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rix_scaeduThis piece is 2,389 words long, and I hope that you enjoy it.
Index Page.Endday, 31 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Khemaas, 18 Sajibu, 2157 T.M.L.
11 Tlanoluaoy, 5 Coatl, 6.11.2.2.8.3.6
Dear Journal,
I woke to rain this morning and the strong smell of sea brought in on the wind. I thought I could hear the sound of breaking waves and dismissed it as my imagination, until Nais told me that the morning deliveries had brought news that the sea swell was up this morning and waves were breaking higher up the sea walls and breakwaters than is usual.
Miztli greeted me when I met him in the foyer when he was on the way out, and told me, in what I think he felt was a reassuring manner that he thinks that Lord Elnaith will do. He added, just so I would know he said, that he was sorry if the general encouragement of Lord Elnaith to drink a little more than he usually might cause any offence, but they are trying to get to know his character very quickly and it's a technique that can tell you a lot very quickly. He added that if they're going to entrust their little girl cousin to this man for life, then they want to be reasonably certain that he's neither an ass nor a monster under stress, or when overly relaxed. He then bade me good morning and departed to his club. (Or is it a morning training session, as I hear the military often have?)
Cousin Ghrus and Axolin had the same cheerful mixture of reassurance and apology when I joined them in the breakfast room - and the same reasons. When Nahuitlau joined us with the same general air about him, I remarked to the room in general that if anyone else called me their little cousin this morning, I might be driven to violence. Nahuitlau suggested that I wear shoes with higher heels and Matlal placed a clean carving knife across the top of my place setting.
While we were eating, Cousin Poktlilui sent down a note that we have been invited to dine at the consulate with Lord Elnaith and his hosts there on Twirsday (13 Tlanoluaoy and 2 Deichen) and asking if anyone has a reason to object to the date. No-one had, and that was the message that went back upstairs, but I wonder if any of the family's older generations would voluntarily enter the consulate's grounds, given that it counts as Imperial territory.
In the office parlor this morning there were more Fraisis numbers, this time in sequence with the ones that were found yesterday - which is useful since they were later in the same volume as yesterday's numbers. As the clerk working on that volume remarked (Mr Cemetstli) we have no idea whether the numbers were included when those entries were written or whether they are a later notation - and fully explained in one of the later volumes. There was more Ghaistonyc poetry - three sets of couplets from the work of Aidairdh Fhaibh but with the names in them changed to reflect, I believe, more modern figures. Again I supplied my translation with annotations.
At lunch I sat between Mr Chicmacyeimetetlitecolotl and Miztli. Mr Chicmacyeimetetlitecolotl asked why I was supplying so many comments on these pieces of poetry, and I explained to both of them that pre-Imperial Ghaistonyc poetry was reasonably obscure, even at home, so there was a good chance, I thought, that they would never had encountered these works in the Confederation. Miztli suggested that it might be worthwhile checking his late grandfather's books and library for volumes of poetry. I let them enthusiastically discuss this idea over the top of me while I ate my mixed vegetable, seafood and grain main dish. (The food was delicious, the idea to look at Great-uncle's books was very sound.)
After lunch I changed into a visiting gown and went down to the parlor with my embroidery for Great-aunt's conversational Imperial lesson. We had twice the visitors again today - apparently my accent is still of interest. Umexipalli did bring a notebook with her and I was in the middle of answering the questions she and Tepintototl were putting to me about Imperial household management (kitchen equipment and layout, produce purchasing and availability, "Only three or four types of potatoes? Really?) when Lord Elnaith arrived. He was on his own and bearing a copy of an Imperial newspaper, the Imperial Maritime Cryer. When he bowed over her hand, he told Great-aunt that he had brought around the paper as soon as it had arrived because he thought I would be interested in one of the front-page articles.
In summary, following extensive investigations initiated after the Empress Mhaihild incident, Mr Caitus dh'Lhong has been conveyed to Ghaithrial from Amnestri in Imperial custody to face additional charges including multiple accusations (each) of conspiracy to commit murder, bribery and subornation of public officials, intimate assault, fraud, and industrial safety code violations. As everyone in the room, the visitors at least, holds a public office or is married to someone who does, they were very interested in this. Lord Elnaith and I were able to explain a lot about the Empress Mhaihild incident - and I believe that they were surprised that we had actually been on the other ship involved. As one of the gentlemen visitors observed, if I could see people on their promenade deck, and passengers were thrown down stairs inside the ship, it was only by good fortune that no-one had fallen from the ship to their death during Mr dh'Lhong's foolishness. I did observe that I seem to have missed a lot of the more recent detail in the case, given the transfer to Ghaithrial. Great-aunt Giltreeada's elderly gentleman friend observed that Mr dh'Lhong's transfer to his base of operations and, possibly, the bosom of his illustrious family might indicate that he would be facing a court and judiciary influenced to be lenient towards him. Lord Elnaith replied, almost diffidently, that often this would be a concern and that, if a miscreant of noble family were convicted said miscreant would expect their noble relative to wield influence to reduce or eliminate penalties against them. In this case, however, he understood from "sources" (and gestured vaguely as he said it) that given the confluence of ongoing concerns in this matter the Emperor had said that he had been looking for a suitable person to make an example of and would not be extending the Throne's leniency in this matter, at all. Tepintototl asked him to remind her what the Imperial punishment for murder is, and Lord Elnaith reminded us that this is conspiracy to commit murder, and that and subornation are both punishable by death.
The rest of the lesson's conversation followed those subjects and I think that everyone gained some useful work vocabulary - and some useful information to convey to their superiors.
Lord Elnaith stayed long enough after everyone else had left to ask if he might escort me, and my maid if she wished, to morning prayers in the consulate's chapel tomorrow morning. Great-aunt and Cousin Poktlilui agreed that this is permissible and he will collect me tomorrow morning breakfast. It was agreed, Cousin Poktlilui insisted, that he bring me back here afterwards for us both to have breakfast here. She told me after Lord Elnaith left that she will tell Cousin Ghrus that I am not going to the office parlor tomorrow morning. Great-aunt told me, and Cousin Poktlilui agreed, that I should have asked for relief from my work in the office parlor for every Naiphday that I am here. Great-aunt added that if Cousin Ghrus or his associates had any quibbles, then they should be reminded that I am here as a favour to her and not as a minor government clerk.
Matlal then brought in a note from the dressmaker saying that my remade gowns were ready for collection. As it would be inappropriate for me to go and collect my dresses, and settle my account, tomorrow, we decided to go there immediately. Nais and the closed carriage were summoned straight away, and we set off as soon as we could. The traffic was not as bad as it might have been, given the rain, and Great-aunt commented several times on the apparent state of the drains when we drove through some substantial pooling.
My rejuvenated dresses are everything I could have hoped for. The morning dress looks a little like the military-style garments with frogging and such that you see at home, but obviously different. The braiding gives the effect of vertical stripes and, I think, makes me look a little taller. The walking dress is just as beautiful as it was when I first got it. The embroidery is expertly done in both gold and golden yellow and I like the yoleukiyoxochitl vine design even more than I did from the pattern. [I suspect from the precise use of gold and golden yellow in the work that there was not enough gold thread on hand to do the entire design but I think this might be more subtly effective. To be catty, the mayor's wife at home would have insisted on full gold thread whereas this mix gives a more lady-like effect.] (Also, I had assumed in my discussion with the dressmaker that we were talking about gold coloured yarn. This is actual gold thread. Real gold. On my walking dress.) After the fittings, to exclude errors, I settled my bill in full while the dresses were being packed up. The dressmaker was very appreciative and made it clear that she would be happy to see me in her establishment in the future. Apparently as at home, not everyone is prompt in settling their accounts.
All four of us agreed that I will be wearing the remodelled walking dress to chapel tomorrow morning.
At dinner I was seated between Miztli and Chiccetlalli. On one side, Chiccetlalli was questioning the wisdom of my taking up with an Imperial kinsman, a man who, in his words, is one of those who benefits most from the Imperial systems' inequities. He did admit that Lord Elnaith has a good company manner and can hold his liquor well. On the other side, Miztli was telling me that he rather thought that he liked Lord Elnaith, while noting that he would probably think well of any suitor who was prepared to protect me from unexpected physical insult. He also asked me some questions about the Imperial Inspectorate, from an average citizen's point of view. That somehow led into me explaining to Chiccetlalli the difference between an Imperial citizen and an Imperial subject and how you can be either or (and that's most of us at home) both. He was not happy when I pointed out that under Imperial law his generation of the family here in the Confederation, aside from Cousin Mizti's children, would probably be considered Imperial subjects.
At that point Great-aunt rose form the table and we ladies adjourned to the parlor and enjoyed out kasoohlt. I mentioned my conversation with Chiccetlalli, and Cousin Poktlilui commented that what I had said was true of anyone in the Confederation born under the control of the Imperial regime - it just doesn't affect most people. Tehaneume asked if it was possible to renounce being a subject, adding that she knew that my great-aunt, great-uncle, and then adult cousins had done so. Great-aunt looked uncomfortable but indicated to me that I should explain.
I was in the middle of a recap of the relevant parts of the reign of the only Emperor to be known as "the Mad," (he insisted on it - it's even on the coins minted in his reign) when the gentlemen joined us. When Cousin Poktlilui explained what I was talking about. Cousin Ghrus had me start again from the beginning. In short, Bharghain the Mad set deliberately onerous and punitive requirements to cease being an Imperial subject and no Emperor or Regent since has seen fit to lift them. To cease being a subject you have to:
1. make a written declaration stating that you do not recognise the Empire as a legitimate government over any territory or any people (this is treason.) It has to be signed, witnessed and notarised.
2. This statement and its validations must be made and occur on Imperial territory.
3. Anyone making such a statement immediately renounces all claims to any assets, possessions, and real estate within Imperial territory.
4. Anyone making such a statement immediately renounces all claims to the protections provided to an individual under Imperial law.
5. Anyone making such a statement is subject to arrest on charges of treason, and to having their matter dealt with as expeditiously as the local courts and provincial governor see fit.
The company agreed it was certainly a more serious undertaking than renouncing one's citizenship. Cousin Ghrus recalled that he had seen his solicitor who filed the paperwork for him, and completed the necessary paperwork, while on his way to the interview for his first government position.
A group of us (Cousin Ghrus, Axolin, Miztli, Tehaneume, Yeixi, Nahuitlau, and myself) finished the evening by playing the city building board game. It was interesting to see which elements each of us thought were the most valuable in building our quarters - Nahuitlau and Yeixi were interested in the high stakes pieces (which required them to build their resource bases), Tehaneume pushed towards the family generated pieces and their resource multipliers, Cousin Ghrus and Axolin managed to buy all the administration pieces before anyone else could get them, while Miztli and I both bought lots of food, water, housing, sanitation, and personal recreation pieces. At the end of the game, Axolin accused us of having the cleanest, best fed slums he'd ever seen, which Miztli promptly told him were neighbourhoods, and then followed up by asking where his clerks lived.
I excused myself on the grounds that I need to be up early for chapel in the morning and came upstairs to prepare for bed. Nais is to bring up my hot water and wake me early tomorrow morning so that we are ready to leave when Lord Elnaith arrives.
It is to be hoped that the rain clears in the night.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan