Victoria-Kingdom of India Diplomacy

[Sabriel]

The Queen's voice went flat, "Yes, I'm very sure. Considering my army sits in their nation, and they beg my assistance for their hopes and dreams of reuniting their nation. Now. I am sure that Srijan would very much like to come and visit. It would be exceedingly good for relations between us. Do you understand?" There was a small creaking of metal as her wings shuffled and flexed.

[Markus Wilding]

"Compelling arguments, Your Majesty. As of this moment, King Karamchand is leading from the front in Maharashtra, but I am sure in the near future his schedule should allow for an official royal visit. I would be glad, upon my return to Visakhapatnam, to forward the King's itinerary to the Victorian foreign office. Is this acceptable to Your Highness, Queen Catherine al Victoria?"

[Sabriel]

A message was sent from Victoria inviting the King to join Catharine and Atieno at the Royal Towers to celebrate his victory in the reunification wars.

[Markus Wilding]

A message was sent back, indicating that King Karamchand would arrive in four days with select members of his personal staff to celebrate the end of the war.

[Sabriel]

Catharine was waiting for India’s King in her throne room. She sat, lounging, on her Throne of Salvation, one leg thrown carelessly over the arm. Her Royal Guard stood in a half-ring around her, their rifle’s resting against the ground, bayonets pointed in the air. When the King’s party was ushered in, the Inferno Queen rose. An aide attached her wings to her outfit, which was a deep red and gold, patterned after flames. The Queen’s wings spread wide, blocking the light behind her for a moment, before folding and settling. Her face was hidden by an ornate, articulated, golden mask.

Catharine Akinyi al Victoria stepped down from the dais her throne rested upon and took several steps toward her guests. Her wings spread and folded again and she spoke, her voice echoing from speakers hidden in the room, “I welcome you, King Karamchand. Would that it was under better circumstances. But perhaps fortune will yet turn to favour you.”

[Markus Wilding]

"It is certainly joyous to be here in Dar es Salaam," King Karamchand said, nodding. He wore the royal golden robes of the Indian monarchy, loose-fitting and with ornate jewelry that hung off his neck and earlobes, with an equally grand hat denoting his status as King of India. "I would like to think I am blessed by the Divines for giving me and my Kingdom such strength and prosperity to unify the realm. Unless, of course, Your Majesty has another offer of grace for my beloved Empire?"

[Sabriel]

Cathy’s laugh echoed through the room. “I think we can expect Victoria to become involved in this little situation, yes. How involved… That will depend on what the communists do. But trust that I have already taken steps to tilt the balance of the conflict in your favour.”

She gestured to an aide, and a table and chairs were carried in. Cathy sat in her own chair and nodded to the King’s own. “Join me. It would be good to relax, yes? To, at least among monarchs, relieve ourselves of the burden of needing to wear the mask of command.”

[Markus Wilding]

"The mask of command is not the only mask you wear tonight, I see," King Karamchand noted as he took a seat. "Relaxing would be good for tonight, yes. The burden of leadership and command weighs heavily, but I imagine you are well familiar with that. A night away from military dispatches and the endless droning of television outlets and radios... what more could a man ask for?"

[Sabriel]

A message was sent to the Indian King, complete with the reports of the Indian Royal Army’s violence against civilians.

“I’m disappointed. I thought you were better than this. I was willing to give you leeway with Oman, because of what they did to your family. But Bangladesh has committed no such crimes against you. You could have been a saviour for your people, but instead this is what we get? Withdraw. Don’t make me step in.”

[Markus Wilding]

A similar message was sent back, showing the investigations of the Indian Royal Armed Forces that tracked the massacre to Iran.

"The Kingdom does not engage in lower-class elements of warfare. There is a snake in the garden, baiting us to strike."