Saving the Royal Federation

Brandon was sitting restlessly near his window. The hand was slightly shaking. He grabbed it with the other hand to make it stop and closed his eyes. This kept happening too often nowadays. His youth was fading faster and faster with each day and nothing seemed to help anymore. Of course, the times were brutal and too stressful for his old age. He tried to not think about his 180th birthday that was coming in a week. He did what he wanted, his reign was longest of all before him and twice as long than his father. “No!” he stopped the thoughts, he had to focus to the upcoming meeting. It was way too important. This was his last hope. Someone knocked and the doors slide open to both sides. Brandon turned with his chair to face the huge table and entrance. Selena went in with her graceful smile and introduced the guest: “Your Royal Highness, citizen Jack Sera” she moved aside to make room for a tall dark haired man to enter. “GENERAL Jack Sera, at your service, Your Royal Highness” Jack made a little bow and smirked. Brandon thought ”Look at him! At the prime of his years and already a general.” “Thank you Selena, you can go” Brandon ordered. Selena bowed and left the room. “Please sit, mister Sera“ he showed Jack the chair right before him. Jack sat down and relaxed in the chair. Brandon just looked at him for a little bit in an awkward silence. Jack was in his mid 40ties, still so young, full of potential and as far as he heard of him, very eccentric. “So we will play this silent game then?” Jack said in an irritated voice. No one in his right mind ever talked to the ruler of this half of the galaxy in this way. Brandon smiled, a fighter at last! “Ah, the youth!” he said silently with a smile. He noticed that Jack clenched fists while still sitting on the chair. Brandon stiffened his voice “Is this how you talk to your ruler?“. Jack let the fists go and relaxed again, but his eyes were still dark and cloudy. “I do not think I am here for your mind games to play. Just say what you have to say and let us go our separate ways.” Jack sounded more calm now, but he knows why he is here, so what Brandon says does not matter much. “You are here because I want to know more about you” Brandon said. “You already know everything about me, my heritage, my life, my career. You need to be more specific of what you wish to know, old man.” “Yes I know almost everything about you” Brandon laughed “You have lots of courage. There is nothing you can do in this galaxy without courage. It is the most important quality of the mind next to honor. What I need to know is why you became a soldier” “I am not seeking honor if you are asking me that. I am just a simple citizen that had bad things happen to and trying to go out of the situations that I was thrown into” Jack replied. Brandon looked to his pad and started casually typing something there. After a while he stopped and looked to Jack: “Will you be the Minister of War?” Heavy silence fell on the room. “Yes” Jack firmly replied. – Jack Sera was a soldier. He fought all his life. As far as he can remember, he was fighting for something: his life, his sister, his mother, the love of his life. In other people’s eyes he looked like a wonderful success. Coming from the poorest part of the galaxy, the Retogra planet and now becoming the Minister of War at 43 years old. It seemed that he did the impossible. But he knew better, that at the things he valued most, he lost miserably. Jack looked at all the people that were slowly coming into the Gold Hall after the inauguration. The Ministers of Royal Federation, the corporate magnates, and...oh look at them! The Royalty of the Federation. No money can buy, you need to be born into it. There they are, going with their fancy suits, dresses and golden crowns. “Look at them, Selena” Jack pointed to the start of Royalty “This is what is wrong with the Royal Federation. If you ever had any problem it is them that caused it.“ Selena looked and smiled: „During all the times the changes were happening in my life, they always stayed the same. They look beautiful and reassuring to me.“ “If you mean privileged and dumb, then yes.“ “I would not call them dumb, no“ she laughed “Have you ever met any of them?“ “Sure. Most of them died after we met.“ There was a brief silent moment. Seeing questions in her eyes Jack laughed: “Not killed by me, of course. Only due to their stupid decisions during difficult times.“ It seemed Selena felt relieved and also smiled. “It will be your turn now, after the Corporate Minister. Just nod and smile as I taught you.“ she whispered in my ear. Jack entered the Gold Hall and saw the lavishness of the party. Gold platters and tableware, crystal glasses, the most expensive food. Stupidly rich Royalty and corporation owners. Princes and princesses dressed in extravagant gowns, from silk and other overexpensive robes, diamonds on their necks and in their hair. It seemed that all the things he despised were put into one place. “Two hours, that’s all“ Jack thought. He walked over the tables and tried to find something he can eat. When he finally saw something that was simple enough, someone walked right next to him. “It is an honor to finally meet you, general Sera” the crown Prince Alfred started the conversation “It is pretty difficult to meet you in person.” Crown Prince was twice Jack’s age and still waiting for his throne. However, from the first glance they seemed the same age. Another thing Royalty exaggerate – getting old was left to the common poor people. “It’s an honor to meet you too, crown Prince. I am not a party person, you won’t see me much in similar events” Jack replied with a small bow. “Ah, my father told me that you are not a people’s person, but it made me even more curious about you” said Crown Prince Alfred. Jack continued eating with boredom coming into his eyes, he was not good with the small talk. Prince Alfred seeing that Jack was starting to ignore him added: “He also told me that you have a death wish.”. The food got stuck into Jack’s throat. Prince Alfred started laughing and sipped from his wine glass: “I am surprised that you are surprised.” Prince Alfred was so entertained “You should know that my father reads people very well.” “I do not know what you are talking about..” Jack replied with a firm face, putting down his meal. “Relax” Prince Alfred laughed “It’s a party and I am just trying to make a conversation. For me is still hard to understand why you have that death wish.” The conversation started to become awkward, Jack was starting to feel anxious to get out of here, which normally would be something that he have done by now. But this is the crown prince talking to him and as Selena informed him after meeting with the Royal Highness King Brandon, he is way over his head and Jack should never leave the presence of a Prince before the Prince ends the conversation first. “I have read into your biography. Is it because your girlfriend died in the battle of Ernest?” Jack felt his fists clench. “She was my FIANCE!” unintentionally he raised his voice. Prince Alfred’s eyes sparked. He was so happy with himself: “I see I touched the right note!” he laughed. “Crown Prince” a soft voice interrupted “Your presence is needed in the Green Hall.”. She softly touched Alfred’s arm with a smile on her face. Her youth was sparkling in her blue eyes. Alfred was a newlywed, but it was all arranged. Princess Adriana brought a great wealth to this galaxy. Crown Prince frowned: “Hope to talk to you more later, general Sera” crown Prince said before leaving and drinking his wine glass to the bottom. Princess Adriana looked into my eyes: “It’s an honor to meet you, Minister Sera. Hope you are having a great time.” she said before leaving. It was not long before another of the Royalty came to talk to him, and then another. This was becoming a nightmare of small talk. After Minister of Corporate Finance left to get another drink, Jack knew it was his window to have fresh air and avoid talking to people. The left balcony was the smallest and the most remote from the crowd. As he entered the balcony a rush of fresh air reached his lungs. Until something else reached his nose. A most delicious smell of rose petals and citrus. He looked to the far side of the balcony and saw her. She was wearing a black long dress, with naked back and laces coming from her arms. She felt his gaze and turned around. Her hair were black with a heavy diamond tiara on her head. “Not another bowing princess“ Jack thought to himself. Then he saw sadness in her eyes “Was she crying?”. “I am sorry to intrude. I wanted to get some fresh air, Princess” Jack slightly bowed. “I was here first, General Sera” her cold voice sounded chilling and there was not a glimpse of a smile. “So you know me” Jack smirked. “You are the War Minister. From now on all of the people know you.” she stated the obvious. “As you know my name, I think it’s time for you to introduce yourself too.” There! She smiled: “You’d think that yes? Although, the truth is you do not know me, because you don’t care. Maybe it’s time you make your homework.” She stepped closer to me, I could smell her perfume even better now. The citrus smell was so refreshing. And it brought memories of the better childhood days, before the war. “I am not here to learn every Royal title, name and relation. I am here to clean up the mess you Royals did.” Jack said firmly. He looked into her green eyes and everything he could think about was his birth planet and it’s green oceans. “It is sad” she said. “What is sad?” Jack felt confused. “It is sad the last Minister died so fast. I liked him better. Time will tell if I need to invest in you” she started walking towards the door to the Gold Hall. Astonished, Jack said: “I thought Princesses supposed to be nice and soft” She looked at me and laughed before leaving: “The more you learn. Good luck, General”.