44. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
SEBASTIAN
One Month Later
THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE
KING FALLS ILL — OFFICIALS PROMISE NO NEED FOR PANIC
IN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS FROM THE PALACE, KING DEACON BAROS HAS FALLEN ILL AFTER SUFFERING A STROKE. ACCORDING TO PALACE OFFICIALS, HIS STRESS LEVELS HAVE BEEN OFF THE CHARTS, WITH PRINCE SEBASTIAN FIGHTING IN THE WAR OUT WEST.
“WE ARE ALL HOPEFUL FOR HIS ROYAL MAJESTY TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY, THOUGH THIS IS THE WORST HE HAS LOOKED,” A SOURCE FROM THE INFIRMARY REPORTED.
ONE OF OUR EDITORS HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT AND TALK WITH HAWTHORN’S ADVISORS.
WHEN ASKED WHAT WERE TO HAPPEN IF HIS MAJESTY WERE UNABLE TO RULE, DR. KILLIAN MOORE REPLIED, “THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE WORST-CASE SCENARIO. BUT, IF HIS MAJESTY WERE TO BE CONSIDERED UNABLE TO RULE, POWER WOULD BE GRANTED TEMPORARILY TO THE NEXT IN LINE. IN THIS CASE, THAT WOULD BE PRINCE SEBASTIAN.”
UPON BEING REMINDED THAT PRINCE SEBASTIAN IS OFF IN TRIA, DR. MOORE SAID, “AS FAR AS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN, IT WOULD GO TO QUEEN SOPHIA, AND SHOULD SHE BE UNABLE, PRINCESS MARY WOULD BECOME INCUMBENT.”
PALACE OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THERE IS NO NEED FOR WORRY AT THIS TIME.
Two Months Later
THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE
KING DEACON COMATOSE — WHAT NOW?
OUR EDITORS HAVE RECEIVED WORD THAT KING DEACON HAS FALLEN INTO A VEGETATIVE STATE, RENDERING HIM CURRENTLY UNABLE TO RULE THE KINGDOM.
THE HOSPITAL STAFF OFFERED NO UPDATE, BUT ASSURED THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE THAT HIS ROYAL MAJESTY IS RECEIVING THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE.
QUEEN SOPHIA IS EXPECTED TO ACT IN ABSENTIA.
THE ADVISORS REACHED OUT TO THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT. WE ARE PUBLISHING IT BELOW:
“WE ARE DEVASTATED WITH THE TURN OF EVENTS THAT HAVE FALLEN OVER OUR PRECIOUS KING, BUT ARE HOPEFUL FOR HIS SWIFT AND SPEEDY RECOVERY. OUR EXPECTATIONS WITH HER ROYAL MAJESTY ARE HIGH, AND WE HAVE NO DOUBTS SHE WILL MEET AND EXCEED THEM.
PRINCE SEBASTIAN HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE KING’S PRESENT HEALTH. AT THIS TIME, HE WILL REMAIN ON THE WESTERN FRONT.
WE WILL KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED, BUT REMEMBER THERE IS NO NEED TO PANIC. THEIR ROYAL MAJESTIES SEND THEIR WISHES TO THE CIVILIANS OF HAWTHORN.”
Three Months Later
THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE
A ROYAL SHIFT — TEMPORARY POWER GRANTED
THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE IS HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT QUEEN SOPHIA HAS STEPPED AWAY FROM THE POWER, SAYING SHE NEEDS TO BE WITH HER HUSBAND AT THIS TIME. THIS WAS DECIDED UPON BY THE BOARD OF ADVISORS. PRINCESS MARY HAS BEEN HELPING DELEGATE RULE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE TIME BEING.
DR. MOORE REITERATED THE PUBLIC HAS NO NEED TO WORRY.
“AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE SENT FOR HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE SEBASTIAN TO RETURN HOME. WE ARE STILL MAINTAINING HOPE THAT HIS MAJESTY KING DEACON WILL PULL THROUGH AND BE ABLE TO RESUME POWER. HER HIGHNESS PRINCESS MARY WILL BE THE TEMPORARY ADVERSARY FOR HAWTHORN.”
WE REACHED OUT TO PRINCESS MARY FOR COMMENT, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET. THE HAWTHORN CHRONICLE SENDS THEIR BEST WISHES TO KING DEACON. TOGETHER, WE ARE HAWTHORN.