Gaiseric paused before the great doors, he had not set foot in the hall since the pact's inauguration, it seemed a lifetime ago. What had started as a hopeful alliance between a few closely knit nations had grown and thrived into a continent-spanning alliance, but with its new reach had come all the dark temptations and dangers that power always brought. The Rayvostokan affair had been divisive, friends had quarrelled, ideologies thrown like bombs, and founding members given cause to leave the pact altogether. The hopeful child that was the luscova pact had grown now into an unruly youth and its growing pains were seemingly unceasing.
Despite this, Gaiseric still believed in the pact, he believed in the idea of an organization that could stand before the world and lift up struggling nations regardless of their politics. The pact could still be saved, its flaws mended and divisions healed, it just needed to focus and to move beyond the current ideological mayhem that was ruining any hope of sensible discussion. The Syrixians had opened old wounds, one had to wonder if it was done deliberately, they had used the very real pain of Prydania and Predice to try and turn the chamber into some sort of anti-Comintern mob. Gaiseric would need to pour water on their fire quickly, he would not allow vultures to pick apart the alliance he had helped build.
The great doors opened and he walked forward into the assembly chamber, taking a deep breath before he did so, he felt as though he was going into battle, and really? perhaps he was. He ascended the podium, taking care not to trip upon his cloak, and readied himself to speak. He took in the faces of the room, some friendly, others less so, the mood in the hall was sour and if knives had been present he suspected they would be drawn. Leaning forward he spoke
"Brother and Sister nations of the pact, I come before you today in an attempt to bridge our divisions, the year 2021 has seen us face unprecedented internal challenges. We have argued, passions have run high and compromise has not always been successful, the pact as I'm sure you all realize is far from perfect. The admission of Rayvostoka has been controversial and has caused much pain and opened many an old wound.
When my representative spoke to downplay the role syndicalism played in Prydania's misery, he did so out of passion, he wanted to speak to our pacts greater hope, the idea that political ideology could be put aside in favour of uplifting nations from poverty and oppression. Sadly he underestimated just how deep the trauma Prydania has suffered goes, many of my kinsfolk struggle to understand the worldviews of other nations, unhorsed politics can often seem to be nothing more than clan conflicts writ large, I am not so ignorant. I have been to Prydania, I have seen the mass grave sites, heard the stories of victims and seen the countless memorials. I do not pretend to understand such pain, even the destruction my own people suffered during the Karg war pales in comparison. I do not understand Prydanias pain, but I will never attempt to make light of it. Representative Sif, my people spoke out of turn and it is my responsibility as King to own up to that failure and promise that we will do better as allies and as friends.
It would be the height of ignorance to suggest that Prydania or now absent Predice simply put aside their painful histories with communism, these wounds run far too deep for that. I am no friend of communism, right now countless Essalaneans are fighting and dying against the armies of New Aleman, Essalaneans value our freedom and will fight oppression regardless of its source. When Ducrijecka committed its heinous acts against Andrenne, we were amongst the nations that responded, we travelled alongside Prydania's troops to fight against terrorism, and when Andrenne became the terrorist? we and our Prydanian allies chose to preserve our honour by walking away from that genocidal conflict. We have stood shoulder to shoulder many times, I do not wish to see that spirit of unity and shared sacrifice lost for the sake of Rayvostoka.
Rayvostoka is a nation ruled over by truly foul individuals, Menshev has told you that they are modernised and committed to reform, I have yet to see proof of this. So far I have heard testimonials proving that they imprison their people at will, that re-education and brutality are widespread. I do not expect Prydania or any nation here to welcome such a government into the pact, with open arms or otherwise, however, should its people be denied a chance at something better for the sake of a few vile tyrants. I am not here to ask you to accept Rayvostokan communism, I am certainly not here to vouch for men who I would likely put to the sword if circumstances were different. I will however ask you to help me to ease the misery that the common people of Rayvostoka face, let us aid this nation in mending its ways by supporting moderate groups and demanding in no uncertain terms that rayvostoka, CLOSE DOWN THE CAMPS!
Essalanea and Prydania have stood against tyranny before, I now offer the hand of friendship once more in hopes that together we can enforce a better peace, that together we can use the Ascana compromise to change Rayvostoka for the better. And if they violate this new and final treaty? I swear to Prydania and every member of this chamber that I will personally make them pay dearly for it. This pact can be more then another ideological bloc, we can hold true to the principles of re-development and unity between nations, we can do this and still oppose hypocrisy and tyranny when we see it. Rayvostoka, you have a final chance to remedy your sins, do not squander this chance, you are on the thinnest of ice and if you choose to tread with heavy footfalls, no one in this assembly will save you when the ground cracks open and you fall through. "
![Midir [Mondari]](/data/avatars/m/5021/5021626.jpg?1538375103){kind=avatar}
