Chapters Ascension in the East Chapter 1
On the 21st November, 2029, Jasmine Nguyen rode the Manchester-bound train, and failed to notice the headline of the Metro newspaper that was lying discarded on the seat next to her. With the benefit of hindsight, she perhaps should have picked up the tattered rag and read the tale behind the shocking line, ‘Sukhothai Emperor Assassinated in Deadly Blast’. Not that it would have changed anything if she had, but since that seemingly unimportant piece of news was to change her life irrevocably, then, well, poetically at least, she should have cared just a little.
But she didn’t, because on that day her mind was totally focused on what was coming up: her audition for the English National Ballet in the prestigious Bridgewater Hall. Get in to that esteemed company, and her career as a prima ballerina would surely skyrocket! Fail, and the direction would be quite the opposite. How was she to know that, as the old saying goes, it would be a case of winning the battle but losing the war? Yes, she got in, with flying colours in fact, but only a month down the line she would be out again, and her life would be taking a very different career trajectory. All due to that “Deadly Blast” that never even registered in her brain.
A month later she was travelling on another train. This one though was headed directly to London. Accompanying her was a policeman. She didn’t know why she was going there except that it was a top secret matter of national security. Like what could a ballerina of only nineteen years of age ever have to do with national security? Whatever the case, they’d knocked on her door the night before and ordered her straight to the capital the next day. “What about rehearsals?” she’d protested. “We’ve spoken with the company already,” was all that she received by way of a reply.
Once in London, they were met at the gates of Euston Station by a black limousine bearing the flag of the Sukhothai Empire, and then promptly whisked through the city streets to the opulent Sukhothai Embassy in South Kensington. Once there, Jasmine was ushered into a room and told something that she never ever expected to hear.
The two men who met her were quite opposites. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs sat beside her, a moderately boorish man, and the slim, decorated ambassador sat across a grand desk, and quickly summarized, “My dear, I’m sorry for the confusion and secrecy, but… but you are the closest living relative of the Emperor of Sukhothai. The terrorist plot you may have heard about didn’t just murder the Emperor, but nearly all the high-ranking royal family. So, we have been searching for a month to find the closest viable line of the royal family. We’ve actually been looking for you, Jasmine.”
This was a whirlwind. Jasmine’s thoughts were all jumbled. This was impossible! The ambassador proceeded, “Of course I’m sure your grandparents kept your true lineage from your whole family when they moved to England, for royal families that fear persecution have a history of changing their names to Nguyen. This is not an ideal situation but we will have to make do.”
Jasmine couldn’t take this. “How do you even know I’m the right person!? I’m just a dancer from Manchester, I don’t know the first thing about royalty or leading a country I’ve never been to! What about my career here? What if I just refuse?”
The two men glanced at each other, then the cabinet minister wiped his brow and spoke slowly, harshly, “Jasmine, I don’t think you understand the gravity of this attack. The Sukhothai Empire is the largest pacific power behind China, and the markets are destabilized as it is from a month of searching for you. In the interest of international diplomacy, your citizenship has already been revoked by the Crown. I’m sorry, but you couldn’t stay here if you wanted to.” And, as if to insult the poor girl, “I’m sure you can be a dancer when you’re not bringing stability and leadership to nearly 300 million people.”
Jasmine tried to negotiate further but it was no use. By three days later her tiny flat was empty and she was on a private flight to her new Empire.