[RPG] [Atamara] The Mad King

[zmobiebob]

[OOC: Here's selected key RP's by me and several other players, surrounding
the events of Gauihu, King of Abington in his last days in office.
Obviously, a lot of direct-messages and more subtle points didn't make it,
but it should make for nice reading for those who didn't get the chance the
first time.]

"A letter from Duke Moses, Sire," Bremham reported, handing the king a piece
of parchment.



Gauihu read it. He smiled a wry smile. It was full of supportive words.
Agreement. But it meant nothing and he knew it. The Ash Sea Islands wouldn't
lift a finger. He wrote a brief, perfunctory response and sent his message
off.



--



He slept. He knew it was coming apart. Wayburg was being assaulted, and the
army just wasn't big enough. He slept, but not well. He woke up feeling
bruised and sore, his neck and shoulders screaming in pain. Scowling, he
dressed and went out to the great hall.



The courtiers there had frightened faces. He knew then that something else
had gone wrong. Had Wayburg been conquered so quickly, or was there another
betrayal? –



"Your Majesty," said one of the bolder messengers with a low bow. "I have
t-terrible news. Duke Magnus the Mighty has seceded the City of Wayburg,
along with Chasnoff, Matakonis, Monagle and Swanfolk."



Gauihu wasn't surprised anymore. He felt a sharp pain in his belly. He
sighed. "Is there a letter?"



"My liege," said another courtier, again with a bow, handing him a long,
elegantly written letter from Magnus. Gauihu read through it, knowing what
he'd find, still finding himself pained by the timely betrayal.



When after some patrols they captured Spiritmonger, Gauihu snorted bitterly.
With no judge, he couldn't do anything fun against that traitor.



--



"I should have known, Magnus. Ever since you even mentioned Secession, it
was clear to me that you wanted to be King of your own little realm. I put
it off as still working for the best interests of Abington... that you would
not follow the path of treason and selfish self-interest... alas, I am too
generous in my estimation of Dukes, and how courageous they really are, it
seems."



So he wrote at the start of it all, and so he thought. But he knew better
now, did he not? Yes, it was clear. He *never *imagined that Magnus was
courageous or loyal. He knew at the time, and he knew before, even during
Carriantor's reign. Magnus had sided with Carriantor.



He was always against him. All of them.



--





It was seven hours til dawn. Bart Blackheart lodged a protest. Gauihu wrote
a rational rebuttal of the so-called reasons. He suspected it wouldn't
matter how rational he was. *Does  it ever matter to the weak and
frightened?*



--



Six hours later, and eighteen nobles had joined the protest, including Athys
II. *Well, that's no surprise*. *The Braegs always were the weak ones*.



And now Callisto and Martok would be forming their own little realms, too. *How
cute*, thought Gauihu, with a sense of elation.



Still he wrote. Other rulers, realm-mates – he wrote to all. They wrote
back, and he began to notice how it was all slipping away. Reason and honour
and justice – all the platitudes he had himself begun to believe – none of
that mattered anymore.



And he began to think. For months he had reflected upon that Vashmere
wretch. The accusation of unspeakable evil which seemed so genuinely
believed – unlike the typical propaganda his enemies might spill. Could it
have been true?



Gauihu always knew he had a destiny to fulfill. He'd been on the path for
years. Since taking the throne, he felt lost. Straight-jacketed by politics,
by the conflicting, impossibly foolish wants and needs of his sensitive
subordinates and slow allies. Confined by a lack of real goals. Survival
wasn't enough, was it? And if it was, how come so many were unwilling to
fight for it? Was cowardice so prevalent, the blood so polluted, that his
destiny was now simply impossible? Because of the likes of Spiritmonger and
Magnus?



He agonized over the questions he asked himself. Never once did he consider
stepping down or giving consent. He intended, in the morning, to declare war
on Magnus, Callisto, Martok, as well as Tara and Darka. Perhaps the Barony
of Makar, too. And there would be nobles to strip of their titles and send
packing, too. Much to be done.



And still he wrote.



--



There were some scattered hints of support. Some of the protesters appeared
reluctant or tactful. Hanato and one or two others outright declared support
for the King. For Abington.



But most did not. Gauihu knew without a doubt that they'd get him,
eventually. But he would make it a bloody and protracted process. He wanted
them to pay for their stupidity, for their treason. And he no longer thought
about survival – for Abington, or himself.



He thought only: *If I'm going down, so are you bastards.*

* *

--



The letters continued. He endured the mockery of Captain, Kronos, Lister,
Sordnaz, even that old traitor Gabriel. As he read, he began to welcome it.
He put less and less thought into his usual replies, knowing they would mean
nothing, but finding himself compelled to write them anyway – for after all,
he was right and his reason was unblemished. Their humiliation was just a
satisfying bonus to an otherwise useless situation.



He had a cup of wine, but it hardly touched his lips. And he hardly needed
it. He was drunk already, somehow.
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