***
{Inside The Projection}
The revolution was over.
The blood was washed off the marble.
The ash swept from the windowsills.
People began rebuilding, laughing a little.
Breathing in their new freedom.
The beautiful scenes continued.
Smiles ca upon many.
But Malik wasn’t one of them.
He didn’t wear a crown.
He didn’t sit on a throne.
He didn’t even give a speech.
That kind of power wasn’t sothing he wanted.
Not after what he’d seen its consequences led to... not after learning of his ’fate.’
Of course, Malik learned his lesson from the ’rebels’ all those years ago.
He would not hold power, never; he’d leave it to the people.
To the capable people.
He’d support them, ensure the right ones stood in the right places.
But before then, they needed to create a proper system, a pipeline for these people.
And so, he let multiple small groups of people vote, organize, and argue in circles about all that was to be done, how to rebuild, how to conclude, how to move forward, how to reform their local laws, and the court... a trial run of sorts.
Malik sat in the back of those etings, watching and listening. If soone rose up with greed in their eyes, he was the first to know. If soone offered their hands and heart to the people, he made sure they had the resources to do it right.
He didn’t lead; he guided, a shadow behind the new kingdom.
Terrifying to the wrong people. Sacred to the right ones.
So called it wisdom. Others said cowardice.
Neither was wrong.
Day of Light.
A festival was in the works.
Fla dancers and drums were on every street, and flower petals were raining down from the balconies.
It was supposed to be a celebration, similar to the one that celebrated the "Stranger’s" death, their victory over Nasir-Al-Sultan, but only that, ’similar.’
This celebration would mark the day the old kingdom was declared dead.
It’d declare the mont a new light was born.
A declaration of a new age.
The Chancellor had planned everything.
Silk banners with the Silent Crescent wrapped around every pole, massive feast tables set up for nobles and farrs alike, and orphans given warm bread for the first ti in weeks.
He knew that Malik wasn’t going to do anything to commorate this change, so he took things into his own hands, or so he told Malik and his people.
They didn’t care.
When the day ca, the Chancellor took the main stage in the city square.
He wore blue robes sewn with silver, a color he hadn’t worn during the rebellion.
Looking around, he smiled at the crowd and bowed like a perforr.
"The era of tyrants is over!"
His words were t with loud cheers.
"And in their place, your humble servant stands—blessed by the savior who gave us this chance."
He pointed toward a nearby roof.
Malik was standing there, his face no different than stone.
Cheers rose like thunder, at least ten tis louder than those for the Chancellor.
Trying to hide his twitching brow, the Chancellor bowed again.
"Lord Malik stands with us still... My brother in arms."
Malik said nothing.
"He led us here today, more than deserving to sit on the throne, but I must confess and officially announce this to you all..."
The Chancellor paused for a mont for effect.
"He does not wish to beco king of this land."
The crowd, at least those who had no idea about this, responded loudly, not understanding what the Hell Malik planned otherwise.
If he wasn’t going to lead... Then who?
Why stand on the roof if he wasn’t going to rule?
If a king did not lead, then what? What other way would this kingdom be led?
They couldn’t process that.
The Chancellor raised his arm, quieting them down.
"Don’t worry, my people! I fully agree—he should not be king!"
His voice was confident and obviously practiced.
"There will be no kings! We will do as the eastern lands do: vote for who we wish to be in power! We have already implented many control groups and have identified exactly how we’d go about doing it!"
Confusion rippled once more, only louder this ti, people turning to each other, so frowning, others skeptical.
Vote?
Since when?
"But!"
The Chancellor shouted, hand high in the air.
"That will take ti! So until then, I—your humble servant—will take the reins."
Not even a mont passed before soone in the front scread.
"WE WANT LORD MALIK!"
Others quickly joined in. Dozens, then hundreds.
"Lord Malik!"
"Lord Malik!"
"Lord Malik!"
"Lord Malik!"
"LORD MALIK!"
The Chancellor was unable to hide his twitching eyes any longer.
"Please, my people!"
He forced out a chuckle.
"Lord Malik knows better than to take the reins of power. He’s afraid. Afraid he might beco the very monster he destroyed."
He looked up at the rooftop, where Malik stood silent.
"He is... the Stranger."
Gasps and the like resounded, people muttering and staring.
A few even stepped back like he’d just declared Malik the Devil, which, in their eyes, he might as well have.
"He ca for revenge!"
The Chancellor cried out.
"Ask him yourself! He won’t deny it!"
And they did, screaming up to the rooftop:
"Is it true?!"
"Did you co here to destroy us?!"
"What do you want, Lord Malik?!"
"..."
Malik, of course, said nothing.
He only looked down at the Chancellor.
"Listen, listen!"
The Chancellor threw both his hands up.
"I know you’ve all heard the stories. What he did... back then. To his people. The innocents at that wedding. When he had power. He knows better now. He’s... learned. Changed."
A few people in the front row shifted uncomfortably.
"He chose to step down!"
The snake barked, pacing the stage.
"Without anyone forcing him! Without threats! That’s sothing to be respected!"
He smiled at them.
"Lord Malik... he knows his flaws. His demons. He’s doing the right thing."
He patted his own chest.
"And so, instead of reacting this way, you all should comnd him for stepping down!"
Whispers passed through the crowd.
"For now... until elections are prepared... until you’re ready..."
He bowed a little.
"Please allow . Let serve as your king."
"..."
"..."
"..."
No reply ca.
It was silent at first, for a few seconds or so.
Only after did a low, awkward wave of muttering co.
People weren’t stupid, but they weren’t exactly... smart either.
They were now confused. Processing. Struggling with it.
"...I an... I guess..."
Soone mumbled from the back.
"Maybe it’s... safer like that..."
"Yeah... Lord Malik doesn’t want it anyway..."
"...Right?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)