Ti Linnad

"Greetings, King Tälir. I hope for the success of these negotiations."

Tälir responds with a polite bow, "As do I, Premier."

N̨amodl gives the best bow he can manage, struggling with the absurd robes he is trying to get just right before the empress arrives.


Avakonia

"I will grant that your incursions have been met with fortune thus far, King Tälir of Hüpägh, Lord of D̨vatla, Guardian of Gakhus, Warden of Tipëzvär..."

Several of the handful of nobles gathered around the D̨vatlan nobles exchange confused glances, N̨amodl gives a derisive snort, and Tälir raises an eyebrow slightly at the unorthodox list of titles granted to him.

"...You would do well to note, though, that our allies are no longer distracted by civil war. My daughter entreats with the Inyoni queen to provide us with aid against our mutual foe in the south, whose rampage you enable for your own ends. You tell me to save my people, whilst you trample roughshod over their homes with little purpose beyond conquest for its own sake. You tell me this while a whimpering, overdressed dog desecrates a burgled throne and insults my people with the presumption that he could ever rule them."

N̨amodl's eyes brighten noticeably at the insulting reference to him.

"I am willing to make peace, but we will not submit to you, and I shall not stand idly by while a coward and a fool desecrates the titles I bear. If you have terms for peace in mind, speak them openly, but I shall defend the honor of my ancestors. N̨amodl of D̨vatla, I challenge you to single combat..."

A look of pure, unexpected delight breaks out on N̨amodl's face, while Tälir's expression turns to horrified shock and he takes a step back, stunned.

"...wherein only death shall end the bout. If you are not the coward you appear, then you shall accept, and your life shall end with some shred of honor yet preserved. If you do not, then these talks will be at an end, I shall take my leave, return with fifteen thousand soldiers to take back what you have stolen, and dedicate the years I have left to becoming the undoing of all that your uncle and your cousins have worked for. Once you have both made decisions of your own, I will declare to you my own terms for the end of this war."

After a moment of confused silence from the D̨vatlans, D̨zur, the one calling himself King of Raesija, breaks out in riotous laughter. While Tälir is engaged in a rapid, quiet conversation with those around him, N̨amodl turns to his other companion and speaks dramatically in D̨vatlan, explaining the empress's words and eliciting some quickly stifled chuckles from the "king."

N̨amodl then turns back to the empress, whom he addresses, "Sëzi, we are here to discuss peace." Striking a particularly condescending tone, as if explaining something to a child, he continues, "This is not peace, sëzi. You do understand peace, yes? When you don't try to kill each other? I know such things may be difficult for such a brave and mighty warrior." His tone changes to mock thoughtfullness, "You know, they do say Dejan conquered the world simply because he forgot how not to fight people. Maybe it just runs in the blood?"

Tälir steps forward and interrupts N̨amodl, "Enough, cousin." He takes several more steps to place himself between the empress and the "emperor" as one of the nobles he spoke to quietly exits through a door behind the D̨vatlans. "This is unbecoming, sëzi. What maddness has possessed you? If you wish to make challenges and threats, then by all means return to your army and make your preparations. You speak of the Picians in the far south, accuse us of using them for our own ends. Are we here humans, or animals such as them? You make threats at peace talks and hold yourself better than animals who know nothing but hatred, wrath and hunger? You accuse us of 'enabling' the Picians for our own advantage. Am I not here to make peace? If I desired it, nothing would be simpler than to continue our war, to allow the Picians to rampage over your lands. But I am here, now, to make peace. If you desire not peace, then leave. And if age has so diminished your virtue that you cannot hold your wrath in check when faced with that behind me then I have naught but pity." N̨amodl slumps back into his throne with a self-satisfied snort. "I will not blame you for your theatrics, given our own. But shall we now set aside such games and focus on the matter at hand?"

"There will be no duel until peace terms have been agreed upon. Should you die, I would not have nothing to show for this meeting. And unless you are willing to accept complete, unconditional surrender in the event of your death, I can only imagine you will wish to reach some more favorable agreement first. Once I am satisfied, I will release my cousin from this order. At that point, if the two of you wish to act like spoiled children or starving dogs, then you may. But we will complete our purpose in being here first."

"[Region 17] will be ceded to D̨vatla. You will renounce, now and for all times, any claim you or your heirs may have to regions north of the Straits. We will sign a treaty declaring that D̨vatla will not interfere with affairs in Estensule and the Empire will not interfere with affairs in Inyaka and Regner. Trade will not, of course, violate this treaty, but intentional disruption of trade will. Thus, we will be free to negotiate trade with those in our banned continents, but not to undertake unilateral actions to circumvent the authority of local rulers in matters of trade. In addition, should Chieftess Feather be held by the empire or its vassals, now or in the future, she will be released, to freely go where she chooses. I assume she will have a ban placed upon her, and I will not deny you or yours the right to prevent her return to territory held by the empire or its vassals. But she will be free to go into exile wherever she desires."