Posts made by Sertia

Antem Combever: The fairy tale Sertian village taking an avant-garde approach to tourism

Illanas Bever and his family walk to the supermarket on a bright Sunday afternoon to buy some vegetables for their supper. It is unusually warm today, and there is a gentle stir on the stone streets. A woman drinks from the well in the centre of the Fratoi Aldain (Aldain Plaza). You would think this is how it has been in Antem Combever for centuries.

But recently, the village with a population of only 6,000 full-time residents has experienced immense tourism and economic growth. Known for a long time as an insider's secret, Antem Combever holds a good deal of history and a growing artistic scene. The Marasketa (city hall) was once the ancient University of Andamois'Acod'var, opened in 1502, which was retired in 2000 and transformed into flats for the growing population of wealthy Sertians.

In 2015, Antem Combever received a grant to expand its tourism advertisement and industry, but due to lack of transport many tourists to Sertia were unable to reach the town. Now, though, the railway has arrived, and so have the town's admirers.

Famously the birthplace of Sertian postmodern writer and artist Yaras Hermini, you can tour his office and art studio, and even the cafe where he wrote his most famous work: Parae Fesh (On Humour).

Hermini was never recognised for his work during his lifetime, and thus the tourism scheme takes a rather innovative approach to attracting economic growth: namely, the romanticism of the 'tortured artist aesthetic'. Signs read: '

...you are misunderstood; Come to Antem Combever';

'Do your bit...resist the establishment and come to Antem Combever'.

Having recently received electricity services (in 2023), Antem Combever is experiencing an influx of tourists

Johannes Fischer, a recent arrival to the village in 2024, told us he's just purchased one of the flats in the Marasketa. In 2017, the average price was £ 90,000. Now, it's £ 2.5 million.

Fischer said he 'rather enjoys' Antem Combever and what it has to offer:

"Growing up, it was really hard to fit in anywhere. I came from a working class family of solicitors. We kind of inherited a failing law firm in central Hemberdale and the emotional toll of that on my childhood was immense. You can tell through my art. Both my parents had a stable income throughout my youth, but it never felt like that, you know?"

"When I came to Antem Combever, I thought: wow. Cigarettes for 99 cents? I've just got to come here".

Fischer, now retired at 34, works as a florist in the village centre, but is an author and artist by trade and is currently writing and painting. "I've got a very humble studio of 3400 square feet" in Marasketa, he told us. "My skylight is my only source of illumination, so I only write in the day".

The tortured life is clearly the sought-after one, too.

Antem Conbever can be reached on the Hemberdale/Opserfey ---> Rowsperch railway. Tickets are bookable online or on the train.

Office for the Braetha - Government of Sertia
11 March 2025

On the Spanish endeavour for Nofoaga

The Braetha have taken careful consideration on all fronts to reports about the possibility of Spanish annexation of Nofoaga. We, and the people of Sertia, have concluded our deliberations and are ready to deliver our response.

As a part of our deliberations, we have considered the following factors:

1. (by referendum) do the people of Sertia consent to the further Spanish occupation of Nofoaga as a collective? and

2. (by deliberation) do the Braetha condemn such Spanish occupation?

SECTION I: Public Referendum

The referendum results are as follows.

TO THE QUESTION:
Will Sertia endorse any efforts by the Kingdom of Spain to annex, or take, or possess as one of its own, the Republic of Nofoaga?

% Respondents replying "YES": 46.7%
% Respondents replying "NO": 53.3%

The Sertian public have voted to condemn the actions of the Spanish in regards to their annexation of the Republic of Nofoaga.

SECTION II: Decision of the Braetha

We, the Braetha, condemn the effort by Spain to annex Nofoaga.

We have considered, as an aggravating factor, that the Spanish already have substantial influence in the Republic of Nofoaga;

We also consider as an aggravating factor the very wide-ranging influence the Spanish already wield in the Caribbean region;

As a mitigating factor, however, we are aware that an attempt by any other country to annex the Republic of Nofoaga would be condemned more powerfully. The Spanish are close allies to us, and their support has been paramount to the development of the Caribbean.

Nonetheless, we are not convinced that there is any reason other than selfish gain to seek further power, by an already imperial nation, over a sovereign one. Nofoaga is itself Sertia's closest ally, and with us they freely trade people, goods, services, culture and ideas through our free trade agreement.

We are not convinced that Spanish annexation of Nofoaga will not hinder this free trade.

POSITION OF THE KINGDOM OF SERTIA

The Kingdom of Sertia condemns any present or future Spanish effort to annex Nofoaga.

ERE BACH'AIR DUN

PART I:Hour 36 of discussion

The War Rooms consist of eight adjoined chambers running horizontally. There is one room for each member of the Braetha themselves, then one communal meeting room: Room 4.

Room 4 was in complete tatters. Before the meeting began, attendants removed all the ancient valuable relics to prevent them from being destroyed. All the rooms were decorated with ancient artwork, except for Room 4.

Berra Nacar, the Braetha for infrastructure, was screaming at Head Braetha Fornithias Cranst:

"Why won't you listen to me? Eh? I've said about a million times now, NO!" Groans followed from the other members.

"We are not," Berra said, "and I REPEAT, we ARE NOT, letting ONE MORE person from Spain into this country, EVER AGAIN!"

"Berra, calm down!" barked Thomas Ilgras, the Braetha for mechanical industries. "In the past 36 [nearly 37!] hours, you have contributed nothing but a sniffly and upturned nose to this discussion."

"Oi!" said Cranst. "That's your fifth ad hominem attack this session, Thomas. I must expel you after the next one".

"Stop threatening me, Fornithias--"

"MASTER Cranst. Mr Ilgras, we are public representatives, certainly not friends. You will not address me by my first name if you do not want to be chucked out by your suspender braces", Fornithias said.

"Yes," Berra continued. "I can SNIFFLE, all I WANT! As I was saying, we must remove all Spanish forces from Sertia regardless of--"

"regardless of the results of the referendum?" Thomas interrupted, "regardless? Master Cranst, I must remark that at this point in the discussion, we have allowed Ms Nacar to barrage us with Aspernian Spanish-hating propoganda for 36 hours.

"Need I remind you all", Thomas looked around at the members of the Braetha pacing the margins of Room 4, "that Ms Nacar was Mr Guthrun Wond's pick to be European Councillor? That ought to speak louder than anything more I can say".

"Oh my goodness, really?" said the Braetha for Energy and Sustainability with a yawn. "That's groundbreaking, Thomas. Tell us again, for the 6,000th time, would you?"

"Thomas, need I remind YOU that I denounced Guthrun almost immediately after he'd said that. I just didn't know the EU rules about choosing a councillor, so I accepted his offer," said Berra Nacar.

"That is exactly my point, master Cranst. All Wondites are incompetent and lazy enough to allow dictators to simply do what they want. That is what democracies do, Ms Nacar. We are not a democracy here," Thomas said, pointing at Berra, his very long finger nearly touching her forehead.

Berra gave Thomas a very long, condemning scowl. "Oh," Berra said snidely, "you're a hypocrite too, are you?"

Thomas went for Berra's hair. Shouting erupted, and then--

A well-dressed intern rang the dinner bell. It was time for dinner.

Berra and Thomas sat down, huffing and puffing. There was finally stillness in the War Room.

Finally, Cranst spoke: "I am making an executive decision for everyone's benefit".

"36 hours later," groaned the Braetha for Education and Welfare.

Cranst glared at the Braetha for Education and Welfare. Then he spoke: "I propose we contact Spain about this after we receive the referendum results. Only then do we make a statement".

Berra scoffed. "This is just ridiculous. You really trust Spain to answer the phone for us? For all we know we've scared them off. You know, we wouldn't be in this malarkey if not for the free press".

"Don't you start, Berra," Cranst said. "It's time for dinner."

Introduction

The War Rooms--Sertia's official chamber of government, Hemberdale

It was Sunday evening in Hemberdale. The day markets were closing, and the restaurants, auction houses and casinos were only getting started. Tourists went inside as the wind from the sea blew cold. Locals simply put their coats on, and continued working.

Life went on.

All the while, in the War Rooms, members of the Braetha had been seated for approximately 36 hours, discussing the possibilities of the referendum outcome, and what was to be the government's official stance.

They'd decided to allow a referendum for fear of being tone-deaf, a fear that had only recently taken hold. For a long time the Braetha couldn't give a crumb what many of their people thought.

But ever since the Aspernian rebels were threatening the very order of Sertia...

To say it had been a 36-hour "discussion" of politics is essentially to deny that you are in Sertia. There are no discussions about politics in Sertia.

There is only silence, or a shouting match. Why else would the official seat of government be called the War Rooms?

The full Braetha was in session.

Why is there a referendum in Sertia?

You may have heard the reports that the polls have opened for a referendum in Sertia to determine how the government should react to Spain's purported attempt to annex the Republic of Nofoaga.

But why is there a referendum?

Well, that's an interesting question for an interesting scenario. There are no doubts, among experts on politics, that Sertia would condemn an attempt to annex Nofoaga by countries other than Spain. Furthermore, Nofoaga is Sertia's closest ally, with the two countries sharing an unconditional customs union, equipped with free movement of citizens between countries.

However, Spain is also a close ally of Sertia and Nofoaga. The two countries' militaries are supported by Spanish personnel. In Sertia, the government almost completely controls these personnel, although this is by convention rather than formal agreement.

So what is the government to do?
The underlying purpose behind this referendum is to collect public opinion not only on Spanish annexation of Nofoaga, but to determine whether there will be significant civil unrest against the Spanish military personnel. Depending on the result, the Brætha could potentially take action to limit Spanish influence in Sertia, or expel the military entirely. However, this is only likely if the referendum indicates a condemnation of Spain's actions. And the Spanish have been popular with the Sertians consistently throughout the time since they've arrived.

But a result affirming consent to Spanish annexation effectively condemns Sertia's alliance with Nofoaga.

Would Nofoagans see Sertian consent to annexation as a betrayal? Would other European powers see Sertia's consent as a symbol of it's weaknesses as a nation?

Ultimately, the Brætha has the power to override the results of the referendum. But this risks making the current government extremely unpopular and calling another election in April. And the Brætha don't want this due to the rising sympathy to right-wing Aspernian extremism.

To put it succinctly, this is an incredibly important moment for Sertian-Nofoagan, -Spanish and -EU relations. Expect the Brætha to tread very carefully around the results of the referendum.

LIVE UPDATES: OPERATION TURTLE BEACH

6 March, 12:27 SST

Key points

• The referendum, asking the public what the government stance on the Spanish annexation of Nofoaga should be, has seen quite low turnout since the polls opened yesterday, with only about 5% of eligible voters turning out to vote. Polls close at 12pm on 10 March 2025.

• The Brætha have scheduled a full meeting in the War Rooms for Monday, 10 March when the polls close, although they report they are currently meeting remotely in an emergency session. There are a few things the Brætha can do after the referendum. Will they voice the people's opinion?

• Demonstrations have begun in major cities such as Hemberdale and Osperfey, where members of the Brætha live. They have mostly been peaceful, but there are reports demonstrators have been targeting the Spanish Military peacekeepers, who are under the command of the Brætha.

• Questions in government linger, such what may happen to the CCCC free travel agreement between Nofoaga and Sertia? Where would the annexation leave the nationality of the Nofoagans? Is this endeavour by Spain simply a matter of convenience for the state, or a matter of developing good relations with the Caribbean? Finally, do Sertians in the West Olves and outlying regions have to worry about becoming Spanish?

Please watch this space.

Office for the Braetha - Government of Sertia
5 March 2025

The government of Sertia recognises the political sovereignty of the Republic of Nofoaga. The Braetha are confident at this time that any decision by the Government of Spain to control Nofoaga has been done with the full consent of the Nofoagan government, through democratic and legal means.

However, the Braetha recognise that we do not speak for all our people. Therefore, we are holding an official referendum regarding giving our full endorsement to the Spanish government of their actions.

The referendum will be open for voting between today, 5 March 2025 and Monday, 10 March 2025.

ERE BACH'AIR DUN

BREAKING: LEAKED INTELLIGENCE EXPOSES SPAIN'S INTENTIONS TO ANNEX THE REPUBLIC OF NOFOAGA

GOVERNMENT FEARS ANY OCCUPATION COULD RE-IGNITE ASPERNIAN REVOLTS

BRAETHA LABEL THE ASPERNIAN COALITION A UK-SUPPORTED TERRORIST ORGANISATION

3 March 2025

In a memo leaked to VAS (Vicras Ammayaw'r Serdria), an unidentified source in the Spanish government has detailed that Spain intends to annex and occupy the Republic of Nofoaga.

The move has set off a chain reaction across the nation about what implications this Spanish annexation will have for the delicate peace held between the Sertian government and the Aspernian separatists. It is feared that these agents may take advantage of the inevitable unrest which will present in Sertia.

The Braetha have yet to confirm if there has been any correspondence between them and the Spanish government regarding this issue.

Whilst Spain holds influence in the Caribbean, it has so far respected the autonomy of the Kingdom of Sertia and Nofoaga. In addition, Aspernian revolutionaries unequivocally oppose any Spanish occupation for fears of 'cultural dilution' and 'the overpowering of minority voices'.

Whilst the government hasn't yet commented about the annexation of Nofoaga, HB Fornithias Cranst has signed a unanimous resolution to designate the Aspernian Coalition as a 'UK-sponsored terror organisation'.

More details are to follow. Please stand by as this is a quickly developing issue.

Results of the January 2025 Election Referendum

Effective 12 February 2025

The voting in the January 2025 referendum to call an election, pursuant to Deomcratic Procedure Act 2024, has now concluded and the results have been validated by the Election Security Ombudsman :

Total vote count: 2,305,492.5 (% change: N/A)

Question on ballot: Do you vote to compel the Braetha to call a national election on 20 April, 2025?

Answer breakdown

% respondents indicating "YES": 23% (530, 263 votes)

% respondents indicating "NO": 77% (1,775, 229.5 votes)

FINAL RESULT: An election will not be called for 20 April, 2025. On this date there will be another election referendum, pursuant to Democratic Procedure Act 2024.

ERE BACH'AIR DUN

OfB

on the violent demonstrations in the State of Elthize
4 February 2025

We are sorry to see that the State of Elthize, and the Elthic people, have been gripped by such violent protests leading to the deaths of 13 people. Under no circumstances is destruction and chaos an alternative to reason.

If anyone understands this, it would be us in the Kingdom of Sertia.

Our embassies and embassies minor remain open throughout Elthize for Sertians in need of assistance.

-Ms Éduditalle Dína
EU Councillor, Kingdom of Sertia

ERE BACHÁIR DÙN

Worrying increase of homeless former-Aspernians should be addressed, charities say

A new study by the Sertian Border Clerks, a human rights and immigration charity, has shown that the number of homeless people who formerly held Aspernian nationality has increased from 18% in January of this year to 24% as of this July.

Many people who lived to the south of the country, in Osperfey or the West Olves had their Sertian passports and other vital records destroyed or confiscated by the Aspernian regime, and now struggle to prove their immigration status to landlords and letting agencies.

Former Aspernian citizens are different from persons designated as Aspernian sympathisers, the latter of whom actively participated in the secession of the Republic of Aspern. Aspernian sympathisers have had their vital records and government documents taken away and currently do not hold the right to live in Sertia other than in prison, and those who are still not imprisoned have warrants out for their arrest. The minimum sentence they will all serve is 3 years 1.5 months.

Aspernian citizens, however, have been caught in the crossfire, many have lost their homes and are subject to trafficking, homelessness and even deportation proceedings since they are unable to produce legal documents.

Last year in light of this scandal the government relaxed the rules around deportation and immigrants who do not have legal documents. The effect of this change is yet unclear.

OfB

on the mission to the Moon

Tuesday, 28 January

In cooperation with the Spanish Government, we are pleased to announce that Sertia's Jonathan Parse is the first-ever Sertian to land on the Moon.

Son of a professor of Vernaian ethics, Mr Parse was born and raised in Ryéslen, Co. Climaer. He earned a place at Hemberdale University in Mathematics then moved abroad to the United Duchies where he earned his aerospace degree. He became lead engineer for Adhart Aerospace in Rowsperch and was held captive during the Aspernian occupation. On the demise of the Aspernian regime he was released and awarded a position on the joint Sertian-Spanish space endeavour.

Today the OfB recognises Mr Parse's achievements with the awarding of an honorary doctorate from Warrail College, Dredthe University as recognition of being a source of national pride for many Sertians. We wish him the best of luck in his future projects.

--MESSAGE REDACTED: TERROR ACT 2015--

Chapter 4, part 1: Droinstea, the hidden cornerstone of Sertian culture

Owing to its institutional status as a literary and cultural centre, however small, the town of Droinstea (pronounced thrin-stay) currently sees no shortage of wealthy residents and visitors. Indeed, it is one of the most expensive places to live in Sertia.

Leaving the front of the train station, the contrast with Plariaras was extreme. Instead of din, there was peace; where there was a slight grime in the air, there was now the smell of seawater. Small stone streets wove away from the station plaza. Wealthy residents walked their manicured dogs around the fountain in the centre of the plaza.

There is a protection order in place for all of the buildings in Droinstea. Landlords are not allowed to do any significant work that would damage the historicity of any buildings, and as a result there has been little real growth in terms of the size of the buildings or the town itself. However, this is one place in Sertia where you can really have a glimpse at the nation in its heyday--a paradise of the high society.

Droinstea has been inhabited on and off for at least 1500 years, though around the turn of the 7th century AD it was abandoned for an unknown reason. It was rehabilitated throughout the late 800s. According to the Alimrede (written alongside the Sertian Domex in 1224), this was due to the great wealth the town had inherited from finding primeval hordes of silver and gold.

In 940 AD, a Begreathum (today called "Braetha") named Lodith of Droinstea declared the town independent of the local Yttrevir queendom. This angered Queen Yttrevis, for the town was an important trade hub and supported the economy of the Queendom. Yttrevis was also planning to build a palace for her son there, so that it would become the new seat of power when she died.

In 941, Yttrevis sent her armies through Tremaras to wrangle Droinstea from Lodith's control. Lodith fled the city to the South and headed for the neighbouring kingdom of Prew, where he hoped to find refuge with his sister (who had married Prince Zabe, the heir). All this was unbeknownst to Yttrevis, whose army pillaged the town looking for Lodith. However, not very much damage was done from this as Yttrevis' army had been instructed not to disturb the villagers so she could gain favour in the town more easily. She successfully took control of Droinstea on August 4th, 941 and reincorporated the town as a part of Yttrevir.

The reincorporation didn't last long, however, for when Lodith reached the kingdom of Prew and told King Erawa what had happened, he saw the chance to establish influence in an important economic hub and expand his kingdom. He also saw Lodith as a weak leader and easy to take advantage of, having abandoned his city instead of staying and fighting for his people. If Erawa could take control of Droinstea and declare it a non-contiguous part of Prew, he'd then have a foot in the door to further diminish Yttrevis' power.

So it was decided. King Erawa was to take Droinstea. The day came on April the 20th, 943, when Erawa's army marched to the edge of Tremaras, awaiting reinforcements from Briswick in the south. Queen Yttrevis had an advantage in Tremaras, however. She was the "Queen of Tremaras", her army was sophisticated in warfare within these harsh conditions. Erawas had had no way to train his army in this environment, either, for Yttrevis had a hold of all of the marshland.

Erawas came up with a plan. Calling upon Lodis, Erawas sent him, along with a small group of soldiers, to burn down the newly built Prince's palace in Droinstea. It was considered one of the most architecturally sophisticated and beautiful buildings in Sertia, purportedly designed to be seen for many miles in all directions. It was a temple of wealth and represented the unequivocal influence of the Queen of Tremaras upon her people.

On the night of 1 May 943, Lodis and a few soldiers snuck into the palace and burnt it to the ground. Yttrevis' son, the Prince of Yttrevir, was inside and perished in the fire. Yttrevis lost all morale and surrendered Droinstea to Erawas' forces.

The loss of Droinstea palace is, to this day, considered a major tragedy. It was the tallest earthen structure at least in the western hemisphere, and pioneered the technology of Sertian water-proofing, a tradition that is still used in Sertian buildings today. Even more tragically, whilst there have been efforts and advocacy for its rebuilding, this project is embroiled in controversy. Advocates say it would demonstrate the genius of Sertian engineers, whilst detractors say it would be a symbol of dispute and partisanship that has been so relevant in Sertian politics through the ages.

The reason I mention the fountain in the plaza outside the train station is that if you dig underneath it, some say, you will find the ruins of Droinstea palace.

BREAKING NEWS: Braethan ratify democratic procedure bill

4 July 2024

The Braetha have ratified the Democratic Procedure Act 2024 after approximately 20 hours of nonstop debate. Bits and pieces of the originally proposed bill still stand, but many others have been axed or revised.

The Braetha for Education, Mr Elmas Ratriach, has said the passage of the bill "represents a new democratic age of Sertian life", and Mr Edwin Blasinyth, the Braetha controlling foreign affairs, says the bill "is a success for everyone".

Here is an overview of the parts of the bill that were successful, edited, or removed.

Right to establish political parties: UNSUCCESSFUL

Political parties are, still, not allowed to exist in the Kingdom of Sertia after the passage of this bill. Additionally, any political parties permitted before the passage of this bill must be dissolved.

This is a big hit to take for the Aspernian Coalition, a political party organised to represent the interests of the now defunct Republic of Aspern, whose members regularly engaged in illegal activities.

ONLY VOTES FROM BRAETHA REGISTRANTS COUNT: Revised

In Sertia, while technically anyone can vote, only those registered with the correct Braetha will have their votes count fully, at a value of 1. If you're not registered with a Braetha, your vote counts as 0.

Now, however the DPA ensures that all citizens of Sertia have the right to vote without being part of a Braetha, with their votes counting for 0.5. Additionally, individuals in higher education may register with the Braetha for Education to have their votes count fully, at a value of 1.

Even better, citizens of Sertia can now vote in as many Braetha elections as they please, without registering.

Non-citizens of Sertia will be able to vote as long as they are registered with a Braetha, at a value of 0.5. If you have been in Sertia for longer than 10 years or show exceptional knowledge of Sertia, you may be able to have your vote counted at a value of 1.

VOTING AGE LIMIT ESTABLISHED

There has never been a codified age limit to vote in Sertia, however the earliest age at which you can register with a Braetha is 16. The DPA now says that you can vote at the age of 16 (regardless of your Braetha registration status) OR whenever you join further education, whichever is earlier.

ELECTION REFERENDA: SUCCESSFUL

Citizens of Sertia can now vote in referendums to call an election for certain Braetha positions. There will be three referenda each year: one in January, one in April, and one in August. If an election is called in any of those referenda, an election will be scheduled for the date at which the next election referendum would take place.

FORMER ASPERNIAN REBELS' VOTES DIMINISHED

Those who can be shown to have had a part in, or been sympathetic to, the Aspernian Republic will be permitted to vote, but their votes will count at a value of 0.25.

CAN BRAETHAN VOTE? NO

Those who currently hold office in the Braetha will not be permitted to vote in elections.

15:00

It appears that the idea of term limits on a sitting Braetha causes scepticism among its own members. Though there was some support, the idea has quickly died.

Additionally, Mr Draynooth's proposal has gained some traction. But, the others ask him, is a single annual election convention sufficient to measure the public's desire for an election? Some Braethan have said there should be two, three, four, and even five referendums each year.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan, and a way to really show our cooperation as countries. I will ask our Brætha to mark 15 January as an official state holiday, and I'm sure they'll commission some extra festivals and celebrations.

"The Sertian astronauts we have chosen for this campaign are people who have shown an outstanding dedication to fostering international relationships, such as the one our two nations have."

"I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience our creative entry posed to you, Señor Feijóo. I appreciate your willingness to accommodate some extra bodies. You see, I've simply learned to listen to my wife more than myself", Mr Cranst said. "It's lovely to meet you all, and I must say, Señor Feijóo, the only time I eat Iberian ham is when I'm in Spain". He let out a hearty laugh, careless as to whether anyone else laughed along.

"I also", he added, "wanted to thank you personally for the assurance of our continued cooperation.

"I think we both are in a position to recognise that Sertia is at a point in its history at the brink of industrialisation. For many years we've been a fishing country, many of us come from humble origins. We go on months'-long voyages across the country just to vote, we send our youngsters away to get an education abroad. But now we're in the economic position to provide so much more for our people. Sertia is capable of an industrial revolution now.

"So what I'm really here discuss with you, Señor Feijóo, is that Sertia needs workers. Unfortunately the number of people from Spain, besides the military, who are immigrating into Sertia, is quite low. Shall we brainstorm how to fix this?"

About three months ago, Fornithias Cranst's wife, Logina, said at teatime one night:
"So...that Spanish meeting you've got soon, what if you arrived into Spain on a tallship?"

"Darling, why would I do that?" Fornithias said, putting down his fork and looking at his wife with genuine curiosity.

"You've become boring, Fornithias! Much of your time as the head Brætha, you've spent here in Galæstol. You wake up. You call the Brætha. You check to make sure Guthrún Wond hasn't escaped prison. You go to sleep".

"I'm meant to be boring, my love", replied Fornithias. "I am not an entertainer. I'm a leader". He went back to eating his veal.

But while the veal became consumed and eventually forgotten by Head Brætha Fornithias Cranst, his wife's idea did not. She was beautiful, idealistic and ever so curious. She was indignant when it was important to be; in fact, it was her being indignant and refusing to let go that led to Cranst marrying her. Thus, whenever his wife said something seemingly outlandish, like spending a month on a tallship, he knew that when he returned she would say I told you so.

And so there he found himself eventually, at the bow of a Sertian double-hulled tallship, when he first set his eyes upon the Spanish mainland. He brought with him his wife, Logina; the EU Councillor for Sertia Ms Éduditalle Dína, who was living with the Cransts whilst her house underwent renovation; and a few retiring members of the Spanish military who wished to return to their home. With them also came Sertia's elected astronauts to undertake the joint Spain-Sertia mission to the moon.

Cranst was intending to meet and formally congratulate the new Spanish president, Alberto Nuñez Feijóo. He was also going to introduce Señor Feijóo to the challenges faced by Sertia, such as the threat of hostile foreign powers such as the UK; reminding the Spanish why they were helping the Sertians.

Disembarking the tallship, the heat was similar to the Sertian summertime, though far drier. I should have brought more lip balm, Cranst thought.
After a brief press greeting, Cranst's delegation went into a convoy of cars and eventually arrived at President Feijóo's estate.