Conversation
The Mahapratanidhi looked around her meeting chamber. This wasn't where she met people for a private meeting, no she had other rooms for those. No, this was where she met people that were her friends and closest advisors. Not that she really had many friends, not true friends at least. But she did have a couple and she was currently waiting for her closest to join her.
The Mahapratanidhi had known Adyha for as long as she could remember. The Mahapratanidhi felt she really needed her friends advice. She needed to know just how much information to give to the heads of the other governments on Ardu. Or at least the governments that Kishnagar had cordial relations with. No message from Kishnagar was going to be well received by Gizba for one. And no one talked to any of the Ljosalfar nations. Not since the centuries long great war that had lead to the creation of Kishnagar about almost two thousand years ago.
The civil war that had ended up splitting Kishnagar in to the countries of Kishnagar and Gizba had been about five hundred years ago and hard feelings on both sides still hadn't eased. The anger at the Ljosalfar nations had a different cause. They had caused the great war in the first place. Sure the various nations had fought against each other for territory and such before that, but the Ljosalfar had tried to conquer the whole blasted world and had come frighteningly close to succeeding. Well, not all of the Ljosalfar nations had tried, there was one group, the Xotico of Argeminos, that had fought against the other Ljosalfar nations from the first. Working the whole time with the rest of the nations of Ardu, which was fortunate. They had the most powerful and advanced navy on Ardu.
So yeah, the Mahapratanidhi didn't see anyone talking to either group to let them know what was happening in the world right now. Mainly because they were probably involved somehow. And even if the other leaders did decide to loop those two into the discussions and/or plans in the future it wouldn't be Kishnagar doing so. It would have to be another one of the countries, probably the Long Yi. They had been one of the worst when it came to trying to push their borders. But they had fought the hardest against the Ljosafar. Since then however they retreated into their own lands and have been strictly isolationist ever since. The Mahapratanidhi really hoped that the news she had sent with the party would change their minds. Both Gizba and the Ljosalfar on the other hand held Kishnagar in a special kind of hatred. The kind where you'd rather see the world burn than ask the hated enemy for help. And honestly she felt just about the same way about them as well.
Just as she was thinking about which nations to tell what information there was a light knock on the door before it quietly opened to reveal Adyha, exactly who she was waiting for.
"Praveena," Adyha said in her quietly gentle voice as she stepped into the room. "You have been working to much again."
The Mahapratanidhi smiled at her long time friend. Adyha was the only person these days that used her actual name to address her. Just one more of the many prices you pay for being the Mahapratanidhi of Kishanagar. Not that she wanted to stop being in charge, quite the opposite in fact. She rather enjoyed being the Mahapratanidhi, even if it hadn't worked out exactly the way she had planned it all those years ago. Back before she had gotten her first government job as a Pratanidhi, or council member. But there was a secret that no one that wasn't a highly placed member of the government knew. The ceremonial arm bracers and head gear of the high council of Kishnagar was enchanted. The enchantment guaranteed the the high council member had to act in the best interest of the country. Even if it was against the best interest of the council member.
The Mahapratanidhi laughed to herself as she remembered her chagrin at that particular discovery. It was a shame that the enchantment had included a part about not telling anyone. She could of told her old crew about it and cleared her name so to speak. But she couldn't even tell her oldest friend about it so she'd been attacked in the council chamber itself by none other than a hit squad that had once looked up to her. Upon reflection she really should have seen it coming, after all as far as her former friends were concerned she had failed to keep her promise. Not something that was ever allowed to slide at all. So she had needed to slaughter the hit squad to a man before any of them could be taken prisoner. It hadn't been hard to arrange, it wasn't like any of them intended to be taken alive anyhow.
Ever since then the Mahapratanidhi had been very popular with her people, She was The Slayed of Assassins. And as she climbed towards and finally achieved her current rank, she'd only gotten more popular. The only notable exception was in her old underworld group. She was enemy number one as far as they were concerned. That was okay, as far as the Mahapratanidhi was concerned things had turned out better than originally planned. She didn't have any competitors trying to kill her out of hand like she would have had if the first plan had worked out. And she had sent a very pointed, pun intended, message to the various underworld gangs that the Mahapratanidhi didn't expect any more attacks in the council chambers, the message was clear. Not that assassination didn't happen in Kishnagari politics. She took all of the necessary precautions so that unless she got careless or stupid, much the same thing, she should be fine. Besides, even the assassins guild liked her. She did order their formation after all.
The Mahapratanidhi outlined her problems and as usual Adyha had just the answer she had needed. She would send a general message to everyone, excepting Gizba and the Ljosalfar nations of course. And a more detailed message to the Oristani asking the current high Chief, or was it Chieftain? She could never remember which was the correct term. Asking the leader of the Oristan to pass on anything she felt was important back to her and if possible also onto who ever else seemed good. Once that was all worked out to their satisfaction the two old friends sat, drank tea and talked of inconsequential things.
