Yeudi Conclave

[Kubrick]

During the many speeches the Emperor of the Jelbic Peoples, current Meleh of Beiteynu, and exiled King of Wrnuke, the part-Beiteynuese Wrntukai Banmek-Sntazed looks on with ever increasing anger. When the Emperor of Canrille speaks he is about to jump out of his seat but the older looking man next to him stops him and gives him a stern look. The monarch abides. For now. The interruption of Beidel seems to reassure the Jelbic though afterwards he turns to brooding once more. 

It is at this point that, after some discussion at the door, another man is let in. The middle-aged man is dressed in a modest grey suit and wears a pin of a globe on fire, the sign of a follower of the Worldburner's teachings. He approaches the Emperor and hands him an envelope. Wrntukai looks at him bemused and reads it, raising his eyebrows as his eyes dart down the letter. He glares at the man in the suit and the two exchange some words. From a distance the man can be heard saying something about how "generous" this "offer" is. The Emperor can be heard muttering "extortion" as he reaches for a pen and signs the document. The man in the grey suit steps back and for a short moment addresses the room.

Ishmíl Strhosíék, Representative from the Ministry of Education & Culture of the Jelbic People's Soviet Republic of Wrnuke

Honoured guests, esteemed monarchs, gracious hosts, Yeudi brothers,

My name is Ishmíl Strhosíék, a Jelbic Yeudi, the acting Council of Ministers of the WJZR, that is the new democratic republic of Wrnuke, has put me in charge of the four of the Eight Gems currently on display in our great nation. The exiled monarch Wrntukai Banmek-Sntazed, as the current head of the Banmek-Sntazed family in his role as monarch of Beiteynu and Emperor of the Jelbic People's, has been recognised by our government as the owner of the four Gems..

He smiles for a moment before continuing.

..and we thank him for his great generosity by allowing them to remain on loan for an indefinite period in our great museum in Wiel.

With that the man nods at a few faces he knows and departs, as he passes through the doors a jubilant Jozef Beidel offers him an ice cream. He politely declines. With all these theatrics behind him the Jelbic monarch stands up. To the older people in the room he looks like the spitting image of his father, with slightly crazier eyes. With a bang on the table he starts to speak.

Emperor of the Jelbic Peoples Wrntukai II Banmek-Sntazed, Meleh of Beiteynu, sovereign of Barmenistan and Jelbe, defender of the Dual Monarchy, son of the Great Restorer

Enough is enough! I have sat here listening to insult after insult, though my thanks go to the wise people in this room, the Tzafrirs see through this charade and call it out for what it is. Likewise to the Arevs, good friends to my late father, who know what true wisdom is. And good Kunibert, a confidant and friend of my beloved, who knows nothing but loyalty to the good cause. 

He takes a moment, trying to regain control of his anger. After a few seconds it passes.

But to you, Lourennaise monarch, to you I have a few stern words to say. You spit your vile racism here in this sacred room full of these honourable people. That the Jelbic culture and its understanding of nobility cannot protect this sacred land, these sacred people? One more glass of your sour wine and you are calling us backward barbarians who copulate with our horses. But no sir, that will not do, not here in this chamber. I will not have you slander my people, Jelbic and Yeudi. Lest I need to remind you that 700 years before your land was even colonised by the Selucians my forefathers were already conquering land off the Augustan Emperors? That we were unified and fighting our own colonisers before your culture even existed? You are like a young kitten barking at a lion!

Under my glorious father, the Great Restorer, we saw Beiteynu continue to prosper. Countless of treaties, reforms, the largest Empire the world has seen in a thousand years or more. All from the cooperation of Beiteynu and her Jelbic brethren. Majatrans we are, all united under one common goal: to find greatness together. All opposed to this one great evil: the colonisers. Luthorians have occupied large parts of this world, through commerce, conquest, and deceitful treachery. Now and here they are trying so again to occupy a part of another continent. I will die opposing colonialism, Majatra will remain for the Majatrans. This was my father's red line, this will remain my red line. Long live the Yeudi people, glory to Beiteynu, I will forever remain your faithful monarch. So faithful that right here, right now, I declare that I will abandon the faith of the Skyfather and the Great Light - I shall return to the Yeudi faith of my father.

With that last statement the exhausted monarch sits down, immediately reaching for a glass of whisky on the table. It is the elderly man next to him that rises to take the word for the Banmek-Sntazed family.

Prince Juhn Banmek-Sntazed, Representative of the House of Banmek-Sntazed

Honoured representatives, Your Majesties,

My name is Juhn of the house of Banmek-Sntazed, many in our family consider me the.. protector of our dynasty. While our monarchs reign some of us work on the history of our house and protect our interests elsewhere. I will admit I was never close to the late Emperor Bunjamín. To many of us he was an outsider. His grandfather had gone to Beiteynu, a fourth son to a cousin of a cousin of a previous King. There he, and his twin brother, found love with two Beiteynuese women. Those princelings converted to the faith of Beiteynu, adopted their customs, though also protecting their own, and raised their children bilingual and bicultural. The Emperor was the same with the good Wrntukai here, he let his son choose his own path but taught him everything he knew about his mother's and grandmother's culture and faith. Just now he has even once again adopted the faith of the Yeudi people, no foreign coloniser would ever dare to give that much for the people of Beiteynu.

Furthermore, the Emperor of Canrille insults the Jelbic culture and our rich and vibrant history and nobility, but His Imperial Majesty forgets one crucial part: the Yeudi are Jelbic. By calling us a culture inadequate, you are calling all of Beiteynu inadequate. A horrid statement and one I shall not soon forget. Much the same to returning a Gem to Beiteynu, was there not a reason these were sent away to safe places? The Luthorians know no bounds in their depravity. Just now my good cousin Wrntukai has signed an agreement assuring the four Eight Gems in Wrnuke remain in Wrnuke. Where they shall be visible for all to see and wonder at. Safely and securely, where greed and ambition cannot poison the minds of those around them.

Either way, I have spoken too long and too much. I look towards the representatives of the houses of Keshef and Benowitz as I cast this vote: the house of Banmek-Sntazed votes whole-heartedly in favour of our chosen son Wrntukai Banmek-Sntazed and expresses their great interest in seeing his beloved Theodora join his side.