Bretonian Consulate Affairs

[The Kingdom of Bretonia]

22nd of February 828

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Helen Wilde was the Bretonian consul to the Crayter Republic. She had everything a woman could desire: a doctorate from Cambridge, a relatively well-off family, a stable career, her own place to live at (in fact a few of them), influential friends, love too, and above all, respect. All but good looks -- Wilde was not known as an object of desire for most men, and was still not even when she was younger and less overweight -- but she did not really care what most men thought about her. All but good looks and membership to the correct political party.

Wilde was a member of the Social Democratic Federation. They were the leaders of the opposition in the Bretonian Parliament. That was why she was appointed to this duty -- not because she was competent, but because Planet Yuma was far from Bretonia. She was aware of that, but with last year's elections victory by the centrist Whigs, she expected her de facto exile to end soon. Yet she was not entirely looking forward to that. During her appointment, which was for most of the Gallic War, she made a very close acquaintance that she would find painful to part from, perhaps forever.

Denise Wiggins was the secretary of Crayter's minister of foreign affairs. She was ten years younger than Wilde and although she could not study at Cambridge, Wiggins had a mind that Wilde considered rare and often a challenge too. Although Wiggins was rather unlike Wilde by appearance and often captivated men's views and imagination, she too did not really care what they thought of her. She and Wilde became quite intimate companions over the years.

This morning there was a note on Wiggins' desk, with Wilde's handwriting. It said:

"AFTR WRK M. PLACE
BUY CUCUMBER"

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