Author Topic: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)  (Read 1555 times)

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Offline TheFaye

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A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« on: May 15, 2023, 10:35:24 PM »

To the Divine Majesty, Queen of Lodja, Guardian of Sessifet

On behalf of all the Tetrarchs and their combined subjects I wish to extend to you our sincerest and most heart felt greetings. It is our hope that you would do us the honour of visiting our nation in the coming weeks. Ours is a complex nation to understand but we believe that it is important we present ourselves to the world. After consultation with our advisers it is our opinion that the two of us have many similarities. Both our cultures see matriarchal inheritance, we both share a joy of art, music and dance and above all else we are confident that like ourselves you are a nation who wish to see our world flourish in peace. Should you accept our invitation we would like you to meet with the Tetrarchs and discuss matters designed to establish a lasting friendship between our nations, as well as allowing us to get to know you and your nation better. To that end we would like to invite you to attend a State Banquet and Ball in your honour thrown in our capital city Tetradamos.

We are hopeful of meeting you face to face soon.

On Behalf of All Themyscira

Queen Lucille of the Corythia
Tetrarch
First Daughter

Offline Libby

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2023, 08:21:03 PM »

To - Queen Lucille

I must confess a lack of understanding of your culture which, I am sad to say, means I am not aware of the similiarities you believe exist between our nations. I am though excited to explore them. I would therefore be delighted to attend your banquet and would request that you permit me to bring my Lord of the Conclave, Duke Lubos Kubik, and my four Ladies in Waiting.

I look forward to seeing Tetradamos at your earliest convenience.

Blessings of Sessifet

Queen Natalya.

Offline TheFaye

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2023, 12:02:56 PM »
Queen Lucille had kept the invitation to the Lodjains quiet. The last thing she wanted or needed was the other three beginning to use any failure as political capital. The arrangement in Themysciria meant a rivalry existed between the four Queen's and while most days that rivalry was rather friendly, it tended to be Queen Simin who was the one who seemed keen to get one over the others but then again with the general public she was the least popular having won a single figure percentage of votes in the last election for First Daughter. Now though that the Lodjain Queen had gracefully accepted their invitation and Lucille would reveal everything to the others. Most Thursday afternoons the Tetrarch's meet in person and today was no exception. They had the usual discussion on several pieces of legislation it looked would be coming their way in the next few weeks via popular petitions. Each of them had little pet projects and updates on those were given. It was only when they reached the "Any Other Business" portion of proceedings that Lucille informed them of the upcoming meeting. There was of course some annoyance but the three others broadly agreed that it was a wise move. Each of them would be given a responsibility for the occasion but Lucille would be the undisputed lead.

On the day itself each of the Queen's had dressed in the colours of their maternal tribe. Lucille stood a step or two ahead of the others with Nympha directly behind her and flanked by Simin and Avgusta. The members of the Themyscira Foreign Legion provided a guard of honour and a large crowd had assembled at the airfield to see the first state visit in many long years. As the Lodjains arrived it was Lucille who first greeted her fellow Queen.

Offline Libby

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2023, 12:11:58 AM »
For many heads of state being faced with four Queens as a welcoming party might seem excessive but Natalya was Lodjian and therefore a monarch was expected a huge entourage, hers was so large that it would dwarf the hosts. There was of course Queen Natalya, four Ladies in Waiting, Lord Lubos Kubik her Lord of the Conclave and of course her security detail. As would be expected by those back home the Queen was attired in the traditional pale blue dress with silver embroidery and the Ladies in Waiting in similar dresses, only minus the silver. It feel to Lady Jasmina to act as a kind of herald. "Your Majesties." She loudly proclaimed. "It is my honour to introduce you to Her Most Divine Majesty, Queen Natalya of Lodja, Guardian of the Goddess Sessifet." With her work done the flame haired beauty stepped back behind her own Queen.

"Good Morning, Queen Lucille" Natalya made it sound more like a question but continued none the less. "I would like to that you, and of course your co-monarchs for such a warm welcome. Its a great honour to be here and I look forward to getting to know all of you." She looked beyond Lucille and ensure she gave a warm smile to each of the other three Queens. "I was unsure as to your traditions but in Lodja we have the tradition of salt being something you bring to a persons home for the first time you visit. The salt is used in several rituals dedicated to Sessifet. I know we share different faiths but I hope you will accept this gift as the salt symbolises purity and I hope that our friendship can be a pure one." She almost cringed at her own words but it was something that would be reported back home and so there were certain things that she must do. "Tonya, please" she half turned and Lady Tonya brought four silver boxes forward, each engraved in various patterns of flowers. Inside each was a few spoonfuls of salt from the shores of the Island of the Goddess. Tonya handed a box to each Queen with a curtsy and lowered head. Once the boxes had been distributed the Queen stepped forward. "Queen Lucille I am looking forward to getting things moving." 

Offline TheFaye

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2023, 09:04:46 PM »
The Queens took the boxes off Tonya and inspected them before each handed them off to their own waiting member of staff. "We are all very pleased and honoured to have you here and the gift is a wonderful touch. We ourselves have prepared a gift for you on your departure, our custom is that as a guest leaves your home you present them with something to help ease their journey. I hope your not offended by this tradition, nor think we don't value your visit." Lucille explained. The other Queens began to walk with them as they walked towards the waiting cars. Lucille and Natalya got into the lead car while each of the other three got into their own with one of the ladies in waiting with them, and with  Nympha pulling double duty. The journey through the countryside from the airport revealed parts of the Themysciran countryside. The nation was made up of fertile farmland and wooded valleys which helped give the nation its economic drive. The road then ran along a river that lead into a city, Tetradamos, the capital of the nation. The buildings were a mixture of older villas and more modern steel and glass structures but there at the heart of the city was the The Tetrarchs Palace where their meeting would take place.

It was summer in Themyscira and so Lucille had set up the meeting outside next to one of the three white marbled pools that sat at the rear of the Palace. The Palace was a rather misleading name, none of the four Queens lived here full time, each had their own private suite and two additional suites should they be required but the structure was more a place for the administration of the nation and for meetings like this to take place. A large round table with outdoor furniture had been set up and Lucille did her best to make sure that sat around the table the seating alternated Lodja-Themyscira but ensured Natalya was sandwiched between herself and Nympha. "I would like Natalya for our talks here to be rather relaxed but that when you leave we have a document in existence between us that would set a ground work for a future strong friendship. The four of us have pretty much a blank cheque in terms of how we handle this situation with my voice being the final one in matters of foreign affairs, however each of the four of us have been criticised by our people for perhaps not taking an active interest in international affairs and from both a practical view point and a public relations one we need to change that. We are therefore open to quiet a broad series of talks. We'd like to promote art and cultural elements as a priority but we have a kind of shackle that whatever we agree must also conform to the Charter agreement we have with the Reenberg family. That in mind trade arrangements might be more difficult. If thats OK I would like to see where beyond art and culture you'd like to take this and then I can advise on a way forward."

Offline Libby

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2023, 09:17:32 PM »
To Natalya the "Palace" was almost sterile, straight lines of white marble rather than the weather beaten dark rock and stone that her own Palace sat in, it seemed a little unnatural. Natalya put that down perhaps to the fact that she had spent a significant amount of her life in the Commonwealth of the Iwi, a place where the connection to nature was everywhere and there palaces were mostly wooden huts. Still Natalya did like the idea of meeting outdoors. Lodja had good weather on its islands most of the year round and summer was pretty enough on the mainland but she always did enjoy sitting out in the sun. "I'm aware of this Charter arrangement but not perhaps the limitations it puts upon our talks, so perhaps a good place to start would be there, are there any red lines so to speak? In terms of promoting an exchange of culture, art and education then I have little issue. I've been fortunate enough to benefit from Lodja's existening arrangements in that regard and I believe you have young daughters, perhaps we could ensure they get the same oppurtunities I did, forgive me I'm not sure of their ages?" Natalya realised she had just maybe suggested something out of line and hoped she'd recovered. "I would like to also if possible look at us directly setting up some kind of embassy with you. From our end this is simple enough as we have a rule that any nation sending an ambassador of noble rank to our nation gets access to live on the Isle of the Goddess, so should you see fit to send a noble figure then we can put them on the Isle which means having regular contact between our nations increases significantly. Is this possible?"

Offline TheFaye

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2023, 07:40:34 PM »
The fact they were a Charter was a bit of an issue, for Queen Lucille was a kind of sore point, in her first term as First Daughter in 2008 she had signed the current arrangement they had with the Reenburgs, she'd signed that on her word to the Four Gods Themyscira would honour the Grand Charter for the next 40 years, Lady Charlotte had wanted her to say 100 but negotiations and an agreement to up contributions to the Charters military and some concessions had reduced that number. Lucille hoped therefore it would be her daughter Anastasija who would perhaps be leading the nation to full independence. "We have some room to make arrangements for cultural, educational and certain trade deals. I suspect though that we would best include provision that any Reenburg family owned Charter may also opt into any trade arrangement that we make. In terms of embassies then of course we can make that happen. There are many Charters that have connections to other nations and therefore have close embassy connections too. I will for our first ambassador send my youngest daughter Princess Lysanne" Lucille looked at the others who had zero say in the matter and so didn't even try and protest. I hope we've not closed off any avenues for these talks?"

Offline Libby

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2023, 04:11:11 PM »
For Natalya it wasn't as though Lodja was going to instantly become best friends With Themyscira. They were an interesting group of people and it was clear that there was some cultural beliefs they would share but in many ways they were still an unknown quantity in terms of their attitudes to global affairs. The ideas Lucille put on the table though were as far as Natalya was concerned and excellent starting point and would avoid any issues with Reenberg. "I think we can overcome any hurdles and I'm delighted that we'll have Princess Lysanne joining us in Lodja just in time for the conclusion of the summer ball season. It'll be an excellent opportunity for her to meet people and get to know some of the more well connected members of Lodjain society. Now you said you could do certain trade deals and that the Reenburg might opt into deals we make, could you perhaps explain to me what limits you have there or suggestions for how this would work?"

Offline TheFaye

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Re: A Gathering of Queens (Themyscira and Lodja)
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2023, 07:03:41 PM »
Being a charter of the Reenbergs was an awkward situation at times but the people had done well. Lucille began to explain "The system is simple to those of us who understand it. We are forbidden from entering into any contract with another nation that goes against the Central Charter. That means that we can enter trade agreements, political agreements and various other elements as long as we don't fall into any arrangement that would go against basically the interests of the Reenberg family. Now we hope one day to reach an agreement where we transition to a more independent arrangement but we'll take whatever we can in January's negotiations. What I ideally would like to do is have our people able to move easily between nations. Our love of art, culture, music, beauty and the like make us nations I believe can be cultural partners and I'd love to see if that can happen easily."