Gracing the Guttuli
Part 1: An Imperial Farewell
The day after Johan Anderion Avon-El Ayreon-Kalirion received his commission and order to go to the Guttuli Protectorate as Francia's ambassador there, Johan woke up early in the morning, shaved, and put on his best suit. Once dressed, he looked at his brand-new Frankish diplomatic passport on the desk. It felt so odd to have it. The only passport he had ever had was an Elwynnese passport, and although he had with him, it was no longer valid, as the Elwynnese prince – that evil man who wasn’t even Elwynnese, the bloody Norseman Frederik Truls – had by the stroke of a pen, removed Johan's citizenship.
This angered Johan immensely. He was an Elwynnese, first and foremost, but here he was, representing the Frankish monarchy and its government. That said, Francia was basically an extension of Elwynn too. Perhaps it would be reasonable to say, he thought, that Francia and Elwynn are two successor states to the old imperial state of Elwynn. Francia had Empress Esther, the only daughter of Kaiseress Noor (an Elwynnese kaiseress) and King Noah (the Storish-born Elwynnese king). And Empress Esther, in her regality and elegance, was now the Regent of Francia. What powers this bestowed on her, Johan was unsure, but he had been told to report to the Emperor nonetheless. This was of course the same Emperor who kindly housed Johan in Schloss Norfae when the Second Amokolian War broke out – Johan had had some terribly bad luck going on a hiking trip in western Amokolia just a few days before the war broke out. Ah yes, the Emperor could have easily jailed him as an enemy prisoner of war, Johan still had his UDF commission back then. But the Emperor didn’t – Johan was truly in his debt.
And as it would happen, the Emperor and the Empress invited Johan for breakfast that morning. Once arrived at the Jess Palace where their Majesties received him, Johan felt unable to look the Imperial Couple in their eyes – despite Johan's imperial blood in his veins, despite being related to the Kaisers and Shahs of old, he felt he was far below their station. Especially when he glanced upon the beauty of the Empress. How could the Shirerithians have forced her and her family out? Someone as beautiful as her can surely bring no evil around her. It was clear why the Emperor had become enamoured with her, and truly and selflessly championed the Froyalanish cause as the only country on Benacia – against all diplomatic pragmatism, the Emperor's choices made him ooze of honour, duty, and ethics.
Johan was in awe.
The Emperor and Empress served Johan some tea, toast and Alalehzamini desert-berry marmalade – it was quite an Elwynnese breakfast. Perhaps the Empress had, after all, despite her exile in Stormark, managed to preserve some Elwynnese traditions.
"But, your Majesty," he could not help but ask, "how did you manage to procure the desert-berry marmalade?"
"A lady never tells!" the Empress chirped back. And Johan dared not the press the issue further.
"But", she interjected, "I can say that the marmalade was made only a few days ago by some of my ladies in waiting. This is the first time we try it. Isn't it just lovely?"
"Oh yes, milady. The only sad thing is that it makes me miss the land of my birth."
“Oh I know, your Imperial Highness, I miss it too, terribly so” – it was odd that the Empress would style him as imperial highness, but after all, he was no longer in republican Elwynn, he was in a monarchy where titles and royal blood mattered, where he should be proud of his excellent stock and blue pure blood. He hadn’t been titled imperial highness since his teenage years when he was a nobleman in Shireroth. Then suddenly, upon Elwynnese independence, he had become Mr Avon-El as he decided to shorten his surname for most purposes from the awfully long Avon-El Ayreon-Kalirion.
"It is time," the Emperor said.
"I understand, your Majesty," replied Johan, and stood up. He made the sign of the oath with his fingers, and spoke in a loud voice directed at his emperor and empress:
"Ich schwöre diesen Eid, daß ich meinem Kaiser und Kaiserin allzeit treu und redlich dienen und als tapferer und gehorsamer Soldat bereit sein will, jederzeit für diesen Eid mein Leben einzusetzen."
"Thank you for your devotion and service," was the Emperor's reply.
Johan then kissed his hosts' hands and was escorted out to a waiting limousine outside. It drove him quickly to Brandenburg's smaller airport, where a small jet took him on, and flew him to Corrigible, where the next part of his journey would begin.
