Like Uncle, Like Niece

[Sarah Tintagyl]

[i]Following the Peace in the Austrian Civil War,[/i]

Bridgette had most of her business concluded in Europe before her scheduled trip to meet with De Witt and Da Silva in Madagascar to talk of her schemes for the future of the world. She was going to finally say good-bye to Austria, until the time came she would come back in glory, the conqueror, and liberate her country from the claws of the Hapsburg Monarchy. However, there was one last loose string that needed to be cleared up. It had brought her to Tbilisi and to the outskirts of the Visari Imperial Residence that stood over her solitary figure like the castle of Vlad the Impaler. She figured that most people were intimidated by the sheer presence of the residence and the fact that hundreds of yards away from where she stood, sat one of the most powerful men in Europe, even if he was perhaps injured from a recent attempt on his life. Bridgette had come to pay her respects, she had come to see Michael Visari face to face, it was necessary. After all, she had no one else to turn to and they were descendants of the same man, her uncle, the infamous, Scolar Visari.

Pulling her black shroud over head head, she approached the guards standing at the gated entrance. Security was presumably always heavy, but after the attempt on the Autarch's life, the Imperial Residence was a proverbial fortress. When she was stopped, she dropped the hood revealing her bright hair and eyes, eyes that were wild, full of hate and misery. "My name is Bridgette Saenger, the Former Austrian Chancellor. I've come to see His Excellency, the Autarch and I humbly request entrance." This would most likely not stir the guards, even with her position, but Bridgette smiled and looked at the guards square in their hidden eyes. "If I haven't made myself clear, I would like to see my cousin before I leave Europe."

It was a family history that went back generation, before the Austrian Civil War and solidified Bridgette's emotions and attitude about the world. A history she was prepared to repeat for Michael, but one that the Former Chancellor believed would be easy to see the moment the long lost relatives met each others eyes.

She otherwise would wait, for the guards to take her to her cousin's side.

OOC: Time line is a bit out of order, but it happens, making up for lost time.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Sarah Tintagyl

[Malatose]

The Imperial Guardsmen, dressed in their ceremonial matching scarlet robes with battle armour underneath, stopped the Former Austrian Chancellor outside of hybrid cathedral/monumental pyramid structure. After listening to the words that Bridgette spoke, one of the guardsmen nodded and began to speak into this secured communications link. "This is Guardsmen DS-32. We have a visitor at the front gate, who wishes to see the Emperor. The visitor goes by the name of Bridgette Saenger." Upon receiving the message, the palace security cameras turned on and focused on the face of Bridgette. Her image was cross-referenced with the millions of images in the Imperial Database, where it was finally matched with a saved photo. "Subject is confirmed to be Bridgette Saenger. Submit approval request to Imperial Intelligence." The request was submitted to the Regent, who conferred with the Emperor. The request was then approved. "DS-32. Entry request approved."

The automatic gates of the Imperial Palace began to open. As the doors opened, a dozen Imperial Guardsmen broken into two lines of six marched out to greet the former Austrian Chancellor. "Follow us ma'am. The Emperor has granted you a private audience." The guardsmen then proceeded to lead Bridgette through the Grand Corridor, with its centerpieces, high ceilings and cutglass windows. After walking through the massive main corridor, past the cafes, numerous elevators, rooms and other areas of interest, they soon reached the audience chamber of the Emperor. The guardsmen stood in formation as the door began to open.

"You may enter."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

"It's like a small city." Bridgette said amazed as she walked with the guards through the stone corridors of the Imperial Residence. Throughout the halls there was a feeling of intimidation as if for many this was the last walk they would ever go on and she wondered about the sheer power and secrecy of the Nordic Government, what they were capable of and what they had already done. The Austrian fingered the picture inside her cloak, the last evidence of a family tie between herself and the man that awaited her in a gilded room at the end of one long hallway.

As the doors opened the guards gestured her forward in the stern and foreboding voice of, "You may enter." Bridgette looked beyond the doors at a vast room. There was a fireplace that burned brightly on the far end and large portraits of past Nordic greats along with one massive painting of Scolar himself positioned above the fireplace. A table stood in the middle of the room, still holding the aroma of eaten food, though a few of the plates still were scattered with the parcels of meat, fruits, and vegetables. Beside the fireplace, a single, solitary chair was positioned with a pair of withered hands holding both arms. The woman took a deep breath and approached cautiously, deciding to make conversation with the back-turned figure first, before he turned to face her. If he ever would.

"Autarch," she began. "I wanted to come to personally thank you for the help your country gave my forces during the Civil War. Peace has come, not the kind of peace that I would have liked to see, but perhaps it is best for the citizens. For now at least." Bridgette coined her next words and then brought out the picture from her cloak pocket and held it in front of her face. "But I guess what I really came here to say, was that I'm sorry. I don't know if you remember the sister of the man painted up on that wall. Matilde Visari. Well, that woman was my mother and that would make you and I cousins." She looked down at the ground and sighed. "Our family has been through so much, wars, persecution, exile, and more, all for believing in a greater world. In a better world." Then she stopped and shook her head.

"But I'm sure you don't want to hear me babble on about all this. I just wanted to let you know, that you and I saw each other once." She approached the chair and on one of the arms laid the picture. Scolar stood with Michael, along with Matilde at this side and Phillip Saenger at her's. In her arms, the baby, Bridgette, faced the camera with a smile. A family torn apart by war and hate, hate from the rest of the world, finally brought together by one gray and faded portrait.

"Mother and Father are both dead. You're the only family I have in Europe still and before I leave, I wanted to know if there was still someone I could trust."

[Malatose]

Michael sat still, listening to Bridgette as she spoke. The words she spoke were soft and soothing. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. He smiled slightly and looked at the small picture that was placed on his arm. It was a picture of better times. A time of rejoicing and happiness. A time that had long past. After reminiscing on the past, he grabbed onto his gloss, wooden cane and stood up. "You are right. We have been called many things. From murderers, warmongers, and sociopaths, our family has been rediculed throughout the history books. However, we always fought for the one thing most important to us." Adjusting his large robe and making sure it covered his hideously scarred face, he turned towards Bridgette. "We have always fought for the well-being of our people, and that is a trait you possess."

Maneuvering his face to a smile, he looked at Bridgette. "I had heard that there were others still alive. However, I never clanged to any hope that I would find them. I'm happy that you came to seek me out. That shows much courage." Michael leaned down onto his metal chair and pushed the small communications button. "Bring some refreshments for our guest." He looked at Brigette and smiled. "Please have a seat. We have much to discuss in these interesting times." Visari was interrupted mid-sentence by the sound of various servants, as they brought in various foods and refreshments. Just as fast as the interupption began, it soon ended. "If I may ask, what brings you here? As a fellow Visari, You will always have my trust. Even in the darkest of days."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

As Michael turned and faced her, Bridgette bit her lip momentarily, looking at his scars. She had heard he had been injured in the recent terror attack against the Dalmatians, but she hadn't dreamed that the damage would be this extreme. Yet, for the horror of his wounds, Michael's mood was bright as he flashed her a smile. Refreshments arrived a few seconds later and Bridgette found herself sitting across from the Dread Leader of Nordland, with a tea cup balanced perfectly in her lap.

Looking up at him again as he asked for the reason for his visit, Bridgette smiled and looked out the window behind him. "I don't really have anywhere else to go, to be honest Michael. After the revolution in Austria failed, I can't stay there anymore." She turned back to him and sighed. "I don't know, I've just been so angry as of late, so furious with the system that the world is governed by. They let leaders sell out their nations to foreigners and the people can do nothing to stop it. Nations thrive on hypocrisy and racism and threaten war over land and pieces of metal and paper." Bridgette shook her head and scowled. "I don't know whether I'm going crazy or not, but I want to give everyone something real to fear. Not territorial war. Not Revolution. Something world changing." Her shoulders quaked as if she was cold and her dull eyes looked into the fire place.

"I've been thinking a lot about the family too. I feel ashamed honestly, that I tried to hide it for so long, that my uncle was Scolar Visari. It ate me from the inside, the guilt and the bitterness. That probably has a lot to do with this feeling of anger too. But the fact that I know that I still have family left, is a huge weight off my shoulders. Don't get me wrong, I have a general plan of what I hope to do after leaving here. But I wanted to know if there were still open arms somewhere in Europe. A place that if everything falls through, I can still call home."

[Malatose]

Visari frowned, "The world is on a downward spiral. Indeed, the world might believe in one thing, but we must stick to our beliefs and remain a positive image for our people. I do agree that something dramatic needs to happen in the world, but I do not think it's time for such a thing. Any small thing can set the world ablaze now, and that isn't needed at the moment."

He nodded, "I dealt with the mark of the shame. The shame of being related to Scolar Visari. But as I moved forward, I came to put away such things. Scolar Visari was a man of wisdom. He broke the chains of oppression on Germania and Europa. He fought against the norms of the day and achieved great success. However, like any man, he made his fair share of mistakes. I try to forget the mistakes and remember the glory."

Visari stood up and adjusted his black robe, adjusting the hood on his head. "Never forget who you are and where you came from. When you forget that, you lose your self identity. I learned that the hard way, as I traveled through Europe with fake names. My friend, I do not want you to feel the same way. You will always have a home in Dalmatia. A place where you can be who you want to be and live your life without any scrutiny. A luxury..I didn't have.