A Meeting of Kingdoms

Foreign Ministry
Government Quarter
Avalon
5:00 PM Justosian Time

Foreign Minister Sergio Montoya enjoyed a glass of red from the Royal Vineyards. Not every government minister was permitted eventual alcohol from the aforementioned sacrosanct spot, but he, at least for now, has his new king's favor. That favor was about to be tested. He again looked over the dossier concerning @Prydania while he smoked a cigar. Carlos III was eager to meet fellow crowned heads. The objectives were simple. Meet his Prydanian counterpart or a higher up. Money, trade, higher relations. A bigger footprint on the international stage. Yes, the archipelago was still reeling from the isolationism of Carlos I.

From what Justosia understood currently of Prydania, its current monarch had already been through hell. Although the nationalist party hierarchy was belly aching about his supposed liberalism, Carlos truly is a nationalist. Albeit a relatively moderate one. He had told him in private conversation that if a moderate nationalist wasn't a thing, he would make it one. He wanted to know the schools of thought of the other right leaning monarchs of Eras. He didn't think any monarch could be a leftist without setting in a rot upon their house. However he pondered being proven wrong.

The official diplomatic invitation had just been sent to his counterpart. Upon reciprocation, he would either host or travel. Honestly, he was hoping for the latter. He wanted a vacation.

2:03 pm Býkonsviði Standard Time (5:03 PM Justosian Time)
Býkonsviði, Prydania

The sound of gunshots and the smell of smoke filled the air as Tobias took aim down range, firing. Hymir Giæver waited for a moment before taking a shot himself at his own target.

"That's what People's Militia training accounts for?" Tobias said with a chuckle. No, he hadn't managed a perfect bullseye, but his shot had hit more of the central target than Hymir's did.

"It's the air," Hymir replied.
"The air pressure is throwing me off."

"It's an indoor range!"

"You'd be surprised," Hymir replied with a chuckle.

Tobias looked down the range at the paper targets. It may have seemed weird, growing up around war. Guns should be the last thing he'd want to see. But he actually found hunting and shooting very calming. Very likely he appreciated the art and skill involved when it wasn't another person at the other end of the gun.

"I could stand to get better myself," Tobias replied.
"Would you be up for a hunting trip to Skógurheorot*? One last one before the fall?"

"Tempting but I need to be back at work. This trip here? It's the last of my vacation days until Christmas."

"You know that's not a problem."

Hymir smiled and shook his head.
"You really can't pull off the string puller role you know that?"

"Oh?" Tobias asked chuckling as he unloaded his rifle and began packing it away.

"You wear 'abuser of privilege' about as well I wear 'using a friend to get favours,' which isn't well at all."

Tobias blushed a bit at that. He had actually felt embarrassed suggesting it, but Hymir was his friend.
"Well forget I said anything then," he answered.
"This is your last night here on your vacation? Join us for dinner."

"Now that I will take you up on," Hymir replied as he finished packing his own rifle.

"Aly and the kids will love to see you," Tobias added, opening the door to exit Absalonhöll's* firing range.

"I'm looking forward to seeing them. Bladr and Hael are so big now."

"Three in a month. Jesús time just has no meaning," Tobias muttered.
"Fifteen years of war seemed like an eternity, six years of peace feel like one."
Tobias sighed and shrugged.

"Oh well. How're things on your end? Your brother and sister are doing ok?"

"Já," Hymir replied.
"Geiri is finishing up high school."

"Holy hell," Tobias chuckled. Geiri was still that twelve year old kid he'd brought Christmas presents to five years back.
"And Auðbjörg is enjoying university?"

"She's doing very well actually. Never pegged her for an academic, did you?"

"You'd be lying if you did yourself," Tobias replied jokingly as they entered the main study of the Royal palace.

"Já she's going to make Dean's List," Hymir added, beaming with pride at his younger sister.
"And she loves Haland."

"Austurland is lovely, 'course she does," Tobias replied with a chuckle, as he leaned into his Austurlander accent just a bit there.

Hymir chuckled at that as he took a seat and Tobias went to make drinks. He was enjoying himself. Every one of his close friends was busy it seemed. But Hymir being here, it was nice. He was pouring two glasses of brennivín when he asked a followup question.

"How's your mother?"

"She's doing well," Hymir replied.
"She's not going to know what to do with herself when Geiri moves out in a year. I've gotta be a dutiful son and keep her company when everyone else is gone."

"Heh," Tobias replied. He knew what that meant. Hymir was staying put in Dofrar.
"Meet anyone? Any cute girls?"

"Oh so now you're going to start doing mama's thing to me?" Hymir laughed.

"Just curious!" Tobias replied as he sat down next to his friend and handed him a glass.

"Or cute boys, you know, whatever."

"I just haven't found anyone, I donno. It is what it is."

Tobias truly, honestly, didn't get that. But his own love life was...complicated. The first girl he'd ever loved died during the war. Gone one moment. Forever. And then Aly, Aly helped him through that. She made him feel safe. And loved. She gave him a reason to feel good when it seemed like everyone he cared about went away.
He loved his wife, but he never had a proper healthy dating life.

"I guess..." he began, "just trust you will. You're a good guy. You'll find someone."

"Danke. Now you gonna pester me like an old grandma or can we get to it?"

Tobias chuckled and held his glass up.
"Ralt!"

"Ralt!"

The two drank when...

"Herra Giæver... Your Majesty."

Tobias looked up. It was Elo Daugaard, the Steward of the Royal Household.

"Elo?"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Elo began, "but there's a message. It's arrived from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"For me?" Tobias asked, holding the glass of brennivín in one hand and pointing to himself with his other.

"Já, Your Majesty."

"I mean, I can see it here? Or is this one of those things where if Hymir finds out about it we have to kill him or swear him to secrecy?"

Hymir chuckled and sipped his drink.

"It's nothing like that," Elo replied as he entered the study, and handed Tobias the letter. It was the sort of letter Tobias had gotten familiar with over the past six years. Thick, elaborate, expensive cardstock. The sorts used by heads of state. He turned it over. There was always a seal or coat of arms and yes... there it was. Three fleur de lis under a crowned eagle."

"Justosia?" he asked, not to either Elo or Hymir. More rhetorically. He opened the letter and breathed a sigh of relief. It was in Mercanti. He knew that. He began to read, mouthing the words as he did.

"King Carlos III of Justosia wants to meet me."

"Herra Högh has already contacted the Justosian foreign minister," Elo said, referring to Sören Högh, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"King Carlos wishes to know if such a meeting could be in Justosia or here."

Tobias smiled a bit.
"If he comes here, will he freeze?"

Elo was a serious man, one to rarely crack a smile. He was perhaps the only man alive who truly appreciated Stig Eiderwig*, but that did make him smile. It was a common sentiment that southerners found the north chilly.

"But in all seriousness..." Tobias paused. He'd met his fair share of foreign leaders and dignitaries since the end of the Civil War and his coronation. It never really got old. The world was endlessly fascinating to him. He looked over at Hymir and smiled meekly. He felt for him. Hymir was a former Syndicalist. Did this sort of overt royal procedure make him uncomfortable? Tobias hoped not. He returned his attention to Elo.

"In all seriousness," he repeated, "you can have Herra Högh pass along to his Justosian counterpart that I would be honoured to host King Carlos here in Býkonsviði, if he'd like to make the trip."

"I'll pass it along, Your Majesty. Herra Giæver," Elo gave both a nod and turned to leave. Hymir waited until Elo was gone before he offered an observation.

"I still don't think he likes me."

"Elo's Elo. The more stiff he is with you the more he likes you. You're fine."

"You're just saying that."

"Nah, I'd tell you if he hated you," Tobias replied, sitting backwards in a chair across from the couch Hymir was sitting on, sipping his drink.

"Well danke," Hymir sighed.
"So you're meeting another King?"

"Seems like it. You know... being a King... you really don't have much say in things."

"Oh? You don't want to meet this King Carlos?"

"What? No. Of course I do. It's always a good thing to meet representatives from other countries. And meeting new people is fun, anyway. But like... I didn't exactly have a choice one way or another."

"Seems pointless to bring up if you want to do it anyway."

"Eh, I just find it really funny."

"Well what do you know about Justosia?"

"Not much. Kian is kind of a weak spot for me," Tobias admitted.
"But the ÖSU* always has a dossier for this sort of thing."

"I'd do some reading beyond Hveiti's* writeup," Hymir suggested.
"Justosia is... a really proud country."

"And we're not?"

"I mean they take Royal protocol very seriously."

"Oh," Tobias muttered. That was true. He'd broken that... well... a lot. Usually he did it when he knew he could get away with it. Like with the Esþthursians.

"And you're you. But it would maybe... be best if you did it all by the book?"

"I can do that."

"I know you can, just saying you should."

Tobias chuckled as he sipped more of his drink when...

"UNCLE HYMIR!"

The nearly three year old twins Baldr and Hael ran into the study to hug Hymir's legs as Alycia entered holding the infant Hanna.

"Hello Hymir," she said with a smile as Tobias grinned, meeting his wife to kiss her and take his daughter.

"Hymir's gonna be joining us for dinner," the King said with a grin.

"YAY!" the two boys exclaimed as Hymir smiled, rubbing their heads.

"If it's not a problem..." Hymir began but Alycia waved it off.

"Not a problem at all. Come on now."

Tobias handed his daughter back to his wife, and was about to tend to his sons to spare his friend when he caught the Justosian letter on the table.

Indeed, he'd be meeting someone knew. A fellow King.

---

*Skógurheorot- hunting retreat of the Prydanian monarch
*Absalonhöll- primary residence of the Prydanian monarch
*Stig Eiderwig- Stig, Thane of Eiderwig, Field Marshal of the Royal Prydanian Army, war hero of the Civil War, Chief of the General Staff, and famously humourless
*ÖSU- Security and Special Intelligence, the Kingdom of Prydania's foreign intelligence organization
*Max Hveiti- Chief of the ÖSU

Milenio Royal Palace
Government Quarter
Avalon
10:00 AM Justosian Time

The days of rain had lifted, leaving a fog in its wake. The church bells rang from the royal basilica adjacent to the palace. The foreign minister's motorcade had arrived. Minister Montoya briskly hustled into the palace. A royal guard informed him that HRM is currently in a meeting with the pm.

He cursed his way past the guard detail & entered the office. He relayed the situation.

"That is correct Majesty. Our plans must be updated. Their monarch wishes to meet you. It can't just be me. I still wish to accompany you however. With your permission. I want a vacation...."

Carlos was thrilled.

"Granted. Finally. I can expand my horizons, see the north, meet a peer who's not madre. You've done well enough Sergio."

Prime Minister Suarez interjected.

"Majesty, you do understand our long standing protocol for events like these, yes? Best they come here. You're too precious to potentially risk, lose, en route to a foreign nation. Especially one that far. I recommend Minister Montoya relay such. You have no children to carry on the house if something happened to you. God forbid."

"Denied. God is with us. I trust in our security detail. It's a friendly country. You can have madre back to deputize while I'm gone. I'm going. I'll relay the next message myself. Preparations for my departure are to begin immediately."

Desan Naval Base
Royal Navy HQ
Government Quarter
Avalon
3:00 PM Justosian Time

The word had just come in from the Defense Ministry. Obviously, for the Royal Jet to have sufficient Talon II fighter cover all the way to Prydania, they would need to rotate out & in. Once word finally reached the sailors of the aircraft carrier JRS Carlos Francisco I, they were ecstatic. The flagship of the fleet had never undertaken any mission this expansive or important before. They were hooting & hollering.

They had to deploy ahead of HRM's departure of course. As the Royal Jet was much faster than they, they had to be at a significant point ahead in international waters. At least halfway between Justosia & Prydania. The Royal Air Force will monitor the jet for the first leg of the journey before turning back. Then Task Force Alfa would launch the next 4 Talons from the carrier for the final leg of the journey after the first 4 land on her. After rendezvous with the jet. It was absolutely imperative the Royal Jet remain blanketed with radar & fighter cover the entire trip. Justosia had no enemies of course, but no chances were to be taken.

"We actually get to do shit!"

One sailor aboard the Francisco was overheard exclaiming.

Of course the carrier protecting its king had to be protected as well. It was decided that the task force would consist of the carrier, 4 air defence destroyers, & 2 submarines. They would transmit on an international frequency their course to avoid any misunderstandings with other navies in the area. HRM had himself requested permission for his task force to dock in the closest Prydanian port that was large enough to host them from the Prydanian king himself.

Truthfully, the Royal Navy hadn't undertaken a blue water mission like this in over a century. It would refuse to fail. Fleet Admiral Carvalho would be commanding the carrier himself. He longed to get out to sea so he could stop having to take orders from the civies at the Defense Ministry. They would need to depart asap. The Admiral wanted to address the sailors who would be crewing the task force first however. He told his aides he was leaving his office & to phone the carrier. He changed into his dress whites & left.

Býkonsviði Naval Base
Býkonsviði, Prydania

"Do you think that perhaps a naval task force is a bit much?" Sölvi Buhl asked.

The reporter had a personal relationship to the King. He'd hesitate to say they were friends but they knew each other.
He was also trying his hardest not to let his social democratic sensibilities be too critical of the Justosians. This was an official visit. Not one for him to be slinging mud all over. But this seemed like a safe question.

Tobias smiled. He was here, in a red military tunic, the gold and black trim unbuttoned around the neck. It was a new look he was trying. Maybe he could be comfortable if they insisted he wear this stuff?

And of course he was always happy to mingle. Knights of the Storm were close by to keep an eye on the crowd and the King, but he was right up to the barrier, talking to Sölvi.

"The last naval fleets to arrive here brought friendship," he said referring to the Gojans, Andrennians, and Moxordians after the Civil War.

"I don't think it's a problem. This is a matter of comfort and safety for a guest. King Carlos' travel arrangements aren't my business.

"I remember seeing you, when the FRE liberated Býkonsviði!" a woman called out.
"I never thought I'd ever see you in a getup like that!"

"Me either!" Tobias called back with a smile.
"But they keep hiding my other clothes!"

That got a chuckle from the crowd.
"Honestly, it's hot, it's stiff, but I suppose a world of sweatpants is out of the question. For some reason!"

God he missed sweatpants right now.

"What do you hope to gain from this meeting?"

"Friends, perspectives, maybe even trade deals," Tobias replied.
"You need to meet people first though," he added as he answered Sölvi.

Finally... after what had to have been close to forty-five minutes... Tobias broke away from Sölvi, managed to get back to his security detail, and listened.

"The Justosians will be here soon," Laurids Hummel, his head of security, told him.

"We should get things ready."

Tobias nodded as he returned to Colart, his wife Alycia, and his three children. He knelt down to visit with his twin boys, and stood as the Prydanian and Justosian flags began to flutter. And he turned to face the docks as their visitors began to appear.

Port Býkonsviði
Prydania

"JRS Victoria, Perserverancia, Sable, Tridente. Thank you. On behalf of our king and this grateful ship and her crew. Orders are to break off to port. This, our navy's first real blue water mission in over a quarter century, is a success. Upon disembarking, remember you represent king and county. Get arrested here, expect to be Court Marshaled back home. Use your best judgement. We will of course be departing earlier than His Majesty to intercept & track him en route back home. Prepare to disembark. Viva Justosia."

The two escorting subs, surfacing silently & sleekly as always, would dock at the closest neighboring port. The mission had gone off without error. Carvalho loved the sea. His family was a seafaring one. As the navy's only legit aircraft carrier, she was its pride & jewel. She had stretched her legs beautifully. They had their eye on Carlos the whole time. Departing his flagship in his ceremonial dress whites, the Fleet Admiral awaited at the head of his procession. The Royal Delegation had landed but was making its way to the port to meet the Prydanian king & rendezvous with his escorts for one grand ceremony. He felt a chill creeping around him, even though it was still summer. He wasn't in the south anymore. He wondered how choppy the waters got this far up north. Back home they're usually tranquil.

Upon arrival Carlos practically lept out of the limousine.

"The air is brisk, stronger, I love it! It's beautiful here!"

Justosia typically treats its monarchs, especially childless male ones, like glass dolls. Carlos was thrilled to be on his first official overseas trip. He began waiving to onlookers as he made his way to the Prydanian Royal Delegation.

Justosian and Prydanian flags fluttered as Tobias absentmindedly placed his hand on Jægerblað's hilt, the ancient sword hanging off of his hip. He did consider what that woman had said just then.
Why couldn't he meet another head of state in jeans and a football jersey? Would that be so wrong? The contradictions and responsibilities of his own position, however, were rather apparent to him, and he just smiled a bit as he adjusted the viking-styled cape over his shoulder.

Tobias looked around, the blue and white-clad Knights of the Storm lined the area leading from where Carlos disembarked. To each side of Tobias' retinue were Knights of the Storm holding two distinct flags. One was the royal standard of Prydania, the other the royal standard of Justosia.

Tobias knelt down while Carlos was still disembarking and spoke to his three year old twin sons, Hael and Baldr.

"You'll be good for pabbi, right?" he asked with a smile, and ruffled their hair as he stood, facing Carlos as he began to approach. He stepped forward just a bit. Formality was something that he could get away with breaking sometimes, but he sensed not this time. When Carlos was before him, Tobias extended his hand.

"Welcome to Prydania," he said in Mercanti.
"It's an honour to host you in our Realm."

"Don't fuck this up Carlos. This is history.....and should you, madre will never let you live it down...."

This Carlos said to himself as he approached Tobias. He extended his right arm & hand & shook Tobias' hand.

"On behalf of my peoples, lands, and family, Justosia, I am honored, King Tobias, to make your official acquaintance."

Carlos wore a simple but elegant black suit & tie. Adorned with three flag pins. National standard, royal standard, & air force standard on his right lapel. He waited to see if there were anymore handshakes needed to be made before asking if they were to depart for the palace.

Tobias had grown use to reading people. He just... could tell how someone was feeling when he met them. It was a skill he'd picked up, by necessity, during the War. Back when he was just a small child, alone, having to figure the world out, desperate to understand what was happening. He got good at sensing how someone felt and reading them to understand and decipher what was happening.

And he got the feeling Carlos was nervous? It wasn't something he expected. Usually he was the nervous one. Everyone else he'd met seemed so sure of themselves in their position.

Tobias extended his hand, shaking it.
"The pleasure's all mine, King Carlos," Tobias replied.
"My wife, Empress Alycia of Norsia," Tobias said as he stepped aside. Alycia, clad in a formal navy military uniform with gold trim, the Norsian arms emblazoned on a cloth pauldron, stepped forward to take Carlos' hand.

"King Carlos," she said with a friendly smile.
"Welcome to Prydania and Craviter."

Tobias looked down at his twin boys. Hanna was back at Absalonhöll. She was far too young for an event like this. His sons thought, well they were just old enough to take part. They'd been to a few of these and Tobias wondered if maybe it was best in the future if they stayed off to the side. Not only was he unsure how to be a father, but he wasn't raised at court. He didn't know how to be a King, really. He wanted to raise his kids with some sense of... being grounded? If that was even possible? Perhaps a backseat at future events like this would be better.

"And," Tobias continued as Alycia stepped aside, "our Prime Minister, Herra Kjell Svane."

Kjell had stayed quiet. Such events were very much pomp above all else, and in such cases he was happy to wait his turn. Still, he wondered what this would mean? Justosia was a nation that presented opportunities. He greeted King Carlos with a respectful bow of his head.

"Your Majesty," he said.
"It's good to see you arrive in good spirits."

Carlos replied very cordially to each dignitary. Smiling & shaking hands.

"This land is beautiful. This cold air is refreshing. It's truly a blessing to meet you all, this day. Are we to depart now?"

Absalonhöll was buzzing with activity, as both the Justosian and Prydanian delegations had made their way to the royal palace after greetings at the port. The Justosians, however, were safe from the hubbub after being shown to the rooms made up for them, with King Carlos himself being afforded the largest guest suite the palace had to offer.

Tobias and his family were likewise safe from the controlled chaos that was the palace preparing for visitors, in the residential wing of the building.

"I wore that formal getup at the docks, and I'm done," he said as he put away a three piece grey suit to instead wear a white polo underneath a green sweater to pair with khakis.

He hated formal clothing. It was partially because he was raised by soldiers, in an insurgency. He was used to wearing flack jackets, loose clothing, coats, but formal clothing? It was too tight. Too hot, and too stuffy. And a grey suit wasn't that different from the ornate uniform he'd greeted Carlos in, aside from colour and style. It was still... well... formal.

He tried to imagine if he had worn stuff like this his whole life, would he appreciate it more? Maybe. But it was neither here nor there. He shrugged. He was going to be comfortable, he thought as he straightened his collar poking up from under his sweater and ran his hand through his hair, temporarily making his head a messy blond mop it had been for years before he restyled it again in a way that wasn't so... slick.

"Your stylists will be the death of me, mon amour," he said said with a chuckle. His Santonian was coming along and he'd found the word for "love" in that language rather beautiful. He'd taken to calling Alycia that.

"Why? Because they want you to look presentable?" she replied as she hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek. Tobias blushed but stayed grinning.

"You think King Carlos would mind if I wore a football shirt?"

Alycia rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek again before she tended to herself some more and Tobias wisely shelved the football shirt idea as he made his way down a quiet hallway, and into his daughter's room.

"Hello Šarlota," he said with a smile to the Norsian woman from his wife's court who was tasked with nanny duties.
"How's my girl?"

"She's restless, Your Majesty," the Norsian woman replied in accented by clear Prydanian.
"She senses something is up she isn't privy to."

"Is that so?" Tobias asked, approaching the crib.
"You're a smart one, eh?"

Hanna giggled and reached for him and he reached down allowing her to grab his finger.

"Don't worry, sweetie. You'll get to be part of the whole big thing tonight with your brothers and everyone else."

Hanna giggled and Tobias leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

He'd no sooner stood up and gotten his hand back from his daughter when a knock came.

"Come in," Šarlota replied, and Laurids Hummel, Lord Marshal of the Knights of the Storm entered.

"Thane Mathies Van Jórvík and Herra Rylond Van Jórvík have arrived, Your Majesty."

"Thank you Lord Marshal," Tobias replied as he glanced down at Hanna once more before turning his attention to Šarlota.
"Thank you again," he said softly.
"Maybe find a way to burn off her excess energy?"

"Of course Your Majesty," Šarlota said as she too glanced at the baby princess.
"But there is a risk she will be too tired for dinner tonight. She might fall asleep."

"She's a baby," Tobias answered with a grin.
"No one will mind. Or should anyway."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Šarlota replied with a chuckle as Tobias made his way back to the hallway, only to be greeted by Laurids leading Mathies and Rylond up to him.

"Ry!" Tobias exclaimed with a wide green, greeting his friend with a hug.
"How's it going?"

Rylond hugged back for a moment.
"It's good to see you! Yissus it's like everyone's busy..."

"Very," Rylond's father Mathies added, before giving Tobias a formal bow of the head.
"Your Majesty."

Tobias chuckled and blushed. They had all know each other from the War. Mathies was one of the FRE leaders and Rylond was Tobias' best friend growing up.
And now? Now the War was over and the normalacy of the post-War peace was finally setting in and becoming... routine. Mathies, as his friend's father and one of the leaders of their movement, was a kind man he could rely on. Now? Mathies the Thane was showing Tobias the King the proper respects demanded by each position.

"You two are going to remember protocol later?" he joked.

"Of course pa," Rylond replied, mixing in the occasional Bayardi with Prydanian, before giving Tobias an exaggerated salute. Tobias returned the favour and for a brief moment their attempt to not break down laughing was successful. But only briefly.

Mathies sighed but knew not to push it further. They knew what was expected of them, even if they didn't seem to in private.

"You ready for the tour?" Tobias asked. Both the Thane and his son would be part of the entourage that would tour the capital before the reception later that evening.

"Of course," Mathies replied.

"Laurids? Are we all ready?"

"Just about, Your Majesty. I was hoping I could collect you and Her Grace."

Tobias looked back. And nodded.

"She should be just about ready."

Luis Santiago, newly promoted Captain of the Arcangeles Squadron, the kingdom's ace squadron, made his way thru center city Absalonholl. On leave he took in the sights & sounds. The men here looked different than typical men of the archipiélago. Not as tan, more facial hair, more rugged. They were a whole new breed of attractive to him. He wondered briefly if gay marriage was legal here before averting his gaze. He couldn't mess around with any of them anyway. Being the very, very, very secret consort of his king that he was.

"Is that pants print what I think it is? Bravo, sir."

This he said to himself as he again quickly averted his gaze. He told himself he needed to relax with some wine. Tho that typically exacerbates said thoughts. Luis was a young man of relative discipline & self control. He had to behave here, or face a Court-Martial. This was before he remembered he'd just be pardoned for it anyway. I mean that's how he was promoted to Captain. He was a damn good pilot tho. Second at the Royal Air Force Academy. Still, no excuse. He told himself it was time to stop being so.....awake down there & be the dutiful nationalist patriot they were pretty much ordered to be when they docked. He wondered how long. How long would it be until Royal Air Force Fleet HQ in Vermeillia found out he lied on his enlistment papers. He was really a Social Democrático. It was relatively easy to check out. Lastly he wondered how long until his not boyfriend has to save him again. He scanned the bar menu.
__________________________________________________

Carlos took in his surroundings. This palace was every bit as grand & regal as the Milenio Royal Palace, in different ways. The itinerary had of course been shared with his Royal Guard Detail, but he was still excited. Justosian monarchs have almost never traveled abroad. Ever. This was due mostly to isolationism & national pride. Until the archipelago realized how behind it was on Eras. The isolationism of Carlos' abuelo, The First, was costly indeed. Until the nationalist militarism of his padre, The Second, reversed the rot. All Carlos II wanted to be was an emperor. It wasn't to be. He wasn't sure if he wanted to inherit his padre's legacy. He wanted Justosia to shine as brightly as it possibly could. Be it economically, geo politically, militarily, but especially environmentally.

He then left this introspection & awaited the next phase of the itinerary.

Bjarkar Odegaard was dressed nicely. It was the first suit- the only suit- he owned, but it was important to look nice. This was an important function, after all.

He'd met the King ten years ago...holy fok. Ten years ago? That was wild. In ten years... so much had changed... so much, and yet, it all felt like it had happened over what? Two years? He chuckled at that as he made his way to the bar.
And "the King." That was funny. He'd always be Toby to him. He was amazed at his life. From the son of farmers, to a prisoner in a labour camp... to personal friends of the King of his country. Not just the King. A revered hero. A liberator.

That was the really wild thing. He didn't have a fancy job in the palace or in politics. He went back home, to his parents' farm outside of Haland, to help them rebuild it, after the War. He'd spent the War with Toby, Rylond, and Fylkir, but after? He'd gone home. Gone home and heard what people said about his friend who didn't know him, and it was funny. He understood it, of course, but it was still funny. He'd told him to fok off himself before!

Alas, memories were just that, memories. Even if ten years worth of them didn't feel like ten year's worth of them. And he'd get a chance to meet with his friends later, but right now? Right now he was going to get a drink. He sighed as he sat down. Sure, the realization that it had been ten years since that day his prison camp was liberated had thrown him through a loop, but it was something else all together about today that pushed him to need a drink. Of course he had the proper pass on to be in the Royal palace. The Knights of the Storm let him go where he wanted to be, though he was noticing a few different looking uniforms today. Justosian uniforms.

He walked up to the bar, put in his order for a glass of brennivin, and paid with some krossar notes. He sat, and sipped his drink a bit before he noticed someone in the corner of his eye. A Justosian capitain. A rather dashing one at that. He hadn't noticed him, lost in his own thoughts at first, but he smiled. And raised a glass to him to be friendly.

---

"I don't think I'm the best person to give a tour of Býkonsviði," Tobias mused.
"I didn't really grow up here."

"You've lived here for six years, shut up," Rylond joked.

Tobias smiled back, but only shrugged. He was born in this city. Lived here for the first seven years of his life. And had lived here the past six. But to him... the Austurland countryside would always be home, as his slight accent attested to. Not that it mattered for today's purposes.

Tobias straightened his sweater somewhat and grinned as Carlos and his party approached them in the main hall of Absalonhöll.

"Your Majesty," Tobias said with a smile as his Justosian counterpart approached.
"Allow me to introduce Thane Mathies van Jórvík, and his son, Herra Rylond van Jórvík. The Thane was one of our most trusted commanders during the Civil War and Rylond has been a personal friend of mine since we were both little."

Rylond only bowed his head slightly as Mathies did the same, and added "it's an honour to meet you, Your Majesty. I hope you're finding your stay with us pleasant."

"Oh shit..."

Luis said as he realized he still had his Royal Air Force Captain's Flight Cap on. He returned a slight smile & raised his glass of the joint's most expensive red.
__________________________________________________

Carlos wanted to say "Fuck the formalities, friend. Just shake my hand."

He really did, but he didn't want to & couldn't afford to be so stereotypically 20's. He nodded at them both graciously.

"Very much so. Thank you. Likewise with you gentlemen. I look forward to the next event on our agenda. This is a fine royal house."

Bjarkar thought for a moment. This Justosian captain probably didn't speak Prydansk.

He could speak Mercanti and suspected that the captain probably could too, but he was slightly embarrassed. Like most Prydanians of his generation he spoke the international language with a thick accent. He sipped the brennivin, as the Justosian raised his glass of red wine.

"How are you enjoying Prydansk... er... Prydania?" he asked with a friendly smile. His eyes darted to the wine bottle the captain's drink came from and smirked at the ice breaker before him.

---

Tobias smiled slightly. He was raised among soldiers, not at court. He found formalities very... dull... despite William's best attempts to impart the importance of them on him.

But he kept it up because it was expected of him, and he knew that other dignitaries, be they royal or otherwise, seemed to like pomp. He assumed the Justosian delegation would be among them, but he could tell when someone was sick of pomp like he was, and Carlos certainly was.

"Thank you," Tobias said with a smile, "the oldest foundations of this castle date back to before my family even came to these lands. They're preserved beneath our feet."

Indeed they were. It was in those ancient tunnels that his mother handed him off to Axle way back in 2002 to save him amidst the Syndicalist coup.

"If you'd ever like to see them just say so, but right now I'd like to get us out of Absalonhöll. There are a lot of delegates here from both our courts, and too much of those sorts can make things a bit stuffy," he chuckled.
"I was thinking we could all see some of our capital's notable sights!"

He stepped aside as if to offer Carlos the chance to take the lead to leaving the Royal palace to the motorcade that would take them around Býkonsviði.

"Get tipsy, NOT drunk. Act....straight."

This is what Captain Santiago was saying to himself. Little did he know that events unfolding back in the Patria would make him happier than he currently thought possible.

"It's certainly colder up here. I find it sharpens the senses. Your land is beautiful."

Luis simply wouldn't allow himself to check this admittedly hansom man out.
________________________________________________

"I would be quite interested in seeing that. Away from any prying media eyes."

Carlos uttered the latter part more subtly. He then promptly declared how honored he'd be to see what center city Býkonsviði had to offer. A northern nation as picturesque as this.

Bjarkar smiled. This Captain... that was what he looked like, if Justosian ranks were anything like Prydanian ones... was cute. Of course he tried not to show that. It wasn't that being gay was wrong in any way... but he had a complicated relationship with his own sexuality.
He'd been raped by Syndicalist guards during his internment in the Homestead back during his childhood. It had given him a toxic association with male-on-male sex, and it took years of therapy to come to terms with his own sexuality and get over those associations.
But even then... gay marriage might have been legalized back in 2019 but that didn't mean social attitudes were great. He came from rural Austurland. Traditional in its outlook. And as a personal friend of the King's... he refused to cause Toby that scandal. So... he kept it to himself. He found outlets when he could... it was manageable. Manageable. He told himself.

He had no idea that this handsome Justosian Captain was also gay. He wasn't one for "gaydar," he was really bad at picking up fellow gays like that. But he just saw a friendly face and wanted to say hello.

"My name's Bjarkar," he said holding out a hand.
"Bjarkar Odegaard. And thank you! I'm from out east. It's pretty great out there too," he said with a nervous grin before chuckling at his line about the cold.
"I hear someone like me would melt from where you're from."

---

The party departed their vehicles after a quick drive. There were barricades up to afford the party some privacy as the King and his party, along with their guests, toured the city.

"St. Vortgyn's Church," Tobias said as they gathered outside the large dome, the capital's largest church. He pointed to the statues around the exterior of the building.
"Those are statues of some of Prydania's most well known theologians and ecclesiastical figures," he said, trying his best to sound informative but not like a tour guide.
"They're new actually. The Syndicalists tore the old ones down. But a number of artists and masons offered to help restore the statue after the War was over."

Luis Torres Santiago was an admittedly good looking man. Wavy black hair. Green eyes. Finely trimmed & kept mustache. His sides were faded. He was tan. Had abs, & tho he never bragged about it because that's not cute, he was well endowed, on both sides. His most distinguishing feature however, somewhat humbling even, was that he was only 5'7. It had originally given him problems at the Royal Air Force Academy in Vermeillia. The official requirement was be at least 5'9. His eyesight was perfect tho & he more than aced the Entry Aptitude Test, so they let it slide.

On the border between average height & short. It chipped his shoulder occasionally but hey, it never gave him any complaints from past lovers, or his current one. Tho they often said after sleeping with him that they were surprised he's a verse top. Yes. Luis didn't bottom like that. Unless he liked the guy. He liked his Supreme Commander & king.

Again he reminded himself to keep his eyes above his waist. He could see Bjarkar's print thru his pants. Tho he was more interested in the other end. He was exotic to him & he was liking it.

"A pleasure. Captain Luis Santiago. Justosian Royal Air Force."

He shook his hand.

"Aye yes. Mi amigos back home are telling me it's seventy five degrees and breezy. Perfection most back home would say......but this chill has its own pros. I like seeing new places."
_______________________________________________________

Carlos didn't mind domestic press. He waved then returned his attention to Toby. He very much wanted to ask him about his civil war. What he'd seen. What it was actually like to fight for one's birthright. Was war a hellish nightmare.......or actually rather intoxicating when victory was at hand? He didn't tho.

"This is a Messianic nation, yes? Who originally founded your church? God bless those masons."

Tobias nodded.
"90% I think? Is Messianic. We have some religious minorities. The pre-Messianic faith of Thaunica is alive and well in some parts of the country. And we have a Shaddaist minority as well. But the war..." he sighed. So much... just washed over him like a wave. The mass graves. The Advent Executions. The ruins of churches, Shaddaist and Thaunic temples. The bodies inside. The sight of it all... the smells. The rage. The anger. It all fired in his mind at once. Yet he was able to hide it. Or at least not seem worn down by it.

"The War I think, brought a lot of us together. The old religious rivalries meant little when the Syndicalists hated you all equally. I've prayed with Shaddaist Cohens, Thaunic priests, as well as priests from the Church." He stopped again. Despite the Syndicalists being aggressively atheist ideologically... he had been one too. How could he have not? Everyone he loved seemed to die, in a War that wanted him dead yet left him alive to suffer. The War though, through the brutality that had made him an atheist, had also shown him his faith.
"That's one way of looking at it anyway," he said with a smile, letting the memories of the War wash away.
"You find the good in the bad. The good is that now, today, our religious communities are generally supportive of each other."

He led the party into the Church. He didn't mention that, as King, he was the head of the state church. The truth was he never felt comfortable as King, but did it out of a sense of duty and responsibility. Yet as the years slowly went by since the end of the War he found he could embrace parts of it, when he exerted his freedom to do it his way.
But the head of the Church was one element of the job he was still very self-conscious about. That millions of people considered him their spiritual head was... stressful.

Still, the Church itself relaxed those insecurities. The white marble and stone, the green and gold livery, the golden cross on the alter... the disrepair that this very church was in for his coronation back in the summer of 2017 seemed like a lifetime ago.

Tobias found a seat, the building empty in anticipation of this high profile visit.

"I know Justosia is a Messianic nation" Tobias said with a grin.
"Does it adhere to the Courantist Church?"

---

"Nice to meet you Captain," Bjarkar replied.
"New places, eh?"

He sipped his drink.
"Thanks to the War I got to see one end of my country to the other. Not the best of circumstances," he shrugged, but smiled nervously.
"But when you've spent a few years in a Syndicalist labour camp, even that seems like a revelation."

He looked down at his drink for a moment before he smiled. The Captain WAS handsome. He had his privacy of course, back home. He could... indulge on his own time. But small town living, it made it hard to be open. His parents didn't know, and he was afraid... deathly afraid... it would devastate them.
Here and now though? He was chatting with a handsome foreign captain in his country's royal palace. Whatever angst he had, he set it aside to enjoy the moment.

"Tell me, what about the cold has its perks?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he took another sip.

"Justosia has always been relatively isolated from the rest of Eras, but I needn't tell you that. Maps are everywhere. We have our own, state Messianist church. The National Justosian Messianist Church. Plain, simple, like Christ."

Carlos said this knowing the average state church wasn't plain or simple. The Arch Bishops of every major city, mainland & archipiélago, had considerable wealth amassed from generations.

"We have no quarrel with either House of God. I hope that answers your question well enough, Your Majesty. This church is quite beautiful."
________________________________________________

"It heightens one's senses I've noticed. Your waters can be rough, choppy. Our are rather tranquil. Coming here was exciting. Furthest north I've ever been. I'm enjoying my time here."

"No way all men here look and smell as good as he does."

The latter part he said to himself. Finally being a pilot in the RAF was making him decent memories.

Tobias smiled.

"The Laurenist Reformation was about that, I think. Simplicity in Christ. But this... is a bit more than a simple church, eh?" he chuckled.
"But if you want we can head into the countryside. There's no lack of simple churches there. I like this one though. I'd rather see her dressed up as she is now, then as she was when we liberated her. Thankfully we were able to get the graffiti off the stain glass before the coronation..."

He invited Carlos to sit next to him in the pews.
"Ever ask yourself if it's possible to live up to the expectations that come with being the defender of a church?" he asked as he sighed.

---

"You should try sailing," Bjarkar chuckled.
"My family farms, but the coast wasn't so far away. I swear the kids on the Auburn Coast get into boats just about the time they learn how to walk. Fokking fearless, the lot of 'em. It's that viking blood," he chuckled.

He noticed Captain Santiago though, handsome as he was, he also noticed his uniform. He sipped his drink and ordered another.
"But you're an air force pilot. I recognize wings anywhere," he added pointing to his jacket breast, and the pilot wings that indicated he was a pilot.
"So you probably know a thing or two about being fearless."