The bird fights its way out of the egg. (Gardo 27th, 2200)
Before reading you also must know the meaning of the following vocabulary ;
Myo. - Shortened version of Miryo, the equivalent of Mister.
Prionsa - Equivalent to a prince, intentionally untranslated for vibes.
Excellency - Specifically used when referring to those who hold hereditary administrative titles, such a king or a duke.
Cynaz - Once oligarchs which ruled the Chevspendic horde, now a mostly powerless ceremonial council primarily used for succession crises.
Parliamina - Member of parliament.
Kydæ society - An ascensionist organization which the public knows little about, often speculated that it is occultist in nature.
Republicans - In this context refers to the republican coalition from 2139-2150 whose ideology the Sahren nation was founded on.
The succession after Kirbo Lavro’s demise was wrought with scandal and forgery from the very beginning. Kara Lavro was meant by law of eldest offspring to take the throne, but a letter was soon discovered supposedly written by king Kirbo stating Reydi-kæ was to take the throne instead. Kara called this into question, and requested a tribunal of the Cynazes to investigate the letter for signs of forgery. As the two siblings continued to leverage influence to discredit the other, the tribunal found the letter illegitimate, but soon after the tribunal was revealed to be stacked with Kara’s supporters.
Everybody knew now the fate of the throne rested on a second investigation, and the results would be a matter of securing political loyalty rather than concrete evidence.
SLOVALE, TWO HOURS BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Reydi-kæ was the first Sahren Prionsa to visit this area since nearly half a century ago. Slovale’s decline was a blight on the Sahren nation, but for once he was glad of it. A city where no one dared to ask questions necessitated no answers given, especially when flanked by armed guards. The royal was asked here by a “Myo. Cyneælf”, the elusive leader of the Kydæ society, who as far as anyone knew never made any public appearances like this. In agreeing to this meeting Reydi hoped to gain support from the Ascensionists (that is of course only if he could stomach the demands they might make in return). If their support could be acquired, Parliament would suddenly swing toward Reydi's favour, and the hesitant Cynazes might be made to reconsider, or in the worst case, intimidated into giving in.
He stops for a moment to look at the surroundings. By all means they should be at the designated location, but Cyneælf is nowhere to be seen. Eventually Reydi notices a narrow stairwell on the side of the exterior wall leading to what would be the “basement” floor had the building been on flat ground. For whatever reason, the Prionsa decides to investigate, ordering his guards to stay put for a short while.
He slowly advances down the stairwell, taking note the architectural disparity of the first and lower floor. The upper one followed the Frakchina standard, with large pre-fabricated portions, while the lower one was made of red bricks so old they had become rounded in areas. At the bottom of the stairwell Reydi finds a small stone embankment which gives quite the view of the coast, sparkling as the waves reflect ship lights from far off. In this peculiar place he finds an individual looking out to sea, donning the scarlet brassard which they’d previously agreed would signify Cyneælf.
This Cyneælf unclasped his hands, faced Reydi, and bowed.
“I apologise that you must meet me in such a dreadful place, your excellency”.
Reydi becomes confused for a moment, in part due to the usage of incorrect royal etiquette, but also because he seems to recognize him from somewhere, he just can’t figure out where. For now he just corrected him.
“Myo.Cyneælf, you are mistaken. Excellency is exclusively for those who hold land titles, you’re meant to say Majesty, for I am merely a prionsa.”
Cyneælf returned his gaze to the Aontan sea and provided the question ; “But are you, really? Are titles like that truly something rigid, or are these static ‘De-jure’ notions merely concepts kept around only by their followers? If enough people even called you emperor, would you not become one?”.
Reydi was previously intrigued, but now he was invested. Did this rat nibbling in the shadows really think he could crown him personally?
“What a dangerous implication! I may be unlanded, but you know I have the avenues of political power. Why are you so sure I’m not just here to expose your little conspiracy?”.
Myo.Cyneælf paused. Then shrugged.
“Well, I dreamed of a world where you would understand us. And then, like prophecy, not only do you hear out our cryptic request, you actually show up! That’s more than proof, I think. The reality is…”
As he trailed off Myo. Cyneælf removed a glove and outstretched his now naked hand to the starlight.
“...A Lavro such as yourself would know very well that the Republicans who created this nation did not believe in the fallacy of the current order. They only recognized a world of their making, and acted as if it really existed, eventually, despite their sheer lunacy, forcing the entire nation to concede to them and their irrational passion. Like this, the power of a dream was enough to change reality.”
He grasped at seemingly nothing for a moment, then returned his hand and outstretched it to Reydi.
Reydi hesitates and stares blankly at the hand of this elusive Miryo. Did the man really think an embarrassing line like that was convincing enough? If anything, it was frustrating. Of course they would offer him something, but no political moves are entirely altruistic, that is a law of the universe! This Cyneælf had demands of his own, why was he not presenting them? And atop it all Reydi could still not figure out where he recognised him from.
“You speak with great credence and ornate imagery, and offer something quite tremendous.” Reydi carefully declares. “but you have yet to lay any demands in turn. You must tell me…in very specific, practical terms, what are these dreams you have? And where in them does the monarchy lay?”
“The nation has spent the last decade held from action while threats to our peace grow unchallenged. The path ahead is safety bought at the price of decay, followed by eventual surrender. The Sahrlands are a cradle…but one cannot spend his whole life in a cradle. The people cannot be expected to ascend unless their royal sovereign leads them there, and any such royal sovereign would be nothing if he lets his people decay, therefor, it is in the best interest of the people and their sovereign that every resource among their disposal is mobilised toward extraplanetary expansion.”
Hearing this Reydi finally realises why this Cyneælf seemed so familiar; He had seen this face and rhetoric before when researching the Arduchasparti. This was no Cyneælf, that is a pseudonym! The man before him is Frei-ako Tengin, leader of the Arduchasparti and founder of Ascensionism.
But more importantly, the young prince was conflicted. Here the fate of an entire nation stood at his feet. The man had a compelling point, if left as is the nation would gradually fade into subservience. The question was only if Reydi’s initial plans to claw back to relevancy through tested methods should work, or if it would be better to go the uncharted course dreamt by an ambitious yet seemingly insane eccentric? His optimism was admittedly charming, and Reydi knew the course his father would have taken.
In truth there was no possibility of refusing, only visionary instincts trudging exhaustingly through the sea of rational complacency.
Reydi began to remove his glove as well.
“I plead…swear to God you speak only truth! Swear that we will make a home for our people in the celestial sea!”.
“Who am I to refuse a request from his excellency himself.” Tengin stated, removing his cap and closing his eyes; “I, Frei-ako Tengin, son of Reis Tengin, swear to the almighty, upon my life, spirit, honour, and name to the unimpeded advancement of the Sahren people and their comrades to the stars above, not to strike down the heavens, but to find new Sahrlands to stare upward from.”
A visionary unable to tell fact from hallucination and a king without a shred of legitimacy to his name shook, and with mere flattery and speeches, an entire nation was simultaneously condemned to death and exalted with ascendance. Only three days later the Ascensionist parliaminas made calls for Reydi-kæ Lavro to lead the state. Protestors took to the streets, some refusing to work, others outright rioting. Fourteen days later the second inquiry declared the inheritance letter legitimate to save their own skins, and Reydi-kæ Lavro was officially inaugurated as the king of Sahrland, King of Sabri-Ria, Grand Cynaz of the Chevspendics, Governate of Chadastok, and head of the house of Lavro.
“Long live the king, long live Reydi-kæ!”