10-26-2020, 07:37 AM
October 26th
The Xiomeran Empire had ruled over the lands of western Huenya for 600 years. Cusuyo, the new leader of the Tepiltzin people, found himself absolutely thrilled to witness history in the making - specifically, the end of Xiomeran rule over his land, and that of anyone else in western Huenya, for that matter.
Calhualyana, the new Empress of Xiomera, had ordered her armies to retreat across the Gulf of Epeloc back to the Xiomeran mainland. The armies following Empress Yauhmi, advancing rapidly behind the retreating Imperial armies, had quickly linked up with the allied force in Zapotlán. For the first time in centuries, western Huenya no longer belonged to Tlālacuetztla. Cusuyo, along with the new leaders of the Itotemoc and Necatli had traveled to Chuaztlapoc for lengthy talks about the future of western Huenya. They had also engaged in equally lengthy discussions on how to address the challenge posed by Calhualyana, who still held firm control over the ancient Xiomeran homeland.
In the end, Cusuyo was reasonably pleased. The future of Huenya had not been decided for good - but it was a beginning. Calhualyana had taken plenty of time in the media spotlight, offering peace talks, ending sanctions and ending the restrictions imposed by Xochiuhue. She had even promised to put the former Emperor on public trial. In the mind of Cusuyo and the other leaders gathered at Chuaztlapoc, Calhualyana was putting on an act - trying to appear as reasonable as possible in order to fool the world into cooperating with her. That was an ironic thing, considering that the person standing next to Cusuyo on the podium had once done the very same thing as an Empress of Xiomera.
Standing next to him, Yauhmi generated mixed emotions in Cusuyo, as well as the Necatli and Itotemoc leaders Huacue and Sirua. She had, before the coup, represented everything that was evil about the Xiomeran Empire as much as anyone. But even the three other leaders couldn't deny that, after spending time in her own torture cells and seeing just how cruel the Xiomeran Empire could be, that Yauhmi was not the same person. The physical scars she bore would eventually fade - mostly.
The emotional and mental changes that had been brought to bear in Yauhmi would not. That was why they had finally agreed to let her take the lead once again, as she had so often in her long life, as they began walking down a new road. Calhualyana had her chance to be in the spotlight - it was now time for her opponents to take their shot. And they were about to make an announcement that was absolutely guaranteed to not only anger the new Empress in Tlālacuetztla, but steal her thunder as well.
In front of both local and international media, the leaders of that opposition were all lined up on the stage. High Priest Tlocuauhtoa stood next to Sirua. Crown Prince Texōccoatl stood to their right, holding the hands of his wife Tlalmaxxi and son Tonauac tightly. The three of them had only recently been reunited, and the Crown Prince was clearly reluctant to let their hands go, lest he lose them again. Even the three leaders from the old Xiomeran opposition, Cozamalotl, Cuetzhual and Natcuhuacu, were up on the stage. But, as was her usual way, Yauhmi, standing at the podium itself, had all the attention.
"Good morning, everyone," Yauhmi began calmly, as she faced down a bevy of cameras and microphones. This speech was being streamed live on multiple networks, as well as recorded for later dissection and analysis on regional news shows of the day. Yauhmi was glad of that. She wanted everyone in the world to see this particular history made - especially a certain person to her east. "As you all know, we have been in lengthy discussions on the future of our country and how to address the person now styling herself as the Empress of Xiomera." Yauhmi was not about to mention Calhualyana by name. "She states that she is now the Empress of Xiomera, ruler of the Xiomeran Empire. I am here to declare, in front of the world, that I have no intention of challenging her for that title."
As the reporters watched, shocked, Yauhmi continued. "I do not lay claim anymore to the title of Empress of Xiomera. Nor do I wish to rule the Xiomeran Empire. I have discovered - the hard way - just how meaningless that title is, and how cruel that the Empire led by the person wielding that title like a weapon can be. I renounce any claim I ever had to the Obsidian Throne. And for any wrongs I may have committed while sitting on that throne, I deeply apologize and express my regret, without reservation or condition."
The press corps, and everyone on the stage, stood in utter silence as Yauhmi pressed on. "You are all probably wondering, then, what claim I do make now, or what nation I propose to lead. The answer to that is simple, and it is one that all of us on this stage today agree on completely. That nation is not, and never again will be, the Xiomeran Empire. We instead will lead our country in a new direction, one that makes up for the evil and the sins wrought by the Xiomeran Empire upon its people, its neighbors, and the world. Today, we have signed an accord which will henceforth be known as the Accord of Chuaztlapoc. And in this historic agreement, we renounce the Xiomeran Empire. Today, we declare that we shall be henceforth known as the United Empire of Huenya. While I will lead this new nation, the autocracy and the unilateralism of the old Empire shall be a thing of the past. We shall re-activate the Huenyan Assembly, which the coup shut down. The leaders of the Itotemoc, the Tepiltzin and the Necatli shall sit in this assembly with me, and together, we shall make decisions that fairly represent all of the people of Huenya, and prevent the tyranny of the past."
"Furthermore, we shall begin moving towards a more representative form of government, beginning with limited local elections. We shall disband the security forces and police apparatus that have been used to repress people, and we shall end the ban on the teaching of the language, culture and history of the other peoples of Huenya. We will invite the international community to send advisors to us, here in Chuaztlapoc, to help us reform our institutions and create a system that is no longer the shame of the world. As for my role, I shall serve as the head of state of this new Empire. I will work, every single day that I am still alive, to make up to all of our people for the wrongs I have done, and to make sure that equality, justice and freedom prevail in Huenya - all parts of Huenya," Yauhmi added pointedly. There was no way Calhualyana would miss that message.
"Together, in the weeks and months to come, we shall build a new nation together, rooted in centuries of ancient tradition and knowledge, but looking to the future and embracing the best values of our peoples, as well as the wider world. We hope that the international community will continue to support us as we make this transition, and we will have more details to come as we continue to codify these historic changes and make them official. Thank you all for coming," Yauhmi said, nodding and leaving the stage as the press corps erupted with questions.
The Xiomeran Empire had ruled over the lands of western Huenya for 600 years. Cusuyo, the new leader of the Tepiltzin people, found himself absolutely thrilled to witness history in the making - specifically, the end of Xiomeran rule over his land, and that of anyone else in western Huenya, for that matter.
Calhualyana, the new Empress of Xiomera, had ordered her armies to retreat across the Gulf of Epeloc back to the Xiomeran mainland. The armies following Empress Yauhmi, advancing rapidly behind the retreating Imperial armies, had quickly linked up with the allied force in Zapotlán. For the first time in centuries, western Huenya no longer belonged to Tlālacuetztla. Cusuyo, along with the new leaders of the Itotemoc and Necatli had traveled to Chuaztlapoc for lengthy talks about the future of western Huenya. They had also engaged in equally lengthy discussions on how to address the challenge posed by Calhualyana, who still held firm control over the ancient Xiomeran homeland.
In the end, Cusuyo was reasonably pleased. The future of Huenya had not been decided for good - but it was a beginning. Calhualyana had taken plenty of time in the media spotlight, offering peace talks, ending sanctions and ending the restrictions imposed by Xochiuhue. She had even promised to put the former Emperor on public trial. In the mind of Cusuyo and the other leaders gathered at Chuaztlapoc, Calhualyana was putting on an act - trying to appear as reasonable as possible in order to fool the world into cooperating with her. That was an ironic thing, considering that the person standing next to Cusuyo on the podium had once done the very same thing as an Empress of Xiomera.
Standing next to him, Yauhmi generated mixed emotions in Cusuyo, as well as the Necatli and Itotemoc leaders Huacue and Sirua. She had, before the coup, represented everything that was evil about the Xiomeran Empire as much as anyone. But even the three other leaders couldn't deny that, after spending time in her own torture cells and seeing just how cruel the Xiomeran Empire could be, that Yauhmi was not the same person. The physical scars she bore would eventually fade - mostly.
The emotional and mental changes that had been brought to bear in Yauhmi would not. That was why they had finally agreed to let her take the lead once again, as she had so often in her long life, as they began walking down a new road. Calhualyana had her chance to be in the spotlight - it was now time for her opponents to take their shot. And they were about to make an announcement that was absolutely guaranteed to not only anger the new Empress in Tlālacuetztla, but steal her thunder as well.
In front of both local and international media, the leaders of that opposition were all lined up on the stage. High Priest Tlocuauhtoa stood next to Sirua. Crown Prince Texōccoatl stood to their right, holding the hands of his wife Tlalmaxxi and son Tonauac tightly. The three of them had only recently been reunited, and the Crown Prince was clearly reluctant to let their hands go, lest he lose them again. Even the three leaders from the old Xiomeran opposition, Cozamalotl, Cuetzhual and Natcuhuacu, were up on the stage. But, as was her usual way, Yauhmi, standing at the podium itself, had all the attention.
"Good morning, everyone," Yauhmi began calmly, as she faced down a bevy of cameras and microphones. This speech was being streamed live on multiple networks, as well as recorded for later dissection and analysis on regional news shows of the day. Yauhmi was glad of that. She wanted everyone in the world to see this particular history made - especially a certain person to her east. "As you all know, we have been in lengthy discussions on the future of our country and how to address the person now styling herself as the Empress of Xiomera." Yauhmi was not about to mention Calhualyana by name. "She states that she is now the Empress of Xiomera, ruler of the Xiomeran Empire. I am here to declare, in front of the world, that I have no intention of challenging her for that title."
As the reporters watched, shocked, Yauhmi continued. "I do not lay claim anymore to the title of Empress of Xiomera. Nor do I wish to rule the Xiomeran Empire. I have discovered - the hard way - just how meaningless that title is, and how cruel that the Empire led by the person wielding that title like a weapon can be. I renounce any claim I ever had to the Obsidian Throne. And for any wrongs I may have committed while sitting on that throne, I deeply apologize and express my regret, without reservation or condition."
The press corps, and everyone on the stage, stood in utter silence as Yauhmi pressed on. "You are all probably wondering, then, what claim I do make now, or what nation I propose to lead. The answer to that is simple, and it is one that all of us on this stage today agree on completely. That nation is not, and never again will be, the Xiomeran Empire. We instead will lead our country in a new direction, one that makes up for the evil and the sins wrought by the Xiomeran Empire upon its people, its neighbors, and the world. Today, we have signed an accord which will henceforth be known as the Accord of Chuaztlapoc. And in this historic agreement, we renounce the Xiomeran Empire. Today, we declare that we shall be henceforth known as the United Empire of Huenya. While I will lead this new nation, the autocracy and the unilateralism of the old Empire shall be a thing of the past. We shall re-activate the Huenyan Assembly, which the coup shut down. The leaders of the Itotemoc, the Tepiltzin and the Necatli shall sit in this assembly with me, and together, we shall make decisions that fairly represent all of the people of Huenya, and prevent the tyranny of the past."
"Furthermore, we shall begin moving towards a more representative form of government, beginning with limited local elections. We shall disband the security forces and police apparatus that have been used to repress people, and we shall end the ban on the teaching of the language, culture and history of the other peoples of Huenya. We will invite the international community to send advisors to us, here in Chuaztlapoc, to help us reform our institutions and create a system that is no longer the shame of the world. As for my role, I shall serve as the head of state of this new Empire. I will work, every single day that I am still alive, to make up to all of our people for the wrongs I have done, and to make sure that equality, justice and freedom prevail in Huenya - all parts of Huenya," Yauhmi added pointedly. There was no way Calhualyana would miss that message.
"Together, in the weeks and months to come, we shall build a new nation together, rooted in centuries of ancient tradition and knowledge, but looking to the future and embracing the best values of our peoples, as well as the wider world. We hope that the international community will continue to support us as we make this transition, and we will have more details to come as we continue to codify these historic changes and make them official. Thank you all for coming," Yauhmi said, nodding and leaving the stage as the press corps erupted with questions.
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