Kingdom of isolation - you can't hide

Twenty One - Alexander

Alexander

Age 24

People rise to power in many different ways, often resorting to using cunning, fear mongering tactics and truckloads of money to back their agenda. Take a look at any politician's manifesto and you'll find that coming into power is easy. Fear is only a powerful weapon when it's used correctly. Use too little and it leaves room for doubt. But use too much, it runs into a tyranny of madness beyond control. People should fear and respect you. It's a delicate equilibrium that many can't seem to grasp. Fortunately for me and unluckily for others, I don't have to try that hard to get the message across. I've been told multiple times that my mere existence should be the definition of fear in official dictionaries. I suppose it's fair, one look at me and people skitter away like they've seen the grim reaper. For a lot of them, it actually is. As the future king of the most brutal kingdom to ever exist, fear is synonymous with my surname and there's no escaping it—my forefathers made sure of that fact.

"Your royal highness, his majesty has requested that you leave these men alone and not implicate yourself any further." Ryder's monotonous voice bounces in the dimly lit warehouse. The pitiful men writhe in agony, like fish out of water, begging to be released from the net cast over them after they were found snooping around in said warehouse. I haven't done anything except tie them up and their fear is palpable, like a buzzing hum of electricity. It's remarkable how quickly the tide turns when it's least expected. What started as a normal day for both parties turned into a field trip for me and a tour to hell for them. Their pleading intensifies after hearing the words of my royal guard, perhaps hope for release blooming in their hearts. I'll be sure to squash that hope.

"Tell his majesty to stay out of my business."

My father had a tumultuous relationship with his old man and they often clashed in their ideologies when he was growing up. That and his reluctance in accepting Ma as his daughter-in-law nearly tore apart whatever truce the two had settled on long ago. Grandpa Stone was a ruthless man with an ego the size of Jupiter. He did things in a particular way, mostly due to the fact that he was from a generation with outdated beliefs and really believed in keeping up with the traditions passed down to him. There's a reason why we were called savages for the longest time. We still are. That's not to say his approach didn't work, quite the opposite, it was brilliant for that time period. And my father, though quite the delinquent in his early years, decided that subtleness was the answer to maintaining higher ground in the new world. Grandpa argued it was because of Ma that his son had become weak, but father didn't seem to agree. If anything, he became even more persistent. He used his resources well and made allies when it was necessary, but it all came at a price. Those who were true believers of Grandpa's brutal approach doubted the young king's ambitions. It wasn't that we weren't thriving as a kingdom, father just wanted to approach things differently. Stay in the shadows and such. Unsurprisingly, the rebellion didn't last very long and now here we are in the present day. Filthy rich, well respected and feared all around the world. Not because of our ruthless reputation as the savages we once were, but the power and influence we hold over others. Knowledge is key. Knowledge is leverage. Father wasn't exactly a saint in his methods but it was far more subtle than Grandpa's 'kill first, ask questions later' approach—it's a miracle he wasn't indicted like many world leaders of his generation. Why make enemies—in Grandpa's case, kill them—when you can blackmail them, right? His ability to intimidate without getting his hands dirty too much is what makes him a dangerous man in today's society.

He also had an absurd sense of humour when he was a young man ruling the streets of HRU like a delinquent prince. Club Hades was his brilliant idea as was hotel Cerberus. Persephone was a personal library for Ma because he often found her in libraries. He decided to usurp the largest one on campus as a way to keep seeing her. In my opinion, Ma must have been hiding from him in libraries knowing he never acquainted himself with one, but father will never admit to that. Point is, he decided to name everything pertaining to the mythical god of the underworld because of Ma. And while I may not be currently the king or have much say in the overall performance of our empire, HRU is still mine to do as I please for as long as I want. That's how it's been ever since father passed the reins over to me nearly 6 years ago. It's sort of like a tradition passed down to the newer generation when they're of age, gives them the freedom to do whatever the fuck they want with it. It also serves as a way to demonstrate their leadership. Our territories are mapped out so no one gets confused about who operates where. I have the entire west side under my control, undeniably the largest part of the city. Thanks to my father. Dividing HRU like this must have been a way to establish order and some semblance of privacy between the remaining kingdoms. People are still allowed to study whatever they want regardless of where that field of study sits on the map, excluding my mirror. Nikolas knew there was an unwritten rule somewhere that forbade him from leaving the west side and he's been a bitter little bitch about it ever since he came over.