Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.sixteen.°°

Explicit content ahead

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"Do not wait until the near end of your life to realize that you have not fully lived to love."
Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!

January 18th, 2200

LUCAS
It was seventeen days later when the Governor's of Aelburn decided to allow a mass funeral for both Diangen and Eisiau alike. Jai and I stood before the Governor's in what I could only describe as faux professionalism in the nicest pair of clothes we'd managed to dig out of our bags as they stared down at us, mainly in awe with a hint of disgust.

"What you are asking us to do is ludicrous, Lucas King." Governor Carlisle Matthews said, his brown hair fluttering across his forehead. "You want us to dismantle centuries of rules and laws for what?"

"The Diangen don't deserve to cower in fear, Mr. Matthews." I said, clenching my hands behind my back. "In my month long stay with them, I have come to the conclusion that we should abolish the laws of the old fathers and begin a new chapter in Aelburnian history. Start this century off correctly by erasing the wall that separated us. Most of the Diangen were wiped out by my grandfathers last attack, however those that still live deserve the freedom they have been denied for so long."

"You mean the one who murdered our president?" The Governor of Appalachia, Derek Zelaric scoffed, crossing his thick arms across his chest.

"I mean the ones who saved Aelburn from certain demise." I said, stepping forward. "My grandfather set fire to Gardenia, killing Diangen and Eisiau alike without a care in the world. His only goal as President was to be powerful. He didn't care how he held power, all he knew is that he wanted it."

"And is that so wrong for a President to want?" The third Governor, Ryan Newton, asked in a lilting voice.

"Not necessarily. But it should have been done correctly. My grandfather wanted to that power for selfish reasons."

"And who do you suppose should be President then?" Matthews asked, tilting his head. "For that matter, the Governor of Gardnia?"

"Myself. As for the Governor of Gardenia, Mayor Nayea has proven himself a very capable man who cares for the citizens of Gardenia."

"You?!" Zelaric laughed, raising a black eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Governor Zelaric, where you trained to be President?" I asked and he paled, scoffing in annoyance. "As I was saying, I am the only person alive who knows the ins and outs of the four states of Aelburn. I want our country to take a step forward in the right direction. I want to remove the labels, end gender and racial discrimination in our country and set us on the track of greatness."

"We've gotten along just fine the way we are." Newton said, admiring his nails.

"Really?" I asked, looking to Newton in surprise. "Then perhaps you'd be fine with revealing to the court that your mother was Diangen and was stowed away in your home until you turned twenty-three when my grandfather tortured the truth out of your father." Newton paled at my words, lips parting in surprise. "Exactly. There's no need for the stigmatism we hold towards the Diangen, towards women. They are the same as us, regardless of how they look. They're not savages, women are not dumb. The Diangen, the Diangen women especially have proven to me that everything my grandfather shoved in the minds of our people was incorrect."