《I Was Assassinated on Inauguration Day and Woke Up as the King of a Failing Kingdom》


 1 - Inauguration Day

    Robert¡¯s eyelids clung together as he groggily awoke. He felt pressure and warmth against his chest begin to stir. His wife, Meghan, readjusted herself and cuddled closer to him while still half-asleep. He had a few minutes before his alarm would go off so he elected to embrace her in return.


    Sunlight filtered in through the bedroom windows, draping golden light across the bed, inching ever closer to his face. His sleepy stupor was beginning to wane as his thoughts drifted from his wife to the impending day which he tried to resist for just a little while longer.


    After way too few blissful moments, the 9 a.m. alarm finally blared. His wife began to stir again. She turned around to face Robert and pulled him in for a long kiss. ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°I was born ready,¡± he said with a dramatized confidence.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t let the power go to your head.¡± The two of them chuckled and kissed once more before separating to get dressed.


    He exited the bedroom first, black suit, white shirt, blue tie. On his lapel stuck a small red, white, and blue flag pin. He quietly opened the door to his kid¡¯s room. His 8-year-old¡¯s body looked like it had been consumed by the massive bed she was unconscious on. One of her legs was outside the twisted duvet. If not for the disheveled bedding, she¡¯d look like a right and proper princess in this room, he thought.


    As Robert approached the side of her bed, he walked his fingers along her exposed leg, tickling her awake.


    She groaned in response, ¡°Five more minutes.¡± She turned her head away from him and pulled her leg back under the covers.


    ¡°Sorry, Helly, it¡¯s movin¡¯ day. C¡¯mon, your mom¡¯s makin¡¯ pancakes.¡± He bumped her leg with his arm and waited for a reaction.


    Another groan, then the mass of blankets finally began to part. He got up off the bed and left her room so she could change.


    The Blair House was one of the fanciest places he had ever stayed at. The white wooden molding rose from the ornate flooring until it gave way to colorful splashes of paint that had to have been hand painted, he thought. He navigated through what he presumed was a tearoom into the kitchen where Meghan was preparing breakfast.


    ¡°She coming soon? We gotta get going in a little bit here.¡± She said, flipping a series of pancakes onto plates.


    He plucked a piece of bacon from the island and shook it above the paper towel. He took a bite out of it as he sat at the counter, ¡°Hmmhm.¡± His wife was wearing a dark-navy blue gown and was wearing it well, he admitted. He appreciated her beauty for a few more moments before turning his attention to his phone.


    She finished the quick breakfast and served out the plates to the island countertop as Helly showed up in a light-purple frilly dress and plopped herself into a chair next to her father.


    Meghan leaned forward and grabbed one of each of their hands. The three of them closed their eyes as she began the prayer. ¡°Lord, we come before you today to thank you, not only for this food, but for the incredible opportunity that you have given us. We lift you high today and ask for your grace, your wisdom, and your protection. Amen¡± The three of them lifted their eyes and immediately devoured their food before cleaning up and heading for the door.


    Robert helped Helly put her coat on, then his wife. She stopped him just before he opened the door, ¡°You have your notecards? What if the teleprompters glitches?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already got the whole thing memorized, love.¡±


    ¡°But sti-¡± she began to protest before he slipped a hand into his breast pocket and showed a corner of the cards to her while smiling warmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, Meggie-baby, I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright to be nervous,¡± he said as he gave her a peck on the cheek and opened the door.


    They left through the front door and were immediately faced with the stiff January air, and a black government vehicle several paces away. As they approached the vehicle, Robert looked across to his left and could see the backside of the west wing of the White House. He was sad that he couldn¡¯t see the Oval Office from this side, but he was a patient man and knew his time would come soon. He got in last, and a member of the Secret Service closed the door behind him. Helly was squished between her parents.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re finally going to move into the White House!¡±


    ¡°What can I say, Kiddo,¡± Robert stuck out his chest, ¡°stick with me and I¡¯ll show you the world.¡± He smiled as he threw his arm around her and pulled her in for a hug.


    It was a short jaunt, basically across the street. He insisted they could walk but the Secret Service director really insisted they drive.


    As exciting as this day was, Robert was not particularly excited about the next part. As per the itinerary he had been briefed on the day prior, he was to meet with outgoing president Richard Price. More like Richard Prick, his VP-elect often joked.


    The vehicle came to a stop and the family exited together. They were ushered inside and escorted through the West Wing. The whole family was oohing and aahing at the decor and splendor of the structure. It held a certain sacred affectation that made Robert feel he was unworthy of merely walking its halls.


    They were brought to a large antechamber and sat at a circular table that looked it could seat about 12 people. The furniture looked more exquisite than the Blair House, which he had a hard time accepting.


    Robert was getting increasingly nervous as the minutes ticked by while they waited for the President to greet them. He always seemed like a cold and calculated man during his presidency, but as the polls began to slip toward Robert¡¯s favor, he became more and more desperate. Pictures from his election night watch party made him look as though he was going to snap. He left the party long before the race was called. Apparently, all the money and power in the world still couldn¡¯t keep the man from falling under his own hubris.


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    While his nerves climbed, his excitement did too. He beat the fucking bastard with 276 electoral votes. Despite all his scheming, Robert was just too good. A slight shit-eating grin rose on his face as he looked away so his wife wouldn¡¯t catch him basking in his ego. He was excited to stick it to the man; even prepared a comedic jab in his speech.


    After a few minutes, his vice president-elect and his family entered the room. ¡°Today¡¯s the day, Rob!¡± Dylan grabbed Robert¡¯s outstretched hand as they shook and pulled each other in for a mutual one-handed slap on the back. The two of them served together on the Senate Ethics committee for a half-decade before Robert announced his candidacy for presidency three years ago and asked for him to be his running mate. Dylan gratefully accepted since they both shared the same vision of reuniting the country after a divisive time.


    ¡°Can you believe we¡¯ve actually made it?¡± Robert let out a relieved sigh, wiping his brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible,¡± Dylan began as he looked around the room, ¡°had things gone sideways with Arizona, I don¡¯t know that we would have made it out of this.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it. Starlet going down for sexual abuse was a godsend. Crippled the state¡¯s GOP.¡±


    Dylan let out a satisfied sigh as he unbuttoned his suitcoat and sat in one of the ornate chairs next to Robert, ¡°So, think President Prick is gonna show?¡±


    Dylan¡¯s wife smacked the side of his arm, ¡°Show some decorum! Do you even know where you are right now?¡± Her voice lowered into a hush, ¡°there¡¯s mics and cameras everywhere.¡±


    He shrugged in response. She scoffed at him then sat in a chair toward the far end of the table next to Meghan.


    Minutes passed. Then more minutes. Robert checked his smartwatch: 10:47 a.m. They were supposed to head for the capitol soon, but Price was still nowhere to be seen. Eventually, a member of the staff politely entered and informed them that the President will be meeting them at the capitol.


    ¡°Well,¡± Dylan slapped his knees, ¡°that answers that. Lead the way, Mr. President-elect.¡± He got up from his chair and stretched out an arm while bowing toward the door. Robert did as he was told and followed the staffer to the garage and into his motorcade.


    Robert silently recited his speech while his wife and Helly gazed out the windows and watched as the authoritative architecture of D.C. passed by them by. They were dropped off at the East Front of the Capitol building and quickly ushered inside by members of the JCCIC.


    ¡°Speaker Johansson, It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again.¡± An older woman in a grey pantsuit and glasses shook Robert¡¯s hand as they continued toward the West Front.


    ¡°Likewise, President-elect. The House is ready and willing to cooperate. We¡¯ve already a number of bipartisan bills in the works on many of the items on your agenda.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. It¡¯s about time we right the ship.¡± He smiled politely at her until she dropped her pace and fell back behind the family. The other lawmakers began to give him a wide berth, too. Robert looked out at the end of the hall and blocking the heavy double doors leading to the Inauguration stage was none other than the President.


    ¡°Mr. Pope,¡± he said with a low, calm tone. A wave of apprehension and hesitation washed over Robert as he stared the man down. He willed himself to keep his pace regardless, ¡°a pleasure to finally meet you face to face again after so long.¡±


    Robert finally approached and began studying his face, ¡°Mr. Price,¡± he returned a forced smile while he kept his eyes locked on the muscles around Richard¡¯s eyes, ¡°I certainly missed our time on stage together, too.¡± His right brow twitched ever so subtly. Had Robert not been intentionally watching, he¡¯d have missed it. He knew what he saw. It was Richard trying his hardest to hold himself together. Bingo.


    Dylan approached next, as he was next up in line, mouthing his speech as he waited for his cue. He stood next to Robert but didn¡¯t bother looking at Richard. He quickly sized him up. Richard was short and stubby. A balloon of a man and just barely shorter than Dylan, who was a few inches shorter than Robert. Dylan issued out a dismissive puff as he looked back to the door.


    Clatch, the doors sounded, signaling they would be opened soon. The emcee outside was beginning to announce the lineup of people who were about to walk through the doors and take their seats on stage.


    Robert, still clutching Richard¡¯s hand, pulled him in close and whispered in his ear, ¡°Have fun watching me fix your mess from the inside of a jail cell, Dick.¡± He released, giving him the biggest shit-eating grin he could. Richard¡¯s face turned into a tomato.


    Fuck! That felt great!


    The doors swung open. Richard and his wife walked down the carpet toward their seats first.


    ¡°Look, you can see the steam rising off his angry little head.¡± Dylan leaned forward and whispered to Robert, prompting a chuckle from him.


    Dylan and his wife were next. They sauntered down the carpet toward their seats on the opposite side of the podium from the Prices.


    Robert and his family were last. As they passed the threshold of the doors and strode into the cool winter air, the screaming cheers and applause filled the National Mall with a thunderous noise that couldn¡¯t help but warm Robert¡¯s heart. They were cheering for him, he relished. And democracy too, of course.


    So many people were smiling and waving at him. The lawmakers and judges in close proximity to the path on stage were all pining to shake his hand and talk to him. It was a magnificent feeling, albeit a tad overwhelming.Him and his family took their seats closest to the podium.


    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen,¡± the emcee began, ¡°the Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Honorable Georgia Delworth.¡±


    A woman approached the podium, ¡°Mr. President and Vice President, Mr. President-elect and Vice President-elect, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the inauguration of the 50<sup>th</sup> President of the United States of America.¡± Applause and cheers roared to life at the pronouncement. ¡°The world is watching today as democracy engages in this peaceful transition of power.¡± Robert shot a look over at Richard who was staring straight ahead toward the crowds.


    Delworth continued on for another three minutes before handing it over to a priest to say a prayer over the nation. A woman came out and sang a beautiful version of My Country, Tis¡¯ of Thee. Shortly after the applause died down, the chiefjustice of the Supreme Court of the United States was called to administer the oath of office to the vice president-elect.


    Everyone stood to their feet as Dylan and his wife approached the podium and the chief justice. Dylan put his hand on the Bible and said his lines before backing away toward their seats. It was Robert¡¯s turn next.


    He approached and placed his hand on the Bible and lifted his right arm. ¡°I, Robert Thomas Pope, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Unite-¡±


    BANG!


    Robert hit the ground, pulling Helly in and doing his best to cover her with his body. The crowd screamed and panicked as secret service members jumped on top of them. Robert thought he could hear more shots but the pressure of his heartbeat in his ears prevented him from really hearing much. He felt the weight of the several men basically on top of him, but he also felt a stinging pain in his chest begin to well up.


    He irked and groaned as the pain began to feel unbearable. His vision was becoming a blur.


    ¡°Robert!¡± He heard his wife call for him as he lost the ability to hold himself over his child. He fell down onto his back despite the secret service members trying to pull him inside. He looked down to see his wife and daughter crawling toward him. Helly''s dress has been stained dark purple with blood. He then looked further down toward his chest and saw that his clothes had been stained red. As had his fingers.


    Everything went black.

 2 - Wake Up

    Robert awoke with a startle, thrashing his hands on instinct. He had a splitting headache and the room was rather bright but his eyes were adjusting. He felt like he had just been hit by a truck. His mind was foggy and he could barely think straight. His stomach was doing backflips, though he managed to keep his wife¡¯s breakfast down.


    He could feel the heat of sunlight on his forehead, though it was helping tremendously with his headache, which was a boon. Then the heat faded. His senses slowly began returning to him. He blinked the oil and gunk out of his eyes a few times before he looked up from his bed.


    He was lying down in a bed that looked, dare he say, more ornate than the bed he had woken up in at the Blair House. The room was certainly no hospital room. ¡°What the fu-¡± he began until the woman sitting next to him startled him. He wasn¡¯t expecting to have company.


    She wore slate black folded robes with white trimming around the hems. There was a red and golden crest embroidered on the sleeves. The thing that really stood out were the tips of her ears pointing farther out to the sides than he was used to.


    ¡°I would strongly advise caution against any sudden movements, Sire.¡± She looked away as she set a glowing stone down on a bed-side table to her left.


    ¡°W-where am I?¡± His voice was course.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the medical ward, my lord. Someone will be in soon to brief you. For the time being, however, I advise you rest. You just went through a debilitating experience, no doubt.¡±


    Robert didn¡¯t know what to say to that. His memory was still foggy but bits and pieces were slowly beginning to come back.Moments from his morning waking up with Meghan. Eating breakfast with her and Hilly. Hilly gawking at the bust of Lincoln in the central rotunda of the White House.


    Then it came rushing back at him. The wasted time in the meeting room. The conversation with Richard before heading out the doors to the West Front of the Capitol. The shot. The pain.


    ¡°Goodness, are you alright, Sire?¡± The woman began wiping away the tears from Robert¡¯s face before he even realized they were there. He abruptly looked down at his chest, clawing the gown away so he could see. ¡°What did I just tell you?¡± She grabbed his wrists in an attempt to settle him.


    There was no entry wound, or exit wound? Maybe he was shot from behind? He didn¡¯t see where the shot had come from and by the time he registered what had actually happened, he woke up here.


    ¡°Where''s my wife and kid?¡± He panicked. The last he saw them, they were crawling toward him while people screamed and ran. Blood had stained his daughter¡¯s dress. He couldn¡¯t get the blotches of dark purple out of his mind. He was visibly shaken now.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re the only one here, Sire.¡±


    ¡°Please, you have to find them.¡± He was pleading with her now, ¡°I have to know they¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Sire, please, you must calm down.¡± She wore a worried look, ¡°you won¡¯t find them here.¡±


    Robert¡¯s mind immediately jumped to the worst. The bullet must have gone through him and her. Helly must have been injured too if she¡¯s not here. Hopefully Meghan was with her¡­


    He forced himself out of bed and began to make his way for the door. He immediately collapsed but picked himself up off the floor and trudged to the door despite every bone in his body screaming at him to lay back down in the massive bed. His adrenaline was carrying him beyond the pain at this point.


    ¡°Helly! Meghan! Where are you!?¡± He began screaming as he fought his way through the door. There was a tall armored guard standing just outside the door who was preparing to enter but stopped abruptly as he emerged. ¡°Please, where is my child?¡± He gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look and he took off down the hallway before he could be ushered back inside.


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    Heads began to poke themselves out of the various rooms dotted along the walls of the long stoney corridor. Robert pushed on in an overwhelmed stupor until he was stopped by another woman; taller than him, hair pulled back tight with glasses.


    ¡°Sire, please calm down and tell me how I can help you.¡± She looked at him with concern as she cautiously approached him, as if approaching a scared animal.


    ¡°M-m-my child,¡± he was hysterical with tears streaming down his face, ¡°I have to know if she¡¯s okay.¡±


    The woman was silent at first, then ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, if I¡¯m being entirely forthright with you, Sire.¡± She gently touched the sides of his arm.


    ¡°Is she dead?¡± He was a blubbering mess by now, a far cry from the man he was a few hours ago.


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    He wanted to let out a sigh of relief, but that still wasn¡¯t any clearer, ¡°What do you mean, not exactly dead?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she began, ¡°you were plucked from the aether. So unless she was there too, it would be impossible for her to be here as well. That said, we have no way of telling.¡±


    He understood the words but heard gibberish nonetheless, ¡°I was... where?¡±


    ¡°The aether, it¡¯s the place every living thing¡¯s soul goes after death.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m¡­ dead.¡±


    ¡°Correct, though you¡¯ve been given a new lease on life, so to speak.¡± She began leading him back to his room.


    He quietly absorbed the gravity of his situation. He was dead, supposedly. It was impossible for Helly to be here, allegedly. There was no way to know what¡¯s going on with her, reportedly. He was completely cut off from his family. From everything. Nothing around him looked familiar. The people didn¡¯t even sound familiar. They had accents but were different than any he had heard before.


    He immediately felt a crushing loneliness and the waterworks began again. His heart was being squeezed by an unending torrent of emotions and chemical compounds made by his brain.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best you rest for a while. We can-¡± He stopped in his tracks, putting his hand in front of her to stop her too.


    ¡°Where the hell am I?¡±


    ¡°You are at the Royal Palace of Cartegna, the capital city of the Kingdom of Luxoria.¡±


    ¡°Luxoria, huh?¡± What the veritable fuck is going on, he questioned to himself, ¡°and how exactly did I get here?¡±


    ¡°As I said, you were summoned from the aether, then transported here to recover.¡± She said as they finally approached his room again. He fell back into bed, relaxing his exhausted muscles.


    ¡°You say that as if you expect me to know what that means.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course. My apologies, Sire. Let me explain.¡±


    According to the woman, a special kind of ancient magic was used to summon a being, him, from the afterlife in hopes of reviving the royal blood line.


    ¡°Each ruling member of the royal bloodline must contain blood of an Aetheren. It has been a part of Luxoria¡¯s royal traditions for hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°You seriously summon an outsider to act as your ruler every time?¡±


    ¡°Not every time. For the most part, their kin carry on for generations after them. Our last one, however, had died in battle with no children to speak of, so alas, you have been summoned to fill the role.¡±


    He was summoned from beyond the grave to become a king? Nothing out of this woman¡¯s mouth was making a lick of sense. The more she spoke, the more questions he had. His mind was so overwhelmed from everything going on that he just couldn¡¯t listen to her anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ma¡¯am¡­¡± He looked at her expectantly.


    ¡°Apologies, Sire. I am Royal Housemaster Telra of the Hasken Household. I serve as the royal family¡¯s personal advisor and manager of the household; though I am currently acting as the royal regent.¡± She bowed deeply as she introduced herself, ¡°if I may ask for your name in return, Sire.¡±


    ¡°Robert Pope. I¡¯m sorry, Ma¡¯am but I think I need some time alone, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite alright, Mr. Pope. Please, feel free to sleep the remainder of the day. It¡¯s best you rest up so we can begin briefing you in earnest tomorrow.¡± With that, she left the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sire. I¡¯m sure this is a lot to take in," the other woman was still seated next to the bed, "Just rest for now and we¡¯ll take things one day at a time, yeah?¡± Her soothing voice had worked to calm him down. The adrenaline was fading, as was his consciousness. He nodded in response and she got up and left too. He was finally left by himself.


    The crushing loneliness came back. He could still feel Helly¡¯s warmth against him as he huddled over her while people ran in all directions. His ears still rang with the screams and cries. His hands were clean now, but he could still feel the warm blood on them. His blood, he hoped.


    This had to have just been some horrible nightmare. Some trick his brain was playing on him. Any minute now, he would wake up next to his wife again, ready to begin the day for real. He wished that would be the case but he had a sneaking suspicion that this was reality and he was fucked.


    His whole life, completely gone. He¡¯d never be able to see Meghan and Hilly ever again. Nor would they ever see him again. She¡¯d grow up without a father. No more father daughter dances. No more game nights on Sundays. He¡¯d never get a chance to walk her down the aisle.


    The grief and loss of his family carried him in to a deep slumber.

 3 - An Opportunity

    Robert woke up in the same room, though he was feeling a lot better physically. Emotionally was a different story. Having awoke in the same bed as last time helped cement the fact that this was indeed reality. His thoughts still lingered on his wife and child he¡¯d never get to see again. The bed he lay in felt cramped with the void of his missing wife filling the empty space. He had spent the night grieving them, though was nowhere near done. Having a refreshed mind, however, he was thinking clearly again and decided to go over the facts that he had.


    He was in a totally unfamiliar place. A Kingdom named Luxoria that is, or will be, his to rule. He was ¡°plucked from the aether,¡± or an Aetheren, he assumed. Being Aetheren means to die, from what Telra explained yesterday so clearly he didn¡¯t survive the inauguration.


    Fuck! He was so close to being president of the U.S. of fuckin¡¯ A. Man, why¡¯d he have to go and die? He was clearly assassinated, right? The obvious suspect would be President Prick (technically former President Prick, though only his VP had actually finished the oath).


    Richard also didn¡¯t exactly look like he was plotting anything. He looked like he had been pissing himself angry the entire time, as if he knew he lost but wasn¡¯t willing to admit it. Definitely doesn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t have been behind it, still. Either way, there didn¡¯t appear to be any way to do anything about it just yet, so was there much use worrying about it?


    Though, it did make him anxious about his family again. Hilly wouldn¡¯t get to live in the White House anymore, and if Richard was willing to go far enough to have him capped at the podium, then who¡¯s to say he doesn¡¯t go after them too?


    He perished the thought as there was a knock at the door. Granting their entrance, Telra entered again, this time, in a much less formal outfit. They were folded red robes with a white trim. Looked similar to the maid''s outfit, just with a different color. Must be standard work attire, he thought.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Sire?¡±


    ¡°Please, call me Rob, and I¡¯m doing better.¡± He sat up in his bed and positioned his pillow behind his back.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so glad to hea-¡±


    Robert held up a finger, ¡°If I¡¯m to be honest; however, I¡¯m incredibly emotional right now as I¡¯ve just lost my family and am in an unfamiliar place. I ask for your patience with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± Guess she won''t be calling him Rob.


    ¡°Now, would you mind answering some questions of mine?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± She quickly scuttled into the room and pulled a nearby chair over to the bed and sat.


    Where to begin, he wondered. What are the bullet points? He was to rule a kingdom, his bloodline was to rule after his departure, and he was technically a different race than these people, though that¡¯s a total guess.


    ¡°Explain to me how everything works here, again.¡±


    ¡°Well, we needed a new King to rule our country so we negotiated with the nobles to secure the necessary artifacts to summon another Aetheren and you were selected by the ancient goddesses to rule for us.¡±


    Ancient goddesses? This adds a whole new flavor of questions into this stew of conundrums. ¡°So I was chosen to rule a kingdom I¡¯ve never heard of by some ancient force I¡¯ve never interacted with? That makes perfect sense¡­¡± He added sarcastically.


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, I suppose. Nonetheless, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re understanding.¡±


    That¡¯s definitely an overstatement. ¡°What exactly does ruling entail?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll become the highest authority in the land, having control over national and regional taxation. You¡¯ll be able to levy both the Royal Guard and the individual armies of the noble houses. You¡¯ll also be required to take a queen.¡±


    ¡°Please, no queen talk.¡±


    ¡°Sire,¡± she looked at him with another concerned face. ¡°It is crucial that you produce an heir and given that both of us are in this situation, I¡¯d prefer not to have to summon another royal should you meet an untimely demise.¡±


    It was hard to argue with. Robert could see the logic in finding a queen as the first order of business but it was all too soon. He had no desire to pursue anyone. If he¡¯d have his way, he¡¯d still be with his existing family, of course. ¡°Is it possible for me to go back to my world?¡±


    ¡°Given that you died there, I would say no. Though magic can be incredibly accommodating at times, our mages have not mentioned any possibility of a return trip, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    That¡¯s about what he expected. He was well and truly separated from the loves of his life.


    Seeing the look on his face, she tried to break the tension, ¡°would you tell me about your family?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t surprised she asked. ¡°I guess that would be okay. My wife is named Meghan and my daughter is named Helly, she¡¯s 8-years-old.¡± He looked down at his hands as he could feel a warmth grow across his face. ¡°Helly was the brightest thing ever. She was so full of life and was curious about everything.¡± He gave a brief smile as his thoughts were filled with her.


    ¡°Helly sounds real sweet. You sound like you really loved her.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± He felt pressure well up behind his eyes, ¡°she was my whole world. Man, she was so excited too.¡±


    ¡°Excited about what?¡±


    ¡°Getting to move into the White House.¡± He chuckled sorely, ¡°I was excited too, to be totally honest with ya.¡±


    ¡°The white house? Was your previous house a different color?¡±


    He laughed this time, feeling just a bit lighter, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s just what the building is called. It is white, though it¡¯s not much of a house, more of a¡­¡± he gestured around him, ¡°well, kinda like the Royal Palace, but for my country.¡±


    ¡°Interesting, and you were moving into it for the first time?¡±


    ¡°Correct, I had just been elected President of the United States of America,¡± he puffed out his chest as he had done a million times before whenever he said that outside a suit.


    ¡°I¡¯m confused. Does your royalty not progress through bloodline?¡±


    ¡°No ma¡¯am. We done away with royal bloodlines a few hundred years ago. Even fought a whole war over it. Nearly fought a second civil war trying to stop it again¡­¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s astonishing.¡± Her eyes bounced about the room as she processed what he was saying, ¡°we¡¯ve always had a royal bloodline, much like all of the neighboring kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was like that for us too for a very long time. Thousands of years, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Our people have been around for thousands of years as well, though we¡¯re not fully sure how long. Historical records were fairly inconsistent up until around 5000 years ago when we developed a written language.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s similar to my people as well, actually. Fascinating¡­¡± he had always thought civilizations would develop similarly despite their environments. He cleared his train of thought and recentered the conversation. ¡°Nevertheless, I have no intention of taking a queen anytime soon. That said, the rest of the authority vested in me shall be used with care, I assure you.¡±


    She let out a relieved sigh, as if she were holding her breath, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear, my lord!¡± She grinned ear to ear. She was actually quite pretty, he admitted. Her bright blue eyes reminded him of Helly''s. ¡°Though, we will still need to discuss it. I understand you have apprehension around taking a queen but it is a crucial matter that must be addressed in the near future.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s table it for now.¡±


    <hr>


    After lunch, which was a surprisingly, and almost disappointingly similar experience to home, though with different names for things, he was finally up and about. Telra gave him a tour of the private grounds for the royal family first. The palace had nary a bare wall or dull corner. Every inch of the place was dressed in reds, purples, golds, and many other colors as they progressed through different rooms. The royal bedchambers had a number of rooms attached; a bathroom, a large closet, and several other smaller rooms which were explained to be reserved for queens and concubines, though he was more than content to leave the vacant.


    After the private residences, she walked him through the public offices where your typical clerks and pencil pushers worked. The public could come in to interface with the government, mainly for citizenship documents, licenses, or various other bits of simple bureaucracy. Looking at the lines and the fact that there were only two counters at all definitely meant his work was cut out for him.


    ¡°And finally, to conclude the tour, is your office.¡± She opened a door to a large room with floor to ceiling windows. The room was certainly no Oval Office and honestly, now that he was beginning to accept his circumstances, was a little gleeful that it wasn¡¯t as small as the Oval. It was still much too large for one man, though the other tables and couches suggested that he might not always be working alone in here.


    Daylight streamed in through the massive windows and shimmered off of all of the ornamental trimmings and furniture, casting dancing reflections all over the room. It looked like a victorian-era mansion before being ransacked by angry peasants. The desk he was to man was no larger than the Resolute Desk, though it was missing the titular red phone.


    Two men in blue and gold robes stood at the front of the desk, waiting patiently to greet their new King.


    ¡°This is Magistrate Philo Cornelius. He oversees the kingdom¡¯s treasury and trade.¡± Philo stuck his hand out and gave Robert¡¯s a stern shake. ¡°Next to him is Magistrate Drakus Neroyo. He¡¯s responsible for matters with our nobility class.¡±


    ¡°My liege, it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± After disconnecting from the handshakes, they bowed deeply.


    ¡°The honor is all mine, gentlemen. My name is Robert Pope and I look forward to working with you both.¡±


    ¡°The three of us,¡± Telra gestured to her and the two men, ¡°will be your closest advisors for the time being until you decide to appoint members to your court.¡±


    The head of the household, the head of finances, and the head of nobility made up his current advisors. From what he could understand of their duties, it sounded like a chief of staff, treasury director, and senate whip? Not much to work with, honestly.


    While this whole situation was still settling in Robert¡¯s mind, he was beginning to feel a little more at home (or as close to it as one could get, given the circumstances). It sounded like he would have to appoint a cabinet as he would have had to originally had he not been assassinated. If anything, he was able to distract himself with governing while he worked out his feelings on the matter.


    He felt a wave of confidence crash over him for the first time since arriving here. He was beginning to see the picture and if he had to admit, this looked like a real opportunity for him. The whole reason he got into politics in the first place was to make a difference in the world. He saw what was happening around him as he grew up and decided the most sure-fire way of fixing things was to get himself into the thick of it and fix it himself.


    He went to law school then immediately ran for county commissioner in his home state of Minnesota. After serving on the board for a few years, he ran for state senate and was nearly unanimously elected (mainly because the incumbent opponent had done a piss-poor job of interacting with his constituents). Eventually he ran for U.S. Senate and served on a number of committees and boards, which is where he met his VP who had quickly become a close ally. The two of them sponsored a number of bills and managed to win over a not-insignificant amount of republicans to his defense against Price.


    Had he not been whisked away merely moments from the proverbial finish line, he would be forced to contend with opposition from the legislative and the judicial branches. Not to mention the damage caused by his former rival, he would be spending a majority of his first term trying to undo all of that.


    But this was a unique chance to start from scratch. Sure, there were already systems in place, as well as an established government, but it was nothing compared to the well oiled machine that is American bureaucracy (with some tweaks of course).


    Only a few moments had passed while his mind sorted through his thoughts, but he came out of it a different man.


    ¡°I have a question for the three of you,¡± he said, approaching the window. He gazed out across the huge lawns of the palace gardens. It didn¡¯t look much different than the views from the White House windows in the West Wing, though the view here didn¡¯t compare to looking out across the National Mall from the West Front of the Capitol.The walls of the palace prevented him from seeing the people and the city beyond, ¡°Why does the Kingdom of Luxoria exist?¡±


    There was silence for a moment as the three pondered the question.


    Finally, the Housemaster took a guess. ¡°Nearly a thousand years ago, King Goron Darvarious the First united the western territories before conquering the Elven lands to the south. Upon returning to the central lands, he declared himself King and worked tirelessly to build the kingdom brick by brick.¡± Telra lifted her chin with pride as she recanted the ancient tale.


    ¡°Wrong answer, try again.¡±


    Telra took a slight step back in shock. A gasp barely escaped her lips. Philo and Drakus looked at each other before the former spoke up, ¡°uh, so the royal family can profit off its subjects?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± He gave a pointed look to Philo before turning his gaze toward Drakus, ¡°You wanna give it a try, too?¡±


    The man tapped his fingers together as he nervously searched for an answer. After Robert peeped the bead of sweat on Drakus¡¯s brow, he gave a dismissive wave, ¡°My country exists because we believe that the power over our money and land should be held by the people who work it rather than the people who own it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the statement, Sire. What of the owners then? Do they no longer own their land?¡± Telra asked while the others looked at each other with confusing mugs.


    ¡°Okay, well, property ownership is a little in the weeds, but the point is this: It¡¯s called democracy. Every four years, every single citizen goes out to a public place and casts a single vote for who they think should be in charge of the country.¡±


    ¡°Are your citizens expected to know ever other person in the country?¡± Drakus finally spoke.


    This prompted a chuckle out of Robert, ¡°No, nothing like that. People vote several times throughout the year to narrow down candidates. We also have large bodies of political party members who conduct separate votes to narrow down candidate selections until the entire country is eventually voting between two people.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like an incredibly complicated undertaking. And it happens every four years?¡± Philo was scratching his chin. Drakus¡¯s eyes were locked onto Robert''s now, fulling invested.


    ¡°After doing it for,¡± he did some quick mental calculations, ¡°264 years, you get used to it. Now, implementing it here would be a different matter, especially since it seems like you don¡¯t have electronics here.¡±


    ¡°Electronics? What is that?¡± Philo questioned. Robert walked back over toward the desk and sat in its big chair. It didn¡¯t have wheels, nor did it rock back. It was cushioned and comfortable but not as great as modern office equipment.


    ¡°I digress. The main takeaway here is that we have quite an opportunity before us. I was about to be the ruler of my own kingdom before I was killed and brought here. I bring with me a unique perspective on governance that could shock the world and give Luxoria the push it needs to get back on top.¡±

 4 - Queen Talk

    Royal Housemaster Telra of the Hasken Household sat in her own office that same evening pondering her interactions with the new king thus far. He looked much older than she had expected, given the last king she summoned; around her age, almost. He was fairly handsome too. Slim but not skinny. It was clear he worked out, though his age was beginning to betray his skin.


    She reflected on the things he said about his family, the way he talked about them. He was so in love with them, one would have to be blind to miss it. She felt sympathy for him, but he was not the only person to be summoned. Each one came with their own tragic back story.


    Robert was not the first to get excited about running the kingdom either. They¡¯ve had their fair share of tyrants in the royal bloodline and most aetheren were egotistical from what she¡¯d read and seen for herself. Obviously, each one plucked from the aether was their own person responsible for their own actions, but the goddesses sure enjoyed picking unqualified individuals, leaving them in such a state more than once.


    On the other hand, Robert was sharing some unique ideas. The workers owning the land vs the owners? It sounded completely backwards to her and the other magistrates. It was a fact of nature that the owner of the land was responsible for the land and everything atop it. Anyone other than the owners required permission to even step foot on their territory.


    Nevertheless, she was thankful he was taking to all of this so quickly. She wished she didn¡¯t have to push the matter of finding a queen, though it was necessary for the protection of the kingdom and her own piece of mind.


    Running the country on her own had been a nightmare already. The Caucus was a massive thorn in her side because they knew the power was tipped back in their favor. No king meant no royal power. Thankfully the Magistrates helped pick up the slack but there were still major problems persisting. The treasury, while not fully empty, was breaking-even whenever taxes were collected. Expenditures will begin to pile up if a solution to the refugee influx from the war isn¡¯t found soon. Trade has also been stagnating after the war pushed up prices. She wanted to pull her hair out just from the thought of it all.


    Robert didn¡¯t seem like the last king. He was certainly emotional at first, though they usually are. Since he¡¯s calmed down, he¡¯s been communicative and open. The former king was impulsive and brash. He ran headfirst into a war he knew he couldn¡¯t win and died in a matter of days because of his excitement for battle. Luckily, once he was found to have been slain, a peace treaty was quickly brokered and the war was ceased. Lives were still lost and lands were destroyed long before the fighting ceased.


    It had been a string of self-centered leaders as of late and the kingdom had seen far better days as a result. She continually prayed for the goddesses to pick someone worthy this time. Hopefully they answered her prayers.


    <hr>


    ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m not talking about a queen.¡± Robert waved dismissively at the Housemaster as he sipped his tee that another woman with pointy ears brought him.


    ¡°Respectfully, Sire¡­¡± she took her spectacles off and folded them in her lap, ¡°a Queen is much more than a mate, as you seem to be implying here.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m not speaking about women¡¯s abilities in this world, I¡¯m trying to say that a country doesn¡¯t require matrimony in order to function. Nobles getting caught up on such a silly notion only show that they aren¡¯t mature enough to govern in the first place.¡± He took another sip of his tea.


    ¡°The nobles will continue to care regardless of your feelings on the matter.¡±


    Fuck. This gave him flashbacks to his most recent argument with Rep. Matthews (R-Florida) over whether or not libraries should sell handgun holsters in the book store. People get hung up on the dumbest shit sometimes.


    She stretched out an arm and gently placed her hand on his wrist holding his tea cup. He felt a slight jolt from the unexpected sensation of being touched. ¡°You are not required to do anything with your queen that you are not comfortable doing, by law at the very least. If you choose wisely, she could be an incredible asset to the kingdom. She could come with a wealthy estate or sway over the nobles. She could be a boon to your administration. There are many forms a queen could take. If not a lover, then a confidant.¡±


    Heavy is the head, as they say. He reconsidered the idea. She was still insistent upon him producing an heir or ten, but a queen could still play a useful role.


    ¡°Think of it like a vice king, if you will.¡± She¡¯s right. It would be silly to dismiss the idea wholesale.


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    ¡°Alright, you win. Maybe a queen isn¡¯t such a bad idea right now.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± She basked in her victory for a moment before unfolding a folder of applications and placed them into two separate piles. The stack on the left was only three pages tall, the one on the right was at least 20, many more in any case. ¡°These are courtship applications submitted by the noble houses. To your left are my highest rated suggestions, the stack to your right are the rest. Do with that as you will.¡±


    She sat back in her chair and sipped her tea as he began looking over the documents. The three on the left really weren¡¯t all that special to Robert. Two of the names he couldn¡¯t even pronounce and the third one seemed like her only selling point was that she came with a wealthy estate.


    He dug through the other pile until his attention was finally caught. Priscilla of the De Montaigne Household was the only one above the age of 22. She was 35 and came with a full estate. It was just her and her father as she was a widow.


    ¡°De Montaigne catch your fancy? She¡¯s not the worst choice you could make. She¡¯s well outside the marrying age though, being a widow is not very desirable either. That alone will surely earn the ire of a few nobles. Not to mention the fact she¡¯s a part of the Caldwell Coalition; I suspect her application was submitted as a formality.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one that¡¯s even close to my age.¡±


    ¡°How old are you, Sire?¡±


    ¡°I turned 39 about two months ago.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I had thought you were younger.¡±


    ¡°I get that a lot.¡± He blushed as he sipped on his tea again.


    ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s unlikely to bear you a child at her age, which should fit your proclivities toward romance.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t have proclivities toward anything. I¡¯m still married for Christ¡¯sake.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that that is still the case?¡± She sipped again.


    He really didn¡¯t want to think about this right now. ¡°Fine, if I have to have a queen, let¡¯s go visit Miss De Montaigne.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to visit her. We will merely summon her here-¡±


    He put a hand up to stop her, ¡°No, I will be traveling to her. I need to see the lands and people for my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°I would highly suggest against that, Sire. The royal family does little outside the capitol for not only your own safety, but for the peace and mind of your people.¡±


    ¡°They care that much about me despite facing the ruin left by the last summoned king? I highly doubt they would forget the state of their wallets.¡± He stood from the desk, ¡°No, this is precisely why we must be out there with the people.¡±


    ¡°It is not customary for common folk to mingle with Royalty. In fact, it is usually outside the norm that a sitting king would interact with anyone below the noble class at all, unless they were palace staff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised this kingdom has lasted as long as it has. You seem to be an unsinkable ship.¡± He let out a heavy sigh before heading for the door of his office, ¡°Send a notice to House De Montaigne of my intention to visit and prepare the necessary travel equipment. That¡¯s an order.¡±


    Telra straightened in her chair at his sudden commanding presence, ¡°Right away, Sire.¡±


    ¡°Also, contact the local municipalities between the capitol and the De Montaigne territory and request that an oration platform be prepared in each town square and inform them we will be sending additional instructions in the coming days. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°You wish to speak in the town squares?¡± A bewildered look on a face.


    ¡°Correct. Bring as much muscle as needed to feel comfortable but I¡¯m telling you, this is how we fix things. I want an update by end of day tomorrow.¡± He turned around to face the door he had just opened and stopped just before bumping into another maid. The same one he woke up to on his first day, actually.


    ¡°Nice to meet you again, Sire, I¡¯m Raina.¡± She was much taller and older than the one who had brought the tea, now that he was properly looking at her. His eyes linger a little longer than he intended.


    ¡°Ah, Raina! Sire, she is your new personal attendant.¡± Telra exclaimed as she approached them by the threshold.


    ¡°Your say is my command, Sire.¡± She smiled brightly.


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve never had a personal attendant before.¡± The three of them exited his office together into the hall and headed toward the private wing where the dinner hall was.


    ¡°There are no maids in your world?¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°There definitely are maids, I¡¯ve just never had a need to hire one.¡±


    ¡°You were the ruler of your kingdom butdidn¡¯t have any maid staff?¡± Telra asked as Raina followed just behind his right foot.


    ¡°Heavens no, I¡¯m a public servant. Besides, the White House would have come with a whole fleet of staff and servants anyway. Also, I wasn¡¯t the ruler yet.¡±


    ¡°A public servant? What do you mean by that?¡± Raina asked.


    ¡°It means I work for the people. The taxes that our people pay go into our government¡¯s budget, not our own pockets.¡± He sighed again, ¡°though that doesn¡¯t mean people didn¡¯t find ways to profit nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, such corruption is rampant here as well, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Telra said, relieved to finally find common ground between their two worlds.


    ¡°Speaking of which, the General. Tell me about him, and be honest. Can I trust him or will he be a liability?¡±


    She thought for a moment, ¡°He can be trusted. He might not trust you right away, but he¡¯s the one responsible for the peace treaty so he¡¯s on your side.


    ¡°Then, could you summon him for me?¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°¡®Strike while the iron is hot,¡¯ as my people say.¡± He offered a hardly apologetic smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not common etiquette to invite anyone into the private wing aside from family and palace staff.¡±


    He about-faced and headed the opposite direction, ¡°Then have my dinner and the General sent to my office, please.¡±


    The two women watched as he walked off on his own.


    ¡°What a strange man,¡± Telra let out.


    ¡°Agreed. I like him so far, though. He seems driven.¡±


    ¡°The others were driven too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but he seems different. More mindful.¡±

 5 - Caring Not for Tradition

    A knock wrapped on Robert¡¯s office door. A tall, grizzly looking man in a clean white and red striped robe stepped through the doorway and approached the desk. The sword cinched around his waist wobbled as he walked. He bowed deeply before his king, ¡°General Jordy of the Gascoigne Household, at your service, sir.¡±


    ¡°General,¡± he stuck his hand out for a firm handshake, ¡°it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Please take a seat,¡± The man did as he was told.


    His eyes were gray and cold. This man had clearly seen the worst of humanity, as well as his own king. He no doubt had a lot of work to do to gain his trust.


    ¡°May I ask why you called me here this evening, sire?¡± He eyed the series of unmarked maps sprawled out under the plate of food his boss was making his way through.


    ¡°Of course, I apologize if it is later than your normal working hours,¡± he said between bites, ¡°but I just wanted to speak with you about a few things.¡±


    ¡°By all means, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He finished chewing then swallowed and pointed to a spot on an unmarked map. It was the northeast most point in the kingdom that happened to boarder three separate nations. ¡°Tell me about this region.¡±


    ¡°That is the Valcoren Pit. It has been hotly contested for hundreds of years due to its abundant resources. While it is currently under our control, thanks to our victory in peacekeeping efforts after the war, it will no doubt fall to another¡¯s demesne before long. We are cursed with its ownership once more.¡±


    ¡°You feel your troops that incapable of holding the line?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Sire. Parish the thought.¡± His cold look barely betrayed the offense beneath.


    Raina entered the room from a side door for the staff and brought a cup of tea for the General and refilled Robert¡¯s cup.


    ¡°I understand completely, General. Those geopolitical issues are not unique to this planet.¡± Similar to the Middle East, he thought. Multiple cultures and ideals clashing over landlocked space. If he messes this up, stability might never return to that region. ¡±I must admit, though, this could be a blessing in disguise for us. Where about would you say are the capitols of the surrounding kingdoms?¡±


    Luxoria was tucked into the southern corner of the continent with the western and southern fronts facing the ocean. North of them was Solarus Ad Pendum, a kingdom much wealthier than Luxoria and currently in a peace treaty with them. It¡¯s unlikely they would be any more amenable beyond the terms of the treaty given recent events. Their capitol was closer toward the western shore.


    To the east was mostly mountains then deserts but was still claimed by the Kingdom of Therys d¡¯Anvou. They were largely neutral toward Luxoria, though expectedly guarded. Their capitol was near the Valcoren region.


    The final kingdom of the continent, and the one with the most territory, was the Alastarian Kingdom. They haven¡¯t interacted much with Luxoria given that their capitol is on the other end of the continent.


    ¡°Like I said, the region is stable for now. We¡¯re beginning to let the refugees return but the pillaged towns won¡¯t make their lives any easier.¡±


    He considered the implications of many potentials. He wargamed multiple scenarios in his head, sitting silently for several moments. Even civilized nations struggled to properly handle refugees. A failing kingdom would be able to offer no better. He was beyond thankful the region was somewhat stable already. The idea of having to deploy the military so soon after his arrival was one he didn¡¯t enjoy.


    That territory would surely be worth the grief though. A central location rich in minerals and metals as well as fertile farming land. He would need to find some geological surveys to see what specific materials were catalogued there, but he could worry about that later.


    The main reason Robert was so keen on developing that area was due to its prime location between the boarders. It made for a perfect trade hub. Despite Pendum¡¯s capitol being on the other end of the country from there, it was still close enough to other cities that it could easily become a pivotal location. Improvements were needed first, however, before any merchants would be willing to earnestly set up shop.


    ¡°Thank you for your input, General. Your expertise and unique understanding is greatly appreciated within my service.¡±


    ¡°Your words honor me, Sire.¡± He was silent for a moment but still looked toward Robert. He could tell something was bubbling under the surface but could hardly tell through the rough exterior. "If I may, Sire."


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    "By all means, General." Robert braced himself for an outburst.


    "What are your plans with the region?"


    He excelled in quick relief then thought longer before answering, "Well, it''s hard to say. I''m sorely missing major pieces of intelligence, which is a longer conversation we''ll need to have later. That said, my immediate thought is to develop the area and turn it into an economic powerhouse. If we play our cards right, we could bring a lot of revenue in that can be used for many more endeavors."


    The general tilted his head as he pondered that. After a moment, he seemed satisfied. "Thank you, Sire. That has calmed my concerns."


    ¡°I''m glad to hear it, General. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± He gave a quick salute. The man tilted his head in bewilderment at the strange gesture. ¡°Ha, sorry. Old habit when addressing our military back home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting display of respect, Sire.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point, General.¡±


    The commanding officer nodded his head, bowed and exited the room.


    Robert slunk back in his chair and released a heavy breath, relaxing after having to wear his ¡®prez face¡¯, as his daughter liked to call it. He could play the confident politician when he needed to, but it certainly drained his mental stamina before long.


    He heard another click of the door and looked to see Raina approaching with a tea kettle again.


    ¡°Would you like another refill, Sire?¡± She stood in perfect posture and smiled brightly at him.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll keep yourself up all night.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Say, could you do me one more favor?¡±


    ¡°Anything, Sire.¡±


    ¡°Go and grab another tea cup and come back, please.¡±


    She popped up an eyebrow, ¡°Yes, Sire.¡± She quickly left and returned moments later with another cup in hand.


    He gestured toward the chairs facing his desk, ¡°Please, have a seat, but not before pouring yourself a cup.¡±


    She shot him a surprised look, ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s not common for the staff to sit with the King.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll quickly come to learn I don¡¯t care much for what¡¯s common and what¡¯s not. There are many more important things to worry about, like fixing our finances first and foremost.¡±


    She reluctantly poured herself a cup of tea and sat across from him, sitting in perfect posture once again. ¡°The other staff say you¡¯re not too similar to the last king.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, I take that as a compliment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it is, to be honest. We don¡¯t know you yet.¡±


    ¡°Just give me time, I plan to make myself known very soon.¡± He took a sip of his tea as she just studied him. ¡°I¡¯d like to get to know you more, especially since we¡¯ll be working together. I also wish to know the scope of your duties and responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Well, Aside from whatever task you personally give me, I¡¯m responsible for maintaining your wardrobe, your daily schedule, personal affairs, interfacing with other parties within the palace, and servicing any other needs you might have.¡±


    ¡°Ignoring the last part, that sounds like an incredible amount of work. How much are you being paid?¡±


    ¡°Well enough, you needn¡¯t worry, Sire. I¡¯m content at your side." This chick seemed awfully comfortable around him despite barely knowing him.¡°If I may, Sire¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± He took a sip of his tea.


    ¡°Do you prefer men?¡±


    ¡°WHat?¡± He nearly choked.


    ¡°Some of the other maids said you must like men since you keep rejecting the idea of getting a queen.¡±


    He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. What the fuck. ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not the case, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    Wow¡­ she was kind of annoying. Cute but zero tact. He didn¡¯t particularly want to talk about it but she was real insistent. Plus, he¡¯d probably have to tell her everything eventually anyway given how forward she already is.


    ¡°I had a wife named Meghan and a child named Helly. I was assassinated while being sworn in as the ruler of my nation. Now I¡¯m here, with no idea where they are or what has happened in my world since my death. I have seemingly no way home and I-¡±


    She slid a hand over to his wrist on the table, just as Telra has done. He was crying again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to continue. I understand.¡± She let go and stood from her seat and bowed deeply, ¡°I deeply apologize for my tactless behavior. I should have been more considerate.¡±


    He touched her on the shoulder, ¡°it¡¯s alright, I forgive you.¡±


    <hr>


    Robert lay awake in his royally large bed. He stared up at the vaulted ceiling of the circular room, his eyes tracing the gold molding webbing up toward the glass dome at the top. He couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes in the darkness, he¡¯d be brought right back to that frightful day ever unending.


    He had no choice but to distract himself if he wanted to get any sleep tonight. He did have another big day ahead of him. He had a feeling he¡¯d have a lot of big days ahead of him, in all sorts of ways. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little giddy at the idea though. This was his chance to really affect some actual change.


    There was minimal to no bureaucracy to get in his way and the rest was pretty straightforward to navigate. He would have the chance to build a form of government impervious to corruption and fair for everyone. Eventually, he¡¯d be able to unite the entire continent, if he played his cards right, that is.


    While this whole queen hunt felt largely like a waste of time, it was a good change to go out and do some good old fashioned campaigning. Do a little door to door, some rallies. It brings him back to around two years ago when he went on tour for the first time. He was definitely nervous at first and made more than a few newsworthy mistakes, but he survived, and he improved. He practiced a fuck ton and wrote most of his own speeches.


    He was excited to be able to have the chance to do this again, though still not at the expense of his family. He would sacrifice everything he was doing here in a heart beat to be able to see them again.


    Gotta distract himself again lest he anger the PTSD. He¡¯s got another big day tomorrow.


    He had Telra schedule meetings with Philo and Drakus respectively. He still needed to find someone he could speak about domestic matters with but things were moving pretty quickly. It almost feels like he never died at all.


    Nope, he definitely did. The hulking weight of their loss made sure he never forgot.