At the capital city of the Anatolia Empire lies the sprawling complex of buildings, gardens, courtyards, and gates that were built over several centuries. The name of the building is the Topkapi Palace. A palace where the Sultan of the Anatolia Empire lives.
Before meeting the Sultan, Christina, the Chief of Staff to the Emperor of the Ruthenia Empire, and the Grand Duchess of the Ruthenia Empire toured around the palace with Rolan, the Chief of Staff of the Imperial Guards.
They were escorted by guards and tour guides to the palace, showing them around the palace.
The palace is surrounded by high walls and gates, the most impressive of which is the Imperial Gate, which is the main entrance to the palace. This gate is adorned with towers, balconies, intricate designs, and carvings, and it gives the palace an air of grandeur and strength.
Christina brought her polaroid camera with her, one of the latest inventions marketed by Imperial Dynamic Systems. She used it, capturing the breathtaking sights of the palace as they moved along to the next spot, the courtyards.
There are several courtyards within the palace, each with its own distinct character and purpose. Christina asked the tour guide who was touring them around and according to him, there are four courtyards, each with its own distinct character and purpose. The First Courtyard was the main courtyard of the palace and was used for state ceremonies and military parades. It was surrounded by high walls and several gates, and it was an impressive display of the sultan's power and wealth.
The Second Courtyard was reserved for the palace's administrative offices and schools, and it was the site of the palace's kitchens, bakery, and dining halls. This courtyard was also where the sultan's private guards were stationed.
The Third Courtyard was the private quarters of the sultan and his family, and it was surrounded by high walls and several gates for security. It contained the Sultan's Private Quarters, the Harem, and the Divan Chamber.
Lastly, the Fourth Courtyard was the site of the palace's Treasury and the Imperial Arsenal, and it was heavily guarded for security. This courtyard was also where the sultan's private guards were stationed.
It took them about thirty minutes to explore the courtyards alone, and while they were walking around the impressive palace, Christina was wondering if this was some sort of tactic to intimidate foreign guests, or maybe they like bragging about their palace. Whatever the reason may be, Christina was unperturbed. She couldn't care less about it, especially from the declining empire.
Before Christina took her flight here, she studied the history of the Anatolia Empire. According to the books she had read, the Anatolia Empire was once a powerful empire that even the western empires feared them. But it has been declining ever since. One of the reasons was Anatolia being defeated militarily. The Anatolia Empire was involved in several wars, which significantly weakened its military power and drained its resources.
The second was the economic decline. The Anatolia Empire was in a state of decline for several decades leading up to the collapse of the empire. This was due to a combination of factors, including inefficient tax collection, corruption, and the cost of maintaining a large military.
And there was political instability, which was marked by corruption, nepotism, and frequent changes of government. This lack of stability made it difficult for the empire to address the challenges it faced, both domestically and internationally.
The rise of nationalism and separatism. Like the Ruthenia Empire, the Anatolia Empire was a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state, and as a result, nationalism and separatist movements emerged among its various ethnic and religious groups. These movements sought independence and self-rule, which further weakened the empire's hold on its territories.
Lastly, the Western Influence. The Anatolia Empire was increasingly coming under the influence of Europan powers, particularly the Britannia Empire and the Francois Republic. This led to the decline of the empire's sovereignty and independence, as well as the exploitation of its resources and territories by outside powers.
The combination of these factors led to the decline of the empire. But Alexander believes there's something they can gain from the Anatolia Empire, especially its rich-oil regions and the Bosphorus Strait. So the Ruthenia Empire hadn't lost hope for the country.
The last places they visited in the Topkapi Palace are the gardens. The palace garden features several lush gardens and parks, which provide a peaceful and relaxing contrast to the grandeur of the palace's buildings and courtyards. These gardens are dotted with fountains, pavilions, and shady trees.
According to the tour guide, they were designed to be a place for the sultans and their families to escape from the demands of court life. It is one of the things Christina could relate to.
As the Chief of Staff to the Emperor of the Ruthenia Empire, the work is demanding. Attending ministerial meetings and visiting other regions of the Ruthenia Empire to speak with the local leaders, and what's more, having to work with his brother who can sometimes be childish and act unbefitting of an emperor. Truly, it was a hard time for her.
But in all those hardships, she knew her actions were beneficial to developing the empire. So it was all worth it, the less chaos the internal affairs of the Ruthenia Empire have, the less stress her brother is going to have.
Now that the tour ends, Christina started getting nervous at the thought of her seeing the Sultan.
"What's the matter?" Rolan asked, noticing the slight change in her facial expression.
"We are meeting the Sultan, the emperor of the Anatolian Empire," Christina said and continued. "This is my first state visit."
"Get yourself together Christina. The person that you'll be talking to in that room is like every other minister you have had a discussion with. There's nothing to be worried about."
"But…"
"Christina," Rolan sighed and pressed a hand over her shoulder gently. "Your brother has trusted you with these tasks, are you going to let him down?"
"Of course not," Christina responded instantly.
"Then there's no reason to be nervous. Just be yourself there. I'll support you through it."
"Alright," Christina cleared her throat and puffed her chest out slightly. She then took out a deep breath and exhaled deeply through her nose.
