06-17-2022, 02:12 AM
Entry Hall of the Aurian Parliament Building, Lumiere, Eastern Auria
May 11th, 2022, 11:02 AM
Acting Prime Minister Jonathan Gerand examined himself in the tall mirror on the hallway wall. His suit was well-selected and well-tailored, a dark maroon red and white. These colors reflected old Unitist symbols of military leadership and bravery, an attempt to make up for Gerand's lack of military experience. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat over and over again, preparing for his first ever speech as Auria' leader.
Orange-suited royal guards stood on either side of the grand doors to the Parliament building, signifying Gerand's new status as Auria's new autocrat. He glanced over to them occasionally, slightly unnerved at their steady, unblinking expressions. Do they train them to be so creepy, or do we just hire the most stoic people in the county to guard royalty? With a final satisfied nod to the mirror, he turned and started for the door, giving a polite nod as the guards opened the door for him.
The late morning sun caused him to squint as he approached the podium, waving out to a large crowd of people who had gathered in the Square of Discourse. Many of these people were confused and frightened by the events of the early day, having heard rumors and half-baked stories about an explosion near the royal motorcade in downtown Lumiere. The tension and fear in the air was palpable, reflecting the feelings of the average Aurian citizen.
Gerand lightly tapped on the microphone twice to get a feel on how loud he needed to be. And with a glance at the live broadcasting cameras, he began to speak. "Good morning, everyone. I recognize that recent events have been chaotic, and that many of you simply want explanations on what's going on. And since I see no reason to bore you with stale slogans, I'll cut to the chase."
"Over an hour ago, around nine forty-three AM, His Majesty King Andrew was being transported to the palace via a secure motorcade alongside streets in downtown Lumiere. The motorcade was unexpectedly obstructed by a car in the road, causing a number of guards to attempt to clear the car. The motorcade was then ambushed by members of the Royal Guard regiment accompanying His Majesty, who detonated small-scale explosives along the two main armored limousines and Guard transports. Unfortunately, King Andrew was killed instantly in the blast."
The crowd started buzzing with astonishment and shock, quieting back down when Gerand cleared his throat. "I know that this is shocking and unthinkable to you all, so you may not be able to handle any more unexpected events. However, we have discovered some critical information that I must now share." He artfully paused, building up suspense for an extended moment. "Our recent intelligence suggests that the perpetrators of this traitorous and brutal killing of the King acted on orders of General Jean-Claude Michelin, Auria's highest ranking military officer, and a close friend of the late king. From what we can tell, Michelin expected to immediately take over control of Auria's government decisions in the interim stage after King Andrew's death, and planned to eliminate any major government official who would not pledge loyalty."
"But this coup d'etat will not be tolerated. We will not roll over for a traitor who callously kills a close friend. We will not obey someone who's actions have been so contrary to Auria's best interests!" He bowed his head, appearing concerned and respectful. "My friends, we must stand against this aggression together. If you despise these actions as much as I do, I hope you'll stand with me as we bravely push against traitors and foreign aggressors. Any attacks on Auria's brave populace or leadership will not be tolerated, not now, not ever!"
The crowd was dead silent, entranced by Gerand's persuasive words. "I, out of necessity, have taken the role of Acting Prime Minister. With brave, loyal Ministers at my side, we will bring Auria into a new age. We will build upon what King Andrew gave us, and better ourselves in his honor. His Majesty gave his life fighting foreign influence and internal corruption, and in his honor, no one shall bear the title of King or Queen, for no one could ever bear it more nobly than he did. His memory shall guide us forward, and together, we will be stronger than Auria has ever been!"
The square erupted in cheers and chants, and Gerand gave himself a small smile, satisfied with the reaction his words had provoked. Now that is how you rouse a crowd. It's time to leave relics of the past behind, and make a future for ourselves. A slight discordance in the crowd brought him out of his stupor, and he looked further back in the crowd, noticing a uniformed group moving through the rabble. They were loudly repeating the phrase "Andrew dviva!" Andrew lives! Gerand's eyes widened. What the hell?! Are they insane, deluded, or misinformed? How the hell-
Gunshots resounded in the square, followed quickly by screams and the sound of hundreds of people desperately scrambling. Prime Minister Gerand fell back a bit, before falling forward, sliding off of one side of the podium onto the steps below. Blood seeped onto the stone white steps around his neck, neatly matching the Prime Minister's suit. The area was quickly swarmed by Royal Guards, who vainly attempted to control the desperate crowd as another team picked Gerand off of the steps. A thin river of blood ran all down the Parliament steps as Gerand's lifeless body was hauled inside, the doors slamming shut with another loud Bang
—
No.
Minister Sarah Berenstein sat in the office chair in her study, a hand over her mouth in shock. Jonathan… No… There's no way he could survive that. No one could survive a shot in the neck like that. Her heart was beating wildly, and she subconsciously ran her other hand through her hair as she processed what she had just witnessed. Oh my god…
Her mind quickly shifted to damage control, as she realized the absolute chaos that was awaiting her. Oh, it'll take an Angel's strength and a miracle to get through what comes next. Holy shit. She picked up her phone and dialed the number of her liaison in Auria's police force, who answered on the second ring. "Chief Dubois, it's Minister Berenstein. I want a full lockdown of the entire area surrounding the Parliament complex, with at least a ten block radius. I don't care how much manpower it takes, we may need to secure the whole damn city if we don't act now. Active immediately, Lumiere is under martial law. Make it happen."
May 11th, 2022, 11:02 AM
Acting Prime Minister Jonathan Gerand examined himself in the tall mirror on the hallway wall. His suit was well-selected and well-tailored, a dark maroon red and white. These colors reflected old Unitist symbols of military leadership and bravery, an attempt to make up for Gerand's lack of military experience. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat over and over again, preparing for his first ever speech as Auria' leader.
Orange-suited royal guards stood on either side of the grand doors to the Parliament building, signifying Gerand's new status as Auria's new autocrat. He glanced over to them occasionally, slightly unnerved at their steady, unblinking expressions. Do they train them to be so creepy, or do we just hire the most stoic people in the county to guard royalty? With a final satisfied nod to the mirror, he turned and started for the door, giving a polite nod as the guards opened the door for him.
The late morning sun caused him to squint as he approached the podium, waving out to a large crowd of people who had gathered in the Square of Discourse. Many of these people were confused and frightened by the events of the early day, having heard rumors and half-baked stories about an explosion near the royal motorcade in downtown Lumiere. The tension and fear in the air was palpable, reflecting the feelings of the average Aurian citizen.
Gerand lightly tapped on the microphone twice to get a feel on how loud he needed to be. And with a glance at the live broadcasting cameras, he began to speak. "Good morning, everyone. I recognize that recent events have been chaotic, and that many of you simply want explanations on what's going on. And since I see no reason to bore you with stale slogans, I'll cut to the chase."
"Over an hour ago, around nine forty-three AM, His Majesty King Andrew was being transported to the palace via a secure motorcade alongside streets in downtown Lumiere. The motorcade was unexpectedly obstructed by a car in the road, causing a number of guards to attempt to clear the car. The motorcade was then ambushed by members of the Royal Guard regiment accompanying His Majesty, who detonated small-scale explosives along the two main armored limousines and Guard transports. Unfortunately, King Andrew was killed instantly in the blast."
The crowd started buzzing with astonishment and shock, quieting back down when Gerand cleared his throat. "I know that this is shocking and unthinkable to you all, so you may not be able to handle any more unexpected events. However, we have discovered some critical information that I must now share." He artfully paused, building up suspense for an extended moment. "Our recent intelligence suggests that the perpetrators of this traitorous and brutal killing of the King acted on orders of General Jean-Claude Michelin, Auria's highest ranking military officer, and a close friend of the late king. From what we can tell, Michelin expected to immediately take over control of Auria's government decisions in the interim stage after King Andrew's death, and planned to eliminate any major government official who would not pledge loyalty."
"But this coup d'etat will not be tolerated. We will not roll over for a traitor who callously kills a close friend. We will not obey someone who's actions have been so contrary to Auria's best interests!" He bowed his head, appearing concerned and respectful. "My friends, we must stand against this aggression together. If you despise these actions as much as I do, I hope you'll stand with me as we bravely push against traitors and foreign aggressors. Any attacks on Auria's brave populace or leadership will not be tolerated, not now, not ever!"
The crowd was dead silent, entranced by Gerand's persuasive words. "I, out of necessity, have taken the role of Acting Prime Minister. With brave, loyal Ministers at my side, we will bring Auria into a new age. We will build upon what King Andrew gave us, and better ourselves in his honor. His Majesty gave his life fighting foreign influence and internal corruption, and in his honor, no one shall bear the title of King or Queen, for no one could ever bear it more nobly than he did. His memory shall guide us forward, and together, we will be stronger than Auria has ever been!"
The square erupted in cheers and chants, and Gerand gave himself a small smile, satisfied with the reaction his words had provoked. Now that is how you rouse a crowd. It's time to leave relics of the past behind, and make a future for ourselves. A slight discordance in the crowd brought him out of his stupor, and he looked further back in the crowd, noticing a uniformed group moving through the rabble. They were loudly repeating the phrase "Andrew dviva!" Andrew lives! Gerand's eyes widened. What the hell?! Are they insane, deluded, or misinformed? How the hell-
Gunshots resounded in the square, followed quickly by screams and the sound of hundreds of people desperately scrambling. Prime Minister Gerand fell back a bit, before falling forward, sliding off of one side of the podium onto the steps below. Blood seeped onto the stone white steps around his neck, neatly matching the Prime Minister's suit. The area was quickly swarmed by Royal Guards, who vainly attempted to control the desperate crowd as another team picked Gerand off of the steps. A thin river of blood ran all down the Parliament steps as Gerand's lifeless body was hauled inside, the doors slamming shut with another loud Bang
—
No.
Minister Sarah Berenstein sat in the office chair in her study, a hand over her mouth in shock. Jonathan… No… There's no way he could survive that. No one could survive a shot in the neck like that. Her heart was beating wildly, and she subconsciously ran her other hand through her hair as she processed what she had just witnessed. Oh my god…
Her mind quickly shifted to damage control, as she realized the absolute chaos that was awaiting her. Oh, it'll take an Angel's strength and a miracle to get through what comes next. Holy shit. She picked up her phone and dialed the number of her liaison in Auria's police force, who answered on the second ring. "Chief Dubois, it's Minister Berenstein. I want a full lockdown of the entire area surrounding the Parliament complex, with at least a ten block radius. I don't care how much manpower it takes, we may need to secure the whole damn city if we don't act now. Active immediately, Lumiere is under martial law. Make it happen."
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