[Xiomera]

(Joint post with [nation]Lauchenoiria[/nation])

November 19th
Palace of Flowers, Office of the Golden Chamber

Empress Calhualyana calmly sipped her morning coffee as she prepared for her phone call. Unlike Yauhmi, she preferred her coffee black and unsweetened, to match her heart. The bitter, strong taste of the Xiomeran coffee and its warmth were quite pleasing to her. The golden seal on the Imperial china caught the rays of the early morning sun as she laid the cup down. She sighed contentedly, with the air of someone ready to start her day, before instructing her Attendant to place a phone call to Councillor Pauline Pierre of Kerlile.

Early morning in Xiomera was late evening in Kerlile, and Councillor Pierre hadn't yet gone to bed. She preferred to stay up late as she worked on what she planned to say and argue for at the peace talks. After last time, and the terror she'd felt when she thought she might end up in a Sanctarian prison, the Council wouldn't leave anything to chance. That meant preparing, both what they planned to say, and their military just in case.

"Councillor?" her newest political aide poked her head around the corner. Pauline sighed.

"What now?" she asked irritably.

"There's a phone call for you, from... from..."

"From who? Spit it out, girl!"

"Empress Calhualyana of Xiomera."

"Calhualyana?" Pierre sat up straight, tilting her head in interest. "Well, that is unexpected. Do put me through, this could be enlightening." The aide scurried off as Pauline picked up a phone on her desk, tapping her fingers on the table and frowning slightly.

When the call was passed through, Calhualyana smiled in order for her voice to sound pleasant on the phone. “Good evening, Councillor Pierre. I hope that I am not disturbing you too late.”

"Not at all, Empress," Pierre replied, eyes flicking back and forth over the screen on which she'd brought up the Council's file on Calhualyana, searching for why the new Xiomeran Empress would call her. "What can I do for you?"

”I actually wish to do something for you, Councillor,” Calhualyana replied. “A kindness, coupled with an explanation, which I am sure you’ll expect.” The Empress handed the phone to the other person sitting in the room. “Hello, mother....it’s Olivia,” Olivia Pierre said, her voice slightly uncertain.

"Olivia!?" Pauline shot up, standing and inadvertently knocking papers off her desk. "Is that you? Is this a trick? You can be damn sure I'll require an explanation."

"It's me, I'm really here..." Olivia glanced nervously at Calhualyana as she awaited her mother's response.

"Why are you in Xiomera? Last we heard of you, the Maximusians had kidnapped you as part of some revenge quest!"

"The Maximusians?" Olivia frowned. "They never had me, I was in Lauchenoiria and then... mother, the Lauchenoirians were going to execute me!"

"The Lauchenoirians!? No, none of this makes the least bit of sense. Are the Xiomerans threatening you?"

"No..." Olivia replied, but glanced at Calhualyana once more as if worried that the answer would change.

"Let me speak to Empress Calhualyana. I want explanations," Pauline ordered. Olivia, handed the phone back over, still exceptionally nervous.

Calhualyana kept a polite tone to her voice as she took back the call. “I imagine that this is the part of the call where the explanation is in order. Xiomeran agents freed Olivia from a prison where she was being held in Lauchenoiria. We don’t think the Lauchenoirian government was behind it, but we aren’t sure exactly who was.”

Calhualyana allowed an apologetic tone to enter her voice as she continued. “The rescue was part of a scheme by the former Emperor, Xochiuhue. He wanted to cause unrest within the world community to distract other nations from our civil war. To that end, he faked the video that placed blame on the Maximusians, and had it delivered to you. This scheme of his....was not my idea. At the time, Xochiuhue was executing anyone who dared question him. I should not have allowed the scheme to happen, and I deeply apologize.”

Pierre remained silent for quite some time. Then she spoke in a low, quiet but intimidating tone. "If you wish to apologise, you can explain to the Sanctarians why we accused the Maximusians of breaching the Haven Accords. The Lauchenoirians... from what we've heard they're having their own internal disputes. But that video has put the Matriarchy at risk."

Pauline stood, and began to pace around her office. "Thank you for removing Olivia from Lauchenoiria. There are some in that nation who wish to harm Kerlians for no other reason than that they are Kerlian. What do you plan to do with Olivia?"

”I plan to send her home. Xochiuhue may have wanted to keep her prisoner, but I see no reason to continue his bad ideas now that I have removed him from power. Nor do I wish any harm to come to her, so I will make sure she is able to return to Kerlile safely at your earliest convenience. This is what I offer to make up for the insult that Xochiuhue committed to your family,” Calhualyana replied. “As for the video....I will announce publicly Xochiuhue’s plot and take full responsibility. That should hopefully appease both the Sanctarians and the Maximusians on your behalf. I will do whatever I can to make this right,” the Empress said. “Xochiuhue will also stand trial for this plot, along with the many other crimes he committed during his reign. Justice will be done, I assure you.”

"Be careful with that," Pierre muttered under her breath before thinking. "Uh, I mean, thank you for arranging the safe return of Olivia. The sooner she is home in Kerlile, the better for everyone."

Calhualyana smiled in response to Pierre’s muttered comment. “Of course. I am pleased to reunite her with you. And.....being upfront about what Xochiuhue did does pose considerable risk to us. But so does trying to hide it. This is a case where being transparent and offering justice will, hopefully, be the right course for Xiomera.” The Empress paused. “I hope this gesture of goodwill will help repair the relationship between our two nations as well. Right now, Xiomerans and Kerlians are fighting each other, and that is genuinely not my wish.”

"It is not my wish either," Pauline said, then stopped and sighed. "If I can give you some advice? Peace often comes at a price, and there are nations out there who want to make sure it is a high one for people like you and me. Consequences... they do not always limit their application of consequences solely to those who deserve them. I urge you, please, please be careful in these talks."

Allies. Councillor Pierre was not used to having allies, and in terms of nations, Kerlile and Xiomera were at war. But Pierre was not a general, she was a politician, and she suddenly saw Calhualyana as someone who could be her ally in one very important way: helping prevent a repeat of the Accords which had forever changed Kerlian society.

Calhualyana nodded. “I fully expect that certain parties to these talks - especially certain neighbors of ours - will seek to make sure that Xiomera is left as weak as possible in order to gain advantage for themselves. Others will seek to force Xiomera into changes that our people do not want, and that our nation does not desire. We have already given up half of our Empire because of those ideas by others. I will not cede any more of Xiomera to them. Not in land, nor in our social and cultural order. Not one inch,” the Empress said firmly, before softening her tone. “I do appreciate the advice, though, especially since you’ve already gone through what Xiomera is about to face. I hope that we can rely on each other to deal with such challenges.”

"Kerlile's official aim in these talks is to establish peace, that is agreed by all those who are attending as part of our delegation. I can assure you, though, that the Kerlian troops stationed in Huenya will be withdrawn regardless of the outcome. To put it bluntly, Xochiuhue presented a clear threat to the Matriarchy; you do not," Pierre said. Calhualyana's gender had, naturally, played a large part in Kerlile's decision making process on this matter.

"We will oppose any attempts by other parties, regardless of if they are officially allied with Kerlile or not, to interfere with the sovereign jurisdiction of any country involved in the talks," added Pauline, choosing her phrasing carefully - after all, Kerlile couldn't outright oppose any and all TRCs now and forever. It did occur to Pierre that she was telling Calhualyana far, far more than the rest of the Council would approve of. But what they don't know can't hurt them.

”I am very glad to hear that.” Calhualyana was pleased that the discussion was going better than she had anticipated. “It does sound like we are much in agreement on what the goals for the peace talks should be. I should contact the Council more formally at some point to discuss all this, but I am glad that I was able to speak with you first. And to help your daughter return home, of course.”

"The rest of the Council may not share my priorities," Pierre warned. "Georgiou is a staunch Yauhmi supporter because of their shared love of reform; and Greenwood wants an individual named Mariya Adema extradited to Kerlile - I, incidentally, would prefer that did not happen. Our own internal politics are... complex."

”Politics are always complex, especially internal ones. We Xiomerans have been living that fact firsthand this year,” Calhualyana said with a slight laugh. “But I will do my best to navigate the differing opinions on the Council. I appreciate the heads-up. As for Mariya......I can promise you she will not be extradited. She is actually working for me now, and I promise to keep her safe from those seeking to punish her. In fact, if you would like to speak to Mariya, privately, I can always arrange that.”

"Mariya has my number; she is welcome to call. Beware of Councillor Greenwood, Empress. She is no reformist, but she seems to have a personal grudge against you. Let me reassure you, however, that Kerlile has no desire to remove you," Pierre placed great emphasis on the word, "from the Obsidian Throne. Also, I would like Olivia returned to Kerlile as soon as possible."

”I will arrange for her to return tomorrow then, as I believe it is rather late where you are,” Calhualyana replied, while making careful notes of everything Pierre was telling her about the Council for her future study. “She will arrive back in Kerlile tomorrow morning your time.”

"Yes, it's late here. Thank you for returning her, and be careful in these talks," Pierre cautioned. She was smiling secretly to herself. It suited her, and the Matriarchy, if the partition of Xiomera became permanent. Having connections with both Yauhmi and Calhualyana would benefit Kerlile long-term, so Pierre decided to consider this call an opportunity.

”I shall be careful, but I always am. Thank you for the advice and the information, and hopefully we will speak again soon. Have a good night, Councillor Pierre.”

When the call ended, Calhualyana turned to Olivia. “I will see to it that your things are prepared for your return home. You’ll be taken to the airport in a few hours to be flown back to Kerlile. For what it’s worth, I am sorry for all this.”

Olivia, who was sitting twirling her fingers and trying to breathe deeply, attempted to awkwardly smile. "At least I'm not dead somewhere in Lauchenoiria," she cringed at her bad joke. "Sorry."

Calhualyana smiled at the bad attempt at humor. “That is true, actually. We’re still trying to figure out who in Lauchenoiria was detaining you and why. Their motives seemed obvious on the surface, but I have learned not to trust obvious motives,” Calhualyana said while tapping her pen as if in thought. “Well. We can help your government try to figure out that mystery. In the meantime, you are welcome to either return to your room or enjoy the Palace and the city before you return home.”

Olivia nodded in thanks. She wondered what ulterior motives her own mother had during that conversation, Pauline rarely revealed information without some. Olivia considered warning Calhualyana; but decided the Empress could figure that out for herself. Olivia had her own problems to deal with, namely: what exactly would her mother's reaction to all this be once they were in the same room?