Roots and Ashes, Branches and Cinders

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Izar sat quietly in his office, the dark wooden walls mixed with the bleak dark gray carpet on the floor gave the office a rather secluded feeling despite being mere feet from the gigantic meeting room where he and his fourteen council members met regularly but the feeling of being away from anyone else allowed him to concentrate and work far better than if he had the distractions of bright colors and heavy lighting. However, it wasn't all gloomy as he could easily slide open the large curtain to his left which stretched all the way across the room and hid behind it a large window from which he could look out over the city and in turn the room could be bathed in the light of the glowing buildings. He did just that, leaving his desk to open the window, having little doubt that dull gray room would be an unfit place for the meeting he was about to take part in. Returning to his desk, he picked up the paper he had been looking at only moments earlier, reading the name of the unfamiliar woman one more time. He knew the name, and even the face, but never had he officially introduced himself to Guan-Yin. Just then, a small buzzer on his desk sounded, letting him know his guest had arrived. Pressing a small button on the buzzer, he let his secretary know he was ready to meet with the woman, knowing it wise not to keep a queen waiting.
Guan-Yin was ushered towards the door which would lead to the office. With a raised arm, the guardsmen that accompanied her stationed themselves at either side of the door. The door was pushed open and Guan-Yin stepped in. The gray mat suited the feeling of the rest of the darkly colored room, something which seemed less than welcoming to her. Across her, she saw the man of the hour. His purple hair and eyes stood out like a sore thumb against the glum color of the room. She slightly nodded her head as a sign of respect towards the man. "Lord Izar." She spoke softly as she closed the distance, keeping herself on the opposite end of the desk, not taking a seat unless offered it.
Izar watched the woman enter the room, wearing what he hoped would be seen as a warm smile on his face. He was surprised when she referred to him as lord, having never been seriously called that in far too long a time for him to remember. He stood when she approached his desk, leaning over it to offer his hand to shake. "Please, just call me Izar. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Guan-Yin. I do not wish to be rude so please, if you would rather I refer to you as your Highness or your Majesty I would not be against doing so." He spoke not with the voice of a politician but of a man simply introducing himself. Izar had never been one for the theatrics that seemed to plague most politicians as if their goal was to give a speech worthy of being placed right before the final fight at the end of a movie. "I'm sorry if you find my office dull, the mundaneness of it all helps me think in my time alone but I realize it may not be too inviting to guests. Please, take a seat if you would like, I'm sure traveling so far was no easy task and I hope that Hylion has treated you well in your short time here."
Guan shook his hand gently before taking a seat. "My thanks, and do refer to me by name if it is easier for you," Guan spoke as she took in a last look around the room before returning her focus to Izar. "Hylion's people have treated me well, the land, less so. Maybe it's just me being used to far hotter climates. A fair sight, however. It's rare to see so much green in a single place back in my homeland. And there is no need to concern yourself about my travel. I find it all to comforting and enjoyable to witness new surroundings. Your land is fair and sight to behold, that I will say." Guan spoke. "However, pleasantries aside, I believe that we have a purpose for gathering here beyond sharing travel stories."
"Of course, I'm sure we are both busy people," Izar said before once again finding his seat. He looked across the desk at his guest before clearing his throat, "Just over a hundred years ago the Toranku 15 was formed as a result of the terrible acts performed during the great war that devastated this continent as a whole. Many of the scars left by those battles can still be seen today and will likely take another several hundred years to heal if not longer. Many of the countries that made up Ashvattha at the time agreed to its formation and signed a treaty with one another to prevent anything like the great war from happening again. In the years since then even countries that did not originally join the Toranku either due to their small size or their political differences such as that of Invicta, joined and further united the continent. I know that Vroldafn has not had the best relationship with the Toranku over the years but I have asked to meet you today in hopes of changing all of that. I would like for Vroldafn to join the Toranku and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you might be willing to consider such an idea. May I continue with the knowledge that you might at the least consider what I have to say?" Izar leaned forward, giving Guan the stage in hopes she might listen to his offer.
Guan's face remained stoic and seemingly indifferent to his words, but within her mind was racing at lightning speeds. Every considerable response she could have to offer in return to his words. "I wouldn't be here unless I was willing to hear you out, and by my word as queen, I swear that you will have my full attention until such a time where I can make an educated decision on my nation's course of action," Guan spoke as she looked across the desk and all the various documents which were spread across. "But to say that we haven't had the best of relationships is to put it lightly. We have never seen eye to eye. When the Toranku was first formed, Vroldafn rejected the concept and remained separated from your alliance. To this very day, my people would gladly have me continue to ignore you and yours".
Izar gave a friendly smile, "I would agree that the relationship between Vroldafn and the Toranku has been rocky as it had, has been, and still is with some nations even within the Toranku itself. I use the short military confrontation between Hylion and Ishtar only sixteen years ago as a good example. However, despite that confrontation, I would not hesitate to say that Ashvattha as never been closer to true peace and unity. I look outside this room and just within the borders of Hylion alone I can see people of all races and cultures trading with one another, befriending one another, such a thing would have been considered an impossibility only a short fifty years ago. Ashvattha has progressed more in the last one hundred years than it ever has in history and I believe that the catalyst to all of that is the unity brought about by the actions of the Toranku. I do not mean to be rude in saying this, but your people who would gladly ignore the Toranku also happen to be the same people who continue to practice slavery of races they deem...lesser. Do not get me wrong, even in the Toranku the issue of slavery in the country of Aðalbjörg has been a hot topic for many years but it is a sin we are hoping to correct in due time." 
Izar pulled a handful of pencils from a jar to his side, holding them up for Guan to see. "My point is, together, the nations of Ashvattha are strong..." He put a bit of strength into trying to break the pencils before stopping and grabbing one more from the jar and holding it up for Guan to see. "And Vroldafn can only make us stronger." He added the pencil and repeated what he had done moments ago, the pencils bent even less with the addition of the new one. "I understand you might have concerns though, and I would like to do my best to address them." He sat the pencils down on his desk.
Guan tapped her elbow with a finger as she pondered his words. "You are most right. My nation's involvement would indeed make your Toranku stronger. I fail however to see how I would grow stronger by pledging my aid to you. Our markets are flourishing, trade routes are guarded well, our military might is uncontested by all nations and our forge-masters are second to none. There is a lot that I can imagine that you could and would want out of us. But to me and my kin, the question lies in whether or not you have anything that we could find use of. Out of spiritual reasons, most of my kin would refuse the opportunity to leave our lands, so your surroundings are not of greater interest to them, your political system is weak to them, and were I to join you and yours, that weakness would shine upon me as well." Guan reached forward gently towards the pencils. She picked up a total of five and held them together in her grasp. "Five is a good number. It's a number of fortune in my homeland. It represents luck and strength. Five nations or more joined together could indeed be a force to be reckoned with. But oftentimes," She spoke as she returned all but the one pencil to it's location. "It complicates things. Everyone need to consider eachother's position and feelings, until it reaches the point where we return to the same old conclusion. Sometimes it is simply more efficient with one." She spoke as she raised the pen in sight of Izar.
"I too am a leader and while I am not a king, a president, or a dictator of any sort I believe that our jobs are similar. The difference of course being that while kings and queens are tasked with maintaining order and the happiness of the people in a single nation I am tasked with doing that job with several as well as seeing to it that the rulers of those nations do not feel their power is being taken away from them. It is a difficult job but it has taught be many things. The most relevant thing it has taught me is that people actively resist change, even if they are the ones asking for it. People do not want their lives to change regardless of whether or not that change is for the better but without change, there is never any real progress. Your nation has thrived within its borders for hundreds of years without the help of outsiders like the Toranku but it doesn't take a historian to know that no nation has ever been able to survive like that forever. Yes, your nation and its people are strong but cultural exchange is a necessary part of progress. I know for a fact that you yourself are seeking change within your own nation. It has been an interesting talking point among the members of the council that you have brought up the idea of ending slavery in your country. Hearing that was the reason that I chose to meet with you today." Izar explained as he fiddled with one of the pencils on the desk. "It has also been brought to my attention that you approved a permanent travel visa to a young mage that was studying here in Hylion, something I don't believe has ever been done for someone not native to Vroldafn. It just appears to me that your time as queen has become a hotbed of firsts for your nation and I was hoping the first alliance with another foreign power might be the next possible thing on your list."
"Indeed, there may be hope for an alliance with a former power. Maybe a treaty or a pact. However, until I can see it in front of me that subsiding our independence for the sake of union of purposes can bring about anything good for us, I can't agree to joining the Toranku. I may be open to a proposal of an alliance between our regency's but for the moment, that's all I can offer unless you offer us something tempting." Guang said with a small hint of confidence in her voice. "I hold no doubt that your tasks as chairman are of a daunting nature, governing over the mages of Ashvattha, but that is no concern of ours. What benefit can we find in this, please do tell me? As you have said, I am not against the winds of change, but I must stand resolute when I feel that said winds are blowing me off a cliff."
"Sometimes to get where you need to go a leap of faith is required, the world is full of uncertainty after all." He said with a quiet chuckle before leaning sitting up a bit more in his seat. "As I said, the exchange of culture is important to all nations. No nation can survive forever on the idea their ideas, their way of life, is the ultimate good and that adopting any other would be a downgrade of their current status. That being said, I understand how difficult a situation like this is for any leader and so I'm not asking you to simply drop everything and join the Toranku today or even within the next two years. What I am purposing is something I would consider closer to baby steps, I simply would like you to consider the idea loosening up your borders to allow for more people to enter Vroldafn. The process of entering your country is a tedious and stressful one that can take weeks and even months without the right connections and even then most are rejected. The people of Hylion, Ishtar, and many others see your people as isolationist, xenophobes stuck in their ways and I think if there will ever be any hope of our people getting along we first need to build a bridge to connect them. Of course, I don't intend to ask you to do this without getting anything in return so I ask you what it is you might want in return for taking this step forward? I am an open minded man."
Guan desired to speak the words that no exchange was necessary in that regard, but she knew her people, and something would have to be asked. Unless... "I would like to point towards our recent millennia of independent rule and how we have made it thus far. You throw these labels at us, all of which are irrelevant. Xenophobes, isolationists. The lion cares not for the opinions of the sheep." Guan said firmly with a wave of her hand as if waving away and unpleasant smell. "We are as proud as we are strong. And I would strongly advice against such an arrangement as of now. I have told this to the student from Hylion and I shall repeat that for you as well. He is not safe in our lands. Regardless of what I give or offer him, he is in danger of being taken away by slavers. I can handle the safety of a single man, but if we start having allowing many more to enter our lands with the existence of the slaving trade still relevant in Vroldafn, your people will never be safe within our borders."
"I am well aware of what a problem slave trade is within your borders and that is why I do not wish for whatever terms or alliance we forge here to take effect until that problem has been dealt with. I have faith in your ability to convince your people to abolish the act in time but I am willing to offer whatever resources available to help you in your goal of doing so. Though, I do believe we have come to a misunderstanding. I am throwing no labels at you or your people as I prefer not to do such things to begin with but instead it is how the rest of Ashvattha have come to view you. You might still believe that your nation is a lion among sheep but I can assure you that the case is far less so than you might realize. However, I do not blame you or your people for thinking that way. Pride in one's nation is common among the population but when it comes to people like us, the leaders, it is our job to see to it that our own pride does not turn into arrogance as arrogance diminishes wisdom which in turn leads to ignorance. The time for, do pardon my language, measuring dicks is over in Ashvattha, that ended long ago when the great war was brought to an end. I believe that my wife is more beautiful than any other woman on this planet but I do not allow my beliefs and ideas to make me lose my respect for others or their ideas." Izar said, leaning forward with intertwined fingers used to support his head as they covered his mouth. His tone was a bit more serious than before, disliking his company's attitude toward the other countries in Ashvattha.
"Do forgive me if I have overstepped any sort of line or struck a nerve but I have a strong belief in the equality of all people and while I may not agree with many people or many of their ideas I believe it is important to never lose one's respect for others. Now, if you are still willing to proceed with our meeting, I would very much like to speak about the terms of our former talking point. You say that it is dangerous for our people to enter your nation but the same could easily be said for Aðalbjörg and thus I don't understand why to bring it up. The world is a dangerous place and while each nation and the Toranku do their best to ensure the safety of those within their nations it is a fact that not everyone can go their entire lives without finding themselves in a dangerous situation. Whether or not you can end slavery in your nation is important to me on a moral level but regardless of your ability to do so I would still like to continue with the idea of opening your borders. We can warn the citizens under the Toranku of the dangers of travel but ultimately, the decision will be theirs to make. My question returns to, what do you want in return for such a thing to happen?"
Guan allowed a subtle smile to spread across her features as she leaned forward on one arm. "If my arrogance has led to me having a blurred view of my nation's might, the same could perhaps be said about you and your Toranku. Do you really think that the measuring of manhoods and ovaries ended after the war? Whenever a crime is made, it's a measurement of authority. When two armies clash or when prey and hunter conflict, it's a measurement of power. When two nobles invite each other to their homes and show them their bulwarks and treasures it's a measurement of riches. It didn't end with the war, Izar. They just took different shapes. As for the similarities you would draw between us and this other nation, I fail to see how this would make either of us better. If your people enter our grounds and get captured your people will be outraged. They will likely demand their loved ones back, and when our slavers will oblig with the exchange of great sums of money, which will lead to more outrage and maybe even your people uging you to take action against us. So I ask you, which is more benevolent? Allowing them in, risking the misery of thousands, or denying them entry, keeping them safe at home?" Guan said with a slight hint of sorrow in her voice. "But if you wish to ensue with this idea of more open borders, there is only I thing which I can imagine that we would want. You see, Skaedi has a reputation." Guan spoke as she rose up from her seat and walked up to the window, her hands clutched behind her back as she peered beyond the horizon. They are a barbaric people. Living off the scraps of the land and could never sustain their numbers without your aid and trade. However, flawed as their nation is, they have something of value. Something our smith-masters want. We want to know of their techniques in smithing. Make those available to us, and we may have ourself an arrangement."
"That is why I am putting a great deal of faith in your ability to end the act of slavery within your country as I do not wish to repeat the mistake of the former chairman in allowing Aðalbjörg to join without first correcting its sins. However, I cannot let something as simple as that get in the way of progress. Yes, I have little doubt such things would happen if you opened your borders with slavery still within your nation and I have no doubt that it would lead to some problems but ultimately I believe more good will come of it than bad and any bad that does come from it will be on my hands and it will be my weight to shoulder and that is something I have prepared myself for. As for what it is you ask, I would have to contact the nation's leader before I can give you any sort of promise that we can come to a deal but I will do my best. However, as I said before, I dislike the idea of entering into an alliance so long as slavery still exists within your borders and thus I was hoping you could give me a timeframe how long you expect it to last under your rule? Two years? Three? I'm sure you have some kind of idea how long you expect such a battle to last?"
"You ask for too much in such short a timeframe. Unless some sort of miracle occurs which will change the minds of the people, before I was asked here, I was planning on giving the people of Vroldafn ten years to end hte practice. In that time they shall teach their slaves how to make a living and how to surivive on their own without a provider. And if they desire to leave our nation all together, they shall be permitted to do just that. Any stragglers who would hope to cling to the old ways would be severely punished. More than that... I cannot promise."
Izar smiled, "I see. While ten years is indeed a long time, I understand that changing a tradition that has been a part of your culture for several hundred years and maybe even longer is not an easy thing to do. In that time I hope we can continue to meet and discuss the relationship between our two powers, perhaps a meeting with the leaders of the other nations as well so we can discuss whatever terms you might have in fully joining the Toranku should you ever see such a thing as a possibility. In the meantime, I will contact the leaders of Skaedi and try to convince them to share their smithing techniques with your people. Does that sound fair to you?"
"It sounds... Agreeable." Guan-yin spoke with a smile as she returned her attention to Izar. "If we are to have further meetings, however, I fear that I must ask the permission allow the nobles of the court to accompany me. I may have the power to make sovereign decisions for my nation, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't heed the wants and needs of my people. I warn you however, it can get a bit uncomfortable with the court present. They have a tendency to overtalk each other to the point where they forget what they were talking about to begin with.
Izar couldn't help but chuckle at her concerns, "I understand how rowdy meetings can get with multiple people, I do not mind such an idea so long as you do not mind the other members of my council to also attend for similar reasons to your own. It seems we will need to change our meeting location if we continue as well, perhaps our next one will be in a place less dull." He continued, standing up from his desk and moving to look out the window beside Guan. "I hope that one day you can look out on this city and not see them as my people, or the people of Hylion, but as our people. The dream of the Toranku is to make Ashvattha into a melting pot of all races, cultures, and religions where everyone can be free and to achieve that goal through peaceful means. I want you to know here and now that regardless of your choice of whether or not to join us we will hold no ill feelings toward you and your own, we will simply try again further down the line and hope that one day your people will be ready and willing to find their place among that melting pot. It was a pleasure meeting with you, Guan-Yin, I look forward to what will hopefully be many meetings down the line." Izar turned, extending his hand toward the woman to offer a parting handshake.
Guan smiled and grasped his hand in her own. "Many thanks for this meeting, difficult as I may have been. Despite what may have been said, it has been a pleasure to interact with people of my own kind on equal footing. I hope for more chances to continue our discussions in the future." Guan spoke as she let go of him and began to walk towards the door. "I wish you luck in your endeavors, and I will pray good fortune for you and yours." She spoke sincerely. She opened the door and exited the room, her guards accompanying her along with those of the Toranku. This may cause some complications... Guan thought to herself.