The Defiant Nobles

It is a bright and sunny day in Novaris.  The city seems pretty sluggish.  A few locally owned businesses have started to pop up.  Lord Alfred walks down the street accompanied by a couple of bodyguards.  The civilians stare at Lord Alfred with contempt.  The bodyguards push away some of the civilians as they start to yell at Alfred.  Alfred smiles as he watches some of the civilians fall to the ground.

“You good for nothings.  Know your place in this society.  I don’t care what ‘rights’ the King grant you.  You are still MY subjects, and you won’t get that many rights.” Alfred says.  He continues walking down the street when a man stands up behind them and starts yelling at Alfred.

“You and the rest of ‘em nobles be stealing from us.  At least tha King be tryin’ to gib wha we deserve,” the citizen started saying, “I don wan to see ya face again you connard…” As the words came out of his mouth, one of the bodyguards came over and punched him in his chest.  The stumbled back before he swung back.  The bodyguard and the man fought back and forth.  The bodyguard manages to through the man onto the ground in front of Lord Alfred.  He reaches into his vest and draws a gun.

Staring at the man, Alfred says, “If you really think that King is so great, why didn’t he give you a gun?  Oh right, that’s right.  Because we would’ve shot his own fecking head off.  Just like…”

BANG!

“Your head.  Now, if anyone else has anything to say, I have more where that came from.” Alfred says.  The faint sound of sirens ring in the street, signaling the approaching police vehicles.  Alfred and his bodyguards continue walking through the city.  He continued down the street unopposed.  Everyone he passed tried to hide away from the noble.  Alfred found himself in a position of power that he hasn’t had…well, ever.  Alfred was happy to see new weapons that he could use on the citizens of the city he ruled over.  Nothing brought happiness to Alfred more than knowing he, as a member of the nobility, had power that the common folk would never have…

Or so he thought.  Recently, there have been democratic movements sprouting up all over the Kingdom.  He saw any form of democracy as a threat to his way of life and the way that he lived.  His goal in life is to destroy any democratic movements or sympathizer…even if it means killing the king.  As Alfred was lost in thought, he approached the iron gate of a House he knows he has allies in.  The forgotten, but still powerful, House Vaino has reached out to Aldred to deal with this threat.

As he approached the gates, he hears a familiar voice from the opposite side of the gate, “AH.  There he is.  The pride of Novaris!  Alfred of House Novarian, mayor of Novaris and lord of Upper Novaris.  I have been expecting you.”  As the gate opens, Alfred sees the man who introduced him.  Sir Theodore III of house Vaino stood waiting in his noble attire.  Alfred smiled.  Theodore doesn’t disappoint, and it appears as if he went a little overboard.  Alfred approaches Theodore and shakes his hand.

“I didn’t think you would’ve accepted my invitation, given the current circumstances.  Hopefully, this will…er, expedite the process.” Alfred says.

Both of them end up going into the house, where Alfred tells his bodyguards to keep an eye on the front doors.  Theodore and Alfred walked down the stairs to his living room.  Alfred takes a seat on his couch and starts explaining, “I understand that these are trying times.  I understand that you will support me through what I am about to do?” Theodore nods and walks into a separate room.  Alfred thinks to himself, This is the moment I have been waiting for.  I hope that it goes well…

A couple of minutes later, Theodore walks back into the room.  “My lord, the conference room is set up and ready.  We will start when you want to.”  Alfred rose, smiling.  He knew that this was his moment of glory, “It is time, Theodore.  I think the Kingdom needs to hear this.”

Alfred stands at the door.  He sees all the cameras and microphones set up in the room with different nobles.  Theodore stood up at the podium and started speaking, “Ladies and gentlemen of the establish nobility in the Kingdom of Eastern Alksearia, Lord Alfred of House Novarian has a speech that he wishes to give to the nation.”

Alfred walked into the room with cameras flickering taking photos, and the camera following him.  On the podium is the speech that he had prepared.  As he stood at the podium, for a moment Alfred felt a chill go down his spine. It’s either now or never. Alfred thought to himself.  Calming himself down and looking into the cameras, Alfred started:

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Established Elites and Nobility of the Kingdom of Eastern ALksearia.  Recently, the man who sits on the throne and says that he is our king has started to undermine our way of life.  For far too long, we allowed to King to award the commonfolk and paesants freedoms and rights.  Before Eldras IX, we had strong monarchs!  Eldras VII and Eldras VIII, the father and grand-father of our current ‘King’ made sure that our old customs were followed and that no one would dare change our way of life.  The recent rise in freedoms and rights that our people have are related to the fact these false governments of the world such as the government of Morstabishlyia.  Eldras is allowing to be influenced by these corrupt and false governments to drag us down!  I herby call for the abdication of the current Monarch, and for the Council of Lords to assume the crown since it cannot be trusted with the traitors in House Tuvania!  My fellow noblemen, I hereby declare that the current King has no backbone and that he wishes to undermine everything that this nation stands for!  His actions are treasonous, and it is time to call him out on it.  My fellow noblemen and noblewomen, I hereby call on each of you to demand that the Council of Lords not only expands to include ALL the lords of the land, and to become the new leadership of the nation!  I also call on House Tuvania to renounce their lordships and any fiefdoms they hold, and at the same time, renounce their claim to the Alksearian throne.  This way we can prosecute and imprision the treasonous House Tuvania!..”

His speech went off for another 10 minutes almost completely uninterupted.  When he finsihed, the nobles who were present in the room started firing questions at Lord Alfred a million miles a second.  All of a sudden, everything that Alfred had set up started to crumble.  One noble asked, “By who’s authority do you have the right or the ability to question the Monarch’s right to rule?  The King is doing everything he can to improve everyone’s quality of life.”

Alfred responded, “By the same power that says that House Tuvania has the right to rule, Xaethos.”  He called on another reporter, “If I heard your speech correctly, you are saying that the Ruling Dynasty, who by the way have fought numerous wars to hold onto their right to rule, has no right to rule other than Xaethos?  I also ask Lord Alfred, when was the last time you steped inside of a shrine or even the Larger temples for worship?”

Lord Alfred seems to be stunned by that question, “Well, you see, I am a devout follower of Xaethos.  I haven’t attended recently because…”

The reporter shot back, “By recently, how far back do you mean?  The King was seen in the shrine last week paying homage and worshiping with the citizens of this nation.  The last time anyone has seen you in the temple or shrine was back in 2013, and records have it you prayed for Xaethos to, and I quote, ‘Kill the current king and have his family hand over the crown to House Novarian.’  Are you trying to stage a coup against the Monarchy?”

Alfred shot back, “I’m sorry.  There are no ‘citizens!’  If you are not a noble or an established elite, you are a common folk.  Second, my attendance to service has nothing to do with this situation.  I am not staging a coup!  This is a call for the nobility to rise up and show the King that we are in charge also, and not just him!  Third, our mistake was allowing the common folk to have rights!  I mean, look at the regions of Saria and Upper Saria.  Both regions have a democracy that is undermining the local nobility!  We are allowing the corruption of democracy to take root in our Kingdom!  We let democracy in once and look where it ended!”

After Alfred finished speaking his last sentance, he realizes what is coming out of his mouth.  His plan had backfired.  This was the end of him, for sure.  THe conference lasted another 30 minutes before Alfred walked out.  Alfred knew that this was the end of his grand plot to keep the nobility in power…

Until someone ended up calling Sir Theodore.  Theodore handed the phone to Alfred.  The man on the other side said, “Hello.  Are you Lord Alfred?  Good. Good.  I am Lord Louis of House Delvarian.  I believe we need to discuss our next steps in dealing with this ‘democracy’ threat.”

May 18th, 2020
Delvarian House, Delvaria

Lord Alfred drove through Delvaria’s streets, greeted on almost every turn by democratic protesters calling him a ‘dictator’ or even a traitor.  Alfred smirked, Little do they know the true traitor is the king.  The Nobles know what is best this country, but laissaiz-le bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll).  He pulls his car up to the gates of House Delvarian, and the guards salute him and open the gates.  Lord Louis stands in front of his house, waiting for Lord Alfred to arrive.  As Lord Alfred pulls his car up to the pathway, he parks it and exits his car approaching Lord Louis.

“Greetings to you Lord Alfred of House Novarian, Lord of Novar, and the Grand Lord of the Novar Region.  The other nobles are waiting in the meeting room.”  Louis salutes Lord Alfred.

As Alfred approaches, he kneels before Louis and says, “All hail the Grand Duke Louis, Grand Duke of Western Alksearia, Lord of Delvaria, and the Lord Commander of the Council.  May the imposter fall beneath your boot, and may the Pantocrator give you strength.”  Louis smiles and signals for him to rise.  Looking at Louis, Alfred realized how much he does resemble the Pantocrator through the ages.  They both enter the manor, being greeted by old Alksearian architecture.  The foyer is large with arches supporting a second-floor balcony that wraps the walls on the left, right, and back.  On the left side, french doors were opened allowing Alfred to see a dining room being prepared for a banquet.  In the back there was another hallway that leads to more parts of the house, Alfred assumed.  Louis shoed Alfred towards the right.  In the room, there was a table set up with many familiar faces.  He saw Sir Theodore sitting next to two empty chairs.  Alfred immediately recognized that the two seats were for him and Louis.  They walked towards the table, when everyone stood up, and saluted Louis and Alfred.  Alfred for the first time in his life felt the power his ego so desperately wanted.  When Louis made it to the head of the table, he looked around at everyone and saluted back.  Everyone took a seat, while only Louis and Alfred stood.

“I want to be the first one to thank you all for coming and attending.  At this time, at our very first meeting of the Council, I want to express my gratitude for your bravery.  As of this moment, you are all now apart of a movement that does not recognize the falsehoods of both democracy and the Church of Xaethos and the destructiveness and the falseness of the monarch.  This is our chance to rise up and stand up to the tyrant and the traitor!” Louis said to inspire the council.  He looks around the room, and his eyes fall upon Alfred, “Now, I would be the leader of this Council, wherein we will name this council the Council of Nobles.  I hereby am bringing back the titles of old, and the first of which is being Grand Duke.  I hereby decree that I am the Grand Duke of Western Alksearia, and the Duke Master of the Council.  My right-hand man will be Alfred here.  Al, why don’t you explain to the council what you are planing.”

Alfred smiles and turns to the council, “My fellow nobles.  I promise to serve you well as the Lord Master of the council.  Our objective is to stop the falsehood of democracy to enter our Kingdom!  Recently, a democratic party known as the ‘Liberal Democrats’ have started to sprout up and spread their poison all over the nation.  In most cities, there are protests happening every single day.  Most of these protests are fueled by the evil and vile show, Ye Paste Weeke Tonighte.  That show has mocked my image and the image of anyone who opposes the Monarch!  I want it to be enacted that our Council will do 3 things: 1) break up any and all protests that happen, 2) limit free speech and to stop these horrible broadcasts such as Ye Paste Weeke Tonighte, and 3) break up and take down the Liberal Democrats.  This council will also enact its own laws that the Monarch has no authority over.  We are the new authority in this region, and if he enacts a decree we do not like, we will reject the law.”

The other members of the council looked at each other, and then started clapping.  This is going to be the end of the monarchy.  Look out Eldras, I’m going to make sure that you are ruined and wrecked, Alfred thought to himself.  The council meeting went on for another few hours, before the meeting was adjourned.  Most of the nobles left to go into the dining room, while Alfred and Louis stayed behind.  Louis looks at Alfred and says, “My brother, you are my right-hand man and my heir.  If something were to happen, you would be the next Protecteur.  It will be your job to lead these sheep to the goal, and to allow the Pantocrator to help guide you”

June 3rd, 2020
The outskirts of Delvaria

Alfred and Louis drove out to the outskirts of the city to take some time away from the council.  For the last two days, they have been planning how to take down the King and keep the king from imposing his rule on them.  Alfred has seen some weakness in Louis recently, and he hasn’t exactly been warm to it.  As they walk through the forest, Louis stops in a clearing and looks at Alfred.  For a moment they just stand there in the clearing listening to the quiet sounds of nature.

After the silence, Louis says, “In all my 56 years of life, I have never seen an opposition be this unpopular.  I can’t believe the King has brainwashed so many people.  I’m sure you understand Alfred, however, I also can’t help but think that maybe we are on the wrong path.  Recently, I haven’t felt the Pantocrator’s presence when I pray.  I haven’t felt much of anything to be fair.  I’ve started to feel a cold feeling anytime I pray, as if an evil presence was there, like an agent of Eynllib is always near me.”

Alfred looks at Louis quickly and responds a little too calmly, “That’s what Eynllib wants you to think.  He would keep such a presence to make you turn away from the Protector of the Pantocrator.  You seem a little tired Louis.  Maybe we should continue walking.  I hear it helps hide…I mean, clear the mind.” Louis looks at him and smiles and continues walking down the path.  Alfred takes a sigh of relief,I can’t let him know I’ve been praying to Eynllib for more power…

After a few minutes of walking down the path a little longer, Alfred looks at Louis and says, “Hey, why don’t we go down this way?  I think that going off the beaten trail will help us.”  Louis laughs a little and looks over at Alfred, “You’ve always been one to go down different ways, eh?”  They walked down into the tree line, but as they traveled, it got darker and darker.  Louis stops walking and looks around.  Alfred notices the fear that has seeped over Louis’ face.  He pulls out a gun and points it at Louis’s head.

Wide-eyed Louis asks, “What is the meaning of this??  I have done nothing but give you a place where you could…”

Alfred interrupts him, “You’ve been getting soft.  The whole purpose of this council was to defy the King and to stop democracy.  Now, you want to only have a council where people could be elected to?  No!  I’ve been praying Eynllib lately because I know that he can give me more power than any king has ever had.  I’ve always dreamed of power and now I can finally have it!  Imagine it: King Alfred the Great!  I will be the best!”  Alfred stares at Louis and sees the fear take over him deeply, “You’re a weak fool.  Good-bye Louis.  May Eynllib save you.”


Alfred emerges from the forest about 30 minutes later.  The guards at his car stand at attention and greet him.  Inside the car is Sir Jean sitting calmly waiting for Alfred.  As he gets into the car, Jean asks him, “Did you take him out?”  Alfred nods and hands back Jean’s handgun, with fresh blood on it.  Jean nods and hides the gun.  Alfred settles into the car and his guards get in and drive away.

As they drive away, Alfred looks at Jean, “Are you sure you are ready?  This is a major undertaking for you.”

Jean looks at him and replies, “I am at the Protector’s mercy.  I do as you command.”  Alfred smiles and looks out the window.  To think that it was this simple.  Well, here’s to the next step in a more glorious plan.

As they arrived back to Louis’ house, Alfred lets Jean out first before leaving.  He walks up to the front doors and looks out one last time before entering.  Alfred looks at the protesters that they had to drive through to get here and smiles thinking, Oh ye of little confidence.  I know what is right and best for you.  you all will run this country into the ground within a year.  He chuckles slightly at himself and enters the manor.  As he enters the manor, the double doors close behind him.  Now is the time for action, and they will be doing a lot of that.

Alfred and Jean enter the council room shortly afterward.  To Alfred, this reminds him a lot of the first conference he did condemning the King, but now, he is a position to call the shots.  Inside the room, the cameras were all set up on the back wall where the podium was.  On top of it was the speech that Alfred had spent the last two days preparing and writing.  Jean walks up in front of the podium first waiting for the broadcast to begin.  One of the nobles in the back stares at a computer screen before giving the thumbs up, followed by a red light turning on signaling the start of their broadcast.

“Good morning to all within the Kingdom of Aksearia.  My name is Sir Jean II of House Jeaques-Pierre.  I have the honor of beginning assigned to the post of Minister of the Press for the Council of Nobles.  Most of you will roll your eyes and say that we have no real power, but I wish for you to guess again.  The new Grand Duke and the new Master of the Council of Nobles, Lord Alfred of House Novarian.”  Sir Jean steps to the side, and Alfred proudly walks up to the podium to begin.

Looking into the camera, Alfred resists the urge to smile, “Greetings.  I am sure you are all very curious to hear about me, but you see, I have important business to take care of first.  Grand Duke Louis died today when he fell off the cliffs of a nearby park.  We were being chased, and he tripped over a rock and fell.  We have a search party looking for his body right now, but we are unsure if we will be able to recover his body.  As his rightful heir, I will be assuming the title Grand Duke, and I will now be the leader of the Council of Nobles.  Now, onto the more important point of this meeting: changes in our policies.  As of this moment, I declare that we will do everything in our power to interfere and prevent elections from being held.  It is the belief of this Council that we know how to run this country better than the common peasant and apparently better than the King.  On June 15th, we will block any attempt to have any sort of referendum in our duchy.  You dare trespass?  We will deploy our guards to shot and kill any army that marches into our territory.  Just know Eldras, at this point, I call on you to abdicate the throne and announce that the Council of Nobles will take over.  You have shown that your leadership is weak and you have let the evil, vile thing known as democracy infiltrate this nation.  We were doing well on our own until you opened us up.  We have foreign agents trying to cause us to go against tradition and go against our own nation.  I would dare say that these foreign agents have installed Eldras king!  I cannot stand by idly anymore.  That is all for today.  Xaethos bless Alksearia, and may He save us from the heretic Eldras!”

Alfred walked away from the podium out into the foyer.  He took a deep breath and he walked toward his bedroom.  He entered his bedroom, and as he closed the door, he heard a familiar voice behind him, “Alfred, how could you lie like that?  You were worse than I thought and look at that, you were the agent of Eynllib preventing me from properly praying.  I should’ve known considering  these problems started when you first came to my manor.”

Alfred laughed at Louis saying, “You aren’t real.  This is all a sham, and even if you are real, I am doing what is right.  I will rule over this Kingdom one way or another.”

Louis lets out a hardy laugh.  All the lights in the room flicker and then fully go out.  In the darkness, Louis glows a bright red before saying, in a low, ominous voice, “Lord Alfred of House Novarian, I hereby condemn you to death by public execution!  Xaethos will deliver this judgment whenever he sees fit!  I suggest you start praying for the atonement of your sins.  Be careful Alfred, you have crossed the POINT OF NO RETURN!”

The next thing Alfred knew, Jean was hovering over him shaking him.  Faintly he hears him say, “Alfred!..Alfred!..Are you okay?”

Alfred opens his eyes and sluggishly asks, “what happened?”

“Well, it looks like you collapsed on the floor and hit your head.  You seem to be doing okay, but you should get some rest.” Jean told him.

“Was there anybody here when you came in?”

“No one was in the room, why do you ask sir?” Jean replies.

“Nothing, I just wondered if anyone saw what happened that’s all.  Get back to your jobs!  I’ll be okay.”  Alfred orders.  As everyone leaves his room, he can’t help but think, Is what I’m doing wrong?  No.  It’s just Xaethos trying to stop me.  I know what I’m doing and I know the path I’m going down.  Now, how am I going to stop the King?

Urgia-Nova, Alksearia
June 5, 2020
4:00 PM, local time

Glædwine, the Tretridian ambassador to Alksearia, was having a busy day. He brushed past his long-emptied cup of coffee and hung up his phone.

Ever since Lord Alfred had made his address, concerned Tretridian citizens residing in Alksearia were phoning in to the embassy. They were worried for their safety, since everyone knew that Alfred despised non-nobles. After all, it was an open secret that he had outright murdered a few in the public about half a month ago.

Of course, the Prime Minister had put his lot with Eldras. Eoforwine had publicly commended Eldras IX for Alksearia’s progress towards democratization. Though Glædwine was kind of surprised that other governments hadn’t said anything, even with things like the UCA’s interests in Arcturia.

Naturally, as he was about to go refill his coffee (the past few days felt very long) his phone rang again. Not again. He sat down again and picked up the phone.

“Hello, this is the Tretridian embassy. You’re speaking to Ambassador Glædwine,” he said, clearly exhausted.

Instead of another concerned person, however, someone very different was calling, and from a secure line.

“Ah, Glædwine,” said the Prime Minister. “I need to speak with you for a few moments.”

“Yes, what is it?” said the still very tired ambassador.

Eoforwine explained. Tretrid would be flying in a crate of supplies, whose contents were marked top secret. In about a week or two, a person would be visiting the embassy to see the ambassador. “He will tell you a phrase: ‘Eagle fall.’ Don’t forget this.” After the ambassador was told this phrase, he would give the crate to the person, no questions asked.

The beleagured ambassador asked, “Is that all?” to which Eoforwine said, “Oh, and due to the nature of this, I would ask you to not mention this call to anybody.”