Heavy is the Crown

[Justosia]

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Royal Palace
Administrative Wing
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon

It had been a while since HRM King Carlos Francisco II had burned the oil like this. In front of him was the now fully detailed dossier for ongoing Operation Proteger. A folder containing daily senate procedural votes & initiatives, & the daily Defence/Intelligence Sub Ministry briefs. He sipped a glass of Avalon red as he stamped & signed what required his ascent. Most of it was drol reading.

An aide walked in & bowed.

"Majesty, Her Majesty summons you. To your chambers."

"You may tell the Queen matters of state are delaying me. You may also liase to my son's guard detail I want him to report tomorrow, in person. Now leave me."

The aide bowed again & exited. The King had already accomplished more in 3 years than his moderate late father Carlos I had his whole reign. So much left to do, defend, win.

 

[Justosia]

The sky was a beautiful, surreal, picturesque mix of orange & red as twilight approached. Every church bell in Avalon rang its joy. Yet the gathered crowd numbering at least 100,000 was dead silent. Carlos walked up a gold trimmed red carpet. Up echelons it seemed. He ascended what seemed like 100 stairs. He thought he could touch the sky....

He was adorned in newly designed white, red, & gold billowing royal garb. A gold ceptor in one hand, gold orb in the other. A like, newly designed crown atop his head. He reached the summit. He sat upon a newly designed solid gold trimmed throne. Suddenly he couldn't move. Paralyzed by sheer emotion as he heard a herald make a proclamation. Or was it an Angel? The words echoing from his mouth proclaimed him the only temporal title higher, greater than king. The very same title every predecessor, ancestor of Carlos' was either too afraid or incompetent to grasp. 100,000 roars of approval. Fighter jets streamed overhead....

"AHHHHH!"

Immediately 4 Royal Guards bursted into the royal bed chamber, automatic weapons live & drawn as the king scream woke from his dream.

"Is.....Majesty well?" The lead inquired.

"I'm fine. Thank you. You do your country proud. Leave us now." Carlos ordered.

The queen clasped his right hand, examined him. Upon satisfaction she returned to sleep. The king sat there, a single tear rolling down his face....

 

[Justosia]

Royal Palace
King's Apartment(s)
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon

HRH Crown Prince Carlos Francisco III made his way to his father. Past the fleets of aides & Royal Guards. Many a time did he not feel like showing when summoned by papa. Many a time did he also realize he's a subject & patriot first, son second. He arrived.

"Father......"

The king turned his head from his paperwork.

"My son. Tell me, honestly, do you like her?"

"Yes. Truly I crave her calling to me. She's meek yet stoic. She's a vision. I sense her carrying the recent sufferings of her people...."

"Which is why you WILL marry her. I honor debts, alliances. Plus it just makes sense. Justosia and Occitania are arguably the two most monarchist nations in Europe. We're fated by Providence. We will be united and become more secure in the process."

"What of Julius?" Carlos III inquired.

"I want him here. Crowned heads must look out for each other." His father replied.

"And the war games.......pardon me papa. Defence exercises?"

"They remain. I won't abandon them to the circling Communist sharks up there. It's God's will your personal feelings and your crowned duty coincide."

The Crown Prince studied his father again & nodded. He exited. The king then summoned wine from an aide.

 

[Justosia]

Royal Palace
Residential Wing
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon

The king & his only son the crown prince walked leisurely down the hall.

"You have made me greatly happy Carlito. You are serving your country as well. Now Occitania and we are united by ideology, faith, family, blood. Praise God. I am proud of you."

The CP walked alongside his father. The thoughts running through his head. At first he suspected his father had originally arranged for him to meet his now fiance. Though he trusted his father as this was merely suspicion. Either way he had truly fallen in love with her.

"Papa, I request you allow me to handle all the arrangements myself. Including payment."

HRM prepared to deny him out of his patriarchal duty, but paused, & thought how much better that would look politically.

"Very well Your Royal Highness."

 

[Justosia]

Royal Palace
Administrative Wing
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon

HRM sipped a cappuccino as he read through the morning briefs. The economy was beginning to recover. Led by a happier stock market now that Justosian industry was free again. The taxes enacted or raised had been cut to 5%. Yet it still wasn't enough. A direct influx of cash. Government funds needed to be rerouted from somewhere else. Finance Minster Diego Alejandro was right before predicting the economy would bend, not break. HRM now called on him again. He would obviously prefer to cut taxes again if he could, but there was a bigger target staring at him, welfare.

He received word the minister was on royal grounds.

 

[Justosia]

The Honourable Finance Minister, steward of the Justosian economy, & HRM debated.

"Majesty, it's welfare, it's been welfare."

"There will stark political ramifications Diego..."

"Majesty, there were just interim elections. That's far off. By then this will be a distant memory. You have the time, the political capital. I urge you, cut welfare by five percent."

"I detest leaving myself open to attack.....the Queen will embark on another goodwill tour. To the poorest parts of the kingdom, few as they are. Her political capital seems endless....because she doesn't have to be political."

It was decided. They begin hashing out procedural logistics.

 

[Justosia]

Carlos found himself sitting atop his throne. Not the more comfortable stand in. The bigger, less comfortable, silver trimmed one used for state visits & ceremony. Why silver & not gold? Only emperors deserved to sit atop gold....

He felt his gaze being literally pulled up. Standing before him were his predecessors & ancestors. All 11 of them.

"You've got to be kidding...."

They stood & stared....

You're not real and I WON'T play along. I would have nothing to say to you even if this were Judgement Day! Except for you being a stark waste of traitor sperm Julian! Thanks for your uppity grandson! May you rot in hell usurper! Then you....thanks for the mess pa....father."

His gaze didn't even meet that of Father de Justosia, Ferdinand Francisco I. The founder & 1st sovereign king. Perhaps he was too angry. Or too ashamed.

"Be gone. All of you. I have no wish to keep your company. Not even in the afterlife...."


HRM opened his eyes. No tear or yelling this time. He simply stared at the ceiling from his bed....

 

[Justosia]

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Fénix Air Force Base
Avalon District
Exact location classified

HRH Crown Prince Carlos Francisco III sat on the right wing of his Talon II fighter. Which may as well be gathering dust. As is family tradition, HRH enlisted in the Royal Air Force a couple months ago. He was immediately promoted & commissioned as an Officer/Commander of course. This meant he did virtually no grunt work. His flight training had ended. He was again unsurprisingly cleared. He mostly studied, & worked in the Maintenance Corps. He was always up & running at the bugle. He participated in the Advanced Intensive Training Program. His CO did his best not to go too easy on him.

This evening however, he was just sitting on a plane. A fellow pilot he had befriended, Marco Rios, walked over.

"Lieutenant."

"Your Royal Hi-"

"Please. Not necessary."

"Commander, good evening. On leave for the rest of the night huh."

"Yea, let's call it that. Where are you from Lieutenant?"

"Barceltia, Commander."

HRH wanted to see it again. He was born & raised in Avalon. He rarely left the capital until he was 18. He cherished his new friend. Someone who wasn't picked for him. Or because of him.

"Is this everything you thought it'd be Commander?"

"PLAYING war? Yea. Thank God. I hear they're having more fun in the navy. I suppose that suits Julian just fine. This is actually kinda liberating. As oxymoronic as that sounds.

You can call me Carlos, Marco."

 

[Justosia]

Milenio Royal Palace
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon District

The preparations were completed. Oh the history! Never before had this happened, a foreign Justosian HRH. A princess. Yet it was happening. To Mirèo de Marsilia. Soon Occitania & Justosia. Two kingdoms united through marriage, blood, & soon a son God willing. All the bells & whistles glistened. The palace was ready. Its attendees were ready. Now she herself was ready. Her motorcade arrived.

Aides flew about. The king was there. Standing by his son, proud. It was all going right. Royal ceremonial garb was doned. Ceremonial crowns & all. She entered. The palace choir began gently singing church hymns. It was time. She stood in front of her fiance. No. This wasn't the wedding. That will be greater more than 100 fold.

The Arch Bishop of Avalon stood by them both. He began his official blessing.

"On this day, January sixth, two thousand nineteen. We bare witness to what our Lord God Yahweh and saviour Christ Yeshua sanction lovingly. The unity of our two kingdoms through these two loving, doting, loyal souls. That begins this day! Mirèo de Marsilia. I proclaim you! DUCHESS OF AVALON! NOBILITY OF OUR GREAT SOUTHERN KINGDOM. Henceforth she shall be addressed as My Lady or Your Grace."

HRM King Carlos Francisco II himself approached the Duchess to present her with the patent of her nobility along with her crown. His son beamed with happiness. The Queen registered her approval with a nod. Finally she rose a new woman. Most high in two nations. Now one of the most powerful women in Europe. It was done. They all put on their ceremonial crowns. The choir became louder with hymns of praise. The crown prince took his fiance's hand. They exited with thunderous applause & cheers.

 

[Justosia]

Milenio Royal Palace
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon District

HRM King Carlos Francisco II, who had been watching the invading forces' every move virtually, gave the order.

"Check....."

 

[Justosia]

A Defence Ministry officer entered HRM's quarters.

"Majesty. The withdrawal has begun. Ninety percent probability of us out speeding their larger joint force. Due to their size chiefly. Pelasgia is hit. I believe they have been strategically exposed as Majesty ordered."

HRM finished his glass of red.

"Good. Check Auraria."

 

[Justosia]

The Defence Ministry officer again spoke.

"Majesty, phase two completed. Permission to leave documented ascent for Heart Strategem?"

"Granted. It will receive no ascent however. Those Pelasgian and Aurarine cousin fuckers should understand they've been flanked, checkmated without......that. You've served your country well. Dismissed. Viva Justosia."

 

[Justosia]

HRM had done it again. Indeed his 13 years in Royal Navy Intelligence continued to serve him well. Though how many more cards did he have up his sleeve? How many more strategems? How many more chances would he take before he was spent? For now that was God's business.

He laid down & welcomed sleep.

 

[Justosia]

Milenio Royal Palace
Administrative Wing
Secure Government Quarter
Avalon District

HRM sipped an expresso while he enjoyed a game of chess with his wife Queen Annabella. A Royal Paige entered upon permission.

"Majesties. A Sylvanian gossip tabloid rag has this."

HRM skimmed it while grinning ever so slightly.

"If we're trying to deepen relations with Sylvania, it would do them well to learn about our Great Southern Kingdom. They appear to be handing me an excuse for my heart's desire. Being able to disown that little shit. I will remember this. You are dismissed."

He returned to chess with his wife.