Post by callmedelta on Jun 1, 2023 18:56:34 GMT -5
It had been a sleepless night for everyone. A hot, humid, bloody night. King Dante long name and General Tauroneo, two of Franerre’s best men, dead. Nearly a fifth of the National Chamber, and several of Franerre’s most prominent industrialists and mining magnates, dead. The survivors, Marshal Zelgius, General Ranulf, General Cailleaux, and Queen Jadwiga sat around the table in the Palace. That wildcard Colonel, Severin Loup, had already gone to sleep. The traitor, Virgil Legault, was in chains, held inside the Royal Palace. The Palace complex itself was swarming with soldiers and policemen, some of whom had been shooting at each other earlier this very night. The bodies that had been strewn across the Palace Complex had been put into two piles; one for the Palace Guard, and the other for the traitors. The people of Pareau all had one question on their minds;
What the hell happened last night?
~
Queen Jadwega yawned, the adrenaline of the night beginning to wear off. Her weariness didn’t detract from how oh so very fragile she felt, like a porcelain doll. Like she might crack at any moment, no matter how strong a front she had to put on. Jadwiga did her best to follow along with how the Generals explained the events preceding tonight, but it was hard to concentrate. Jadwiga just wanted to shrink into a ball and stay there. The only thing she could see in her mind’s eye was her Dante, on the floor, bleeding out in front of her. Oh, Dante, how could she do this, she couldn’t do any of this, s-
“So what now, Your Highness?” Jadwiga raised her head, dragging herself out of her own mind. It had been Ranulf to ask the question. She stared at him for a moment, and he continued. “Dufour’s in the hospital, the last I heard, and I don’t know where Verenes got off to, but I believe he survived as well. People are worried — there was a war in the streets last night, for Christ’s sake. They need something to calm them down, and I think we can all agree it would go over better if you were the one to deliver the message.”
Jadwiga took a deep breath, stilling herself. “I can simply tell them what you all have told me about what happened last night and leading up to it.”
“Respectfully, your Highness,” Zelgius interjected, “Telling them the entire truth may not be wise. If word gets out that Galra sponsored this coup, we don’t know how they’ll react. It could lead to an invasion. It would be a repeat of the Notch War.”
“What’s more, telling everything could get the majority of your General staff hung for treason,” Cailleaux added. Zelgius and Ranulf gave him murderous glares. “It’s a possibility, the same way that the Galrans invading is a possibility.”
“The only one of us here who committed treason was you, Michael,” Ranulf growled.
“You knew that there was a room full of men ready to coup a lawfully elected civilian government a month ago, Ranulf,” Cailleaux shot back, “And what did you do? Nothing. What did Zelgius do last night while said coup was happening? Nothing. A court could call those actions treason.”
“Enough,” Jadwiga said, quiet.
“And who participated in said co-”
“I said enough!” Jadwiga seemed to have mustered all her strength for that shout, as the woman seemed to sag into her seat. “I am your Queen. I will tell the people of Franerre what I will tell them. That is final.”
Zelgius cleared his throat, a response coming forth, before he decided against it. He didn’t know what pushing his new Queen would do to the woman, but it would be nothing good. “Of course, your Highness.”
What the hell happened last night?
~
Queen Jadwega yawned, the adrenaline of the night beginning to wear off. Her weariness didn’t detract from how oh so very fragile she felt, like a porcelain doll. Like she might crack at any moment, no matter how strong a front she had to put on. Jadwiga did her best to follow along with how the Generals explained the events preceding tonight, but it was hard to concentrate. Jadwiga just wanted to shrink into a ball and stay there. The only thing she could see in her mind’s eye was her Dante, on the floor, bleeding out in front of her. Oh, Dante, how could she do this, she couldn’t do any of this, s-
“So what now, Your Highness?” Jadwiga raised her head, dragging herself out of her own mind. It had been Ranulf to ask the question. She stared at him for a moment, and he continued. “Dufour’s in the hospital, the last I heard, and I don’t know where Verenes got off to, but I believe he survived as well. People are worried — there was a war in the streets last night, for Christ’s sake. They need something to calm them down, and I think we can all agree it would go over better if you were the one to deliver the message.”
Jadwiga took a deep breath, stilling herself. “I can simply tell them what you all have told me about what happened last night and leading up to it.”
“Respectfully, your Highness,” Zelgius interjected, “Telling them the entire truth may not be wise. If word gets out that Galra sponsored this coup, we don’t know how they’ll react. It could lead to an invasion. It would be a repeat of the Notch War.”
“What’s more, telling everything could get the majority of your General staff hung for treason,” Cailleaux added. Zelgius and Ranulf gave him murderous glares. “It’s a possibility, the same way that the Galrans invading is a possibility.”
“The only one of us here who committed treason was you, Michael,” Ranulf growled.
“You knew that there was a room full of men ready to coup a lawfully elected civilian government a month ago, Ranulf,” Cailleaux shot back, “And what did you do? Nothing. What did Zelgius do last night while said coup was happening? Nothing. A court could call those actions treason.”
“Enough,” Jadwiga said, quiet.
“And who participated in said co-”
“I said enough!” Jadwiga seemed to have mustered all her strength for that shout, as the woman seemed to sag into her seat. “I am your Queen. I will tell the people of Franerre what I will tell them. That is final.”
Zelgius cleared his throat, a response coming forth, before he decided against it. He didn’t know what pushing his new Queen would do to the woman, but it would be nothing good. “Of course, your Highness.”