Volume 2 Chapter 2: The Emirate

Sorry for late chapter, I got sidetracked with Mother's Day here in Murica

WE ARE FEATURED ON THE NEW NOVEL TROPES THIS MONDAY

LETS GOOOOOOO

NSS headquarters

Frankfurt, Germany

Inside a polished white building several military officers stood around a round table with a map laid across it.

"Here."

One of the tallest officers pointed with a stick on the map. He was pointing to the Epruilon-Emirate border.

"Local garrison units sent from the fatherland have reported strange movements coming from the Emirate of Perseus. We could not find evidence that they collaborated with the Junta but there is a strong possibility. The locals claim that large amounts of magical crystals were transported over the mountains, these crystals were used to summon the slaves."

"So they are war criminals?"

"Potentially."

"Do we know their strength?"

"Well in terms of raw military might our scouts have not been able to identify much. From what we can tell this is a rather large nation possessing at least 14 major cities."

"That is quite large."

"Indeed. We must be wary of them I case they try to take land from a weakened Epruilon."

The officers began chatting with one another is small groups.

"What about diplomacy?"

A young officer piped from the back of the room.

"I was just about to get to that. The ministry of foreign affairs has sent diplomats to the Emirate to introduce ourselves and to establish ties. We do not want another war so fast."

——————————

Emirate of Perseus

Border city of Jima

There was a rumor spreading around the town. They had received a message from what was known as 'Germany' asked to send diplomats.

Nobody knew much about this Germany except the fact that they interfered in the Kingdom of Epruilon's civil war and annexed the whole country in a few weeks.

This spread much fear about Germany as if they were the next target of the emerging power.

Inside the governing center various bureaucrats and the governor was gathered in one of their conference rooms.

A lavish room fitted with columns, colorful banners and marble statues but the grim atmosphere negated the bright colors.

The man who clearly was the governor sat on a large chair at the front of the room.

He was a large man who was distantly related to the Emperor. This was pretty much the only reason he was in control of this particular city.

The bureaucrats nervously sat and stood around the table.

"So."

The fat man spoke slowly.

"Did we receive the message?"

A bureaucrat stepped forward with a piece of paper in hand.

He opened it and read its contents out loud.

"Ahem, the state of the Imperial German Empire legitimizes it's claim on the Kingdom with its political marriage. However we also recognize that our neighbors may not appreciate our righteous course of action in which we ask to be allowed to send diplomats to negotiate with the Emirate of Perseus. We wish for to establish close relations with your state."

There was silence before the muttering started. Bureaucrats started talking with one another debating the pros and cons of accepting this order.

Then the governor called out.

"SILENCE! We will not accept these savages. The Kingdom of Epruilon was a uncivilized land with technology barely matching our own. As a member of the Conference of Esmeralda it is underneath us to listen to barbarians."

"But sir, they conquered the kingdom in less than a month. This is beyond any predictions of our own capabilities. It would take us at least several months to fully pacify and conquer the kingdom. Not to mention the thousands of magic crystals we sent them."

"Even still it's not enough to compare to us."

"At least allow there diplomats to visit. We can intimidate them later. We simply do not know enough about them."

The governor sat and thought for a moment. It wouldn't hurt. He could use them as hostages or examples if needed.

"Alright, let them in."

———————

Several days later they sent a reply back to the Germans in the Kingdom. This message was send to Berlin via a telegraph and diplomats were approved and began to travel to the border.

Diplomats Erwin Herman and Braun Göring (AU: not related in any way to the Göring we are familiar of cough cough hack hack ack) were told weeks ahead of the request to learn as much about the Emirate as possible.

The Luftwaffe has flown many reconnaissance sorties along the shared border which helped to map many locations as well as areas of importance.

The NSS questioned the locals near the border to learn as much about customs, culture and rumors from them about the Emirate.

Immigrated residents who originated from the Emirate were of keen interest.

What was obtained through the investigation was vital for the diplomats.

They were flown from their posts in Berlin to the nearest airstrip.

From there they were ushered into a halftrack which would take them straight to the border.

The official checkpoint between the Emirate and territory of the kingdom was in a valley between two mountains. A straight pathway led to he official border of the Emirate. This pathway was neutral de-militarized land.

It took several hours to reach the German checkpoint. There customs officials gave the diplomats letter.

The Emirate had sent the Germans invitations in advance to be allowed through the border. The diplomats stuffed them into their breast pockets of their suits after receiving them from customs.

"I wonder how these people will act to unknown diplomats."

"I wonder as well. Should I cop a stuck up or toned down attitude?"

"Just use a professional one. We can't accord offending them."

Erwin adjusted his tie after asking the question. Braun looked at his watch.

The time in this world was very similar to the one Braun knew. However it was several hours behind. This meant that either the planet was larger or that they rotated faster. He didn't know.

Just then a customs official walked over and handed them cyanide pills. A fake tooth capsule was inserted into every foreign official in case of torture to reveal threatening information.

Braun gulped and nodded. He understood the reason for the pill.

"Thanks."

"Hope you will not need to use it."

"Me too."

The official and Braun saluted. Then Braun walked over to Erwin and gave him his pill.

The two slid them into their fake teeth and then approached another customs official. There they reviewed their passports and were given necessary documents.

After that they took two armed guards with them through the gates to walk to the other side. From there the guards will return.

The two walked admiring the layers of stone which were visible in the valley from erosion.

"Was this glacier movement or water?"

"Its too refined for glacier, I reckon there was a river here a one point."

Erwin pointed to distortions in the rock were they blended occasionally.

The guards did not talk for the short walk since they were on strict orders of caution.

Once they were several dozen meters from the other checkpoint they stopped.

The guards reviewed protocol with the diplomats and gave them extra bottle of water, wine, poison and other little trinkets.

"Gift from the garrison commander."

Braun turned to the guard and thanked him.

"Poison?"

"Some more lethal one in case, you know, you have to do what you have to do."

This was a very vague explanation but Braun didn't complain.

From there the guards turned to leave. The diplomats continued to the gate.

At the gate there was no others waiting since the Germans controlled the other checkpoint.

Contrast to the German side it was a partial stone and wood wall with a wooden gate. The Germans used iron mesh fences and used a iron mesh gate as well.

There was about seven or eight guards. Significantly undermanned compared to the German side.

"Who are you?"

The voice came from behind the wooden gate.

"I am Imperial German envoy Göring with envoy Herman."

"I don't know who you are."

Braun was very puzzled. He assumed that they were to be expected.

It was only a few days before that they had received the invitation from the Emirate. He didn't understand why the guards didn't know who they were.

"We have received a special invitation from Emirate a few days ago. Please check them."

The gate lifted slightly to allow a man through. He wore iron chain mail armor with iron plates on his breast and skirted the side of his legs. Thick red leather under armor wrapped his body.

He wore a iron cap with red leather side pieces. He reminded Braun of Mongolian warriors he saw in movies back home.

"Show me the invitation."

The man outstretched his right hand.

Braun pulled out a neatly folded letter from his breast pocket and handed it to the man.

The man opened it and examined the letter.

Braun watched the other man's eyes scan the contents and then widen.

"Oh I am very terribly sorry for my rudeness. We have not received word about envoys from the Kingdom. Please follow me."

The man handed the letter back which Braun folded again and tucked it away.

The man shouted something which Braun didn't comprehend, he guessed that there was no German translation to what he said.

He made a mental note to alert his superiors of this language deficiency.

The gate trembled and then rose completely. Braun learned later than a team of workers turned a wooden gear which lifted the gate.

Several heads popped from the ramparts of the wall and studied the diplomats.

The diplomats did the same back.

The man who greeted them wore more armor then the others. The most common outfit consisted of thinner red leather armor with chain mail in the most vital areas. There was no side pieces on either the helmet or leggings.

When they entered through the gates they were greeted with an even larger man who wore even more armor.

A huge curved blade was attached to his left side, a round shield on his other.

The man greeted the two enthusiastically. Usually the border was boring but this was something new.

He led them to his tent in which a servant brought refreshments. They sat on carpets on the floor of the large tent.

The two diplomats sat on the right side while the large man sat in the middle. The one who greeted them stood behind the large man.

"So you are the envoys?"

"Yes we are sir."

"Ah call me Karbath. Also drop the formalities, you are the first visitors for a while. I hear the kingdom is fighting a civil war, ya?"

"Yes that is true."

Braun didn't know whether or not it was a good idea to inform the man that the Germans controlled the kingdom. He didn't seem to notice the discrepancies either.

The servant placed food and drink in the middle of the larger carpet they sat on. Her hair was a rustic brown like the other men. All of their skin was slightly darker than Braun expected. They looked like a fusion between Indian and Steppe people.

"Ah forgive me for asking but is the Emirate a desert land?"

"Hm, not really. We have lush plains and jungles but yes we do have some deserts further north. The mountains separate our lands so your land and my land are very different.

"So it will seem."

"When will we go meet the local lord?"

Erwin was tasting some strange blue fruit he had never seen before. It looked like a blue raspberry but more sweet. His mouth was partially full when he spoke.

Then he remembered he was on official business and quickly pushed down the fruit and excused himself.

Karbath laughed.

"Make yourself comfortable I said. Enjoy yourselves."

The Braun got an idea. He opened the package given to him by the guard and revealed a steel watch. This watch was made by Walter Storz (Stowa) and featured the German eagle in the botom of the surface of the watch.

He presented the watch to Karbath who eyed it with interest.

"Say, what is this thing?"

"It is a watch, a device we make with keeps track of what time of day it is. We already calibrated it for this location. Right now it is about noon which means midday."

Braun leaned over and pointed at the face of the watch now in Karbath's large hands.

"This long hands points at what minute it is and the small one at the hour of day."

"Ah I see, so its a miniature version of the sun dial."

"Yes, precisely. Except this one uses mechanical power instead of the sun. Currently there are no German industries with ties to this land, hopefully we can establish enough relations to import our goods here."

"How wonderful, wait. So you are not Eprulian envoys?"

"No, we explained at the gate that we are German envoys."

Karbath turned and yelled at his subordinate.

"You didn't tell me that they were not Epruilan!"

He turned to the German diplomats and smiled.

"Forgive my insolence, I will send word to my superiors informing of your arrival. Please wait a few days for a response."

The two Germans looked at one another and shrugged. The were expecting delays and a bit of chaos but this was a bit more than they expected.

"We will wait here. Unless you have a town close by."

"We do. The nearest town is a small village over yonder."

Karbath waved in the general direction.

"Sasiru, give them 20 M and escort them to Nhetri. Assign guards to them, I don't want to take blame if something happens to these gentlemen."

"Right away sir."

The man Sasiru bowed then ran out of the tent to arrange the guards and transport.

"Go to the town of Nhetri and stay there until we sort this communications mess. I will send a messenger to you once I get word."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

The tent entrance flap opened and Sasiru entered.

"I am ready for you now."

The German diplomats followed Sasiru to a carriage harnessed to what appears to be horses but with more muscles and teeth than normal.

Horns grew from their foreheads.

"Pegasus?"

"No, they are brunatri."

Erwin blinked but dismissed the urge to argue.

They climbed into the carriage with two guards who rode in the front. Sasiru saw them off but did not ride with them.

The carriage started moving when the driver whipped the pegasus/brunatri to move.

They rode down the dirt pathway from the camp to the town.

Erwin stared out of the window. Just minutes earlier they were at the camp and hours even earlier they had entered a new nation. They must be the first Germans to visit this new land.

"We better not betray the expectations of our brothers back home."

"We won't."