A Large city contortioned into a meltwater river valley, Montaco-di-Cassino, sometimes spelt Cassinno, Casino, etc.. is the most densely populated city in Eurani, it's nearly vertical plan in places is unusual and visitors with acute fear of heights are counseled to stay far away.

"This tourist guide is such a hoot!"

 "I just bet, this place is a hoot, if you want to train as a Flyforce member, either flyer or dropper."

 "We got droppers? When?"

"Pilders can drop better than anything else we can imagine."

"Aw, but they can fly, they're not real droppers. No risk to life and limb."

"Militarily, that's not such a plus as you make it sound..."

"Fine! Why we here for again?"

"I'm returning, and I hoped you'd love to accompany me to the Opera."

"The Montaco Opera? For reals?"

"Milady, I did tell you to pack your Bellisama dress, didn't I?"

"You did, you didn't mention I should expect to get it cleaned so very often though."

"Ah, Nellun took care of that for you, I hope?"

"Yes, yes, I'm a good little lazy bug, letting Nellun organize me."

"Now, now, you're on holiday, you can relax, and let my employee do his job, which he has been doing since you and I wore diapers, I suspect he's frighteningly good at it."

"But, it feels like cheating."

"It's not, not with who we are expected to meet."

 "The Mastarna of Bramant-Reigundy again?"

"No, not just her, her and the Mastarna and Hetman of all Sarn, Sarnath, Ralt and Luxem , the Commissioner of the Eurani Pact , her Father who happens to be The Grand Marshal of Eurani , assorted minor dignitaries including the entire flag country of the Eurani Nations, if it's like last time I was here."

"Flag Country?"

"I'm using the Moniqan colloquial, the assemblage of all and sundry commissioned officers senior enough to rate a bodyguard off-duty."

"I've not rated..."

"It doesn't have a permanent one, and there are places you're tought not to need one, like a major city surrounded by major military bases, like Megamisama. I've filled your bodyguard rosters, you weren't dodging regulations."

"Oh, keeping me safe, huh? So, Flag Country, as in anyone above ... Adjen?"

"Adjen, Skua, Jeff, Blaster, Quarter Sun, Bronze, Pavise."

"Just in Kagomei, that's an effing large group..."

"The ones that aren't on duty..."

"Oh, so, a much smaller subset."

"Yeah."

"Don't go far, though..."

"Why?"

"I'm a sucker for a man in uniform, which will be, half of them there?"

"Maybe two thirds of the men, considering they're inviting allies over, that's how I got here. They invited the Telbun, and she demurred and sent me as her representative, and I quote: 'you're less likely to start a war by saying the wrong thing than I am.'"

"So stick around and protect me, my Namei."

"I'll.. do my best, I'll... be in uniform too, and I suspect, many of them share your affliction." "Yes, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks a green-eyed red-headed priest with a knack for a kind word makes me melt..."

"Vice Shoo! A pleasure to see you again."

"Nameihomei."

"I don't have..."

"It's hardly news to anyone the only thing that stands between you and that title is how long until your mom decides she wants to retire, but you hardly need even her help or authority, having plenty of your own for the latter."

"I see you've risen yourself."

"I am now your mother and aunt's personal representative to the Eurani Pact and all its members.

"Ponler, queste chin."

"Vias, gade pundler alessian" (I'm sorry, I don't speak alessian.)

"Owo Moniqi?"

"Aupu, Moniqi wa." (We'll translate from Moniqan for those reading who don't speak that tongue, that was "We can use Moniqan.")

"So what brings you to this haven of the dissolute and the reprobate? Surely, you're a pillar of righteousness, outshining all here."

"My boyfriend(grib) brought me here. He's with those..." She pointed to a knot of people.

"Our hosts? He must be important!"

"I hear he met them growing up, but he hasn't told me the story."

"Them?"

"Well, more like her. I'm sure you know which her."

"No, I don't, I'm Wallader Faosta, Lucumon of Faosta, by the way, and you are, besides breathtaking, obviously..."

"Flatterer! I'm a Flag officer in the Kagomine Navy, name of Rolli."

"Not even your rank I get, and I'm introducing myself by name?"

"FFOF-09 Eagle Flora Rolli, Piper Sixth Fleet."

"What's a piper?"

"I'm the second-in-command, in charge of the air group."

"So you command flyers? And, I presume, a fleet has more than two..."

"Ah, yes, a fleet is a division, in Kagomine terms."

"A whole division? Brecia only has ten of those!"

"Oh, you're Brecian, like her?"

"Oh, heavens, you mean, our hostess is the Lucumon of Ferrare, her horridness, Natalia dell'Auro?"

"You didn't know?"

"I only came to the Opera, I didn't check the sponsors, I should have... we had... words."

"That sounds like an entertaining story, Your Grace, but I will go see if they filleted my grib yet now."

"Flora, what ho, Natalia was telling me about what happened to you in Lai Dang."

"Oh, when we got locked with your Mother? I'm trying to forget."

"Surely mother can't have been quite that bad..."

"Of course she was, your mother is what all battleaxes everywhere aspire to become. Well, that and snow leopards..." A snow leopard is like a cougar for us earthlings, a woman who likes younger playmates. The stigma is not the same, especially if she's a priestess, and doubly so if he's not.

"Ah-HEM!"

"Well, your mother's... dalliance with that young priest..."

"Sosua Dandelion? Her fourth cousin?"

"Oh, a relative at that?"

"Distant, but yes, he is related to us."

"I hear she is too...  His sister, to be precise."

"Who's that?"

"Ami Dandelion, Meiho of Mountain Home, the Mistress of Rites Kautanissian."

"We've met."

"Amarat, you never told me."

"I assumed you had met, since you're about as related to her as I was."

"I have, who introduced you two?"

"Cousin Tadros did the honours."

"Did he say anything?"

"About her? Nothing that wasn't pure, unadulterated hero worship.

"Just how powerful a priestess is she?"

 "The Mistress of rites is the highest priestess outside the High nine, period. You do NOT pick fights with her, ok?"

"When Do I randomly pick fights with pretty girls, Amarat?

"She is mom's boytoy's sister..."

"Ugh, and married Dan Ma, didn't she?" Flora was trying to ask this question obliquely, Dan Ma being Amarat's biological father was certainly not for circulation. Ami Dandelion's marriage, like all of the women in the high twenty-five, to their ritual partner, was thankfully, public information.

 "Yeah, that can't not be awkward, since mom did the same... She's the nicest, sweetest brainiac you're likely to meet, in my opinion."

"Oh, she's book-learned?

"Medical Scholar, with honours, her academic credentials need a small book. She's specialized in child health and natality."

"A pregnancy doctor?"

"And a high powered priestess, she'll be hated immediately around here."

"Why?"

"High-powered enough not to be cowed into shying away from harsh truths. Directly linked enough to the elements she's making whatever peccadilloes the assembled multitude committed painfully obvious."

"Cousins Amarat and Flora! Concillor dell'Auro!"

"You rated a greeting before the hostess?" Wallader fiercely whispered the question.

"Dandelions think highly of each other." Flora whispered back.

"I see you, Meiho-Aumhavar Dandelion, right hand of the high nine." Replied Natalia, trying not to let the disrespect she felt she just took on the chin show.

"I see you, step-mother Ami. May you flourish in the element's regard." And the insult Natalia had seen was suddenly not there. Of course, if she was that closely related, no insult was meant. But, who in Natalia's hierarchy of informants had missed this? Heads would roll!

"I see you, Auhenvarin Ami. My wishes for your health and long life." Flora responded as any member of the Dan Ma clan through marriage would to the highest representative of that clan in the place.

"I see you, you're hardly young enough to be my children, but I would be proud to have such fine children as the both of you. And I see you, Councillor dell'Auro, you may call me Meiho, I need no higher title, in this place, or most places outside Mountain Home."

"High one." Natalia agreed, translating the Moniqan Meiho to the Moniqan everyone here spoke, and gritting her teeth at the snub: that a priestess needed no higher title meant implicitly she ruled this roost and would not consider competition that was not clerical.

"Tut-tut, Meiho please, it should need no translation.

"And this fine distinguished man?"

"My husband, Aquavit Derred, Grant Hetman and Mastarna and Hetman of Sarn, Sarnath, Ralt and Luxem."

"Meiho."

"Hetman, Sookavi Sharnrock." The Sarn greeting roughly meant: Elements look on your might.

 "Meiho, faltha sharnrock, faltha immué sharnock, zy, danar kworreth." With reverence, and taken aback, Aquavit corrected himself: High one, may the Elements look on your faith, may the elements look on your faith and power, I am not worthy.

"I do not speak all your languages, I do know enough for a short conversation in Sarn, Brescian and Alessian, Councilwoman and Lucumon dell'Auro and Lucumon of Faosta, buona gionno. Mastarna dell'Auro vredler uoon."

"We greet your might with respect, highest one." The three quoted, knowingly, words that had been spoken at the original signing of the Eurani pact, to the Moniqan ruler's representative, in Moniqan, again translating Ami's title, but with an upgrade, indeed, it would be correct if she was in the High Nine, so she made no comment.

"How long before we take our places?"

"One quarter of a timepart. Please, accept our offering of sparkling Bleg wine."

"Bleg, not Montacan?" Ami replied, amused. She recognized the label, it was indeed, very, very fine.

"Montaco hasn't mastered this particular wine method yet, although we are trying. And this is the Opera, we can hardly entertain with less than the best."

"A fine practice, and these?

"Montacan cheese, one in three has truffles, one in three has brescian tupoletti, and the remainder have just spices and another Lollandese cheese: Limurger."

"Bravo!"

"And you are?"

"Andriy Diminitriscu, envoy of Friuli."

"Tsonē, yanta buleg, cantri."

"You speak Friulian, Kagomine Boy?"

"Enough to get in trouble."

"Ah you must be quite an opponent, and a better friend, to know all of these..."

"Family friends, one can never claim credit for those."

"And you've been to our country to quote that proverb of ours at me."

"Star halo is so lovely, I cannot stay away "  Flora was looking at him, and she thought he was blushing when he said that, it was so cute.

"Ah, yes, such a famous hallmark of our people."

"What was that you said in Friulan?  It wasn't something on the crib sheet you gave me."

"It was: 'I see you, moneybags.'"

"Oh, you weren't pulling punches."

"He's an important shareholder of Star Halo, hardly needs punches pulled."

"Just because he's rich doesn't mean you can be mean to him."

"Being rich means people less fortunate than you don't have to pull punches."

"You've seen so much hurt, it seems."'