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A Palace of Music

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Achkaerin:
The Coming Dawn

"What's the estimate?" Celine Tyler, the Emperor's defence advisor, asked over her phone as she walked down the grand staircase of the Marble Palace "That's better than we expected...Yes Major I'll pass that along to the Emperor. Ok bye." she hung up the phone and walked towards the Emperor's study, it was an interesting feature of the Palace that it didn't really have a workplace feel to it, maybe it was the fact that most of the office space was kept well out of sight and even then such space was at a premium, in fact there was only one desk out in the open and it was the one that sat just outside the Emperor's study it belonged to his aide, bodyguard and newly appointed Head of Royal Security Alexandria Savage otherwise known simply as Alex.
"They just started." Alex said
"Any last minute surprises?" Celine asked
"Well I haven't had to call for Maddy so I'm going to say no to that." Alex said, Celine grinned and stepped inside the study.

This was part of the daily routine, the briefing meeting the discussion session on anything that they needed to talk about, it was a meeting that had been particularly calm recently. But that didn't stop issues coming up nor did it stop the debates from happening. Emperor Peter sat where he usually sat for these meetings, perched on the edge of his desk, wearing due to the lack of any formal duties for the day a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He smiled when he saw Celine walk in.
"So what's the word?" Peter asked
"Major Westbrooke estimates that if Operation Forager continues at present rate we'll have decommissioning and dismantling done by June next year." Celine said
"Why wouldn't it continue at present rate?" Peter asked
"Storm season if it's really bad." Celine said
"And if it is bad?" Kumiko Arkwright, the Chief of Staff, asked
"Could be looking at this time next year." Celine said "Either way if the estimates are bang on then next year it's over, the last nuclear weapon gone, Mundus a nuclear weapon free world."
"Wonder what my grandfather would say to that." Peter said "But when we get there it's only half the battle. It's one thing to get rid of our nuclear weapons it's another thing entirely to ensure that no one else ever has the ability to threaten Mundus with them again."
"I'm on that." Nettie Taylor, Peter's foreign affairs advisor, said "I'm working with the Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and intelligence agencies to build the comprehensive policy required."
"Ok." Peter said "Next?"

"CSTO invitation." Kumiko said
"Will the Senate vote for it?" Peter asked "Roslyn I'm looking at you." this got a giggle from Roslyn Williams she was the Royal Liaison Officer, basically it was her job to liaise between the Crown and the Government.
"The votes are there to get it through." Roslyn said "The government intends to table it in a few days."
"And the Cross Straits Summit?" Peter asked
"We're waiting on the agenda." Roslyn said "We can finalise the delegates once we know that."
"Next?" Peter asked

"Can we talk about Altromine?" Nettie asked "Midaranye nation just coming out of isolation and signs international treaties that you wouldn't expect a Midaranye nation to sign."
"Remind me what they signed?" Peter said
"Mundus Convention on Universal Rights, Fair Seas Concordat, Outer Space Standards Convention and Uppsala Convention." Nettie said
"Doesn't sound like Midaranye." Kumiko said
"I think we need to make a diplomatic approach to them." Nettie said "It's the opportunity that Kravec's shortsightedness squandered."
"Kumiko?" Peter asked
"Sold." Kumiko said
"Next." Peter said

"The growing trend of religious oppression." Kumiko said "Kopsje edition."
"I've had the High Priestess on the phone quite a lot on this." Peter said "What do we have?"
"Something that makes Nya Aland seem tame by comparison." Nettie said "This is practically identical to Nya Aland and Fleur right up to the point where we get to actively preventing people who are twelve and younger from attending acts of worship. There are a few grey areas and creative solutions though."
"Suggestions?" Peter asked
"We've got a list." Nettie said handing Peter a piece of paper "We think something like that can work."
"Do it." Peter said reading the piece of paper.

Achkaerin:
In Memoriam

Quite how Emperor Peter had not had a relapse episode of his Multiple Sclerosis in the last few hours with the absolute debacle that the MAEA had ended up involved in he had no idea, but here he was and he was stressed. He had so much he needed to think about - the Theocracy of Kaitaine, the situation in Lodja and Awhaele, the last he'd needed was arguably the most critical international organisation on Mundus to get embroiled in a controversy but that's where it was, as much as Peter knew Achkaerin was an ally of Rokkenjima he was on Lijiang's side of this one with every fibre of his being, the ridiculous, needless nature of it was shocking and now he had the rumblings from the Senate, from the cabinet and his own advisors to contend with. He was wandering the halls of the Marble Palace trying to think through certain aspects of the multitude of issues before him  when he heard the sound of the grand piano in the Palace's music room playing, with a smile on his face he stepped into the doorway and found his foreign affairs advisor Nettie Taylor sat at the piano playing something very familiar, there was no music on the stand and her eyes were closed yet she was note  perfect.

"Rachmaninoff piano concerto number two." Peter said, that got Nettie's attention she opened her eyes and smiled "I knew you could play..."
"If you suggest putting me in the Variety Show in December." Nettie said
"All right I won't." Peter said "I want to go over something...anything but the MAEA mess Rokkenjima's made for themselves."
"All right." Nettie said "Dealers choice."
"Ok." Peter said "Awhaele what's your read?"
"The schedule is definitely a good firm foundation to build from." Nettie said "I think the safest bet is to proceed with individual agreements with the AKO and MICA that are in a similar vein to the agreement East Moreland has with the CSU, it doesn't get Awhaele access to the meeting table though we may not need blanket access it's more an emergency consideration, however it does get Awhaele access to the markets, the travel and all that. That's safe because that's all doable without Achkaerin being members of either organisation the problem is the Illumic Council and this is what David told you, the nature of the organisation makes the influence argument a major factor which is why I suggest not approaching it."
"So leave the security to East Moreland and Seaforth?" Peter asked
"Not what I said." Nettie said

Peter was puzzled for a moment but then he smiled "I'd forgotten you've done this before." he said
"Correct." Nettie said "Premier of Rokkenjima in 2014, Premier when the Tripartite was conceived and the principle here's the same as then, it's still about ensuring an understanding on the security side and intelligence side of things but for our purposes we swap Rishiri out for Awhaele and obviously Rokkenjima for Achkaerin. That's the principle of what you're looking at, I'm actually amazed considering everything your three nations have been through together that you don't already have something like that. It works from our end because we get the Illumic Council's critical components but we do it without the membership and we further solidify the two strongest relationships Achkaerin has had in recent history."
"And it works from their end because while it's Achkaerin, Seaforth and East Moreland relaying information back and forth about security matters in the Illumic it's not an Illumic organisation so the circle is squared somewhat at least." Peter said
"Pretty much but it can't be a straight up copy and paste job." Nettie said "Achkaerin's relationship with East Moreland and Seaforth is much more evolved than Rokkenjima's was, do your own thing."
"How do we do it?" Peter asked
"We need everyone concerned in the same place, we need three meetings, which is for us three groups of delegates." Nettie said "I'd suggest somewhere on Awhaele might be best maybe ask Siora about hosting."
"Agreed." Peter said
"If this works it's a series of treaties involving Achkaerin I would advise an Illumic envoy similar to the Midaranye one." Nettie said
"Understood." Peter said "Let's do this."

Achkaerin:
Red Dash

"So let me get this straight." Peter said they were mid meeting in his study "We've got Rokkenjiman and Tytorian fleets heading for Centralia, leaving aside that they could slice through the Centralian navy like a hot knife through butter I still don't like it, hallmarks of certain Zimalia incidents."
"Thatcher's bound by the wishes of the Parliament." Nettie Taylor said "We all know and she knows that you don't broadcast something like this, fortunately we've got an intelligence operation underway so we have a chance to get this lined up without things looking silly."
"Good." Serenity said "Because we don't need an international incident, bad enough we get slandered by nations peddling fiction as fact, but we don't want to actually do something stupid."
"We've still got air assets operating out of Katenka trying to find Leopold." Peter said as Serenity's phone rang "Decent enough cover if we have to do something..." he stopped as there was an audible gasp from Serenity "What is it?"
"Astrid's in hospital." Serenity said
"I'm driving." Peter said "Nettie you take the meeting, position air assets just in case you know the drill."
"Yes I do." Nettie said "Now go."

The hospital dash saw Peter and Serenity joined by Peter's wife Renee, the Royal Valtheim hospital wasn't the happiest place for the Azurewind family either this was where Peter's first wife Iona had died, the trio made their way to the childrens wards, Serenity was getting more and more anxious by the second. "Mum!" it was Serenity's other daughter Lisa, running straight to her mother.
"Your Highness." a doctor said "Your daughter's in this room."
"Ok." Serenity said, she followed the doctor to a room where Astrid was sleeping on a bed, her school bag on a chair next to the bed "What's wrong with her doctor?"
"Meningitis." the doctor said "It sounds worse than it is, the school got her here quickly, we diagnosed it quickly and we've got her on antibiotics. We'll want to keep her in for a few days to make sure we've kicked it and there are a few complications which we'll talk through. It's a lot to take in but she'll get through this."
"Thank you." Serenity said "Can I stay?"
"Of course." the doctor said

Just outside the room, standing next to a window was Peter he sighed a little as he kept himself calm the last thing he needed was to have an MS relapse. "Here." Renee said handing him a polystyrene cup "Get that down you."
"Hospital tea..." Peter said grinning "Yum."
"What it lacks in taste it makes up for in substance." Renee said "I hate hospitals."
"So do I." Peter said "In medical terms at least."
"Never had to be admitted to one yet." Renee said
"Let's hope that doesn't change." Peter said "I keep looking at that door and expecting him to come running through it but I know he's not going to."
"He would have as well." Renee said, as Serenity and Lisa came out of the room "How bad?"
"Meningitis." Serenity said, Peter pulled her into a hug while Renee hugged Lisa "They're going to keep her in for a few days to monitor it."
"That's good." Peter said
"Wish I had good news." it was the voice of Royal Press Secretary Hannah Cartwright
"Don't tell me." Renee said
"Yeah." Hannah said "The press know something's up. I've taken about twenty different questions in the last couple of hours, everything from is Renee pregnant to is one of you ill. Give them long enough and they'll find out it's Astrid. I can stall them all day but it might be better to issue a short statement."
"I'll think about it." Serenity said

Achkaerin:
When Life Changes

There were moments when Serenity could relax and do motherly, parental things and here she was with one such example, it was late afternoon, she was sat at a table with her daughter Lisa helping her daughter with her homework, today it was maths, "Yes that's it... good girl you've got it." Serenity said
"What's today's challenge?" Nettie asked coming into the room.
"Times tables." Serenity said
"Oh the big numbers yes." Nettie said "I remember those." she looked at Serenity "You need to see this."
"What is it?" Serenity asked as Nettie handed her a piece of paper
"Oh some absurdity about war crimes in Clysperis." Nettie said
"They might as well have sent up a flare." Serenity said shaking her head "Talk to Major Parker."
"I've already got the call planned." Nettie said "What about the lackluster Elysium response?"
"Anginer should stop digging himself and Heyra further and further into a hole or he'll pass right through the planet." Serenity said

At that point there was a noticeable increase in sound from across the room where Serenity's younger daughter Astrid was watching the television. "Astrid that's a little loud." Serenity said, the noise didn't abate "Astrid...Astrid!" Serenity got up and went over, getting to the sofa just as the sound got irritating, but Astrid for whatever reason just kept pressing the 'increase volume' button. Serenity took the remote and lowered the volume.
"TV broke." Astrid said
"No" Serenity said, slightly puzzled why Astrid would say that, the tv clearly wasn't broken, but Astrid wasn't the type to lie. Then it hit her, crouching down in front of Astrid , Serenity took her hands "Astrid can you hear me?" Astrid didn't respond which Serenity took to mean 'no' "Nettie could you fetch Maddy please?" Nettie nodded and left. It took a couple of moments but then the penny finally dropped and Astrid understood what had happened and she started to cry, Serenity hugged her. "It's ok... it's ok."

Doctor Maddy Dale was the Royal Physician, she led a small medical team that lived in the Marble Palace and, barring serious medical emergencies, had the job of looking after the Royal Family's health from the medical end though she'd never come across something like this, she knew it could happen but had never thought she'd see it. After a quick examination Maddy smiled "Good girl." Maddy said she looked at Serenity "Hearing loss is a potential side affect of Meningitis, I don't know what I can say beyond that. Astrid's going to need to learn sign language, you're going to need to learn sign language and you should probably get an interpreter."
"I will." Serenity said
"Until then... pen and paper is probably best."  Maddy said
"Thank you." Serenity said.

Achkaerin:
The New Girl

Val Kirby was just an average eighteen year old girl, nothing that special about her a first year at university where she was studying dance, it was just a routine day in her routine week or slightly non routine week perhaps was a better description it being the spring semester she was busy helping out in a few final year student productions, it was one of the first things the dance students had been warned about in fact one of the first things all the students had been warned about - there were parts of the year where you might get asked to help out with things and this was one of those times, so here she was heading to her bike after one rehearsal to peddle across the city to the Marble Palace for her next thing, the official residence of the Achkaerinese Royal Family was probably among the weirdest possible places to have a class but so it was. Locking her bike to the rails provided for students Val made her way inside and after going through the usual security procedure she made her way to the ballroom where she met her friend and room mate Jenny Turner, immediately noticeable because of the blue in her hair, she was a musical theatre student this was actually Jenny's class, Val was there purely to walk the class through a dance routine normally musical theatre students would pick this up quickly but this was a very fast paced dance routine so the class had wanted and asked for a dancer to be present because they just weren't sure they'd got it, this had led to Val because Jenny knew her being volunteered and spending a good few evenings in the build up to this learning the routine herself.
"I was getting worried." Jenny said
"I'm here aren't I?" Val said "Your class really has lessons here?"
"Oh yeah." Jenny said "Right here in the Royal Ballroom."
"Is everyone here?" Renee Azurewind asked stepping into the ballroom with her granddaughter, well step granddaughter, Astrid "I hope you don't mind Astrid's watching today." Astrid smiled and waved as Renee looked around "And you must be Val Kirby."
"Yes Your Highness." Val said
"Rule one of this class please don't use the title." Renee said with a smile "You're here to walk them through their dance number?"
"Yes." Val said "Is there somewhere I can get changed?"
"Room just across the hall." Renee said

A few moments later Val having changed into a tank top and shorts was running the class through the number "Slow, slow, slow." Val said "Then turn and triple tap and then into the kicks and flicks. On the final kick into slow again and now remember this is the Andino tango section so it's tricky little footwork but do it slow the first time and then speed it up, out of the final hold into a triple spin and then finish." having demonstrated the whole routine she spent the next hour leading the class through it to the point that when Renee took over with her planned material Val sat down on the edge of the ballroom stage and found herself next to Astrid and glancing at the girl while she swigged some water she noticed a notebook with what looked like half a conversation written there, then Astrid nudged Val and put the notebook in front of her What's your name? the question read, Val grinned and wrote her name Are they good at dancing? Astrid wrote next, Not as good as they think they are Val wrote, this made Astrid laugh which made Renee look over that was the first time in what seemed like a long time that Astrid had laughed. When the class was over and Val had changed Renee went over to her.
"You're a very good dancer, better than some pro's I've seen." Renee said "I'm surprised I haven't seen you in the ranks at the Royal Ballet."
"Ballet was my first love and I got accepted at the Royal Ballet but lost my spot when I shattered my leg a month before I was going to enroll." Val said "Can I ask a slightly cheeky question?"
"Doesn't mean I'll answer it." Renee said "But yes."
"Is Princess Astrid deaf?" Val asked, Renee looked very surprised
"How did you know?" Renee said
"I did a sign language course while I was laid up with my leg." Val said "One of the things you learn is awareness, the way she's communicating by writing things down suggests she can't hear and that she's not familiar with how to sign."
"Do you mind hanging around a few more minutes?" Renee asked
"Ok." Val said

For the next few minutes Renee watched as Astrid tried to copy some simple tap dancing steps off of Val then Serenity silently walked in and stood next to Renee
"That's Val." Renee whispered "Sign language course, seems to have hit it off with Astrid."
"She worked it out?" Serenity whispered
"When you think about it it's not difficult to work out." Renee whispered "So?"
"Val Kirby?" Serenity asked
"Your Highness." Val said
"I hear you've worked out that Astrid's deaf." Serenity said
"If I spoke out of..." Val said
"You didn't." Serenity said "We've been looking for a sign language interpreter for Astrid, someone to teach us and translate for her."
"I could recommend a few teachers." Val said
"Do you want the job?" Serenity asked
"Me?" Val asked
"You've started bonding with her and you know sign language." Serenity said "Subject to a background check the job's yours."
"What does it entail?" Val asked
"Teaching everyone sign language, translating for Astrid, going into school with her, foreign travel if she goes abroad, playing with her and Lisa." Serenity said "You get a room here. Interested."
"I can still study?" Val asked
"Of course." Serenity
"All right." Val said "My room mate will hate me eternally but I'll take the offer."

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