As A King, As A Father
Let’s take a step back in time.
Alone with the king in his chamber, Tiona gazed at him with a sense of unease. She began, “Your Majesty?”
“My apologies for keeping you, Miss Rudolvon, but I wished to formally express my gratitude,” said Abram as he respectfully inclined his head. “Thank you for intervening earlier. You have not only saved my life but also Echard’s.”
“That’s not… I, um… was simply in the right place at the right time.” Tiona took a step back, her hands trembling.
“I understand… However, just as wrongdoings should be punished, good deeds should be rewarded. This is the essence of justice. If there is anything I can offer you as a token of appreciation…”
“No, there’s really no need.”
“You need not be modest. Please feel free to share your desires. If you are not interested in material rewards, perhaps you seek knowledge?”
Tiona hesitated. Seeing her response, Abram smiled. “During our discussion, I noticed that you appeared somewhat restless, as if you had something on your mind. Do you have any questions for me?”
Tiona remained silent.
“There are no eavesdroppers here, Miss Rudolvon. What is said in this room will stay within these walls. Even if you accidentally reveal it to someone else, as long as I do not confirm it, it won’t spread widely. Please, feel free to speak your mind.”
This gave Tiona the opportunity to ask more probing questions, and Abram seemed willing to provide honest answers.
“In that case,” she said, looking back at him, “I do have a question. Your Majesty, did you notice when Prince Echard added something to the drink?”
The incident had occurred very quickly, but Tiona had observed it and noticed the king’s reaction. Her question prompted a grimace from the king.
“You have keen eyes, Miss Rudolvon… Yes, I did notice that the boy placed something in Sion’s drink. However, I did not expect it to be a deadly poison. I assumed it was a prank, and I intended to reprimand him for such behavior.”
“I suspected as much… What about your near-fall from the balcony? Was that intentional?”
“Falling from the balcony would have obscured the cause of my death, making it difficult to determine if it was an accident or poisoning, at least for most poisons. In this particular case, the symptoms of shadowbane would have become apparent eventually.”
Abram had been trying to protect his son, and Tiona was relieved to realize this.
“I see. Then, did you genuinely plan to sentence Echard to death?”
The king’s actions seemed contradictory, as if there were two sides to him: one willing to execute his son and another trying to save him.
“It’s true that Echard did not intend to lethally poison me, but the fact remains that he did, and the punishment for poisoning the king is usually death. Such an act could plunge the entire kingdom into chaos and deserves the harshest penalty. This logic is not only fair but should be self-evident, wouldn’t you agree?”
Indeed, his decision would be sound in a normal situation.
“Arbitrarily dismissing guilt undermines the king’s fairness and can lead to the suffering of his people,” Abram said with conviction. Then he added, “Of course, this logic applies when we’re talking about the king.”
“When it’s the king? Are you saying…” Tiona connected the dots and realized Abram’s true intentions. “You were planning to abdicate and have Prince Sion take the throne?”
“More precisely, I had already abdicated in secret. Officially, Sion would have become king before the ball. This would have reduced the severity of Echard’s transgression, and amnesty is often granted during the crowning of a new king, potentially saving Echard from the death penalty.”
“But what about the coronation ceremony? How can Prince Sion ascend to the throne without it?”
The coronation ceremony was essential for informing local nobles and neighboring kingdoms of the new king’s reign. It was during this ceremony that the title officially passed from the old king to the new one. A secret succession behind closed doors seemed impossible.
However, Abram shook his head.
“A closer look at history reveals that the coronation ceremony is not as ancient a tradition as many believe. The only essential rite for a new king is anointment by a priest of the Central Orthodox Church.”
The legitimacy of all rulers in the land was rooted in the Central Orthodox Church’s Holy Book. According to its teachings, kings were entrusted by the Lord to govern their lands, and anointment was the only requirement for inheriting the throne. This anointment involved applying oil to the head, symbolizing God’s blessing and granting the authority to rule. In terms of scale, anointment was a relatively small event, and it had been conducted in secret on numerous occasions in history.
“Fortunately, we have someone here who is equivalent to a priest of the Central Orthodox Church, and more,” Abram added.
“Miss Rafina…”
The Holy Lady was present, and with coordination, she could have anointed Sion before the ball, providing a chance to save Echard.
“You almost abdicated to save Prince Echard…”
“Trying to revoke Echard’s death sentence without undermining the throne’s legitimacy is an inherently difficult task. I could not afford to be cautious in my approach. In fact, I believe abdication is almost too small a price to pay for the action I intended to take, especially when I bear some responsibility for pushing Echard to the brink as a father.”
“Your Majesty…”
“To maintain justice as a king and to love my sons as a father… Sometimes, these two roles are in conflict. At that moment, with the kingdom and Echard hanging in the balance, I reached out to my son. It was the right thing to do as a father, but it undermined my authority as a king. Isn’t that reason enough to step down?”
Abram chuckled.
“I must admit, though,” he continued, “the Great Wisdom of the Empire’s wisdom exceeded my own. Without this incident, I might have remained unaware of Echard’s struggles, potentially leading him to make another attempt in the future. What she achieved guided us to the best possible outcome, surpassing countless ways this could have ended tragically.” Abram’s tone carried a profound sense of gratitude.
Tiona nodded. “Yes, that’s what Her Highness does. That’s the kind of person she is.”
She couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride that her dear friend had earned King Abram’s approval.
“Once again, I apologize for keeping you. I intended to answer your questions, but I ended up sharing my thoughts instead.”
“No, I appreciate it. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to ask.”
Abram smiled gently and lowered his head once more. “Thank you, Miss Rudolvon. Princess Mia has done me a great service, and so have you. Your criticism of my failure to protect my family is something I needed to hear, and I’m grateful for it.”
Tiona left the king’s chamber, her pace quickening as she walked down the hallway. She pondered the solitude of the throne.
Kings, she realized, were profoundly lonely. The more King Abram strived for justice, the more he had to distance himself from his own humanity. To her, the crown appeared not as a symbol of glory but as a heavy burden, isolating its wearer from those around. For now, that wearer was Abram, but one day it would be…
Her thoughts were interrupted as she entered the ballroom, where Sion’s duel with Abel was reaching its climax.
