Palácę di Argént
Roitálę, Kingdom of Ardinat
A glamourous gala. The seat of power. All the powerful men and women of the realm would be there.
One of them was Maríę, Countess of Arschént. She was related to the prestigious house of Avengnon, a powerful kingmaking noble house that had a stake in Ardinatan politics for the last few centuries. However, she was not of that house, but of a branch, the Avengnon-Arschent noble family.
The branches listened to their parent house. For this case, she nominally answered to the Avengnons, which ruled the County of Avengnon. However, every branch also held their own political influence. After all, the Avengnons may rule the Avengnon voting block at the Council of the Realm, but if they displeased their cousins, they all knew they could, when the head died, elect a rival Count in the house to succeed them, or boot them out of the job.
Technically, the House of Avengnon chooses their heir. But the voting block can choose its own leading branch. So, if they don't elect a Count that aligns with the rest of the family, a branch like, for example, the House of Avengnon-Arschent, could lead instead. Thus, if they ordered their family like Kings accepting nothing short of silence, the Avengnons would lose their influence over their family.
Being the Kingmaker requires to be made King of your realm in Ardinatan politics. Maríę knew this all too well. So did every other Count or Countess.
The ball had been thrown by King Loúis XIII, the monarch of Ardinat. This was to gain favour with the noble houses so they could support his successor to the throne once he died. The houses were uneasy, especially the more conservative ones, as Princess Luciánę had studied abroad, and her political leanings were largely unknown. Had she heard political activists at her time in Florenzei, the capital of that wretched Republic? Or had she remained steadfast in the rightful tradition of the monarchy, and did not bow to the rabble? Certainly she was part of the class that was designed to rule, but she could not rule to listen to the mob. "Democracy" is an abomination, after all. It produces weak, corrupt leaders who only listen to the stupidities of the crowd and leave the nation in ashes. They were not born to rule. They might not even know how. They just have to listen to the peasants.
Some suspected that she was a liberal, or even a communist. And that was unacceptable. Here, all the noble houses expected to hear her politically, as if the King wants her as his heir, she'll need to demonstrate her worth. Her thoughts and ideals on the nation and the ruling system.
Maríę was an Avengnon-Arschent, a powerful branch in Avengnon insider politics. They supported their parent house, the Avengnons, who were steadfast, monarchist conservatives. So was she.
As she saw the Princess, she proceeded to speak with her. Of course, she bowed, as was formality.
"Salutations, Your Highness. I hear that His Majesty intends to make something out of your person?"
"Greetings. You are the Countess of Arschént, if I am not mistaken?"
"As correct as the rightful reign of our King"
"Excellent. I am glad to have met you, Countess"
"It is only my pleasure to be acquaintanced with your person. As the representative of the Avengnon-Arschent family, it is my desire that you live with intellect and truth, as the nation has remained in its steady and righteous course"
She couldn't say that she was to rule yet. That would mean an official endorsement. In that case, the language of the nobility and of the royalty replaced the word "rule" with "live". It was a subtle sign that, if Luciánę wanted her endorsement, she would have to maintain the status quo.
Luciánę knew this. But she was, secretly, a reformist. Not a democrat, no, democracy is foolish. She believed in absolutism, as her time in Meridia had made her see a democracy that worked for the politicians, not the people. Competence is overruled by political tricks and deception, breeding incompetence and corruption. The people only got a hatred for their own kin, and a national division that sometimes escalated into bloodshed. However, she did not share the "tradition" and "we are the only ones fit to rule" thing. For her, that was outdated. No longer a necessity.
She wanted to be the Queen of Ardinat, but she wanted to implement reforms. She wanted the counsel of the people, and wished to call forth an assembly, where the various classes: farmers, industrial workers, nobles, merchants, bankers, company executives, soldiers, employees of the state, etc. would air their grievances and, with her own research, take them into consideration. She would solve her people's problems, and reform the caste system to serve all, not just some lucky souls selected by lottery. "If that noble house does not improve the lives of the people and only serves as a corrupt elite, I'll even put a peasant family as the new noble house if they demonstrate their talent"
She would permit a moderate amount of free speech, and freedom of the press. To hear her people, their valid criticisms would need to be heard. But not any call for a "Republic" or "Democracy" or some other radical overhaul of the system. No killings of anybody either. That would not do. Protests also clogged the streets, and their violent attitude was an affront to authority, so she would not permit them. She would allow political societies and parties to form, but they would have to be peaceful, or face the axe.
An orderly society working for all. A happy nation, a truly righteous country. That is what she wished to accomplish. An absolute monarch not just working to please their nobles, but the entire realm. Meritocracy would play a role in her reign as well, as she seeked not only the expertise of the well-educated noble, but perhaps even of the peasant, for if educated well, they could serve their motherland better than the most noble of the nobles.
But before she had any illusions to implement her grand dream, she will need to play the game. Even if she had to bite her teeth by agreeing with her.
"May the glorious days of the realm remain so long as I live"
"All in due time, Luciánę. All in due time"
"I hear that you have studied in Meridia, Your Highness"
"As correct as the present day, Countess"
"The Florenzei Academy is truly a prestigious one. Perchance, if Your Highness allows this Countess to ask, you may tell of an anecdote in your travels?"
Of course. This was a probing move. What did she do in Meridia? Who was she involved with?
"I am happy to oblige, Countess. Are there any topics you would like to discuss?"
"Perhaps your social life? I do hear that the Republican devils are indeed a nuisance. I wish to know if you were safe from such aggression"
Luciánę was not stupid. Maríę was not employed by the country's spy network, but some Avengnons were, and she could contact them easily to run a background check on any persons Luciánę might suggest. Due to her unknown status, Maríę was assessing her capibilities, and if she could be a puppet.
"I did not form many friendships, as I was ordered by our righteous and serene state to be isolated, for my safety. After all, if the Republican devils knew of my true identity, I would not have survived the first year"
"I see"
"I did have a few. They wondered why I had a foreign accent, but I told them I was a Parthenian from a strange dialect. As is their unfortunate nature, they adored their Republic. If only they had been rightfully raised in our lands..."
"Shame"
"Yes. Like many students, they were engaged in Meridia's politics, but, for my safety, I refused to engage in their conversations. For them, I was a person that had no interest in politics in any fashion imaginable. I was content to engage with them in other pleasantries. As an example, they had a particular interest on personal computer games, and I consented to play these"
"These games, were they enjoyable and proper?"
"May God tell of this as true"
"This internet device has been let run free in those wretched democratic states. They divide their people, and help forge an endless rabble who were not born to rule. They spread confusion and hysteria over our rightful regime, and I am surprised that seditious ideals against their systems, decadent as they are, are allowed to stand. It shall be their inevitable downfall, just like that Maurelíano abomination. What democracies produce, no? Crisis, hatred, violence..."
"May God spare us from that devastation, Countess. I am in absolute concord with your statement"
The gala was filled with guests from all over. The Duke of Slóis, the Count of Avengnón, the Lord General Fillíp of Calést, the Lady Admiral Catlín of Tousúd, the Duchess of Aurlént, the Marquis of Penónt...so many nobles, so many titles. But only so few contenders.
Her rival and brother, the Prince Augustús, was a democrat, and he did not hide his beliefs to his peers. Indeed, because nobles and royals are seen as "fit to rule", the state will tolerate their democratic leanings, so long as they don't publish them and undermine the unity of the regime. They can discuss them, but only at the circles of power, and only select data leave it unharmed.
Luciánę loved her brother, but this was more than just a family dispute. This was beyond their familial love. It was the succession. The battle for the soul of the nation was being played at a party for the nobles.
And, at the western wing of the ballroom, sat the democratic opposition. Their posterboy was Augustús, and they all swore to defend his claim to the throne at the Council and in the Senate.
"Your Highness, may your rule be liberating for our people!"
"Indeed, Count! We are to forge a new nation! We must convince the others to join us in the struggle of the realm!"
"Let us make rounds to ensure our claim to liberty!"
"Hear hear!"
They proceeded to speak with other nobles at the gala. Not all members of the nobility had a vested interest in absolutism or democracy. Others, mainly families who held no significant power in the national political scene or nobles who just wanted money, could be swayed. Unlike the Avengnons, Krisianos, Liuponts or other noble families that had an interest in the national arena for holding multiple votes, being a royal branch or a Duchy, either these families only held one County and nothing else, or they were part of an influential house, but only wanted the best for themselves.
Bribery and convincing rhetoric. Common tools for this mass of nobles that decided the vote. And the democratic opposition was eager to decide the heir, and were energetic on their campaign. After all, it was now or never. Democracy, or more absolutism.
They had one major disadvantage, however: they were mostly young. The ideals of democracy were held by these young adults, some even in their early twenties. One, the Countess of Aradónt, was only 18. Some, like one of their only three Dukes, the Duke of Parlagént, or the Lord Air Marshal Phillípę of Colestóis, were older, more respected officials. But the point was made: the persons who were more respected were the absolutist old guard. These were just challengers. The reckless youth. An idealistic defiance which had not seen the "true light" yet.
But the youth sometimes win. And they had a chance to prove their worth. Now, or never.
And, as the hearts and minds of the nobles were swayed by endless debate and chatter, the three claimants: the Princess Luciáne, the Prince Augustús, and the Prince Loúis were determined to win.
Loúis was not idle. He had secured the absolutists on his side, for now. If Luciánę could sway them - and she had a chance, as she would prove herself as a masterful player of this game - however, he would lose his claim.
Loúis was the least intelligent of the three, and he only cared about money and having fun. As he was the little brother, he was heavily pampered and taken care for by his Mother, as she had sympathy for him more than for her other two children. Often, he would scream and cry because he perceived his siblings as "mean", and his status as the smallest of the three made him more convincing. After all, his Mother had suffered the same at childhood - her sisters constantly bullied her at the household for being the youngest. So, mistakingly applying her experiences, she believed Loúis more than the other two, and he was a pampered soul. He was not stupid, but he was not the greatest choice. He could be an "okay" ruler if he matured properly and took charge of the affairs of the state, but his siblings outclassed him.
For some, he was a good puppet, but skill is required to rule. And many were considering this more than just a puppet, as turmoil could cause the Kingdom to collapse in this world that had left its system behind. After all, the Republic was there in the north, and the foul Artemian Union might seek to crumble the rightful rule of the monarchy.
Who will be the heir? All will be determined here, and there.
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