I hope that one day my country will be able to live up to this description even halfway.
Once upon a time, there was the mighty state of Leoscarlet, which owned half of the world. A vast territory with many peoples was successfully ruled by a great emperor. Strict and precise rules of succession, combined with the divine status of the ruler, prevented prolonged disputes and made most court intrigues pointless, but the idyll could not last forever.
Leo VIII, the last emperor of Leoscarlet, was born severely ill and also insane. At first, his advisors carefully concealed this, but soon the truth came out. For the first time since its founding, a struggle for power broke out in Leoscarlet - everyone who was dissatisfied with the current system of government had a reason to act, but there were also many supporters of the imperial dynasty. Court intrigues escalated into bloody clashes, and then into a full-scale civil war.
The farthest provinces of Leoscarlet did not think twice and almost immediately seceded from the dying empire. Other parts of the country were seized by neighbors who had long been envious of the powerful state. Immersed in chaos, the country could not resist external invaders and was rapidly shrinking. The deadly carnage spared neither old people nor women nor children; every meter of what used to be Leoscarlet was soaked in blood. At some point, the mad war ended... along with those who could fight.
Only a handful of children, old people, and disabled people remained of the once great nation – it seemed that everything was already lost. Therefore, when a twelve-year-old girl expressed her desire to lead the remnants of the people of Leoscarlet, no one objected – they simply didn't take her seriously. But time showed how wrong they were. Despite her young age, the ruler drew some conclusions from the devastating war and vowed to herself that never, under any circumstances, would any threat, external or internal, prevail over the new country.
Her country.
Many years have passed. Leoscarlet remains only in history textbooks, but on its ruins arose a formidable force, striking with its power - the dominion of Kittypink. Now it is difficult to deceive anyone with an adorable kitten on the flag - everyone knows that behind the harmless appearance lies a strong, intelligent, and dangerous predator. The best soldiers, the best technology, the best equipment - the government of Kittypink does not spare money for defense, and none of its neighbors even thinks about attacking; those who tried are still sorry for their decision, for their territories, and for their resources, which Kittypink seized rightfully as the victor. The Dominion does not share secret technologies even with its most loyal allies for the largest sums of money, but readily provides troops to protect allies from external or internal threats - of course, not "just like that." A military career is considered the most honorable, and all officials hold ranks no lower than colonel. And at the head of the state is a person who seeks to protect his people from all troubles and dangers, Great Leader Amelia Whiteclaw.
Much has changed since she took control of an entire country at the age of twelve. Then she was foolish and did not yet understand what this would lead to and how hard it would be for her. Behind her lie many defeats and victories, many tears and sweat, and now Amelia proudly looks every morning at the creation of her hands from the Tower of the Leader, the tallest building in all of Catpaw and, indeed, in all of Kittypink. The apartments of the ruler of the country are not luxurious, although they are somewhat more comfortable than the usual dwelling of a Kittypinkiian. The Great Leader firmly holds the huge military machine in her slender hands. Not always does she act correctly; not always do her decisions benefit her subjects, but as long as Amelia has the strength to move forward, and the people of Kittypink unanimously support the leader, the dominion will remain the most dangerous and invincible power. And the Leader will have enough energy for a long time...
When the bravest and most desperate foreign diplomats ask Amelia Whiteclaw about the secret of her healthy and radiant appearance, she half-jokingly replies that she simply preserved herself well for her age. And it would be better if the brave man bit his tongue at this point, even if he perfectly understands that at such an age, an ordinary person would be at best an ancient ruin, long ago and reliably fallen into senility. And those who still risk stammering and continuing the topic of the Leader's appearance are never heard from again. Sometimes people whisper vague rumors to each other that the ruler of Kittypink has an entire underground laboratory that keeps Amelia eternally young and healthy, but these rumors don't go far...
