[Democratic Republic Of Eiria]

Jinyu, Laeral

Alice Lancaster walked briskly down the sidewalk, briefcase full of files in hand. She hadn't minded the talks so far, they were a little tedious, but she was quite fond of international talks. Although she would rather be home, with Adrian. She hated having to leave him so soon.

The hotel wasn't far from the conference center, and she needed the distraction, so she had chosen to walk the distance. Even with the Solar Guard assigned to her trailing behind her, it was a refreshing change from the crowded and busy conference.

Finlay Hale was unaccustomed to having freedom. His mother had been the third daughter of a Kerlian Councillor and she was not pleased with his existence. His childhood had been miserable, and he'd fallen in with dissident groups as a form of teenage rebellion. It had ended with him in prison. He'd expected to die there, but had been rescued by his cousin, the new Councillor Hale, who he rather thought must have been switched at birth, for she was nothing like the other women in their family.

Taking advantage of this time outside of the Matriarchy, he was walking down the street, staring wide-eyed up at the buildings in Jinyu. He had no security with him, the Councillors insisted on using it all for themselves. And he rather thought they wouldn't care if he came to harm.

Alice noticed Finlay's amazement as he walked past and smiled a bit. "Finlay Hale? From Kerlile?". She turned and extended her hand in greeting. "We haven't officially met. Alice Lancaster."

"Madam Lancaster," Finlay shook her hand and bowed slightly. "A pleasure to meet you. I expect you haven't had the chance to meet many male Kerlians."

"The Pleasure is all mine. And yes, I don't believe I've met a man from Kerlile. Limited opportunities, I'm afraid." She glanced aside before continuing. "Though I must say, your presence has caused a lot of talk within the Delegations. You've become a bit of a celebrity. Could I buy you a coffee, or drink of some kind? I'm interested in how you ended up in the Kerlian delegation of all places."

"I can imagine it has," chuckled Finlay. "I believe that was my cousin's purpose in sending me here. I'm happy to accept a coffee and provide something of an explanation, and a history."

"That would be excellent, thanks. My room isn't too far." She turned and said something to her Guard in Eirian, causing her to sigh and talk into her radio. "Don't mind Lieutenant Desar. She runs my security detail. I, quite literally, trust her with my life." She held the door to the hotel open for Finley and Desar, the latter entering first. "So, would the other delegation members be frustrated because you talked to an Eirian?".

"I rather think they only let me out because we're in Laeral and I speak neither French nor Chinese," he snorted. "That, and they can't deny my contribution to our meeting with Yauhmi was extremely helpful. No, I can speak to who I like, they know my views already, it's not like you can radicalise me against them further."

"True." She entered an open elevator, Desar on her tail. "So, how'd you get this job? And, more importantly, why did you take the job? Your courage is impressive. You're not afraid to input your opinion. I can't imagine you're respected in Kerlile, all things considered. Why take the job?".

"My cousin was entitled to send a delegate as she could not attend herself. She choose me, partly because we've been working together since she saved me, partly I think to make a point about reform both to the Council and to other nations. As for why I took the job? There were only two people Jennifer could send that she trusts, myself and her aide and protegée Emma Woodward. Emma has a proper phobia of flying. I owe Jennifer my life. So there was no question about it."

"Ah. I have to say, the more I learn about your cousin, the more I admire her. Her antics and strategy are superb. But with your aspirations and skills, why not try to escape to Eiria, or Laeral, or Legionas?" The elevator opened, and Alice lead Finely to her designated hotel room, opening it with her key.

"That is what they expect me to do," Finlay sighed. "They even said as much to Jennifer. Let a male out of Kerlile and he will never return. I could escape, live freely, but I would hand the propaganda victory to the Council. They would use it to justify clamping down on men still in Kerlile, they'd use it to water down the new emigration act. I could buy my own freedom, but the price I pay would be that of many others. So I must go back, whatever they do to me."

Alice looked down in dismay as she fiddled with the room's coffeemaker. "That's what I was afraid of. It's an unfortunate situation." She placed a cup of hot coffee on the table, next to a thing of cream. "Forgive my curiosity, but I've always wondered how the Kerlian Council families worked. They've always seemed like archaic noble houses. Are relatives of councillors treated as noble? At least, female relatives of councillors?"

"Yes, to an extent. It's an apt comparison, there are privileges that come from being related to a Councillor, even for males. If I had been obedient, I would have been fine. I am not so good at that, alas."

"Fascinating. I'm not exactly a good follower of orders myself. Drives my brother mad." She sighed. "Did you know some people in Eiria thought my brother and I were going to reinstate the Monarchies of old? Before 1845, Eiria was ruled by Dukes, Counts, and Mayors, all with varying degrees of Democracy. The House of Lancaster-Morgan, later shortened to House of Lancaster, ruled a Duchy in the Northwest. And because of that, some people thought we were Monarchists. We're literally the last ones in the house who would inherit the crown, should it be reinstated!"

"Before Kerlile existed as a state, there was a King in North Fleura, who died without an heir causing chaos. The founders of Kerlile took advantage of that. They didn't intend to establish hereditary rule, it just... happened."

Finlay sighed and sipped some of the coffee. "I know things about the Council I daren't utter aloud. They'd kill me if I did, and everyone else with the misfortune to bear the name Hale. But I think they are actually getting better. Slowly, but reform is real, Madam Lancaster. For the first time in a long time, there's real hope in Kerlile."

"I'm glad to hear that. Many in Eiria are skeptical the reforms will stay in effect. Or that any more will be passed at all. I'm still curious why the EUDCA amendment passed suddenly. The Council of Kerlile seems so foreign and strange to Eirians."

"Someone switched their vote. Circumstances changed. I can't say who, she fears backlash from the traditionalists back home if it got out that she'd suddenly voted for a reformist position. My own mother was exempt from EUCDA, she was too far down the line of succession when she had me. Else I'd have been given away to an orphanage. Perhaps that would've been preferable."

"What would you have pursued as a career, if you had been born somewhere else? Say, Eiria?"

"A hypothetical question," Finlay smiled. "I don't engage with them. Thinking about what could have been only leads to melancholy. I prefer to think of what could be in times still to come."

"Ah. My apologies. Eirians love hypothetical questions. It's a habit. Our language even has a few rules on what grammar to use in a hypothetical question."

"Males were not permitted to learn foreign languages in Kerlile," Finlay sighed. "Not by law, merely by custom. No boys' schools taught it and male internet use was heavily restricted. No need to apologise, however, it's a personal preference - overthinking my mistakes was very damaging to my mental health when I was in prison."

"That's such a shame. Languages are a huge point of study for Eirian schools. Most Eirians know at least Eirian and English, as those are both taught throughout primary education." She looked down, then back at Finley. "If you believe that Kerlile will change, I believe you. But how long do you think that will take?

"Two years ago," Finlay began after a pause, "would you have believed that I, a male, could possibly be part of a Kerlian delegation? It's already changing, piece by piece. The traditionalists are floundering, they don't know how to handle legal opposition; they've never had to. They can't win because they don't understand the game. And they've lost their biggest ally. Shit, probably shouldn't have said that."

Alice nodded slowly. "You're secret's safe. How much power do you have, as a representative? How much can you affect these negotiations, should you want to?"

"As Councillor Hale's representative, I can vote on behalf of Councillor Hale in decisions that must be made without the chance for consultation," he replied. "Katrine Porter, on the other hand, doesn't get a vote. It is the cause of the animosity between us. In practice, if there's a tie between the four of us with votes, my side will automatically lose."

"Mmm. And sorry for asking all these questions. I just want to learn more on the situation in Kerlile. Plus it provides a distraction from the looming political disaster back home.

"I've seen only some of that," Finlay confessed. "As for Kerlile... it's going better, much better. Unless the traditionalists attempt a violent removal of President Arnott, I'm confident things will be far better even a few years from now."

"I'm glad to hear that. Well, thanks again for answering my questions. I bet I sound like a persistent journalist, don't I?" She chuckled. "I don't think I've been compared to a journalist yet, however people do call me persistent quite often. Though I believe the word they use is stubborn."

"I'm curious," Finlay looked Alice in directly in the eyes. "You haven't commented on my imprisonment. I'm used to it being the first thing people ask me about. Usually about whether or not it was a petty crime or anti-matriarchal activity. And then they step back and turn away, uncomfortable when I say the latter as if treason is somehow contagious."

Alice paused for a moment before speaking. "Well, I haven't mentioned it for a few reasons. One, it isn't something you ask someone you met recently in Eiria. That kind of thing is a bit more private. Another reason is that you mentioned mental health struggles while in prison, and I didn't want to bring that up if you didn't want to talk about it. Third, I'm a former revolutionary. I've seen people imprisoned by an oppressive regime. I figured it would be for 'Anti-Matriarchal Activity'. Hell, in Eiria, it would be a badge of honor to be arrested in Kerlile for 'Anti-Matriarchal Activity'".

"Perhaps this," he pulled out a small booklet, "isn't worth the paper its written on." He tossed the booklet to the table, allowing Alice to read the title. Foreign Travel Guide, below the seal of the government of Kerlile.

"They hand every Kerlian who is given an exit permit a copy. It assumes the reader is female; contains a lot of warnings about scary foreign men who want to sleep with Kerlians. It also warns that foreigners are likely to ask questions about the Kerlian judicial system and warns the reader not to answer."

He gestured for Alice to take the booklet if she wished. "Have there been Eirian visitors to Kerlile arrested for such things in the past? I'm informed they treat foreign prisoners better. No beatings, for one."

She picked up the booklet and scrolled through the Eirian section before dumping it back on the table unceremoniously. "I'm not aware of any Eirians imprisoned in Kerlile, mainly because Kerlile isn't a popular vacation spot. However I haven't seen this many scare tactics about foreign nations since Darrin's televised speeches. And that's saying a lot."

"They haven't rewritten the booklets since before the reformists gained power," Finlay said, somewhat embarrassed now. "After the Shuell Olympics, that fencer, the one who got in all the trouble, publicly condemned the booklets for being fake. She's extremely lucky that the reformists had control; she's still alive."

"Wow. That's impressive. Were these booklets mandated by the council, or the Foreign Affairs Department?"

"I'm not entirely sure," he confessed. "They're given to every Kerlian who is given an exit permit, I'm not sure when this began or why. This is my first time being allowed to leave Kerlile. In fact, I'm the first male Kerlian citizen to legally leave Kerlile since 1960."

"Christ. That's an accomplishment. Are you enjoying Laeral so far?"

"It's strange," Finlay admitted. "The world is so much larger than I thought it ever could be." He looked at his watch. "They'll be suspicious if I'm out much longer."

"Well, thanks for talking. Also, tell your cousin that if she needs help reforming Kerlile... We'll be ready to assist."

"I will be sure to tell her," Finlay agreed, then added, "provided we can find a room that is definitely not bugged!"

"Thanks. Well, I hope that you're right about Kerlile reforming. We'll be watching carefully."

"I'm sure you will. Thank you for the coffee," Finlay said, nodding towards Alice, then he left, heading back to where the rest of the Kerlian delegation would be, hoping they hadn't discovered him speaking to Eirians.

Alice sat back, contemplating the conversation she had just had. Lieutenant Desar entered the room as soon as Finley had left, examining it carefully. Alice chuckled. "He's a diplomat, not a Kerlian spy. Though I must admit, that would be excellent cover if he was." Desar didn't comment on that, and finished her examination before she spoke. "It's my job not to trust anyone. And I was mainly worried for him, not you. You're more intimidating than I am, and that's literally part my job." Alice smiled. "Diplomacy is just a lethal blend of Courtesy and Intimidation." She sighed. "Truth is, I feel bad for him. God I hope he's right about Kerlile reforming. Otherwise I don't think he'll last long."