10 April 2020 at 20h34
King’s Office
Château Montoursy
Montival, DC
Pointarmé
He just stood there, staring out the window. King Nicolas I had been crowned seven years ago but had never before faced an issue as horrific as this. He felt more comfortable watching the stars flicker with life in the sky outside than thinking about the act that would make April 10th live in infamy for the remainder of Pointarmé’s history.
The King turned around to face a roomful of advisers, royal officers, his Kingsguard, and his privy councilors; the color obviously drained from his face. “You’re sure this wasn’t a suicide or some random murder?”, he asked already knowing the answer to the question he posed.
“Absolutely, Your Majesty”, said an unknown man in a sea of royal officers. “The Speaker of the Pointarmé House of Delegates, Lady Bisset-Cardin, has been assassinated”.
King Nicolas sat down with his hand rubbing his forehead. If he didn’t have any wrinkles before, he surely wouldn’t come out of this event unscathed; he was considered a young King at the age of thirty-four. He felt like he had grown leaps and bounds from who he was on the day of his Coronation at age twenty-seven, but, today, he wished he could ask his father, King Jean II, for some advice. Any advice. “And you’re completely certain the CAR is to blame for her death?”, he asked quietly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The Citizens for Armed Revolution with their leader, Michael Guilbert, stapled one of their propaganda-filled ramblings to her blouse”, said Julien, King Nicolas’ most trusted adviser, as he slid a tablet containing pictures of Lady Bisset-Cardin’s murder scene across the King’s desk.
Swiping through the pictures, the King’s expression changed from one of absolute disgust, to one of absolute fury. King Nicolas had worked closely with the Speaker many times drafting civil rights bills, constitutional amendments, and other bills destined for Royal ascension. He and the Speaker had many of the same political beliefs and often had endless conversations on the merits of certain civil, political, and constitutional rights; she had been one of his most trusted mentors and friends for as long as he could remember.
Lady Bisset-Cardin had served as Speaker in the House of Delegates since 2009 having been first elected to the House in 2001; she was the first woman elected Speaker in over forty years, and someone of her caliber could never be replaced. Now, the House would have to find another great leader to see them through this difficult time.
“Okay. I'm going to draft a Royal Proclamation tonight, and I want you to alert the entire press corps. Tell them to be here at 08h00 for a reading of the Proclamation and a statement from their King.”, Nicolas said, trying to remain calm while motioning at Julien. He stood up from his leather chair quickly, thrusting the chair into the windowsill behind him.
“What will the proclamation contain, Your Majesty?”, Julien asked confused. “I’m sorry, but it will be hard to rouse the press without some detail of what they should expect”.
“I’m tired of treating these traitors like children breaking a window.” the King said with anger in his voice. “Tell them this proclamation will contain significant changes to the law of treason, and how it’s investigated and prosecuted”. He turned to the remainder of the room, “Feel free to use my office for as long as you need to, ladies and gentlemen”. Taking a moment to button his double-breasted suit jacket and regain his composure before briskly exiting the room with his Kingsguard slamming the door behind them. If the CAR wanted to play with fire, King Nicolas would not back down to the challenge.
11 April 2020 at 02h14
King’s Private Residence
Château Montoursy
Montival, DC
Pointarmé
Having finished drafting Royal Proclamation 2020-137, the King’s laptop was partially closed, laying on his beautifully handcrafted mahogany side table in such a way that you could hardly see the half-consumed bottle of bourbon sitting adjacent. The King stared into his glass as he swirled it. He watched it climb up the crystal as if trying to escape as he swirled faster and faster. “Am I going too far?”, he asked, still swirling his glass. “Is the proclamation going to be slaughtered by Congress as soon as they get their hands on it?”
“If they’re human, I believe they’ll understand your emotions. And, I believe many in Congress will be feeling exactly the same way you’re feeling right now. At least, without the bourbon on their breath. Some of them.”, said the portly man sitting across from the King with a laugh while setting down a draft of the proclamation. Prince Matthieu, Nicolas’ uncle, would have made a great King as well, but he was more interested in other things. Things much more entertaining and distant from Pointarmé. “If anything, I don’t believe that two-thirds of the Delegates or Senators will disagree with you’.
“My father always thought that “ruling with emotion” was the quickest way a King could lose his subjects, his country, and his head, but I’m not sure there is any way around it this time.”, the King said with a small chuckle; he took another sip. “At least, this time, we might have an actual chance at catching Guilbert and his band of psychopathic sycophants.”
“Ruling with emotion is oftentimes dangerous, it’s true, but letting these psychopaths run among your subjects with impunity is also dangerous.”, his uncle said seriously. “Is there any way you could catch the assassin, catch Guilbert, without making the specific changes you’ve made? Any way possible?”.
“Honestly? I’m not sure.”, the King said frankly. “But, his group has escaped prosecution at least a dozen times previously. The Royal Police have tried and failed to prosecute the murders of normal citizens, professors, and members of their own damn agency. I cannot allow this to continue. I mean, who’s next? The Senate Majority Leader? Members of my Privy Council?”, he said quite loudly and took another sip of bourbon.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing. I’m not sure if that gives you hope or despair, but there it is”, Matthieu said, finishing his drink.
“It gave me as much hope as it could. Too bad you’re not a member of the press.”, Nicolas said with a chuckle. “Thank you, Matthieu. Thank you for listening and thank you for the advice.”.
“Well, Your Highness, I think it’s time I left, and it’s time for you to sleep. I trust you haven’t forgotten your 8h00 appointment with the press. They only like when a sober King changes their rules of law.”, Matthieu said as he stood up and buttoned his jacket.
“Feel free to sleep on the couch, it is quite comfortable.”, Nicolas said while successfully getting to his feet.
“Oh no, no. I have a hard mattress and a sleeping wife to get back to.” he said, walking towards the door leading to the other sections of Château Montoursy. “Have I ever told you to wait to get married?’.
“You may have mentioned it. Once or twice.”, the King said, patting his uncle on the back. “Goodnight, uncle’.
“Goodnight, my King.”, he said with a comedic bow. “Good luck with the press tomorrow. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”
“So do I.”, the King said to himself more than to his uncle. “So do I”.
Nicolas closed the door and turned to the room. He stood there for a moment, scanning the room and whispering, “It sure is true what they say, King’s do make their biggest decisions alone”.
He moved across the room to turn off the lights. Waiting for a moment in total darkness for his eyes to acclimate, he walked up the stairs to his bedroom. He knew that he was destined for a night of sleeplessness, but it was imperative he try. The King laid down and closed his eyes; the pictures of the Speaker’s murder scene flickered in his brain like a morbid movie he would decline to watch. “I will do everything in my power to take them down. I promise, Madame Speaker”, he said quietly. “I promise”.
King’s Office
Château Montoursy
Montival, DC
Pointarmé
He just stood there, staring out the window. King Nicolas I had been crowned seven years ago but had never before faced an issue as horrific as this. He felt more comfortable watching the stars flicker with life in the sky outside than thinking about the act that would make April 10th live in infamy for the remainder of Pointarmé’s history.
The King turned around to face a roomful of advisers, royal officers, his Kingsguard, and his privy councilors; the color obviously drained from his face. “You’re sure this wasn’t a suicide or some random murder?”, he asked already knowing the answer to the question he posed.
“Absolutely, Your Majesty”, said an unknown man in a sea of royal officers. “The Speaker of the Pointarmé House of Delegates, Lady Bisset-Cardin, has been assassinated”.
King Nicolas sat down with his hand rubbing his forehead. If he didn’t have any wrinkles before, he surely wouldn’t come out of this event unscathed; he was considered a young King at the age of thirty-four. He felt like he had grown leaps and bounds from who he was on the day of his Coronation at age twenty-seven, but, today, he wished he could ask his father, King Jean II, for some advice. Any advice. “And you’re completely certain the CAR is to blame for her death?”, he asked quietly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The Citizens for Armed Revolution with their leader, Michael Guilbert, stapled one of their propaganda-filled ramblings to her blouse”, said Julien, King Nicolas’ most trusted adviser, as he slid a tablet containing pictures of Lady Bisset-Cardin’s murder scene across the King’s desk.
Swiping through the pictures, the King’s expression changed from one of absolute disgust, to one of absolute fury. King Nicolas had worked closely with the Speaker many times drafting civil rights bills, constitutional amendments, and other bills destined for Royal ascension. He and the Speaker had many of the same political beliefs and often had endless conversations on the merits of certain civil, political, and constitutional rights; she had been one of his most trusted mentors and friends for as long as he could remember.
Lady Bisset-Cardin had served as Speaker in the House of Delegates since 2009 having been first elected to the House in 2001; she was the first woman elected Speaker in over forty years, and someone of her caliber could never be replaced. Now, the House would have to find another great leader to see them through this difficult time.
“Okay. I'm going to draft a Royal Proclamation tonight, and I want you to alert the entire press corps. Tell them to be here at 08h00 for a reading of the Proclamation and a statement from their King.”, Nicolas said, trying to remain calm while motioning at Julien. He stood up from his leather chair quickly, thrusting the chair into the windowsill behind him.
“What will the proclamation contain, Your Majesty?”, Julien asked confused. “I’m sorry, but it will be hard to rouse the press without some detail of what they should expect”.
“I’m tired of treating these traitors like children breaking a window.” the King said with anger in his voice. “Tell them this proclamation will contain significant changes to the law of treason, and how it’s investigated and prosecuted”. He turned to the remainder of the room, “Feel free to use my office for as long as you need to, ladies and gentlemen”. Taking a moment to button his double-breasted suit jacket and regain his composure before briskly exiting the room with his Kingsguard slamming the door behind them. If the CAR wanted to play with fire, King Nicolas would not back down to the challenge.
11 April 2020 at 02h14
King’s Private Residence
Château Montoursy
Montival, DC
Pointarmé
Having finished drafting Royal Proclamation 2020-137, the King’s laptop was partially closed, laying on his beautifully handcrafted mahogany side table in such a way that you could hardly see the half-consumed bottle of bourbon sitting adjacent. The King stared into his glass as he swirled it. He watched it climb up the crystal as if trying to escape as he swirled faster and faster. “Am I going too far?”, he asked, still swirling his glass. “Is the proclamation going to be slaughtered by Congress as soon as they get their hands on it?”
“If they’re human, I believe they’ll understand your emotions. And, I believe many in Congress will be feeling exactly the same way you’re feeling right now. At least, without the bourbon on their breath. Some of them.”, said the portly man sitting across from the King with a laugh while setting down a draft of the proclamation. Prince Matthieu, Nicolas’ uncle, would have made a great King as well, but he was more interested in other things. Things much more entertaining and distant from Pointarmé. “If anything, I don’t believe that two-thirds of the Delegates or Senators will disagree with you’.
“My father always thought that “ruling with emotion” was the quickest way a King could lose his subjects, his country, and his head, but I’m not sure there is any way around it this time.”, the King said with a small chuckle; he took another sip. “At least, this time, we might have an actual chance at catching Guilbert and his band of psychopathic sycophants.”
“Ruling with emotion is oftentimes dangerous, it’s true, but letting these psychopaths run among your subjects with impunity is also dangerous.”, his uncle said seriously. “Is there any way you could catch the assassin, catch Guilbert, without making the specific changes you’ve made? Any way possible?”.
“Honestly? I’m not sure.”, the King said frankly. “But, his group has escaped prosecution at least a dozen times previously. The Royal Police have tried and failed to prosecute the murders of normal citizens, professors, and members of their own damn agency. I cannot allow this to continue. I mean, who’s next? The Senate Majority Leader? Members of my Privy Council?”, he said quite loudly and took another sip of bourbon.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing. I’m not sure if that gives you hope or despair, but there it is”, Matthieu said, finishing his drink.
“It gave me as much hope as it could. Too bad you’re not a member of the press.”, Nicolas said with a chuckle. “Thank you, Matthieu. Thank you for listening and thank you for the advice.”.
“Well, Your Highness, I think it’s time I left, and it’s time for you to sleep. I trust you haven’t forgotten your 8h00 appointment with the press. They only like when a sober King changes their rules of law.”, Matthieu said as he stood up and buttoned his jacket.
“Feel free to sleep on the couch, it is quite comfortable.”, Nicolas said while successfully getting to his feet.
“Oh no, no. I have a hard mattress and a sleeping wife to get back to.” he said, walking towards the door leading to the other sections of Château Montoursy. “Have I ever told you to wait to get married?’.
“You may have mentioned it. Once or twice.”, the King said, patting his uncle on the back. “Goodnight, uncle’.
“Goodnight, my King.”, he said with a comedic bow. “Good luck with the press tomorrow. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”
“So do I.”, the King said to himself more than to his uncle. “So do I”.
Nicolas closed the door and turned to the room. He stood there for a moment, scanning the room and whispering, “It sure is true what they say, King’s do make their biggest decisions alone”.
He moved across the room to turn off the lights. Waiting for a moment in total darkness for his eyes to acclimate, he walked up the stairs to his bedroom. He knew that he was destined for a night of sleeplessness, but it was imperative he try. The King laid down and closed his eyes; the pictures of the Speaker’s murder scene flickered in his brain like a morbid movie he would decline to watch. “I will do everything in my power to take them down. I promise, Madame Speaker”, he said quietly. “I promise”.