Chapter 834

Chapter 834: Unplanned Scheme

1st of February, time elapsed, Igna found himself sitting before a computer, the day had just risen. The interview of a week prior gave quite the shock. The news persisted on the popular talk shows, touching on a sensitive matter was bound to make headlines, and in the rabble, a lesser-known show, Ion’s Tal, shone from the rest. The host, a scholar who’d graduated from Kiz’ University, ranked the 9th in the Hidros, sat and argued what was said. The more elaboration, the lesser grew to understand – the subject piqued interest, what was justice, what was right, nothing was set – nor was there a beacon to guide the judgment. Unlike the other shows, most of which took an opposite standpoint against the King’s words, Tal sat down and said, “-Self-accountability.”

The backlash affected many courts of law, the act of dualism, a law passed centuries ago – was brought under scrutiny from humanitarian organizations. Where conflict booms, so does the people’s interest and affection.

“Master,” a feeble knock gave into a smaller room, one far from the royal chambers, closer to the butler’s quarters. The bed wasn’t suited for royalty, under a closer lens, the composite was but feathers and hay, the floor, mildly uncleaned as for light, the sun shone through a gated airway. The place was midway between habitable and lair, “-we have trouble.”

“What could it be?” he stood, pushed the chair, grabbed a random shirt, and made for the corridor, “-is it the interview?”

“Yes, media’s swayed influence citing an ulterior motive by removing juries from the trial. Conveniently overlooking the corruption, seems old dynasties are pulling strings to make their voices heard. Undermining their status was bound to result.”

“-I know,” he interjected, “-my decision is final,” they took the outer walkway, crossed many faces, leaped onto a bike, and accelerated toward the north, “-what’s the trouble about?” he asked once pulling onto the populated roads.

“We’ve been asked to face a council of scholars to debate what you said.”

.....

“A debate?” the bike blasted through the stationary targets, zigzagging lane to lane, “-will it serve any purpose?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged éclair, “-the interview spawned conflict. Tis the king’s job to resolve their fear and worry.” The media center shortly leaped in view after a few minutes’ drive at full speed. A lesser popular studio was host to the central news of Rosespire – on the set-hours, people tuned to check the countries entourage. An old scruffy guardsman hailed at the duo.

“A king on a bike,” he commented, “-long are the days where a prince would arrive on an armored horse,” exhaled a wheeze.

“Signs of the changing time,” off the beast, helmets pinched under their arms, the prime minister and king showed themselves to the entrance after a flyover going from one studio to the next, the streets kindly held scattered leaves. Workers took their jolly time in picking trash, the visitors were uninterested in keeping the area clean, bushes held cups and empty bottles.

“Shameful,” muttered Igna closing at a revolving door. A tight squeeze gave onto a densely confined atmosphere. The reception was large, yet, the guests in said area chewed the openness.

“Do they all have a stick up their bottom?”

“Majesty,” quipped éclair, “-they’re the scholars...”

“My opponents?” he paused briefly midway from the door and the reception desk; menacingly watched the line of older men bearing the signature ‘dad’s figure’. “-Those are the losers who’ve dared question my morals. Well, I did spout whatever came to mind before; doesn’t matter, what I said reflects the current state of Hidros. To lessen my workload, I better make the ruling quick and efficient.’ Arguments, counter-arguments, he was ready to head into battle. Once the off-stage introduction was complete, the news anchor took energetically at the headlines. It would be a while till their segment, viewership skyrocketed into the tens of thousands. At precisely 10:30, the segment was pulled onto the scene, a live broadcast streamed over the Arcanum, garnering double the amount.

“King Igna,” said a man with a heavy lower-chin, “-inferring to the Act of Dualism, is the law not barbaric for our advanced society?”

“King Igna, the very idea of leaving a man’s fate onto another’s blasphemy. Only God is true to judge us, inhabitants of the mortal realm.”

“King Igna, the thoughts are idealistic and infant-like at best. Let’s be honest, you wanted to make the Royal Court a place where only the king and select candidates had ultimate power. Ruling the kingdom isn’t enough, you seek to rule our collective freedom.” The questions kept on firing, Igna sat in his chair confidently, actively listening to their query and finding flaws. The mediator, the news anchor, soon passed the baton to Igna. A smug expression laid on the scholar’s faces, “-act of dualism,” he returned coldly, “-we could make an example right here. I invoke the rights passed by the ancestors and declare battle of wits against the scholars,” he smiled, “-on conditions I win, thou art to reveal the truth.”

“What truth?” they narrowed; “-we have nothing to hide.”

“Oh you do,” he laughed, “-why is it we have a representative of Tharis’s sect in our entourage?” he looked to his right, where sat the arch-priest, “-the blessed from Goddess Tharis’ sect have the boon of truth. They know when a person’s lying, the scale of order is proof,” to which, a golden representative of her symbol of power slapped onto the table, “-long story short, this is a lie-detector, but better. The devotees of the righteous god have the talent of knowing the truth and the false. I planned to discreetly implement the relic in our court of law, sadly, the pests that are the media, have laid a stain on my noble task.”

“The conditions you laid, we accept,” fired a reddened chubby visage, “-if we lose, we’ll reveal whatever truth thee say we hide.”

“Perfect,” he rubbed his hands and settled, éclair shook his head at the idiocy shown by the opposing council. One by one, their arguments against Igna were refuted, and not only that, dismantled from the very core. The tenacious scholars knew their way around, firing the questions under the pretense of drawing a statement, regardless, Igna kept calm, breaking their spirits one by one. In the end, the matter came to simplify the removal of juries of which was explained to be preceded by the Scale of Tharis, an unbiased relic blessed in detecting lies.

Twenty minutes passed, the opposition sweated buckets, “-the act of dualism is what one makes it to be,” he smiled at the other side, “-they’ve signaled defeat,” he looked at the camera, “-there’s a virus that plagues our society. It’s not the system of law nor the people at the top, no, on contrary, it’s the blasphemous media. They showed no regard in striking at the kingdom’s integrity,” he signaled the priest.

“By the blessing of the goddess of justice, I, humble servant, ask for thy divine judgment and wisdom,” a jolt of lightning activated the scale to a bright glee.

“Pardon me, majesty,” interjected the anchor, “-mind explaining what you meant by integrity?”

“Oh please, don’t act innocent. Do you or do you not know who these scholars are?”

“I don’t,” he said.

“A lie,” the scale tipped to the left, “-a lie, majesty,” said the priest. A hallowed look had the man anxiously look behind the camera for answers. The director and producer were held at gunpoint by Igna’s guards. The price of demeaning a monarch was most often death, and they knew the facts. The arrival of support was to ensure the feed wasn’t cut.

“People of Hidros, listen close, the show’s producers allowed traitors,” he pointed, “-defectors of our nation to return and have a say in our politics. From right to left, we have men who’ve been persecuted for conspiracy of terrorism,” a quick tap on éclair’s elbow, gave signal to hijack the feed. The live video had additional information on the opposition, “-it’s shameful really. Losers trying to find a sliver of satisfaction, how adorable. Matter of fact, the news station has been very biased in opposing the kingdom, I ought to sentence them to prison for slandering my name, the king’s name,” he moved to the center, “-right as it would be, I won’t. Freedom is one of the many advantages I wish us to have, opinions matter, long as it’s yours and it doesn’t interfere with another’s morals. I’ve said time and time again, we’re a nation of many races, our cultural understanding far exceeds what the world has to offer, we’re united and strong. Please, my dear people, do not let the attention-hungry media take judgment from thy hand. The station will remain active, rivalry is necessary for advancement... yet, if winning becomes so important as to undermine the ways of our people, trust that I’ll take the first step in culling the unworthy. For now, may thee have a good day,” the feed ended, the studio breathed a collective sigh.

“Let us go,” cried the scholars.

“No way,” said the King, “-did you really think this would have worked?”

“There’s no way,” they cried, “-our faces were hidden by an alteration spell.”

“Pardon me,” he summoned a reflective surface, “-I must have dispelled the alteration when I walked in. Why is it you think I allowed for your flawed line of questioning? Remember well, Hidros will never be beaten by little rodents,” both hands slammed and cracked the table, “-target me, not my people, else, I’ll show the real reason why my nickname is the Devil of Glenda,” the phone panned at the Tharis’ scale showing it tipped on the righteous side. The off-air video shot by éclair, upon upload, amassed countless views, taking social media by storm.

12:00, the castle’s massive stature rose in the distance, Igna kept calmly underneath a willow tree with a canvas propped by an easel. On it was oil paint mixed into various shades. He’d painted a lovely composition leading from the tree, into the middle of the flowers, and through an archway headed inside the colossus.

“Good news.”

“éclair,” he replied, the minister scaled the hill from the left, backdropped by another array of flowers and trees, “-what brings the busy minister to my humble refuge.”

“We’ve been apart for a few hours, don’t speak as if we’ve met after years. The video I shot has gone viral, the people feel at ease from the outburst. It went according to plan, when the feed cut, an unresolve taste had the watchers look for more, therein laid a carrot, the earnest feeling of a king who cares.”

“There are multiple faces, I’ve shown a caring, protective, and idealistic side – to be relatable, I ought to show my flaws – which coincidentally is how my fame came to be, a weapon of war, the devil.”

“Master, I have to ask.”

“If the interview was planned?”

“Yes, did you know the outcome?”

“Not really, I said what came to mind, sometimes, it’s best to let the actions happen. By not calculating and taking a risk, I couldn’t predict my actions, neither could those wanting to break my claim, an unplanned scheme. The more my rights are acknowledged, the better the odds. You knew what I was thinking, didn’t you?” he rose a conniving eyebrow, “-panning to the tipped scale implied my actions to be just and truthful.”

“Not to brag, on entering the studio, I felt the intent, besides, I was asked to bring the guards. The media will think twice before attacking our decision – we’ve created a massive valley where the freedom dangles in the distance. They don’t realize the darker side of what’s happening behind the scene.”

“I preach about freedom and whatnot – what I excel at is manipulation – controlling media, the flow of information, and the narrative. Long as they’re happy, I’m pleased to act however I wish, Hidros will become strong, and I’ll make sure the whole world realizes said fact. Have the researchers ready the unnamed project, next step is the domination of the skies.”