Chapter 31: The Joining of Coalition
The late morning light filtered through the tall arched windows of the royal council chamber, casting soft reflections on the polished marble floor. Madrid, now fully wired and humming with the steady rhythm of electric current, glowed even in the day. Outside, the city moved with the confidence of a nation reborn—steam trams rattled along iron tracks, air chimneys from underground power generators released gentle puffs into the sky, and factory horns called workers into newly mechanized shifts.
But here, within the quiet dignity of the palace, Aragon’s foreign policy was about to be shaped.
Regent Lancelot sat at the head of the long oak table, dressed not in royal finery but in a simple navy coat lined with silver buttons—a subtle blend of nobility and utility. Beside him sat Alicia, notes in hand, eyes alert. Across the table stood Sir William Hargrove, the ambassador of Britannia.
A stout man with thinning blond hair and a deeply lined face, Sir William bowed respectfully as he was announced.
"Your Highness," he greeted with practiced warmth, "it is a true pleasure to stand before you again. I must say, every visit to Madrid in these past years has felt like stepping decades into the future."
Lancelot smiled politely, gesturing for the man to sit. "You’re too kind, Sir William. Though I imagine some of your peers believe we’ve moved too quickly."
"On the contrary," the ambassador said as he settled into his chair, "many in Westminster speak of Aragon as the miracle of the continent. The steel production alone—your refineries in Burgos and Zaragoza are outpacing even some of our domestic mills. Not to mention your locomotives... I saw one arrive just yesterday at the new central station. It glided in like thunder given form."
"Built in the Alcira Plant," Alicia added. "Six hundred horsepower, coal-fed steam turbine, iron-clad suspension."
"Impressive," Hargrove said with genuine awe. "We’ve begun experiments with electric trams in Londale, but you’ve done it at scale. Frankly, many of our lords are asking the same question."