A Change in the Castle

[Nentsia]

Zemaita, Kingdom of Nerysia

Some twenty old men rose from their seats simultaneously as the wooden, lavishly decorated door swung open. King Azirkas I, an old man of 81 years old now, stood in the door opening. His hairline was receding, the color was silver-white, and it was ever getting thinner, just as his once impressive full beard. The slender, pale old man, dressed in a simple dark blue royal court tunic carefully moved into the chamber where he held his monthly cabinet meetings.

The Nerysian cabinet, or Council of State, convened every week under the leadership of the Chancellor. Once a month, it would sit with the King and keep him informed over matters of state. The King and Chancellor held bilateral talks every week however. The current Chancellor, Grimoald Tolke, greeted the King. When Azirkas was seated, everyone else followed his example. There was a serene silence wherever Azirkas went, the kind of silence that is produced by a combination of awe, respect, mutual understanding, and fear.

Almost whispering, the King opened the meeting. But the King had a rather brief agenda this time. On the agenda was the position of Chancellor Tolke. Some of the old men in the room looked shocked, while others suppressed a smirk. Tolke’s face had turned into plate armour, revealing not even the slightest emotion.

‘‘As you all know, elections are to be held by the end of this year. A hundred seats to be filled by my hand, another hundred Church representatives, and 200 seats up for grabs to represent the nation, directly elected by the people… I expect that the Union of the Nerysian People together with the Fatherland Party will do well.’’

The UNP dominated Nerysian politics like no other. It ascribed to what it called ‘Nerysian Integralism’, fusing the ingredients that it considered the pillars of the Kingdom. The Realm, the Church, and the Nation were one indivisible triad in its view, and ought to be governed as such. The Fatherland Party took generally more liberal stances, but blended patriotism, monarchism and conservative liberalism.

The legal opposition in Nerysia was formed largely by the Golden Lion party, a bunch of xenophobes, reactionaries and racists whose core issue was the annexation of Dyrrheim. The others were the National-Liberal Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party. The Constitutional Democrats had consistently been the largest party for several years now, but the King had stuck to his UNP cabinets. Grimoald Tolke was a dinosaur in that respect, having spent 30 years in Nerysian politics on behalf of the UNP.

The staunch nationalist was falling out of favour however. ‘‘Chancellor Tolke,’’ the King continued. ‘‘The UNP has been declining for years now. The economy is still stagnant. Progress in foreign policy towards the WBU is too slow. The military modernization program is behind schedule. I think it is time that we carry on with a fresh figure, with new ideas and new approaches.’’

Everyone in the room looked down at his papers, while Chancellor Tolke could only nod in agreement to the King.

‘‘Who, if I may ask majesty, would have the honour of serving you after my term?’’ Tolke asked.

‘‘I have come to the conclusion, that it is time for a gesture towards our people. More than that I cannot say.’’

Shocked and confused, the ministers and secretaries returned to their ministries that day. They had to overcome two shocks. First that Chancellor Tolke had been sidelined, and secondly, that the King refused to tell them who would succeed him.

Tolke himself had taken the day off and retired to his summer mansion outside the capital. He had become a lonely man rather rapidly. In a few years, he had lost his wife, his daughter had died in a car crash, his son worked overseas as diplomat, and his brothers were all sick or living far away. Now with his political career finished, Tolke had nothing left to live for.

After several nights of heavy drinking, Chancellor Tolke submitted his letter of resignation to the King and retreated permanently to his summer residence, where the 76-year old began writing down his memoirs for future generations.