Arrivée de la Chancelière de l'Ambassade Royale d'Angleterre

Talks with France had been progressing, and the Princess had been quite glad to meet both Lord Keridil and Lord Sindbad in England’s foreign embassy offices. However, she thought it wise to also visit France’s embassy since it was her sincere hope that relations between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France would grow and prosper in the months ahead.

A short trip aboard her own ship Persephone from Sussex to Calais, and then on via carriage to the site of the Royal Embassy of France. The Princess alighted from her carriage, her diamond tiara sparkling in the summer sun of the much warmer country of France, and she entered the outer vestibule of the French Embassy. Her footman gestured to a passing page and Jennet smiled kindly down at the young man, addressing him in her sparse French.

“Bonjour. Je suis Princesse Jennet de Holland, Chancelière de l'ambassade royale de l'Angleterre. Pouvez-vous m'annoncer s'il vous plait?”

Averti par un page qu'une Dame venue d'Angleterre souhaitait rencontrer un représentant, Sindbad se hâta d'aller à sa rencontre, espérant rencontrer un ou une future homologue.

Quelle ne fut pas sa surprise de rencontrer la Chancelière d'Angleterre elle même. Prenant le page par la manche, il lui murmura :

Arrange toi pour que le bureau de Son Excellence soit prêt dans les meilleurs délais, et que sa clé lui soit transmise.

Tandis que le page partait en courant dans les couloirs, le diplomate s'inclina le plus gracieusement possible devant la représentante de la diplomatie anglaise :

Excellence, l'Ambassade de Sa Majesté vous souhaite la bienvenue. Comment fut votre voyage ?
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Advised by a clerck that a Lady from England was asking for a representent, Sindbad hasted through the corridors to meet the newcomer, hoping he or she was his counterpart.

The surprise was complete when he met face to face with the Chancellor of the Royal Embassy in person. Grabing the clerk by the arm, he whispered :

Have Her Excellency's office ready as soon as possible, and the key given to her.

While the clerk was running through the corridors, the diplomat curtsied as gracefully as he could in front of the England Diplomacy's Representative :

Your Excellency, please accept the welcoming of the Queen's Embassy. How was your trip ?

Seeing Sindbad approach, Jennet felt instantly at ease. She curtsied gracefully and smiled up at him with her particularly disarming smile and said, "Your Excellency! It is so very good to see you again. Please give my fondest regards to Queen Beatrice on behalf of Queen Cordelia and the English people."

"My trip was most pleasant. Thank you for asking. I had thought it so very pleasant to see you in our Royal Embassy, and so wished to repay the visit. Is there some place within your embassy where we might speak more privately?"

A son tout, Sindbad retourna son sourire à la Chancelière :

Soyez assurée que les salutations de la Reine Corordonné delia seront relayées à Sa Majesté.

Vous recevoir en ce lieu est un honneur. Et, pour votre bureau, j'ai ordonné au page de le préparer, afin que nous discutions en privé.

En attendant, je gage que ce voyage vous a creusé l'appétit. Souhaitez vous manger quelque chose ?
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Sindbad, in turn, smiled at the Chancellor :

Rest assured that Queen Cordelia's salutation will be transmitted to Her Majesty.

It is an honour to receive you here. And regarding your office, I have ordered the clerk to prepare it, so that we may discuss privately.

In the meantime, I guess you are hungry. Would you like to eat something ?

Jennet nodded at the ambassador's offer.

"We spent little time at our accommodations before we came. In truth, I have missed the culinary delicacies of France since I was last in your country. I would be honored to accept your hospitality, Your Excellency."

Sindbad fit appeler un page et lui ordonna de ramener deux assiettes. Il ne souhaitait pas laisser la Chancelière déjeuner seule. En outre, lui même avait faim.

Bientôt, le chef se présenta muni de deux assiettes d'émincé de Volaille sauce Roquefort accompagné de pommes de terre sautées et d'une bouteille de vin de Bourgogne rouge.

Sindbad remplit les deux verres, et, levant le sien, il prononça :

A votre santé ! Et aux relations entre nos deux Royaumes. Puissent-elles être mutuellement profitable.
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Sindbad called a clerk and ordered him to bring two plates, as did not want to let the Chancellor eat alone. Furthermore, he was hungry as well.

Soon came the chef with two plates filled with thinly sliced fillet of chicken with Roquefort sauce and sautéed potatoes and a bottle of Burgundy red wine.

Sindbad filled both glasses and, raising his, said :

Cheers ! To the relationships between our Kingdoms, may they be mutually profitable.

The Princess surveyed the lovely meal so graciously provided by His Excellency Sindbad, and raised her glass as well, inclining her head at his poignant toast.

"To France and to England," she responded, "long may they dwell as brothers in harmony and friendship!"

She took a sip of the Burgundy and found it to be the height of excellence. Already, her nose could not help but detect the signature scent of the Roquefort sauce on the delicate fillet of chicken. With precision, she cut a small piece of the chicken with her knife and fork and raised the tiny slice to her lips. The Roquefort sauce was astonishing, and she remembered exactly how long it had been since she had last tasted it.

"Your Excellency, your chef is a master of the culinary art. I do not know how you could possibly have heard, but Roquefort has always been one of my favorite cheeses. We have great difficulty getting it in any quantity in England, you see. The flavor, how it goes from subtle sweetness, to smoky richness, to that certain salty tang. It is...magnificent!" she smiled, finding the right word, as she greatly enjoyed her meal with the ambassador.

Tout en mangeant, Sindbad surveillait la réaction de la Chancelière du coin de l'oeil, espérant que le repas serait à son goût. Mais il sut rapidement qu'il avait fait mouche, quant aux goûts culinaires de son interlocutrice. Le soulagement lui arracha un sourire :

Vos compliments seront transmis à notre chef. Et votre manière de parler de ce repas est si poétique qu'elle pourrait être chantée par un ménestrel. Je dois toutefois reconnaître que votre penchant pour le Roquefort était arrivé jusqu'à mon oreille. Ne me demandez pas par quelle voie, nous autres diplomates avons la manie de rechercher partout des informations. Je suis également au courant des difficultés de s'approvisionner en Roquefort au Royaume d'Angleterre. Mais il suffit de dénombrer les marchands ambulants actifs des deux côtés de la mer pour deviner que la difficulté sera bientôt surmontée. Dans le cas contraire, nous vous accueillerons avec joie et notre chef se fera un plaisir de vous préparer des repas comme celui ci.
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While eating, Sindbad kept an eye on the Chancellor, hoping that she would enjoy the meal. But he quickly knew that he hit the target of the Lady's taste straight at the center.The relief brought a smile on his face :

Your compliments will be transmitted to our chef. And the way you talk about this plate sounds so poetic I could have it sung by a minstrel. I must confess I was aware of your weakness on Roquefort...Don't ask me how, I guess we, diplomats, are always searching information from everywhere. As well as I am aware of difficulties in obtaining it in England. But, by counting the County or Duchy merchands trading on both sides of the Channel, this should not be an issue any longer. And if it is, we will be glad to welcome you here and have such meals as this one done by our Chef.

Le repas arrivait à son terme lorsque le page revint et murmura quelque chose à l'oreille de Sindbad :

Votre Excellence, je suis à l'instant informé que votre bureau est prêt à vous recevoir...A nous recevoir, en fait, puisque vous sembliez désireuse de vous entretenir avec moi en privé.
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The meal was just through when the clerk returned and whispered someting in Sindbad's ear.

Your Excellency, I have just been advised that your office was ready to welcome you...Maybe us, as you wished to talk to me in private.

The Princess finished her repast and grinned at the ambassador's comments.

"I shall look forward to more such meals, Excellency, when I am next able to visit your beautiful country. And, as you say, perhaps trade will now increase our ability to have your delightful cheeses on our English markets."

At the news that the offices set aside for England had been prepared, the Princess dabbed her mouth delicately, and folded her napkin, placing it on her plate. She rose.

"Most welcome news, Lord Sindbad. I have looked forward to these talks for some time. Please, lead the way."