Gods and Guardians

Chapter 51: Ousting the King

The Council of Lords was in session. All Lords were present.

'We cannot speak with the king yet, for he is in mourning,' said Lord Cleopas, 'but we cannot wait till the end of the forty days to begin deliberations. These matters are very delicate.'

'If at the end of all these, the king is guilty of what we suspect, then what do we do?' asked Lord Dinny.

'The king himself is not above the law. He is only a custodian,' answered Lord Magza.

Lord Nouvell shook his head thoughtfully. The king will be dethroned and he and his family banished to the cannibal bandalons.

Everyone was thinking the same and no one spoke for a while.

'Well,' Lord Wilma spoke first, 'we all love King Dasirus. King Dasirus remains till this moment the voice of stability between the three kingdoms. His counterpart has more radical views about our kingdoms and Meinz. The peace that lingers owes to him alone. We fear what the aftermath of his leaving the throne will yield. We have to consider three reasons for our very important responsibility to the people here.'

'Which are?' Lord Camron asked.

'First is the Law,' replied Lord Wilma.

Lord Xexa nodded only half committal.

'Having secret dealings with Meinz is an outright flaunting of the Law no matter what his motives were. Also, if he has truly made way for his son to escape before or after issuing the warrant, it is a mockery of the Law and abuse of his position as king and custodian.'

All lords agreed.

'Well, anyone would be tempted to protect a son like Nimrod,' Lord Camron remarked. 'If he did what he did for your wellbeing, how much dilemma would it leave you?'

Lord Xexa heaved a deep sigh. 'You are right,' he said solemnly.

There was a moment of silence for Nimrod.

Then Lord Wilma resumed, 'But matters like this must be treated without sentiments. Our decisions will affect not just Zainox but Kainon's relationship with us. The Great Lord forbid this leads to a second fracturing of the kingdoms.'

'True,' agreed Lord Xexa.

'I believe we understand that at every stage in our handling of this matter, we must always without reserve test our every actions and the king's within the dictates of the Law.

'Secondly, another factor we must consider is the opinion of the people.'

'The king is powerless,' Lord Zumma said, 'if he loses face with his people. His power is the willingness of the people to follow his rule.'

'The true power of the king resides with the people,' Lord Wilma finished for him. 'Stories of the king's dealings with Meinz are some of the most unpopular things ever heard in Zainox recently. This implies that respect for his kingship is shaky already. No king after his great-grand father, King Zeaman has trifled with the ban on relations with Meinz.

'We can renew the people's faith in the king only if he is innocent. We must not forget that it is the same measure of value deposited in the king that we share. If he loses face, we lose as well. If the head is cut, then the neck is useless.'

Lord Cleopas himself suffered a more personal result of the recent incidence. Nina had to leave Simsee for West Zainox. She could no longer live in Simsee with all the hurt and pain of her love interest's betrayal and death. There was no way her step-father could persuade her to stay—and Lillian her mother.

'Thirdly,' Lord Wilma was still speaking, 'the council of Kainon came here in the hope of discussing Meinz with us, only to shamefully leave the same day. Our rapport with our sister kingdom is to say the least on the brink.'