04/09/2020 Snippet, KINGS AND MASKS.

I am simultaneously being both productive and bored, bored, bored.

…perhaps that frustration had begun to show, because the court had finally gotten to the point for his visit. And since they were being surprisingly opaque today, President Whitman decided that he could enjoy the luxury of clarity. Just to even it all out, you understand.

“You mean the Universal Dominion, Queen Damiana.” She was a majesty but she wasn’t his majesty and they were both heads of state. “The Republic has no quarrel with Dwarvenwood or Deseret. Nor with Kentucky or Greater Hershey. Quite the contrary. I tell you this, one friend to the other: those nations I just mentioned will be uniting together to push back the Dominion, once and for all. The Kingdom of Virginia should join us.”

“We are happy to hear you speak of Us still as friends, President Whitman,” said Queen Damiana, and she actually did seem happy to hear it. “But We do not seek this alliance, and We shall not counsel Parliament to pursue it. If hostile armies come to Us here, or seeks to directly threaten Our friends, We will of course defend the right. But We shall not begin a war with those of the west.”

“Forgive me for saying this, Queen Damiana,” said Whitman, “but you fought the Dominion yourself, two decades ago. Fought them and sent them back. With your aid we could do it again, only properly.”

The queen smiled, not quite thinly. “It was my father the King’s privilege to defend the Realm in those days, yes. But they came onto the soil of an old and trusted ally and demanded her head, heart, and life’s-blood. It is a joy to fight against such an enemy. And should they ever come onto your lands and demand the same, then be assured, President Whitman: We will as joyfully fight for you as my father did for the Great Wyrm of Philadelphia. But until then, We shall not join your alliance.” Queen Damiana visibly switched gears, and smiled again, a bit regretfully. “I will understand if this causes you to regret calling us your friends.”