2018 State Visit to Castietya

The Grand Parliament Building, 17:30

The largest gathering of some of the most powerful individuals in the Seven Republics occurred in a single gargantuan room, all centered around the speaker's podium that was in use during the First Insular Congress over two hundred years ago. Naturally, when hundreds of people are gathered in a rather tight space they tend to produce a large quantity of noise, so much so that Grand Chancellor Henn's attempt to quite the crowd with the Congressional gavel was a failure. Resorting to the speaker system with appropriate microphone embedded along the siding of the podium and hidden from the view of most in the most and in the media space provided, he announced, "The Second Insular Congress of the Seven Republics shall come to order. Would the secretary please mark the roster as full attendance?"

Sitting off to the side of the podium but close enough to have to shield his ears from the hard pounding of the gavel, he nodded and made the appropriate marks on the paper sitting in front of him. Some shuffling occurred and the typewriter was brought before his fingers, ready to type whatever words were to come out of a soul in the room.

"Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Delegates of this esteemed Congress, I am proud to announce the formation of the Northern Sea Alliance, between the Seven Republics, the Adler Republic, and the Drakhmani State. Our purpose for this alliance is to safeguard the interests of the Seven Republics, to ensure strong friendships may exist for longer than occurred before that horrible war in the 60s, and that a mutual purpose arising from such an organisation may better serve the citizens of the world that we may have a chance to meet. Present at this Congress today is President Georgios Adrianos, of the Drakhmani State, and Chancellor Hildegard Wolf of the Adler Republic. On behalf of President Adrianos and herself, Chancellor Wolf has agreed to speak before this Congress, and I urge all delegates in attendance to heed the words of our closest ally. Please welcome Chancellor Hildegard Wolf!"

Henn's last words were marked by a large clapping he gave off to the side of the mic, so that it would not burst the eardrums of the delegates, followed by the rest of the room. Cameras were fast to capture the transfer of the speakership, and he extended his arm out to her when she approached the podium.

The Grand Parliament Building, 17:30

Wolf fixed her Adleran flag pin and then stood before the podium. She had forgone her press adviser's advice and not had her hair colored, instead choosing to let her white hair stand out against her black suit. Class and grace were two traits that many said the Chancellor had, they weren't wrong.

With a measured tone she began to speak, "Thank you Grand Chancellor Henn, esteemed delegates and the people of the Seven Republics for this great honor of speaking before you today." She paused a moment. "While our nations gather to sign the treaty officially forming the Northern Sea Alliance, we must remember all those that came before us to make this moment possible. Those that lost their lives in the struggles for democracy in the Aquican States. Democracy has been a cornerstone in the Seven Republics since their inception and never should that be allowed to be threatened. The Seven Republics are the beacons in the dark, this long night that has begun to descend upon the world must be pushed back.

Another pause as she looked down at her notes. Simple note cards with bullet points rather than actual speech, she preferred to make it up as she went. "It is together that we must go into the future and protect our people's rights and the rights of those who are oppressed. If not us then who?" She asked looking out at the delegates.

"Over two centuries ago there was a struggle here in the Seven Republics, Nikolao Antono Jäger helped to lead the fledgling republics towards unity and then to the formation of the Seven Republics. He stood up to the monarchists and autocrats to defend the ideals of the newfound states. There was a vision of a united front against the common foes, and now through this treaty and alliance we are furthering that vision as we are united together. Today we also take another step in moving beyond old constraints and woes towards the new dawn. The wars of the past that brought suffering to our people's were mistakes that we have chosen to remedy and chosen to move beyond."

The wars in the past were present but the Peninsular War still burned in Chancellor Wolf's mind as she recalled the day it broke out. She had been a girl of but twelve when the war itself occurred and the in her mid-teens when the surprise invasion by Septima occurred. Adler and Septima had been close friends preceding the war but conflicting alliances brought them into direct conflict. Adler buckled under the pressure of the invasion and with most of its forces in Drakhma fighting Selene there was not an army to defend the people. An assassination, a coup then chaos. Within two years of the end of the war Adler was but a subservient state of Kalos in a Union. Never again would the Adleran people lick the boots of another.

"So it is that I stand before you today to urge those of you here to support the reforms that Grand Chancellor Henn has proposed. His vision is that of a more united Seven Republics, a stronger union that will be the bulwark against tyranny abroad and at home. The beacon that is sorely needed. A beacon with a proud heritage and one that will be Jäger's greatest legacy. Thank you again for this honor and I am blessed to know that with Septima and Drakhma at our sides that Adler will be safe and our people will prosper."

Chancellor Wolf then proceeded to shake hands with President Adrianos and then with Grand Chancellor Henn before taking her seat yet again.