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Consort to a King; Love and Intrigue in Azulcena
Topic Started: Jan 11 2011, 09:07:07 PM (727 Views)
Azulcena
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Face Plant!
((OOC: In the Kingdom of Azulcena, the impending meeting of two monarchs has brought into being a relationship that throws the entire future of the Kingdom into play. General-Colonel Kabya Kenenttz of the Confederacy of Vulshain, director of its military intelligence agency, the MMID, came to Azulcena simply to begin preparations for the safety of her cousin, King Samuil Rainard. King Antonio I of Azulcena had only expected to meet her as a gesture of good faith to her country. Both of them have discovered far more than they expected. For the preface to this storyline, read the "Coronation of the New Monarch of Vulshain" thread from this point on.))

((This thread is open; just PM or chat with me or Vulshain for entry! There's a lot to work with here; corrupt Vulshainian DIEIS agents, an inter-species relationship, the strictures of noble marriage in Azulcena, a bath attendant with a policeman for a husband...))

((Where this thread begins, Kabya and Antonio are in a high-end fashion boutique called Marco's, in the capital city of Azulcena, Cuizaza. King Antonio has asked Kabya to accompany him to the wedding in Coxnord.))

((The following post was a collaboration between Vulshain and I.))

Antonio smiled, imagining Kabya's slender body in the dress as she hung on his arm at an extravagant wedding in a land far away... he blinked a moment at her question, arching his eyebrows. "How the monarchy... works?" he repeated. "I'm not sure what you mean, Kabya."

Kabya smiled as she motioned Antonio to follow her back to the dressing room. "Well, I'm not sure if you know this, or if I mentioned it before, but Vulshain is a basically a semi-constitutional elective popular monarchy." She entered the dressing room, but stuck her head out, saying, "No peeking, now." She winked at him and went inside the dressing room.

Antonio smirked, shaking his head in chagrin. "Ah, I suppose I'll have to wait until tonight, no?" he said softly.

Kabya continued explaining while changing into the dress. "While our monarch is elected, the candidates are always of royal blood. I was actually one of those candidates. The Council of Succession is in charge of conducting the Royal Election of Ascension."

Antonio listened, nodding, thinking about how different their two nations were despite both having someone with the title of "King" at their helms. His eyebrows raised at the thought of Kabya being Queen of Vulshain, but he said nothing. "Well, we are such a new nation, bella," he said before she emerged. "Our fiefs have always just been family inheritances, passing from parents to children equally for males and females. The Crown of the White Lily is currently mine. I suppose when I am gone, it will fall to my heir. Nobody ever really chose the leaders of my country; it has always been seen as a fact of birth that there are those who must manage their country. If they cannot, they either abdicate or their people find a replacement for them."

Kabya emerged in the shimmering silver dress. "I love it, although Chet may have to tailor it for my tail."

Antonio's eyes lit up, gazing up and down at her figure. "You are beautiful in it, amor," he murmured. Kabya smiled. "A dress befitting a Royal consort."

Kabya's eyes went wide. "Thank you." She smiled at him even more, and began examining herself in the mirror, although the gears in her head were turning. "Consort!? I like him, I want to be with him, I want to wake up with him in the same bed. If I decide to do that, it would mean I'll have to give up my position in MMID. I can probably work something out about anything involving my Vulshainian citizenship. I like being in the military. Wait, wasn't there... blast it! I can't remember what they were called. I'll have to research them." She returned to Antonio and asked, "Would you like to know more how the Royal Election of Ascension works?"

Antonio smiled and took her by the hand, leading her to Chet, who was still tailoring the purple swimsuit. "A tail hole on this as well, Chet, if you please," he said with a grin.

"Absolutely, Your Majesty," said Chet, getting out his chalk and measuring tape.

Antonio turned to Kabya. "I would like to know more, yes. I'm very curious." He smiled.

While Chet measured the dress to tailor it, Kabya continued to explain. "Well, the Council of Succession is made up of different people, usually Royal Congress members and the few remaining members of nobility. In the past before Merrill Rivers took power, the Council was made up of members of the Council of Nobles and the House of the People. Now, just because you are selected as a candidate, doesn't mean you have to accept it. You have the right to turn the candidancy down. Usually, the Royal Election is held when the current Monarch steps down or passes away. According to the Constitution of the Confederacy, the Monarch rules for at least 15-20 years, although there isn't anything in the Constitution that says the Monarch has to step down after being in power for twenty years. The reason for specifying how long the Monarch may reign is to prevent the current Monarch from getting weak-kneed and running away from his or her responsiblities. The recent election was held because King Rainard's predecessor, King Oykieke Chaney's health was failing. He had several strokes and a heart attack. While we are a constitutional monarchy, the Monarch isn't a mere figurehead. You could say that we are between a constitutional monarchy where the king is a figurehead and an absolute monarchy where the king holds absolute power. The monarch has several considerable legislative, executive, and judicial powers granted by the constitution. The Constitution of the Confederacy was signed by King Fersoltsy Arkadyon on November 10, 1715. He had studied aboard while growing up, visiting several nations, many of which were constitutional monarchies. While he didn't want to strip the crown of all of its power, he believed that there was room for compromise between the upper and lower classes." She brushed a lock of her hair from in front of her eyes before continuing. "He had several children, and when he was on his deathbed, he realized that he had never chosen a successor. His final act as king before dying was for the establishment of a system where the monarch was chosen by the people, but that monarch must be of royal blood in order to prevent unworthy people from wearing the crown. The system has worked for many years, and although there have been some monarchs who did some unwise things, but overall, it works."

Chet finished all his marks and measurements. When he stood up he murmured jokingly, "Oh my, Your Majesty, is this the kind of pillow-talk you charm out of all the girls?"

"Hey, come on, Chet, I think it's fascinating," said Antonio, giving the shop owner a chiding look.

"If you say so," Chet fired back. "All right, my Lady, you're all set. Give me until tonight and I'll have everything ready for you."

Antonio thanked Chet and led Kabya back over to the dressing room, remarking on the way, "I really do find history fascinating, amor. Especially history from such exotic lands as yours. Maybe one day I can visit your homeland as your cousin is visiting mine. I could read your Constitution first-hand." He came up behind her, his arms looping around her waist and his chin briefly settling on her shoulder. "So you must tell me... did you bow out of your candidacy, or did you compete with your cousin?"

"Well, the thing is that while you're notified of being named a Royal Candidate, you're not told who has dropped out or who is still in. They just tell you that there are others who have been selected. I actually accepted the candidacy, but I'm proud of my cousin that Sam was picked. Oh, and we're also a popular monarchy as well. That means you're not officially the new monarch of Vulshain until after you have taken the Constitutional Oath of Ascension. The oath was actually written by one of our rulers in order to symbolize the bond between the crown and the people."

"I like to think I'm a popular monarch as well," said Antonio with a smile, though his eyes betrayed that he was only joking. "When I took the title of King, I sent a flyer out to all the people, announcing that I was going to serve them well... it was an oath of sorts, a promise."

She held her hand against his cheek and said, "Now, are you going to let me change or do I have to change with you?" She smiled as she teased him.

Antonio smiled all the more, before kissing her cheek and the palm of that hand, then releasing her and stepping back. "It is unbelievably tempting, amor, but I don't want to upset Chet." He winked at her. "Go on then, get changed."

"Oh, I can give you all the privacy you need, Your Royal Horniness!" shouted Chet from across the room.

"Oh, mierda..." Antonio hid his face and laughed.

Kabya smiled and giggled a bit as she went to change back into her uniform. After she had changed back into her uniform, she looked at herself in the dressing room's mirror. She sighed as her ears sunk downward. She would miss the military, but she had never been this happy before. After the Civil War, people would often say, "The veterans of the Civil War saved our nation from being broken apart, but to shield Vulshain from harm, they used their own hearts and souls. No amount of praise can ever be enough." She shook her head and smiled.

As she changed in the dressing room, Antonio wrestled with himself on the inside. "You've known her probably a grand total of 24 hours. She's director of the MMID. She's the cousin of their King. And you called her your consort? That was cute when Maria said it. This is serious." But he couldn't deny how immediately... at-home she made him feel. Not to mention everything else...

She came back out with the dress in hand. "Tell me, Antonio, what kind of dinner do you think Marisol would like?"

When she emerged, Antonio took the dress and folded it as best he could, pausing to think. "I honestly don't know. I've only run into Marisol a few times; she's a women's bath attendant, so naturally I haven't spoken with her too much. I know she's married and lives in the city... perhaps she'd like something new, that she doesn't get to eat as a Royal servant with a policeman for a husband?"

Kabya nodded. "Do you think she'll be at home or at the Palacio?"

"I assumed you two worked that out. Like I said before, if you don't want to leave the Palacio, just say the word and I'll let you two have one of the dining rooms and the service of my chef. You should probably let her know soon, though: servant hours are nine to five unless they're attached to someone."

Kabya smiled as she texted Marisol. <<Are we still on for dinner together? If so, what would you like to eat?>>

It took a few moments for the reply to arrive. Antonio, meanwhile, took the dress over to Chet at the counter. Kabya's phone buzzed. <<Of course, señora! I love Mirandan pez fresca!>>

Kabya smiled and then texted back, <<Wonderful! You and I will dine at the Palacio. I'll see you soon! : ) >>

After a pause, a reply text came. <<I am very honored, señora! See you tonight!>>

Kabya began to wonder what Mirandan pez fresca was. She went over to Antonio and told him what Marisol had texted her, and also asked about the food.

Antonio laughed. "Pez fresca is an ancient dish in the history of the Duchy of Miranda. It's fresh fish... served raw on little balls of rice and wrapped in seaweed. It's actually what started the alliance between Cuizaza and Miranda. Miranda's totally land-locked, they have no access to the ocean for the seaweed. Our oldest trade treaty is for seaweed from Cuizaza. I love the stuff. Mm! Sabroso."

Kabya smiled. "Sounds tasty. I guess you'll have to get your chefs to get started so Marisol and I can dine with one another."

-----

Some time later, after Chet had been paid, the orders had been relayed to the chef, and Kabya and Antonio had returned to the Palacio, Kabya soon found herself in the same room she'd had lunch in the day before, seated across from Marisol, who had changed from her professional clothes to a denim jacket and a colorful casual dress, her hair done in braids and her wrists laden with bangles. Big round earrings hung from her ears. "I feel a little cheap, señora," she said self-consciously. "I should have dressed up for dinner in the Palacio."

Kabya laughed before replying. "Oh no! It's quite all right. I don't mind at all. But tell me, how is everything? I heard that your husband was a police officer."

Marisol smiled. "Everything is genial, señora. That means, ah, 'great.' Tommy is a policeman, . He's a Royal Constable. I actually called to let him know I would be here tonight. He said he'll probably be guarding your Rey on the streets when he comes, doing, ah... crowd control?"

Kabya nodded. "That's good. Hopefully, we won't have a repeat of what happened last year when King Rainard was about to leave on his tour of the East Pacific. A police officer, a Confederate Marshal, and a civilian were wounded by the assassin. Both officers risked their lives to protect His Majesty from harmed."

Marisol swallowed a bit and nodded. "I hope that doesn't happen either, señora. Tommy and I have only been married two years. He says once we feel ready we should have children." She blushed. "I don't know if I'm ready yet, though." She politely quieted down as the waiter came in with their salads for appetizers. Once he'd gone, Marisol looked at Kabya a little nervously.

Kabya nodded. "I understand. Starting a family is a very serious decision." Kabya knew that she and Antonio could never have children, unless she had an artificial impregnation. Pushing that aside to think about later, she started eating her salad. "This is very good," she said.

It seemed a little obvious that Marisol waited until Kabya started eating before she did. The bangles on her wrists jingled a bit while she forked up her salad. "Mm, sí, es muy sabroso, señora. That means it's very tasty."

"So, what do you like to do in your free time?"

"I actually like to paint, señora. I'm working on a picture of Cuizaza in the winter. I go up to the top of our apartment building and paint a little in the mornings and nights." She forked up a little more salad, then said, "If... if you want, señora, I can teach you some Español. To help when your King arrives?"

Kabya smiled and her tail wagged a bit. "I would appreciate that very much. And what do you like to paint, by the way?" She went to eating, but slowly, as she was very interested in Marisol's reply.

"Oh, plants, animals, the city... Tommy," said Marisol with a blush. "I painted him in his police uniform and his mother paid me for the picture."

Kabya smiled. She then asked. "If you get the time, um... could you paint me? I'll pay you, of course."

Marisol's eyes lit up but she looked very nervous. "I'd be honored, señora," she said with a bow of her head. "Is... is it going to be for el Rey?"

Kabya smiled and shook her head. "Actually, it's for my parents. I hope to give it to them for their anniversary, which will be in February. I want to give them something special." "That's another thing that I have to think about if I decide to stay here with Antonio. Maybe I should talk to them about this."

Marisol blushed. "I'm sorry if I assumed too much, señora," she said. "I... I should probably show you some of my paintings first. You might not want one after you see them." She laughed lightly.

Kabya gave a look that showed her puzzlement. She then smiled. "Well, I'll just have to see them, then." She laughed lightly along with Marisol. She went back to eating, but after taking a few bites, she then asked, "Do you swim?"

Marisol set down her fork and looked very eager. "Me encanta swimming, señora! I love it!" She barely noticed the waiter come in to clear their salad plates and serve their main course. "Tommy and I met in the swimming pool! I swam on all the teams in high school!"

Kabya smiled and wagged her tail. "It would seem that you and I have much in common. I swam on my swimming team in high school as well. I even competed in the underwater hockey team back in school. I wonder if Azulcena thinks about the spectator part of aquatic sports."

"Underwater hockey?" repeated Marisol, looking puzzled and curious. "Well, I don't know about that, but swimming is pretty popular here. We don't have a swimming league or anything like that, but my padres -- parents -- came to all my swim meets."

Kabya nodded and then explained the sport of underwater hockey to Marisol while they both ate their meals. Marisol, in turn, started to teach Kabya some essential Spanish words that she could use during her time in her country. Just as they were finishing their main course and the waiter was clearing their plates, Marisol was asking Kabya for more words to teach her. She had almost totally stopped calling her "señora."

Kabya smiled. "Pero primero, ¿cómo estoy hablando hasta ahora?"

"¡Bien, bien! Como una natural," said Marisol, drinking a bit from her glass of wine.

"¡Oh, muchas gracias! Marisol, ¿a qué hora se lo dijiste a tu marido vas a regresar?" Kabya wondered if Marisol would be willing to attend to her in the Queen's Bath chamber once. She was enjoying Marisol's company very much.

"Sólo dije que estaba yendo a cenar con usted, señora," came her response. Marisol did check her watch just then; Tommy would be wondering about her if she stayed out much later, but she was having fun... which she hadn't expected. To become fast friends with a foreign military officer so soon? And a non-human, even! Tommy would have to hear about her day.

"Ah, ya veo. Bueno, entonces, ¿nos encontramos de nuevo mañana? Voy a necesitar sus servicios otra vez."

"Of course, señora," said Marisol with a smile, surprised at how fast a learner Kabya seemed to be.

While Kabya had wanted to continue her Spanish lessons, she nodded. "Buenas noches, Marisol. ¡Hasta mañana!" Kabya smiled.

Marisol stood and bowed a bit. "I'll see you in the morning, no doubt?" She giggled and blushed a bit.

Kabya smiled and bowed a bit as well, tail wagging in joy. "I really like it here." She excused herself to find Antonio, but she asked the footman at the door to make sure that Marisol got home safely. Kabya wanted to make sure her friend was going to be all right. The footman bowed politely, ensuring that Marisol made it to her bus stop safely and without incident.

-----

Kabya found her way to the Royal Quarters again, where she was stopped at the entrance by a pair of Royal Bersalier guards. All she had to do was give them her name, and after a brief call inside, they opened the doors. And there was Charlie, the sergeant she'd met that morning, wearing a smile. "Hello, General-Colonel," he said, saluting.

"Hola, Sargento. ¿Cómo estás esta noche?" Kabya grinned as her tail wagged, a little proud of herself as she greeted him in Spanish. "¿Puedo ver a Su Majestad, por favor?"

Charlie's eyes widened a bit and he gave her a hearty laugh. "Like a fish to water!" he said. "Very good! I was raised speaking English, though, General-Colonel, but I can understand you very well. The King is in his office. I'll take you to him." He turned and led the General-Colonel down the hallway, the doors shutting behind them. "He catches up on emails and sets up appointments, this time of night." After a bit of a walk around a corner or two, he came to a rich mahogany door, and knocked.

"Come in," came the King's voice on the other side.

Charlie gave Kabya a wink and opened the door, revealing a relatively small but very warmly-decorated room, the walls lined with shelves full of books. At a strong-looking desk that must have been over three times his age, King Antonio was sitting, papers arrayed around him, looking into a flat-panel computer monitor. He looked up from his work at Charlie and Kabya, and quickly rose, walking out from behind the table to take her hands. "Amor," he said softly. He turned to Charlie. "Thank you, Charlie."

"Sire," said Charlie, saluting and leaving them alone.

Kabya watched as Charlie left. After he was gone, Kabya smiled and approached the nearest bookshelves, wagging her tail. She placed her hand on some of the books. "You must enjoy reading. I do as well." She went as if to pull the one she had her hand before turning to Antonio. "¿Puedo leer esto?"

Antonio raised his brows and smiled, pleasantly surprised. He checked the book she was touching. "Claro que sí, amor." It was a Spanish copy of The Odyssey. "I read when I can, but most of these were my mother's. That's her." He nodded in the direction of a moderately-sized portait on the wall opposite the desk. "She died when I was eight years old. Papá would talk about her a lot."

Kabya removed her hand from the book and placed her hand on Antonio's shoulder. "You must miss her very much." While her parents were still alive, if she chose to live here, they would be separated by miles and miles of ocean. Still, her parents would want her to be happy. And she could always write and call them, couldn't she?

"It's been twenty-one years, but... yes. Yes I do." Antonio looked distant, his mind snatching at half-forgotten memories... smiles, embraces... meals and laughter. He rested his hand over hers on his shoulder.

Deciding to change the subject, Kabya asked, "So, what... um... sports do you do in your spare time?"

Antonio snapped out of his memories. "Actually, I... really like to bowl."

Kabya gave him a puzzled look. "I... see." "Not my favorite game, especially after that time I dropped the blasted ball on my tail!" "Do you like to swim or jog?"

"I bike every other morning, and on weekends I swim for a few hours each day." He softly stroked one of her arms. "I get the feeling you might have a routine of sorts also." His eyes flashed a bit and he smirked.

She smirked as well as she wagged her tail. "You could say that. If all goes well when my cousin visits, people here might be clamoring for underwater hockey leagues to be formed. It is a very popular sport where I come from." She chuckled.

Antonio smiled and leaned against the bookshelves. "It sounds very interesting, indeed. I'm sure I've caught a game or two on international TV late at night. When I can't sleep." He looked at her uniform. "I assume... most of those medals are for being a hero to your people?"

Kabya looked at her uniform and nodded. "Yes, they are. Some of these medals are also symbols of our culture. For instance..." She pointed at crystal star hanging from her uniform. "...this is the Star of St. Aiya. It is awarded for acts of bravery in the face of vast enemy forces, as well as delivering assistance and aid to those injured in battle or disaster." She pointed at medal that looked like a stylized sun. "This is the Sun of Verveno. Verveno was the vulpine pagan sun god. It is often awarded to those who show great courage when facing enemy forces. And this one..." She pointed at another decoration. "Is the Order Of Saint Andrew the Apostle First-Called. The Order of St. Andrew is the highest military and civilian order of Vulshain. And this is the Purple Heart, awarded to those who are injured in battle while performing acts of heroism and valor."

Antonio's eyes followed Kabya's fingers as they pointed to each and every medal. He reached for the Order of St. Andrew, pausing and looking at her. "May I?" he asked. Kabya nodded. He lifted the medal gently in his hand, tracing a finger over its lines. He looked from it to her, his gaze matching hers, drinking in her crystal blue eyes. "Hero to your people, wounded in battle, courageous and brave in the face of great odds." He replaced the medal. "You saw my scar. I got it climbing out of my tank. How shallow that must seem to you."

Kabya shook her head. "You aren't shallow. My own cousin, Sam, got nicked in the tail twice when he single-handedly rescued the remaining members of his unit after they were ambushed."

-----

Miles away from Azulcena, King Rainard sneezed. "Someone must be talking about me," he said.

-----

Kabya smiled at Antonio. "Besides, you fought with honor and bravery just as I did. You are no coward and you are certainly not shallow." Antonio smiled, his eyes twinkling a bit. She tapped his nose as she said, "And. Don't. You. Forget. That." She chuckled.

Antonio laughed, lifting himself away from the bookshelves to scoop her into his arms, holding her gently by the waist. Kabya grinned and wagged her tail. "Thank you, Kabya. I won't." He leaned in and kissed her softly, smiling still when he withdrew. "Did you like getting to see my scar?" he asked, winking.

"I did. Now, what do you want to do now?" She winked at him.

"Well..." said the King, pressing a little nearer, pushing her against the bookshelf behind her softly. "I know what I could go for right now... but maybe not here. Not with Mamá watching." He nodded at the painting.

Kabya nodded. "Lead the way," she said, smiling and wagging her tail. Antonio grinned and took her by the hand, leading her through the mahogany door, down the hall... and into his bedchambers.

-----

The sun's rays started to creep into the bedchambers. Scattered about the floor near the bed in disarray were clothes. Sleeping softly under the covers of the canopy bed, Kabya was asleep, nestled beside Antonio. Her ears twitched as she stirred. She slowly woke up and smiled. She propped herself on one arm as she smiled at Antonio, debating if she should wake him up. "He's so peaceful. It would be a shame to wake him. Still, I need to do some work myself, just as he does." She gently and lightly kissed him on the cheek. The King of Azulcena didn't stir, only the barest ghost of a smile on his face as the kiss filtered into his dream. When he didn't wake, Kabya decided to let him sleep. She quietly and gently got out of bed. She gathered the clean clothes she had brought with her from her room in the Hotel Azulcena. Of course, she had left her bathrobe back in Vulshain, so she made do with her uniform's greatcoat. She gently opened the door, and saw Charlie there. Charlie turned to face her and gave her a crisp salute, but she held a finger up to her muzzle. She gently closed the door behind her and then whispered to Charlie, "When he wakes up, tell him that I'm in the Queen's Bath Chambers. Tell him that I also said good morning."

Charlie smiled and nodded. "I wish I could abide you, my lady, but I'm under orders to wake him before seven each morning... but there are always exceptions." He laughed quietly and let her withdraw to the Queen's Bath Chambers, where she noticed Marisol. The bath attendant was waiting for her, with fresh towels, fresh soaps and shampoos, and a redundant fresh set of clothes in her arms. Kabya smiled. As she entered the Bath Chambers, Marisol was right behind her.

"I'm sorry, señora, I thought you hadn't brought anything with you. I got these this morning. Ah well. I also should tell you, there was a book waiting for you in your room; it looked like a history book."

Kabya nodded. "Thank you, Marisol. Ah, that must be the history book from the Ministry of Education I requested." Kabya took off the greatcoat and handed it to Marisol, who hung it neatly on a brass hook by the door. Kabya entered the bath, wearing nothing but her fur, and Marisol added a few more salts to the water. Kabya then turned and smiled at Marisol. "Marisol, I know this is going to sound odd, but I would like it if you would join me in the bath."

When that question settled in her ears, the poor girl turned bright red despite her tan complexion and took a step back reflexively. "I... I- I... ¡señora! I...!" She didn't know what to say! She'd told Kabya she was married; but she tried rationalizing it away; maybe this was a custom where she came from.

Kabya realized how her request must have sounded. "No, no, no! Nothing like that! We just wash each other's backs and hair, that's all." She was embarrassed as well.

Marisol heaved a visible sigh of relief, but her blush didn't fade. "Oh, señora, I don't think I should. I... I'm too embarrassed and... well... I'm on duty." She kneaded her hands a bit, nervous, her face uncomfortably hot.

Kabya smiled and replied, "It's quite all right, Marisol. We're friends here. And consider this part of being my personal bath attendant. Now, please join me. You deserve to relax once in a while."

"Oh... s-señora... I... this is embarrassing... I..." Marisol was grasping little bits of her skirt in her fingers. "I've... never... been... um... desnudo... except with Tommy..." She bit her lip and seemed to shrink a bit, looking down.

"Marisol," Kabya said softly and gently as she smiled at her friend. "It's all right. Trust me. You've seen me naked. If you want, I'll turn around while you get undress." Kabya turned around, facing away from Marisol.

Marisol was very red, from her cheeks to her neck. She felt very uncertain, but at the same time, her heart was thumping. As though not only did she know she had nothing to fear, but that it would be like taking a bath with a sister, one of which she'd never had. She bit her lip a long time, though, and thought.

Marisol was even blushing on her back, Kabya would soon discover. Stripped to her undergarments only, Marisol softly lowered herself into the warm water, facing away from Kabya, shaking like a leaf in the wind. When she was submerged to her collar, she said meekly, "O-okay, señora... I'm in..."

Kabya turned around. She gave her friend a puzzled look. "Oh for crying out loud!" Kabya shook her head. "Marisol, you don't have to worry about being modest around me. Look at me!" She patted Marisol on the head. "Besides, how are you going to explain wet undergarments to your husband? And don't be afraid. Nothing's going to happen."

Marisol huffed a little, biting her lip again. "I don't understand it, señora. I'm a bath attendant, but for some reason, I... I'm embarassed."

Kabya smiled and said, "It's all right Marisol. I'll wash your back and hair first, then you'll do mine."

-----

Meanwhile, Antonio stirred in sleep, then, his hand grasping for someone that wasn't there, he startled awake. "Time," he mumbled. "What... time...?" Finding a clock, he stared at it, muttered a curse under his breath, and climbed out of bed, gathering his things and putting his robe on. Soon he was out the door and on his way to get ready for the day. Once he'd finished his morning routine, he returned to his bedchambers to touch base with Charlie.

"The General-Colonel says 'good morning,' sire," said the sergeant.

"Thank you, Charlie. Should you see her, tell her the same for me. Where is she?"

"Bathing, sire."

"Ah. Well, I should get to work. Looks like I'm skipping my bike trip today. You know where I'll be."

"Of course, sire." Charlie smiled his usual smile, watching his King depart down the hall.

-----

Meanwhile, Marisol was busy dressing once again, a little annoyed with herself; her underclothes were still wet. But she was smiling a bit; it felt good to just relax with a friend like that.

Kabya noticed Marisol's annoyance. She was going to ask if anything was all right, hoping she hadn't offended the Azulcenian, but when she saw Marisol's smile, she smiled back. "So, Marisol, didn't I tell you that everything would be okay? Besides, you seemed to enjoy being able to relax." Kabya was now wrapped in a towel with another one in her hair.

"Sí, señora," Marisol said meekly, but she said nothing more. Turning, she started to help Kabya dry off, rubbing the moisture from her fur and hair. She was quiet. Smiling, but a little contemplative.

"Marisol, is there something wrong?" Kabya noticed that Marisol sounded meek. Kabya was worried that she had offended her friend.

Marisol looked at Kabya a moment. "Well... I don't think I'll be telling Tommy about that when I talk about my day. But it was relaxing, even though I already washed for the day." She smiled. "Do they always wash together in your country, señora?" she asked.

Kabya nodded. "Occasionally. I'm from Kitumang, the Province Capital of Koxnam. There are a lot of baths there, but of course the baths are separated for men and women. I hope I didn't offend you any when I invited you to join me in bathing. When I was in high school, the other female players on the swim team and I would wash together. By the way, what other duties does a bath attendant do, besides take care of the bathers?"

"I was just... surprised, señora," said Marisol, starting to brush out Kabya's fur. "I wasn't expecting that. I was an only child, too, so I never grew up taking baths with anyone else." She kindly took one of Kabya's arms, brushing through its fur. "Well... that's about all. Other than clean up the bathroom, and take care of the towels. When I'm not needed I do other things, like laundry, or mail."

Kabya nodded. "I see. Well, you seemed to have relaxed quite a bit after I washed your hair. And if you like I'll help you clean up in here."

Marisol actually laughed brightly at that. "Now, señora, I have my job and you have yours. If you do my work then I'm cheating! Just the same as if you asked me to negotiate all sorts of important things with el Rey." She smiled.

Kabya joined in the laughter and smiling. "Touche, Marisol. You are quite right. So, did you enjoy relaxing?" Kabya smiled at her.

Marisol nodded, brushing through the fur of Kabya's tail. "I did, señora." Just then she chuckled. "You should see my perro when I brush his tail. He just lays there with a big smile." She giggled.

Kabya smiled and giggled as well. "I see. You must take good care of him."

Marisol grinned. "When Tommy and I got married, he said, 'Let's have children.' I said, 'I'll get you a dog.' And we named him Niño. Usually Tommy takes him for his walks and I handle the grooming."

Kabya smiled. She decided to let Marisol continue brushing her. "You're an excellent brusher, that's for sure, Marisol."

Marisol smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, señora. Practice makes perfect!"

"Having fur, one has to worry about mats and tangles. It can be quite a handful and a major headache sometimes."

Marisol smiled knowingly. "Like having long hair," she said.

Kabya smiled and laughed at this. "You're quite right." Kabya smiled and relaxed as Marisol smiled brightly, brushing diligently through her fur.

Kabya smiled as she looked at Marisol. "By the way, after you get off work, do you mind introducing me to your husband and Niño? I would like to meet him. Maybe for tea?"

Marisol blinked a moment and smiled. "Oh... señora, I'll have to call Tommy. Our apartment is a mess; el Rey will need to arrange your escort into the city. But I would be very honored, and I know Tommy would be too."

Kabya mentally kicked and slapped herself. "Idiot! You know you would have to get permission to go into the city, and no you can't just play 'girlfriend wants something' with Antonio! You know that's wrong on so many levels!"

"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing! You can talk with him about it, but don't act so needy."

"All right..."

"WHAT!?"

"I mean...YES MA'AM!"

"Wait, did I just have an argument with myself? Oh, that's just great."


Kabya nodded in agreement. "I'll see what he can do. Hopefully, it would be nice to see what your city is like, though. It would give me a chance to see anything that might interest my king. Also, if we have time, I might want to take a look at your paintings."

The bath attendant smiled. "You should get some time to yourself once your work is done, claro," she said. "I'll call Tommy on my break and let him know we might have very important company. And... ay, señora, ¿qué hice para merecer todos estos honores?"

It took Kabya a bit to recognize the words, but when she did, she smiled, and said, "You're a wonderful person, Marisol. Ever since coming here, you have been very friendly to me and I appreciate that. Not to mention, estás extraordinaria a ayudarme a cuidar de mi piel. Of course, you'll have to get over your shyness from now on, though."

Marisol stopped brushing a bit to bow. "Señora, you're very kind. I've just been doing my job. But I am glad to be serving someone as simpática as you." She switched brushes, and began to work on the vixen's hair. "Gracias, señora, para todos."

"Usted es bienvenido." Kabya smiled and blushed at being called nice. "Gracias," she thanked Marisol.

Marisol laughed. "It's 'de nada' if you mean 'you're welcome,' señora," she said helpfully.

Kabya laughed. "Oh I see. I'm still learning, but you are a wonderful teacher. Thank you."

"De nada, señora," said Marisol with another laugh.

Just then, Kabya's phone buzzed. Kabya blinked. "Who could that be?" She answered the phone. "Hello?"

On the other end of the line was a familiar, nervous voice. "General-Colonel? This is Ursula Menendez, the Intelligence Minister."

"Oh hello, Minister Menendez. I apologize. I meant to ask you for your number so I could recognize you in case you called me. Is everything all right?"

"It's quite all right, General-Colonel. I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your comrades from the DIEIS have left Azulcena. And I am afraid we weren't able to completely blank their camera data before they left; some data might be recoverable. We, uh... we saw the photograph they took."

Kabya's gears in her head turned quickly. The photograph that popped in her was...her and Antonio kissing! "Thank the Almighty it's DIEIS. I don't think they would blackmail anyone." "I have a good guess what that photograph is. While I'm also concerned, I don't think DIEIS will immediately act on it. They'll wait around until they find an opportunity, but by then they'll probably have forgotten about it. Still, those three agents, while paranoid, aren't the type to blackmail people, but I'll have my people back in Vulshain keep an eye on them. If they try to use what they got, I'll know immediately, and you'll know immediately."

Menendez paused. "Then I suggest you get on the phone to Vulshain as soon as you can. And I wouldn't discount them trying to sell the photo, General-Colonel. Any number of paparazzi and news outlets would pay many corolas for that picture. Thank you for your offer." The line closed.

Kabya muttered something and immediately called the person that could help her.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sam, it's me Kabya."

"Kabya? Oh hi! How is Azulcena? Everything going all right?"

"It is Sam. The people are real nice here and they are really hoping for building relations with our nation."

"Splendid. You know, I've been meaning to pick an ambassador there, but since you're there..."

"Sam, you know that I'm in MMID," she sighed.

"Yeah, I know, but still... you've always talked about traveling to another country."

"Yeah, I did."

"Kabya? This isn't a social call, is it?"

"No. It isn't." She told him what was going on. Her, Antonio, DIEIS, the photograph.

He was silent for a while. "I see. Well, I'm surprised, Kabya, but I'm happy for you, ever since..."

"I know, Sam."

"Listen. I don't think DIEIS would sell that photograph. They're not the kind of people who are greedy for money. Still, I'll talk with them. Hold up." She was placed on hold. After about thirty minutes, he came back. "All right. It took a bit, as well as some yelling." Sam coughed. "But, I managed to get through their thick skulls. Under my orders, they are to hand those photos to me."

"And how are you going to make sure they do it?"

"I threatened to bring them up on treason charges."

"Smart move."

"Yep. Listen, you be careful over there now. And try to take this relationship with King Antonio slowly now. I'm happy for you, honest, but well... you take care now, Kabya. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Sam."

"No problem. Love you now."

"Love you too."

Sam hung up. Kabya immediately dialed back the Intelligence Minister. When she picked up the phone, Kabya told her, "I have good news. King Rainard has ordered them not to release those photographs and to turn over everything they got from here."

Menendez was a little silent, then said, "I hope that works, General-Colonel. Based on what you told me of some of DIEIS..."

"Like I said, these DIEIS agents can be trusted, but they are paranoid. That's the problem. Patriotic and paranoid to a fault. And don't worry, Sam played a trump card on them. He threatened to bring them up on treason charges."

Menendez was silent again for a time. "General-Colonel... I do not mean to tell your Rey how to do his business... but I fear that if you threaten paranoid patriots with charges of treason... that might cause disloyalty, or loss of confidence in your Rey. I don't know them, of course..." She sighed softly on the phone. "But I thank you, and Su Majestad de Vulshain for your quick action. Enjoy your day." The line closed again.

In the half hour it had taken Kabya on the phone, Marisol had thoroughly finished brushing her hair and fur. She asked when Kabya hung up, "Was that your cousin, el Rey de Vulshain?"

She nodded. "Yes. He's actually looking forward to visiting Azulcena, but he has to visit a few other nations first. I remember that he might take a short break before continuing his tour. Now, let's put my hair back into a ponytail, shall we?"

Marisol smiled. "¡Claro!" She produced a brightly-colored scrunchie and began to do up the vixen's hair. "Is everything all right, señora? You seem a little put off."

"Yeah. A couple of my fellow Vulshainians from my nation's civilian security agency had taken some pictures without your government's permission, and they got away with some the photographs. So my King and I were able to prevent them from using the photographs. I apologize for some of my people's underhandedness." Kabya sighed. "Just don't tell anyone, okay? Building relations between Vulshain and Azulcena is very important to my king. If this gets out, there could be a lot of trouble."

"Señora, rest assured that everything we talk about is a state secret. I'll even be careful when talking to my husband." Marisol's round face seemed built for smiling.

Kabya nodded. "De nada, Marisol." Kabya was glad she had a friend like Marisol.

Marisol gave Kabya's hair a friendly tug as she tightened the scrunchie. "Don't you mean gracias?"

-----

Kabya, with Marisol's help, had gotten dressed. In return, Kabya had helped dry the bath attendant's wet clothes with the use of a blow dryer. "Well, I think that's it. Now, Marisol. I know you were probably embarrassed when I asked you to join me in the bath, but..." she paused to straighten her collar. "...from now on, I want you to join me in the bath while I'm here. Okay?"

Marisol blushed. "Señora, I think it was okay once... but I don't think Tommy would like it if he found out, no matter how innocent it might be. We can relax when we both have time off. While you're here and I'm your ayudante, my job is to keep you clean and brushed." She smiled.

"Fair enough. Besides, it was wrong of me to impose on you to do something you weren't comfortable doing. I just thought you might want to relax a bit, that's all." Kabya smiled. "And I would enjoy relaxing with you when we both have the time. All right, I'm set now. You take care now, Marisol. And again, thank you for everything."

Marisol smiled. "Gracias, señora. And de nada. You have a good time today, now." She thought a moment, then gave Kabya a friendly hug.

Kabya smiled and hugged Marisol back. "You know, this is twice today you have thrown protocol to the wind."

Marisol blushed. "Pues, señora... ¿porqué no?

Kabya laughed. "I guess friends do strange things together. Now you take care, Marisol. I'll let you know when I can come visit you."

-----

The MMID personnel were discussing different things. Herbert and Helmuth were going over the details of Samuil's visit, Kabya was reading the history textbook especially the part about Merrill Rivers while discussing its contents with Senior Lieutenant Naum Georgy. The only member not taking part was Oxana. She was looking out the window. Kabya noticed this and handed the book to Georgy. Kabya walked over and stood beside the Lobo. "Something the matter?"

Sighing, Oxana said, "Not sure, really, I'm a little tense right now. I've been ever since we got here. I've tried to relax, but I haven't slept well in a while now." She turned and Kabya saw her bloodshot eyes.

"I see..."

"Yeah. Comrade, do you think everything is going to be all right here?"

"I hope so, old friend. I hope so."

"Old? I'm the same age as you! We're both 28!"

"True. Anyhow, how are you and my brother doing?"

"I like your brother, but to tell you the truth... I don't know."

"Well, you two do snore a lot."

"Your brother snores, not me. How's the relationship with the King?"

"Going well. I actually like him a lot. You know, I'll see if I can get all of us some downtime. We probably need the relaxation. And who knows, it might help strengthen relations between Azulcena and Vulshain if we do some sightseeing."
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

See an overview of Azulcenian culture here!

Read Azulcena's NSWiki here!
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SCKnightVulshain
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The Boll Weevel
OOC: This is a collab between me and Azulcena

IC:

Captain Theda Elvan came back from blowing her nose. She quickly got back to work, looking over the list of people and places King Rainard would meet and visit.


The elevator outside the conference room chimed, and let out Deputy Chancellor Daniel Retecala, with a few retainers and aides. Retecala was carrying a large cardboard box. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said with a polite smile, "compliments of His Majesty and our Chancellery." He set the box down on the smart table and opened it, revealing bottles of deep red wine inside. "Gran Reserva from the wine country of Alcántara. You can enjoy it now or keep it for when you return home. But apparently this is our standard gift to diplomats."

The MMID officers smiled and nodded. "Thank you," Kabya said. "Oh Deputy Chancellor, if I may ask, would it be possible for us to go sightseeing a bit? Just to mingle with the locals."

The other MMID officers nodded. Helmuth then added, "I know you may be worried about something happening to us, but we assure you, we'll be alright."

Retecala thought for a moment. "Well, I'm technically in charge of your activities while Chancellor Salazar is busy, but I will check with Minister Marronagua first. I'm sure you're all very capable of protecting yourselves but I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes."

He immediately took out his cell phone and dialed, placing it to his ear. "Yes, this is Deputy Chancellor Retecala, I'd like to speak to the Defense Minister, por favor." A pause. "Hello, Defense Minister? Yes. The Vulshainians are interested in going sightseeing around the city. Should I do anything special?" A pause. "Mm-hmm. Thank you, Defense Minister."

After hanging up, he looked at Kabya and smiled. "You'll be allowed within the city, but just for insurance purposes it is asked you dress in civilian clothes. Some plainclothes Royal Constables will serve as protection. It is asked that those of you not given permission for concealed arms not carry any outside the government campus."

They all nodded. "Good thing we all brought civilian clothing," Daryna thought.

The MMID officers were now dressed in civilian clothing, while plainclothes Royal Constables kept watch close by. The Vulshainians had started a the national soccer stadium. "I used to play soccer before the war, remember Kabya," Helmuth asked.

Kabya nodded. Herbert was taking pictures. "My wife and kids will be wanting some photos of Azulcena. Still have to get some soverneirs for the little one though."

The young woman from the Ministry of Education that had spoken up at the meeting the day before, Rachel Vaquero, had been given the task of being their tour guide since the Ministry of Tourism could not spare anyone. They were standing at the top level of La Ensaladera, as it was colloquially known. It was a huge stadium, capable of seating 50,000 people, the fútbol pitch at its center impeccably green and snow-free.

The seats were protected from rain and snow by a canopy that ringed the outer wall, ending at the edge of the pitch. The seats were multicolored, every section alternating colors all across the spectrum. Although no game was scheduled for the day, the stadium was still open to tourists and sightseers, a few groups of which milled around in the various levels.

Around the halls, flags of the various fiefs of Azulcena were hung, along with large photographs of famous players from their varying histories.

Vaquero was letting them take as many photos as they liked, but passers-by were more than curious about the group of Vulpines and Lobos, pointing and murmuring to one another in both English and Spanish. Vaquero looked to Herbert. "The stadium does have a gift shop, open daily, if you want to stop there."

Herbert overheard the passers-by and said in Spanish, "Don't worry, they're very friendly. Oh, and our nation's leader will be visiting your nation soon."

The group of passers-by that Herbert had addressed stopped, giving each other curious looks. It was a family of four, and the mother, toting a pair of toddlers, stood a little forward with a smile. "What country are you from?" she asked in English.

"Vulshain," Herbert answered. "Would you to pose for a picture for my wife and kids?" He smiled and held up his camera.

The mother looked to her husband, who shrugged with a quizzical look and nodded. "Okay," she said. Her family drew near. The children, neither of them older than three and both young boys, were very quiet, looking with wide eyes at Kabya and the other non-humans.

Herbert said in Spanish, "Smile and Say Cheese and World Peace!" He readied the camera.

The husband held his wife around her shoulders and the two young boys clung to their legs as they smiled. The mother tried to get her boys to look at the camera. "Ay, chicos, sonríen. ¡Paz mundial!"

The little boys half-murmured "paz mundial" in the shy way little boys do, still wide-eyed and staring at the non-humans behind Herbert.

Herbert took the picture. He smiled at it. "Perfect," he said in Spanish. "Thank you," he said in Spanish. "I noticed your sons' interest in my Vulshainians." He says to the boys in Spanish, "Don't worry those Vulpines and Lobos are like big puppy dogs. Gentle and playful."

The little boys looked up at Herbert with shy wonderment. "¿Perrillos?" said one, the taller of the two.
"Sí, Beto," said the mother, tugging his arm a bit. "Do you want to meet them?"

Beto chewed his thumb a bit and murmured, "Mmmm... sí."

Herbert smiled and said in Spanish, "I will introduce you to them." He introduce the family to the Vulpines and Lobos. Herbert then noticed that other Azulcenians were also taking an interest as well. Herbert said in Spanish to the family and the other Azulcenians, "This is Kabya Kenenttz. The one with the robotic arm is Daryna Lilya Oxana. The man there is Helmuth Kenenttz, Kabya's younger brother. And the golden furred one there is Theda Elvan." The Vulpine and Lobos smiled and said hello. One Azulcenian said in Spanish, "Except for the tails, fur, and muzzles, they look almost human." A few others nodded.

"Ay, que zorras," said a group of teenage boys leaning against a wall, smoking cigarettes. Still others were just standing and looking. Some had cameras or cellular phones out, taking pictures like it was a sporting event itself.

Little Beto and his brother clung to their mother's legs, waving back at the Vulpines and Lobos only at their mother's urging, looking far too shy to really say much. The mother smiled and laughed. "They are so shy," she said to Herbert in English. "Well, this Beto and this is Paco. Come on, chicos, diganles hola."

The little boys clung to their mother a little tighter, murmuring, "Hola..." Paco looked a little scared by Oxana's robotic arm.

Oxana hated her robotic arm. She had never got around to getting synthnetic fur attached to it. She had the money, but she kept forgetting to do it. She picked up something with her ears. Some workers were moving some heavy steel cables when a roll of the cable got loose and start rolling straight to the teenage boys smoking. The workers started screaming in Spanish and English to get out of the way. "Oh shit," she murmurred. One moment she was murmuring the next she's grabbing the roll of steel cable with her robotic arm, she hissed as she felt her robotic arm began to twist and bend. The cable roll stopped. Her robotic fingers were a mess. "I can't feel my arm," she whimpered.

Immediately the crowd started to grow noisy and concerned, gathering around the scene, with the workers who'd lost control of the roll of cable catching up and some of the plainclothes Constables keeping the crowd back. The workers grabbed the roll and rolled it away, out of Oxana's grasp. The teenage boys were pressed against the wall, bare and undiluted fear on their faces at their near-demise.

Vaquero ran over. "Are you all right?" she asked. The family with Beto and Paco were part of the growing crowd now, all of whom were watching and murmuring.

"What happened here?" asked the head of the Royal Constable escort of one of the workers.

"We were getting ready to replace one of the awning lines," said the worker.

Oxana saw everyone was looking at her. Suddenly someone in the crowd, shouted in Spanish, "That Vulshainian Lobo! She saved those boys' lives!" A man, possibly a reporter, took a picture of her.

Many of the Azulcenians started to get out their cameras and phones again, taking more photographs. The teenage boys slowly began to relax away from the wall as the workers started to roll the cable away, asking the crowd to make way. The Royal Constables now had to keep a perimeter so people wouldn't crowd in too close. Vaquero took Oxana by her other arm. The boys were still just staring at Oxana, stunned and quiet.

Oxana said to Vaquero, "I'm alright. Are those boys okay?" She hissed in pain as she tried to move her robotic fingers. The other Vulshainians checked to make sure she was alright. Naum Georgy shook his head. "Your robotic arm: it's damaged. You have to either get it fixed or remove it. The damage is too extensive. Servos are fried by the way."

At that moment is when some of the stadium security guards came rushing over to see what the commotion was about. The boys took the opportunity as the crowd parted to bolt, running for the exit. Vaquero let Oxana go, letting her compatriots take care of her. The security guards considered chasing the boys but one of the plainclothes Constables called them off, showing his badge. They started trying to disperse the crowd, announcing everything was all right in English and Spanish. Groups of Azulcenians began to peel away.

Vaquero asked Georgy, "Will she be needing a hospital?"

Herbert shook his head. "We might need a mechanic, though." Oxana glared at him. "I'll be fine. I brought a replacement arm just in case. Of course, we'll need to go to a hospital and get it attach though," Oxana replied looking at Vaquero. "But other than that, I'm okay."

Two Azulcenian men came rushing up. One with a microphone and another with a camera. The Vulshainians didn't catch the name of the man with the microphone. He asked in English, "What is your name?" "I'm Daryna Lilya Oxana of Vulshain."

"What happened?"

Vaquero held her hands up, looking very nervous and flustered at the sudden appearance of the cameraman and the man with the microphone. She could see the logo of one of the local Cuizaza TV news programs emblazoned on the microphone, and she hadn't been expecting this at all. She was just an aide from the Ministry of Education; she wasn't a proper chaperone for these Vulshainians.

The Royal Constables closed on the reporter and the cameraman, though, trying to usher him away. But he persisted. "Hang on, hang on! Our King says the press is free in Azulcena, so you have no right to stop me! I was just here shooting a spot about Los Rojos finishing their stint in the Baptism of Fire, then this happens. This is my story and you won't be taking it away!"

The Constables looked at Vaquero for guidance, but the poor girl still just had her hands up, looking completely out of her depth. She gave them a meek nod, and the Constables let the reporter back through to see Oxana. "Thank you," he said, a bit haughtily. He stuck the microphone in Oxana's face again. "Sorry, anyway. I'm Harry Perez of Channel 4 News. What happened here?"

Oxana answered. "We were sightseeing and then I saw, or rather heard," she pointed at her canine ears, "a roll of heavy steel cable get loose and start rolling towards some teenagers. I, well, saved their lives. It did cost me my arm though."

"And you say you're from Vulshain? What made you come to Azulcena to be here at this moment?"

"We are a diplomatic delegation from Vulshain to prepare for the visit of His Majesty, King Samuil Rainard, Monarch of Vulshain. We wanted to see your great culture before our King did, so we decided to do some sightseeing," Oxana answered. "Well, MMID does do some diplomatic work, though," she thought.

Perez looked genuinely surprised at that. "Really? We haven't heard anything from the Palacio about that. Why do you think our government would keep something like that a secret?"

Vaquero was looking more and more agitated. She looked at Kabya and the other Vulshainians, as if for help.

Kabya didn't know what to do. However, Oxana knew what to do. "Your government wasn't keeping it a secret. We haven't set a date for his visit yet, which is why your government hasn't released that information yet. We're here to help with the arrangements of his visit. I'm sorry, but we must go now: my arm is starting hurt...alot."

"Miss Oxana, if you could answer just a few more questions--" Perez began.
"I- I think that's enough, she really does need medical attention," blurted Vaquero, looking at the Constables, who nodded and ushered Perez and his cameraman away. "We need to get her to the car."

Perez protested all the way, but a couple of Constables were able to politely keep him back as the others led the way back to the parking garage for the stadium.

Oxana apologized to Vaquero. "Sorry about all of this, but I couldn't let those boys get flattened. Your government is going to be quite upset with me aren't they?"

The Constables ushered everyone into an elevator and Vaquero waited for the doors to close. She was rubbing her forehead, looking terribly red in the face and exasperated. She looked over at Oxana. "What, you think I'd rather those boys got turned into mazapán? This is my fault."

After a quick car trip and some official government clearance at its entrance, the Hospital del Espíritu Santo became the next cultural experience for the Vulshainians. The whole group was let in through the ambulance entrance to avoid the public, and were rushed with diplomatic priority to an emergency room. In the meantime word had been sent back to the government campus to bring Oxana's spare arm to the hospital.

The room they were in was pristine and white, with green linoleum floors. Oxana was given a soft stretcher to sit on. The whole group, Constables and all, occupied the room, with a few Constables in the hall and a few more at the back entrance and the cars. They simply had to wait for the arm to arrive. Vaquero was just pacing, looking very agitated.

Herbert was busy telling the staff about what to do and the differences between humans and Lobos. Kabya wondered what the Azulcenian government was going to say about this.

The nurse in the room listened to Herbert with some interest, and informed them a doctor would be there once the spare arm was there. Vaquero soon stopped pacing and just found a chair, sitting in it and resting her face in her palm. The room was quiet other than Herbert's discussions with the nurse. Soon, the nurse came to Oxana and started doing a check of her vitals, reflexes, and so on, just routine checks. She also started asking about her medical history and allergies, taking notes on a clipboard.

Oxana told everything she could to the nurse, while Herbert was explaining to nurse about Lobos and Vulpines.

Kabya asked Oxana, "How are you feeling?"

Oxana smiled and whimpered as she tried to move her robotic arm, "Like someone just put my arm into a blender and slammed a sledgehammer down onto the blender and my arm after turning the blender on full blast."

The nurse went to a cabinet and pulled out an IV needle and a bag of painkiller safe for Lobos. She told Oxana to lay down. "I'm going to get you on a drip here to take care of the pain. Does your arm hurt when it is being changed?"

Oxana nodded. "It'll hurt a little, but not a whole lot." She was lying. It was going to hurt like hell.

"Well, we'll keep you on the drip, then," said the nurse. She quickly took Oxana's free arm and started trying to find a vein through the fur. She winced. "I'm sorry... not used to looking like this..."

Oxana gulped. "I really do not like needles." She hissed as the nurse finally found a vein.

The nurse said nothing, looking unintimidated by the hiss. She quickly swabbed the vein and stuck the needle in, taping it expertly and hanging the bag of medicine on a hook by the bed. She adjusted the drip. Oxana could immediately feel the pain abate.

Vaquero lifted her head from her palm and looked at Oxana. "You lost your arm, you're a soldier... and you hate needles?' she asked innocently.

Oxana nodded and laughed a little. "I know. Weird, huh?"

Kabya smiled and patted her friend on the shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright, Oxana."

"Thanks." A Royal Constable soon arrived with her spare arm.

Following on the heels of the Constable was a man in a white coat. "Hello, I'm Doctor Ochoa," he said with a polite smile, coming up beside Oxana at the table. "You must be Miss Oxana, our Vulshainian visitor. How are you feeling?"

"I'm in a lot of pain. Not to sound rude, but let's just go and switch out my arm, please?" Suddenly, her robotic hand sputtered and flexed, backwards. She howled in pain. "Probably wasn't...a good idea to try moving my fingers," Oxana hissed in pain.

Dr. Ochoa was all business in that moment. He laid comforting hands on Oxana's shoulders and nodded to the nurse, who upped the painkiller drip. "Now, Miss Oxana, we'll be getting that off you very quickly. I had to make some international calls to your home country for instructions, so I'll have to ask you to be patient and calm. Nurse?"

The nurse brought over the spare arm. Another nurse entered the room with a tray of tools, setting them nearby. Dr. Ochoa looked them over, as if checking that all he'd requested was there. He nodded and let the other nurse leave, then began to delicately examine the broken arm.

Kabya's phone buzzed. A text message from Antonio was on the screen. <<Everyone all right?>>

Kabya texted back. <<We were sightseeing, and a roll of steel cables got loose and nearly flattened some teenagers. Oxana saved them, but her robotic arm was badly damaged. They've just started switching the old one out for a replacement arm she brought with her just in case. The media was there and they found out about Sam's visit. Nothing we could do about that.>>

<<Oxana told them that we were from Vulshain. We were honest with them. Everything happened fast. I hope you're not mad.>>

Ochoa took a tool from the tray and began to reach inside the connecting joint of Oxana's arm, disconnecting individual nerves and other linkages one by one. Oxana hissed softly, but from the look in her eyes her compatriots could tell that she was rapidly becoming distanced from reality by the drugs in her bloodstream.

It took a few moments for Kabya to get a reply to the text message. <<I'm not, amor. But I will have to get out ahead of the news on this so we don't look like we're keeping secrets.>>

<<Then, you better move fast then. Not to sound pushy here, but you might want to give Oxana a medal or something for saving those boys' lives. It might help some. Just a thought. I must go now. Oxana is my friend.>>

Antonio had already set his phone down and gotten in touch with his press secretary. Within a few moments there was a release being drafted, and after about a half hour the release was wired to all the major news outlets in the country. But until then, Oxana was going to have to endure a fairly long process as Dr. Ochoa successfully removed her old arm in the most painless way possible; the medication still kept her from shouting as more of her arm felt like it was being crushed in a vice.

Vaquero was on her cell phone out in the hallway during the procedure, talking to her superiors in the Ministry of Education. From what snippets of the conversation the others could catch as they drifted through the door, she was going to be relieved of her duty in guiding the Vulshainians around the country. She sounded more relieved than angry at this, and was apologizing quite a lot to whoever-it-was.

Soon she came back in, her phone shut, her face a little dejected but a lot less agitated. Dr. Ochoa had just finished the procedure of removing the arm completely, and set it on an empty tray nearby. "There we are, Miss Oxana, your old arm is off. How are you feeling?"

"That's... some good stuff you've got me on, doc," she said softly.

Dr. Ochoa smiled. "You'll soon be off it, though. Nurse?" The nurse gave him the new arm and he began hooking it up slowly, gently, not wishing to make a mistake. "There are four boys out there somewhere who won't be folded up like pancakes today because of you. Four families that owe you their gratitude, miss."

"Yeah... not sure I'll ever get to see them, huh?" asked Oxana, looking over at Kabya.

Kabya smiled. "How is she doing?"

"She'll be fine, this is just a bit of a delicate process," said Ochoa. "Once I'm sure everything's hooked up right, we'll take her off the drip; her pain should stop as soon as everything's successfully connected."

Time passed a bit slowly. A small television in the corner of the room had been playing a local channel since they'd entered. Soon the programming for the afternoon slots was over and the 4:00 news broadcast began. It was Channel 4 News. Vaquero looked up, rushed over, and turned up the volume so the program was at least audible.

"...of the first state visit to Azulcena since our country was unified," a smiling blonde newscaster was saying. "An official release from the Palacio Azul this afternoon announced that King Samuil Rainard--" Samuil's official portrait appeared on the screen "--of Vulshain is including Azulcena on his tour of the East Pacific after his recent coronation. King Samuil will indeed be the first foreign head of state on Azulcenian soil since the Treaty of Velasco was signed. Officials of Vulshain have been in the country to help prepare for his visit, and as our own Harry Perez discovered, they are very quickly showing their country's best side."

The camera cut to Perez, standing outside La Ensaladera, holding his microphone. "Gracias, Muriel. It was here at La Ensaladera that I happened to run into our friends from Vulshain, by accident, while I was shooting a spot for a different story for tonight's news. Apparently the group of diplomats and military officers from Vulshain was taking in the sights of our national stadium when one of them proved herself to be a friend of our country,"

The image changed to Oxana's face, her name emblazoned on the screen beneath it. The footage was clearly from earlier, when she'd been cornered by Perez and his cameraman. "What happened here?" Perez was saying in the film.

Oxana answered. "We were sightseeing and then I saw, or rather heard," she pointed at her canine ears, "a roll of heavy steel cable get loose and start rolling towards some teenagers. I, well, saved their lives. It did cost me my arm though.""

The image changed to the roll of cable, safely back on its spool as workers used it to replace one that held up the awning in La Ensaladera. Perez was standing beside it. "The cable Señora Oxana was referring to was this one; thankfully it's back in its rightful place. The four young men whose lives she saved cannot be found, but I'm sure they are very grateful for this visit from our new friends-to-be."

The camera cut back to Perez live outside the stadium. "Now, Señora Oxana is a decorated war hero from Vulshain who served in their Civil War and lost her right arm in battle. It was replaced by a robotic arm, which is what she was referring to as having 'lost.' And I saw her arm, unfortunately we don't have it on video, but it did look extensively damaged, unfortunately. She did mention she was in a lot of pain, I know we all hope she is receiving the best medical attention our country can afford her."

Kabya smiled. Helmuth smiled as well. Herbert simply nodded. "Crazy, but heroic," he said. Oxana simply said, "I can't feel my tongue, no wait, ouch, yes I can."

"Now, Muriel, that Royal press release you were talking about earlier, I have a copy here, and it says, quote, 'All of Azulcena thanks Daryna Lilya Oxana of Vulshain for her heroic effort to save the lives of four of our sons. By the power vested in me as King, I will be proud to confer upon her the Order of Gratitude, a new award created today by Royal Decree,' enquote. Now, Muriel, did you get any word on what this 'Order of Gratitude' is?"

The camera cut back to the studio, where the blonde newscaster was holding a piece of paper. "Uh, actually, yes, we got a wire on it here, Harry. Quote, 'the Order of Gratitude is an honor to be bestowed upon any foreign national of any civilian title or military rank for any extraordinary service to Azulcena in time of peace beyond the call of their normal duties,' enquote. So it looks like Señora Oxana will be the first to receive this award, huh?"

The camera cut back to Perez. "That is indeed the case, Muriel, and I can only say that I'm sure we can all agree she deserves it. Hopefully those young men she saved are watching this broadcast out there and have learned a little more about who they owe their lives to."

Kabya smiled. "So, Antonio created a new medal just for Oxana? Not what I had in mind, but heck, it works I guess," she thought. If it had been up to her, she would have just given one of the local medals, but then again maybe creating a new medal specifically for foreigners was a better idea then.

The report on the screen changed as the newscaster segued out of it. Vaquero turned the volume back down. Dr. Ochoa was still making connections in Oxana's new arm; it was going to take a bit of time.

About a half-hour later, the operation was complete. Dr. Ochoa shut the final panel on Oxana's new arm and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Okay, Miss Oxana, you are all back together again. Now, can you touch your fingers to your thumb, individually, one by one, for me?"

Oxana did as she was told. One by one, she touched her thumb with each finger. She then balled her hand into a fist a couple of times, and then went back to touching her thumb with each finger. "Seems everything is in order, although the pink elephants in tutus with fairy wings is getting on my nerves."

Dr. Ochoa laughed and turned to his nurse, who began removing the tape from Oxana's arm and removed the IV, swabbing and taping a fold of gauze over the puncture. "If my new contact in Vulshain, Dr. Rothonov, is to be believed, you should be totally free of pain and able to use the arm as best as your old one right away. The drugs will work out of your system in a couple of hours."

Oxana smiled and nodded. "Feels good to have an arm again." Maybe having a robotic arm wasn't so bad after all, she thought. She was a national hero of a foreign country and would received a medal for saving four teenagers from getting flattened. "So what's next," she asked Vaquero.






Confederacy of Vulshain
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OOC: This was a collaboration between me and Azulcena.

Kabya had arrived at the address of where Marisol lived. She had made sure that Oxana was doing alright, but her lobo friend had told her to go on and visit Marisol. Kabya had let Marisol know that she was coming. She rang the doorbell and waited.

The apartment building was brightly-colored, the sunset making its sienna and violet facade glow a bit. The apartments were indoor access, so Kabya was waiting in a well-carpeted lobby. From the looks of it, Marisol and Tommy were doing well for themselves. The speaker above the doorbell clicked on after she pressed the buzzer beside the label "T & M Rodriguez."
"Hello?" came Marisol's voice.

"Hello, Marisol. It's me, Kabya. I hope you don't mind me dropping by to visit."

"No, not at all! Tommy's looking forward to meeting you. Come on up, señora!" The elevator doors beside the doorbell panel opened with a soft "ding."

Kabya entered the elevator and pressed the button to take her to the floor where Marisol and Tommy lived. After a while, she reached her destination and exited the elevator. She found her friend's apartment room and knocked on the door.

Marisol's smiling face greeted her as it opened. She gave a small bow and stood aside to let Kabya in. "¡Hola, señora! Welcome! Come on in, you can leave your boots on the mat here."

The dwelling into which Kabya was entering seemed quite spacious for its size. The entire room by the door was a sort of combined living/dining area, the walls decorated with textured azure wallpaper and dark wooden baseboards and crown moldings. The ceiling was textured stucco. Instead of carpeting wall-to-wall, the floor was of well-polished oak boards, and brightly-colored throw rugs were situated under various pieces of furniture.

There was a fireplace in the far wall beside the exit onto a small balcony. To Kabya's right was a kitchen hemmed in with a low half-wall. A dining table sat beyond the kitchen toward the far wall. To Kabya's left was a small area with a desk and a computer, and around the fireplace was arranged a sofa and a low coffee table. A modest tube television sat beside the fireplace, easily viewable from the sofa. Between that and the dining area was an open doorway into a small hallway.

The scent of cooking meat and spices was filling the apartment; Kabya could tell something was in the oven for dinner, and Marisol looked to be in the middle of preparing a side of potatoes and mixed vegetables.

Kabya sniffed the air. "My, that smells delicious. I hope that I wasn't interrupting you." Kabya looked around a bit. "They have a nice place here. Kind of reminds me of Sam and Cecilia's place before they both moved into the Confederate Palace."

Marisol smiled and shut the door behind Kabya, offering to take her overcoat. "Don't be silly, señora. You're invited to dinner!"
"Is that her?" came a young male voice from through the open doorway.
"Sí, amor," said Marisol.

Through the doorway strolled a tall, dark-haired and fit young man in his early twenties, dressed in a formal deep blue police uniform. It was relatively undecorated, bearing only a few small badges over the left breast pocket. This was Marisol's husband, Tommy. He came up to Kabya and saluted her, looking a bit nervous. "Welcome, señora. We're honored to have you as our guest."
Marisol giggled a bit, but said nothing. Her clothing was semi-formal, too, but didn't look like anything someone wouldn't wear for a night on the town.

Kabya chuckled a bit after seeing Tommy salute her. She said in Spanish, "Oh you don't need to salute me! I'm a guest, and besides, I'm a tourist today." Noticing his police uniform, Kabya added, "You must have just come in from work."

Marisol giggled again. "No, he insisted on wearing that," she said in English. "He said he had to look good since you're a very important person in your country."
Tommy bristled a bit and dropped his saluting hand, saying hurriedly, "I just wanted to present a good image for my family."
Marisol squeezed his hand. "I know, amor," she said with a smile.

Kabya smiled. "You did an excellent job then. And if it is okay with Marisol here, you and I could talk for a bit till the food is ready."

"¡Sí, claro!" said Marisol, leaning up to peck her husband's cheek. "You two go sit down, I have to check the roast."

Marisol hung Kabya's coat in a nearby closet as Tommy smiled and stood aside to let her come in and take a seat wherever she liked.

Kabya sat down in a nearby chair and waited for Tommy to sit down as well. "So you are a police officer? You'll have to excuse my ignorance of Azulcenian law enforcement, but are you part of the police militia or the Internal Troops?"

Tommy sat a little stiffly at the dining table as well. The uniform on him looked like it was relatively unworn, starched and stiff. Marisol walked into the kitchen and went back to chopping and boiling the vegetables.

"I'm a Royal Constable," said Tommy. "The Constabulary sort of covers everything as far as law enforcement in Azulcena. There are special sections for special ops, investigations, all sorts of specialized uses, but everything is run by the Sheriff. I'm just a basic Constable. Right now I walk a beat a few dozen blocks from here. I'm going to be on crowd control duty the day your King visits."

"Señora," Marisol asked from the kitchen, "What would you like to drink? I'm making mimosas, but we also have sangría, cervezaa, or refrescos."

"I'll have mimosa," she answered. Turning back to Tommy, Kabya asked. "I see. So, does the Constabulary have armored units?" She remembered herself after asking the question. "Sorry. I forgot this isn't Vulshain. In Vulshain, the Internal Troops use limited amounts of armored vehicles, like APVs and a tank or two. The police militia are very similar to your Constabulary, although we also have the Confederate Marshals, who act as special police officers and deal with such crimes as street gangs, gun runners, drug dealers, and threats to the monarchy. Threats by the way range from terrorists to assassins to crazy stalkers."

Tommy nodded. "We've got things like that. After the war, a lot of soldiers from militias across the country were given the option of joining the new National Army or the Constabulary. Some of the real macho types signed up for special ops like the Drug Task Force and the Subversive Investigations Unit. Some are on loan to the new Terrorism Bureau too. But me, worst I've had to put up with is boys with spray cans defacing a building."

"Thankfully," added Marisol.

Tommy smiled a bit. "Marisol worries about me."

"I would, too to be honest. Many police officers are trained in various styles of self-defense and weapons. Heck, back before Sam was made king, we had an incident where a group of armed thugs had gotten their hands on a lot of high-powered weapons and were planning to start riots. It was a battle between the police and the thugs. Luckily, the police were able to...stop the thugs, especially after we used flamethrowers on them. I'll admit, the use of flamethrowers may have been too much. There are alot of people in Vulshain who criticized their use."

Tommy looked genuinely surprised at that. "Is there a lot of crime in Vulshain? Here we don't have very much at all. I... I don't want to sound high-and-mighty or something."

Kabya laughed. "Oh no! You're not sounding at all like that. But, there were some problems with crime, especially after the Civil War. Things have settled down now. There are occasionally problems with street gangs, drug dealers, and gun runners, but nothing too bad. Of course, we do have to worry about the Fredimpelio Crime Syndicate, or the Big Boss Gang. They're involved with just about every type of crime you can think of from contract killing to identity theft, oil smuggling, organ trafficking, illegal dumping of toxic waste, counterfeiting, bank robbery to economic espionage to drug trafficking. A lot of criminal organizations prospered back when Rivers was in power. He left them alone as long as they didn't interfere or disrupt his government. He made good on that condition. Of course, after Rivers was overthrown and the monarchy was restored, we went after the syndicates as many had supported the Republican Regime. We got a few mob groups, but recent laws are eroding their power. From what I've seen of Azulcena, you have a very peaceful nation."

"But, I'm actually curious about you and Marisol to tell you the truth. How did you to meet each other?"

In the kitchen, Marisol had finished with the vegetables and was busy mixing orange juice and champagne into three tall flute glasses. Tommy nodded and listened as Kabya explained the situation in Vulshain. "We did have a bit of a problem with marijuana dealers on street corners for a time, but the King legalized marijuana across the country shortly after unification, so most of that dried up." He smiled and scratched his chin at Kabya's question. "This is funny, actually."

"Oh no," Marisol said with a laugh.

"She parked in a fire lane and I had to ticket her," said Tommy, grinning, "I was in a hurry!"

"Hey, hey, that's not an excuse!"

"I think you just wanted an excuse to get my number," Marisol said chidingly as she brought the glasses of mimosa to the table.

Tommy took his and tugged her arm over so he could kiss her cheek. "Could be, could be," he joked.

Kabya giggled a bit. "I must admit that is the first time that I've heard of two people falling in love thanks to a parking ticket." Kabya took a sip of her mimosa. "So, how did your second date go?"
Confederacy of Vulshain
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Face Plant!
((OOC: More of that collaboration between Vulshain and I.))

Marisol purposefully ruffled Tommy's hair, which made him gasp in mock horror and try to fix it. She returned to the kitchen to check on her roast.

Tommy sipped his mimosa as well, setting the glass down to answer her question. "It was wonderful. I convinced Marisol to let me take her to a formal retirement party for one of my bosses. She wore this gorgeous yellow dress, and I found out how talented a dancer she is."

Marisol was visibly blushing over in the kitchen as she opened the oven, the scent of cooking beef and spices wafting strongly into the apartment. "You tried to get me drunk, too," she chided.

"I did not!" Tommy protested with a chagrined smile. "You just kept getting champagne!"

"It was the first time I'd ever had it, and you never told me how strong it was!" Marisol set the pan the roast was in on a cooling rack and started carving it.

"That's because it's not, you lightweight." Tommy was grinning, and Marisol gave a mock huff.

Kabya covered her muzzle as she giggled. "Must have been quite a second date."

"Oh, there was none of that," Tommy said knowingly. "Her mother wanted me to have her home by midnight."

"Mamá is very suspicious of clean young men from the city," said Marisol. "She grew up on a farm."

Kabya smiled as she sipped her drink again. "I see. How about your family, Tommy?"

"I grew up in Cuizaza. My dad served in the Cuizaza Army when he was my age, but never saw any action. He left the Army and became a construction worker, and met my mom when she started bringing him lunch as he worked on a tower next to her apartment building. They got married and had me and my three older brothers. Mom used to sell flowers but she became a full-time mom after they got married."

She smiled. "It seems that romance runs in your families."

Marisol was blushing again as she brought the carved roast to the table, setting it down between her husband and Kabya. "I guess we're a bit of a romantic country," she said.

"Yeah, we do have holidays celebrating love," Tommy added, visibly licking his lips at the heavily spiced, aromatic meat. "That looks delicious, honey."

"No eating 'til I bring the vegetables over!" Marisol chided him.

Kabya smiled. "So, Tommy, what was your reaction when your wife told you that a foreign ambassador would be visiting your home?"

Tommy laughed. "Marisol's been telling me about you," he said. "How impressive and friendly you are. I was actually pretty nervous, though. And I'm kind of surprised there aren't any Constables on duty to guard you while you're here." Tommy was unaware, however, of a pair of Constables having followed Kabya to the building, sitting outside in a car.

Kabya nodded. "Why would you be nervous?"

"Because you're so important to your country. People high up in government are just sort of naturally intimidating, I guess." Tommy laughed a bit, looking slightly sheepish. Marisol, meanwhile, brought over a steaming bowl of boiled vegetables, setting it beside the roast. She immediately dished some onto Kabya and Tommy's plates, then followed with a hearty helping of thinly-carved roast.

"Thank you, Marisol," Kabya said in Spanish. "Your wife has been teaching me how to speak Spanish."

Marisol seated herself at the table and dished up for herself. "Y está aprendiendo muy bien," she added.

Tommy smiled. "That's good to hear! Sort of a cultural exchange, I suppose."

Kabya looked at her food. "Hm... that smells delicious." She took a bit of the roast and tried it, its pleasantly spicy flavor filling her mouth. Her eyes lit up. "This is delicious!"

Marisol blushed and grinned. "Gracias, señora," she murmured.

"She's a fantastic cook," said Tommy, taking a bite himself. "Oh, mmm! Love it, honey!"

"I can tell. And you're welcome," Kabya said in Spanish. Kabya tasted the vegetables and complimented Marisol on them as well. "You have to give me the recipe for the roast, Marisol." Kabya had assumed that her friend was probably an excellent cook, but the meal she was eating certainly proved that Kabya had underestimated Marisol's cooking.

Marisol swallowed some of her mimosa and smiled. "I'll have to write it down for you," she said. "It's sort of a family recipe. Mamá taught it to me."

"You must have inherited your cooking skills from your mother then," Kabya replied. She looked at Tommy, "How good of a cook is he?" She asked with a giggle.

Tommy laughed. "Oh boy. I'm terrible!"
"No, no, amor, that pie you made was good!" Marisol said supportively.

"Yeah, I got that right, but for some reason that's the only recipe I'm good at."

"Oh, what kind of pie was it?" Kabya asked, taking a sip of her drink.

Tommy chewed and swallowed some potato before answering. "Strawberry. I made it for our anniversary last year. Wanted to surprise Marisol when she got home."

"It was delicious," Marisol assured him.

Kabya nodded and ate some of the vegetables. After wiping her muzzle with her napkin, she asked, "I hope he didn't a mess of the kitchen."

"Just a bit," Marisol chided him, giving him a nudge across the table.

"I cleaned up!" he said, protestingly.

"Yeah, the next morning!" Marisol pressed with a mischievous grin.

"Well...! I was busy."

"Yes you were," said Marisol, with a deep blush.

Smiling, Kabya replied, "I might have to bake you two a cake from my country." She waited to see if they would ask what kind of cake.

Immediately they both looked interested; Tommy a bit more than Marisol. "What kind, señora?" she asked curiously. "Los pasteles le chiflan a Tommy."

"It's called a Weosian Forest Cinnamon Honey Cake. It's very sweet, now, and is usually eaten in small portions. It's basically a chocolate with honey and cinnamon mixed in as well. It's very, very rich," she warned. "I could also make some banana pudding or even peach and orange cobbler, if that cake sounds too rich for you."

Tommy licked his lips again, looking at his wife a bit eagerly. Marisol smiled. "All of those sound wonderful, señora," she said. "I wouldn't want to ask so much of you, claro. But... if ever you have time to make something, we would be very honored."

"Very honored," Tommy repeated.

Laughing a bit, Kabya smiled. "It seems your husband has quite a sweet tooth, Marisol. You must have a hard time keeping the pantry filled with snacks and sweets."

Tommy chuckled and had some roast, looking across at Marisol a bit sheepishly. Marisol smiled, nodding. "He loves mazapán. I have to buy it every week. But he works it all off at the gym on the weekends, so I can forgive him."

Kabya looked at Tommy and said, "I hope you buy the groceries, too. If not, I wonder if you sleep on the couch a lot." Kabya chuckled a bit before eating some more of her roast.

Tommy laughed. "Oh, I do. Marisol works hard enough around here."

"Verdad," said Marisol, taking a forkful of vegetables.

"What about you?" Tommy asked Kabya. "What's your life like at home?"

Kabya smiled. "It's good. I execrise a good bit. Swimming and acrobatics mostly. I do some push-ups too. I do have a cat named Silky, but my neighbors are taking care of her while I'm away. I sometimes work on my motorcycle when I get a chance. My parents are always on my tail about me riding it."

Tommy listened intently, gobbling up his wife's cooking. "Oh! That reminds me. I locked Niño in our bedroom while you're here. I didn't know how animals would, um... interact with you."

"Oh it's all right... wait, what does that mean?"

Tommy's eyes went a little wide. "Well, I... he's a dog, you kind of... look... like a dog? I didn't want him to growl at you or think you were invading his territory. He's a husky, they get kind of territorial."

Kabya gave him a look then laughed. "You know, that's the first time anyone has ever said that to me. Besides, my parents have two dogs, a husky, Snowball, and a chocolate lab, Coco. Both of them adore me. My parents got them when I was just starting out at the Academy. Maybe after the meal is over, I can meet him." She smiled at Tommy.

Tommy looked very, very sheepish then. He frowned a bit and started apologizing for his ignorance, repeatedly. Marisol reached over and grasped his arm softly, rubbing. "Amor, it's okay, she's not offended. Besides, the poor perrito hasn't had his dinner yet, either. I'll let him out after we're done."

Kabya noticed her food was almost gone. "Marisol, if I may ask, could I have seconds?" Marisol smiled and helpfully dished her some more vegetables and meat. "Thank you. And I wasn't offended. It's just the first time that someone has said that to me, that's all, so no harm done." She went back to eating.

Tommy looked a little relieved, but he asked, "Er... and I didn't mean you look like a dog... as in... er..." He scratched his chin and looked at Marisol a bit helplessly.

"Amor, don't dig yourself a hole," she chided him with a smile.

She laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Marisol. Tommy it's okay. You don't have to worry about insulting me. Besides, I'm the first vulpine you've met, and I'll certainly won't be the last of course."

Tommy nodded, finishing his plate also and dishing himself some more. "I hope more of your people come to our country after your King visits. It'll be good to see people getting along."

"Save room for dessert, a propósito," said Marisol. "I made a flan."

"Oh, honey..." Tommy said, looking at her lovingly. "Don't ever forget I love you."

"For my cooking," she added with a wink at him.

"Yes, it would be good for people to get along. Flan?" It was a word that Kabya hadn't learned yet, but she could guess that it was a type of dessert.

"It's like custard," said Tommy, clarifying. "You can make it with all sorts of things. Sometimes there's crust on it, sometimes not. Marisol makes them without crust, and usually with vanilla and a little banana. Am I right tonight, honey?"

"Como siempre, amor," she said with a giggle.

Kabya smiled. "Oh! I would love some of that. But, first after we finish eating this, I'll help with the dishes."

At that, both Tommy and Marisol looked very surprised. Immediately Tommy said, "Oh, no, no need. That's always my job, and you're our guest. You just relax and talk to Marisol while I clean up, okay?"

"Well... okay. It would be great to relax for a bit."

Tommy smiled. "You probably have been working hard to keep your cousin safe while he's here." Marisol was eating her roast, smiling and watching them talk.

"Yes, I have." Kabya smiled and began to finish her plate.

"Any state secrets I get to know?" Tommy asked, smiling.

Marisol laughed. "Isn't that against the rules, amor?"

"It kind of is. But don't worry, I'm sure that I'll ask my cousin if I can tell you anything." Kabya winked at Tommy and finished the last of her roast and vegetables.

Tommy smiled and laughed, finishing his plate as well. Marisol soon finished her food and asked, "Everyone ready for dessert?"

"Oh yes," Kabya answered with a smile.

"Absolutely, my lovely wife," Tommy said with a grin. Marisol stood up and took their plates, taking them into the kitchen. She brought in three small plates with cup-shaped flans on them, setting them on the table in front of them each. She took the remainder of the roast and vegetables off the table and set them on the kitchen counter before sitting down.

Kabya tasted the flan. "This is delicious! Once more Marisol shows her mastery of cooking." Kabya smiled at Marisol.

Tommy was already four spoonfuls into his own flan. "Mm! Oh yes. I love you, honey!"

Marisol laughed as she ate her own. "I'm very glad you like it, señora. I'm actually a little curious about your motorcycle. What kind is it?"

"A 2006 Suzuki GSX-R1000. It was a gift from my brother. I had been wanting a motorcycle for some time, but never could quite afford one. Then, my brother got me one for my birthday. I was quite thrilled. My parents... not so thrilled. It's not a fancy sports car, but it does keep gas pump from digging into my money."

Marisol nodded, looking very interested. "Do you go traveling across the country with it, or just around town?"

"Around town, although I do occasionally travel across the country to visit relatives and friends. I work on it from time to time, keeping it in working order. I take it you're wanting one yourself?"

"I've thought about it, just to save on gas. But I love my little car too," said Marisol.

"I had a bike when I was in high school," Tommy said. "I saved my money until I got my license. Mom and Dad weren't too concerned since we live in the city and I couldn't get going very fast. I'm surprised you have to worry about money in your position." After he said that last bit, he looked a bit self-conscious, as though he might have insulted her again.

"Oh, don't worry. You didn't insult me. I don't have to worry about money now, but back then, I wasn't in this position. Money was tight, especially for the Civil War veterans. Thankfully, my cousin has gotten laws and bills passed that help the veterans. I just wished his predecessor had the wisdom to do so back then. Um... the topic of how things were after the Civil War is kind of touchy
for me. But don't worry, you didn't insult or offend me at all. Not a lot of the Civil War veterans like to talk about it that's all."
She went back to eating her flan.

Tommy nodded solemnly. "I can understand that. We can talk about other things."

Marisol spooned up some of her flan and tried a new subject. "Kabya asked me to paint her a picture, Tommy," she said with a smile.

"Oh, really? See, I told you you were talented!" he said with an even bigger smile. He turned to Kabya. "Thank you, too."

"Ah. So, you were being modest. Marisol, your husband is right. You should brag once in a while now about your talents, just not too much or in a jerk kind of way."

"Well... you haven't even seen any of my paintings yet, señora," Marisol said modestly. "I'll wait for you to change your mind then."

"Oh, come on, honey!" Tommy chided. "Sheesh."

Kabya giggled a bit. "Oh my. You are modest. However do you live with such a modest and humble woman like her, Tommy?"

As Marisol put her spoon down and gave a chagrined huff at Kabya, Tommy laughed and spooned up more flan. "You know, sometimes I admire even my own perseverance at that. I guess it's because if I lived on my own I'd be eating terrible food every day."

Marisol laughed but folded her arms and gave him a playful glare. "You are such a bufón."

Giggling a bit, Kabya went back to finishing her flan. "I will certainly have to see your paintings. By the way, do either of you any play any sports?"

"You mean, besides swimming?" Marisol asked, getting back to her flan. "I don't, not really."

"I like to play basketball with some of my co-workers on the weekends," Tommy said as he finished his own dessert. "And when my brothers and I get together for family reunions, we play fútbol pretty aggressively. I like to say I'm the top goal-scorer, but they always disagree."

"Hm... I see," said Kabya. "I used to play some tennis back in high school. I also played underwater hockey in high school as well."

"I don't think we had tennis at my high school," Marisol said, thinking.

"We did at mine, but it was sort of a noble thing," Tommy said. "Commoner boys like me didn't really like it, we saw it as too elite or something. Silly teenager stuff. I've played it maybe once or twice since then."

Marisol finished her flan. "You mentioned underwater hockey before, señora. Do you really play underwater? Do you have to use snorkels or something?"

Kabya smiled and nodded. "Why of course! Yes, we use snorkels. Also, we have the arena 'raised' which enables people to see the action from transparent sides of the playing field, much like display tanks in aquariums."

Tommy blinked. "Wow. That must be really hard! Swinging a hockey stick through water. Things must be a lot slower than regular hockey."

"It's actually quite exciting, really. You have to wear a swim mask, ear protection, and gloves. The reason for the arena being raised is to be spectator friendly, which isn't true in other countries."

"I wonder if they broadcast underwater hockey games internationally," Tommy said. "I'd love to see one sometime."

"We'll have to check the listings," Marisol said.
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

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Commander Phillip Rolston, the leader of the Republican Armed Liberation Army (RALA) looked at the map of Azulcena. Most nations, actually, a vast majority of the world's nations saw him and RALA as terrorists. "Bah...How could they comprehend what I'm trying to accomplish," he said aloud. Unlike the now destroyed RRAM, Philip's RALA was no racist fanatics. "No, we seek to take away the powers of the monarchs and give those powers to those who truly deserve them: the people themselves." Philip's hair was slowly graying. He was of course, 49 years old. Still, his mind was sharp as sword. He knew that Vulshain was trying to open relations with Azulcena. Some people would try to stop something like that, but not him. His plan was to get the King of Azulcena to relinquish his powers and give them to the people of Azulcena.

The door opened and two guards dragged a mid-ranking RALA soldier in. She was a woman, and she had two black eyes and a busted lip. "Is this her," he asked without looking up. The guards told him yes. "You know, Karla. I don't condone rape, and I don't tolerate racism among my soldiers."

"But--"

Several shots were fired, her head riddled with holes. Philip glared at the now dead and former RALA soldier while his gun was still smoking. "Get this garbage out of here."

"What do you want us to do with her?"

"Drop her in the ocean. I think the sharks will enjoy our gift to them. Besides, it's lunch time."

The guards quickly did as they were told, as they knew that two other RALA soldiers were thrown to the sharks, still alive before the sharks got them.

Philip went back to the map of Azulcena.
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OOC: Timeskip.

Kabya read the reports and didn't like it. "Damn, this is bad," she said out loud. She was currently reading reports from the frontlines in Rygard. Apparently, things were starting to get bogged down. Sighing, she wondered if she could ask Azulcena for help. "I can't force them to send troops in. All I can do is put the ball in their court and see if they want to play ball with us." Kabya dialed the number for the Minister of Defense. She had taken the opportunity to store the different government leaders of Azulcena in her phone just in case. She had also made sure to bring MMID Confederate Battle Armor Suit variants with her and her comrades just in case. She had read reports from her agents that the RALA may have decided to take an interest in Azulcena.
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Pedro Marquez was not a proud man. The moment anyone shook hands with him, they knew, they felt instinctively, that he was on their side, no matter what that side was. He had that comfortable aura around him - the one most politicians could only hope for, and only the most successful ever had. And though he was never proud, and never haughty, at this very moment, he was at his loftiest.

"In this new Azulcena, we... all of us... would truly be in it together!" he exhorted. He wasn't on a soapbox, but the next best thing. He was behind a podium in a university. Pedro was a democrat, despite his upbringing doing nothing to prepare him for that ideology. He had grown up in Alcántara, in wine country. His father was a vintner - not a famous one, nor a very successful one, but he had a large enough field and a flavorful enough formula to not only keep his family afloat but to afford them a lovely villa and send his son to university. It was there that Pedro had learned about democracy, and become an idealist.

Pedro had served his mandatory two years in Alcántara's militia during his undergraduate years. It was there that he met and married his sweetheart, Victoria. He'd stayed in school, receiving his law degree and later becoming a doctoral candidate. He received his degree the year his son, Juan Emilio, was born. And just a year later, the war had begun.

Victoria was a career military woman. Even though she wasn't of noble birth, she achieved an officer rank after university and when Alcántara went to war, she was one of the few on the front lines. However, their nation's tiny army was useless in the face of Velasco's alliance, and early in the war they were occupied by the nearby Duchy of Montevil. Victoria had been made a prisoner of war and Pedro had had to raise Juan on his own, with an associate professor's salary. His idealism led him to join the local partisan movement against the occupation, and his involvement eventually cost him his job - his noble superiors didn't want to be associated with troublemakers while their homeland was occupied. Pedro tried to move in with his father, but he was turned away - Enrico had been hoping to buy out his estate from the local noble and form a Marquez manor, making himself a lord. Pedro's democratic idealism had alienated him from his father. "You're working to take away what I've been working hard to achieve," Enrico had once said.

So Pedro spent the first two years of the war living with Victoria's parents, taking odd jobs to bolster their pension and raise Juan, all the while plotting the overthrow of the Montevil occupation and waiting on pins and needles for any word of Victoria. His time came in 2005, when word filtered into the resistance of a liberation army coming from Cuizaza, intending to free Alcántara and split the Velasco front. But Pedro was hesitant. The only promise the Cuizazan forces brought was the release of his wife. In his eyes, it was merely trading one oppression for another. Nonetheless, he was there on August 7th, 2005, when across the small province, the people rose up and resisted the occupying army, forcing them to retreat in the face of Cuizaza's armored vanguard. For this, Cuizaza thanked the partisans, and mercifully, little blood was spilt that day. But Pedro himself was never thanked, not until he held his wife close to him once more.

With Victoria freed - thinner from her days in the camp, but no less healthy otherwise - and the Montevil army dislodged, Pedro thought he could get back to regular life. In his eyes, Alcántara had earned its independence. But the Baron of Alcántara had pledged himself early on to the unification effort being led by Cuizaza, and with his militia mostly disbanded, Cuizaza had assumed all military duties in the province. Pedro had bristled under this. Victoria had requested a discharge to come home and raise Juan, so it was up to Pedro to earn his family's bread and let them strike out from her parents' home. His old university wouldn't take him back - secretly he suspected the deans and Provost, all nobles, to have wanted him gone for some time as he spread his democratic gospel on their campus.

So he had landed a job at a city college in Mendes, the capital of Alcántara, as an associate professor of political science. He was allowed to teach his ideals largely unmolested, and had even gathered a following - mostly of students - thanks to his charisma and his oratory. Alcántara was mostly quiet during the remaining years of the war, and it was during this time that his daughter, Sofia Luz, was born. And with two young children, his job, and his wife on his mind all the time, Pedro had allowed his ideals to mellow a bit. His political organization, the Front for Popular Choice - el Frente para Elección Popular - had a bit of local political clout, and through it he was able to achieve minor victories, like getting the odd worker fired by a noble his job back. But the FEP wasn't a full-fledged political party yet; those were largely forbidden or unheard of in the shiny, new, united Azulcena.

At home, his wife was beginning to yearn for work again. Juan Emilio was nine and taking good care of himself now. Sofia Luz was two, out of diapers and precocious as ever for her age. Victoria had left the Alcántara militia a lieutenant. Since unification she had been eyeing a staff officer position in the new Azulcenian Army. The arguments Pedro and she had had were many, and sometimes heated. She wanted a better life for their children, even a chance to send them both to university someday too. But he did not want his wife to work for another dictator. That's how he saw the monarchy. It had been easier to forgive Victoria's career when they were younger; to Pedro it seemed so much easier to convert just his homeland into a democracy... now he had to convert a nation of hundreds of millions. So, while some of the younger and more passionate members of the FEP wanted change sooner, Pedro had become almost complacent, and resigned himself to the thought that democratic change would come slowly, and probably take most of his lifetime to achieve.

But here, now, behind his podium, his voice rising and falling in hopeful waves as it washed over the rapt audience of students, he was at his most idealistic again. Here, for these few moments, he felt his old vigor and desire coming back from his own college days. He wasn't even old yet - at only 36 he was still one of the younger professors on campus - but sometimes, when it came to his ideals, he felt something like age peeling away as he stood forward to speak.

And as his remarks drew to a close and the students scrambled to ask him questions, he felt the familiar sense of muteness, of ineffectiveness, settle onto his heart once more. Someday, it said to him, but not today.
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

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Kabya called the Defense Minister, hoping to have a discussion with her about seeing if Azulcena would want to take part in the Liberation of Rygard.
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Summer was in full swing, and Sharon Marronagua was visiting a corporate-owned proving ground just outside Cuizaza, watching a prototype light tank go around the uneven terrain circuit for the third time. She wasn't entirely sure the Army would need a light tank; so far its capabilities seemed on par with what they currently had in service for reconnaissance and infantry support roles. However, it was a gorgeous day out, and she would have been remiss in her duties as Defense Minister if she didn't turn up. The company pitching the new tank certainly seemed pleased to have her attention.

Then her phone buzzed. She checked the caller ID and wondered absently what Ms. Kenenttz would be calling her about; certainly everything having to do with her brother's impending visit was squared away. Nonetheless, the tank wasn't doing anything new, so she took the call, if only for a few moments. She kept her tone level and business-like for the sake of the corporate bigwigs beside her.

"Marronagua."
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

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Kabya smiled as she heard Sharon's response over the phone. Kabya did miss Azulcena, but she did have duties to perform here in Vulshain.

"Ah Minister Marronagua. It's good to hear your voice again. I was hoping to have a videophone conference with you, Antonio, and the rest of your government as well as the heads of your military branches. I hope we can arrange something today."
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Sharon smiled a bit. She had come to respect Kabya, and being greeted by a friend oceans away was always welcome. She pursed her lips at the request. "That's quite a lot of important people to get into one room on short notice, but I will see what can be done. What's happened? A change in plans with su majestad Samuil?" The corporate honchos around her gave her slightly anxious looks, as though they felt they were losing her interest. To be fair, her interest in their product was lost the moment its cannon dug into the gravel on the steep downgrade test.
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

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Kabya smiled a bit. She had grown to respect Sharon. While the two had indeed butted heads, Kabya had realized that she was simply looking out for Antonio, sort of like a big sister watching out for her younger brother. "Oh there are no change in his plans to visit Azulcena. The reason I'm calling is because I was wondering if Azulcena, and her military, would be interested in some things, especially concerning Rygard and those who would not like a strong relationship between Vulshain and Azulcena."

Kabya began to think about something as well. "Hm...Come to think of it, it might be a good idea and a potential diplomatic move to see if we can strengthen relations between Azulcena and Southern Yugoslavia, as well as a few other nations."
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Sharon thought a moment. "A briefing on Rygard wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, if you have any information on potential opponents to our dealings, that would be useful to our Intelligence Ministry. Have you prepared a briefing? I may be able to secure most of my Chiefs of Staff for the evening."
May peace and labor ever live. -- Vivan siempre la paz y el trabajo.

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"Yes I did. I'm looking forward to having the conference. And this evening is perfect."
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