"Any moment now, your highness." He looked out the window, hiding his tears from the king.
"Roman, please.." the king tries desperately, trying to stop his friend and bodyguard.
"Believe me, I know I've sunk pretty low." He turns around to face his friend, the tears now dry. "But whatever I've done you've deserved."
"Roman, I-"
"Quiet!" He stalks over to the balcony, preparing to face the crowd below. "I'm the bad guy, but that's fine! It's no fault of mine, and at last some justice will be served."
The king couldn't tell who Roman was trying to convince. "It's time to stand up, or it's time to back down, and the answer's easy for me."
He flings open the glass doors, strapping on his sword as he waits for the crowd below to notice his presence. "I'm ready as I'll ever be..."
The crowd below finally notices the figure on the balcony, and begin shouting and clamoring for answers. One civilian even tries to fling a tomato at him, but he just deflects it with his sword. "Listen, subjects, and obey! Your kind king, Thomas Sanders III has handed over the kingdom to me, his trusted knight and friend Roman Prince! There will be a slight adjustment to the rules, but your quality of life shall stay the same. Now, go back to your homes, please."
This announcement was met with a mixture of shock, fear, and anger, and the crowd refused to disperse.
"Fine, if you wanna play that way, let's play."
The crown of roses on Roman's head began to glow a sickening yellow, and he chanted something Thomas didn't quite catch before going back into the king's chambers.
Thomas heard screams and shouts from outside.
The guards, who had until then been standing motionless at the gates, suddenly came to life, marching forward and herding people towards their houses. Anyone who didn't go was speared, and thirty people were killed before the rowd realized what was going on. Most left immediately to their homes, and the rest hid out of sight of the menacing soldiers.
Most of the parents didn't fall asleep that night, watching over their children. The next morning, every home was raided, the firstborns taken and imprisoned in the dungeon. They were supposedly insurance, to make sure we complied with the new laws. 'King' Roman created a curfew, and if you weren't in your home before sundown, you were to be either imprisoned or killed. Food was rationed, and farmers were made to work overtime.
The kingdom took about half a year of this, this... torment until it broke in two. Some supported the new 'King's' rule, though they were few, and the rest planned to overthrow our new dictator.
Two such rebels were Logan Ronri and Patton Kanjo, two of the former king's advisors who were imprisoned at the beginning. They managed to escape, though they refuse to tell how. Tonight is the night we charge the castle.
-Excerpt from the personal diary of Virgil Osore Uragiri, brother to King Roman Kofuku Uragiri
This is chapter 1 of a story based off of a Sanders Sides animatic version of Ready As I'll Ever Be, and I suggest you check it out, it's really good!