- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
- TNP Nation
- Prydania
- Discord
- lordgigaice
Magnus had left disappointed, but Tobias couldn't let that bother him. He understood the Prime Minister's point but he needed to see his. He had duties. Responsibilities. Ones people had died to put on his shoulders. He did not take those lightly.
"Brigadier Stahl is here, Your Majesty" Elo Daugaard said he entered the King's office.
"Thank you Elo" Tobias replied softly.
"Send him in."
The steward nodded and Tobias sat back in his chair, sighing. It was hard to meet with Stahl and not have it be awkward. He'd spent over a decade trying to kill him as a child. He'd had a sword fight with the man for Christ's sake.
Stahl had defected from the Syndicalist cause and had provided valuable intel that had contributed to the Royalist victory at Hadden, back in late 2015. Still...it was awkward. No way around that.
"Your Majesty" Stahl said with a slight bow, pulling Tobias out of his deep thoughts.
"Brigadier" Tobias replied with a smile, standing to shake his hand.
"Have a seat."
Awkwardness aside this was irregular. Tobias met with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition once a week to discuss policy. But to consult someone from outside the Alþingi on those matters? That wasn't "normal." Though what was normal these days anyway?
"Thank you for coming Caleb" the King said as they both sat.
Stahl smiled politely offering him a "my pleasure Your Majesty" in return.
There was more he wanted to say, of course. He knew why he was here. And that Tobias felt the need to ask him...but he calmed himself down. He'd have a chance to speak.
"Your Majesty" Stahl began.
"We both tried to stab each other" Tobias chuckled.
"Just 'Tobias' please. It's just the two of us."
Stahl nodded.
"Tobias. The Alþingi passed the Marriage Equality Act. I'm unsure what council I can give that the Prime Minister hasn't."
Tobias sighed again, remaining leaning back in his chair.
"Magnus doesn't..." he stopped himself. That wasn't the best way to say what he was going to say.
"When you defected" he continued, "you explained why you did what you did. Why you joined the Syndicalist movement."
"Tobias I..."
The King, however, continued.
"I just...please. Listen. I...I've gone over that conversation a million times. And..."
He had so much he wanted to say himself, but he stopped himself to collect his thoughts.
"It was hard for me, for a long time, to fully appreciate it. Whatever your reasons were, I had to watch my parents die. I had people I loved killed. I...I couldn't fully accept it, but I did. Later than I should have Caleb, but I understood why you did what you did. I'm truly sorry my uncle and his SoComm lackies did what they did, and made it so hard for you to love who you loved."
"You're not Anders" Stahl replied, studying the King, trying to parse out what he was getting at.
"And you're not anyone else from your family. You're you, and since defecting I think you're a good man. But I don't see what this has to do with the Marriage Equality Act."
"Because that night, the night of the Battle of Hadden, you asked me to be a King for everyone. Even for the people scared by the return of the monarchy."
"Tobias" Stahl replied.
"If you want to be that King, sign the law. I'm sorry if I'm being direct, but I'm unsure what else you expect me to say."
"I need you to know Caleb, that it's not that simple. 'Defender of the Faith.' That's the last of my titles. I'm tasked with being the protector and sovereign of the Laurenist Church in Prydania. I need to take that seriously."
Caleb's jaw tightened as he grit his teeth, beginning to fume as he adjusted himself in his chair. Still, he tried to keep himself calm.
"Is this why you invited me here? To tell me you weren't going to do it?"
"No I..."
"Or were you looking to ask for my permission?" Caleb snapped, interrupting the King. The room fell still. That wasn't something you were supposed to do, and Tobias looked...not taken aback, but certainly caught off guard.
"I'm not looking for your permission Caleb. I want your advice. Being a King for everyone is good but can I do that? I have responsibilities people expect from me."
"The Church doesn't like same sex marriage" Caleb said.
"No."
"So are you going to make it legal for people to stone gays in the streets?"
"Of course not!" Tobias replied, sounding horrified.
Caleb knew he was being overly dramatic but it was in service of a point, and he remained calm despite his exaggerated statement.
"But the Bible, which is the foundation of the church, says you should do that."
"That's not applicable though."
"Where's the line then? After all the older portions mention how you can trade a daughter for a herd of oryx."
"I've heard all of this before Caleb but...this is marriage. It's significant."
"You're right Tobias it is. That's why so many of us want it" Caleb replied motioning to the window. Tobias looked out, seeing the crowds gathered with rainbow flags and signs. They'd been there since the bill had passed just the previous day.
Tobias felt himself agreeing to the sentiment but he couldn't get over sense of duty.
"Caleb...what am I going to do?" he asked with a sigh.
"You should sign that bill" he replied bluntly.
"The Church is my responsibility thigh..."
"The Church" Stahl replied, "come on. That's the problem with this country. It's always a bloody struggle to get just a bit of progress."
"The Church was persecuted Caleb" Tobias replied angrily.
"Under the government you supported!"
"I supported" Stahl shook his head.
"Yes. The Syndicalists have a lot of blood on their hands, because they persecuted a lot of people. Yes, they hung reverends and priests in their own churches, Tobias. I saw it happen, and I had to try and live with knowing I was a part of it. But you need to realize that granting us..." he pointed to the widow again...."the rights everyone else enjoys isn't tantamount to that. At all. You have got to understand that."
Caleb's heart was racing now, his temper rising.
Tobias was leaning forward a bit into his desk, but breathed deep.
"I'm just trying to do right by everyone..."
"It's honourable...but the Church will do what it wants to do regardless of if you sign or not. At least give the rest of us an option."
Tobias thought for a moment. He'd made up his mind and acted before he could think himself out of it. He picked up the phone.
"Elo? Yes. Call Speaker Gade's office. Have them send over the Marriage Equality Bill. I'm ready to give it Royal ascent."
Spring Break Anthem by The Lonely Island, 2:21
"Brigadier Stahl is here, Your Majesty" Elo Daugaard said he entered the King's office.
"Thank you Elo" Tobias replied softly.
"Send him in."
The steward nodded and Tobias sat back in his chair, sighing. It was hard to meet with Stahl and not have it be awkward. He'd spent over a decade trying to kill him as a child. He'd had a sword fight with the man for Christ's sake.
Stahl had defected from the Syndicalist cause and had provided valuable intel that had contributed to the Royalist victory at Hadden, back in late 2015. Still...it was awkward. No way around that.
"Your Majesty" Stahl said with a slight bow, pulling Tobias out of his deep thoughts.
"Brigadier" Tobias replied with a smile, standing to shake his hand.
"Have a seat."
Awkwardness aside this was irregular. Tobias met with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition once a week to discuss policy. But to consult someone from outside the Alþingi on those matters? That wasn't "normal." Though what was normal these days anyway?
"Thank you for coming Caleb" the King said as they both sat.
Stahl smiled politely offering him a "my pleasure Your Majesty" in return.
There was more he wanted to say, of course. He knew why he was here. And that Tobias felt the need to ask him...but he calmed himself down. He'd have a chance to speak.
"Your Majesty" Stahl began.
"We both tried to stab each other" Tobias chuckled.
"Just 'Tobias' please. It's just the two of us."
Stahl nodded.
"Tobias. The Alþingi passed the Marriage Equality Act. I'm unsure what council I can give that the Prime Minister hasn't."
Tobias sighed again, remaining leaning back in his chair.
"Magnus doesn't..." he stopped himself. That wasn't the best way to say what he was going to say.
"When you defected" he continued, "you explained why you did what you did. Why you joined the Syndicalist movement."
"Tobias I..."
The King, however, continued.
"I just...please. Listen. I...I've gone over that conversation a million times. And..."
He had so much he wanted to say himself, but he stopped himself to collect his thoughts.
"It was hard for me, for a long time, to fully appreciate it. Whatever your reasons were, I had to watch my parents die. I had people I loved killed. I...I couldn't fully accept it, but I did. Later than I should have Caleb, but I understood why you did what you did. I'm truly sorry my uncle and his SoComm lackies did what they did, and made it so hard for you to love who you loved."
"You're not Anders" Stahl replied, studying the King, trying to parse out what he was getting at.
"And you're not anyone else from your family. You're you, and since defecting I think you're a good man. But I don't see what this has to do with the Marriage Equality Act."
"Because that night, the night of the Battle of Hadden, you asked me to be a King for everyone. Even for the people scared by the return of the monarchy."
"Tobias" Stahl replied.
"If you want to be that King, sign the law. I'm sorry if I'm being direct, but I'm unsure what else you expect me to say."
"I need you to know Caleb, that it's not that simple. 'Defender of the Faith.' That's the last of my titles. I'm tasked with being the protector and sovereign of the Laurenist Church in Prydania. I need to take that seriously."
Caleb's jaw tightened as he grit his teeth, beginning to fume as he adjusted himself in his chair. Still, he tried to keep himself calm.
"Is this why you invited me here? To tell me you weren't going to do it?"
"No I..."
"Or were you looking to ask for my permission?" Caleb snapped, interrupting the King. The room fell still. That wasn't something you were supposed to do, and Tobias looked...not taken aback, but certainly caught off guard.
"I'm not looking for your permission Caleb. I want your advice. Being a King for everyone is good but can I do that? I have responsibilities people expect from me."
"The Church doesn't like same sex marriage" Caleb said.
"No."
"So are you going to make it legal for people to stone gays in the streets?"
"Of course not!" Tobias replied, sounding horrified.
Caleb knew he was being overly dramatic but it was in service of a point, and he remained calm despite his exaggerated statement.
"But the Bible, which is the foundation of the church, says you should do that."
"That's not applicable though."
"Where's the line then? After all the older portions mention how you can trade a daughter for a herd of oryx."
"I've heard all of this before Caleb but...this is marriage. It's significant."
"You're right Tobias it is. That's why so many of us want it" Caleb replied motioning to the window. Tobias looked out, seeing the crowds gathered with rainbow flags and signs. They'd been there since the bill had passed just the previous day.
Tobias felt himself agreeing to the sentiment but he couldn't get over sense of duty.
"Caleb...what am I going to do?" he asked with a sigh.
"You should sign that bill" he replied bluntly.
"The Church is my responsibility thigh..."
"The Church" Stahl replied, "come on. That's the problem with this country. It's always a bloody struggle to get just a bit of progress."
"The Church was persecuted Caleb" Tobias replied angrily.
"Under the government you supported!"
"I supported" Stahl shook his head.
"Yes. The Syndicalists have a lot of blood on their hands, because they persecuted a lot of people. Yes, they hung reverends and priests in their own churches, Tobias. I saw it happen, and I had to try and live with knowing I was a part of it. But you need to realize that granting us..." he pointed to the widow again...."the rights everyone else enjoys isn't tantamount to that. At all. You have got to understand that."
Caleb's heart was racing now, his temper rising.
Tobias was leaning forward a bit into his desk, but breathed deep.
"I'm just trying to do right by everyone..."
"It's honourable...but the Church will do what it wants to do regardless of if you sign or not. At least give the rest of us an option."
Tobias thought for a moment. He'd made up his mind and acted before he could think himself out of it. He picked up the phone.
"Elo? Yes. Call Speaker Gade's office. Have them send over the Marriage Equality Bill. I'm ready to give it Royal ascent."
Spring Break Anthem by The Lonely Island, 2:21
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