Chapter
5 – Open-Mindedness and Willful Ignorance
By the time Bane and Andreas arrive
in the capital of Honestus, it’s been a few days since the civil war started and
their guards have since led many assassins away from them. The capital itself
is unlike other kingdoms in that it takes sides by splitting the capital as
both sides try to work harder and better than the others with few fights
happening as people are busy producing the goods that they sell to all kingdoms
to get their continued support. Dissimilar from other capitals, this one is comprised
of small towns that focus on several fields of work knowledge instead of one
large city. Some goods are no longer sold to one group while another may obtain
more goods than before now that their side has more support. This is one of the
many things that cause fights to erupt in the capital. Bane and Andreas are
praised by most of the population with Andreas, in particular, getting the most praise.
“They sure do love you here,” Bane
says.
“Commonfolk understand each other. Both
Virtus and Honestus were slave workers to the other kingdoms so we were the
closest allies because of it,” Andreas explains.
“It’s a genius move really what your
brother did. Take away their food and labor and the other kingdoms will have to
listen to your demands.”
“Are you actually complimenting my brother?”
“Just that one move of his. Using
violence and force is the stupidest thing that he did that ruined everything.”
“Oh, and here I thought we were
about to understand each other better.”
“We will in due time.” Bane can
hear the sound of a familiar voice in the distance that people are going to. “Driver,
get to where the crowd is heading!”
When they get to where the crowd is
gathering, Bane’s suspicions are proven true. He sees his brother guarded by his
soldiers as he tries to convince the people of Honestus to join him.
“Brother!” Bane says as Andreas and
he approaches his brother.
“There you are, traitor! I see that
you’ve also brought our father’s killer with you too. I knew it was a mistake
that you became king as soon as you started putting in your new policies,” Bane’s
brother says.
“You are the one who’s mistaken.
Look at what you’ve done. You’ve been splitting kingdoms and families in two
because of your hatred for Virtus. I came here to enlist the help of the people
of Honestus, but since you are here, I’ll have to bring you to justice here and
now.”
“Bring me to justice? For what?”
“For the crimes of; attempted framing
of another for your crime, the attempted assassination of me, and willful ignorance.
You’ll be lucky to spend the rest of your days in jail for willful ignorance, which
is universally the worst crime of all in this land.”
“You’ll have to kill me to bring me
in.”
“If that’s how you want to do this…then
so be it,” Bane says as he hesitates to take out his sword before Andreas stops
him. “What is it?”
“I’ll fight your brother. Family should
not be fighting each other to the death.”
“That may be a belief in your
kingdom, but it’s not one in mine.”
“I can tell that you don’t want to
do this.”
“…fine.”
“Thank you. Can I borrow your shield
cape?”
Bane hands Andreas his shield cape.
Andreas then approaches Bane’s
brother with his sword drawn as he says, “I will fight you instead.”
“Good. I prefer this actually so I
can avenge my father and do what my younger brother was supposed to do.”
The two clash swords and the fight
goes similarly to how the fight between Bane and Andreas went, however, with
the aid of Bane’s cape shield the odds are in his favor even as Bane’s brother
extends his sword to be more like a spear. Eventually, the fight comes to a quick
close as Andreas deflects Bane’s brother's attacks to catch him off guard before
stabbing him in the chest. With Bane’s cape, Andreas tries to hide the sight of
Bane’s brother’s body. The surrounding crowd cheers for Andreas’ victory with
some disagreeing and starting fights.
“It’s done,” Andreas says.
“Thank you. I guess this makes us
even then,” Bane slightly jokes as he tries to hide his sadness.
Bane then sees the fights in the
crowd and gets their attention.
He says, “This is the price of
ignorance and assumptions so we shouldn’t be clapping or fighting. Ignorance
and assumptions can fill us with hatred and makes us turn on those we love. My
father was a man who built bridges to understand his enemies and gave his life
for this purpose. Though being able to completely understand and not make assumptions
about others sounds like a fantasy, we will make it a reality. Already King
Andreas and I are working together, despite the fact that our loved ones killed
one another. So, will you stand with us to make a better tomorrow?”
The crowd takes a second to think
about it before they cheer for the kings. Word of what happened spreads quickly
through all the kingdoms. Bane’s family disowns him and goes into the far reaches
of the world away from the other kingdoms as they gather their allies who agree
with them to live in their own echo chamber. Meanwhile, Virtus is finally able
to be taken seriously by the other kingdoms as they all have talks to foster
love and understanding. Though Bane has his methods that might seem rash, unwise,
or even deluded, he achieves what most people say to be the unthinkable just
like his father.
The End
Chapter
4 – Royalty and Rogues
Bane and Andreas come to the
kingdom of Regium after two days of travel.
With the capital of the kingdom in
sight, Bane says, “Try not to make this look stranger than it already does.”
“How can I not?” Andreas legitimately
asks.
Bane’s fairytale prince looks with
his golden hair and deep blue eyes contrast Andreas brooding appearance with his
dark long hair and beard. Both appear to be so different that it’s as they were
from different stories and this contrast strikes the citizens of Regium who see
both of them in their carriage as some citizens become worried and question why
the two are riding together. Those in the kingdom who are used to being friendly
with their political enemies accept this and think as positively as they can as
they continue celebrating the arrival of Bane with music. At the castle, Bane and
Andreas are met by the council high ranking royalty in the kingdom with most of
them talking to each other and only one of them silently thinking about what he
should do.
“Uncle,” Bane says as he knees and
bows.
Bane hits Andreas’ arm so that he
bows similarly to show respect. This brings a smile to his uncle’s face.
“It’s good to see where your loyalties
lie. Do you see this? My nephew is still with us.”
“Uncle, I must bring an urgent manner
to your attention.”
“Besides the fact that you’ve tamed
this wild beast?”
Bane sees that Andreas is aggravated
and touches his shoulder to calm him down before saying, “An assassin almost
took my life and we managed to make them confess that they came from here,
despite saying at first that they were from Virtus.”
“What method did you use to make
the assassin confess? Was it the black rose?”
“It was.”
“That flower can make people tell
the truth, but it also makes them act drunk, so they may lie like a drunk. Let’s
talk more about this manner in private.”
Bane, his uncle, Andreas, and the
council go to a courtroom where people from the outside are staring at them
from.
“Is all this attention really
necessary, uncle? I thought you said that it would be private?” Bane says.
“This is private. The crowd nor the
council behind me can intervene in our discussion. Unlike the politics of other
kingdoms, we are very transparent in our affairs. The criticism we get is one
of the reasons why we are the kingdom where the knowledge of business and statecraft
shines the brightest.”
“It’s also one of the reasons how
father was able to build his own kingdom.”
“Scitus…my brother loved fantasy
and fairy tales so much that I thought that he’d never amount to anything when
he said that he would build his own kingdom that cherished all forms of knowledge
and save the world. Now, I think that he was more realistic than I was, but
what isn’t realistic is the idea that someone from this kingdom would try to
frame Virtus for an attempted assassination on your life. As you can see, we
are completely transparent even in matters such as this.”
Bane and Andreas look outside to
see this is true as people talk to one another and send out people to confirm
the claim of the attempted assassination.
“You can trust me on this, uncle. I
wouldn’t have come here with this claim otherwise.”
“Why did you bring that animal of a
man with you then?”
“This animal can speak for himself,”
Andreas says.
“Andreas!”
“No, let the animal speak.”
“I came here to know why my kingdom
was being framed for an attempted assassination after being humbled by defeat
and my attempts to redeem our name.”
“You will find nothing here. What redemption
is there for your kingdom other than letting your people live lives of penance?
Your kingdom has always been a savage one for its reliance on the knowledge of
battle and violence.”
“My kingdom has also been known for
honor, transparency, and strength. We have been the slaves and soldiers for all
kingdoms in an attempt to show our worth.”
“Tell me, how did it start, uncle,”
Bane interjects, “Did Virtus start as slaves to other kingdoms or as a kingdom
of domination and violence?”
“I would say that they started as
savages, but to be fair, that knowledge is unfortunately lost to time.”
“Why make an assumption then about
them?”
“Because of the way they act, their
punishment, and their past deeds speak for themselves. Your father too said to
not assume anything about them. It’s why he included some of their people in your
kingdom and tried to change their minds.”
“I have made assumptions about the
other kingdoms as well,” Andreas says, “But I am trying to move beyond them by
working with other kings such as King Bane whose father was my brother’s killer
and who brought my kingdom right back down to where it was before. Making
assumptions about other people is what my brother did and you are no different
than him if you do the same.”
“How dare you compare the ruler of
kings to a tyrant!” a queen from behind Bane’s uncle says as the rest of the
room becomes rowdy.
Bane then says as loud as he can, “You’re
proving his point!” This silences the council as Bane’s uncle attentively
listens to his nephew, “The only reason my father managed to overthrow the
tyrant was by understanding other fields of knowledge and bringing everyone together
to stand up against him. Even though King Andreas and I hardly understand each
other’s ways, we are willing to put aside our differences so that both our
people can prosper. Shouldn’t you do the same? Isn’t knowledge, isn’t the truth
the most valuable thing we cherish?”
“It is,” Bane’s uncle responds confidently
and proud of his nephew’s boldness.
“Then act like it. Help me find the
people who tried to frame Virtus for an assassination attempt on my life and
together we can all gain greater knowledge and understanding together.
The room is silent before Bane’s
uncle claps for him along with the rest of the council.
“I agree to help you. Your father
would be proud of you,” Bane’s uncle says with a smile.
The council then plans what to do with
many in the council begrudgingly working with Andreas. Some arguments break out
because he gives them advice and suggestions. After one particular argument
that lasts longer than the last, Bane’s uncle notices that two of the council
are missing. His question of their location is quickly answered as a group of kings
and queens enters the courtroom with their servants with them and the two
missing council members among them.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
Bane’s uncle says.
“You have lost your way and become
blinded by your familial bonds, King Callidus. Arrest that dog of a king or
have him killed on the spot. This is your chance to avenge your brother,” one
of the royalty demands.
“Are you the people who planned the
assassination of my nephew?! Lie, and your lives are forfeit and your families
disgraced for generations.”
“What is the harm in doing no harm
in a fake assassination attempt especially when they’re coming from orders from
our wise superiors?”
“I did not order you to do this!”
“No, but his brother did along with
the other members of his family and the council.”
“What?!” both Bane and Callidus
say.
“It’s true,” another royal confirms.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on you through
our spies,” yet another says, “You did give him some power over your kingdom
and he wisely used it.”
“Stand down! All of you! This will
not solve any of our problems!” Callidus commands.
“If you’re on the side of your brother’s
killer, then we don’t take orders from you. Take their heads!”
The royals approach them with weapons
along with their servants. Bane and Callidus draw their weapons, but Andreas
steps forward without one.
He says, “Do you really think that
you are different than my brother who you call a tyrant? You use subterfuge and
violence to force your way onto others just as he did, and there is also you
who are from Virtus. Would you turn against your home just because you’re
accepted by these people who turn against each other? You are nothing more than
traitorous fools, but you can be redeemed if you fight with us.”
Andreas’ speech rallies some of the
royalty and servants to his side as they turn against each other. Word of what
is going on spreads like wildfire through the capital and even beyond as messengers
are sent to other kingdoms to inform the others of what is happening. Sides are
taken, arguments are had, and blood is shed as a small civil war happens within
the kingdom.
“I didn’t know that you could make
your brother sound so bad without saying anything bad about him,” Bane points
out.
“I knew comparing them to him would
get under their skin especially since it’s true, and no, I wasn’t trying to
make him sound bad,” Andreas says.
“What do we do now, uncle?”
“We should rally our forces and try
to stop as much violence as possible by setting up debates.”
“I have allies in all kingdoms, but
I haven’t visited the worker’s kingdom, Honestus.”
“Then you should go there this instant
while I rally my supporters here.”
“I have many friends in Honestus,”
Andreas mentions, “They’ll definitely join our side when they see us working together.”
“That doesn’t surprise me since
they were integral in your brother’s plan in starting his war just like how Astutia
was integral to ours, but I digress. Bane, if you happen to see your brother again,
try your best to change his mind.”
“I will, uncle.”
Bane and Andreas are transported by Bane’s and Callidus’ guards out of the capital and to the kingdom of Honestus where Bane’s brother just happens to be going at the same time.
Chapter
3 – Wisdom in Strength
Bane makes it to the kingdom of Virtus
after a few days of traveling and resting. He isn’t met by a party when he gets
there like in Astutia. Instead, he is met by a crowd of people who bow to him
as he passes by before continuing on with their daily lives. Inside the main
castle, he is met with much of the same until he meets with the king of the
kingdom who is heavily guarded by his most elite guards who cover every side of
the room.
“King Andreas,” Bane says with a
little bow. He is responded with silence by the king who stands up, walks to
him, and quietly stares at him in an intimidating manner. “In my kingdom and
many others, bowing to each other is the proper response to a greeting
especially the greeting of a king.”
“We bow to those whose power we recognize,”
a guard says.
“Then should I take away more land
from you and villainize your people in the history books and fictional stories?
Because I can and there’s no sword or fire that you can use to destroy that.”
The guard snarls in response before
Andreas raises his hand to tell him to stand down.
“My apologies, King Bane. I was
just testing you to see if you would be fearful of me as most others from outside
this kingdom are.”
“What reason would I have to be
afraid of you when the deck is stacked so against you?”
“My brother, King Alexander, is one
reason. He is the reason why your father is dead after all.”
“No one even speaks his name. He
will be another hated name in the history books and a villain in storybooks if
it isn’t one already.”
“Then let us do battle for the sake
of my brother’s name,” Andreas says as he takes off his robes and draws his ax.
“As if it’s worth anything.”
Enraged by Bane’s words, Andreas ferociously
attacks him, but in a way that isn’t uncontrollable. In fact, Andreas uses his
anger to strike harder and as a motivator to fight better. Bane then uses his
cape that is actually a steal shield to get the best of Andreas and knocks the ax
out of his hand. The battle ends as Bane puts his sword against Andreas’
throat.
“If it weren’t for those tricky tools
that your kingdom has, then my brother would’ve won against your father.”
“Shut up about your brother for
once. He already sullied his name and no one but you and those in your kingdom
will view him with a modicum of respect. Worry more about your own reputation
and the legacy that you’ll leave if you want me to stop taking land away from
you.”
“Fine.”
Bane pushes him to the ground and
turns to walk away from him.
“Then let’s negotiate. If we are
going to work together, you have to give me a reason to trust you.”
Andreas dusts himself off, scoffs,
then walks with Bane while both groups of their guards follow them.
“I can give you tips on how to
train your army or even lend you some of my instructors. Your kingdom may work
well in producing propaganda and creative tools, but it lacks pure strength.”
“I wouldn’t call our arts propaganda.”
“You put hard to find messages in
your stories, art, entertainment, and even history that paints a certain view
of history while denying another view. What else would you call it?”
“Testing my people’s ability to
recognize what I’m saying. It’s a way to strengthen their minds while
separating the good from the lazy.”
“It’s like the tests of strength that
we have here. So, our ways of thinking aren’t too different from one another
then, are they?”
“You use methods that cause
physical harm and are out in the open while mine barely scratches people and
can be done from any distance. Mine is more effective.”
“But you don’t deny that we aren’t
that different.”
“Listen, I came here to give you a
chance to redeem your kingdom. Are you going to take it or not?”
“I’ll take it.”
“Good.”
Bane and Andreas talk to each other
for a bit in a meeting room and agree to have Andreas send instructors to train
his army in both tactics and how to become stronger. In return, Bane will give
back the land Virtus had and cease the villainization of their kingdom and people,
but King Alexander, the tyrant, will have to be remembered as a villain since
the wounds that he cut are still fresh in the minds of every kingdom. To the
surprise of Andreas and his people, the meeting went better than they expected
and throw a dinner for Bane for his generosity, and to the even greater
surprise of the kingdom, Bane sits next to Andreas to show that there is no
harsh feelings between either of them. After the dinner ends, Bane surveys the
capital of Virtus with all of its gothic architecture and wonders how he can
incorporate it into his own kingdom.
“It may not look as welcoming as Astutia,
but you cannot say that it isn’t beautiful in its own way,” Andreas says.
“I agree. Though you may deny it,
your kingdom values knowledge of the arts more than you think.”
“How so?”
“The intimidating look of it all is
important, no?”
“It was always something in the
back of my mind that I knew was important and I knew why it was important, but I
never gave it any more thought than that.”
“Well, now you know.”
“I just wished that we knew about
it sooner so we could’ve combated Astutia’s arts instead of letting it be our
greatest threat. Do you know that our kingdom in the same situation that gave
rise to my brother?”
“I do. Virtus was the lowest of all
kingdoms. Her soldiers were enlisted by every kingdom and even though they didn’t
want to involve themselves in the conflicts between the kingdoms, you had to
pay your debts and feed your people in some way.”
“My people were essentially slaves
and my brother used the only weapon we had against the other kingdoms so that
we could be taken seriously rather than be viewed as savages.”
“I still think you made the wrong decision.”
“Then what do you suggest that we
should’ve done when generations of our people were used by the kingdoms of
others with little to no improvements in the way we lived and how we were
viewed?”
“I suggest that you follow my lead
and do as I say.”
“I’m only doing that right now because
no reasonable choice seems present to me. It’s either I do as you say or
attempt to be like my brother and give the other kingdoms a reason to slaughter
us to the last man.”
“It won’t come to that if you
listen to me. Trust me when I say that things will change soon enough.”
Andreas sees someone on the edge of
the roof and is about to react to them, however, he is stopped by their
mannerism. Bane looks at Andreas’s expression and looks to where he is looking
and is almost hit in the head by a dagger. The assassin then leaps from the
room and attempts to escape while Andreas calls for the guards to capture the
assassin. Bane rushes after the assassin by climbing down the castle and later
ends up catching him by landing on him. The guards then take the assassin into
custody for questioning. Bane and Andreas speak to one another near the
interrogation room.
“Why were you just staring at him? Were
you trying to make him fearful of you just like before when we fought?” Bane
asks.
“No, I was about to react and push
you out of the way, but it seemed like the assassin was waiting for you to notice
him,” Andreas says.
“That’s absurd. He was probably
just listening to us.”
“If he was, then he wouldn’t hide
in a spot that didn’t hide him too well.”
“Why would he want that?”
“His weapons, armor, and reason for
attempting to assassinate you suggest that he wants me to rule like my brother
did.”
“That’s not surprising for a motive
for a person coming from this place. I had a feeling this would happen.”
“He is not representative of what
all of Virtus want! At the very least, he’s an extremist, or at worst he’s…”
“He’s what?”
“Perhaps we were set up. Maybe this
man is an assassin from a different kingdom who faked an assassination attempt
on your life so that you’d have a reason to hate us.”
“You people aren’t that creative.
Who would possibly want me to…Let us speak to the assassin.”
Andreas approaches the assassin and
stabs a black rose in his leg. The assassin screams and sways back and forth as
if he were woozy.
“Tell us who sent you to
assassinate, King Bane,” Andreas says.
“I…uh…I don’t speak to trash like
you…I came on a quest from a land of kings and queens…”
“A land of kings and queens. I think
he means Regium, where your father was originally from. We have our suspect.”
Andreas squeezes the peddle of the
black rose to release a liquid from it that makes the assassin pass out.
“What is that flower?”
“We call it the black rose of
truth. These are grown only around our capital. They release a painful toxin
that makes its victims drunk and more willing to cooperate while its peddles
contain the cure for its toxin. You have your tricks in battle and we have our
tricks in interrogation.
“Why don’t you use it again so we
can get more information?”
“Unfortunately, it can only be used
for a short while, or else the toxin will kill its victim even if you used the
cure. Trust me. We’ve tried. I’m surprised that it wasn’t part of the stories
told about us.”
“I’ve heard about your
interrogation methods but didn’t know that you used these black roses. I’ll
head off to Regium immediately to see what the meaning of this is.”
“I will go with you. This assassin
was saying that he was from our kingdom when he was really from another. I must
know why we were being set up and bring justice to those who would make us look
like irredeemable villains when I am trying to make my home a place respected
by all kingdoms.”
“Fine, but don’t stare at people
before acting.”
“Understood.”
“And you can’t bring your guards
with you. They might think that we’re working together to take over the kingdoms
together.”
“Even though that sounds ridiculous
to me, I understand.”
Andreas convinces his guards that
they can’t come with him and quietly leaves his most trusted friends and family
in charge while he goes to the kingdom of Regium with Bane. They ride in the
same carriage together and don’t say anything to each other as they travel to
figure out this mystery behind the attempted assassination and framing of Virtus.
Chapter
2 – Facts Behind the Fiction
“King Bane from the kingdom of Omnis
approaches!” an announcer says as Bane enters the kingdom of Astutia.
Everyone in this kingdom cheers for
Bane unlike his own home and rain down flowers on him and play music to
celebrate the occasion. Bane indulges in their praise as he waves to them and
catches the gifts they give him. This parade of praise continues and doesn’t
stop in the streets because of the celebration inside the primary castle where
the king and queen of Astutia are waiting for Bane.
“Greetings, King Bane,” the king and
queen say with a bow.
“It’s my pleasure to be here, King Alludit
and Queen Fabula,” Bane responds with a bow in turn.
“Before we get to business, we have
to celebrate,” King Alludit says.
“What’s the occasion?”
“Your father’s victory and our strengthened
friendship, of course.”
“You haven’t celebrated that yet?”
“We were waiting for you,” Queen
Fabula says.
“Yes, it’s thanks to your father
and you that our land and people can finally prosper. Now, enough with the
waiting! Let’s get this party started!”
The people of Astutia throw a party
for Bane with their best musicians and performers showing off their skills.
Musicians play songs of victory over tyranny, art’s role in the influence of
the world, and some songs of testing people’s ability through play. When the
performers take the stage, they act out fantasy and fairy tales of much of the
same while emphasizing their themes and messages behind the stories they tell. The
ending scene of the play catches Bane’s attention as it replays one of his
father’s most heroic moments.
“Release my people! If it is my
life that you want, then come and take it!” the hero of the play says.
The villain pretends to cut the
throat of his victim.
“The lives of you and your people
are mine to decide! Thrown down your life if you dare. My rule will still be absolute
even if you kill me. Your rebellion means nothing,” the villain says while stepping
on his victim as if they were a pedestal.
The two fight before the hero wins
and gives a final speech about the ugliness of evil and his goals of bringing
goodness and beauty to the world, which is met with applause and cheers by the
audience. After the party, the two rulers of the kingdom and Bane go further into
the castle to talk. They take Bane to a meeting room that has a view of the
capital that Bane is captivated by.
“That sight never gets old,” Queen
Fabula says.
“It’s a mystery then as to why you
have me buy the best furniture, statues, and decorations for the castle if all
you do is look outside,” King Alludit jokes.
“I love how you can have so many
beautiful and distinct buildings look so different but so similar. It’s one of
my inspirations for the policies that I have in place. I want my kingdom to have
one unified vision while making each field of knowledge appear distinct.”
“I’m sure your father would approve
and be proud of the man, no, the king that you are now,” King Alludit says.
“I’m sure he would be too. To be
honest, I just took his standards and way of thinking and copied them. He’s the
reason why I gave your kingdom the most out of all.”
“The world needs art and beauty after
so much bloodshed. Thanks to the land and resources that you’ve given us, our
dream of making the world a better place looks to be a realistic goal. Together,
we’ll lead the world into a better tomorrow.”
“Father said much the same about
art and beauty. Your works were instrumental in influencing the minds of people
and I need your masterful works again. Perhaps our artists and story writers to
collaborate to create something truly special?”
“That’s the plan, but what exactly
do you plan on telling the people through your works? Do you want to show how
good your policies are? How about something more basic like the goodness of family,
friends, and country?”
“All of the above, preferably, but
it has to be in an unobtrusive style. I want my citizens to be speaking of
truth in the way that it’s meant to be in the same way they breathe air.”
“You want to be secretive about it?”
“What’s the reason for it?” Queen
Fabula asks.
“I’m not being secretive, at least
not to the incompetent. It’s a test of sorts for my people. A little game to
see if they can see what I’m saying. Father used to play a game of hide and
seek with my sibling and me, but we were supposed to find a ball. The first one
who found it got more desserts after dinner than the rest. My siblings would
look around the area while I would look in other places. I would find the ball on
the roof or hidden somewhere in his clothes that he was wearing. I was always surprised
how he managed to get it on the roof, but mother never liked that he did.”
“Haha, I should try that with our
children,” King Alludit says.
“No, you will not,” Queen Fabula
strictly says.
“My father always tried to train us
to think outside the box. It’s probably why he chose me to be king, but to be
honest, I thought it would be one of my older siblings since they were raised
to be more proper rulers rather than the fantasy one that he tried to be and
the one that he trained me to be.”
“There’s more reality in fantasy
than reality in fiction you think. Fiction is derived from the facts that we
see in our lives and reality can appear to be fantastical,” Queen Fabula
says.
“Each of us lives in our own way
like how each writer writes in different genres and how each artist draws in
different styles,” King Alludit adds.
“That is true.”
Screams and the clanging of swords interrupt
their conversation as a guard quickly enters the room.
“Loyalists of the tyrant have snuck
into the castle and are trying to claim your heads!” the guard says.
“Where are they now? What about my
children and the guests?” King Alludit asks.
“The intruders are still in the main
hall and they have hostages while your children and the rest of the guests are
being protected by the castle’s guards. Right now it’s a standstill and we can’t
make it to the hostages while they can’t leave or go anywhere else in the
castle.”
“I figured remnants of the tyrant
would try to do something like this. King Bane, what do you suggest we do?”
“If it’s our heads that they want,
then we’ll provide it to them by going down there to talk with them, or rather,
you will while I get behind them to free the hostages.”
“That’s a good plan, but how will
you get behind the intruders?”
“I learned how to climb buildings
when my dad played that hide and seek game with us. Mother didn’t just like him
putting the ball on the roof because of it being there but also because I would
climb to get it.”
“Ah, I see! Be careful, oh, and
when this is over, you have to teach me to climb along buildings.”
“Stop being so childish, Alludit,
and let’s hurry downstairs,” Queen Fabula says as the two are escorted by the
guard to where the hostages are.
Bane takes off some of his royal
robes so he can more easily climb along the castle and does so much to the
surprise of everyone outside of the castle who sees it. He then reaches the
bottom of the castle and quietly makes his way to get behind the hostages.
“Release my people! If it is my
life that you want, then come and take it!” King Alludit says.
The intruders appear to cut one of
the hostage’s throats.
“The lives of you and your people
are mine to decide! Thrown down your life if you dare. The tyrant’s rule is
still absolute after his death. Your rebellion has achieved nothing,” the intruder
says while stepping on his victim as if they were a pedestal.
This scene reminds Bane of the
ending scene of the play as a sudden realization comes to his mind.
“Sorry to intrude, but my head is
also on offer if you wish to claim it,” Bane announces from behind.
The intruders are all about to
fight Bane, but their leader holds them back then says, “No! He is mine.”
Bane and the intruder clash swords until
Bane manages to knock the intruder down. This makes the other intruders put
their blades to the hostages’ necks.
“Finish me if you dare. All of
these people will die if you refuse to surrender your life for theirs,” the
leader says.
“I’d take your threat more
seriously if you’d actually caused harm to someone,” Bane says before kicking
the supposedly dead person in the gut.
The person who appeared to be dead
reacts to the pain as a package of red paint falls out from their collar and
the whole scene falls apart.
“It’s not exactly subtle
foreshadowing for you to use a famous scene from a play depicting one of my
father’s victories to use for your tests, King Alludit and Queen Fabula,” Bane
says.
“Ahaha, we can’t help but reference
the classics,” King Alludit says before he holds up a glass of wine given to
him by a maid, “Three cheers for our hero and closest ally and friend, King
Bane!”
The castle cheers for Bane and has
another small party until late afternoon. After the party, Bane and the king
and queen finalize their deals and plans.
Before he leaves, King Alludit says
to Bane, “If you keep using your mind in the same way that you did to see
through our act, then you will be a great king. No one will be able to outsmart
you. No one, but us if you do slip up.”
“A real friend tests another as
iron sharpens iron. I look forward to your next test though you should make it
more difficult for me.”
“Haha, of course. I must say,
however, that even though it was all fake, the threat of those loyal to the
dead tyrant is still out there and we suspect that most live in the kingdom of
Virtus where the tyrant was born and raised in.”
“That’s why I’m going there next with
a small force of my army.”
“Do be careful,” Queen Fabula says.
“Oh, what do we have to worry
about, my queen? This king is the spitting image of his father.”
The king and queen say their goodbyes
to Bane as he is escorted out by his guards. Though he is merely leaving, the
capital cheers and rains down flowers for him in a similar manner to the way
that they did when he arrived. This time fireworks light by the sky and musicians
play songs of good nights, their eventual end, and the wish to spend more
nights like this together.
“I really do have to come here
again. Maybe I’ll come here again with my future queen,” Bane says as he looks
back at the kingdom of Astutia while wishing that he could stay there forever.
Chapter 1 – Inheriting Greatness
While King Scitus fights against a
dictator with the control over the world hanging in the balance, his son, Prince
Bane, is attempting to steal books from the royal library with two other nobles.
They almost get caught by some of the librarians and duck into one of the many
secret corners to avoid detection.
“I swear you’re going to get us
caught one of these days, Bane,” one of the nobles say.
“I doubt it. We know all the nooks
and crannies to hide in and they haven’t caught us in the years that we’ve been
doing this,” Bane says as they move through the tight spaces between the
bookshelves.
“Our luck might run out soon if we
keep it up.”
“Have a little faith.”
“In you? That’s a tall order.”
“Is it now? I’ve been delivering on
my promises and getting you and yours what you want, right?”
“Right…” both nobles agree.
“Then you have no reason to worry even
if we get caught. We’re close to the book that I want. Let’s do what we do
best.”
The nobles create noises behind
certain bookshelves to attract the attention of the librarians while Bane
ascends a tall ladder to get the book that he wants. When he gets it, he can’t
help but open it a read it a bit before he hears someone coming his way. He
then sneaks back to where he and the two nobles meet up.
“Do you see what I told you? Easy peasy,”
Bane says.
“Where is Prince Bane at?” his teacher
says to a librarian.
“I don’t know. Probably around here
taking books from the library like usual,” the librarian answers.
“I’ll check to see if he’s back in
his room. If you see him, tell him to go back to his studies immediately or
else.”
Hearing this, Bane says to the nobles,
“I have to hurry back!”
“What about our payment?” one of
the nobles say.
“You’ll get it later. I never leave
a debt unpaid, do I?”
“Uck, fine.”
Bane rushes back to his room while
avoiding the attention of everyone, and when his teacher gets to his room, she
sees that he’s doing his studies like he’s supposed to be doing.
“Is something the matter?” Bane smugly
asks his teacher with an expression to match his tone.
“Where did you go? You’re supposed
to be here studying,” the teacher says.
“I was just taking a little
breather. It’s important to take breaks after all.”
“You seem to take longer breaks
than needed and fantasy books from the library happen to disappear on the days
that you take your long breaks.”
“Fantasy is a popular genre. It’s
no wonder that it is because of how much my father likes reading them and using
them as inspiration for the style of his banners, decorations, and speeches.”
“I know that you like reading them
because he isn’t here to read them to you, but-”
“I don’t care that he isn’t here.
He’s always off doing things to save the world from whatever tyrants are out
there, so it doesn’t matter to me because he’s doing more important things.”
A messenger comes barging in with
news that’s already made its way throughout the entire world.
He says, “I have urgent news! King
Scitus has slain the dictator at the cost of his life.”
“So? Father was always risking his
life to save others, so his luck would run out eventually,” Bane dismissively
asks.
“Bane!” the teacher says.
“So, Prince Bane, you must take
your father’s throne at his request,” the messenger says.
“This was his request?”
“Yes, it says so on his living
will, which he wrote in case he didn’t make it back.”
“Then let’s get the crowning
ceremony over with. I’m sure my father would want me to get to work as soon as
possible.”
“But your studies!”
“My father’s dying wish is for me
to be king and a king doesn’t sit around and study especially when there’s so
much more to do, am I right?”
“…you are, Prince Bane.”
“That’s King Bane to you. Have the
maids make new kingly robes for me and have the throne room decorated in the
style that I want.”
“Yes, King Bane.”
A crowning ceremony is done the
next day. After the crowning, Bane gives a speech.
“I am glad that you’ve all come to
my crowning ceremony to show your support. With my father’s passing, an age of
tyranny also passes, but we shouldn’t be mourning. We should be celebrating.
Thanks to my father, the territories and resources of the tyrant are ours, and
I will be putting them to use effective immediately starting with our own kingdom.
Our new age will be of peace and prosperity so our industries of art, labor, and
statecraft will increase while our production, research, and army will have to
deal with a decrease in funding.”
Bane’s older brother slams the table
as he stands up.
He says, “That’s absurd! Father treated
all industries equally! It’s what separates us from the other kingdoms. There’s
no reason why you should prioritize some over the others.”
“Would you like our allies to see
that we’re building up our armies rather than putting more effort into repairing
the damage done by the tyrant? It’s true that all industries of knowledge are
equal, but some forms of knowledge are better for certain situations. For
example, you don’t hire a farmer to do a king’s job nor would you hire a story writer to run a bakery. New times require new solutions, don’t you agree?”
“Hardly.”
“Then consider this. We will be
rewarding the hardest workers while taking away from the worst. Inspectors will
reward more generously so even if a particular industry isn’t prioritized, they
will still acquire more than an adequate reward for their work.”
“I still don’t agree with your
decision. This isn’t a meritocracy.”
“And yet, certain fields of knowledge
are valued so much that entire kingdoms are based around it and the most
knowledgeable are rewarded more than the least. Even father valued the arts and
statecraft above all when he needed to gain allies and supporters. This isn’t
something that you can make change my mind on, brother. The king’s decree is
absolute.”
Later in the celebration, Bane’s
brother takes him aside and says, “I hope father was right to put you in charge,
brother.”
“Don’t worry about me. I know what
I’m doing.”
Within a few days of Bane’s new
policies, he sees his people’s unrest at his decisions with protests happening
outside his castle. The leader of these protests steps on a stage so Bane can
clearly hear and see him from his balcony that isn’t too far from where he is.
He silences the crowd before speaking.
“King Bane, I humbly ask that you
debate us in the same way that your father once did to settle serious matters between
people,” the leader says.
“Those debates happened between the
nobles and the commonfolk, not the king and everyone below him,” Bane responds.
“Even then, the king still listened
to those below him for advice and the daily lives of his people. Why won’t you
do the same?”
“He listened only to his most
trusted advisors, and I am doing the same.”
“You listen to the people in your
own echo chamber.”
“We all listen to people that we
can agree with and push away the ones that disagree with us, and I know for a
fact that you do the same because everyone’s work is inspected and judged by
the same high standards that my father had. If you want what you were earning before,
then ask yourself what you can do for your kingdom rather than what we can do
for you and you will be rewarded accordingly. I’ve been waiting these past
three days to see if you will listen to me and you’ve returned my attention with
rebellion. Continue to protest and put the kingdom in a state of unrest and the
only reward that you will be getting is a jail cell.”
Bane walks away from the rowdy crowd
and orders his guards to arrest those who don’t walk away. He then goes to his
carriage that’s been waiting for him along with his older brother.
“The capital along with the rest of
the kingdom isn’t going to take kindly to what you said,” his brother says.
“The ones that support me won’t
have a problem with my words and I’m sure I have the majority in my favor.”
“You need someone to calm them down
and remind them that you have their best interests at heart if it’s true.”
“That’s why I’m trusting you to do
that here.”
“Are you sure that you can manage
relations with the other kingdoms without my help and the help of the rest of
the family?”
“I wouldn’t make this decision if I
wasn’t. Try to keep the castle in one piece while I’m gone.”
Bane leaves on his carriage and as
his carriage makes its way through the streets, he is showered both with praise
and scorn by his people, but all he hears is the praises as he thinks that he’s
doing the right thing.
“This is just like in the books,
but my story entirely happens as a happy ending,” Bane says to himself.
