“I believe that Your Majesty has already stumbled on the correct solution,” Lord Nae said. “Or rather, the correctstrategy.” Nae was in his fifties, but despite his age, he maintained the spritely air of a much younger man. “You said that we must consider what is right for the Nalmagians. They are not the only factor, of course – we must also do what is right for Galandeen. But my opinion is that you do not need to fit yourself into either box – the traditional one or the progressive one. Simply weigh up the factors in play and make therightdecision. And then next time you have a serious choice before you, make the right decision about that one. And the next. And the next. Carve out your own box to fit into, rather than trying to adopt someone else’s.
“How do we make the right decision? Ask yourself; What is legal? What is just? What is compassionate? What are the realistic limits of your own power and capabilities? No matter what you do, there are sections of society that will disagree with it. So console yourself with the knowledge that you made the best decision you could, with the information available to you.”
The answer was at once brilliant and baffling. “Vague philosophies are all well and good,” Ryu said carefully, “but is itjustto allow young alphas to continue dying in the name of honour? Or, on the other hand, is it just to allow Nalmagian civilians to be killed by Biermargian rebels? Is it even possible to separate the two issues, given the decisions my father made in the past?”
“Is it just to send young men to war, knowing they could be killed while defending this country?” Lord Nae asked. “And yet, would you be considered negligent in your duties as king if you allowed foreign armies to invade our shores? In an ideal world, you might like to choose neither option, but this is the other aspect to any decision; what are the realistic possibilities available to you? You are not a god. You are merely a king.”
“No, I’m not a god,” Ryu agreed. “And yet the lives of thousands of people currently rest on the decisions of one man.” The path forward suddenly crystallised in his mind, the maelstrom of thoughts finally falling quiet. But it was not one, but two decisions that had been made, both of which were going to alter the future of Galandeen. “So, here’s what I think we should do…”
◊◊◊
Ten minutes later, the Nalmagian delegation was once more seated around the table, waiting eagerly for Ryu to announce his decision.
“Today, you’ve been extremely restrained in expressing your opinions about my father,” he began, letting his gaze drift slowly around the table, meeting each set of eyes in turn. “And for that, I’m very grateful. But there are things here that need to be said, and so I shall have to be the one to say them. King Sou was murdered in cold blood. Murder is a crime, both morally and legally, and I feel no compassion or sympathy for those who attacked my home.
“But at the same time, it cannot go without saying that King Sou, in part, contributed to his own demise. He wished to impose his own beliefs upon a different culture. He refused to compromise, he chose to ignore certain aspects of his duty as king, and while I in no way condone the attack on the palace, I do understand that it was, in some ways, the natural consequence of his decisions.”
The room was silent, everyone equally stunned by his cool evaluation of the past.
“With the benefit of hindsight, I’ve therefore made a number of decisions about the Nalamagian Territory. Firstly, a company of soldiers will be sent to Nalmaga to offer protection against Biermargian rebels. Given that your people have a small population spread over a large area, they will concentrate their defences on the three largest towns in the Territory. Any villagers residing in the more remote villages should be encouraged to move towards those towns in the short term. The military will assist them in erecting defensive barriers around the villages in the longer term. We cannot guarantee your safety one hundred per cent of the time, but these measures should significantly improve the wellbeing of the majority of people.
“Furthermore, all Galandeen-assigned priestesses and other temple staff will be immediately withdrawn to Galandeen. You will be free to practice your beliefs in the manner of your choosing, on condition that they do not conflict with Galandanish law.
“And finally, in six months’ time, I invite you and a contingent of suitable representatives to attend the palace to discuss ongoing relations between Galandeen and Nalmaga. I would strongly encourage you to use that time to consult with your people and compose a draft proposal of what laws you consider to be a suitable compromise between our culture and yours. Any laws specifically inhibiting the practice of your culture will be temporarily suspended between now and then. Any questions?”
The faces of the Nalmagians displayed a uniform state of shock. After a few moments of stunned silence, the spokesperson cleared his throat. “I believe you have made a very wise and just decision today,” he said, hisvoice trembling just slightly. “We are very grateful for your consideration, and we will certainly make every effort to do as you’ve asked. We will see you here again in six months’ time.”
The group made their formal goodbyes, then filed peacefully out of the room.
“Well done,” Oris declared, once the Nalmagians had been escorted away. “I doubt any of them saw that coming.”
“Truly a wise decision,” Lady Iuma agreed. “I don’t think anyone could have hoped for better.”
“Before we get too excited, there is one other issue we need to discuss before you all leave,” Ryu said, “and it’s a big one. I don’t expect any straightforward answers today, and this is a project we’re going to spend the next twenty years working on. Lord Nae said I should carve out my own place in the world, rather than living in the box everyone else tries to put me in. And it’s become clear to me today that one man should not wield the kind of power that I currently do. No man, no matter how wise or benevolent, has the right to dictate the path of the millions of people who live in Galandeen.
“My coronation produced as much anxiety as celebration, and when I announced my engagement to Kentario, the one question everyone kept asking was how two alphas intended to produce a royal heir. My answer today is that we will never need to. Starting today, we’re going to create a plan to implement democracy in Galandeen. It is my full intention that by the time a king might reach the age when he needs an heir, the monarchy will no longer exist.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Six Weeks Later
Ryu sighed as he stretched his legs, sprawled lazily across the huge bed in the luxury apartment. Outside the window, the gentle rasp of the ocean lapping at the shore tried to lull him to sleep. But he resisted, too many interesting things tempting him to stay awake.
Beside him, Kentario lay on his back, as naked as the day he was born. Ryu lifted his head, idly perusing the toned muscles on display before him. He gave an appreciative moan, which made Kentario open his eyes.
“I thought you were asleep,” he said, rolling over. One hand slid over Ryu’s waist, pulling him closer so Kentario could kiss him.
“You haven’t quite worn me out yet,” Ryu said. “Maybe you should try harder next time.”
Kentario snorted. “I’d have thought that after all the chaos with the wedding planning, you’d be exhausted by now. I was taking it easy on you.”
Chaos was an apt description. The wedding had been just ten weeks after Ryu’s coronation, and when they’d told the wedding planners their intended timeline, the two women had just about had a heart attack. Weddings in general were hard to put together that quickly, and royal weddings even more so.
But in the end, the ceremony had come together beautifully, and then the pair of them had hightailed it to a private jet, flying to a remote resort on Galandeen’s west coast. Islands dotted the coastline, and about fifty kilometres offshore, the continental shelf fell away, marking the official boundary between Galandeen and Iderheil. The resort they were currently staying in was on one of Galandeen’s western-most islands, an exclusive place limited to a grand total of thirty guests.
“I never got around to saying thank you, by the way,” Ryu said, tracing one finger over Kentario’s chest. “For putting up with all the drama. I know big ceremonies aren’t your thing.”
“There wasn’t exactly any other way we could have done it,” Kentario pointed out. “Marrying a king was never going to be a small affair.”
