12-05-2019, 03:29 AM
(Joint post with [nation]Lauchenoiria[/nation])
Grapevale, Kerlile
November 4th, 2019 - 5 pm Kerlian time
When Nelichē had first arrived home in Kerlile, she was met as promised by Councillor Hale. She had been honoured by the presence of a Councillor, and had made it well known. Hale, for her part, seemed almost embarrassed by the way the Aurora respected her.
She had joined Hale in her car, driving away from the airport towards the city. Nelichē had expected to be taken back to the Aurora Centre, or to the intelligence agency's building, or at the very least a bureaucratic office. So she was rather surprised when they pulled up outside the Xiomeran Embassy.
"You need to inform the Ambassador that you have decided to return to Kerlile," Hale explained. "Go in alone, so they can be sure you aren't being coerced. And please feel free to be honest. You may admit who you were to them, I promise you will be safe. They will be expecting you."
So Nelichē entered the embassy, somewhat nervously and went up to the reception, asking to speak with the Ambassador, and that she was expected.
The receptionist at the desk smiled politely and asked Nelichē to follow one of the embassy guards. The guard led her up a grand set of stairs to the second level of the embassy. From there, they took an elevator that required keycard access from the guard.
When the elevator doors opened, another guard led Nelichē to an interior office. Inside, an older Xiomeran woman with a grandmotherly demeanor stood up from her desk. "You must be Nelichē. I am Yauhto, the Xiomeran ambassador to Kerlile. Please, have a seat," she said. "Would you like something to drink? Tea or coffee perhaps?"
"Tea would be lovely, thank you," she said, taking the seat. Though she was worried, and this entire situation seemed surreal to her, a Councillor herself had told Nelichē not to worry, and that she was safe, so Nelichē had no choice but to believe it.
When the tea had been delivered by a staffer, and polite pleasantries exchanged, Yauhto finally got to the point. "So, Nelichē, the reason we asked to speak with you is simply to make sure you have decided to return to Kerlile of your own free will, and were not coerced into doing so. I imagine you've been briefed already by my Kerlian counterparts, but we have come to an....understanding with the Council concerning the Auroras sent to Xiomera. That understanding requires us to ensure that any Auroras returning to Kerlile are doing so voluntarily. You may be surprised that we are concerned for your welfare, since you were sent to Xiomera essentially as spies." Yauhto chuckled slightly. "But Xiomera and Kerlile have formed a close partnership after the Aurora program was initiated. Xiomera and Kerlile are not enemies. And, well, you are Xiomeran by ethnicity, even if not by nationality. So...we want to ensure your safety. You may speak freely here."
Nelichē nodded. "Councillor Hale told me the same thing. It is of course... difficult for me to speak freely after a lifetime of secrets and lies. But I shall try my best," she smiled weakly. "I have indeed returned to Kerlile of my own free will. It's not that I didn't like Xiomera," she added quickly, "in fact, it is a wonderful country. I had a good life there. But, well... I wasn't myself. The personality I adopted was false, the things I claimed to like I found mediocre and my passions were suppressed. I know these things were the result of my... job... but nevertheless, I couldn't be me. I am, at heart, a Kerlian. I believe in the Matriarchy, and in what we are doing here. I enjoyed living in Xiomera, but I do not feel like I belonged."
"I am saddened to hear that you did not feel like you belonged in Xiomera. It is the land of your ancestors, after all. But....you were born and raised here in Kerlile. It is only natural that you would feel a stronger connection to the place you grew up in." Yauhto paused for a moment. "As for the mission of the Matriarchy....we do believe that Xiomera is one of the friendliest countries to women in the IDU, but also recognize that we still have a lot of improvement we can make in that regard. We're a bit more sympathetic to the mission of Kerlile than most nations, so I can hardly blame you for wanting to return to further that mission."
Yauhto smiled again. "At any rate, since you have confirmed that you are freely returning to Kerlile, that is all we needed." The ambassador slid a tablet across her desk to Nelichē. "If you could just sign this electronic document to record your confirmation, that will satisfy us."
Nelichē reached for the tablet and then paused. She felt a pang, a small piece of regret over what she was about to do. She looked up at Yauhto.
"Perhaps if I'd been in Xiomera under different circumstances, I would have belonged more. I like to think so," she said. "I will miss it. But I want to devote my life to furthering the Kerlian mission, and... well, Xiomera doesn't need me. It's not perfect but it is a good place for women. But elsewhere, our work is not finished, and it is that work I want to devote myself to. I hope, perhaps, that one day - if your government will allow me - I might visit Xiomera again."
With that, she signed the document and slid the tablet back, taking a deep breath and nodding. This was the right choice for her.
Yauhto took the tablet back, making a quick note on it. "I can't blame you for having a dream to pursue. That is what we should all have." The ambassador put the tablet away. "And yes, you would be able to visit Xiomera at any time. It may not be home for you, but you're still connected to us in a very real way." Yauhto stood up, extending her hand for a handshake. "We wish you the best of luck."
Nelichē shook the ambassadors hand, and smiled. "Thank you," she said. "For so many things."
When she left the building and returned to find Councillor Hale waiting, she felt free. Her time as an Aurora was over, and she was just a normal human again, able to make her life how she wanted it.
Grapevale, Kerlile
November 4th, 2019 - 5 pm Kerlian time
When Nelichē had first arrived home in Kerlile, she was met as promised by Councillor Hale. She had been honoured by the presence of a Councillor, and had made it well known. Hale, for her part, seemed almost embarrassed by the way the Aurora respected her.
She had joined Hale in her car, driving away from the airport towards the city. Nelichē had expected to be taken back to the Aurora Centre, or to the intelligence agency's building, or at the very least a bureaucratic office. So she was rather surprised when they pulled up outside the Xiomeran Embassy.
"You need to inform the Ambassador that you have decided to return to Kerlile," Hale explained. "Go in alone, so they can be sure you aren't being coerced. And please feel free to be honest. You may admit who you were to them, I promise you will be safe. They will be expecting you."
So Nelichē entered the embassy, somewhat nervously and went up to the reception, asking to speak with the Ambassador, and that she was expected.
The receptionist at the desk smiled politely and asked Nelichē to follow one of the embassy guards. The guard led her up a grand set of stairs to the second level of the embassy. From there, they took an elevator that required keycard access from the guard.
When the elevator doors opened, another guard led Nelichē to an interior office. Inside, an older Xiomeran woman with a grandmotherly demeanor stood up from her desk. "You must be Nelichē. I am Yauhto, the Xiomeran ambassador to Kerlile. Please, have a seat," she said. "Would you like something to drink? Tea or coffee perhaps?"
"Tea would be lovely, thank you," she said, taking the seat. Though she was worried, and this entire situation seemed surreal to her, a Councillor herself had told Nelichē not to worry, and that she was safe, so Nelichē had no choice but to believe it.
When the tea had been delivered by a staffer, and polite pleasantries exchanged, Yauhto finally got to the point. "So, Nelichē, the reason we asked to speak with you is simply to make sure you have decided to return to Kerlile of your own free will, and were not coerced into doing so. I imagine you've been briefed already by my Kerlian counterparts, but we have come to an....understanding with the Council concerning the Auroras sent to Xiomera. That understanding requires us to ensure that any Auroras returning to Kerlile are doing so voluntarily. You may be surprised that we are concerned for your welfare, since you were sent to Xiomera essentially as spies." Yauhto chuckled slightly. "But Xiomera and Kerlile have formed a close partnership after the Aurora program was initiated. Xiomera and Kerlile are not enemies. And, well, you are Xiomeran by ethnicity, even if not by nationality. So...we want to ensure your safety. You may speak freely here."
Nelichē nodded. "Councillor Hale told me the same thing. It is of course... difficult for me to speak freely after a lifetime of secrets and lies. But I shall try my best," she smiled weakly. "I have indeed returned to Kerlile of my own free will. It's not that I didn't like Xiomera," she added quickly, "in fact, it is a wonderful country. I had a good life there. But, well... I wasn't myself. The personality I adopted was false, the things I claimed to like I found mediocre and my passions were suppressed. I know these things were the result of my... job... but nevertheless, I couldn't be me. I am, at heart, a Kerlian. I believe in the Matriarchy, and in what we are doing here. I enjoyed living in Xiomera, but I do not feel like I belonged."
"I am saddened to hear that you did not feel like you belonged in Xiomera. It is the land of your ancestors, after all. But....you were born and raised here in Kerlile. It is only natural that you would feel a stronger connection to the place you grew up in." Yauhto paused for a moment. "As for the mission of the Matriarchy....we do believe that Xiomera is one of the friendliest countries to women in the IDU, but also recognize that we still have a lot of improvement we can make in that regard. We're a bit more sympathetic to the mission of Kerlile than most nations, so I can hardly blame you for wanting to return to further that mission."
Yauhto smiled again. "At any rate, since you have confirmed that you are freely returning to Kerlile, that is all we needed." The ambassador slid a tablet across her desk to Nelichē. "If you could just sign this electronic document to record your confirmation, that will satisfy us."
Nelichē reached for the tablet and then paused. She felt a pang, a small piece of regret over what she was about to do. She looked up at Yauhto.
"Perhaps if I'd been in Xiomera under different circumstances, I would have belonged more. I like to think so," she said. "I will miss it. But I want to devote my life to furthering the Kerlian mission, and... well, Xiomera doesn't need me. It's not perfect but it is a good place for women. But elsewhere, our work is not finished, and it is that work I want to devote myself to. I hope, perhaps, that one day - if your government will allow me - I might visit Xiomera again."
With that, she signed the document and slid the tablet back, taking a deep breath and nodding. This was the right choice for her.
Yauhto took the tablet back, making a quick note on it. "I can't blame you for having a dream to pursue. That is what we should all have." The ambassador put the tablet away. "And yes, you would be able to visit Xiomera at any time. It may not be home for you, but you're still connected to us in a very real way." Yauhto stood up, extending her hand for a handshake. "We wish you the best of luck."
Nelichē shook the ambassadors hand, and smiled. "Thank you," she said. "For so many things."
When she left the building and returned to find Councillor Hale waiting, she felt free. Her time as an Aurora was over, and she was just a normal human again, able to make her life how she wanted it.
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