The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]

The Right to Freedom and self-determination is intrinsic to everyone and anyone who wishes to seek it. I am not here to tear down Premier-General Abakwa’s rule, nor am I here to cause civil strife amongst brothers and sisters who have withstood the curse that was the Jungle for centuries together! Yet the Jungle is no more, the curse is lifted, we are no longer content to live devoted to pure survival when the threat has been slain!

Each of the thirteen cities now has its own land and resources. Each of the thirteen no longer needs to bargain for survival. Each of the thirteen cities can go and seek its own destiny, through its own choices. We do have to be bound as one by fear, we can forge our path together, yet separate. Not only for Ozoria, but I would ask every Mayor of their own city to consider whether there is any need to still be mandated by direct rule from Igos.

- Mayor Aidbullah’s Proclamation of an Independence Campaign for the Ausan City of Ozoria.

“Come in!” Malam shouted as she unwrapped another mint. Helenna had sent these with a small slip about how she thought Malam would enjoy these. Malam did enjoy them. They had wine within, would the Goddess of Hatred think that alcohol would pair well with mint, but she supposed she just hadn’t been imaginative enough.

Malam heard the door open to her room. She had gone from hotel to hotel, and now found herself invited to a much better place: The residence in the estate of Duke Maximilian, the minister of Agriculture. Once a Royalist, but his loyalty lay more to the grandiose idea of Allian monarchy than any individual monarch. Malam would have not been so forward with her movements in the country had Aliana not provided her with names that she should trust and names that she watch out for. The Goddess of Hatred cracked the mint open with her teeth as she curled around the couch, her head turning over the back so that she look at the door upside down.

It was a grand estate, all the walls covered in brown and red tapestries, all the furniture being high-class wood fashioned by high-class artisans, all the pillows with goose-feathers, all the sheets of silk, all the carpets royal red and fluffy. All the wine expensive and Rancais and all the whiskey prestigious and Allian, that last comment was the most important. Malam readjusted her black dress as she watched Aliana open the huge, Divine-sized door, and step in.

The Goddess of the nation would need to be more fashionable. This black uniform was professional, but it simply wasn’t cutting it. It was too bureaucratic and too cold and far, far too impersonal. Aliana’s strength and popularity did not lay in the Goddess’ management skills or brilliant intelligence or whatever Aliana herself thought she was good at, Aliana’s popularity lay in her Divinity, her seeming neutrality and the fact she served on the Rilian front in a fight for Epa as a whole. These black uniforms would not do it, nor would something too Imperial work either. Aliana had always been above it all, so she needed to come looking like a magnificent angel descending onto the depths of Arda to bring about some of her Divine guidance. Malam made an idle note in the back of her mind to inform Helenna about that look.

Behind her followed in three other men. Lord Bertrand, looking exactly as economists should look. Tall and skinny and bald and with glasses. Some people thought looks didn’t matter but Malam had never met a mathematician she respected that did not have glasses. If man wasn’t willing to permanently dull his eyesight by staring at tiny numbers all day, then could he be trusted to know numbers? And whereas the man carried himself like a bookish librarian, he was a borderline hero in Allia. The Bertrand Reforms had ensured that the hospitals had power, the children weren’t starving, and garbage stayed off the streets even as Allia was cut off from the rest of the world.

Then came in Duke Maximilian. Tanned and sturdy and well built, he had the look about him as Kassandora’s soldiers did. Obviously strong yet not overly muscled, lean; like a wolf. With short dark hair and very, very popular amongst the populace. The man was photogenic, he was an aristocrat who worked in the fields. He had been responsible for the Austerity Cookbook during Allia’s blockade. He had opened the doors to his estate for families without power and he had turned over the grass in his garden to make fields.

And Chief Officer Lloyd. An aristocrat also by the rank of duke, although everyone important in this country either had some title or went to Camford University. And just like Bertrand and Maximilian, C.O. Lloyd was a household name. Head of Allia’s Constabulary, their police force, the man was responsible for the fact that the country had not gone to ruin during the blockade. Allia had needed fruit-pickers and sewers and field men and Lloyd had given it to the country with the Farm For Freedom initiative. And then, as Malam had gotten deeper into researching the man, she found the licensed smuggling campaigns. ECCAF had been the main importer of goods into Allia, illegal smuggling had contributed three quarters of ECCAF’s tonnage over again. There wouldn’t even be an issue with the smugglers after the war. Already almost every one of them had found work at the behest of Allia’s government, in private employment or with one of Helenna’s companies; talent like that was too good to be wasted in crime and it was certainly too good to be wasted in prison.

Malam smiled and waved at the three humans who obviously weren’t expecting the Goddess of Hatred to act as she was. “Hello hello!” She called out. “Aliana had said she’d be bringing a team, I didn’t think it’d be so good though.” After a certain point, one got so prolific that acting friendly was the way to go. Humans expected all Divines to be holier-than-thou, but there were those like Malam and her sisters that were simply… better. She had to be friendly, else the only thing she would inspire would be fear.  “How are you all doing?” Still looking backwards at them, the Goddess extended an arm forwards towards one of the other couches. “Take a seat and a mint.”

“It’s our pleasure.” Aliana said. “And I am glad you kept your word.”

“Of course I would.” Malam replied. “Now sit, you wanted to discuss my plan.” Aliana had some issues with it, as did the men. From what Malam had figured out, they more had to be assured of the execution and the fact it would work. It was, by all means and purposes, high treason. Aliana filled up an entire armchair by herself. The three humans sat on a couch on the other side of the table to Malam. Four pairs of eyes looked at the Goddess of Hatred as Malam brought out a copy of the plan to them.

“It is good to meet.” Bertrand said. “I apologize the first time is under such situations.”

“What better time?” Malam asked. “People don’t become friends by having nice discussions.” The Goddess of Hatred leaned over and took another mint. “They’re not poisoned, don’t worry. Helenna sent me them.” Duke Maximilian was the only one of the four guests to reach forwards and actually take one.

“I appreciate the generosity.” Maximilian said. Malam laughed as she cracked the mint in her mouth.

“Do not worry, I just thought they were good. Now.” Malam placed her hand on the plan. “I assume we have things to discuss.”

“We do.” Aliana confirmed. “And first things first, I actually have something to ask that the men won’t themselves. But I need to ask it for them.” The three humans looked in pure shock at Aliana. Their expressions were too different and too sudden, Maximilian was pure surprise, Bertrand was shock and Lloyd was immediately suspicious, for them to be faked.

“Ask away.” Malam said casually.

“I want an assurance that the Empire will take them if something wouldn’t work out. Their families too.”

“That’s not-“ Maximilian began and was cut off immediately.

“That is assuming we don’t succeed.” Malam said coldly. “Of course, but we will succeed. We will succeed on the first time round, and if we somehow manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, then I will take you insofar to provide you with the material to try again. And again. And again.” It was just as when her father explained this issue to her. Defeat was a spiritual poison that birthed itself within one’s mind. A person who never gave up could either win or die, defeat was not part of the equation.

“I meant that they be able to live out their lives in peace in the Empire.” Aliana said as Malam looked to the three men. Wanting everyone to be happy was a mark of bad leadership. Men had to feel respected and needed and wanted and essential, but trying to make them feel good was patronizing.

“Do you want live your lives in the Empire?” Malam ignored the Goddess. “We will succeed, but if we don’t then I will happily employ you in the Empire.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Lloyd said.

“Aye.” Maximilian added.

“If there’s one thing we’re not, it’s mercenaries.” Bertrand finished up.

“I thought at much.” Malam said. “So I’m not going to press you on it.” The Goddess of Hatred threw another mint into her mouth and leaned back. “Now gentlemen, if you have anything you wish to discuss, any issue with my plan, then I have come to listen. I cannot promise amendments.”

“The first are the stipulations to Richard.” Aliana said and Malam rolled her hand for the woman to continue. “I mean, why would he accept them in the first place?” Malam’s stipulations were as simple as they came. Richard would remain as King of Allia, his family could keep their place, he could stay a superstar, but Aliana would become the new Head of State and leader of the country. There would be no insurrection, no violence on the streets, Richard would not even have to think about paying in blood or giving anything up but power and responsibility. It wasn’t a revolution; it was a re-arrangement.

And Malam supposed that these people would have some issue believing that Richard would accept. “Maybe I should explain everything then?” Malam asked.

“What do you mean by that?” Aliana asked.

“Papers trails are a weapon more deadly than any assassin’s dagger and more treacherous than the sellout about to open the gates for the enemy.” Malam said as she watched the reactions on the men. They were listening, whether it was because they were expecting knowledge or because they simply wanted to see the Goddess of Hatred in her element. “So we begin with why would Richard accept these concessions I have contrived? Well why would he indeed?”

Malam didn’t let the men answer, she answered her own question. “There’s pull factors to it, it is obvious that the world is changing. We can speak of great issues and of how Arascus is not going to back down at this point, but I’m not going to. If I were my father, I would have Richard’s head to make sure he would not be able to cause more issues. If I were my sister Fer, I would have his entire family. If I were Kassandora, I would have him and everyone he’s ever even talked to, then I would write him out of the history books to make sure that any such idea of Richard the Sixth would simply not exist.”

“Richard will accept because Richard is being the only way out, because he has to give up nothing frankly. Not even the damn crown. He simply has to abdicate the crown’s responsibility. Will he get anything from the situation? No. Let’s not kid ourselves that we’re benefitting the man, but let’s not kid ourselves that we’re being tyrannical here.”

Malam looked at her fingers. “But that’s not how I operate and I think you expect better from me. Assurance that that he won’t back down. Well, my assurance is simple.” A single pointed to Aliana. “This is your Goddess.” Another finger went to Lloyd, the man recoiled. “This is your Chief Officer of the Constabulary. Already, you two are the state, you simply refuse to exercise the state’s power.”

“Excuse me?” Lloyd managed to quickly ask before Malam once again answered the question. It didn’t matter though, and if the man was willing to step in to interrupt a Goddess, that said more positively of his character than his lack of manners.

“Aliana has the army, you have the police. You two already hold a monopoly on violence. In that case, you are Allia’s state, you simply exist to fulfil the whims of political decision makers rather than your own.” Malam made her tone as sour and as patronizing as she could. “Reason One for Richard’s acceptance is that he has to accept, because he cannot withstand you. In the same way the hopes of the hen don’t mean a rat’s ass to the fox, what Richard says means even less to us.”

“And what your men should be saying is precisely nothing.” Malam continued. “We are launching a coup here, so we will act as if we are launching a coup. It does not matter if not a single man doesn’t know what is going on as long as every man thinks they’re the only one left out of the picture. Aliana, you will simply call upon soldiers to the Richard’s estate. You will drive through the gate. You will tell them to follow you in the same way they followed you in Rilia, you will tell them you are saving this country and that Richard has no clue what is going on, and then you will have him sign the paper, at gunpoint if need be.”

Malam focused her attention on the human. “Lloyd, you will bring one or two young men from the city’s that were hit hardest by the blockade and then you will simply go and arrest everyone. What for does not matter in one bit. You’re there to stop the news getting out and that’s that. Arrest every servant, every politician, even arrest Richard’s damn dogs and horses if you can. They can always be released later.”

Lloyd was not argumentative nor even shocked. In fact, he simply looked as if he was analysing Malam’s words curiously. “Why not bring a full force?”

“So that every man feels as if they’re not in control and caught up in something bigger and unstoppable than them. When they see Aliana with soldiers behind her, they’ll realise that it’s not their place to speak up and they won’t know each other either so they’ll have no one to speak to.”

“And how do I bring them in?” Lloyd asked and Malam raised an eyebrow.

“How do you bring anyone in? You’re the boss. You ring them.” Malam held up her hand with her finger and thumb extended to her ear as she mimed a telephone and pulled a deep voice. “Hello, this is the Chief Officer. I’m requesting two policemen at King Richard’s estate. What for? Because I’m the Chief Officer, that’s why.”  Malam settled down as she saw Lloyd smile.

“That’s horrendously simple.”

“Sharpened metal is horrendously simple and yet it’s been serving as the most important tool in war since men worked out metal could be sharpened. Simple does not mean bad and here, speed and confusion are the targets. For an entire night, there will only be five people aware of what is going on in Allia.” Malam made a circle with her finger around the room. “That is the five people around this table, no one else.”

Before anyone could say anything, Malam continued. “Next, even though the previous explanation is enough, is my influence.” It was Malam’s, but it was Helenna’s work too. The Goddess of Love wasn’t happy since she had to take time off from playing around with Father, but her assistance and knowledge and, most importantly, spies, were needed. “Elizabeth Ansley, Elliot’s daughter.” Malam pulled out a picture of a bed with blue covers. There was a bear next to a pillow, a lamp fixed to the bed-frame and a series of historical books on the stand next to it. “That is her bed. Show him the picture and shut him up.” Malam brought out another picture. This one of another bed, again with blue covers but these were covered in dinosaurs and the bed had more teddies. “And this is Thomas Ansley’s, just in case the man has a favourite child.”

The three men and Aliana stared with horror at the picture. Malam was going to scare them even more. She brought out a hospital document. “That is the patient form for Bernard Hinleck’s father. Currently in the Royal Hospital of Arcester. On the third floor. Room Three-Two-Seven. You can say there’s a wonderful view over the gardens from his window. The man was poisoned yesterday. Shame. Hopefully Allia joins the Empire so that an Imperial Cleric can come to heal him.” These men were obviously smart enough to get the message.

And Malam brought out another paper. This one of plane tickets. “Tomorrow, at midnight, Emmanuel’s family is returning from the UNN since the blockade is over.” And this time, Lloyd did actually interrupt Malam.

“He sent them away?”

“ECCAF plane flying to the UNN was used.” Malam said and tapped her nose when she saw the anger in Lloyd’s eyes. His family had all had to starve under the blockade after all. “They’re flying back tomorrow. With all the craziness happening on in the world recently, well, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that a plane could get lost.” Malam saw Aliana’s eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Problem?”

“These are just threats.” Aliana said.

“Do you feel bad Aliana?” Malam asked. “Are you sad that these aren’t soldiers? The Guardians in Rilia, Fortia’s men, do you think they were just created by Fortia? Brought for into existence by the Goddess of Peace? Or do you think they were people who believed in her?” The three humans looked at Aliana in unison as if they were re-weighing their own Goddess. “And do you feel bad over them? Do you lose sleep? If you do now, then don’t worry, we all do at the start. We kill someone, we think it’s all going to change, and then we wake up and we’re still us.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?” Malam asked coldly.

“We’re just threatening with innocent people.” Aliana said.

“Is Allia not innocent?” The Goddess of Hatred retorted. “Which one do you care about? Elliot’s children? Bernard’s father? Do their lives matter more because you’ve heard about them? Allia has what? Seventy million people live here now. If you’re in the passenger seat and you see the driver about to go off a cliff, then you are just as culpable for the lives of the people in the back as the driver Aliana. That’s all there is to it. It’s not a case of killing a million to save ten million. It’s not even a case of killing one to save seventy million. You’re here to scare people.”

“That…” Aliana caught herself, seemingly liking Malam’s explanation. Malam knew she would, amateurs always needed to take baby steps in this game. After all, this wasn’t killing people, it wasn’t even extortion, it was simply to scaring a few souls for a short while. No one got hurt at the end of the day. “It just unsettled me.”

“If it scared you then it will scare them.” Malam said. “If you weren’t scared, then I’d reconsider.” That was a total lie. If Aliana wasn’t scared of threatening people, then they wouldn’t have to through this show. Malam was only here, speaking with them personally, because they needed to be convinced that they were capable of doing what needed to be done.

“Oh.” Aliana said as Malam brought out another series of pictures. A young boy and girl, both blonde. And then a series of servants in professional black uniforms. Everyone at the table recognised the children: they were Richard’s. And everyone recognised the men and women in the pictures.

“Richard has a soft heart.” Malam said. “Hiring people who lost family in the blockade. He saved them, he gave them high-paying jobs, they’re on waiting lists for houses. The man is a hero. Wow.” Malam said sarcastically. “Unfortunately, some of them or maybe all of them or maybe none of them may see it not as charity but as patronization. The thought of being paid because you lost family may do nothing to help ease their grief and instead simply attach a price-tag to the lives lost. Now wouldn’t that be infuriating? Wouldn’t you just want to show someone how much you were hurting and how you and all your money and power could go to hell?” Malam asked idly. “That’s simply musing of course. Idle thoughts, I have no evidence or anything. But it should get Richard thinking, and if it doesn’t get him thinking, then it will get Eleanor thinking.”

Malam smiled as she saw the men look at the pictures with real fear this time. “These are children.” Duke Maximilian said.

“I was being honest.” Malam replied. “All I did was read up on their history and saw the news presentation with Richard and the servants. It’s just my actual, idle thoughts.” The Goddess lifted up her hands defensively. “All I’m saying is that if I had children, I certainly would not leave them in the hands of people like this.”

“I see it.” Lloyd said. “It’s dirty, but I see it.”

“Honestly put like that…” Bertrand trailed off. “I mean, it’s crazy that he even hired them in the first place.”

“I still don’t like it.” Maximilian was not convinced.

“You have children, don’t you Maximilian?” Malam asked and the man looked with pure fury at her. “I’m not saying anything about them, but I’m simply going to ask why you haven’t hired anyone who lost their family to look after them?” Maximilian opened his mouth before he thought of what to say and then closed it.

“No, actually, that is true.”

“Frankly, you may even be doing him a favour if you say this because I legitimately haven’t inspected the people whatsoever.”

“I like those children.” Aliana said

“All the more reason for you to do something about this!” Malam said loudly. This point had been a mistake, she had thought these people would be more like the Divines she was used to dealing with or like Iliyal. To them, deaths were statistics and measurement tools. Luckily though, she had managed to salvage the point here. Everyone relaxed. “And the third reason why Richard will accept.”

“What is it?” Bertrand asked.

“Because you want him to.” Malam said. “Because you will come in with such a fury and with such strength that it will overpower and terrify from the crown. You will make such a scene that Richard will realise how he has already lost control, that this nation has slipped out of his grasp, and that the best he can do now is make a tactical retreat. He’ll cut the losses, ratify handing power off to Aliana, and he’ll be happy for it.”

“You mean just come in and scream?” Lloyd asked.

“If you want.” Malam shrugged. “But what I need is confidence from you. Don’t scream just because you’re taking over a country. I need the four of you here to realise that you have the Empire on your side and you have me. I am running this organisation. There are already other plans moving forwards. EIE will announce that Richard has abdicated whether that’s true or not, all you can do is hope to not make fools out of yourselves.”

That final point was needed for the men. To push them and make them realise they’ve already accept doing Malam’s bidding. The Goddess of Hatred leaned over the table and grabbed another mint. “So now gentlemen.” Malam turned to Aliana and inclined her head. “Lady. As you can see, I am not asking you to go and shake Richard’s hand. I am asking you to storm into that room, to tell him what is going on and to make sure he’s aware that the situation will go your way with everyone alive or your way with everyone dead. Do not be asking what the Empire can do for Richard, ask me what the Empire can do for the people of Allia and for yourselves.” Malam finished with a flourish. “So? Any questions now?”

The three men looked at each other, then at Aliana, then back at each other. Skinny Bertrand finally answered. “I don’t think so.”

“Do we understand what is going on?” Malam asked. She got four nods in return, slow, as if they were still reeling from the shellshock of Malam’s words. “Today sleep tight, it will be your last night in Richard’s Allia, I have everything scheduled for tomorrow evening. Are we clear?”

No one spoke a word, but Malam got four more nods in return. Four nods and four pairs of excited eyes.