08-20-2020, 06:11 AM
The Chancellorial Manor's gym, East Wing, Geminus
8:53 AM
Chancellor Lancaster dodged his assailant's blow, his feet moving quickly to counter his opponent's movements. He countered a blow with his wrist guard, launching a blow of his own to try and throw his opponent off balance. The attacker recovered quickly, closing the distance between them to strike again. Lancaster used his opponent's momentum against him, attempting to pull him to the ground.
The man fighting him anticipated that, however, and pushed forward, landing on top of the Chancellor's ribs. The Chancellor fought back, struggling desperately. Shit. He tried one last move, bringing his knee up and knocking his assailant onto the padded floor, pinning his legs and putting one hand around his neck. The attacker, after a few moments of struggling, patted twice on Will's arm. He released him, smiling, and pulled him up. "Good fight, Naikatel."
The Martial Art Master nodded, smiling with him. "You've been practicing, for all of these years. You've come so far since that young man came to me wanting to learn how to fight back. Now I'm a young man, and you're the Chancellor." He sighed. "Time has a funny sense of humor."
"Yes, it does." Will looked over to the other ring set up in the gym, to see the other Naikatel and the Proviri taking a water break. "Your husband is in surprisingly good shape." She said, stepping off the padded floor into the wood aisle. "And by the fight you put up for Santelia over there, you are as well." She took off her wrist guards, striped red for the Offensive style of Naika, the old Tervali martial art. The Proviri had similar wrist guards, while the other Naikatel (Naika Master) and the Chancellor had blue stripes, signifying the Defensive style.
"We've kept in practice. It's a good way to get rid of stress and excess anger. Always necessary in politics."
She nodded. "I suppose. Say, if you guys have stayed in practice so much, why don't you two try a match? A Standard Ten Minute Match could be interesting, especially since both of you are trained in different styles."
The couple looked at each other and grinned. This'll be fun.
---
The Chancellor and his husband stood, breathless, leaning on the wall of the gym. The match had gone on for the full ten minutes, with both men having the advantage in different parts of the round. "Well done, both of you. Now, we should be getting back to the Dalinaika, since we have students to teach, and I suppose you have a country to run. Jūdeirlien!" The Naika masters left, leaving the couple alone.
"I haven't had that good a sparring match in years." Jake wrapped an arm around his husband's shoulders, planting a kiss on his head as they walked through the Manor's passageways. Will pulled out his phone, furrowing his eyebrows as he opened a text from Joshua Lacewick, his PR manager. "The fake Xiomeran Emperor made another Propaganda video. It's time for me to make another rebuttal. According to Lacewick, it's a thinly veiled war declaration. And I think I know just the statement to make."
---
The Walk-in closet attached to the Chancellor's suite was spacious enough for any major fashionista, but the Ruling Couple of Eiria had little interest in trendy styles. Most of the Suits hanging from the racks were fine, single-color suits, save a couple of Jackets from Will's "Trendy" phase and an old motorcycle jacket from Jake's pre-war 'Biker Gangs'. However, none of these Clothes caught the Chancellor's attention this particular morning.
The pair of dark Purple Military uniforms hung near the corner of the vast closet, well+maintained but unused for quite some time. Will picked the smaller of the two off the rack and examined it, noting the metals and insignia attached to the lapel. Many rulers have had ceremonial fake uniforms with equally fake insignia to match, but unlike those rulers, the medals on both uniforms were earned by their wearers.
He snagged one pin, an insignia only known in certain circles, and hid it in one of the closet dressers. The people aren't ready to know that particular truth yet. He donned the uniform, the coat fitting snugly as if he had gotten it tailored yesterday. He turned to Jake, winking at him. "Let's go kick some tyrant ass."
---
Press Briefing Room, Main Wing, Chancellor's Manor
11:00 AM
The Chancellor walked out onto the Briefing Platform, the sight of him attracting the photographers to snap photos and the journalists to quiet down. He lightly tapped the microphone, clearing his throat. "Good Morning, everyone." He said in Eirian, thinking for a moment before continuing in English. "I would like to do a portion of today's briefing in English, if you wouldn't mind. 'Emperor' Xochiuhue has released another propaganda video, and I would like to rebuke a few things, and, as they say, 'set the record straight'.
He continued, his slight accent creeping in on some English words. "In the very first part of his speech, Xochiuhue essentially calls Yauhmi a 'Criminal', and that she was set on making speeches full of 'senile ramblings' set on dividing the 'Great Xiomeran Empire'. I would like to know what crime Xochiuhue thinks Yauhmi committed. His answer would likely be treason, unoriginal as it is. But I would like to ask Xochiuhue, what had Yauhmi committed treason against?"
"The general definition of Treason is making actions set on undermining and/or harming the government of a nation, and in some democratic nations, such as Eiria, treason is extended to include actions against the well-being of the people of the nation as well. Now, since Yauhmi was fairly elected the ruler of Xiomera, and since she implemented democratic reforms in order to help the populace of Xiomera, Yauhmi had obviously committed neither of those defined treasons. Xochiuhue has claimed in the past that Yauhmi attempted, and I'm paraphrasing, 'to undermine the morals of the Empire'. That is a weak excuse for a treason charge, in my personal opinion."
He paused for a moment, cracking his knuckles as an idle fidget. "Moving past that, throughout his speech, Xochiuhue makes a number of references to, quote, 'The Great Xiomeran Empire' and 'The Success of Xiomera'. The current Xiomeran 'Empire' is built on keeping a great number of working class people, as well as fellow Huenyan ethnic groups, underfoot and oppressed. While they languish, the rich live in luxury off of money they greedily keep to themselves. And that isn't a shot at Eirian upperclassmen." He said quickly, backpedaling. "The rich here actually earned their money, and they contribute back to society."
"The 'Great Xiomeran Empire' is dwindling like a candle flame as the Emperor's own people slowly turn against him. He claims we're jealous of their 'success' and that we wish to keep them as a puppet. Which is absurd, because there's nothing in the current Xiomeran regime to be jealous of." His voice gradually got more commanding, the soldier in him starting to show. "Furthermore, towards the end of this propaganda stunt, he makes a strong threat to supporters of Yauhmi and Crown Prince Texōccoatl with a sword in hand. This threat, foolish as it may be, shall be taken as a threat against Eiria itself, since we were one of the recipients this overdone threat was directed at."
"And Finally, he ended with a call to the Xiomeran populace to defend from threats to Xiomera. He also called us 'Jackals circling outside the Xiomeran borders', which is a bit Ironic, given that the Junta that put Xochiuhue on the Obsidian Throne did a similar thing to overthrow Yauhmi, only that time it was legitimately treason." He glanced around the room. "To end this segment of today's briefing, I would like to extend another question to Xochiuhue: Are you confident you will win this? And even further: Are you happy with how history may perceive you?".
As he finished, the room was silent for a few seconds, before exploding into chaos. Journalists clamoured up to ask questions, photographers and cameramen snapped photos and moved around the room, frantically trying to get the best shot. Chancellor Lancaster smiled at all the commotion, proud of his performance. Maybe I should wear this uniform more often.
8:53 AM
Chancellor Lancaster dodged his assailant's blow, his feet moving quickly to counter his opponent's movements. He countered a blow with his wrist guard, launching a blow of his own to try and throw his opponent off balance. The attacker recovered quickly, closing the distance between them to strike again. Lancaster used his opponent's momentum against him, attempting to pull him to the ground.
The man fighting him anticipated that, however, and pushed forward, landing on top of the Chancellor's ribs. The Chancellor fought back, struggling desperately. Shit. He tried one last move, bringing his knee up and knocking his assailant onto the padded floor, pinning his legs and putting one hand around his neck. The attacker, after a few moments of struggling, patted twice on Will's arm. He released him, smiling, and pulled him up. "Good fight, Naikatel."
The Martial Art Master nodded, smiling with him. "You've been practicing, for all of these years. You've come so far since that young man came to me wanting to learn how to fight back. Now I'm a young man, and you're the Chancellor." He sighed. "Time has a funny sense of humor."
"Yes, it does." Will looked over to the other ring set up in the gym, to see the other Naikatel and the Proviri taking a water break. "Your husband is in surprisingly good shape." She said, stepping off the padded floor into the wood aisle. "And by the fight you put up for Santelia over there, you are as well." She took off her wrist guards, striped red for the Offensive style of Naika, the old Tervali martial art. The Proviri had similar wrist guards, while the other Naikatel (Naika Master) and the Chancellor had blue stripes, signifying the Defensive style.
"We've kept in practice. It's a good way to get rid of stress and excess anger. Always necessary in politics."
She nodded. "I suppose. Say, if you guys have stayed in practice so much, why don't you two try a match? A Standard Ten Minute Match could be interesting, especially since both of you are trained in different styles."
The couple looked at each other and grinned. This'll be fun.
---
The Chancellor and his husband stood, breathless, leaning on the wall of the gym. The match had gone on for the full ten minutes, with both men having the advantage in different parts of the round. "Well done, both of you. Now, we should be getting back to the Dalinaika, since we have students to teach, and I suppose you have a country to run. Jūdeirlien!" The Naika masters left, leaving the couple alone.
"I haven't had that good a sparring match in years." Jake wrapped an arm around his husband's shoulders, planting a kiss on his head as they walked through the Manor's passageways. Will pulled out his phone, furrowing his eyebrows as he opened a text from Joshua Lacewick, his PR manager. "The fake Xiomeran Emperor made another Propaganda video. It's time for me to make another rebuttal. According to Lacewick, it's a thinly veiled war declaration. And I think I know just the statement to make."
---
The Walk-in closet attached to the Chancellor's suite was spacious enough for any major fashionista, but the Ruling Couple of Eiria had little interest in trendy styles. Most of the Suits hanging from the racks were fine, single-color suits, save a couple of Jackets from Will's "Trendy" phase and an old motorcycle jacket from Jake's pre-war 'Biker Gangs'. However, none of these Clothes caught the Chancellor's attention this particular morning.
The pair of dark Purple Military uniforms hung near the corner of the vast closet, well+maintained but unused for quite some time. Will picked the smaller of the two off the rack and examined it, noting the metals and insignia attached to the lapel. Many rulers have had ceremonial fake uniforms with equally fake insignia to match, but unlike those rulers, the medals on both uniforms were earned by their wearers.
He snagged one pin, an insignia only known in certain circles, and hid it in one of the closet dressers. The people aren't ready to know that particular truth yet. He donned the uniform, the coat fitting snugly as if he had gotten it tailored yesterday. He turned to Jake, winking at him. "Let's go kick some tyrant ass."
---
Press Briefing Room, Main Wing, Chancellor's Manor
11:00 AM
The Chancellor walked out onto the Briefing Platform, the sight of him attracting the photographers to snap photos and the journalists to quiet down. He lightly tapped the microphone, clearing his throat. "Good Morning, everyone." He said in Eirian, thinking for a moment before continuing in English. "I would like to do a portion of today's briefing in English, if you wouldn't mind. 'Emperor' Xochiuhue has released another propaganda video, and I would like to rebuke a few things, and, as they say, 'set the record straight'.
He continued, his slight accent creeping in on some English words. "In the very first part of his speech, Xochiuhue essentially calls Yauhmi a 'Criminal', and that she was set on making speeches full of 'senile ramblings' set on dividing the 'Great Xiomeran Empire'. I would like to know what crime Xochiuhue thinks Yauhmi committed. His answer would likely be treason, unoriginal as it is. But I would like to ask Xochiuhue, what had Yauhmi committed treason against?"
"The general definition of Treason is making actions set on undermining and/or harming the government of a nation, and in some democratic nations, such as Eiria, treason is extended to include actions against the well-being of the people of the nation as well. Now, since Yauhmi was fairly elected the ruler of Xiomera, and since she implemented democratic reforms in order to help the populace of Xiomera, Yauhmi had obviously committed neither of those defined treasons. Xochiuhue has claimed in the past that Yauhmi attempted, and I'm paraphrasing, 'to undermine the morals of the Empire'. That is a weak excuse for a treason charge, in my personal opinion."
He paused for a moment, cracking his knuckles as an idle fidget. "Moving past that, throughout his speech, Xochiuhue makes a number of references to, quote, 'The Great Xiomeran Empire' and 'The Success of Xiomera'. The current Xiomeran 'Empire' is built on keeping a great number of working class people, as well as fellow Huenyan ethnic groups, underfoot and oppressed. While they languish, the rich live in luxury off of money they greedily keep to themselves. And that isn't a shot at Eirian upperclassmen." He said quickly, backpedaling. "The rich here actually earned their money, and they contribute back to society."
"The 'Great Xiomeran Empire' is dwindling like a candle flame as the Emperor's own people slowly turn against him. He claims we're jealous of their 'success' and that we wish to keep them as a puppet. Which is absurd, because there's nothing in the current Xiomeran regime to be jealous of." His voice gradually got more commanding, the soldier in him starting to show. "Furthermore, towards the end of this propaganda stunt, he makes a strong threat to supporters of Yauhmi and Crown Prince Texōccoatl with a sword in hand. This threat, foolish as it may be, shall be taken as a threat against Eiria itself, since we were one of the recipients this overdone threat was directed at."
"And Finally, he ended with a call to the Xiomeran populace to defend from threats to Xiomera. He also called us 'Jackals circling outside the Xiomeran borders', which is a bit Ironic, given that the Junta that put Xochiuhue on the Obsidian Throne did a similar thing to overthrow Yauhmi, only that time it was legitimately treason." He glanced around the room. "To end this segment of today's briefing, I would like to extend another question to Xochiuhue: Are you confident you will win this? And even further: Are you happy with how history may perceive you?".
As he finished, the room was silent for a few seconds, before exploding into chaos. Journalists clamoured up to ask questions, photographers and cameramen snapped photos and moved around the room, frantically trying to get the best shot. Chancellor Lancaster smiled at all the commotion, proud of his performance. Maybe I should wear this uniform more often.
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