francel de haillenarte (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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gurabad2020-03-08 08:16 pm
haillenarte) wrote in gurabad2020-03-08 08:16 pm
Entry tags:
075 » one night and one more time
[the decision to have lord francel meet with the garlean ambassador is a conflicted thing at best.
the only reason he is chosen, in truth, is that captain portelaine down at the observatorium abstained from the duty. the man is hard-edged and hard-nosed, but given his ties through house durendaire to lord drillemont at whitebrim front, many believed that he would be best-suited to a seat at the garlean peace talks. strangely, however, he demurred at the opportunity. i have worked with the scions before, he confessed over their long table, their cheap wine, but what is good for the scions is not necessarily what is good for ishgard. nay, my thoughts would be compromised. we must needs choose another.
lord drillemont declined for much the same reasons. i know little and less of the imperials, he had murmured, stroking his beard. i am of the mind to refuse their entreaties, given ishgard's new ties to the eorzean alliance, but it would not be meet to refuse them. lord francel, have you not made contact with these garleans through their activities near monument tower?
it would have been lovely to hear haurchefant's opinion, francel thinks. but of course, he wasn't there.
haurchefant is dead.]
the only reason he is chosen, in truth, is that captain portelaine down at the observatorium abstained from the duty. the man is hard-edged and hard-nosed, but given his ties through house durendaire to lord drillemont at whitebrim front, many believed that he would be best-suited to a seat at the garlean peace talks. strangely, however, he demurred at the opportunity. i have worked with the scions before, he confessed over their long table, their cheap wine, but what is good for the scions is not necessarily what is good for ishgard. nay, my thoughts would be compromised. we must needs choose another.
lord drillemont declined for much the same reasons. i know little and less of the imperials, he had murmured, stroking his beard. i am of the mind to refuse their entreaties, given ishgard's new ties to the eorzean alliance, but it would not be meet to refuse them. lord francel, have you not made contact with these garleans through their activities near monument tower?
it would have been lovely to hear haurchefant's opinion, francel thinks. but of course, he wasn't there.
haurchefant is dead.]
no subject
let him kill me. there is nothing left to live for.
it occurs to francel, though, as he waits at the long oak table inside of the intercessory, that asahi is a strange name for an imperial. asahi sas brutus. he has heard that the imperials conscript those they conquer into their army — this asahi, then, must be a conscript from the far east. some fierce doman samurai, perhaps.
so he is surprised — though not overly so — when the garlean ambassador to come striding in past the heavy wooden doors is indeed a hyuran man of doman descent, though... one who looks more like a boy than any fierce samurai.]
Oh... I bid you welcome to Ishgard. Asahi sas Brutus, I presume?
[francel isn't one to talk. tall and gangly as he may be, he, too, wears the face of a much younger man.]
no subject
Which might not seem like much praise, for sure. But considering how not even a single one of the realms he had visited during his time serving in Garlean army managed to leave any kind of lasting impression on him, this might have even meant something. Rejoice, Ishgardians, for you have been granted a bit of approval from Asahi sas Brutus.
It was far away from perfection, there was no doubt about that. Nothing that could be done here, no place was perfect. Except maybe the capital. Only when Lord Zenos was there, of course. Otherwise it was just acceptable, at most. It was the presence of Lord Zenos what made just any place better, even Doma. Doma with Lord Zenos was almost bearable. Almost did not deserve to be swept off the surface of this star.
Sure, Ishgard was colder than Asahi’s homeland made him used to, but it did not disturb him. Ilsabard was a rather chilly place as well and Asahi would rather let himself freeze to death than admit any kind of weakness connecting him to these godforsaken Othardian lands.]
That is correct. I am honored to be here today as the ambassador to the Garlean Empire.Lord Francel de Haillenarte, is that correct? My pleasure.
[He could see the barely concealed hint of surprise in the Elezen man’s eyes when he introduced himself as the ambassador. Nothing new or particularly surprising. Among pureblooded Garleans, as a Midlander Hyur, Asahi also gave the impression of small and petite man, almost a boy. However, many of these Garleans have sorely regretted underestimating him and the same shall apply to these Elezen.]
ty for waiting!
[the elezen man's surprise soon resolves itself. be he doman or not, the man before him has been presented as a garlean ambassador, and should therefore be treated as such.
though he is already seated at the table, francel gestures for asahi to take the chair across from his own, which is thoughtfully located closer to the fire. his expression remains calm, but polite; foolish or naive as it may be, he does not seem inclined to hold asahi in hostile regard over the matter of his nation or birthright.]
'Twas bitterly cold, no doubt — unless you are accustomed to such temperatures? I confess, I know little and less of the natural weather patterns in Garlemald. Nevertheless, you are most welcome to seat yourself by the fire if you wish it. I could ask for a glass of warmwine on your behalf. Or, if you would prefer to abstain from drink, Medguistl makes a fine mug of hot chocolate.
no subject
He would find out, sooner or later.]
Thank you for your kind offer. I am, thankfully, able to handle the cold rather well, thanks to my time in the Imperial Capital. The land of Northern Ilsabard has a climate not unlike your homeland. However, I shall be taking you up on your generous offer of a glass of wine regardless.
[He moves closer to the fireplace.
Just because the cold is something Asahi has become more or less accustomed to and can handle does not mean that he is particularly fond of it. Was there any soul out there truly fond of the cold itself, he wondered? If they existed, it must have been the Hrothgar from the east. Asahi never paid much attention to them. Awareness of their existence was enough.]
So, pray tell me, Lord Haillenarte, how fares Ishgard in these difficult times?
[A question that sounds innocent enough]
no subject
[ishgard has chosen a strange representative for these negotiations. despite the fact that the young lord is, indeed, a son of a high house by birth, he does not call for a servant, and instead rises from his seat personally to speak with the guards stationed at the door. "might i trouble you for a bottle of wine for our guest?"
one guardsman demurs. "lord francel, i cannot in good conscience leave my post. if aught were to befall you..."
but the young elezen man persists. "i will be fine," he assures the cautious soldier. "your fellow can remain stationed here while you run to the kitchen for a spell. none will justly say that you left me unguarded, i promise you this."
after a pause — the guardsman's response is indistinct — francel seems to resolve the matter, and closes the heavy wooden door.]
Where were we? Ah, yes... Ishgard.
[he walks back to his seat, folding his hands upon the tabletop. looks into asahi's dark eyes. his own gaze is ingenuous.]
...It is what it is, I suppose. Ours was ever a country at war. And now that we are no longer at war, we struggle to identify what defines us. Our people long for peace and yet know not how to live with it.
[he purses his lips, and then, in a conciliatory tone that suggests he is reaching for conversation, asks:]
Garlemald, too, is a nation of eternal war, is it not?
no subject
He glances in the direction of the soldiers Francel was talking to. As he assumed, the way Francel was handling this meeting most likely was not the typical Ishgardian practice. Francel did not seem like typical Ishgardian noble. Why was he the one sent to meet Asahi? ]
Garlemald has, without a doubt, seen enough war and carnage during the past few decades to last her people a few centuries. However, it is my greatest hope that it brings forth a new era of peace, just like your homeland was able to do.
[Under Lord Zenos, he would love to add. But he is here as an ambassador of the Empire and the current ruler who he is representing is emperor Varis zos Galvus]
Growing up in a country engulfed by flames of war, I suppose we have that in common, don’t you agree, Lord Francel?
no subject
[francel closes his eyes for a time — a moment's silence and respect, perhaps, for the dead. is he naive? that much seems difficult to tell. he certainly acts without regard for his personal safety — but it might be closer to the truth to say that he is no longer attached to his life than to say that he acts without forethought. he lets out a thin sigh from between his lips.]
...Naturally, it has not escaped Ishgard's notice that Garlemald has, thus far, been the instigator of its conflicts.
[he opens his eyes again, fixing asahi with a steady gaze.]
This talk of peace betwixt Garlemald and Ishgard, Asahi... I would like to believe in it. But what guarantee have we that it is genuine? That Garlemald does not look upon Ishgard's spires and see it as another band of Eorzean savages to be conquered?
no subject
My deepest apologies, Lord Francel. ‘Tis only natural that you, as a man of Ishgard, would be wary of placing your trust in the words of a Garlean ambassador. However, rest assured as I have no intention of deceiving you or insulting your homeland in any way.
[Asahi pauses for a bit, then gives Francel another look. His smile is much more visible this time, if a bit joyless.]
Though I do understand why you would think its methods to be on the extreme side, the Empire’s conflicts are only fought to ensure the safety of the citizens under the threat posed by eikons. Moving on to the next part of your question... Francel, are you familiar with the recent history of Doma?
[He drops a bit of the formality and there is some genuine emotion in his voice now]
no subject
I am as acquainted with it as any man of Ishgard might be, I suppose. Which is to say... the affairs of nations beyond our borders have admittedly not been to our interest. From what I understand, however, Doma has been ruled by Garlemald for the past twenty-five years. The last king of Doma, Kaien Rijin, spearheaded a recent rebellion, but the effort failed.
[francel speaks modestly enough, claiming no special intelligence, but the truth of it is that he has just cleanly demonstrated that he knows far more than the average ishgardian would know of far eastern politics. nevertheless, he maintains his air of cautious curiosity, staring thoughtfully into asahi's dark eyes.]
...Have I the right of it?
no subject
I see that Ishgard is hardly a nation to be taken lightly, if that is the level of historical knowledge just any son of Ishgard is able to present and after claiming that it is not something Ishgardians take an interest with. Especially when it concerns a nation that is no more.
[He smiles and gestures towards the Elezen]
Would you not agree, Francel, that considering this history of war, the annexation of Doma by the Empire is the best what could have happened to her and a step on the way for peace?
no subject
moreover...]
That... seems a unique position to take. It may very well be as you say, Asahi, that perhaps Doma will be more prosperous under Garlean rule than it ever could have been on its own. But that is small comfort to the people of Ishgard, who object to Garlean aggression on its own grounds.
[he folds his hands against the table, resolute.]
What am I to say to those who predict a Garlean invasion on the horizon?
no subject
However, Asahi was an ambassador. A diplomat. Quite good at his role, if anyone was asking. His position was not to speak his mind freely. Especially when his views were so, ah, unorthodox]
Francel, I know you are a man of great patriotism and love for your homeland. But allow me this one question... Would you say that at any point of your life you had the chance to do something... obtain something you wanted... but being the son of Ishgard made it impossible?
[There are things good Ishgardians aren’t allowed to wish for, aren’t there?]
And I assure you, Garlemald always sees invasion as a last resort solution. Is that not precisely what peace talks are for?
no subject
...Indeed, you speak true. I cannot deny that in some other life I might have been content to be a bard... perhaps a scholar... perhaps merely a meager librarian.
[he smiles briefly, but it's a conflicted thing at best.]
Still, I was born the youngest son of a High House. And so it falls to me to assume the position my birthright affords me. Is the same not true of you?