It's Good to be King - Chapter 1

I was just sitting there, writing a little something for fun, and I came up with this. It's smaller than my other project which I am considering abandoning, and will be the first in about five chapters. I hope you enjoy!

Ah, it’s good to be king. Never truly having a care in the world. An odd prospect considering that stories of political turmoil were so common amongst the peasants. A ridiculous thought, mismanaging to such a degree that the commoners take it upon themselves to revolt. I will admit though, barring the stupidity of their authoritarian figures, they do make excellent reads. The action, the desperation, the romance. Especially the romance.

Although I had just about every single thing that I could ever want and much less need, that was the thing that was missing from my magnificent life. Romance. The gigantic pillars of snow white marble lining my throne room became pointless if there was never someone to marvel at them. The lavish meals served four times a day, that had started as such a novelty began to taste like lead without someone to share them with. The gardens were of course beautiful as always, but who could partake in my joy at the blooming of the pristine rose bushes? And it also felt a tad strange, and more than a little self conceited to have legions of soldiers march in perfect unison before me, without someone at my side.

Every man has a river to cross. That’s what the peasants said. Every man would have a problem in his life that he would always struggle to overcome. For some men it was as simple as making a new friend, or working your way up the ladder at your job. Others were more gifted. They performed great works of art, or contributed epic theorems to the fields of mathematics and science. Some built great businesses, and found themselves at the forefront of the commercial world, bathing in riches. Others still took a petty inheritance and marched it to the ends of the earth, mighty emperors and great presidents kneeling at their feet, begging their overlord to spare both themselves and their people from the awful power they wielded at the wave of a hand.

I gave them the mercy they begged for too. I always made sure to find ways to convince the peoples beneath my conquest to abide me. Or even love me at times. Oh yes, those who praised me as their rightful ruler, those were the best. And best rewarded as well. It was a mutual system. They’d take me to the ends of the world, and I’d supply them with a portion of the wealth we discovered. They always brought a smile to my face, those who were willing to fight and die for my cause. A noble cause it was as well. After the first year of being crowned the Global Imperator, King of All Kings, Emperor of All Emperors, he whose glory rivaled that of the very gods that reclined upon the heavens, the Magnificent, the Enigmatic, the Divine, Lord of All of Humanity and the Creatures Beneath it, I had done the people good. Yes, the first year global poverty dropped by a staggering fifty percent. The second year, two percent of all people were poor, and twenty five percent were rich. By the tenth year that organization that attempted to find the happiest place in the world to live struggled at their job, as everyone was so satisfied. But I digress.

My river is love. It’s not that I’m cold hearted, incapable of compassion, or anything horrible like that. I’m keen to remind my subjects that for all my triumph, I am still human. I still live, I still breath, I will one day die. No, it’s because of who I am. Just think, if you could seduce the greatest man to ever have lived would you? No? Well many would. I’ve had them line up at the front gate of the palace before, tolerating the Arctic temperatures that came with a castle atop the highest mountain in the world, just to get noticed. Pretty little things they are too. Beauty queens, all of them, at one point or another. But beauty isn’t what I seek.

No, the fool that I am, I seek what seems to be the one thing I cannot have. Someone who loves me for the magnificent man I would be without all of this. Someone who really would laugh at my jokes, and marvel at the things I had to show them. Someone who would love to stay up late at night by the fireplace to hear me work the music out of the violin I had come to enjoy. Someone who could relate to my strange taste in food and fun. Who would regard the books I so often became engrossed in with anything but disdain. And someone who I could love as well.

I often imagined them. A tall, slender, and beautiful woman. It doesn’t matter their complexion, or hair color. After traveling the world I’ve learnt not to discriminate on such things. They’d have to be smart too. And with a taste for the politics and strategy I loved. Most of all, they’d have to be able to make me laugh, for what is life but some grand joke.

But here I was, reclining upon my wondrous throne of marble and silver, at the end of the titanic room lined with colossal pillars wherein I governed and reigned. Lonely. Despairing. Wistful. Yes something would have to be done about this. And then It came to me.

“Gerard!” I snapped.

“Yes, your benevolence?” my butler responded with an English accent, stiff and proper as ever.

“I want you to invite everybody and anybody who’s worth something here in a week. And stock up on all of the finest things in life!” I mused as I sprawled out across my throne, a wicked grin plastered across my face.

“May I inquire as to what such preparations will be for?” He responded literately.

“Isn’t it obvious? We are about to throw the biggest party on this side of the god damned galaxy!”