Book 5 Conclave (The Kid Emperor of Occultoria

Chapter 9 - Betrayal on Divine Island

Sitting on her matriarchal throne, the new Matriarch examined her version of the Order of Precedence.

Royalty

His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor or the Regent/Lord Protector (The Sovereign or the Acting Sovereign) Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress (The Sovereign's Consort) Their Imperial Excellencies, the Viceroys (The Sovereign's representatives and ambassadors)Their Imperial Highnesses, the Members of the Imperial Family (The children of the imperial couple: The Crown Princes and the Crown Princesses and members of the extended family)

Upper Nobility

1. The Honorable Members of the Imperial Council (The executive branch of government, also Advisors to the Emperor: The Lord Chancellor, The Court Chaplain, The Spymaster, The Secretary of the Treasury, and more to be appointed if necessary)

2. Their Graces, the Lords and Ladies of the Realm (Could be Queens, Kings, Dukes or Duchesses) - Ten Landed Heads of Provinces (All are members of the House of Lords and Ladies, the legislative branch of government).

3. Their Honors, the Most Noble Justices of the Occult Supreme Court, the judicial branch of government (One Lord/Lady Chief Justice and two Lord/Lady Associate Justices)

4. His/Her Worship, the Lord Mayor of the Imperial Capital of Occultoria City

5. Lord Counts/Lady Countesses - Heads of Counties (The counts are responsible for the day-to-day governing of the provinces)

Clergy

Her Holiness, The Matriarch (Head of the Holy Universal Church)Their Eminences, the seven Cardinals of the College of Cardinals, staring with the Head of the College of Cardinals (The Matriarch's advisors and responsible for electing the Matriarch. Only women are eligible as candidates to the Matriachate, but both genders may vote) His/Her Grace, the Archbishop of the Imperial Capital (Head of the College of Bishops)Their Excellencies, the ten Bishops of the ten provincesThe Reverend Priests and Priestesses Deacons and Deaconesses

Lower Nobility

Lords Viscounts/Ladies ViscountessesLords Barons/Ladies Baronesses

Commoners/Peasants

Soldiers/Police Officers/Bureaucrats FarmersArtisans/CraftspeopleTradespeople/MerchantsUntouchables such as prostitutes, thieves, criminals, outlaws

The clergy was so far down the list that it was laughable.

No, thought Matriarch Catherine III. Something had to be done.

She wanted the clergy to be the highest rank in the Order of Precedence, higher than even the Emperor himself.

After all, the Matriarch was the Eternal Mother and Father Gods' representative on Earth. Therefore, the Matriarch should be above any earthly authority, even the Emperor of Occultoria. She had been crowned that morning in Saint Jebenoah's Basilica and the main thought that had gone through her mind was how low the clergy ranked in the Supernatural World.

Although she had promised Emperor Max that she would grant him an annulment in exchange for his tie-breaking vote, she decided to demand that he issue an Imperial Edict moving the entire clergy up the list.

Yes, she decided. That was what she would do.

No sooner did she think that than the door open.

An aide announced, "Presenting His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Occultoria."

The Emperor sauntered in.

He nodded and said, "Your Holiness. Congratulations on your ascension."
"Thank you," said Matriarch Catherine III.
"I have come to collect on your end of the bargain."

The Matriarch smiled. "I would gladly give you your annulment, but I want something else. I want you to raise the clergy up higher on the Order of Precedence."

Max scowled. "That was not part of the deal."

"Deals change," replied the Matriarch.

Max clenched his fists. "You just lied to me. You said if I voted for you, you'd give me my annulment."
Casually, the Matriarch said, "Things have changed. I have the upper hand now."

Max frowned. He wanted to scream and shout, but the Matriarch was right. She did indeed have the upper hand now. Max should have known that court politics was dangerous.

He thought about it carefully.

Perched on his shoulder, his cat whispered, "Don't do it."

"But I'm so close," he whispered back. "I'm going to do it."

He knew he had allowed emotion to cloud his judgement, but he didn't care. He now had Jessica. It was all he cared about.

He looked at the Matriarch. "Deal. But only you are above me. Just you and no other cardinals. The rest of the clergy stay where they are."
The Matriarch smiled.

She felt she had bested the young monarch in the game of politics.

He had no idea how difficult she was going to make his life.

She said, "Sounds good to me. I want you to kneel before me and swear your undying allegiance to your religious head."

Max hesitated. As Emperor, he never had to bow to anyone before. He didn't know if he wanted to start now, but he had already agreed to it.

He was doing it for Jessica.

He knelt before the Matriarch. "I swear my undying allegiance before Your Holiness."

The Matriarch smiled. "And you will issue the official Imperial Edict tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

The Matriarch nodded.

Finally, things were going her way.

She reached into her pocket and took out a piece of parchment. "Here is your annulment."

Max immediately sprang up and seized the piece of paper greedily.

A wave of relief washed over him.

Finally, he was going to get rid of Sanchia and become free to marry Jessica.