Post by callmedelta on Jan 14, 2021 0:02:43 GMT -5
Ambassador Lang sat in front of three of the most powerful men in Franerre. Director Jacques Poirot, head of the Franch Foreign Affairs Administration, more importantly her superior, Director Volke Deutsch, head of the Franch Royal Gendarmerie, and the King of Franerre himself, King Dante Emmanuel Marchégia IV. Each of the three men glared down at the hastily put together report of her time in Eleria that was given to them. As the trio began to read through it, the only sound in the room the constant tick tock of a grandfather clock in the room. Despite the situation she just left having drastically higher stakes, Amélie's heart was pounding in her chest. Finally, after a single agonizing minute of waiting with nothing but the clock, the King sighed, closing the report. In that moment, it truly hit Amélie just how...haggard the man looked, nothing like how she had imagined him, or any of the pictures Lang had seen of the man. King Dante stood up, breaking Amélie from her introspection, before walking over to the Ambassador.
"Stand up," he commanded in a strong, worn voice. Amélie hurriedly stood up, already thinking of any number of ways this situation could go poorly. Before she could get very far, however, the King extended a hand to the woman. Lang was stunned for a brief second, before taking his hand in hers. The hand itself was soft, softer than her own, Lang wagered, but the grip behind it was unmistakably firm. "You accomplished a great service for Franerre in the past week, Ambassador," the King said, his voice softened a bit, "More importantly, you have given everyone in this room good news, something in rather short supplies these days, I'm afraid. Go, rest while you can. As soon as I can work out the details, I wish to have you and my younger brother, the Deauxrex, and a letter apologizing for my inability to be there in person. May your waters be calm." King Dante broke the handshake, and Amélie swiftly exited the room.
Once Lang was gone, Volke spoke his mind. "With all due respect, my Liege, I must disagree with you. That woman endangered twelve Franch agents, nearly resulting in the death of one of them, who was still in such critical condition that she dare not be flown back her for her own health."
"Who's fault would that be?" Jacques retorted, "If there were no agents in Eleria in the first place, there would be no agents to discover."
"How do you expect us to get those debriefs of yours without any agents to get information?" Volke shot back, "You had access to the entire unredacted file on Eleria, and you still gave the woman poor information, Jacques. This is your failure, not mine."
"Why you-"
"Will the both of you be quiet!" Dante exclaimed, quickly quieting both men. "Now is not the time for bickering over blame. Jacques, I signed off on the order for agents to be inserted into Eleria after they conquered their continental holdings, and the poor information is your fault. Volke, Ambassador Lang performed more than was expected of her given her situation, and this is the last I will hear of the subject. You two are dismissed." The King strode out of the room, leaving the two men behind to do nothing more than stare daggers at each other.
"Stand up," he commanded in a strong, worn voice. Amélie hurriedly stood up, already thinking of any number of ways this situation could go poorly. Before she could get very far, however, the King extended a hand to the woman. Lang was stunned for a brief second, before taking his hand in hers. The hand itself was soft, softer than her own, Lang wagered, but the grip behind it was unmistakably firm. "You accomplished a great service for Franerre in the past week, Ambassador," the King said, his voice softened a bit, "More importantly, you have given everyone in this room good news, something in rather short supplies these days, I'm afraid. Go, rest while you can. As soon as I can work out the details, I wish to have you and my younger brother, the Deauxrex, and a letter apologizing for my inability to be there in person. May your waters be calm." King Dante broke the handshake, and Amélie swiftly exited the room.
Once Lang was gone, Volke spoke his mind. "With all due respect, my Liege, I must disagree with you. That woman endangered twelve Franch agents, nearly resulting in the death of one of them, who was still in such critical condition that she dare not be flown back her for her own health."
"Who's fault would that be?" Jacques retorted, "If there were no agents in Eleria in the first place, there would be no agents to discover."
"How do you expect us to get those debriefs of yours without any agents to get information?" Volke shot back, "You had access to the entire unredacted file on Eleria, and you still gave the woman poor information, Jacques. This is your failure, not mine."
"Why you-"
"Will the both of you be quiet!" Dante exclaimed, quickly quieting both men. "Now is not the time for bickering over blame. Jacques, I signed off on the order for agents to be inserted into Eleria after they conquered their continental holdings, and the poor information is your fault. Volke, Ambassador Lang performed more than was expected of her given her situation, and this is the last I will hear of the subject. You two are dismissed." The King strode out of the room, leaving the two men behind to do nothing more than stare daggers at each other.