The Throne of Flame: Chapter Four
In the darkness of night, two figures sat across from each other, very different in size and species. Between them was a table, bare aside from a small candle in the center. It's light was not enough to illuminate their features, and they conversed ominously in the privacy of the shore.
"It's an awfully quiet night." The first figure commented, and tilted their head to look up at the sky. "Strange, you can't even hear the ocean."
"Mmm." The second figure sighed, but their gaze was only upon their companion. "I didn't even notice."
"Distracted again, my dear?" A grin enveloped their lips at the idea.
"Absolutely. When am I not distracted? Being distracted is a trait of mine." The tone was almost loving.
"You've been studying the Malagasy lemurs again, haven't you?" The first figure piped up. Though it was worded as a question, it was more of a sensible accusation, albeit with no malice. There never was any, not between the two of them.
"You know it." The second one responded, before their tangent began. "The revenue they've been contributing has been so spotty over these last years. Charts from their main port in Mozambique have indicated a serious decline, and it just keeps getting worse. I'm starting to believe currency is almost illegal for them at this point, ridiculous as it sounds. I wouldn't put it past Julien, though. I mean, making currency illegal, that is. Basically everything else gets past him, except for the things that don't. Like making currency illegal, hypothetically."
The first figure chuckled quietly. "I can't count the times you've told me that. I have a memory, you know. That new invention I've been working on? I don't test it on myself."
"I'm sorry." The second figure responded, and silence ensued for a moment. "I… Didn't mean to insult you."
"You didn't." The first assured, and their gaze was tender.
The second figure leaned forward and placed their arm on the table, and the first figure stretched forth to touch them. The atmosphere was gentle, despite the contempt they held for the lemur government. The second figure was especially strong in their detest, bristling at even the mention of them and always ready to give a well constructed argument to explain their thoughts. The first honestly only disliked the way the Malagasy lemurs were being ruled for the sake of their partner, and perhaps that it was so anti-Capitalist.
"King Julien has been a nuisance for awhile, you know. I hate him." The second figure huffed bitterly.
The inky night sky seemed to stretch over them in merciless ebony, as though stars were too frightened to show themselves even in their remote location. The dead quiet of night, all sound too fearful to interrupt the conversation being had. Not between the two of them, anyway.
"You only started hating him a little while ago, even if he has been a nuisance his whole life." The first figure mentioned with a soft laugh. "...I understand the feeling, though. Hate at first sight?"
"Something like that." The second sighed. "Aside from being a complete jerk - because, let's be honest, that's what he is, a jerk - he's too incompetent to rule. He's fickle, you know, and that's awful for a king. Awful! He used to be so huge on his whole Monarchy spiel, and now all of a sudden he's turning around and trying to push in Socialist tactics. It's garbage, the whole of it. Well, not all of it, I mean. Not the Monarchy part. But the Socialist part. And the Julien being king part, since, you know, he's a jerk, and he's pushing such strong Socialist ideologies. Which, let me say, is garbage."
The first figure was slightly taken back by this new information. "Has he? What for?"
"Even I don't know that, and I've been studying this controversy nonstop for years now. I even found out where he's living right now, and I still have no idea why he suddenly switched over to Socialism. I mean… Maybe I shouldn't say it was a sudden transition, that would be wrong. Misleading, actually. It's just been a very quiet one, the Socialist transition that is, and now that it's becoming more obvious, I've decided to do something about it. l mean, what does he want with Socialism? He's an idiot."
"I'm guessing that this is why the Malagasy lemur revenue has been so low lately. That's taking a toll on the African economy, I'm sure." The first figure hummed at the thought. "I mostly stick to Asian trade, so I'm afraid I'm not terribly keen on other continents."
"That's just it, actually… It's changing the whole game. The hypothetical game, I mean, of government in Africa. For animals, not humans. Did you know that the bushbaby population of Tanzania is starting to follow their lead? It's tragic, really. Capitalism in the animal kingdom - the literal animal kingdom, I mean - is being wiped out, all because of a stupid ringtailed lemur who has no idea what he's doing. He keeps trying to make everything better for the lower class, which is hilarious, actually, for someone of the highest class. Why would he want to do that? He's king! He should hate the idea of Socialism. All it does is tear him down." The second figure panted as they got more heated.
"My thoughts exactly. It doesn't explain why he would want to lower himself… Maybe he's really just too stupid to know what he's doing. I met him once, you know. And he really was just… Plain stupid. He was so incredibly dumb, that's what took me off guard. I really wish I'd known you at the time, I would've killed him myself when I had the chance."
"I know you've met him, you told me about it. It sounds just as bad as the time I met him. Of course, I sought him out, but it just… I got carried away, I guess. But yes, I met him, and since you met him too, we can agree. He's such an idiot. I hate him." The second figure repeated the last sentiment with such detest that it was unquestionable. "Not only is he intolerable - for anyone with a brain, that is - but he's ruined the whole social order for the lemurs. Everything is messed up now. The poor think they actually deserve rights and freedom… It's sad, really. They're all going to get their hopes crushed when their flower-crowned king is out of the picture."
"I'm guessing this is going to be a hard mess to fix. You really want to take it on?" The first figure tilted their head, though they knew the answer before the words so much as left their mouth. It was always the same, really only a way to further the conversation at that point in their relationship.
"You're one to ask me that." The second chuckled. "You've always been one for elaborate schemes. It's one of the reasons I started to admire you so much, really."
The first figure's grin was palpable, even through the dim light. "You admire me, hmmm?"
"No, I'm just using you for your endless supply of money." The second laughed, sarcasm heavy. "Of course I admire you, you already know that. You have to milk it at every chance you get, don't you? The admiring part, I mean, not the knowing about it part."
"It does sound nice when you say it out loud." The first one chuckled, and bent forth so that they were eye level. "Not that I don't already know it."
The quiet of the night was enough for the two of them to feel comfortable, even if momentarily, before the second figure spoke up again, still partially fired up over the whole lemur business. It was clear that they weren't inclined to let the conversation drop, not when it had been started. It was a frequent topic on their mind.
"If Julien's extreme Socialist tactics really work, then I'm afraid the revenue from the lemurs will diminish altogether. I mean, this has been the talk of the town all over South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe for the last couple of generations, probably because before this Julien, the other Julien was just as bad. Only, he wasn't a Socialist, he just seriously had no clue how to run a government. Not that Socialism is any way to do it, but really, he had no idea what was going on; he made a no-talking law to keep away the fossa, and a lot of good that did. It's no wonder he died off so fast. Disappeared right off the face of the planet, if I remember correctly. It wasn't that big of news, since he was such a boring man, but, can't help but wonder how he went. If he was assassinated, like this Julien will be, someone would've said something about it. But he literally just, dropped off the grid."
The first figure only murmured out a soft hum, being used to listening to their partner drone on about Malagasy politics and how they affected the rest of Africa, sometimes even other continents (only in extension, of course; the Malagasy lemurs were so cut off from the rest of the world that it came as a genuine surprise they even knew other continents existed). Only over the animal population, granted, but what did humans have to do with anything?
The second figure continued their speech. "Some say that this Julien killed him for the crown, but honestly, can you imagine? That dope couldn't kill another even if he wanted to. I bet my future crown on the fact that he's never even seen anyone die, sheltered like he is. Even with death around every corner, he's probably never even been up close to a fossa. Apparently they stay away from the lemur territory now, though, and Julien takes credit for that, but I have no idea what he could've possibly done. Nothing! He never does anything. Nothing good, anyway. Just keeps on enforcing his stupid… Ideas about equal rights. Did you know he sent a decree to his current stand-in about giving the low-class lemurs equal access to the mango harvests? Ridiculous! The power of currency goes down when everyone has access to everything like that. Oh, I can't wait for him to die."
"Mhmm, and you know I've been helping with that." The first figure commented, leaning forth with a sly grin. "Anything for you."
The second figure smirked and nodded. "You're a flirtatious beast, you know that?"
"You like it." A brow was raised.
"I love it." The second one corrected, gaze saccharine.
Thinking that this was the cue for a kiss, the first figure leaned in so that they were almost nose to nose. The second figure, however, seemed oblivious to this detail, and instead their gaze was turned towards the ocean nearby.
"Even Julien VI wasn't nearly this bad, and he was notoriously awful. Really, this Julien should be ashamed. If he keeps on ruling, there won't even be a next king, because he'll screw up the whole monarchy. Before you know it, boom! Communism, everywhere. Everyone gets the same amount of everything and taxation is out the window. No more separation of classes and no more royalty. I can't help but wonder - does he have any idea what he's doing? Like, does he know that he's literally pushing himself down by a class scale? It's almost selfish, really, that he'd do this to the rest of the upper class. I can't believe they haven't revolted yet."
By now, the first figure had leaned back, knowing that they would receive a kiss later that evening. Maybe more. Still, they humored their partner further. "Well, it's not like it would be that huge of a revolt. There isn't a lot of upper class to go around."
The second one nodded in contemplation with a deep sigh. "Well, that's exactly why they need me around. I'm going to change things, for the better. Once Julien's out of the way, I'll take his place, and increase the revenue ten fold. No, a twenty fold, even... I'd make the perfect king, you know."
The first grinned. "You do make the perfect king."
The second figure turned to face their mate once more, and they mirrored the jovial expression. "You think so?"
"Of course."
"Then, as your king, I command you to kiss me." Their grin widened at this as they leaned forth expectantly, standing up so that they could reach.
The first chuckled darkly and bent down, slightly, and just before they connected their lips, whispered, "Anything for you, my king."
The kiss was just as sordid as their personalities, and when they pulled back, it was punctuated with immoral cackles that echoed across the night. As far as they were concerned, nothing would stop them from killing King Julien.
And all the world shall burn...
