CHAPTER FOUR #2
But Ryu was not to be placated. “That’s not the point,” he said.
“Regardless of how well a monarchy is performing, the people want the right to choose their own path.” It might have sounded incongruous, given that some of those very pro-democracy activists had just tried to kidnap him, but Kentario had known Ryu for long enough to realise he was very able to look at the bigger picture, without being mired down in his own experience.
“Democracy is not the solution to all the world’s ills,” Sou said.
“Just look at Biermarg. They’ve been a democracy for decades, but last year, the government was exposed for widespread corruption, and now they’re embroiled in a civil war.
And I dare say half the people fighting to overthrow the government don’t even understand the most basic political processes.
It’s impossible to please every civilian in a country, so no matter the ruling structure, there are always going to be detractors, and in more extreme cases, rebels willing to make their point with violence.
But that’s beside the point.” He stood up, ending the conversation.
“Ryu, until these miscreants are caught, you’re confined to palace grounds.
Felix is waiting in the library for a tutoring session before your maths exam, and please inform him that alternative arrangements will need to be made for Thursday.
Maro, I want an update the moment the situation changes.
And if you’ll all excuse me, I have a meeting with Lord Nae.
I think I’ve kept him waiting for quite long enough. ”
King Sou strode out of the room, everyone except the queen standing up respectfully as he passed. Ryu headed obediently out the door to go to the library, shooting a pointed look Kentario’s way as he went, but before Kentario could go after him, Danag’s voice pulled him up.
“Kentario? Don’t rush off. I’d like to have a word. I just need to speak to Captain Landis for a moment first. Would you mind waiting in the hallway?”
“Yeah, sure,” Kentario agreed, knowing he didn’t have much choice.
Well, that destroyed any chance of talking to Ryu before his tutoring session.
And afterwards, the prince would likely have to go straight to dinner with his parents, which meant Kentario would have to try to catch him on his way back to the royal apartment after that.
He stepped out of the room, pausing a moment in the doorway.
He expected Queen Elise to follow him, now that the crisis was over, and he knew it would be polite to hold the door for her…
but Elise was still sitting on the sofa, displaying no intention at all to leave the room.
That was odd. He closed the door and took up a post on the opposite side of the hallway, standing at ease with his back to the wall.
It was unusual for the queen to want to speak to either Maro or Danag, with Sou taking charge of issues of palace security.
If she had questions for Maro about the whole incident, why hadn’t she asked them in the meeting, instead of waiting until afterwards?
And why was she suddenly participating in discussions about democracy and revolution?
The whole palace seemed to be in a constant state of flux these days, with the Festival of the Goddess coming up on the weekend, then Ryu’s eighteenth birthday, and then his high school graduation. And after today’s debacle, Kentario dreaded to think what other changes might be in the works.
A few minutes later, Danag came out of the lounge, and Kentario could immediately tell from the look on his face that he wasn’t in a good mood. Well, that was fine. Kentario was feeling none too cheerful himself.
“Captain Landis said you made quite a fuss about being dismissed from your post.” Despite the even tone of his voice, it was clear that his father was deeply unimpressed.
“Ryu was in danger,” Kentario tried to explain. “My job is to protect him. That’s all I was trying to do.” Surely his father could respect his commitment to his duty, even if it meant disobeying Maro?
Danag’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Captain Landis has served the palace for-”
“I am Ryu’s bodyguard!” Kentario interrupted. “Maro has no right to-”
“Captain Landis,” Danag repeated, louder this time, “has served the palace for over thirty years. He served under King Arata before Sou took the throne, and such displays of disrespect for his position and his experience are juvenile and unprofessional. You have a duty, and over and above your commitment to Ryu, that duty is to obey the orders of the Crown.”
Had everybody lost all sense of reason today?
“Maro gave me no information about the threat to Ryu and no clear reason why I was to step away from my post.” Kentario was all but growling at his father, just barely managing to keep control of his temper.
“You taught me that Ryu’s safety comes first, even above any concerns for my own life.
How would you feel if you were ordered to abandon the king? ”
That, finally, seemed to get through to Danag, and he sighed, his shoulders drooping ever so slightly. “Your commitment to Ryu is commendable,” he admitted, his tone softening a fraction. “No one has any issue with your ability to protect him.”
“Then why was I removed from my post?”
“There were valid reasons,” Danag said. “But you are currently not privy to that information. You will be given a full briefing at a point in the future when certain… issues have been resolved. Until then, I consider this discussion to be closed.”
He strode away, leaving Kentario feeling more off balance and more resentful than when they’d begun.