Welcome!!! THE DUCHY OF NORMANDY You are in the capital at Rouen. You may present yourself in the Norman Court and seek audience with our faction leaders, Duke Richard and Duchess Matilda. You may also like to meet our younger leaders--Prince Robert (30), Prince William (25) and Princess Godiva (20). Our Palace
A rugged man enters the Court. He seeks an audience with Duke Richard. After being warmly welcomed inside, he presents himself: "Noble one, I bring word from the East. From the plains and mountains north of Danubius! We, les grand Wallachians, propose an alliance, joined obviously by a trade agreement." The ambassador spots Princess Godiva, and is charmed by her beauty. "Noble Richard, I suppose this is your youngest daughter we have heard so much about?" He then whispers to the Duke's ear. "Kirilion's son is looking for a bride. Maybe...maybe we can tighten our alliance even more..."
Matilda is very, very pleased. "Noble ambassador! You have just said what we were having in our minds......" (She is sitting so close that she can hear the whisper). The Duke says, "We agree to all your terms, trade, alliance and yes...this marriage! But, you must remember, Godiva is a warrior. If you like, she can command your armies after her marriage, or she can stay here after her marriage and continue fulfilling her duties here. She is already leading our armies in France, taking more lands for us." "Also, Robert and William are also looking for brides.....in case you can suggest someone (coughs)."
"Bloody hell! I am so happy that you have agreed! There are many noble ladies at our court, like Kirilion's cousin: Fae. However, they might not be warrior enough for their tastes. As for Godiva, we shall arrange the marriage soon and after it she can stay in France as long as she offers us a heir." OOC: I shall announce our agreement.
"Great! It is all settled then! We look forward to the wedding celebrations! Havent had one in in a long time!" Matilda adds, "Fae looks good enough for Robert....and dont worry, once she comes here her husband will turn her into a warrior.....so lets have too marriages instead! Are you agreed?"
"It is just perfect!"
"Lets celebrate! Two wedding feasts! We would have thanked God had we believed in one!"
"Oh. But this is most unfortunate! We must also do the religious ceremonies! Both for formality and our people."
"Ok, lets do it this way. We perform the marriage feasts and the ceremony twice. Here, we will do it our way--the atheist Norman style (couples are required to sign the register in the Matrimonial Registration Office) and then, the couples can go to Wallachia and perform the religious ceremonies as you require. How does that sound?"
"More than suitable." The ambassador takes his phrigian hat off. "Glad to have negotiated with you, Milord and Milady! I will now return to my homeland." He leaves and steals a bottle of wine on his way.
Maria of Portugal arrives in Rouen, after an exhausting journey, especially for her litter-bearers. She thanks the Norman authorities for the Varangian mercenaries, whose battleaxes have been proven rather efficient at cutting Moroccan ears and asks if she could have an audience with someone responsible for the foreign affairs of Normandy, in order to ask a question and present her gifts to the royal family.
Countess Emma de Elegance arrives to meet Maria. She gracefully accepts her thanks and asks whether she has had a good welcome and has been able to overcome their fatigue (especially the litter-bearers). She says, "I am in-charge of the foreign affairs and for receiving foreign dignitaries. It will be pleasure to serve you. How may I be of assistance to you?" She wonders whether the gifts include Morroccan ears, for the Museum Curator Lovere de Antique would have a fit if he doesnt get them.....all the hard work he put in for the Actual Really Gross Moroccan Ears Section (To be Inaugurated).
"Oh, don't worry about me, I am used to long journeys and I am sure that the litter-bearers will get used to my elegant physique. About the gifts, we, the Kingdom of Porrtugal, offer you a tutorial made by Dartho de Vadera, instructing you on how to mod the abomination called ETW. We suggest that you mod the useless faction of Netherlands, turning it to something noble, like the Duchy of Normandy. Then we have a blue-blood pair of ears, borrowed from the last Morrocan emir that dared to resist our Varangian Guard and finally, a Brazilian lifeguard, specialized in saving horses, ponies, donkeys, camels and llamas from drowning. Finally, King Ferdinand IV the Furious wonders if the Duchy of Normandy intends to expand on the Iberian Penninsula. He thinks that the Pyrenees will make an excellent border between our two prosperous realms. C'est tout."
"Finally, we get our Moroccan Ears. and blue-blooded ones at that! (I can imagine de Antique jumping up with joy!) We accept your gifts, most humbly. That Lifeguard was quite a necessity, so many casualties in the English Channel.....people just cant swim properly here. Yes, we do want territories south of the Pyrenees....we can however surrender them to you in case of an exchange....you give us equal regions in the americas!"
"Hmm, interesting proposal, m'lady. However, when you say America, do you mean the Amazonian jungles, full of mosqitoes thirsty for European blood, or the Alaskan glaciers, full of seals hungry for Euopeans in general?"
"Anything. Any place from where we can continue conquering.....we like to show those mosquitoes and seals that we are not the kind of Europeans they should be targeting!"
"Hmm, what about a counter-offer? Would you like to give you all our regions in Asia (also promising that we won't expand anywhere near Indonesia), in exchange for every region in the Iberian Penninsula you currently control and a promise that you won't expand south of the Pyrenees?"
Emma excuses herself and takes the proposal to the Duchess. Meanwhile, Maria is treated to a good dose of Norman hospitality--food, drink and entertainment. Emma returns and begins the discussion with Maria. "We agree to your proposal, but you appear to have only two regions in Asia, if our Map Deptt had got it right. In case we have more regions through conquest in Spain, how are we to exchange the remaining ones? "
"According to the current map of Spartan, you have exactly two regions, so it's a perfect match. So, do you agree with the proposal?"
"Sure. Agreed! We will hand over the regions once you do."
