6 January 3015

Most Dread Sovereign,

I have just gotten back to the capital and have received the approved treaty and have submitted it to the Bravian government for approval. I hope that it has met with the full approval of both camps within your court of those who want a closer relationship with Bravia as well as those who are more reluctant based on their security concerns. You have asked for a day-to-day account of how the treaty proceeds and I will endeavor to do so as well as possible. As you might guess, I had a terrible journey back from Cueva Septimus during the winer as my trip on already rough terrain with abominable roads–where they were present at all–hindered by the winer weather. I had always seen Middle Bravia in warmer weather and was quite perturbed to see that the area had to deal with snow. Thankfully the vehicles here are able to handle that and drivers are sensible enough to drive slow and cautiously in such conditions, but seeing everything covered in white was quite a shock for me, at least.

When I submitted the treaty for consideration, saying that the wording on the treaty was the final approved wording from our nation, the document was received with a polite nod and I was told to wait outside of the room where the cabinet was to discuss the wording of the treaty and whether there would be any demands for revision. I had hoped to be present in the room to present explanations for the changes that departed from the usual forms, but I was not invited into the room to hear the debate for whatever reason. I did not expect the debate to take very long but it took hours for the cabinet to discuss it. I suspect that it was the limitations on Bravian settlement and interaction with the local population that prompted most of the discussion, but at length, during the evening, I was told rather curtly that the treaty had passed its first step as written, though there would be some comments made in response to the treaty. With that news I ate dinner and rested for the night.

7 January 3015

Per your request, I am reporting that the treaty was submitted to the Grand Parliament for discussion. Once again, I was informed to remain at or near my quarters and not to go out to listen to the proceedings of the Grand Parliament. For whatever reason, the Bravian government is seeking to keep me from hearing what the Bravians have to say about this treaty. I am not sure what that is about, but if I had to guess, I would say that there are some harsh words being said by some of the people involved about the limitations that Bravians suffer and the aspersions such restrictions cast on their honest character. Given the freedom in which Bravians feel themselves able to talk about such matters, it is likely that they do not wish to report the hostility of a substantial part of the population to the conditions that Bravians will endure, or perhaps there are larger strategic concerns in mind on how the Bravians will deal with what they may view as disrespect to them given the openness that they previously showed to me.

I wrote the first part of this entry during the middle of the day, expecting that there would be something to report by the evening, but night has fallen on Bravia’s capital and there is no word yet of assent (or refusal) of the treaty. I wondered aloud if there was a possibility that the debate and discussion could continue into the night but I was told that in Bravia all business of this kind must be conducted under the sun, with no artificial illumination, and that constricted such business to the daylight hours. With sunset there was a new day, and in the night portion people must rest and reflect, to await the daylight in order to conduct business. And so I wait.

8 January 3015

Once again, I was told to wait at or near by quarters while the discussion over the treaty continued throughout the day. I looked around to see if there was some sort of change in the attitude of the people here but they remained as polite and attentive as ever to my queries and have not in any way made what I view as a sort of confinement unpleasant at all. Once again, though, night came without any firm decision having been made. I am aware that there are hundreds of Amphoe and other representatives to the Grand Parliament, but I was unaware that all of them wanted to make a statement concerning the proposed treaty. Apparently that is the case, though.

9 January 3015

Finally, dread sovereign, I have news to report. I have been informed, it being now in the mid-afternoon, that the Grand Parliament has approved the treaty as it is written, though there will be a lengthy commentary sent with it to reflect the wishes of Bravia’s government. I was told that there are certain enabling acts regarding the treaty that must be passed by the local provincial parliaments as well as by a vote of the people of those provinces, and so I must wait for full acceptance on the enabling acts. I do not know how long that will take but I would recommend caution in terms of an expectation of a quick approval at this step of the process.

10 January 3015

Since the national capital also serves as the capital of the provinces of North and Middle Bravia, I received word that these provincial Parliaments have approved the treaty as well as the necessary enabling acts, which I have been told were rather straightforward. By this time the representatives for Southeast and Southwest Bravia should be well on their way to the area of the Free Port of Bravia to vote themselves on what are more extensive enabling acts.

11 January 3015

Late today I received word that the provincial parliaments of Southeast and Southwest Bravia have passed the treaty and enabling acts and that there was a simultaneous decision to provide our nation with comments from both the members of the provincial parliaments as well as the people of the provinces whose people will likely be doing much of the trade as well as sending residents to the new trading posts that are to be established in our territory.

12 January 3015

I have no further news to report at this time. It is Sabbath, though, so the Bravian people rested the entire day.

13 January 3015

I have no further news to report today.

14 January 3015

Towards midday I received news that the Parliament for the Delta Province voted on and approved the treaty and its enabling acts and has set a date for the receiving of commentary as well as voting by the people of the five towns of the new province.

15 January 3015

I have no news to report today.

16 January 3015

I have no news to report today.

17 January 3015

Today the votes of the people from North Bravia and Middle Bravia came in and both provinces approved the treaty and its enabling act with a solid majority of 3/5 to 2/3 of the entire electorate. I have been informed that this is in general a good sign as it signals the general acceptability of the treaty to Bravia’s people as a whole.

18 January 3015

Today I received word that the people of Southeast and Southwest Bravia have voted for the treaty and that both provinces accepted the treaty. The treaty as is received a bare majority, which is viewed as being a sign of concern, but with the stated reservations of both provincial parliaments there was a passage of the treaty by a vote of 3/5 to 2/3, which indicates that the reservations the Parliament had were able to reassure a substantial portion of the local population. I was informed that with the reservations of these areas that little difficulty was expected with the remaining two provinces, since a strong majority of both provinces and amphoe had already marked their approval.

19 January 3015

It is again Sabbath, so the people of Bravia rested today.

20 January 3015

I received word today that the Parliament of the Over-The-Eastern-River province and the people approved of the treaty with us with a vote of more than 3/4 in favor, only stating that they understood that the treaty applied not only to them but to the nations they had just joined in their tight regional alliance. I have already communicated to you that this understanding would be the case, though, so I hope it presents no further difficulties.

21 January 3015

I received word today that the people of the Delta Province approved the treaty with the same reservation concerning their allies along the river system that ends at the Delta with a vote of 3/4 to 4/5 in favor. I do not believe that the reservation is a problem at all, and with the treaty passed now by all the provinces and their Parliaments, I send this document along with the sealed reservations from the Bravian government as well as the Southeastern and Southwestern Provinces, which had the most concerns from what I understand. I believe that with this transmission we now have an official relationship of mutual defense and non-aggression with limited residency rights between our two nations. With your permission, I plan on working on creating an embassy near to the royal capital and continuing my research of the nation and its people and history for the benefit of you and other members of the court. Should you feel that I lack your confidence, though, I will return at your request.