NaNoWriMo 2022
Just a Closer Walk
American Kingdom: Day 26.2
Previous scene:
Duke Francis led me down the path towards the woods. Neither of us pranced or pirouetted but I remembered how I had enjoyed having fun with my classmates.
I began to make an observation but Francis held his finger to his lips. “When a sage walks, he just walks. Be a sage with me, Molly. Let us walk and reflect in this lovely glade.”
We walked through the green shade in silence. I let my mind run dry, listening to the sound of our feet upon the path, the calls of birds disturbed by our passage, the rustling as some small creature hurried into deeper cover.
When we were well out of sight of the main buildings, Francis took my hand and led me down a side path. Here a bench overlooked a brook, the burble of water underscoring a thousand details of ferns rippling, minnows poised in the flow, a pair of bright eyes under a rock ledge, blossoms floating down from some tree higher up the stream.
We sat down, Francis taking his hand back.
“I love coming here. In June it is a refuge of peace after the backstabbing and bitterness of Gathering. I let my brain slow down and enjoy the tranquility. You would be wise to enjoy this space when you can. It helps to put things in perspective.”
“A place to be with Jesus,” I said.
“The Lord is always with us, Molly, but here His guidance is more easily felt, I think.”
We spent a few more moments in silence. Finally he turned to me.
“How did you get on with Princess Dee?”
My eyes lit up with the memory. “Oh, she’s lovely. We had a magical flight. She gave me all sorts of advice about the Kingdom.”
“She mention the Palace?”
“She did. She suggested that perhaps I might not like it. Um, do people spend much time lounging in spa baths there?”
“What? No, at least not in my experience. Perhaps Princess Dee sees a different side of things. I’ve found it to be full of two types of people: those who do their work diligently and try to remain out of the notice of the other sort, who are bored and full of gossip. If you go to the Palace, Molly, try to be quick about it. Receive your award or promotion, say generous things about everybody you can think of, and get the next flight out.”
“One student from each military entry course is selected for duty there, did you know?”
“I do. We must supply security there, and so there are always things to do for the Palace Guard; they don’t get bored doing that work. But when they stand guard for the Regent, they can find their idle minds wandering. I would counsel you most strongly to avoid that post if you possibly can.”
“I think I’ve worked out how to avoid it. In fact I think my real choice is about which of my friends gets the job. And that brings me to my next concern.”
“You want to know what you’ll be doing if you aren’t selected.”
I nodded.
“That’s straightforward enough. I can’t give you any details but you’ll be assigned to one of the Princely leaders, given a partner, and they will lead you on various assignments. I’d like to see you sent to South Carolina, Molly. You know the territory and the people, and I’d likely be able to help you in your career. But that’s out of my hands. I’m sure you will enjoy your work wherever you are sent.”
He rose, extending his hand. “Come, time to go back. There’s only so much latitude I can take, no matter how high my rank.”
We walked together back up the hill. I thought of something.
“Francis, I have a bone to pick with you.”
“Pick away, Molly.”
“Yesterday Annie; the Navy doctor…”
“I know who she is.”
“…yes, well we were talking about my scar. She was actually the nurse who went with me on the medevac flight out of Bagram. She said something linking Lady Marion with my scar, a gun, and role-play. That can only have come from you.”
He stopped, let go of my hand, an expression of surprise on his face.
“Really?”
“Lady Marion mentioned role-play when we were having lunch at the Marina. She may have been joking, but you stopped her before she said anything further. I haven’t told anyone about that particular detail and I don’t think she was lying when I asked her earlier. So how come a fellow student here is privy to the details of a private and embarrassing moment?”
“You are correct. That must have been my doing. I mentioned that particular detail to one other person, someone I have known and respected for many years. I would not have thought that they would repeat it. Please accept my most sincere apologies and let me look into this. You must believe me when I say that I do not make you the subject of idle gossip.
“Come, we have to get back.”
He didn't take my hand back and I felt awkward, like I had lost something precious. Instead he began filling me in on my legal situation.
“We’ve convinced Ted not to break the partnership. He’ll keep you on as a silent partner, sending your share of the profits. I’ve found a young man to help with the guiding business, and of course he’ll need to be paid, so don’t expect to get rich on this.”
“Oh, how did you talk him round?”
“I sent a squad of assassins by to chat with him. He saw things my way.”
“What about my friends? What can I tell them?”
“Oh, you can tell them the truth. You’ve found a position with a Christian security consulting company where you will be advising and training others. If you go talking about princes and knighthoods they will think you are crazy, so hold back on the details.”
Faces turned toward us as we neared the classroom.
“Ready for more secrets of the Kingdom?”
“Oh yes.”
Nathan and Hazel sat me down as we waited for Duke Francis to assemble his papers for the next session. “We need to talk.”
“I know. Later, okay?”
Next chapter:
The whole story:
Notes
Nearly three thousand words today. I keep this up, I’ll be finished my word count on time.
Enjoying the writing as well. Still pretty rough but I’m fleshing out the details of the world I’m creating.
Overall, it’s kind of bizarre and unbelievable. This is not a bad thing; there must be some element of strangeness and freshness in a story world to make it interesting. If you look at some of the megachurches, with insanely rich leaders living in actual palaces and commanding resources equivalent to a small nation — hey, Vatican City, I’m looking at you — then my “kingdom” of a few thousand enjoying some sort of fantasy existence paid for by exploiting tax laws and greedy donors isn’t too far removed from reality. Some of these televangelists have lifestyles of ostentation.
We’ll get into what the Kingdom actually does in a bit. Duke Francis drops a hint or two here. And don’t assume that I’ve got all the details; a lot of this stuff surprises me as it emerges!
I like the tension implicit in Christianity. The words of Jesus were for a simple life where those on the bottom could be comforted and cheered. Instead Christianity almost immediately became a bureaucracy where those who gained the comfort and cheer were the chaps at the top and the peasants supported the scam.
Who is closer to Jesus, I wonder. The labourers, the lame, the prostitutes whom Jesus preached to, or those who study theology for years and earn their fortune from churches of incredible wealth?
Molly