65 The Two Lions (1/2)
Nirvana, Castonia
Leopold rubbed his swollen eyes and leaned back on his chair. The soft cushion alleviated the pain on his back a little.
”What's the situation outside?” he asked Rupert, the Captain of his guards.
”Still the same Your Majesty” Captain Rupert answered with a steely voice. ”The city guards are trying their best to suppress the riots, but the people are angry. Violence has erupted in the streets targeting mainly Wismarine merchants. But they can't enter the palace, I'm sure of that. I also think that the riots will only last for a few days at most.”
Leopold examined the Captain of his guards. Like him, Captain Rupert hadn't slept for days. He then noticed the smudge on Rupert's armor.
”And they are throwing rotten eggs at the royal guards, I suppose?” Leopold pointed at the smudge. So that's where the revolting odor comes from, he thought.
Captain Rupert looked at the smudge on his armor. ”Eggs are the least of our problems. They also threw rotten food, rocks, sewage, urine and sometimes..” he grimaced as if remembering a horrifying memory ”feces”
Leopold grunted in disgust. He shouldn't have asked Captain Rupert. He wondered what the people will throw at him if he dared show his face to the masses.
He must admit, he underestimated Timothy's popularity with the people. Ever since the news of the failed assassination spread, Nirvana and many other cities in Castonia experienced riots. Of course Leopold tried to deny the accusations that he perpetrated the act, which was actually the truth. But the people did not listen to him. It was as if there was someone controlling the sentiment of the people.
The good thing though was that Braun and the Wismarines failed to kill Timothy or else the people would have already torn the palace stone by stone. That was close, he thought.
Honestly, Leopold felt so stupid. His wrong decisions caused this. First, his ambition prompted him to choose the Wismarines over the Vanadians. He should have been contented with the alliance with Vanadis. He tried to scheme against Timothy and it backfired horribly, giving Timothy soaring popularity instead.
Second, he underestimated Skall's slyness. Leopold never expected that the bastard would attempt something as despicable as assassinating Lucia Vanadis and blame the act on Castonia. Now Leopold's name will live in infamy. Sure, this scandal will be slightly forgotten in time, but its current effects were severe. All of the neighboring kingdoms shunned Castonia and recalled their merchants. Inkit, Hadea and Canton all broke their alliance with Castonia. Also, rumors say that Vanadis is preparing for war.
Leopold's third mistake was ordering Braun to kill Timothy and capture Lucia. Truth be told, he was afraid of Timothy. That bastard of his late wife commands respect and admiration from the people. Thankfully, Braun failed or else the people would again blame him for the death of Timothy. This time, it was really his doing. If the people were angry now, they would have been furious if Timothy died.
There was a good news though. Braun captured Erik. Marquis Benedict Connel wouldn't support Timothy with Erik being held hostage in Nirvana. Without the support of Greenwater, Timothy couldn't rebel against him. It seems civil war was averted for now.
Leopold stood up and went to the window of his room. He opened it and looked outside. He saw that the streets were in chaos. Hundreds of people stood outside the gate of the palace throwing rocks and shouting incomprehensible insults to him. Leopold never wished for things to end up like this. He may have schemed against Timothy, but all he did was for the benefit of Castonia.
”Rupert, we have known each other for many years right?” he asked his guard while still looking at the rioting people outside.
”Yes, Twenty-nine years in fact.” Rupert answered
”Then tell me honestly, am I a bad King?” He then looked at Rupert ”Don't worry you can be completely honest. I won't hold it against you.”
Rupert tilted his body to face Leopold. His expression was strange. It was as if he was happy and sad at the same time.
”You are a bad father Your Majesty, especially to the third prince. Sometimes you can be evil, disregarding your morals for the sake of ambition. But never in my twenty-nine years of service have I seen you disregard Castonia. Well sometimes you make bad decisions like that with the Wismarines, but I know you did it for Castonia. You thought that it was the right thing to do. So even though you tried to kill the third prince twice, even though this shitshow is largely your fault, I never once thought of betraying you. You are a good King and nothing will change that.”
Leopold laughed after hearing Rupert's opinion of him. ”When I told you to be honest, I didn't mean for you to be that honest. I'm still hurt you know”
Rupert chuckled ”I did tell you that you are a good king and you said that you won't hold it against me”
Leopold snorted the last of his laughter and went back to his chair. ”But you're right. I am an evil person and a bad father.” He leaned his head against the headrest of the chair ”You know, I may have loved him once. Timothy, I mean.”
He sighed and looked at the ceiling. ”When he was little he once said that he wanted to be like me in the future. Whenever we eat together, he would follow all of my movements and I mean everything. The way I drink, the way I chew, the order in which I eat my food, he copies everything. I promised myself once that I will forget about the past and move on. I can't change the past by hating a child anyway. But everything slowly changed. He grew up looking like him, that mushroom-loving asshole. Whenever I look at Timothy, I remember his father. After more than twenty years, it still hurts. Margaret's betrayal broke me and my heart had never been repaired ever since that night. So even though Timothy have nothing to do with it, even though I tried to love him as my son, I still can't escape my emotions. I know that scheming against him is wrong. Braun is even disgusted by my actions. But emotion is man's greatest strength and biggest weakness.”
Rupert walked towards Leopold. The clinking of his armor was loud. He then sat on the chair in front of Leopold. ”Pardon me for asking Your Majesty, but what would have happened if he was your son?”