The smell of ancient wood and hot tempers filled the Senate chamber. The light of the sun shines on the carved benches and the faces of the senators who spend the entirety of their lives quarreling for advantage. The crowned sun banners of the Empire decorated one side of the great hall, and the rampant dragon of the Divine Dragon Kingdom on the other side. In between them lies a holo-display map projecting the planet: Kandor - the planet was split by lines, divisions that had taken ages for these men and women to come to an accord with. The lines highlighted disputed settlements and resource nodes. This was the cause of the growing hostilities between these two kingdoms.
Princess Illiana stood on the center pedestal ready to address the room. She hoped to appease both sides of the chamber, carrying the sentiments of the farmers, miners, and children of Kandor. To remind the chamber of the true victims of the unjustified violence that has consumed their world. Illiana ever the diplomat, felt she had a responsibility to make sure their voices could not be ignored. Determined to be heard, she steels her resolve and speaks with a quite yet fierce voice. Her fiery passion coming through her words, they were sharp enough to cut through the tension that filtered into the room.
"Honoured Senators," she said. "I am not here to debate who is right or wrong. I am here because for too long right and wrong has been measured in lives, and now the ledger is overflowing."
Every word she spoke strengthened her spine, shedding any last piece of neutrality she might have had.
Impatience was the mask of everyone in the room. In their minds, all out conflict was already inevitable. Whatever the Princess had to say, would be nothing but wasted words. The Imperial ministers, and the Divine Dragon envoy, a tall woman with jade hair braided down her back, watched on with unreadable smiles.
Illiana unrolled a strip of holopaper. Images flickerd and filled the roomed for all to see: a Kandori market reduced to metal husks, a school whose roof had been destroyed by orbital fire, and an old man looking at two IDs - one stamped Empire, one stamped Dragon - and weeping. A stillness fell upon the Chamber, expelling the whispers and rustling robes of the senators. Every single one of them now titled their heads towards the harrowing images.
"Look at this. Look at the true cost of War," she commanded. "We are all responsible. All because we have let our excessive vanity stand in the way of reason. Until we make a decision, Kandor will continue to bleed."
A imperial senator rose from his seat, "Princess, you speak of sentiment yet not of enforcement. Imperial soldiers have bled and died to secure Kandor's northern basin, and now you asks us to stop. What of the Dragonborn, will they stop?"
Illiana met the senator's gaze.
Murmurs resound through the room. The Dragonborn envoy stepped forward, her voice echoed her beliefs, " The Dragon does not capitulate. Why should we stop? The Empire refuses to give assurances that it will not try to annex the rich southern straits once we withdraw."
"Then we set up a joint mandate to monitor the straits. Neutral engineers and civilian courts. We join accountability with transparency. Let this be the first step towards a lasting peace." Illiana declared.
"We will create a charter to serve both sides: A provisional governance with rotating councils, shared resource rights, and a tribunal for grievances. The charter will include clauses in case of violations that will be enforced by a neutral fleet."
One senator laughed at the words. "Neutral, is there such a thing?"
A younger senator from the Empire stood. "And what if we refuse Princess?"
Illiana's jaw tightened. "I will make your refusal public. There will be no place to hide."
Silenced returned to the chamber. The Empire's ministers consulted their datapads; the Dragon envoys fingers tapped her bench with rhythm.
Finally after some deliberation, senators from both sides rose from their seats. "You ask much,Princess," said the senator from the Dragon Kingdom. "You asks us to cede leverage for neutral oversight, at what cost?"
"Ask the people of Kandor, what has been the cost of this conflict, then you will have your answer."
She held their gaze long enough for the senators to ruminate on her words. They continued to whisper amongst themselves. The Dragonborn envoy's expression softened.
"I propose the Senate comes to a vote on this Charter," said the Dragonborn envoy.
"Well," the Imperial senator said. "I too agree."
Illiana felt as if the weight of the world had been shifted from her shoulders. The winds were changing, and the Senate chamber was the ship that followed. This was not a gurrentee. But light had entered where the first crack appeared. It was a chance. And she was willing to snatched with both hands.
She bowed her head and said, "Then let us begin."