King Richard sat on his throne in his audience chambers, the light falling through a big rose window bathing him in an unearthly glow. His appearance was magnificent, as befitted a king. Clad in an elaborately and intricately ornamented gilded full plate armour, which glowed in the light streaming through the window, he looked like he could have been the reincarnation of the legendary King Argontlis. A red cape embroiderd with a golden lion, the symbol of the royal family, hung from his shoulders down his back. He was sitting straight, his head held high. The gems mounted on the crown sitting atop his tuft of greying blonde hair caught and reflected the sun light. Twinkling and glowing, they looked like somebody had picked a dozen stars from the sky to be artfully incorporated in his crown..
He didn't much care for the elaborate armour and grand appearance himself, but as a warrior who had both led troops and fought on the frontline himself, he was well aware of the importance of appearances. His armour gave him the look of a mighty warrior, of a king capable of protecting his subjects in every situation. Every time his subjects saw him clad in his armour, their trust in him and his kingdom was strengthened.
Currently, two of his subjects were arguing their cases in a dispute they had not been able to settle among themselves.
Antony, a farmer, refused to pay the lease for the land Baron Reginald had provided him with. The land was fertile, providing good and plentiful harvest, and the lease was very reasonable. But Antony's wife had fallen gravely ill, and the farmer said he needed every piece of gold to pay for healers. Reginald, a minor though very well-liked baron, however, insisted that Antony pay his lease, as was his duty as vassal.
Richard raised his armoured hand, the polished metal of his gauntlet glowing in the light, ordering both to be silent. “I understand your plight, Antony. As a husband, you have a duty your wife. This duty is very important, and it is commendable that you take it so seriously,” he said, causing Antony to smile brightly with the praise.
“However, you also have a duty to your lord and to your country.” His blue gaze became stern. “The lease you give to Reginald contains not only the payment for the land, it also contains the taxes you pay to your kingdom. These taxes are necessary to build schools and universities, to build shelters for the homeless, to train knights and maintain our military forces. The very same military which protects this kingdom from the evil dungeon keepers. Without them, the dungeon keepers would be raiding and pillaging our land.” The king pinned Antony with an intense glare. “By refusing to pay your lease you did not only break your oath of loyalty to your lord, you also took away our children's opportunity at getting the best education possible, you condemned the unfortunate and homeless to a life on the street, and you put the whole kingdom in danger.”
Antony paled. “I, I, I'm sorry, my Lord!” he stammered. “I didn't know! I didn't think that ...”
“Silence!” Richard ordered sternly. “I'm not finished.” His gaze softened slightly. “I understand why you felt you had to refuse paying the lease. You love your wife and you want her to be well and healthy, like any good husband should. That is not something I can hold against you, and it is why I will send one of the royal healers to your home to take care of your wife.” With a quick dart of his blue eyes, Richard sent one of the servants on the way to relay his orders.
“Thank you, my Lord!” Antony cried, falling to his knees.
Reginald's mouth opened and closed several times. “But, but... My Lord!” he started to protest, but Richard cut him off with a gesture of his hand.
“I'm still not finished.”
The king set his piercing blue gaze on the farmer again. “Antony, by refusing to pay, you not only wronged your lord, you endangered your whole country. This I cannot let go unpunished. You will pay Reginald double the agreed sum of 100 gold pieces and you will spend the next seven days in jail in silent reflection.”
“Yes! Yes! Of course! Anything! Thank you, my Lord!” Antony agreed eagerly, tears of relief streaming down his face as he was led away by two palace guards.
Baron Reginald bowed respectfully. “I offer my humble thanks for your judgement, my Lord.” Turning on his heels, he left the audience chamber.
Richard sighed deeply, slumping in his throne and resting his head on the back of his hand. Dealing with such matters was tedious and exhausting, and he could just as well let his majordomo take care them, but he didn't want to.
Richard had always been of the opinion that a good king should know of his people's troubles and remain as closely connected to them as possible. These audiences served only that purpose. No matter how exhausting and tedious they were, they reminded him of his duty and helped him to remain grounded and in connection with his people – what they wanted, what they needed.
A good king, he had always thought, protected his people with all his heart and provided for them to the best of his abilities.
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(Posted Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:31)
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