Lèse-majesté

Part 39

Chapter 38

"Your... Your... LADYSHIP! DID YOU JUST SAY THE KING?!" William exclaimed while freaking out. "By Thor! I ranted to the King!"

"You did what?" Astrid asked jokingly.

"Your Highness I apologize!" William uttered while blushing.

"It's quite alright my good man. In fact, it was rather refreshing." Quintas smiled. "It's not often I get to hear an honest unfiltered opinion on the policies enacted in the kingdom. Besides, I asked."

William was blushing before quickly leaving the room, saying he was going to find something to clean up the porcelain teacup shards with.

"So the old man's actually the king?" Ruffnut asked. "So then who's on the throne?"

"Lady Thornston! You can't call the king an old man!" Rosalinda whispered. "It's disrespectful,"

Quintas laughed while saying "Oh the youth of today. Now as to the matter at hand. It seems the Marchioness holds all of you in the highest regard if she is willing to reveal this secret to you."

All eyes turned to the King who coughed slightly before he began his tale.

It was a dark and stormy night and Quintas's personal maid had shut the windows to his room. The king sat down as heavy winds and droplets battered against the glass panes.

"Tea your majesty?" The maid, an elderly woman some years older than Quintas, asked.

"Not tonight Theresa." Quintas sighed before placing his reading glasses on his nightstand. The maid bowed and was about to leave when Quintas called out to her. "Do you think I made the right decision?"

"Excuse me, your Highness? What decision?" Theresa asked as she stopped just short of the door.

"Declaring my son the Crown Prince," Quintas uttered.

"You followed the Kingdom's law," Theresa stated.

"But was it right?" Quintas asked once more before sighing. "Lady Arkas has a much better grasp on the political situation. She more than once surprised me by having charmed a rather stubbourn ambassador. Whereas my son, bright as he is, feels little need to apply himself. Sir Bludvist relayed to me that my son spends his nights smoking Opium. That new drug that had been imported recently. He seems to have become more paranoid too. Perhaps I was hasty in my decision. Lady Arkas showed more promise to lead this empire."

"There has never been a female ruler," Theresa stated.

"But it's not against the law is it?" Quintas questioned, not to the maid but more to himself. "There is no rule that the King has to choose his offspring as his next heir. It is just expected."

"Theresa, you've served my father, your mother served my grandfather. Have you never wanted more to life than being a maid?" The King then asked.

"Being a maid is a noble profession," Theresa proclaimed. "You Nobles don't know what to do without us,"

This caused Quintas to bark out a laugh. "Right you are Theresa. You always seem to be able to find my missing items with ease."

"Now then I-" Quintas stopped when the double doors to his bedroom slammed open. Several knights swarmed in, two drawing their swords and holding them to the maid's neck while the others held the King at swordpoint.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Quintas shouted. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the armor as belonging to his own Palace guard.

"This? This is just assurance," Grimmel stated as he walked into the room. The Prince was giving his own father a rather bored look. "Did you honestly expect me to sit still once you named me Crown Prince?"