Quote:

Evian de Terre
Grand Duke of Burgundy

Your Grace,

Let me first of all say how very sorry I am for attempting to negotiate over one of the territories that you feel to be your own. We had no idea that you felt this way for we had been informed that the Sovereign of Saxony considered them not to be yours but instead to be hers and hers alone.

QUOTE:
List of saxon shires: Holland and Flandern, both Frieslands, Bremen and Hamburg, both Jyllands, Mecklenburg, Haithabu and Pommoran, Brandenburg, the Altmark, the towns of Merseburg and Magdeburg, Thueringen, Straubing and Nuernberg, Augsburg, Franken, Nassau, Hessen and Gelderland as well as Utrecht, Brabant, Limburg, Rheinland and Lothringen, Pfalz and Schwaben.

You see the list isn't short, but to repeat me once more, not negotiable,

We have decided that she is the single biggest reason that Europe is still at war and we have therefore reluctantly requested of King Borna of Croatia to pass on the request that your alliance finds another negotiator so that we can do exactly as you yourself suggest sir which is to build the foundations of a new Europe.

Now obviously sir the choice of leader is up to you and we have no right to insist on one person over another for that is none of our business. However, peace in our opinion will be easier to achieve without her negotiating because we feel that at this moment she is unfortunately not well enough or rational enough to bring about a lasting peace and is causing more harm than good.

Much of what you say in your letter has merit and I think at this stage it is worth stating that we on this side are prepared to consider any proposal, are prepared to discuss any deal and to work tirelessly for a peaceful and equitable new Europe.

When I say we let me clarify, we means Scotland, Ireland, Denmark and England, for those are the only nations that I am representing. Yes we do have very close contact with the other nations but I do not represent them.

What we are after,sir, is first and foremost a fair and transparent division of shires where the size of the country, the proximity to the Castle, the ability to grow for smaller nations and the security of larger nations are all taken into account. As an aside we would also all welcome a speedy exit from this war as well.

I suggest, your grace, that progress can be made by you first of all electing a new negotiator for your side. Once that has happened I would back your suggestion for an immidiate ceasefire on the Western frontiers whilst a Modus Operandi was agreed upon for the allocation of the shires within this New Europe.

We should then agree the terms of the Peace accord and all nations should sign it and agree to abide by it.

I look forward to continued correspondence with you.

Faithfully,
Nivek,
Chancellor of Scotland.

QUOTE:
Dear chancellor Nivek,

I will align with king Borna and ask him to ensure a proper communication is done.

With best regards
Evian de Terre
Grand Duke of Burgundy

QUOTE ;

Evian de Terre
Grand Duke of Burgundy

Your Grace,

That is much appreciated. I hope to meet you in person when times are better.

I am sure that we will both endevour to do our best to bring about a fair and speedy Peace.

Faithfully,
Nivek,
Chancellor of Scotland.

As soon as he arrived in his new location Alar noticed there was no trace of the English and Scots. A little bit confused he asked his page:

Where have the English and the Scots went?

Apparently they are not here my Lord. They probably started crying and went back to their mommies...

Bah, and here I was hoping to finally fight a battle and these...cowards deny it to me. I shall write a letter to their leader:

QUOTE:
To Anne de Flandre, Queen of England,

As-Salamu Alaykum infidel Queen!

As it turned out your words are indeed sharper then your swords. This does not come as a surprise to me because in the Fatimid records the English are listed in the "Cowards" chapter, along with the Templars and the Byzantines. Now I see we're in fact being unjust with them since they eventually stood and fought us. You haven't.

It's obvious that like them, you never fight an enemy that can match you, but only an enemy you're overwhelming with sheer numbers, be it Saxony or Italy. That in turn says something about just how powerful your army really is and about just how competent your leadership is.

Perhaps your Highness, in the future you will consider your words more wisely if you know you will refuse to face your enemy in open field in a glorious battle and instead choose to run like a dog. It is very shameful for a monarch to challenge his opponent and then run away.

Seems you Christians still have much to learn about honor.

Insha'Allah!

*Signed and Sealed

Alar II, Sultan of the Fatimid Islamic Sultanate

QUOTE:
To Alar II, Sultan of the Fatimid Islamic Sultanate

Wa alaikum assalaam, orthodox Sultan!

We was there, why you didn't attack us if you're so 'brave'? Sicily, Italy, Burgundy and one Saxony army wasn't enough to instil you some courage?

You're saying that you're here to establish a muslim community in Languedoc. Not sure that you can read a map, but Languedoc is still there and still English.
The brave sultan was frightened by Aragon's presence and decide that it's 'wise' not to attack it?

Meanwhile we notice that you established a muslim community in Provence. All the former Italian provinces will benefit of this 'enhacement' or only this one? Wouldn't be easier Italy converting to muslim faith? The same for Burgundy and Saxony, you are brothers after all..

Comming from somebody who aren't able to provide a simple explanation, to read a map or to count, your accusations don't touch us. More than that, the comparison with Byzantines and Templars only flatter England.

Possibly that we still have to learn about honor, but definitely not from you.

By the way, the rest of the orthodox moving with you from Moscow are calling themselves muslim too?

Anne de Flandre, Queen of England

QUOTE:
To Anne de Flandre, Queen of England,

I find your answers childish and amusing infidel. Perhaps it is you who has not looked careful enough at the map, but you've lost your main camp in Italy and with it the rest of the Italian lands you unjustly took as well. In military terms that is the equivalent of a defeat. But since I am obviously talking with a child, I don't know why do I bother explaining tactics to you.

Winning a war without having to cross my sword with my enemy. I call that the "perfect" war. Obviously my reputation precedes me, case in which your cowardice has a logical explanation. So my advise to you is: keep running!

As for the explanation you've so persistently asked for I believe I have already given it to you. It is not my concern you cannot understand it or you're unwilling to accept it. Your Scottish allies have, why can't you? Perhaps the cold weather in your island has slowly but surely affected your capacity to understand simple written words.

And to answer your question: of course the rest of the Fatimid knights consider themselves Muslims. How else should they consider themselves? And not only do they consider themselves so, but they ARE, just like they were Catholics when my noble father was king of France and just like they were Christian Orthodox when he was Grand Duke of Moscow and Smolensk. The path towards enlightenment is long and sometimes very...unpredictable. But unlike you, we have chosen to embrace the unknown. I hope your dilemma is now...dealt with.

Insha'Allah!

*Signed and Sealed

Alar II, Sultan of the Fatimid Islamic Sultanate

QUOTE:
To Alar II, Sultan of the Fatimid Islamic Sultanate


Oh, great sultan, you catch me.. I was so afraid that I still shaken, poor me.
I must confess that I admire people capable of great accomplishments, like you are. For example going to sleep orthodox and next morning, bum.. here you are, muslim.
That will happen to your brothers Saxony, Italy and Burgundy? They will become muslim over the night?

About your puerile explanations about how you made a secret pact with italy to establish a muslim community in Languedoc that put a great warrior like you in the unpleasant position to hurt a child like myself and declaring war to England, you made me such a big impression that I decide to remove that obstacle between us: we dropped Languedoc for you to use, so there is no reason for you to fight a poor girl like me.

More than that, I will tell you a secret: Languedoc is two shires away westward, right next to Aragon border. I guess a man with your reputation and courage won't have any problem to go there and do what he says that he was planning to do, but a child like me could mistaken and you'll be only a coward and a man without word. What would I know?

You're saying that the rest of the orthodox moving with you are also capable of great accomplishments in the way you are? How happy you must be to be surrounded by such great men. They also.. go to sleep and bum.. next morning wake up muslim?

The great sultan allows me a suggestion? Why not changing your faith every day: yesterday orthodox, today catholic and tomorrow muslim? That would be great indeed! Or throw dices..
What baptism, what convictions? Let's embrace the unknown every day.

If your brothers Saxony, Italy and Burgundy are so great like you and your men, I have no doubt they will follow your example.

Peace and sanity be with you!

Anne de Flandre, Queen of England

Borna
King of Croatia
Knez of Arlberg and Salzburg

Your Grace,

You are cordially invited to Edinburgh Castle on the 1st October 1053 with a view to commencing proper meaningful peace talks aimed at ending this ridiculous war.

I think your majesty that this nonsense has gone on quite long enough and it is time to put the future of Europe before all petty squabbles.

We need to create a new and better Europe so that our children and grand children can be brought up in a prosperous and peaceful society.

Faithfully,
Nivek,
Chancellor of Scotland.

"Stephanie where on earth have you been girl? Are you alright you look so bedraggled?"

"I am sorry my Lord, but he wouldn't see me. I was told he was too busy entertaining, whatever that meant!"

"I have had enough of this behaviour, fetch me my quill and parchment if you would then go off and rest for it looks as if your journey across Europe has taken it out of you."

"Thank you my Lord"

QUOTE;-

Borna
King of Croatia
Knez of Arlberg and Salzburg

Your Grace,

Some 12 weeks ago I sent my page out with an invitation cordially inviting you to attend peace talks in Edinburgh Castle. She has just returned having been refused access to you because you were apparently "too busy entertaining" to spare one second of your precious time to give a thought to peace.

Now sire either that is true in which case there is no hope for the world or as I suspect some member of your inner sanctum has over stretched their authority. He or she has chosen not to inform you in which case there is still no hope for the world whilst that person remains in office.

You are not an idiot sire, so you fully understand the diplomatic ramifications of this action on your part. For a country and a Monarch in particular to snub the invitation of another country without even the courtesy of a reply is, as you know sir showing disrespect of the highest order. In some communities that sort of action could lead to war.

It appears that because we are already at war that you feel you do not need to follow the niceties of diplomatic behaviour!! Well so be it your grace. But please remember what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Scotland is affronted by your behaviour and I am also personally affronted by your behaviour.

It is obvious to anyone who has eyes and ears and a mouth to speak that I am totally wasting my breath and my efforts in trying to bring about peace in Europe. I have striven tirelessly for a just and true solution, but no more, sire, no more!!!!

Your side does not appear to wish peace that is obvious. Your side wishes for every nation to fight until......well to be perfectly honest I have no idea what is actually going to make you stop. Until Blood flows freely around everyone's castle? Until every child has been slaughtered? I have no idea what you want but peace certainly is not on your agenda, well not above entertaining anyway.

It would appear that because your side already has a much higher shire to Knight ratio then it is content to keep on fighting and loose a few more shires and maybe even gain a few which in my opinion is stupid. For now would be a very good time for you to negotiate whilst you have this higher ratio. Trust me your grace that will not be the case for much longer for we are tired of our own generosity.

To demonstrate what I mean here are the positions as we speak today -

Saxony 31 Knights, 16 shires ; England 33 Knights 13 shires ;

Italy 31 Knights 21 shires; Your Muslim allies 20 Knights 11 shires ; Ireland 45 Knights 9 shires

France 16 Knights 11 shires; Denmark 14 Knights 4 shires

Croatia 8 Knights 4 shires; Burgundy 5 Knights 4 shires; Finns 6 Knights 7 shires; Scotland 11 Knights 7 shires; Brittany 8 Knights 1 shire

There are other countries as we know but you understand what I am getting at I am sure.

The situation is similar in the East with one of the biggest nations on Earth, Serbia having 66 Knights but only 27 shires.

I will not be making any more overtures for peace sire, for no matter whom I have spoken to I have been wasting my time.

I have contacted the Monarchs, Sovereigns and leaders of Saxony, Burgundy, Italy and Croatia. I have made offers to all those leaders.

Scotland will always leave the door to peace open, I will always make myself available to talk about peace and will never be "too busy entertaining" to put the needs of my country first. I will always respond diplomatically to all advances.

However, from this day forward, I will not be attempting to initiate any more talks, your side can do that for a change.

Faithfully,
Nivek,
Chancellor of Scotland.

"Stephanie, apparently there is no longer a rush for peace so have your rest first. Then when you get a moment copy this letter to the Heads of Burgundy, Finns, Italy, Saxony, oh and also include France because it seems they now want a piece of the action as well."

QUOTE:
To Chancellor Nivek of Scotland


My Lord, please allow me to apologize for not answering your message. As you probably know, attacks on Saxon shires have become barely bearable, and I am at the moment putting all my efforts in attempts to save as many people I can. Planing evacuation, defense tactic, working myself in realization of those defense tactics, and in the end fighting, has took my time and I was simply so overheated that I forgot about your message.

I must say that I am surprised by that term "busy by entertaining". I assure you that not a single one of my man told you that, they, as me are all working to save as many lifes they can, risking their own at the same time. I will not tolerate that kind of lies.

My side has bigger knight to shire ratio? My Lord can you please explain that to me. By your words, Serbia, which already is biggest country in known world, needs to become even bigger? Is that some kind of joke or what?

Britany is too young to be implemented in your theory. When England get their shires back, they will have more then enough shires. I have no muslim allies and I must sadly tell you that you are poorly informed. I must agree that I really don't know where will Ireland spread furthermore. I wont explain the situation for every nation because I find it necesary. You will find out why in incoming part of text.

You are wrong in another fact. My side DO want peace, but thanx to numerous hosts of you and your allies are at the moment making tremendous and furious attacks on Saxon land, and all Saxon people. If you want peace so much I suggest you to withdraw imediately and also start acting as you want peace.

May I remind you, while invasion on Britain, peace negotiations were led by Tristan Aratheon and Quenn Jessica vom Greifenstein, at the time me and my allies had initiative, but as soon we lost initiative, you decided to stop peace negotiations, and arangments of cease fire which supposed to be started. By you I don't mean you personaly, but people on higher positions of your alliance.

I recieved a peace proposal from Quenn Jessica, which is fair as it can be. Try to insult her one more time, or insult her attempts of bringing peace, I promise you that I will find you on the field of battle, and then we will have some serious conversation, and that conversation will be led by my battle axe.

My side don't want peace? Well, who is at the moment invading who and prolonging this war? That much about that.

I will put my signature on peace treaty after English apologie if it commence, will you? Will your allies? Now we'll see who trully wants peace.


Borna
King of Croatia
Knez of Arlberg and Salzburg