Soon tea with honey, cream and fresh lemons, as well as grapes and a nice smoked cheese and some small cakes arrive. He obviously was working on it before asked.
"Your hospitality is appreciated Captain. I am told the Empress wishes to speak with you in the salon. That is a rare honor for someone who is neither a holder of significant title nor a servant of the Empire." He pauses and sips his tea for a moment before continuing. "How can I put this delicately? Your being a relative unknown at Court puts you at a disadvantage. There are those around the Empress who will strive to delay or prevent your audience simply to flaunt their power. The current court has become very jealous of their access to the Empress. The old Emperor was quite elderly and in poor health for many years allowing sycophants to establish a complex hierarchy and web of protocols. The young Empress has not managed to untangle that web in her short reign. Indeed, having always known it, she may not realize that things could be handled differently. " He stares at you trying to gage your reaction to this news. He is clearly very uncomfortable. "Her calling you in for a special summons to a private interview has caused considerable..." he hesitates looking for the right word. "...upheaval. An unprecedented level of stonewalling, obstruction and circumlocution has arisen."
