The Daily Spread Eagle

[Perelandra]

                                                                                         Daily Spread Eagle - January 3rd 2023

 

                                                                                                            Court Circular 

 

Dear Readers,

Firstly I must beg your forgiveness for this late and hastily compiled summary of court activities at Palace Hanyu. Much has occurred during the past few months and many of Palace Hanyu's inhabitants have been incapacitated after the whirlwind of engagements. PM Pooh is still in the City of Toronto and the Deputy PM Yuzu Pooh has a bad case of flu due to overwork and lack of honey consumption, the Jump Ladies are on retreat due to exhaustion, as are many of the court poets and artisans, thus it falls to me, Dr Perelandra Court Physician to bring you tidings of the Emperor. 

 

Following the huge excitement of Epiphany Day and the debut of the Ice Stories of Planet Hanyu and the Emperor's early life, Emperor Hanyu retreated to his private apartments within the Palace for a well deserved rest. However, the rest period was a fearfully short respite a mere week. Emperor Hanyu then journeyed to the Northern region of his realm to begin work on the new Summer Palace and reprise the Ice stories for inhabitants of the Northern realm. Due to the rugged landscape and snow many of the northern Poohs were unable to arrive at the Summer Palace in time to see their Emperor. As a great and magnanimous gesture the Emperor gave a third performance of the Ice Stories, which was also transmitted to the entire Planet and all satellites using the Crystal Broadcast. At the end of the third performance many Poohs cried with joy but also sadness the satellites were also crestfallen because they feared that they would not see their Emperor again for many moons. The Emperor assuaged the worries of everyone as he retired from the ice because a page came forth with great tidings to inform all of the spectators that the Emperor would appear at one of the castles in the south - Castle Dome

 

Emperor Hanyu returned to the Principal Palace for a brief rest before visiting other persons of note to speak about the early years of his reign and to talk about future plans. A Winter message was broadcast which showed some of the challenges of the Emperor's reign and the Emperor also attended a New Year event featuring musicians and troubadours. 

 

The Jump Ladies will return in time to begin practising for the event at Castle Dome and Deputy PM Pooh is slowly recovering. 

 

Thank you dear Readers for your indulgence. The court poets will be in attendance at Castle Dome to bring you news of Emperor Hanyu.

 

 

[Perelandra]

                                                                                             The Daily Spread Eagle - February 26th 2023

 

                                                                                 Emperor Hanyu Triumphant at Castle Dome

 

February 26th dawned as a clear, bright day. A cold and windy day under a cloudless sky of azure. Tens of thousands of Poohs and Satellites had made the journey to the south and gathered before the gates of Castle Dome. The crowds swirled and jostled, Castle Dome was festooned with banners depicting Emperor Hanyu and many Poohs had brought their own favourite portraits of the Emperor as well as flags and beloved miniatures depicting the Emperor's visage. 

The gates finally opened and the Poohs were admitted to the courtyard of the Castle. Seats had been prepared and each spectator was given a tiny lantern with which to join in with story telling. The atmosphere had a sense of great occasion but also one of festival and joy. Once the spectators had all found their seats a hush descended and the Court Musicians emerged from behind screens. The covered courtyard was dark and the crystal screen flickered in the gloom as the music played. Pictures of Planet Hanyu appeared with important dates in the Emperor's life. Suddenly the crystal screened was emblazoned with the fiery wings of the mythical Phoenix or Firebird, an opening appeared in the screen and the Emperor emerged, glorious and wearing the plumage of the powerful Firebird. He alighted onto the ice and was a brilliant flame on the glistening ice surface, retelling the story of one of his early triumphs now tied to the adult Emperor's power. 

The screen now revealed the Emperor telling the stories of how he learned to harness the power of the ice, how the ice helped him attain glory but also was on occasion the source of sorrow and despair, how the Emperor had battled with internal conflict and external pressure to eventually heal and become whole again, The Pooh and Satellites wept tears of anguish but also love for their most beloved Emperor. 

The Emperor danced on the ice again and again, showing his love for nature, the seasons, dreams and fun times. The Emperor paid tribute to swans, the Mage, great composers past and present. To the delight of the spectators the tiny lanterns glowed different colours in keeping with the theme of each story, everyone waved their own lantern.

The stories were so beautiful and now would be destined to live on both in the Imperial archives and in the hearts and souls to all who witnessed them. If it were even possible the Poohs and Satellites grew to love their Emperor even more than before. Emperor Hanyu had shared something incredibly precious and he would be ever more treasured in return.

The magical evening ended and a sense of healing and love descended upon Planet Hanyu. The Satellites and Poohs showed their affection and loyalty to the Emperor, screaming, applauding, waving banners and the tiny lanterns. These were stories to be experienced and shared, to be captured and cherished always. 

[Perelandra]

                                                                                             The Daily Spread Eagle

 

                                                                        A Night of Remembrance - Notte Stellata

 

March 11th 2011 was a day of terrible tragedy, Emperor Hanyu was still a young princeling when an earthquake struck Planet Hanyu. Land collapsed into the sea and a one of the northern settlements close to the sacred ice caves was engulfed by the ocean and thus thousands of Pooh bears perished. The young princeling Emperor had been present in the sacred caves with his tutor, learning some of the rituals of the ice. The earthquake was extremely powerful and it dislodged huge icicles from the roof of the cavern, placing the young prince and his tutor in mortal peril, in panic they ran still wearing their ice blades and fortunately escaped unharmed from the caves. The northern Palace and surrounding settlements were uninhabitable and all of the inhabitants were forced to make rudimentary shelters with whatever they could salvage and survive those first few nights as best they could. As darkness fell on that dreadful night young Prince Hanyu saw the stars blaze into life in the night sky. As he gazed at the stars Prince Hanyu felt hope stir in his heart and he vowed that he would do everything he could to help rebuild the north country. 

Life in those first few days following the earthquake were very bleak, roads were destroyed and aid from the south took an age to arrive. The Prince joined groups of Poohs, foraging for food and trying to find usable material for better shelters, everything seemed hopeless. Eventually aid convoys arrived and Prince Hanyu was summoned to settlements with usable ice caves and encouraged to resume his studies of the ice rituals. Prince Hanyu felt a great deal of guilt for abandoning the inhabitants of the North, but he soon came to understand that it was through the ice rituals that he would best be able to help those in the North. Over time Prince Hanyu came into his power and eventually became Emperor. Many tales are told of this great feat. Yet the young Prince kept his promise, he never forgot the earthquake, the days of anguish in the immediate aftermath and the inhabitants of the North. They suffered many hardships, having lost loved ones, their homes and livelihoods and worse still the receding waters had polluted the land leaving once fertile fields to become overgrown by the horrid Paporika weeds.

On each anniversary of the earthquake Prince Hanyu perfromed special ritual in private, he applied himself unwaveringly to his studies of the ice rituals and ensured that recovery efforts continued until the lands of the north were able to rebuild and heal. Twelve years on the Emperor declared that it was time to officially remeber the day of the earthquake to remember and honour those who had been lost, those who had suffered loss and look o the future together. The Poohs of the Northern clans rejoiced and gathered at the ice caves to greet and applaud their beloved Emperor Hanyu. To the delight of the crowds of Poohs not only had Emperor Hanyu journeyed north to the ice caves, he was joined by his friends who would join the Emperor in performing ice rituals and even more impressive the King of the Summer lands had accompanied the Ice Emperor. 

The rituals began with story of the Swan coming to bless the House of Hanyu, the Emperors friends brought stories of their own - a dance of fire, a song of mournful beauty, a dance of moonlight, a love story and many other great and wondrous tales. The highlight was performance by both the Emperor of the ice and King of Summer as they conquered chaos to bring order and peace. The ritual ended with a tale of springtime. 

At long last the souls of those who passed would be given peace. The northern settlements had seen much progress and rebuilding and the Paporika weeds had been eradicated, in part helped by the gold dust eruption of Mount Irene last July. Just before Emperor Hanyu had returned to the North, some baby Poohs had been born a pale pink colour like the Sakura blossoms and the Emperor's tree was about to flower in the grounds of Palace Hanyu. 

The Emperor had been very emotional during the Remembrance but at last he had also found peace. The Emperor bade the northern clans farewell as he had duties in other parts of the realm. 

 

Apologies for the delayed reporting, your reporter has been occupied with the Imperial Spring time tour

[Perelandra]

                                                                                             Daily Spread Eagle

 

                                                         Old Man Pooh san Returns to Planet Hanyu

                                   Emperor Hanyu Journeys to the Northern City to Reunite with Prime Minister Pooh

 

Towards the end of April, Emperor Hanyu visited one of the most esteemed nobles, the wise and munificent Duchess Tetsuko. Emperor Hanyu was a special guest at her Palace. The entire palace had been decorated with flower garlands and the Duchess had invited the Emperor to eat pudding and spend time with her. The Duchess had been present at the Gift of Castle Dome and since that time had been hoping that the Emperor would be an honoured guest in her home. The Emperor was delighted oblige and they talked about the Emperors plans for the Kingdom, reminisced about the Emperor's childhood exploits and even joked fondly about one the the Emperor's most fearsome tutors. 

 

Following this audience the Emperor travelled in secret to the Land of Ice Lakes and Snow. The Emperor had spent many years there, when he was Prince Hanyu in order to perfect the Ice Rituals and assume his role as Emperor. Emperor Hanyu had applied himself diligently and had received instruction from three of the most respected tutors. Sadly the outbreak of a deadly disease had forced the Young Emperor to flee back to Planet Hanyu and in the dreadful haste Prime Minister Pooh san had not been able to board the transport back to the Planet and the Emperor had not had time to bid a suitable farewell to his tutors. As the pandemic had finally settled to almost safe levels Emperor Hanyu made the journey back to visit his esteemed tutors to express his gratitude and reunite with Prime Minister Pooh

 

Once the Emperor and Prime Minister Pooh were safely back at Palace Hanyu a portrait of Prime Minister Old Man Pooh san and Deputy PM YuzuPooh was displayed at the gates of Palace Hanyu.

PM Pooh has commended the Deputy PM for having very ably conducted his duties and supporting Emperor Hanyu. The two Poohs are looking forward to working together.