11-02-2020, 01:09 AM
November 1st
Palace of Flowers
Calhualyana stood in the grand plaza in front of the Palace, about to give another speech. She had planned this approach to address the poisoning incident against her anyway, but events had made it rather more of a necessity.
Her rather abrupt departure from the XBA party, coupled with her obvious signs of physical distress as she was leaving, and the fact that dozens of people on the streets of Tlālacuetztla had seen her limousine divert to the Imperial Military Hospital, had started the Xiomeran rumor mill churning. Calhualyana found it necessary to reassure the Xiomeran population that she was, in fact, fine. A speech was scheduled anyway, the traditional speech that Xiomeran rulers gave the nation on November 1st. That date was the beginning of celebrations honoring Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of Mictlan, the final resting place of the dead in the Huenyan religion. It was a holiday of festivals and traditional dances, to honor Mictecacihuatl and seek protection for those who had died. Calhualyana was required, as Empress, to speak to the Xiomeran people to honor the dead. Her public presence would also help the Empress reassure the Xiomeran people that she hadn't joined those being honored after the odd events of the day before.
Standing in a white and gold-trimmed dress on the windswept plaza, with Xiomeran flags in a row behind her fluttering, Calhualyana presented an image of health and strength as she began her speech. "To the people of Xiomera, I address you on this day of Mictecacihuatl, the day in which we honor those who have gone before us. This is a very important day in the traditions of our people, in which we pay respect to our ancestors. I am honored to share this day with you, as we reflect on the lives and the wisdom of those ancestors, and the legacy they have left us. I am also speaking today as a way of reassuring you despite recent rumors."
This was where Calhualyana would plunge into the real purpose of her speech. Normally, Xiomeran rulers would never admit to a moment of weakness. The standard approach to any situation where a Xiomeran ruler had been caught off guard was to completely deny everything behind a smokescreen of nothing to see here, everything's just fine, move along obfuscation. Calhualyana was by no means typical - she knew how to bend any moment, even one of weakness, to her advantage. Instead of hiding what had happened to her, Calhualyana laid it all out in the open.
"As you know, there have been rumors that, during a recent event at the Xiomeran Business Association headquarters, I took ill and had to be rushed to the Imperial Military Hospital. I am here today to confirm that those rumors are in fact true."
As the crowd watching grew silent, Calhualyana continued. "I was the subject of an attempted poisoning. Luckily, either through design or through failure, the poisoning was not fatal, nor did it have any permanent impact on my health. ASI and the Imperial Police are currently investigating, along with XBA Security." An investigation was indeed proceeding - the head of XBA's security detail responsible for providing protection to the XBA party, along with all of his security officers, were already in ASI cells being investigated for their failure to protect the Empress. But the public didn't need to know the messy details behind all that. What was important was to project the Empress in a sympathetic light. And so, Calhualyana continued.
"We do not yet know who was behind this, or if it was domestic terrorism or an attack by a foreign party. It is possible that supporters of the former Emperor Xochiuhue, someone backing the separatist government in western Huenya, or even another party together committed this act. What we do know is that it is a matter of concern for us all - if even the Empress of Xiomera can be attacked in such a way, then we are all at risk."
The crowd remained silent, thinking, as Calhualyana continued. "I can assure you all that our government will redouble its efforts to ensure that we are all safe, and prevent any further such incidents. However, instead of responding to this attack in a retaliatory or belligerent fashion, I will continue to take a path of reconciliation. I choose to honor this day, in which we pay tribute to our dead, by acting in the hopes that no more people need to die. Accordingly, as part of the celebration of Mictecacihuatl, I am offering a formal armistice in our civil conflict, and an offer to begin peace talks with our opponents in the foreign city of their choice. Even though I have been the subject of an act of violence, I shall not return such in kind. After months of war, the Xiomeran people seek peace. We offer our hopes on this sacred day that the rest of the world wants the same thing."
The Empress allowed a warm expression to cross her face. "People of Xiomera, celebrate this day with your friends and families in honor of your ancestors. And know this - no matter what happens next, the Xiomeran Empire will continue to seek a path of peace that protects the accomplishments that those ancestors built. Thank you all."
As the Empress walked inside the great gates of the Palace walls, the crowd was already murmuring about her speech. Even when someone tried to kill her, she still seeks peace. She shows such strength, but such restraint. She is nothing like Xochiuhue was. As the crowd began walking back onto the streets of Tlālacuetztla, and the broadcast of her words took flight on the airwaves and the internet, the seed that Calhualyana had presented of herself as a benign, tolerant leader was planted.
---
Chuaztlapoc
"I want to vomit," Yauhmi said flatly.
Her Council, and the members of the Huenyan Assembly, had just watched Calhualyana's speech. Yauhmi was not impressed. "I haven't seen so much crap being shoveled at such a mighty rate since I watched the stable hands cleaning out the Palace stables," she said.
"The problem is, people believe that kind of camera-ready, media-friendly manure," Texōccoatl replied grimly. "This is no longer a war of bullets, but a war of words and PR. And what she couldn't win on the battlefield, Calhualyana is beginning to win on the field of public opinion."
"I know. That's why I am not going to give our speech for the day of Mictecacihuatl." Yauhmi turned to look at Huacue, the Necatli leader. "You should give the speech instead."
Huache was stunned. "But it is traditional for the huey tlatoani to give that speech," he said.
Yauhmi shook her head. "This new state we are creating is all about breaking away from the traditions of the Xiomeran Empire, isn't it? Why should we bother to keep that one? The world has already heard from me. You can communicate to the world the truth."
"I have no speech planned. And I am not eloquent like you," Huacue demurred. "Just speak from the heart to represent us all. I know you can do that," Yauhmi insisted. After a moment, Huacue nodded.
---
Huacue stood in front of the Hall of Chuaztlapoc, cameras fixed on him, as he began. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am Huacue, tlatoani of the Necatli. I have been asked by the Huenyan Assembly to give the traditional speech to the nation on the day of Mictecacihuatl. Today, we honor our dead, and our ancestors who have passed from this world. We seek comfort in their wisdom and the legacy they left us. We honor the Queen of Mictlan, and ask that she protect our loved ones who have left us for her sphere. We also honor our families and friends, and those who are still here with us, and rejoice in their company."
The Necatli leader's hands gripped the podium tightly. "We also honor those who lost their lives unnecessarily in the civil war that gripped our land, due to the machinations of people in Tlālacuetztla. We saw the speech of the woman now calling herself the Empress of Xiomera, talking about honoring the dead. What about all the dead that she, along with the other plotters like Xochiuhue and General Xōchhuitl, caused with their coup? What about all the people they ordered slaughtered in Acalan and Necuatexi? What about those they killed, hurt or threw in prison who dared to protest their tyranny?"
Huacue's hands gripped the podium even more tightly; the wood started to creak under the pressure, audible even to the crowd.
"Calhualyana talks about honoring the dead, but she only knows how to kill. She talks about peace, when she started a war. I say this to Calhualyana, and to anyone who supports her - don't worry, we will honor our dead. We will honor them by never forgetting what you have done. Or forgiving it."
Huacue raised his head, staring at the crowd. "Huenya will honor our dead, on this day of Mictecacihuatl, as we always do. We will honor them by making sure that their descendants always live in a free land."
The Necatli leader turned quickly and walked away, the podium wobbling slightly from the force of his turn.
Palace of Flowers
Calhualyana stood in the grand plaza in front of the Palace, about to give another speech. She had planned this approach to address the poisoning incident against her anyway, but events had made it rather more of a necessity.
Her rather abrupt departure from the XBA party, coupled with her obvious signs of physical distress as she was leaving, and the fact that dozens of people on the streets of Tlālacuetztla had seen her limousine divert to the Imperial Military Hospital, had started the Xiomeran rumor mill churning. Calhualyana found it necessary to reassure the Xiomeran population that she was, in fact, fine. A speech was scheduled anyway, the traditional speech that Xiomeran rulers gave the nation on November 1st. That date was the beginning of celebrations honoring Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of Mictlan, the final resting place of the dead in the Huenyan religion. It was a holiday of festivals and traditional dances, to honor Mictecacihuatl and seek protection for those who had died. Calhualyana was required, as Empress, to speak to the Xiomeran people to honor the dead. Her public presence would also help the Empress reassure the Xiomeran people that she hadn't joined those being honored after the odd events of the day before.
Standing in a white and gold-trimmed dress on the windswept plaza, with Xiomeran flags in a row behind her fluttering, Calhualyana presented an image of health and strength as she began her speech. "To the people of Xiomera, I address you on this day of Mictecacihuatl, the day in which we honor those who have gone before us. This is a very important day in the traditions of our people, in which we pay respect to our ancestors. I am honored to share this day with you, as we reflect on the lives and the wisdom of those ancestors, and the legacy they have left us. I am also speaking today as a way of reassuring you despite recent rumors."
This was where Calhualyana would plunge into the real purpose of her speech. Normally, Xiomeran rulers would never admit to a moment of weakness. The standard approach to any situation where a Xiomeran ruler had been caught off guard was to completely deny everything behind a smokescreen of nothing to see here, everything's just fine, move along obfuscation. Calhualyana was by no means typical - she knew how to bend any moment, even one of weakness, to her advantage. Instead of hiding what had happened to her, Calhualyana laid it all out in the open.
"As you know, there have been rumors that, during a recent event at the Xiomeran Business Association headquarters, I took ill and had to be rushed to the Imperial Military Hospital. I am here today to confirm that those rumors are in fact true."
As the crowd watching grew silent, Calhualyana continued. "I was the subject of an attempted poisoning. Luckily, either through design or through failure, the poisoning was not fatal, nor did it have any permanent impact on my health. ASI and the Imperial Police are currently investigating, along with XBA Security." An investigation was indeed proceeding - the head of XBA's security detail responsible for providing protection to the XBA party, along with all of his security officers, were already in ASI cells being investigated for their failure to protect the Empress. But the public didn't need to know the messy details behind all that. What was important was to project the Empress in a sympathetic light. And so, Calhualyana continued.
"We do not yet know who was behind this, or if it was domestic terrorism or an attack by a foreign party. It is possible that supporters of the former Emperor Xochiuhue, someone backing the separatist government in western Huenya, or even another party together committed this act. What we do know is that it is a matter of concern for us all - if even the Empress of Xiomera can be attacked in such a way, then we are all at risk."
The crowd remained silent, thinking, as Calhualyana continued. "I can assure you all that our government will redouble its efforts to ensure that we are all safe, and prevent any further such incidents. However, instead of responding to this attack in a retaliatory or belligerent fashion, I will continue to take a path of reconciliation. I choose to honor this day, in which we pay tribute to our dead, by acting in the hopes that no more people need to die. Accordingly, as part of the celebration of Mictecacihuatl, I am offering a formal armistice in our civil conflict, and an offer to begin peace talks with our opponents in the foreign city of their choice. Even though I have been the subject of an act of violence, I shall not return such in kind. After months of war, the Xiomeran people seek peace. We offer our hopes on this sacred day that the rest of the world wants the same thing."
The Empress allowed a warm expression to cross her face. "People of Xiomera, celebrate this day with your friends and families in honor of your ancestors. And know this - no matter what happens next, the Xiomeran Empire will continue to seek a path of peace that protects the accomplishments that those ancestors built. Thank you all."
As the Empress walked inside the great gates of the Palace walls, the crowd was already murmuring about her speech. Even when someone tried to kill her, she still seeks peace. She shows such strength, but such restraint. She is nothing like Xochiuhue was. As the crowd began walking back onto the streets of Tlālacuetztla, and the broadcast of her words took flight on the airwaves and the internet, the seed that Calhualyana had presented of herself as a benign, tolerant leader was planted.
---
Chuaztlapoc
"I want to vomit," Yauhmi said flatly.
Her Council, and the members of the Huenyan Assembly, had just watched Calhualyana's speech. Yauhmi was not impressed. "I haven't seen so much crap being shoveled at such a mighty rate since I watched the stable hands cleaning out the Palace stables," she said.
"The problem is, people believe that kind of camera-ready, media-friendly manure," Texōccoatl replied grimly. "This is no longer a war of bullets, but a war of words and PR. And what she couldn't win on the battlefield, Calhualyana is beginning to win on the field of public opinion."
"I know. That's why I am not going to give our speech for the day of Mictecacihuatl." Yauhmi turned to look at Huacue, the Necatli leader. "You should give the speech instead."
Huache was stunned. "But it is traditional for the huey tlatoani to give that speech," he said.
Yauhmi shook her head. "This new state we are creating is all about breaking away from the traditions of the Xiomeran Empire, isn't it? Why should we bother to keep that one? The world has already heard from me. You can communicate to the world the truth."
"I have no speech planned. And I am not eloquent like you," Huacue demurred. "Just speak from the heart to represent us all. I know you can do that," Yauhmi insisted. After a moment, Huacue nodded.
---
Huacue stood in front of the Hall of Chuaztlapoc, cameras fixed on him, as he began. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am Huacue, tlatoani of the Necatli. I have been asked by the Huenyan Assembly to give the traditional speech to the nation on the day of Mictecacihuatl. Today, we honor our dead, and our ancestors who have passed from this world. We seek comfort in their wisdom and the legacy they left us. We honor the Queen of Mictlan, and ask that she protect our loved ones who have left us for her sphere. We also honor our families and friends, and those who are still here with us, and rejoice in their company."
The Necatli leader's hands gripped the podium tightly. "We also honor those who lost their lives unnecessarily in the civil war that gripped our land, due to the machinations of people in Tlālacuetztla. We saw the speech of the woman now calling herself the Empress of Xiomera, talking about honoring the dead. What about all the dead that she, along with the other plotters like Xochiuhue and General Xōchhuitl, caused with their coup? What about all the people they ordered slaughtered in Acalan and Necuatexi? What about those they killed, hurt or threw in prison who dared to protest their tyranny?"
Huacue's hands gripped the podium even more tightly; the wood started to creak under the pressure, audible even to the crowd.
"Calhualyana talks about honoring the dead, but she only knows how to kill. She talks about peace, when she started a war. I say this to Calhualyana, and to anyone who supports her - don't worry, we will honor our dead. We will honor them by never forgetting what you have done. Or forgiving it."
Huacue raised his head, staring at the crowd. "Huenya will honor our dead, on this day of Mictecacihuatl, as we always do. We will honor them by making sure that their descendants always live in a free land."
The Necatli leader turned quickly and walked away, the podium wobbling slightly from the force of his turn.
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