Kalistan

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Gathering of House Ananto closes out season in Playa de Paz
Lady Diane Acheson meets with Empress before heading to Hutori
Playa de Paz, Athosia, Baltusia
April 3, 5718


Lady Diane Acheson is welcomed to the Family by Her Imperial Majesty in Athosia

Kalistani Royals held a formal House Meeting at Playa de Paz before the Empress returned to Ananto for the Spring months. The Royal family was present, as well as several adjacent members of the Kalistani Aristocracy. Lady Diane Acheson, Marquess of Salón Blanco and Courtesy Countess of Dana was invited along, as was Chancellor of the Empire Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, Grand Duke Craig Alvarez of Kalistan, the Dukes of Kalistan, and Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez Navarro.

The topics discussed at the Royal confab included final instructions from and to Lady Diane Acheson as she prepares to relocate to Hutori to become the wife of the Hutorian King William Steuart Carmichael, as well as the naming of Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez-Navarro to the position of Special Envoy to the Nation of Gaduridos. "Hace diez años, renuncié a mi ciudadanía y a todo vínculo formal con mi patria en Gaduridos," she said to reporters who were in Athosia to cover the event. "Me avergonzaba ver cómo mi nación se había negado a gobernarse a sí misma y a su pueblo; y, más que nada, mi juramento de lealtad personal a mi Emperatriz prevaleció sobre cualquier amor heredado por un país que le había dado la espalda. Hoy regreso a la tierra que me vio nacer como alguien cuya misión es intentar colaborar con el nuevo gobierno para descubrir qué puede rescatarse entre nosotros y, tal vez, construir una nueva relación y un nuevo futuro como dos estados iguales, independientes y soberanos. Quizás, algún día, Gaduridos sea una nación que pueda volver a reivindicar con orgullo. Hará falta mucho trabajo y mucha paciencia para llegar a ese punto."

Both the Empress and the Chancellor stressed the importance that Kalistan make a settlement over Bentasur, in southern Gaduridos. "Bentasur is a key strategic point and a vital part of Kalistani regional defense," said Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn. "The reputational loss we would suffer from losing that base would by itself be immense, but more importantly, loss of Bentasur without anything in place to take up the role of guarding Kalistan's southern approaches would be a disaster. Kalistan will not part with that exclave which has been under direct Kalsitani control for more than 130 years under any circumstances, but it is Her Imperial Majesty's hope that Lady Alvarez may approach the new Gaduri government with an arrangement that will satisfy them so that we may continue this very important strategic mission, not only for Kalistan, but also for Gaduridos, who itself has no real armed forces to speak of."

If Lady Alvarez-Navarro is not able to come to a mutually agreeable solution, said the Chancellor, "Her Imperial Majesty will cross that bridge at that point. Kalistan is absolutely credible in its commitment to Bentasur and will follow through on whatever course is set for us. It will be in everyone's benefit if the question is peacefully resolved." Lady Alvarez-Navarro hopes to establish positive relations with the new Gaduri government right off the bat, but the Chancellor of the Empire acknowledges that there are still a lot of very hard feelings between Kalistanis and Gaduris that only time and repeated positive encounters can begin to heal. "As Marisol Paz said, it will take a lot of time and hard work if the outcome is to be mutually beneficial. We need to rebuilt trust from basically nothing."

Other matters were handled at the meeting, including a dismissal of petition from the Grand Duke of Kalistan to establish a written constitution for Kalistan. "The Empress politely listened to the petition from the Grand Duke, who is essentially her Viceroy on the Mainland," said Chancellor Alvarez-McLinn. "The petition had the backing of the Duke of Odufraray, while the Dukes of Vrassa and Nevaras politely abstained to allow the petition to be presented. The Empress quickly dismissed the petition, saying that a constitution would create a misapprehension among some of the more pro-Democracy elements in the Nation that the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan is on the road to popular government. She explained that she would not like to mislead her People of give them some false sense of empowerment that a constitution would create. At the end the petitioners had to acknowledge that recent polls showed support for democracy was still very much a minority position, and that it was possible that it was being stoked by a handful of activists with no constituency who were impressed by flirtation with democracy abroad. The petition was abandoned at that point."

The Empress discussed the potential of renaming the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. "She said it was rather unwieldy, especially when put next to our nation's common name, which is Kalistan. It's very long. I suggested the Anantan Empire. She shot it down immediately, claiming that it was antiquated, and even the Anantonese Empire was only named that because of the Ocean, rather than being related to our country. In the end, we decided that the matter should be tabled for a later time."

Lady Diane Acheson went over her financial strategy, at length with Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley. "Lady Christina, as Head of House Ananto and CEO of Miramar, welcomed the advice, and took the opportunity to announce figures concerning House Assets and liabilities. It was no surprise that House Ananto remained worth more than a trillion Imperial Pesos, with most of that wealth invested in vast swaths of the Kalistani economy through Miramar, and in non-liquid assets such as precious stones and metals. Most investments are meant to hold value over long periods of time, and the investment strategy of House Ananto, advised competently by Lady Acheson and her father before her, concurred with this strategy."

In exchange, Lady Acheson was congratulated on her engagement to King William. It was well known among the Royal Family that the two had struck up a rather close relationship long before the King returned to Hutori on a permanent basis. "It goes without saying that the King is an adopted member of House Ananto," said Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley. "His Majesty is treated by House Ananto as a Kalistani Royal and Brother to Her Imperial Majesty--This designation was especially important to Her Imperial Majesty, since she had lost both of her own brothers when she was a girl, and His Majesty came into care of the Empress when she finished National Service. The Empress has decreed it so in perpetuity, that the Monarchs of Hutori shall be considered in Kalistan as full sibling members of Kalistani Royalty, though they retain their own familiar designations and rankings and so forth. So Lady Diane marrying His Majesty, the King will make her a Sister in Law to Her Imperial Majesty."

According to Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley, Lady Diane Acheson is expected to fully embrace her role as Consort in Hutori, but she shall retain all her titles, both her courtesy title in Dana and her Marquessate of Salón Blanco, which Her Imperial Majesty has made heritable, able to be passed on to her children. As the title is not a land peerage, the Marquess shall be granted a plot of land in Green County adjacent to Ravens' Head, will entitle her to a Baronetcy. The Baronetcy will be formally known as White Hall, and though may not be combined with Ravens' Head, will be aggrandized and may be passed on to her children. The Marquess will be expected to improve the land, but may lease it out as she pleases.

"Her Imperial Majesty welcomed her new Sister to the family," said Lady Ananto-McKinley, "and says she will look forward to spending time with the newly married couple when she next sees them in Hutori for the wedding. Her Imperial Majesty will attend with His Highness the Prince Consort, His Highness the Minor Crown Prince and the two minor Princesses. Lady Nicolette Ananto-Collins and Lord Andrew Rohrbach are also expected to attend, as is the Chancellor, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, myself, and Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez-Navarro. The Entourage will travel to Hutori and will stay at Icehaven during the celebration."

Other matters of a closer sort were also discussed during the three day long Ananto summit, and the event ended with the Kalistanis returning home and the Royal Family closing the house for the season. They are expected to return to Kaliburg in three days.

@TheRepublic