A Letter from Runewick

[Cartaphilus]

A raven descended from the clear skies over Cadomyr and perched on the balcony of Villa Annabeth, heralding its arrival with loud crowing.
Should its call have summoned one of the villa's inhabitants, they would have found the corvine messenger bearing a letter, sealed with the crest of Runewick.
Having delivered its master's message one way or another, the raven spread its black pinions and took off to return whence it came.

alutations to Cadomyr
We took note that Her Majesty The Queen's vassals, the plaintiffs in the case against Orion Lysander of Runewick,
claim to have been aggrieved by our Academic Council's court during Lysander's trial.

Therefore, I, Runewick's ambassador to the Kingdom of Cadomyr, wish for an audience at Her Majesty's royal court,
to address the grievances raised in Countess Brightrim's decree, and to parley with her on the sanctions which she had imposed as a consequence.

We trust that Her Majesty in Her wisdom and benevolence shares our wish to mend our realms' relations to the benefit of Her subjects and our citizens.

Signed,

Ambassador of Runewick to Cadomyr

[Katharina Brightrim]

The letter soon gets publicly pinned ((why even write it "privately" to Kat, when you just put it out on the forum, though?)) to the town board along with a reply message.

Dear new ambassador,

I am afraid you are neither personally familiar with the case in question nor with the Cadomyrian hierarchy. So let me clarify some things:

I would like to point out that you are in no position to demand an audience at the Royal Court. Ever since your appointment, I have waited to hear from you - be it in person or in a letter. It's a show of bad taste to make the first contact in your new role as ambassador to be a farfetched demand instead of an introduction.

Despite this clear show of disrespect, I will make your letter public so that nobody can say I am withholding information. I have yet to officially brief Her Majesty about this demand, but I am sure that she shares my concern for her subjects, who were repeatedly threatened and even attacked by Runewickian citizen, leading to the current situation. As long as there are not guarantees that these things do not repeat - or at least do not repeat unpunished - there is no base to "parley" on. The sanctions against Runewickians were a mere reaction to Runewickian failures, not a provocation nor an attack.

The consequences the audacity you call a trial had for the Cadomyrian-Runewickian relationships are public knowledge and the announcements from back then are openly accessible. If her Majesty had an issue with how things were handled, I can assure you and any other reader that she would have stepped in long ago. Instead, she confirmed her support for the course of action I have taken. Cadomyr strongly rejects any Runewickian attempt to meddle with our internal politics and I, personally, strongly reject the idea that a Runewickian ambassador can demand a Royal Court meeting. However, knowing my place in our hierarchy, I will obviously be available for a potential Royal Court, should her Majesty decide to take things out of my and into her own hands. However, I advice strongly and openly against debating the matter on the terms of the aggressors in this conflict.

Despite the aforementioned concerns, I am looking forward to meet you and actually put a face to the demands.

May Cadomyr forever prosper
Irmas 07th 73

Countess of House Desert Fox

[Asphy]

On her way back from the tournament, Asphyxine took the opportunity to make a short detour to Cadomyr. After taking a good look at what the tailor had to offer at the market, she walked around a little and noticed the town's notice board, which she looked at curiously. After all, she had hardly any experience of this town and only knew a few of its inhabitants.
Next to some yellowed letters with invitations on them, she noticed a freshly written parchment with a seal on it.
After Asphyxine began to read it, her mouth opened in astonishment. She shook her head slightly and seemed to read the letter a second time. Then she lifted the parchment and discovered another parchment with a seal from Runewick behind it.
She recognized the letter Cartaphilus had shown her.
"But this is the answer ... why is it hanging here?" she said aloud.

The day before the tournament, Cartaphilus remarked to her that he had not yet received an answer from Cadomyr. "No wonder if its’s hanging here," she thought to herself.
She hadn't been able to listen to the whole conversation between Sir S'rrt and Cartaphilus days ago because Aswe, of all people, wanted to speak to her in person.
By the time she returned, the friendly tone between the two had become a little more definite and they finally both took their positions. It was about the letter from Cartaphilus and how Cadomyr would take it.
Asphyxine did not know what reaction to expect, but she did not expect such a reaction from the countess. Sir S'rrt seemed to have known that this would happen, so he tried almost desperately to change Cartaphilus' mind. Asphyxine trusted Cartaphilus, after all, she had suggested him as a diplomat. This answer would probably be a completely new experience for him too.
Asphy took the countess's reply from the board and left Cartaphilus's letter hanging. Then she set off for Runewick.
When she arrived in Runewick, she immediately sought out Cartaphilus as well, while handing him the rolled up parchment she said: "Now I am no longer surprised why nothing has changed in the relationship between the towns".

((Surely Cartaphilus should get the answer somehow?))

[Cartaphilus]

((On the question of why I wrote "privately" to Kat, when I just put it out on the forum: From what I see on the forum, it is not uncommon in Illarion to post characters' "private" writings publicly, such as diary entries or letters, presumably to allow other POs insight into ongoing RPs, even if they aren't directly involved themselves. Such public insight seems in particular relevant to RP which affects inter-realm politics, not the least to show that there's still some movement in the currently rather lethargic RP-climate. I also chose not to directly write to Katharina, as to allow other Cadomyrians to react to it through RP, had they wished to do so. Since Cartaphilus is not the type of character who would personally come to nail a message to Cadomyr's town board, having the letter be dropped off at Villa Annabeth, where any character of or mingling with House Desert Fox had the chance to pick it up, seemed like the most inclusive choice.))

"You found this parchment addressed to me on their announcement board? Peculiar that 'twas not sent to me. Perchance they have no carrier birds nor messengers," Cartaphilus mused as Asphyxine handed him the letter which she had brought with her from Cadomyr. He unfurled the parchment and read through Countess Brightrim's response. As if to make sure that his eyes did not deceive him, he carefully read it a second time, before setting it aside with a furrowed brow.
"Demands? Meddle in internal politics? One could believe the Countess had read an altogether different letter from mine. It seems the reputation which precedes her is not unfounded, then," he remarked tersely, and dipped his quill in its inkwell to pen his response, which soon would be dropped off by his raven at Villa Annabeth.

ear Lady Brightrim
I am honoured to read that you look forward to making my acquaintance. The feeling is mutual, and preparations are well under way for our embassage's visit to Cadomyr, where I shall adequately introduce myself to you in person.

Unfortunately, it seems some of my words were misread as "demands." I thus clarify that I didn't nor would ever dare to make demands to Her Majesty or Her Royal Court, as reading my letter should evidence, nor do I intend to intrude myself into Cadomyr's internal affairs.

I am inconsolable to learn that my humble wish to be granted audience before Her Majesty The Queen, to pay my obeisance as Runewick's emissary to Her, is deemed such an affront in your kingdom. You are right in your observation that I am still unfamiliar with your people's customs, and it was presumptuous of me to assume that the common diplomatic etiquette of emissaries paying their respects to their gracious host, the monarch, is also practised in Cadomyr. If such an arrangement is deemed inappropriate in your realm, or if Her Majesty should be indisposed, I shall oblige to whichever arrangement my host prefers.

Signed,

Ambassador of Runewick to Cadomyr

[Katharina Brightrim]

A letter gets delivered to the Runewickian office.

Dear Ambassador Cartaphilus,

I would like to invite you officially to a meeting in Villa Annabeth at the first of Adras around three hours after noon. ((This sunday around 21:00)).

Please let me know whether this appointment is acceptable for you.

May Cadomyr forever prosper
Olos 15th 73

Countess of House Desert Fox

[Cartaphilus]

A by now familiar black bird delivers a letter.

ear Lady Brightrim
I appreciate and accept your gracious invitation.
Our embassage will prepare forthwith to arrive at your residence on the 1st of Adras.
May our parley profit both our realms.

Signed,

Ambassador of Runewick to Cadomyr

[Katharina Brightrim]

A letter gets delivered to the Runewickian office.

Dear Ambassador Cartaphilus,

In order to not prevent people from participating in Bernie's treasure hunt, I suggest to postpone the planned meeting to another day. ((I'd find it disrespectful towards the efforts of hosting an event, if parts of the small community met elsewhere during it. When I suggested this time, this event wasn't on the planner, so bit unfortunate, but I hope it's agreeable.))

May Cadomyr forever prosper
Olos 24th 73

Countess of House Desert Fox

[Cartaphilus]

A raven crows, announcing the delivery of a letter.

ear Lady Brightrim
Our embassy accepts the suggested postponement of our meeting, and shall wait for a more convenient date.
May Mr. Bottoms and his intrepid treasure hunters be blessed with bounteous spoils.

Signed,

Ambassador of Runewick to Cadomyr

[Cartaphilus]

A bright pillar of light pierced through the twilight of dusk, and from it emerged an old man draped in a dark cloak and bearing a wand, who approached Cadomyr's town gate under the ever scrutinising watch of Horatio Milenus, the gate guard. Recognising the visitor as Cartaphilus, the ambassador of Runewick, Horatio let him pass.

Cartaphilus made his way to Villa Annabeth, the windows of which were dark. His knock on the door remained, of course, unanswered, and a note pinned to the wall confirmed that the villa was, as Cartaphilus already knew, abandoned, much like House Desert Fox itself. To wait any longer for an invitation to this place would be in vain.

The ambassador returned to Horatio, and entrusted him with a sealed letter and the instruction to deliver it to his superiors. With nothing more left for Cartaphilus to do in Cadomyr, he raised his wand high and spoke with a firm voice: "Locus Itinerantur." Soon thereafter, the sorcerer vanished in a swirl of blue light.

"Disgusting mages with their books, incantations and spells," grumbled Horatio and summoned a messenger to deliver the letter to the royal palace.

o Her Royal Majesty, Queen Rosaline of Cadomyr
I, the ambassador of Runewick, pay my obeisance to You. I have learned with great regret that the former Countess Brightrim renounced her fealty to her rightful liege, Your Royal Majesty, and forsook the realm and responsibilities with which You had entrusted her. I have long waited for an audience with the former Countess to speak on the matter of our realms' diplomatic relations. Unfortunately, she never followed up on her invitation, and failed to nominate a successor who could continue her aristocratic duties after her departure, judging any potential heirs to her title unworthy.

Therefore, as ambassador of Runewick, I beseech Your Royal Majesty to invest one of Your faithful and deserving vassals with the authority to speak in Your name as representative of Cadomyr with whom envoys such as I may parley. I trust that, in Your Royal Majesty's wise judgement, You will elect from the ranks of Your loyal vassals a diplomat of great talent and virtue.

I shall wait patiently until Your Royal Majesty has made Your choice, and hope to hear soon of Cadomyr's new ambassador to Runewick.

Signed,

Ambassador of Runewick to Cadomyr