religious figure of the official religion of each kingdom. There were no women soldiers in the parade but the West Seleucid federated kingdom had a woman priest in front of the battalion. The parade lasted about 45 minutes, as to not bore the guest too much. The Emperor and Empress left the stage in opposite directions and each went to their respective limousine convoy. As host, Abbas' convoy departed first.

Abbas waited outside the palace for Beatrice to arrive, as she got out he greeted her:

"Welcome to Tamora, Your Imperial Majesty. I hope you had a pleasant journey. Please, allow me to escort you inside!"

Abbas escorted Beatrice through the palace, they passed through a long hallway beautifully decorated but somewhat lacking in opulence. On each of the side walls there were the portraits of the emperors of Tamora: over fifty monarchs all of them from the Safavid ruling dynasty beginning from the Xth century when the then Kingdom of Tamora was founded. Each portrait had a different style of frame, some more elaborate while others were simpler or even plain. This was not by accident, the more prestigious the Emperor, the more elaborate the frame. Below each frame was a star or more representing the kingdoms comprising Tamora. When a visitor would enter the hallway, he would see first the Kings of Tamora, as he proceeds the Kings become Emperors and below their portraits the number of stats rise to two and increasing until the last portrait, the father of the current emperor, which had six starts under his portrait. Just above the large doors that lead outside the hallway and into the main dining room, two large portraits reigned supreme, on the left a somewhat smaller portrait was Alya, "the mother of the nation" as she was called, and on the right, the larger portrait was that of the Prophet Mani, the central figure of the Manism religion and the founder of Tamora's system of governance. Abbas did not oter a word while in the hallway, it was a place meant to reflect on the past and legacy of Tamora and as such people were expected to treat it like a temple: no talking, running or disturbing the silence in any way.

As they entered the dining room, Abbas invited the Empress to sit down and addressed her:

"Allow me to say, your Imperial Majesty, that both me and my people were impressed with your escort. Such a display of force honors us. Now excuse me for being so blunt but I am intrigued on why you honor us with your presence here". Abbas made no mentioned of the parade as that would be considered inappropriate as if asking for a compliment, guests were to mention it if they so choose.   

Inside the room, in two of the corners, security guards were presents. There were also a couple of slave servants near the two HoS ready to bring them refreshments or whatever the royals needed.     

[Beatrice]

Beatrice had no issue waving as had been relayed by the Embassy, especially as there had been enough complications between Rokkenjima and Tamora to this point. She had deep concerns for the past few weeks that the visit would not occur, especially following the Zimalia incident which had demanded a response of some form. She absorbed as much information as she could from her surroundings, the People, and found the parade to be impressive. Not since the conclusion of the Second Patriotic War had Rokkenjima hosted any form of military parade, though such displays weren't pursued by Imperial High Command. Still, she could take some joy in the display before her and respect the meaning and pride which the Tamorans put into it.

Upon arriving at the Palace Beatrice smiled as she bowed, "Your Majesty, thank you for the warm manner in which you have welcomed me. The seas were calm and pleasant, thank you," she continued as she followed him inside. She maintained the silence displayed by Abbas, breaking it only once she had been addressed as they sat. "Before I answer you allow me to present you with a tradition of my nation," she said as she produced a bottle from a velvet-lined bag. A label displayed Pyrena Castle, though no words were present.

"While normally tradition would mandate a bottle of Pyrenan Mead to be presented I understand that alcohol is shunned in your nation, thus I put the meadery of the Castle to task to craft an alcohol-free equivalent, or at least as close as they could achieve. It has the same taste profile, capturing the notes of the honey produced on the Castle grounds, with the spice and citrus which gives Pyrenan Mead its prized taste throughout Mundus. Now then," she paused as she placed it upon the table, "I should thank you in kind, the display shown to me by the fine servicemembers of your nation was most impressive. It has been quite some time since I've witnessed such a parade," she continued with a smile.

"I very much appreciate your bluntness, I imagine Mundus would be a much better place if more leaders had the courage to do so. Pomp and ceremony can get one only so far, both are even less useful if there is no substance behind that which they seek to represent. I am here, quite simply, because I believe my actions toward your nation were made without all of the information available; a most irresponsible course of action and one which I should have known better to take. Being placed in a position where I could not act in some of the most challenging situations to face Rokkenjima, being away from the Throne for a period of time, I did not have the proper instincts to rely upon, thus I offer you my sincerest apologies for the manner in which we have treated you."

"Understand that I say this not to disrespect you or your nation, but to me and several others slavery is wholly abhorrent; robbing one of the dignity of self and their most basic rights. This is due to the paths our nations and societies developed upon, though throughout my approach to your nation I did not account for why Tamora has not seen similar developments in its history. As the rest of Mundus developed decidedly against slavery as an institution and economic model Tamora has embraced it throughout the ages. Thus, to approach Tamora as we have slavers of the recent past, such as Transvaal, is not the appropriate reaction. I do not know how Tamora has developed or why it has in this manner, thus to act without this information at hand is wholly irresponsible."

"I hope to learn more about your Nation and People, to understand that which presently isn't well understood and, hopefully, we can forge a path upon which we may move forward from this point. It won't be a simple solution and I don't expect us to make some magical breakthrough, but at least decisions will be made with the full body of information available. As I understand you lack trust in me, for good reason, I took some action before departing Pyrettania in the hopes of fostering good-will and lay the cornerstone of trust anew. This action came in the form of official instruction for the Imperial Treasury to lift any remaining tariffs presently in place upon Tamora to take effect at midnight tonight, Ardian Standard Time."

"This is for two reasons," Beatrice continued, "the first being that such measures shouldn't have taken place without all the information being available. Secondly, the impact of tariffs and sanctions target most indiscriminately the citizenry, placing hardships and burdens upon them that ultimately fall much harder upon them rather than achieving the goals they were implemented to achieve. While a tool of Rokkenjima in the past I have grown weary of such sanctions, as they are often the actions of those who lack the conviction for more direct and measured action. Imposing such measures upon Tamora, on a field most unequal, was a display of pettiness which I have no issue in setting right."

"Thus, ultimately, I hope to inquire and listen and, even if we shouldn't find ourselves in complete understanding and harmony, we may become better neighbours in the international community. It may be quite some time, but I would look forward to a day where Rokkenjimans and Tamorans may look upon each other as friends, not adversaries. That is a possibility which is also born today, as you and I sit here and converse, not taking blind swipes at each other as so often happens in the course of Mundus' long history." With that she looked to Abbas, interested in seeing which direction he would take the conversation they were having.

[Markus]

Abbas listened carefully as Beatrice talked. He greatly appreciated Beatrice's comments about the military, he took great pride in their armed forces, as did most Tamorans. He also appreciated the alcohol free gift, having a guest bother to learn of your customs was something rare. He considered for a moment that Beatrice may indeed have come here to understand Tamora rather than start lecturing but he pushed that thought aside quickly.   

   When Beatrice apologized for the way Rokkenjima treated Tamora he was taken by surprise but managed to hide his emotions. He wasn't expecting a leader of such a powerful nation to make apologies. However, he didn't  manage to hide his amazement when Beatrice went further and announced that Rokkenjima will suspend sanctions. He was expecting something more akin to more sanctions, not lifting them without even playing a game of negotiations and asking for something in return. It's true that they were returning to the same state they were a couple of months back but the gesture was greatly appreciated. Leaders of countries would do just about anything than admit they were wrong and reverse course. And the economic impact would be significant, Rokkenjima was a huge market and their political clout was just as impressive, if they lifted the sanctions others nations would think twice before placing any themselves, while others might also consider reversing their sanctions.

   "Well Your Majesty, that was unexpected indeed. I greatly appreciate you lifting the sanctions and now that you have explained, I understand why you were tempted to put them in the first place. I have to say, I was expecting you to come talk about the Borlanders or Zimalia, not to really make an effort to learn about us. I believe you're the first leader that has come here trying to understand how things work in Tamora. Our friends the Royal Selecuid do not really count on the matter since they were always our neighbors and naturally have a understanding of the situation. Please excuse me if I am not exactly best prepared to talk about the manner, as I said I wasn't expecting such a turn of events. "

   "Allow me to start with the easy part: we are in full agreement that slavery takes away from men their basic rights and their dignity. No Tamoran wants to be enslaved and nobody here claims it's desirable to be slave. In fact, unlawful enslavement or what your legal system would call kidnapping is the worst possible crime for us."

   "The hard part would be for me to explain what I assume makes us so different than much, if not all of Mundus. Without boring you too much, I have to mention a couple of things about our history. Tamora was not always the great country that is today, more than a thousand years ago we were a poor people, totally dominated culturally by our neighbors. In fact we could hardly be called a people as we were divided and weak. Decade by decade, century by century the other powers chipped away at our territory, conquering us bit by bit. Unlike Rokkenjima which was fortunate to have such a great position to the sea, we were a mountain people with our only defenses being geography and poverty. This part of the world did not know great and civilized empires or great trade routes but only war, raiding and poverty. In that hopeless environment our Prophet Mani made its appearance. Despite his title he talked little about God and never claimed to talk for him. What he did though was raise our morale, helped us to no longer be a defeated people and gave us an identity, a set of values. He went preaching through the countryside telling people how blessed people were for being Tamoran. You know how the people called him initially? The Mad." Abbas smiled as he said that. "Only a mad person would be proud to be Tamoran during those times. And after three decades of preaching you know what happened? Tamora lost about a third of its territory to foreign powers" he smiles again before continuing " But unlike 30 years before, Tamora for the first time had an common identity. It was during that time that the Prophet, with other great people of the time, devised the system of government we have today: with the slaves, serfs, free people, nobles and the emperor to protect and lead. He told us how to organize our families and our society as a whole, and the people listened. He never got to see a successful Tamora, but a hundred years after his death, Tamora had reclaimed all its lost land."  Abbas stops and says: "Excuse me Your Majesty but if you really want to understand at least a bit of who we really are you need to see things first hand. Would you agree to go on a very short tour?"

Once the Empress agreed, Abbas and Beatrice got in their limousines. This was an informal, unplanned tour and thus much of the convoy stayed behind, still it would have been inappropriate according to Manist customs for Abbas and Beatrice to share a car, so separate ones were used. They drove to a local Manist girls school at the outskirts of the city. It was an regular school by Tamora's city standards. Like the overwhelming majority of schools in Tamora, it was owned and operated by a religious organization, in this case a Manist Temple. According to Manist norms, the school was segregated accepting only girls. He went to class together with Beatrice leaving the security personal in the hallway. The teacher's first reaction was to protest at the intrusion before realizing who Abbas was. She quickly bowed in respect and wanted to instruct the kids to properly greet their emperor but Abbas motioned her to not do so. He didn't want the girls, most of whom were about 10 years old, to know who he was since that would ruin the purpose of the visit.

"So girls, I am Abbas. I am here with a foreign guest who wants to know more about Tamora. Can you help me?
The girls happily agreed as they were glad to take a break from class.
"Let's start with something easy: did you see the parade?"
"Yes!"
"And who was the parade for ?"
"Us."
"Did you like it?"
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Because my father served in the army!" said one girl. Quickly another added that so did her father.
"How many of you had your fathers in the army? Raise your hand!" more than half of the girls did.
"What about somebody in the family?" then all the girls raised their hand.
"What were you studying?"
"The teachings of the Prophet" answered girls in unison. 
"Really? What does he say?"
"To love Tamora!" says a girl.
"Why should you do that?" asks Abbas pretending he seemed surprised.
"Because it's our family!" says a girl with others quickly agreeing.
"What about our friends? Who are our friends?"
"We have no friends." answered one girl.
"What about the Seleucids ?" asks Abbas. The girl that answered shies away thinking she made a mistake. Luckily for her another girl helps her:
"We have no friends. We only have each other"
"And that's all we need!" says another girl.
"Thank you, girls" says Abbas before leaving the room with Beatrice.

Spoiler:  Manist girls school in Djerb • show

The girls never found out they were visited by none other than Beatrice Anselmo, Empress of Rokkenjima

As they walk in the hallway to get to their cars, Abbas says to Beatrice:

"I believe only kids can summarize the essence of a religion with clarity and honesty. I think at its core Manism is all about loving Tamora like a family and understanding that we are alone competing against all other nations. Things like God and theology come much later in life and are a lot harder to understand."
As they are about to leave the school, the large TV display shows the news.
"Great, this will also show you a priceless piece of Tamora. The judge will announce the sentencing of a man who raped a 19 year old woman and probably left her paralyzed for life. There was enough evidence for the man to be convicted in most law systems of Mundus. This is his sentencing:

Spoiler: Sentencing in Tamora • show

"For the crimes you have been found guilty your assets are to be taken away and given to the victim as compensation for the damage you caused. As for punishment, you are to be enslaved and given to the victim. As far as Tamora is concerned, as of this moment you will no longer exist. You are to remain a slave until your new master or death shall set you free. May God forgive you!"
"This is Tamoran justice in action: the victim must be compensated for their material losses and in cases of grave crimes, the perpetrator is to be given to the victim as retribution. The whole system is centered around trying to make up the losses the victim suffered. It is not centered around punishing the perpetrator , though that's obviously a secondary effect and certainly not centered around the rights of the convicted. We have very few prisons and we mostly keep people in jail only until sentencing."



"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent" is a motto on display in many courthouses in Tamora.

As he returned to the car, he said to Beatrice: "Please allow us to make one more stop!"

The cars took them to the "neighborhood of the elders". As they got there, they could see apartment blocks in somewhat poor condition, suggesting poverty though not abject one or despair. Most of the people on the streets were way pass sixty years of age. Occasionally people saluted the Emperor probably because they thought they'd knew him but didn't know exactly who he was.
"This is one of the neighborhoods where people who are freed from slavery come. Most slaves when they pass sixty years of age or more are released by their masters. Now I will not pretend masters do this because of the kindness of their hearts but because it makes sense to not cover the costs of health-care and housing when they are so old. It also encourages slaves to work hard knowing that they will be freed when they are old. Do not get me wrong Your Majesty, everything bad you imagine happening to slaves, happens to some in Tamora. I am not sugarcoating slavery just showing you how it works in Tamora. The apartments are owned by the Manist Temples. They provide free accommodation, some medical treatment and some medicine. They do their best to give them a decent life."   
   
Abbas then took the Empress on the terrace of a high story building giving a view of Djerb. The security personal made sure the terrace was empty for both security and privacy reasons.

Spoiler: Djerb skyline • show

Djerb had grown a lot since its humble beginnings.



Seeing the roads now, one can only imagine how hard it was to reach the city centuries ago.

 

"So this Tamora. A nation born in poverty, in a part of the world that had few resources until we were lucky to discover oil, where we had to fight for our survival every step of the way. We had no empires to bring us civilization, we made civilization. We, or better said our Prophet, designed a system of government and a way for society to work that made us triumph over others. He made us understand that we can rely only on ourselves and that is enough to prevail. Look at the city below, from here we got to the sea in one thousand years. Others were lucky to be born next to it. And now that we finally get access to the sea, the world starts sanctioning us. Slava Lavosk puts Tamorans in internment camps and takes way their possessions, they even had one of our girls sentenced to death because she's Tamoran. They had her father tortured and put on display slandering the poor girl. We had the hypocritical Catholics of Ecclesiastical State viscously attacking an immigrant Tamoran woman for defending her culture, claiming she was a spy. She was not, I would know. All this shows that Tamora is one again besieged by enemies just as the then Kingdom of Tamora was in our humble beginnings. But unlike then, we are now a quarter of a billion Tamorans and with an army few can match. We even have some friends in our neighbors: the Royal Seleucid.
That's why millions took to the streets a while back, asking for Dilari's release. It wasn't just because the Supreme Ayatollah asked them, he can only do so much. It's because Tamorans know what happened in Slava will happen to any of us if we don't have our armed forces defending us.

So when people ask us to abolish slavery, I don't think they understand what they ask us to do. It would mean that I for example would have to go through the hall of the ancestors of my palace, all of whom  supported and accepted slavery, and say I know better than all 52 of them. Even though they are the ones  who built Tamora by adding piece by piece on what their predecessors achieved. I would have to say to the Manist Temples, who own much of the schools and hospitals, to no longer preach the word of the Prophet as they did for a thousand years. Or I would have to look in the eyes of the parents of the girl who remained paralyzed because of the rapist and say to them that what happened today somehow wasn't justice and we should just house the criminal, take care of him while they pray for their daughter to walk again. Even if I could do such a thing, which I cannot, I wouldn't do it. No matter the sanctions.
So this is us, Your Majesty. How we proceed from here regarding our relations depends on whether you can accept our position. You coming here to Tamora, lifting sanctions without any preconditions, offering to listen to us, obliges us to consider having positive relations. However, we can't have positive relations with partners that ask us to be fundamentally changed. I'm sure you can understand that."     

[Beatrice]

Beatrice sighed at the mention of the Borlanders and Zimalia, "I can trust you understand that a response was demanded in that situation; a Borlander terrorist attack, a namesake of Borland within Zimalia, but at the end of the day had we persisted in that course of action it would have only been to the benefit of Borland as well as a continuation of the cycle of death and destruction. Indeed I do not intend to press such issues today, such topics can be left for another day, as today is one for learning. I imagine if I came here, dressed in arrogance and standing upon a platform, I'd have doomed our prospects from the start, yes?" she asked rhetorically.

"You could say that, after a moment of reflection, I realized that one cannot take a blanket approach to situations which may arise. In Rokkenjima we saw forty one years of Ardian rule; forty one years of our mother tongue being silenced, of our cultural identity being slowly but surely murdered, and of our people forced to the cause of the Ardian Empire against our will. In this atmosphere we too saw a crucial figure arise in the Great Matriarch, Adriana, who took decisive action and reminded the Rokkenjiman People of the power of their sovereign will. In many ways the Imperial Government I instituted upon the Anselmo Restoration derives much from the example of the Great Matriarch, restoring that connection to our roots which was at one time so hopelessly lost."

Upon the invitation to the tour Beatrice nodded, it would be beneficial to see more of Tamora, its People and culture. She remained mostly silent as they made their way through the hallways of the school, absorbing all she could of her surroundings, seeking out every nuance from them. As they departed and Abbas spoke Beatrice continued to listen, taking mental notes during the display of Tamoran justice. Certainly, there was much more to Tamora and its People than met the eye; a parallel course of development which could not so simply be reconciled with the world which grew around it.

"I have seen much and listened," Beatrice finally said as they looked over Djerb, "and what I have witnessed confirms that Tamora has developed on a path solely its own; separated from the broader community of nations, with movements and eras we've seen in most other cultures never seemingly finding such footing in Tamora. As I explained to my Government before my departure it is all too easy to look for those simple solutions, actions taken so one can say they're doing something when, in all reality, nothing of substance is being accomplished at all. As we saw with international sanctions all that was accomplished was pushing new people into slavery, and showing Tamora that there is little friendship to be found abroad."

Beatrice paused, "Any change Tamora may find, naturally, would have to come from within; for to force change upon such a nation through coercion would most certainly be a fool's errand. I had a moment, not entirely similar mind you, when my husband Emperor Alexander went before the Imperial Diet to address changes to an institution which is most central to our nation: the Monarchy itself. The Empress is the Blessed of Islyna, her living descendant. These traditions pre-date even our Constitution, going back to the earliest days of the Matriarchy, in recognizing the supremacy of the female child and almost wholly rendering the male child as politically worthless."

"For generations Rokkenjima was led by a woman, whether her title be Matriarch, Queen, or Empress. For generations the Rosari Church perscribed that only a woman could be the living descendant of Islyna, the All-Mother and principle deity of the Seven Divine. Generations of Rokkenjimans saw this as an unchangeable truth, having lived and died under such a system, never thinking to question it. I most certainly had a decision before me and, when the moment came, I supported the cause of my husband and extended equality to Chrysanthemum Throne. This was an action which upended generations of knowledge, theory and thought and impacted the core of our society."

"Religions are, ultimately, institutions made up of men and women," Beatrice continued. "As I talked with the Grand Maester, the Most Humble of Islyna, she recognized instances throughout history where the teachings of the Rosari Faith were calculated and indeed biased; now understand I am not transposing these experiences upon your own faith or culture, I merely wish to highlight an experience we in Rokkenjima had before us. I know how it can be to look back on your predecessors with such weight and gravity, though in my situation I took a different path and have found no regret in doing so."

"What I am saying, ultimately, is we should always honour the past, keep what our ancestors have taught us in mind, but we should never allow the ashes of the past to drown the future. We are never caged into one course of action and, when I faced such a decision, I did my best to honour the past while preserving a better future for all Rokkenjimans. I share this not in the hopes of influencing you, but as one leader sharing her experiences with another. For it is through sharing that we broaden our understanding of each other, and as you have shared so much with me today I felt it only right to share something in return, even if I should wish to share more with you at some point, but that shall have to come at a later date."

"I can commit to nothing firm today, or even by the conclusion of my visit, as naturally I shall have to discuss what I learn and discuss with you with my Vicegerent and elected officials, from which we may craft our policy in regards to Tamora with the full picture and understanding in mind. However, I can say that Rokkenjima will seek no further sanctions against Tamora, nor shall she wield any means of military might against you or your People. It may be a complicated road ahead, however, I am willing to continue our course of détente as we see what fate holds in store for our Nations and Peoples."

"I am sure you can understand that the institution of slavery remains incompatible with Rokkenjiman society and culture; that is how our society has developed, just as yours has developed to incorporate it in so many aspects, so I say that not to cast judgement," Beatrice continued, speaking with the gentle calm she had since her arrival. "We may not be in a position to be friends, but perhaps we are planting a seed of trust today that may grow, so long as it is tended with genuine nurturing from both of us. I understand that before I gave you little to allow such trust to grow, however, I hope that my actions and pledge will go a long way toward allowing it a chance to."

Beatrice took a step back and motioned for Abbas to view her phone, displaying an image of Pyrena Castle. "This is my home, a Castle which withstood both the challenges of time and our enemies, the Federal Republic. It overlooks our capital city, Pyrettania, which I hope one day I may show you as you have shown me Djerb. In some ways I feel as though you and I represent two different worlds, though through that we share many constants: a devotion to our People, culture and heritage, pride in our nations and, ultimately, we are both bound to that cause which best serves the interests of our People. Though we have developed differently, we have both built great things," she continued.

"Even after I depart I would wish to keep open a dialogue between us, so we may continue to build upon our beginnings here. I will, naturally, relay what is discussed and decided upon my return to Rokkenjima. I will always be honest with you and, while I am sure I will say things which you will not always find pleasant, such is the natural discourse between peoples of such different backgrounds. With that being said, shall we walk the long road, Your Majesty?" she left the question for him to answer.

[Markus]

Seeing Beatrice's reaction, Abbas decided not to press the issue about Zimalia and the Borlanders any further and instead nodded as the Empress asked the rhetorical question.   

After Beatrice was done sharing her experience with changing the laws of succession, Abbas intervened politely:

"If we are sharing our experiences and our perspective I can tell you that we relate differently to our past and our ancestors. We do not change what they left behind because they aren't here to make their case. The thought of changing our institutions horrifies me and many of my people because it would mean we consider ourselves smarter than our predecessors or , even worse, that we judge them somehow. It's hard for us to grasp changing the system we have as we believe we have no authority to do such a thing and believe that if we change one thing that anything can be questioned. I personally, as Emperor, am more of a caretaker. I inherited the Empire and want to leave it to my son as I have received it. I hope that if my predecessors would be alive today they could look at Tamora and recognize it immediately beneath the veil of recent technology: the same institutions, religion and mentality. As the kids at the school said, Tamora for us is family. We love it how it is, with the good and the bad. Changing one part of it would mean it would no longer be Tamora.

I guess here, unlike in other countries, the past dictates the future, not the parliament, the president or the monarch."

Abbas smiled as he look at Pyrena Castle. He appreciated not just the architecture but the fact it had passed the test of time.

"As I said before I appreciate you lifting the sanctions and your commitment to not seek further action against us. However, I do want to point out that relations have been affected between our peoples, some Tamorans have been pushed into slavery as you said yourself and simply cancelling the sanctions does not immediately heal relations or undo all the damage that's been done. I say this not because I hold a grudge but as to explain why such a chance to heal relations will probably never return should Rokkenjima decide to sanction us again. "

"Let's be frank, Your Majesty. Relations between our two nations weren't that great even before the sanctions so I'd be a fool not to make the best of this situation and walk the long road with you to see where it goes. At least something good might come out of this." he said smiling.

[Beatrice]

"At the root of all of our actions, even those taken for some cause or another, is the advancement of the interests of our state," Beatrice quipped as Abbas nodded. "In our history, for example, we saw several cases of international aggression perpetrated by a variety of nations throughout the years. Our interventions, for which we asked nothing in return, built a vast network of friendships and relationships which would not have existed otherwise. I've seen much in my time on the Throne, and prior to that I was a student of women and men who educated me well for my reign; in short, there are things those such as you or I know, even if they're not always said," she concluded with a nod and a smile.

"Further confirmation of my assertion," Beatrice replied. "I have always made the case that a nation and people should not make decisions of political convenience, that is, they should stand for what they believe in even if the greatest of adversity is the consequence. Now to be sure that does have its limitations, then again, I've not encountered a nation or construct such as Tamora prior to this day. Some of our principles may never be on a plane where they may be reconciled, but I can respect your reverence for those who have come before you." Beatrice gave pause and thought before speaking again, much ground had been covered and soon the time would come for her to return home and share what she had learned.

"When a Rosari says they will perform an action it is as good as already being done. Nothing shall stop you from completing that which you say you will do. You should have no need to 'give your word', nor should you need to 'promise'. Speaking and acting should come as one fluid motion," so proclaims the Eternal Contract of Islyna. As we move forward, the only measures the Imperial Government has seen fit to continue are informed decision labels, I won't allow another failed round of sanctions to be implemented, nor any measures which would cause further hardship for your People. I imagine, following the example of Mr. Bateson, we may see yet more philanthropic Rokkenjimans consider similar actions. We've a long way to go in making improvements, but it's a path I'm happy to see we can both commit to."

"I believe I have learned what I needed to," she continued with a smile. "I suppose, perhaps, the only matter of business left before us is to see if there is anything I may do to assist with the situation in Slava Lavosk. It remains a situation which I believe deserves more international attention. I could only imagine the outcry if it were the People of any other nation being treated in such a manner, compared to the relative silence when it is a Tamoran instead. I cannot abide such a glaring double standard."

[Markus]

" I do hope that we will see cooperation between the individuals of our two countries. Me and Your Majesty will be dust sooner or later but our nations will last forever. The is a limit to how much the two of us can do , it is the millions of people of our two nations that can really build the strongest of bonds."

" We know it is a double standard but it is the only one we are used to as Tamorans. It is perhaps why we are so distrustful of strangers and tend to react so vocal and in large numbers when one of our own is in trouble. Tamorans know that it can happen to any of us because foreign don't understand or like us and so Tamorans who live outside our borders are easy targets.
The situation in Slava is a perfect example of this. Our people have  protested, signed petitions and prayed but to no avail. For my part, I have asked to be allowed to send inspectors to those detention camps but we have been stonewalled. I have instructed my staff to make an  enquiry on the issue and the report is on my desk. It confirms what we all know is happening Slava. I have not allowed for the report to go public yet in the hope that the Slavan government will make some concessions but that has not happen. I will soon have that report published and then our options will be greatly reduced. Once I admit publicly that our people, because they are our people regardless of what citizenship they have, are being detained and even tortured I will have no option but to go to war. You might wonder why I am telling you this. It is because I want you to understand what the stakes are since we tend do things differently here. Force is what people respect in this part of the world and, with no ocean to protect them, the Slavans will see what the price is for abusing and humiliating our people. To answer your question, there isn't anything you can do. All our attempts have yielded no results whatsoever so we can't really say where you could help."

[Beatrice]

"Then I believe we have done all we can do here today," Beatrice replied with a nod. "The knowledge exchanged, as well as the tone we have set, will dictate what course we pursue through the waters of history. I remain confident that it is a better path than before," she concluded with a smile.

"I do detest conflict, however, I cannot say what is and what is not necessary in the conduct of your affairs, especially in light of what your People have suffered in regards to the Slavan policies toward your Nation and People. Knowing the hell which is war, and the lives which are inevitably lost, I do impart that all avenues should be pursued prior to the initiation of conflict. The international distaste for slavery is well known, but the actions of the Slavans are undoubtedly deplorable and should warrant a sound rejection internationally. I shall, however, limit any further comment to the original purpose of my visit, as it is in my nature to offer advice and, in this case, I recognize it may not be desired."

"If there remains nothing else, I believe I have a report to deliver to my Government. My pledges to you today remain unshakable, and I shall be in touch pending the decisions of my Government in light of the information I have been enlightened with. Thank you for your hospitality and audience," she said with a bow, "it has been a most educational experience."

[Markus]

"It's been an absolute pleasure and a memorable experience. I look forward to see what the future holds for our two great nations." Abbas bowed too and then escorted Beatrice to her car.