The ambassador swept in before thepraetorialegionnaire even finished speaking, dressed in what Vanya supposed passed for Daijalan fashion. There was far too much lace, constricting tailoring, and gaudy brocade in an eye-searing mix of colors for his tastes. He and his entourage clearly expected more of a crowd, their footsteps echoing loudly in the throne room without courtiers to break up the sound.
He dipped into an elaborate northern bow before rising and greeting Vanya in accented Solarian. “Your Imperial Majesty, how may I be of service?”
“Ambassador Ansel,” Vanya said coolly. “I’ve been informed your country has broken the Poison Accords by attacking the Warden’s Island.”
The ambassador was in his early forties, more than a decade older than Vanya, and well versed in the realms of politics. He didn’t immediately react to Vanya’s accusation, expression a mask of bland neutrality. “I must confess, I know not what you speak of, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“I’m certain you don’t. It wasn’t your orders that caused the unthinkable. It was your queen’s.”
“What you accuse my queen of is madness.”
“Itismadness. Who in their right mind would try to annihilate the people who guard our borders and cleanse the land?”
Ansel firmed his jaw, blue eyes narrowing. “I sincerely request you do not speak ill of my country’s queen.”
“Your country’s queen is asking for war. From Ashion, and now, it seems, from the wardens themselves.”
“Again, I know not of this hearsay you speak of.”
“Of course you don’t.” He stared at the Daijalan Ambassador, weighing his options, before abruptly deciding on the one that would most certainly create an unfortunate political mess. “You are summarily expelled from Solaria, Ambassador Ansel. I expect your people to be out of my country by tomorrow evening.”
Vanya heard Caelum breathe in sharply, but his chief minister didn’t speak up to try to change Vanya’s mind. Neither did Imperial General Chu Hua. Her piercing, judging gaze remained on the ambassador, and silence was all the confirmation Vanya needed of her agreement.
Ansel, however, appeared momentarily taken aback before his expression smoothed out. His voice, when he spoke, was flatly controlled, giving no hint of his emotional state. “Your accusations have no basis. Whatever has happened to the wardens was not initiated by my country.”
“I look forward to hearing what the surviving wardens have to say about that. I assume it will match Ashion’s displeasure of the invasion currently happening in their western provinces.”
Ansel pressed his lips into a thin white line before squaring his shoulders. “Ashion is under Daijal’s rulership. There is no invasion, merely outreach to cities and towns who cannot rely on the wardens.”
“Is that what they’re calling war these days?” Chu Hua asked in a mild voice.
Ansel refused to respond to her jibe. “Daijal will depart from our embassy by tomorrow evening. I am certain you must be aware this insult will not be accepted lightly in the Daijal court.”
Vanya knew it wouldn’t. He knew the moment Ansel made it back to his country’s embassy, he’d be ringing his people back in New Haven. Vanya expected an official denunciation of the expulsion from Queen Eimarille and had little doubt she’d expel his own diplomats from Daijal. “The rest of Maricol won’t stand for the actions of your queen.”
Ansel kept to protocol and bowed. “Your Imperial Majesty.”
Vanya dismissed him with a wave of his hand, watching as the ambassador and his small entourage left the throne room. The meeting had taken bare minutes, but the fallout would take days, if not weeks, to settle.
“I’ll send a small platoon to watch the embassy. We’ll search the premises once they are gone,” Chu Hua said.
“They’ll burn any documents they can’t take with them,” Caelum warned.
“If we’re lucky, they’ll miss some.”
The destruction of diplomatic cables and other classified documents was to be expected. It was standard procedure anytime an embassy was closed. Vanya sighed, leaning back in the throne. “Would it be better or worse to recall our diplomat and embassy workers in New Haven before Eimarille expels them?”
Caelum rubbed at his chin. “There is a chance Eimarille won’t expel our people.”
“She’d never trust any diplomat I allow to stay, and that puts our people at a risk beyond a border we can’t cross.”
“The risk isn’t worth it, not with the threat ofrionetkasat play and the wardens reeling from the attack. Queen Eimarille cannot be trusted,” Chu Hua argued.
Vanya grimaced and looked over at Caelum. “Recall our Daijal ambassador and everyone at the embassy. Let Eimarille send an envoy here to argue her actions.”
Caelum bowed. “I will send the order on your behalf at once. What will you tell the Senate?”
“Nothing today. I must meet with the E’ridian ambassador and then close out the Conclave.”
