History of the Monralai Empire: 3457-3768 Hist 455 - 001

Prof. Lecunda Shuel

Primary Documents

Sept 24- Oct 1 5769 CE:

Today we have to interesting documents to discuss, part of a series of letters I collected. One Letter comes from the Estate of Dr. Eric Wallace, a 35^th century physician who was a close friend of Dr. Roland Stevens, physician to the Imperial Court in Ottawa. This letter is a part of forty or so pieces of correspondence, a testimony to the friendship between the two men.

My Dear Doctor Wallace

It warms my heart to hear from you again. How is your young wife? Recovering well I hope. How is the young infant? God Jesus make him strong sir, strong as a horse.

Well my work in the Imperial Court at Ottawa goes very fine indeed. I have had chance to meet with her Imperial Highness, and I must say there is no more spirited woman in all the Empire. Truly, her opinion at the young age of Eighteen does not end. All manner of things are within her grasp, and on even some things beyond, she seeks to give her dollars worth of know to. Oh my, and a capacious one she is. She speaks perfect Ontarion of course. One would never suspect she was born in Monral. Today she accepted her position as Regent of Ontario and gave a speech in Parliament. Pretty enough speech, but the Prime Minister unwisely solicited her opinion on the West; I will not lie to you friend. She gave it fully and without the slightest touch of modesty, within earshot of His Excellency the Ambassador sent by the Clans of the West. The Ambassador rolled his eyes greatly, and she saw this, causing her to curse him greatly and note that every word she said about the west was God Jesus’ own truth, and if one ignorant barbarian thinks otherwise, then perhaps it was the job of the Imperial government to educate him, even by force. Such a creature will soon be on the throne if her father’s health doesn’t improve. I should have great nightmares of the sort of trouble she could brew as Empress.

However, she is a pretty thing, and I have not been taxed greatly in her care. The worse aliment I have had to deal with as her physician is my own, namely a sore ear from a vicious tongue. Oh God Jesus, such a woman. I would not be surprised if she ate hot coals, for it seems like that’s her deposition. But she does not take to illness easily, from what I have heard from her last physician.

Her stepmother is another case entirely. While the girl is young and vicious, the woman is old and gentle. The exact opposite. Truly the kindest woman in the world, who has a kind word for every servant and even the barbaric Western ambassadors. But she often complains of aliments, she is easily scared by the words of illness and plague, and often comes to speak of ghostly aches in this muscle or sharp pains in another. Most are entirely imaginary, but some are real, so I am forced to be patient and listen to every word of it, least I miss the truth and allow her to slip into death’s hand. But as utterly annoying as it sounds, she is pleasant to be around. She often asks me about poisons (another imaginary fear of her) and there effects, and I calmly explain each of them.

It is boring right now the palace, with no men to play cards with. I know no one in the city, and none of the parliamentarians will pay me heed. However, Mr. Craigson said he would invite me to card game with the Prime Minister, of all people, next week, so that might change. Mayhaps they will be so impressed with this physician that they might recommend him to the Party Red. Can you imagine Wallace, me a Member of Parliament? I laugh at the very thought.

Send Anna and the little one my love. I greatly miss our little cardgames old friend. You should come up, and let me show you the city.

Your Dearest Friend

Rev. Dr. Roland Stevens, MP, B. Theo

The Second document is a communication between two Clan diplomats. Marg OfAkusthan is the ambassador mentioned in Wallace’s letter. Notice the difference in attitude between the two letters; Wallace tends to use more verbage then the Clan Ambassador. Notice as well the impression that the Westerner has on Eastern culture. Previous historians have glorified the empire, but here it can be clearly seen that the Empire was not nesseciarly a beacon of civilization to all people in North America.

To Valak OfArthamas, Head of the Council of Outlander Affairs, From Marg OfAkusthan, Ambassador to the Monralai Empire: Greetings.

I had the joy of meeting the Heir. She has no love for the clans. Dangerous days ahead, old friend. I have been speaking with Williams, trying to convince him to push his contacts in the Imperial Senate to get me a House in Monral, but he seems to like me here, which means we need to do something for him. I ask that you send back a response with a suitable gift to give to the people of the Western Kingdom.

No other fears here, it is a secure place. I talk to Sesa and the enclave seems to be in good health. Not a single red rose of illness in a single cheek. I tell the truth.

Now for more personal things. The food is rough to the tongue, the land is rough to the eye, the language is rough to the ear, the clothing is rough to the skin, and the smell… well rough is no word for the smell. Disgusting. Repulsive. Overwealming. I have heard some say that bathing too much can leave a kid open to illness; if its true, these people have taken the rule to the extreme. One would think them the most healthiest people in the world. They aren’t of course. And the Heir is rude. She mocked our clans and houses, and spoke with no honour in her tongue. If what the books say is true, it is a distant relation indeed.

Keep well.

These two documents are interesting because of there relationship with the Heir to the Imperial Throne, Mariek Antreen Da Monral. She is in fact, the princess of Wallace’s letter, and the heir of Marg’s. Unfortunately, the Empire would have to six more generations for a Antreen III, because Mariek Antreen was poisoned. The mystery of her death has haunted historians of this period; who killed the princess has never been revealed. Certainly she was not an easy person to get along with, and there seems to be a good chance she was assassinated by the Clans. While there was no danger of war between the Empire and the Clans, the separation between them being thousands of miles, the Empire was a valuable trade partner, and an ally against the aggressive Central Republic. However, there is no clear evidence indicating that it was a plot of the Clans. We should be aware that there where over a hundred Clans out west, most of them equipped with some kind of militia, and any one of those Clans could have authorized her death without the knowledge of the Council of the Clans.

Take note of the strange last sentence

“If what the books say is true, it is a distant relation indeed.”

Numerous books where destroyed during the Destruction of the Clans 200 years ago, so we don’t have any record of what these books would be, or what relation the Heir could have to anything. The discovery of these books, along with the fable Diary of Mariek Antreen, may shed light on the mystery.

Extra Reading: Politics in Ontario

Politics was a time honoured tradition in Ontario. With the exception of two major disastors (the Great Fall of Civilization and the Occupation) the Parliament in Ottawa traces its origins to the Modern Age. It was at the time, thousands of years old. But after the Occupation the Grand Parliament of Canada became a provincial assembly, subservient to the Senate and the Imperial Government in Monral. As we can see here, Parliament is reduced to debated the trivial and bizarre.

Excerpt from Hansard, Regarding a Bill to Restrict Secret Societies:

Minister of Defense: If I may, Mr. Speaker, the Regent is in grave danger of being attacked by sinister men hiding in the dark. The Honorable Member for Brockville has testified that he has been secretly approached not once, but several times by strange gentlemen claiming to be from various clubs, attempting to gain his support for their nefarious purposes. No doubt these organizations can be for no other purpose other then the down fall of civilized society; why else remain in the shadows… As reported by Lord James, at least six secret clubs are active within the city. Such groups can not be tolerated… This bill, Mr. Speaker, would restrict the gathering of clubs which had no opening stated their purposes to Government… In effect, assuring the liberty of the Imperial Crown, Government and all the people of this great nation.

The Honorable Member for Toran: … Mr. Speaker, does the Honorable Minister mean to imply that we ought restrict our liberties in order to chase down these so called sinister societies? I would dare say that Governments purposes be better spent in chasing down goblins and ghosts, and far more real threat…

At this point he Honorable Minister of Defense Raise a Point of Personal Privilege. Honorable Member for Toran scoffs and further insults the Minister. The Speaker disciplines the Member. The Member apologizes.

Later, Mr. John Craigson, Member for Toran, would be challenged to a dual by Minister Kennedy. Craigson would loose a finger and a piece of ear, but both men walked away with their lives and honor intact.