Roderick

The King's small council faced a bizarre predicament as the contents of the letter were read. All in the council seemed to be lost in contemplation; all except the King, who was busy eating his breakfast. And that managed to annoy Roderick. The King of the whole Empire apparently hadn't learned yet that his mouth was supposed to be closed while chewing. The best minds in the City has taught him everything and this is all he had managed to learn.

How can a King be so uncouth in his ways?

What was even more annoying was that the three other council members seemed to be used to His Majesty's idiosyncrasies. Roderick had expected, that after serving the council for as many years as he did, he would get used to all these little habits. He was mistaken. Being the advisor of the King, he had tried to explain in much detail, the futility of such habits. To that the King had replied how could he be called the 'King of the Empire' if he held no power even over his own habits.

What he doesn't realise is even the mightiest King only has a minuscule fraction of control.

"Um.. Does this Priest think we were born yesterday?" said the King, crumbs falling from his mouth as he spoke.

"No Your Majesty, they are under the illusion that you were born some two hundred summers ago," retorted Roderick.

Roderick knew quite well, the King would fail to understand the sarcasm. He didn't care if any other council members did.

"I do not see how God could have visited a town as insignificant as Andlenore. This is purely deception, Your Majesty," said Yule the bearded. He was the court Great Scholar. His only achievement being that he had read a ton of books. Self proclaimed master strategist and philosopher.

It isn't about how many books you read; it's about how much you understood.

Roderick saw nothing but a farce. His great grey beard with his loose grey drapes, coupled with his speech that involved considerable amounts of silence, just enough to put one under the belief that he faced an intellectual. What's more, the old beard had idiosyncrasies of his own. He would extract papers and scrolls from various folds of his robes when facing a contradiction as if they were proof of his point. Unfortunately, it worked on most.

Roderick couldn't restraint himself, "True, only if they had as much sense as your beard does, learned Yule. It is beyond the point if God really visited Andlenore as the people already firmly suggest he did. The point here is what should be done next now that we are in this predicament."

Yule the learned felt a great fit of cough coming.

"Sharp as always, eh, Roderick?" chuckled the King.

"Kind words, Your Majesty. You didn't employ me to sit and stare after all. Whether the being exists or no, is a matter for the temple to discuss not the council"

The King ate the last piece of bread and wiped his hands on his silken robes.

A war almost broke out to deliver that silk to the Capital City. Roderick recalled the little incident that took place over import of the expensive and intricately embroidered silk to the Capital City.

And this man doesn't care.

Roderick contemplated about the absurdity of the situation at hand. Here he was in one of the most lavish room, not only in the palace but the whole Empire while their topic of discussion was how God himself visited a town, with a King who was completely unconcerned about all that. Because he was busy picking his nose.

Only if you had a nose, my dear King.

"We must read the contents carefully before reaching any conclusion," said Tren the royal treasurer.

"Why didn't I think of that before. Maybe it's because of my attention was diverted by the intelligence just displayed by Yule's beard." Roderick said, as if deep in thought.

The King laughed this time. Another fit of cough managed to catch up with Yule the scholar.

Glinrin, the military leader, spoke for the first time in the council as he narrated the letter aloud. The contents were written by the Priest of Andlenore. It said that a being had visited the town that day. The platoon under The Giant of Nimbleville had turned against him and killed him. The platoon itself was dead save one soldier. There was an administrative vacuum in Andlenore.

Now that was intriguing. He vaguely remembered the Giant. A pile of muscles with barely any brain. Roderick would have mistaken him for a troll had he not known better.

Yule coughed and cleared his throat before he said, "Your Majesty, I say this is a scheme. How can God visit Andlenore? It must be a scheme to cover the death of the Giant. Its probable he was murdered with his platoon by the townsfolk."

"And you are suggesting none of the townsfolk died in the process? We can easily verify that and try them. The priest knows that as well, so he certainly wouldn't lie for that reason," said Roderick

"It's as Roderick says. We are past the point of arguing if God exists. All people in Andlenore certainly believe he does," said Glinrin the war head, his deep voice echoing through the council.

"And that means the religion and temple might get stronger than we stand, at one point, if people from other places start believing in this God strongly as well?" Tren, the treasurer, spoke the unspoken. He always did. 

That got the King's attention,"What do you advice we do, then?"

"You do nothing yet, O King. Nothing but wait . Send a small administrative task force like we do for little towns. Have them understand the faith and then merge with the faith. We tread on soft ground here. One false move and we might disturb the present distribution of power. So we wait and see what course it takes. If this becomes a bigger religion than anticipated, we merge it with our present system, in a way you still assume control. Though I must mention with a certain force that this is thin ice we tread on. Every move must be planned," Roderick said, placing his hands on the table.

"Hmm.. That certainly makes sense," said the King.

Judging by the His Majesty's tone, Roderick figured the King hadn't quite understood what he was trying to comply there. Other councillors seemed to be in the same predicament.

After a short silence, Yule said,"I say the easiest way to quell the rise of this religion, is to kill the priest and some influential people who believe in it. That way the whole matter would never rise to a greater magnitude."

King nodded his head in approval. Damn!

"The rumour about the White God will spread like wildfire. I am astonished, that the dove could deliver the news before it came to us in the form of rumors. Many people would have already started believing by the time the Priest dies."

"When the priest dies, people will start losing faith again. How can a priest of The White God die? They will ask."

"Priests die. Gods don't."

"Are you suggesting White God exists?" asked Yule.

"No. I am merely suggesting that people will see it as a sign of the King's going against the God himself. It will definitely be for the worse for us if that happens. On the contrary that might strengthen their faith in The White God."

"How will a Priest believed to be touched by The White God himself, dying, help their faith?"

"It will help because everyone, including your beard knows, priests are mortal men. If a Priest dies they will see the King as a murderer rather. That will further unite them towards a common cause, to rise against an 'evil' King." Roderick knew he had taken it overboard with the beard jape.

Glinrin the war head said,"I don't see how killing the priest, will escalate such feelings towards the King, while the faith has barely spread. Why would people risk their lives for a faith they are yet to understand? If we destroy the roots itself how do you suggest the tree will survive? The Priest is the root!"

"No he is not, he is just a big branch. Destroy him two new will sprout in its place. The appearance of God itself is the root. And this root is practically indestructible," Roderick said.

Yule the learned asked,"So what do you propose we do, Your Majesty?"

Damn the politician! Only if you had placed as much thought to understanding my theory rather than politics, you would have understood.

The King was trying to clean his teeth with his nails. Roderick already knew what he was going to say.

"Just be done with it. Kill the priest."

Author's Note: Thank you for reading!! Please vote/comment/ review if you liked the chapter!

There is still editing to be done. If you find a mistake do inform me. Thank you again.

Have a great day!! :)