Aanya had set the time for meeting Yatende Otane. The morning of October 6th, they met on the broadest part of the Breach.
Duren's crown guard had brought out a tent, a table and a few chairs.
"Prime Legate Janai, Vocant Otane, thank you for coming", Aanya said and bowed, a perfect 45 degree angle at her hip.
"Madame", the Golden Knight greeted, saluting her.
"Excellence", Otane replied flatly, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
Aanya immediately didn't like him. He seemed haughty, self-important. Unlike Janai, he didn't appreciate her learning about his culture enough to greet him properly and hadn't even returned the gesture.
"Let's sit", Otane said, gesturing at her chairs and her table.
Oh wow. He was conceited, too!
After they had seated themselves, Aanya started. "I have some news that won't make anyone here happy. Ezran, King of Katolis, has been abducted by rebels. We're not sure if he's still alive."
Janai frowned. "Otane, he is the monarch I told you about, our main contact and peace keeper."
"We are all involved in this project, but Ezran certainly has had the loudest voice so far", Aanya said, Janai's phrasing annoying her somewhat, "Obviously we are doing everything in our power to find the perpetrators"
"What of General Amaya?", Janai asked with obvious interest, then quickly added, "... and the rest of the king's entourage?"
"We have not heard of them. The Katolin crown guard did not return at full strength but their bodies were not among the fallen."
"This is a problem. Luckily, I have a simple message; Status Quo", Otane said bluntly, winning him the first points in Aanya's book, "I will warn you, however. Janai and I are assuming that we will encounter resistance on the Xadian side, soon. As I understand you had a similar problem. I am afraid our conundrums' solutions would indeed be the same. If we cannot convince our more bellicose allies to stand down, we must follow them into battle, if reluctantly. Anything else would result in civil war."
Aanya nodded grimmly. "I appreciate your situation, Vocant, I myself have had to deal with the realities of such conflict. As such, I would find it impossible to blame you for choosing to attack us."
Yatende Otane clapped his hands together. "Well, I am positively flabbergasted, Madame. I hadn't expected such majestic gestures from someone your size."
A wry grin spread on Aanya's face. "Amusing, I was just about to say the opposite about you, Vocant."
The sky elf frowned, a gruff smile curling his lips. "Ah, splendid candor! I've often been called rude, Madame, it is my way of life. The freedom to choose my words and actions without the impediments of manners has gotten me far."
"I've found manners are a tool. One I've learned to use when I feel it necessary", Aanya said with some reprimand.
"Oh, I sense the wagging of fingers in your words! Let me wag back, then! I have indeed noticed your bow, but chose not to comment on it. It's the best I could do. Unprompted appropriation of my culture annoys me."
Aanya sat back, sheepish realization spreading on her face. "I apologise, I meant no offense. I thought it would be proper to greet you in a way you're accustomed to."
"A proper greeting for another skywing, perhaps, but humans have their own rituals, do they not?"
Now seeming excited, he blinked at her.
"We do… generally shake hands?", Aanya offered.
She rose and extended her right across the table. Otane rose and shook it side to side before Janai corrected him.
"An odd tradition! It requires rather intimate touch!", he said, enthusiastically looking between the two women.
When they sat back down, Aanya waved her aching hand. "It is a gesture that evolved early in our society, Vocant. It's meant to show your empty sword hand."
"Ohhhhh", the Prime Legate's eyebrows shot into his hairline, "A gesture with diplomatic utility, then! Bravo! May I ask, is human skin generally as… yes, Janai?"
Janai had cleared her throat, a rather large, reprimanding smile spreading across her face.
Her colleague looked at her, then nodded sheepishly.
"Yes I see your point. Forgive me, Madame, I am a scientist at heart."
"There's nothing to apologise for. I much prefer your curiosity over subterfuge and talk of battle. Nevertheless; The bannerman of Del Bar, Minister Arcanus Solveig, wishes to submit to you a threat."
She pulled out a letter, and slid it across the table. "You will forgive me if I don't read out his words. I'd feel wrong hearing them spoken in my own voice."
"You may be forgiven, Excellence", Jaina said, frowning at the letter, "Can we expect their continuing co-operation?"
"Del Bar's hands are bound for now. Unlike Jorge de Peverell, who has stood his forces down, King Florian isn't an idiot who would take action by himself. Katolis is currently being led by a council of four in the name of King Ezran. They have expressed no plans to change their stance. Oh! That reminds me. We are under the impression that you have technology that might enable us to send a message to Prince Callum. We'd like to ask him to return to assume the throne."
Janai nodded. "I will supply a qualified shooter with an arrow. Please note that they don't come in exhaustive supply and we won't be able to spare many. Do you know the prince personally?"
"No"
"It would have to be someone who has a personal bond with him, someone he trusts. Family. Friends. Colleagues."
The Queen puzzled, tapping her index to her lower lip. "This is a problematic limitation. The inner circle of the Katolin Royal Banner is either at the Twin Towers or, as I said, abducted or dead. Hm. Would a crown guard suffice? How do your units communicate with your commanders?"
Janai and Otane exchanged wary glances.
"Oh. Of course, I won't pry, sorry.", Aanya said, realizing her mistake. Obviously that would be a military secret.
Otane sighed, then shrugged, "Unless the crown guard was allowed to share a secret with Prince Callum, I do not believe it would work. We train so-called Noticars. They are soldiers, sworn in and entrusted with minor personal secrets by our leaders to serve as endpoints for their communications. A tightly-knit bunch, these people. Elite beyond description, with egos to boot."
Aanya's expression brightened very slightly.
"Thank you for sharing that with me. I too, am a scientist at heart", the new discovery's high lasted for a second, then her mien sagged, "So we will have to find a personal friend of his. Hm. For now; How long do you think we have until we can expect to be met with Xadian resistance?"
Janai thought for a moment, then said, "It's hard to say. So far our communications have been very scarce. We reported that there was a battle that wiped out much of our forces. That's the last message we sent."
Otane added, "The most recent message we've received yesterday. It was a report on a skirmish with bounty hunters in the interior, leaving a platoon of my Milites and some of the Senate's Canon Guard dead. I fully expect to hear of this more once our lagging friend, Tribune Lessa, catches up to us."
Janai nodded in his direction, then said "Sol Regem will have relayed the full story at this point, at least to the Assembly in Tiram-Veltis. Guessing, I'd say we have about two weeks before another legion can be mustered and sent to the front."
"It is Veltis-Tiram, Janai, is it not?", Otane said, puzzled.
At this the sun elf groaned loudly. "Augh, whatever! Let the dunkers and twiblighters sort it out!"