[RETCONNED] Sagisag ng Bayan

XII год XIII эры урдуджа
31.2020.أغسطس
03.21
Muntog
Salurong, Makopa

High ceilings and an ornate fireplace. Tipolo Palace would have had typical staterooms like in the Northern World if its lesser staterooms didn't have wooden arches for ceilings and stone columns lining the walls. True to their roots, this relatively modern Gotic palace is reminiscent of traditional Makopan wooden brown palaces and temples. Instead of paintings and shiny swords, the walls were decorated by hazardous wooden sticks and gaunt mounted animal skulls since who-knows-when. If it was meant to disturb its occupants, it has certainly made Bunao feel unsanitary. At least for a former, antiseptic Minister with Special Responsibility for Industrial Harmony.

He doesn't know, really. He has neither studied palaces nor hunted in his life so he must be misinformed.

Thanks to all those strikes, his previous portfolio barely lasted six months as was promised before he was shipped off to effective retirement in a palace appointment. But who knew he'd end up here? Sitting in a grand armchair to wait for the Chancellor in the Private Audience Room as if he is the Kaladya herself.

On this particular day, Bunao felt on the contrary of his vice-regal position. Uneasiness loomed over sitting in this particular room all by himself, bearing a particular responsibility the young Kaladya and Her Late Majesty should be bearing primarily as per their birthright, bearing in mind the series of unfortunate events that put them all in their places. Alas...

Thus the Regency.

Finally, the two tall doors, fitting for a palatial stateroom, opened and ushered in Bunao's aide-de-camp in dress uniform. Behind him followed a familiar plumpness from a bespectacled middle-aged woman, whose ebony skin never failed to tear him apart between two questions of Lapu-Lapu and Astragonese origins.

"Ang Kanselor, Mahal na Resbiser." The aide saluted.

Nifa approached Bunao with that grin freshly plastered on her face. It was as unsteady as their handshake. Ashamed perhaps to come to him submissively in a lower rank?

They both waited until the aide left. Nifa practically threw herself on the other armchair, opposite to Bunao's, exhaling loudly in shameless relief.

"Gods... Who on Eras thought of building this monstrosity?"

"That, or you're getting fatter." Bunao smiled as he took his seat.

Almost everyday, he has gone back and forth in this place without losing so much of a breath. There's no doubt as to why she is feeling this way.

Nifa rolled her eyes, and it was surely not in common jest. She didn't return the smile.

"Getting fatter because of one-percent quarterly growth, radiation in The Inlands, the situation in Rio Verde, and, as a result, an unpopular government. During the day, they say I'm the greatest asset to the party since Makiling. At night, they think I'm a manananggal. Flying in the dark of the night to drain their popularity while they sleep."

"So you came here to resign?" Bunao teased.

That didn't make her smile either.

"I really want to. I really do... I want to disappear and never come back to Salurong. Go back home to North Dallicania. Spend my remaining years clean of...hopeless whips and uncompromising backbenchers. I've had enough of the endless moaning about coalition discipline. And for what? When it's not about them, it's about me. Then Lailani thinks I have a legacy to protect. The nerve of it! She's far up in Norsos playing pretend elder stateswoman... I- The party gave her the ambassadorship as a reward for her efforts, not for her non-existent achievements."

"You have to admit. She didn't resist party demands for her resignation. Give her some credit for that smooth transition."

Nifa narrowed her eyes with a steely gaze, as if challenging Sidapa, God of Death and Lord of the Underworld, who has just revealed himself right in front of her. "I'll give no such thing to a woman who thought she was the answer to everything. She can freeze herself in Craviter for all I care. She doesn't deserve an atom of sympathy from me. I'm the one who's suffering from her failures!"

Why should she feel any better? Alwablah has been all over her back these past few months and his fellow vultures aren't going to ignore the easy pickings this time. It's a mess her recent foreign policy made. No Makopan salvation for Rio Verde, Das Republik couldn't have put it more emotional than what the masses already feel about the situation.

"How are the negotiations? These students can't just protest their entire semesters."

"Apparently, they can." Nifa sighed. "And they will. Young adults are teenagers in transition to adulthood. Teenagers nonetheless. Think they can rule the world."

"What do they want anyway? It's not like you can actually deliver most of their demands. I've watched them in the news and it's all ridiculous."

"Abolition of the Bangsagarde, increased spending on basic social services, and to lead a worldwide condemnation of Astragon..."

"There's more. It's a list of demands." Bunao said, emphasizing on the word list.

Nifa waved it off. "The list is ridiculous, as you said. If you really watched them say it, then there's no real need for me to repeat it."

"Aww. I wanted another round of laughter with someone to share it."

The protests were far worse than the strikes, which may have involved millions of dead ants whenever they marched throughout municipal parks...apart from the multiple cases of public disturbance. It's the cost of decades of getting in and out of Makopan neutrality like an uncertain newly-wed who lost his confidence at the honeymoon...before realizing he entered the wrong bedroom. It won't be long before someone grabs Nifa by the pu-

"Today's the anniversary..." Nifa asked, her trained eyes gave a cautious look. "How's Her Majesty feeling?"

Oh. That.

"She's fine... In fact, she's happy."

"Good! Glad she has been able to move on in such an impressionable young age. I can say she has quickly matured just in time for the inauguration."

"Yes..."

Not quite. Too eager, almost dramatic, to even think it.

"One could consider, perhaps, it's just that a decade already passed?" Bunao scratched behind his ear.

"Still. For a young girl to lose her mother in a way...no family should ever experience. Pity, things never actually worked between her and the Dowager Prince."

To be fair... Bunao breathed in a full lung to prepare. "All things considered, judging Her Late Majesty's...character. I think no one would have been able to work it out even if they tried. They all tried. We all tried. Nothing worked. Nothing we can do about it...anymore. Now, we have a new Kaladya and that's the first agenda we have to discuss."

The young monarch has just moved into her college dorm. Who wouldn't be happy to get out of their parent's home/palace? She insisted doing it all by herself, convinced being incognito is enough protection. It ended up...surprisingly satisfactory. Apparently, not a lot of people recognized her and those who had barely identified her. All thinking she was a new actress or model. It seems like keeping her away from official appearances throughout her teenage life paid off. As she begins her transition to public life, albeit in a more personal capacity.

That and the ridiculous disguises...

It gives the government more time and flexibility.

"Her private secretary called this morning. Everything went smoothly over at PMA yesterday."

"Yeah. So I've been told." Nife gritted her teeth. "It's going to be a nightmare if this isn't handled properly. Both of us will be held accountable."

Sooner or later, people will realize. The words sooner and later supposedly denotes a time at some point in the future.

Hopefully, the long future.

"That's why we have to postpone her inauguration up until she finishes her studies."