Chapter Eleven: Show of Strength | Part 6
“Was I so wrong to have wanted something better for my children than the suffering endured by Lamiakk’s older generations?” Grimmary continued. “Prior to my rule, virtually every childhood was ruined or cut short by political turmoil. I am not saying this to sing my own praises. I am saying this to remind you of the unprecedented stability you have enjoyed and invested in for the last several decades. You all have seen what a life without constant war and ever-changing government could look like, and you’ve worked to maintain that reality. I did not build this alone, and I cannot maintain it alone.”
Thirtyx felt Benn’s frown. Olta doesn’t usually make his speeches so self-effacing. Is he going off script?
I think he’s saying that assassinating him won’t solve the enemy’s problem, Thirtyx said. But after Azirenne’s abrupt change of heart last night, did he agree? Did Grimmary know how tenuous his supporter base truly was?
It became readily apparent that he did. “Nevertheless, I am the figurehead of our new Lamiakk. If these rebels get their way and see me struck down, this structure we’ve built together will be severely threatened. It will be up to you to defend the order by which we’ve lived for nearly forty years. My children cannot do it alone, just as I cannot. So I am asking you now, while I am still firm and healthy, to condemn any behavior that could irrevocably destabilize our beautiful peace.”
Thirtyx felt his own pride for the monarch echoed several times over in his friends’ minds. How could anyone think dethroning Grimmary was a positive step for Lamiakk? How had the Verith council once convinced him that Grimmary had driven the Veriths into exile and would lead them to starvation?
Greed. He thought of Azirenne again. So many people would choose to look out for themselves.
“As for the palace, we will not be shaken by these acts of violence. We remain committed to our mission of creating a safe and fulfilling life for everyone on Lamiakk. And to those of you coordinating these attacks, I encourage you to air your grievances with words instead of swords. I have successfully compromised with several groups with whom I did not see eye to eye in the beginning. Former outspoken enemies of my reign, I now count among my friends. I am ready to hear your concerns and plot a way to tackle them productively. But I will not negotiate with extremists who want more power for power’s sake. If this violence continues, know that it will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. I will show no mercy to murderers.”
The severity brought on by his bedraggled appearance served him well in that final statement. Grimmary often presented himself as a benevolent monarch, but in that moment, he looked, by any measure, like a man you should not cross.
“I will now take questions from the media.”
Thirtyx didn’t hear the first question over Rhea and Benn’s immediate commentary. Olta has outdone herself with that, Rhea said, stunned.
Benn shook his head. She may have prettied up the wording, but that sounded distinctly like Grimm. He was speaking from the heart, and I hope to the Twins everyone else felt it, too.
“—an Athernel resident named Avaso Varmarin, who we could not immediately link to any known extremist groups,” Grimmary was saying. “Any information about Varmarin, his associates, his activities, or his current whereabouts will be welcomed, with a reward offered for fruitful tips.”
“Avaso Varmarin? Is that a Verith name?” a reporter asked. Thirtyx’s gut clenched. There it was.
Grimmary nodded delicately. “Varmarin is a Verith by blood, but he has been long since exiled from Everis. His Verith heritage is believed to be a coincidence, rather than a hint to a larger plot.”
The murmuring of the crowd was audible through the projection. “How can you be sure?” another reporter asked. “The Veriths have been historically critical of your regime and chose near secession over agreeing to your terms.”
“I am aware of my own history with the Verith state, and I am exasperated that I must remind seasoned reporters that a citizen of Lamiakk is far more than their species. We have no idea how long it’s been since Varmarin last spoke with anyone in Everis, and even if he had, we aren’t aware of any current unrest there. Everis liaison Arova Taravian will take the stage momentarily to address your concerns about the Veriths’ involvement, so I ask that you hold any further questions on that front for her, thank you.”
Calley Jones 