I - MOVEMENT
Sijang
11:30 PM
Crickets go at their loudest among the trees outside the Lion's Hall.
Saramat was summoned at the dead of night to Her Majesty's office. Holding a cloaked tray, he felt a slight anxiety. Her Majesty is not one to be there in times like these. Let alone be out of her bed.
He saw a strange fellow with Her Majesty. Youngest of the three. In his days as secretary to her late mother heard from the her of Her Highness' insubordination, and sometimes violent disposition. She had a handful brawls with youth her age due to conflicts of character. She disobeyed common palace protocol and never talked to people of upper stature. She always snuck out of the palace in her nightly escapades to Kahavan, preferring to be among with the rowdy ones under a different name.
Of all her misgivings recorded by her mother (through discreet means, obviously), it was a shock to everyone that she was given the throne by their mother's will. The eldest said nothing and the middle's mind wasn't aligned quite rightly. A day after the late mother's death, he saw Her Majesty almost transformed. Perfect poise and attentive cadence. A keen politeness and a willingness. A rough rock that became a serene stone.
A great trace of her princesshood still stuck, but the belligerence was replaced with an idle character. This isn't to say she didn't work however, but daily work felt less regal. She wore civilian dress on her office and state council meetings with matching civilian cadence. She detested the overbearing formalities of conversation, preferring to go straight to the point. She allows commoners to appeal directly to her office. She attended their festivities, talked like them and with them. She jests and jokes frequently, quipping short polemics against local affairs she disapproved. It was a point of contention by some who thought highly of her mother and the throne (maybe even of her elder sister), but she never cared the slightest.
Usually, during these hours she preferred (and insisted) to be in her private chambers, undisturbed. No one would knock unless she asks for something, and whatever happens inside is insisted a secret. He once entered the room as per request and it wasn't anything depraved as some attendants rumored (he saw her playing videogames hugging a stuffed tiger on bed, she asked about what kind of plant can stay sideways or something about fruit, he doesn't really remember). The routine happened daily.
Her office was in the second floor of the Hall. Before the staircase was the hall of acceptance a wide open area in which public functions are held. The passage to the staircase is a long hallway, flanked by portraits of the most revered Queens of the Lion Throne, starting with the divine Sibari. The large tapestries were imposing, powerful and watchful, their eyes seemingly pointing towards Saramat from their blazing triumphance.
Before he even knocks the door, Her Majesty beckons.
"Come in."
The sight was surprisingly peculiar as he opened. Her table was laid bare, nothing except a piece of paper, two inkwells and a reed pen. Her Majesty wore official court dress, face and hair made up perfectly with her mothers hairpieces. She wore her upright poise and a stern face. She stood there, waiting. The Left Chancellor is dumbfounded.
"What?"
"What?" Her Majesty's poise broke.
"Sirati, what's with all..."
"Oh, uhhh, yeah, right. It's for effect. Call me the whole majesty thing for now, k? From the top." She clears her throat and returns to her sternness. "Do you have the seals I requested?"
Her tone was soft, formal. Her cadence was smooth and royal.
"Yes, your Majesty." Saramat takes off the tray's veil, revealing two decorated blocks of wood. Each had a lion on the top. One had a burning halo, and the other had none. He places the tray over her table, and nods in respect. Her Majesty nods in reply.
"Please, stay."
Her Majesty then proceeds to open the black inkwell. She takes her pen and dips it in the black powdery substance. She raises her pen and hovers it over the paper. The chancellor is surprised (and impressed) at her proper movement.
She slowly and softly presses the pen to the paper, and proceeds to write. The letters were small but legible, aligned straight. She opens the orange inkwell and dips her pen in it, and returns to writing. She returns it to black, and continues. She concluded with a straight line to occupy the last line of text, taking only half of the paper. She takes a short stop, takes a breath, and continues. She begins to write in the old script, writing the flowing lines with utmost observation. Ten minutes pass as he observes her.
At last, she draws the filling line to conclude the letter and puts down her pen. She takes the first block with the haloed lion and presses it over the paper's left side. Raising it, it reveals the emblem of the burning lion surrounded by a flurry of divine fire, an orb above him and three jewels below him. The seal of the Royal House. She proceeds to do the same to the other block, revealing the same emblem, surrounded only by the square borders of the seal. She returns both of these seals to the tray, and lays it aside. She stands up, and walks toward the altar to the burning lion.
"Please, read."
Saramat takes the sheet of paper and turns it around. Reading from the later script, he reads it aloud.
"Her Glorious Majesty, by the Grace of Her People. Under my authority as Daughter of the Lion and Queen of the Lion Throne, declare that the Min recognize the Tinzan government of Kilsang Karpo, also known as "Gopoma" as the legitimate sovereign authority of all Tinza. The authority under Tokon Shering is deemed illegitimate and all preceding relations with the latter are declared void." Saramat looks to her at disbelief. "Your Majesty, what of this?"
She lights incense in front of the god. "Worry not, esteemed Chancellor. It won't be made public nor effective until I say so. However, we have much work to do. I want the Office of Purity to go north and find information regarding the dissidents. Let them interact with them and establish a point of contact."
Saramat nods, and Her Majesty turns around to his direction.
"Convene the Council of State tommorow at ten. Tell them this is a matter of urgency. If possible, bring my sisters in as well. Maybe just Kanha will suffice. Contact the Oceanic Society and Kha Praja. Keep the communications private. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
She smiles. "I am glad it is so."
"Your Majesty, may I ask about why all of this all of a sudden?"
"Confluences."
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"Not for you to know, not now. For now, just do as I instruct you to."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
And he steps away of the office, and leaves.
She nods at the altar.
In the smoke of the incense, she saw change.
Saramat was summoned at the dead of night to Her Majesty's office. Holding a cloaked tray, he felt a slight anxiety. Her Majesty is not one to be there in times like these. Let alone be out of her bed.
He saw a strange fellow with Her Majesty. Youngest of the three. In his days as secretary to her late mother heard from the her of Her Highness' insubordination, and sometimes violent disposition. She had a handful brawls with youth her age due to conflicts of character. She disobeyed common palace protocol and never talked to people of upper stature. She always snuck out of the palace in her nightly escapades to Kahavan, preferring to be among with the rowdy ones under a different name.
Of all her misgivings recorded by her mother (through discreet means, obviously), it was a shock to everyone that she was given the throne by their mother's will. The eldest said nothing and the middle's mind wasn't aligned quite rightly. A day after the late mother's death, he saw Her Majesty almost transformed. Perfect poise and attentive cadence. A keen politeness and a willingness. A rough rock that became a serene stone.
A great trace of her princesshood still stuck, but the belligerence was replaced with an idle character. This isn't to say she didn't work however, but daily work felt less regal. She wore civilian dress on her office and state council meetings with matching civilian cadence. She detested the overbearing formalities of conversation, preferring to go straight to the point. She allows commoners to appeal directly to her office. She attended their festivities, talked like them and with them. She jests and jokes frequently, quipping short polemics against local affairs she disapproved. It was a point of contention by some who thought highly of her mother and the throne (maybe even of her elder sister), but she never cared the slightest.
Usually, during these hours she preferred (and insisted) to be in her private chambers, undisturbed. No one would knock unless she asks for something, and whatever happens inside is insisted a secret. He once entered the room as per request and it wasn't anything depraved as some attendants rumored (he saw her playing videogames hugging a stuffed tiger on bed, she asked about what kind of plant can stay sideways or something about fruit, he doesn't really remember). The routine happened daily.
Her office was in the second floor of the Hall. Before the staircase was the hall of acceptance a wide open area in which public functions are held. The passage to the staircase is a long hallway, flanked by portraits of the most revered Queens of the Lion Throne, starting with the divine Sibari. The large tapestries were imposing, powerful and watchful, their eyes seemingly pointing towards Saramat from their blazing triumphance.
Before he even knocks the door, Her Majesty beckons.
"Come in."
The sight was surprisingly peculiar as he opened. Her table was laid bare, nothing except a piece of paper, two inkwells and a reed pen. Her Majesty wore official court dress, face and hair made up perfectly with her mothers hairpieces. She wore her upright poise and a stern face. She stood there, waiting. The Left Chancellor is dumbfounded.
"What?"
"What?" Her Majesty's poise broke.
"Sirati, what's with all..."
"Oh, uhhh, yeah, right. It's for effect. Call me the whole majesty thing for now, k? From the top." She clears her throat and returns to her sternness. "Do you have the seals I requested?"
Her tone was soft, formal. Her cadence was smooth and royal.
"Yes, your Majesty." Saramat takes off the tray's veil, revealing two decorated blocks of wood. Each had a lion on the top. One had a burning halo, and the other had none. He places the tray over her table, and nods in respect. Her Majesty nods in reply.
"Please, stay."
Her Majesty then proceeds to open the black inkwell. She takes her pen and dips it in the black powdery substance. She raises her pen and hovers it over the paper. The chancellor is surprised (and impressed) at her proper movement.
She slowly and softly presses the pen to the paper, and proceeds to write. The letters were small but legible, aligned straight. She opens the orange inkwell and dips her pen in it, and returns to writing. She returns it to black, and continues. She concluded with a straight line to occupy the last line of text, taking only half of the paper. She takes a short stop, takes a breath, and continues. She begins to write in the old script, writing the flowing lines with utmost observation. Ten minutes pass as he observes her.
At last, she draws the filling line to conclude the letter and puts down her pen. She takes the first block with the haloed lion and presses it over the paper's left side. Raising it, it reveals the emblem of the burning lion surrounded by a flurry of divine fire, an orb above him and three jewels below him. The seal of the Royal House. She proceeds to do the same to the other block, revealing the same emblem, surrounded only by the square borders of the seal. She returns both of these seals to the tray, and lays it aside. She stands up, and walks toward the altar to the burning lion.
"Please, read."
Saramat takes the sheet of paper and turns it around. Reading from the later script, he reads it aloud.
"Her Glorious Majesty, by the Grace of Her People. Under my authority as Daughter of the Lion and Queen of the Lion Throne, declare that the Min recognize the Tinzan government of Kilsang Karpo, also known as "Gopoma" as the legitimate sovereign authority of all Tinza. The authority under Tokon Shering is deemed illegitimate and all preceding relations with the latter are declared void." Saramat looks to her at disbelief. "Your Majesty, what of this?"
She lights incense in front of the god. "Worry not, esteemed Chancellor. It won't be made public nor effective until I say so. However, we have much work to do. I want the Office of Purity to go north and find information regarding the dissidents. Let them interact with them and establish a point of contact."
Saramat nods, and Her Majesty turns around to his direction.
"Convene the Council of State tommorow at ten. Tell them this is a matter of urgency. If possible, bring my sisters in as well. Maybe just Kanha will suffice. Contact the Oceanic Society and Kha Praja. Keep the communications private. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
She smiles. "I am glad it is so."
"Your Majesty, may I ask about why all of this all of a sudden?"
"Confluences."
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"Not for you to know, not now. For now, just do as I instruct you to."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
And he steps away of the office, and leaves.
She nods at the altar.
In the smoke of the incense, she saw change.
