~~((The Totally-Not-Random May 1st Special -- page 3 of 18))~~
'What have you heard?' said Hanton.
"You wish to comment on rumors and speculation?" said the King.
'It may help me to contextualize my response.'
"Very well..." The King took a moment to think. "I have heard that you and Martinus butted heads rather strongly on the matter of militarization. And to be quite blunt with you, I have heard that you were quite the warmongerer, which was what ultimately made him decide to relieve you off your advisory role."
'Ah.'
Hector found that a little surprising. Thus far, Hanton Gaolanet hadn't struck him as the warring type at all. From their previous conversation, that seemed like the last thing that Hanton would want.
Unless he'd been lying, of course.
'The truth, then, may confuse you,' said Hanton. 'Militarization is not a simple process--or even easy to define, necessarily. There are many methods of waging war, and not all of them involve building tanks and munitions factories. On the whole, I was actually AGAINST militarization. Martinus was much more interested in pursuing it than I was.'
"Excuse me?" said the King. "Are you trying to claim that it was Martinus who was the warmongerer, not you?"
The Sparrow paused for a long sigh. 'Well... yes. While I would not say that I opposed every aspect of militarization, the basic sentiment is the same.'
The King's expression spoke of doubt, and he shook his head. "Pardon me, but that flies in the face of virtually everything that I have heard about both him and you."
'Oh? I am relieved to hear that, then. Because that, too, is as I intended it.'
The King was certainly no longer alone in his apparent confusion now. "What in the world do you mean by that?"
'After Martinus fired me, I... took fairly dramatic action. It would have been a problem if the rest of the world perceived the King of Atreya as an aggressor.'
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Friday, May 1, 2020
Page 2238
~~((The Totally-Not-Random May 1st Special -- page 2 of 18))~~
'Are you looking to blame us for Atreya's ill fortune in these matters as well?' said Hanton.
"I don't know," the King said. "Blame seems unproductive at this juncture, but the coincidence does strike me as strange, nonetheless. Because, well, the way I see it, there are only three possibilities. First, it truly is all a coincidence. Second, House Gaolanet is somehow responsible for these horrible events. Or third, the opposite. Perhaps it is precisely your absence as royal advisors that has been the damnable catalyst."
Hanton's avian head reared back a little.
Everyone else seemed a bit perplexed as well.
Hanton made a noise that Hector didn't recognize--a kind of rumbling chirp from deep within the giant bird's chest. A laugh? 'My daughter would be ecstatic to hear you even mention that last possibility.'
"Ah, Pauline. How is she doing, by the way?"
'As spirited as ever. Or perhaps even more so, if you can believe it.'
"I can. My memories of her are few, but I can. In fact, I'm surprised she didn't accompany you here."
'Oh, she wanted to. Thankfully, she still listens to me, from time to time.'
"I should like to meet her again," said the King.
'Truly, Your Highness?'
"Yes."
'Then... I suppose that can be arranged. Another day, of course. I fear we are beginning to get sidetracked.'
"Of course."
As Hector kept listening, a part of him was in quiet awe of this conversation--of the King, in particular. That was the first time that Hanton Gaolanet had referred to him as "Your Highness" so far. Maybe Hector was reading too much into it, but that struck him as significant.
"Before we move on to more current matters, however," said the King, "I would like to know more about your falling out with Martinus."
'Ah...'
"Why did he strip you of your position?"
'Are you looking to blame us for Atreya's ill fortune in these matters as well?' said Hanton.
"I don't know," the King said. "Blame seems unproductive at this juncture, but the coincidence does strike me as strange, nonetheless. Because, well, the way I see it, there are only three possibilities. First, it truly is all a coincidence. Second, House Gaolanet is somehow responsible for these horrible events. Or third, the opposite. Perhaps it is precisely your absence as royal advisors that has been the damnable catalyst."
Hanton's avian head reared back a little.
Everyone else seemed a bit perplexed as well.
Hanton made a noise that Hector didn't recognize--a kind of rumbling chirp from deep within the giant bird's chest. A laugh? 'My daughter would be ecstatic to hear you even mention that last possibility.'
"Ah, Pauline. How is she doing, by the way?"
'As spirited as ever. Or perhaps even more so, if you can believe it.'
"I can. My memories of her are few, but I can. In fact, I'm surprised she didn't accompany you here."
'Oh, she wanted to. Thankfully, she still listens to me, from time to time.'
"I should like to meet her again," said the King.
'Truly, Your Highness?'
"Yes."
'Then... I suppose that can be arranged. Another day, of course. I fear we are beginning to get sidetracked.'
"Of course."
As Hector kept listening, a part of him was in quiet awe of this conversation--of the King, in particular. That was the first time that Hanton Gaolanet had referred to him as "Your Highness" so far. Maybe Hector was reading too much into it, but that struck him as significant.
"Before we move on to more current matters, however," said the King, "I would like to know more about your falling out with Martinus."
'Ah...'
"Why did he strip you of your position?"
Page 2237
~~((The Totally-Not-Random May 1st Special -- page 1 of 18))~~
"This is not the first time you have played advisor to the King of Atreya," said William, a whiff of a smile on his face.
'Yes,' said Hanton. 'I was once quite close with your father-in-law.'
"I remember it vividly," said the King. "When I was a teenager, just beginning to dip my toe into matters of the royal court, you were a star. And one that burned quite hotly, as I recall."
Hanton ruffled his russet feathers but said nothing.
"Many in the court were jealous of your relationship to Martinus," said the King. "I remember it even being said that, at one point, your influence was comparable to the King himself--for that was how much he seemed to trust you."
Still, Hanton remained quiet.
"It makes one think," the King went on. "With abilities like yours, it must have been a trivial matter to obtain that relationship with him."
'That was not the way of it,' said Hanton. 'Martinus and I had been friends since we were both children.'
"Ah, and am I to believe that was a coincidence? The Gaolanets have been a noble Atreyan House for many years. Gathering intelligence and advising the Crown has been your family's role throughout this nation's history."
'Yes. That is also true.' And Hanton made no further comment.
The King eyed the last bit of his tuna melt for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not he wanted to eat it. "The thing I find most intriguing, however, is the timeline of events." He leveled his gaze back up at the giant bird. "In one form or another, House Gaolanet advised the Crown for the better part of three centuries. That was, until about ten years ago. And now, here we are. Within just the last year, Atreya has experienced not one but two crises--the likes of which this country has never seen before."
"This is not the first time you have played advisor to the King of Atreya," said William, a whiff of a smile on his face.
'Yes,' said Hanton. 'I was once quite close with your father-in-law.'
"I remember it vividly," said the King. "When I was a teenager, just beginning to dip my toe into matters of the royal court, you were a star. And one that burned quite hotly, as I recall."
Hanton ruffled his russet feathers but said nothing.
"Many in the court were jealous of your relationship to Martinus," said the King. "I remember it even being said that, at one point, your influence was comparable to the King himself--for that was how much he seemed to trust you."
Still, Hanton remained quiet.
"It makes one think," the King went on. "With abilities like yours, it must have been a trivial matter to obtain that relationship with him."
'That was not the way of it,' said Hanton. 'Martinus and I had been friends since we were both children.'
"Ah, and am I to believe that was a coincidence? The Gaolanets have been a noble Atreyan House for many years. Gathering intelligence and advising the Crown has been your family's role throughout this nation's history."
'Yes. That is also true.' And Hanton made no further comment.
The King eyed the last bit of his tuna melt for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not he wanted to eat it. "The thing I find most intriguing, however, is the timeline of events." He leveled his gaze back up at the giant bird. "In one form or another, House Gaolanet advised the Crown for the better part of three centuries. That was, until about ten years ago. And now, here we are. Within just the last year, Atreya has experienced not one but two crises--the likes of which this country has never seen before."
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