Kalistan

[Doc]

Kalistani News in Brief: Empress meets Egelion at Casa Varestela;
Kalistan seeks resumption of Ruby Imports from Xsampa; Bjorksdattir stuns in Sulari
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 5, 5695


Alice Bjorksdattir models Del Valle's Spring Casuals collection, complete with Gold Leaf floral patterns

Empress meets Egelion at Casa Verastela
It is now being reported that directly following her coronation, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto accepted an invitation to meet with His Majesty, Emperor Leon Alexander Montelivet and Empress Isabella at Casa Verastela, on the Hereditary Baronetcy of Verastela in rural Eveari County. The Baronetcy has belonged to the Egelian Royal Family for generations, and is only occasionally used by the Egelian royals as a get away, but is more often maintained for the day that they will eventually come for a visit. This visit was Her Imperial Majesty's first state visit with a foreign Sovereign, and House Ananto reported early this week that it went quite well.

"Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress was, late last September, well received by Emperor Leon Alexander and Empress Isabella at Casa Verastela in Eveari," said Lady Rene Houston, who has been recently appointed as Her Imperial Majesty's personal assistant and spokeswoman. "It very much pleased Her Imperial Majesty that the Emperor and Empress served tea for the meeting: This courtesy on the part, especially of the Empress, shows that the Egelians understand Kalistan protocol. The tea was a Sekowan Green tea, which also pleased the Empress, who saw it as a very polite choice, and over all, she was charmed." The official state visit lasted throughout the afternoon and Her Imperial Majesty, as well as the Minor King William XVII of Hutori, who made the visit with the Empress as her shadow, and Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Ericka Donahue, were treated to a traditional Egelian meal for supper by her Hosts before returning to Eveari.

During the meeting, it was reported in El Reporto Alteano, besides the general discussions of regional trade, security and culture which were very welcomed by the Empress, who is curious about the world, and would like to better understand Kerisian culture and politics, the visiting Emperor felt it appropriate to advise Her Imperial Majesty to avoid the influence of the Nationalists who the Emperor felt were hurting relations between the two nations. While the characterization by the Egelian paper angered many among leading Kalistani nationalists, including the editors of nationalist oriented paper The National, who released a scathing editorial calling the meeting an offense and the discussion of internal politics in Kalistan "... wholly inappropriate for a visiting Monarch...", the Chancellor of the Empire, herself a staunch and very vocal arch nationalist issued the following statement:

"The comments by His Majesty, the Emperor of Keris and Her Imperial Majesty's Cousin, were perhaps less measured than we would have liked them, but Her Imperial Majesty has taken them in the spirit that they were offered, as an effort to improve relations between our two nations. And as a matter of fact, the Emperor was not quoted in the paper while I happened to have been in the room at the time, so it is possible that our respective newspapers may have overstated things a little. Her Imperial Majesty certainly took no offense at the advice, nor felt it was offered in anything but the best faith, and she said she was completely satisfied with her visit with the Northern Emperor and his Wife, who she found to be gentle people and who were open to discussing our nations' differences with an aim to resolution and building toward a more cooperative future."

Kalistan seeks resumption of Ruby Imports from Xsampa
Kalistan has announced that it intends to enter into talks with Xsampa to resume ruby imports from the Dovani Nation. "As can be imagined, a decent percentage of Her Imperial Majesty's Ruby horde went into the Production of her throne and her dress," said Her Imperial Majesty's (soon to be retiring) Trade Minister Melanie Boone. "She therefore wants to at least replenish her stock and then enter into a long term trade agreement that could also include resumption of aluminum sales from KalNaFerCo in trade. Obviously, we want to trade like for like. But House Ananto intends to purchase most of the gem quality rubies directly from KalNaFerCo." The others will be put up for sale in Kalistan for industrial applications like lasers, biomedical devices like defibrillators and pacemakers, and precision mechanics."

Trade between the two long time partners was ended when Xsampa became intertwined with Beiteynu during the reign of Emperor Fredrick IV Ananto. Since Kalistan and Xsampa have been slowly but deliberately working toward restoring relations between the two countries, with a number of visits between the two nations, including most recently the visit of the Xsampan Premier to Eveari for Her Imperial Majesty's Coronation. Boone is optimistic for the restoration of trade. "We just want to do it in a way that will ensure that our trade is roughly equal. It would be easy for Kalistan, or perhaps House Ananto, to simply buy all the rubies Xsampa produces outright by simply outbidding major customers in other nations. But that might create problems for the Xsampan economy and doesn't help Kalistan sell its surpluses either. So working out a fair trade agreement between the two nations is beneficial to both nations, and also to the rest of the world for that matter."

Boone also announced that House Ananto wishes to increase its purchases of gold and silver. "Miramar owns stock in most of the gold mining operations in Kundrati, but they don't pay their dividends in bullion," she said. "So House Ananto will likely need to purchase the physical gold commodities outright, which will likely drive up the price of gold internationally, especially at the amounts that they are talking about." A reliable and friendly source of Silver hasn't been readily identified yet, but Boone said that House Ananto is looking to purchase as much silver as they can lay their hands on to store in the Ananto's Gem Vault, and the Empress may consider calling in all precious metals held in private hands in Kalistan if she is not satisfied with international supplies.

Bjorksdattir stuns in Sulari
Alice Bjorksdattir, the current National It Girl, has had another triumphe deluxe in Sulari at the Annual Del Valle Spring Casuals Show. This time, she modeled their spring casuals collection; The dresses were long and flowy, and made almost exclusively with light fineweave breathable linen. The colors were bold solids, and each of the collection featured floral patterns of made of interwoven 24 karat gold thread. "She was wearing a fortune in the simplest lines and one of the more common fabrics," said Fashion writer Eugene Milgrim. "Bjorksdattir simply stole the entire show, and showed us all why she is the most in demand model in the Empire today. The clothes themselves were fabulous, but she wore them best. They looked like they were all designed for her in mind."

Bjorksdattir, 24, said she had a lot of fun with the collection. "I mean, think of my life," she laughed. "I get paid to put on clothes and walk around and look beautiful. That's literally my only job. Sure I have to stay in shape, but a ₭26 million Imperial a year contract gives me all the incentive I need to work out and eat well." The shapely supermodel says she was not blessed with a stick thin body. "It's easy for some of these girls to wear a lot of these clothes, because there is like a normal model size. I'm a bit, shall we say, rounder, than these ladies, so I have to work a little bit more. But... that chicken alfredo pizza doesn't just eat itself, you know..."

Literally nobody is complaining. Instead, Bjorksdattir is slated for three more major modelling contracts, including one for Reed Jeweler, and a public service campaign sponsored by the NSP. "Yeah," she laughs, "I did my national service... what did you think? I spent four years tending forests in Ananto. They kept trying to get me to go into the Publicity section, but I knew forestry would make me strong, and so now, the NSP agreed to let me do their campaign to encourage Kalistanis to consider returning to National Service after college. You know: 'Re-enlist as an non commissioned officer and you could meet this chick...' that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong: there are a lot of babes in the National Service, because its Kalistan afterall--Too bad for them, we are all there to work, but sex sells, you know?"

Dresses inspired by the Spring Casuals Collection will begin appearing on the shelves in clothing stores by mid march, and will be sold as Ready to wear. "I think Del Valle said the genuine 24 karat gold dresses will be available direct from the Del Valle House," said Bjorksdattir, "but the ones in the stores with the gilded linen thread floral designs will be just as beautiful, and soft and comfortable, though significantly less expensive, and really, I've seen some of the mockups and really the only one who will be able to tell the difference is the lady who paid for it."

@TheRepublic