Point of View: Sirius
The King’s Personal Advisor
ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, I found myself acting as the king’s personal advisor. Today was one of those days.
I sat on one of the long sofas in the king’s private chambers as we drank together. The alcohol continued to flow as I listened to him moan and groan about the queen treating him coldly or how the first princess didn’t respect him. Out of thin air, the king brought up yet another grievance.
“Have I made mistakes in raising my sons?” he asked, his countenance somber as he tightly gripped the glass in his hand.
For a moment I hesitated, not knowing how to respond. However, I decided that honesty would be the best policy and answered truthfully.
“In some ways, yes. In others, no. But in the end, regardless of your care and guidance, it’s up to the princes to make their own choices and seize their own opportunities. You gave them plenty of love, education, and exposure to various experiences. Whether they learned from those things or not depends on their innate personalities and level of determination.”
“I see…” The king murmured as if something in my explanation had struck a chord with him.
“On the other hand, you act far too informal in front of them. Please don’t take this as if I’m trying to curry favor with you, but you are indeed quite wise. You carefully consider every option and gather all the information you can before making decisions. However, there aren’t many who know your true character, since you purposely downplay these qualities. Thus, most people see your frivolous words and demeanor and believe they are Your Majesty’s true essence, just as you hoped.”
“Hmm. Yes, but acting casual is just so much easier for me.”
It sounded like he was just making excuses, so I continued without acknowledging that statement.
“I fear that the princes see you that way as well. It’s not strange to think they might assume things such as ‘The monarchy seems to be working perfectly fine even though the king doesn’t seem to put in much effort and just has fun. I suppose we don’t have to try too hard either.’”
“Dear me,” the king said with a loud groan. “Your inference is alarmingly precise! I’m certain that’s exactly what those three are thinking.”
The king stroked his face as if consoling himself and gulped down the contents of his glass.
“So, I just need to show my boys how difficult it is to be king! Perhaps it’s still not too late. I’ll call them in regularly from now on to lecture them about the struggles a king faces. Wait, would it be more effective to have them dabble in some political affairs and review their work instead?”
I watched the king expressionlessly as he listed one proposal after another for a bit before offering some additional advice.
“As I said, it comes down to their own innate personalities and determination. No matter how generous you are, you won’t be able to teach them how to handle every little thing.”
The king fell silent for a few moments as if he was mulling over what I meant by that. “Sirius,” he finally said as he gazed at me intently, “do you think the three of them lack what it takes to stand at the top?”
It was a straightforward question, but I honestly told him that I couldn’t give a definitive answer since there were many different kinds of people in leadership positions.
“I can’t say for sure because there are surely many types of kings out there. That said, if we’re talking about a ruler who will be accepted by the masses, I think the first princess, Shaula, would be a good fit. She’s interacted with you just as the princes have, but I believe she understands your true nature and is focusing on her studies to better herself.”
The king heaved a great sigh. “You really are an observant one. That’s exactly what I think.”
He buried his head in hands before speaking once more. “I’m only going to tell you this because I’ve had too much to drink, but in addition to your father, Achernar, I had another younger brother. He passed away before the age of twenty, so no one ever talks about him. That brother of mine was a carefree playboy who shunned hard work and was devoid of any royal qualities. Your father, on the other hand, was a very respectable man, and as for me, well, I somehow managed to scrape by. I was amazed at just how different we could be despite being raised in the same environment.”
He moved the hand covering his face down just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his eyes, which were intently watching me as he continued.
“My three boys remind me of my hedonistic brother. Of course, blood doesn’t determine everything about a person’s nature, so I’d hoped things might turn out differently if I raised them right. In Vega’s case, I was incredibly strict. I tried to be lavish with praise when it came to Capella, and for Rigel, my educational approach was to allow him to pursue whatever he wanted. But in the end, they all turned out the same.”
I could read between the lines of what he was trying to say. All three of his sons had big egos, avoided hard work at all costs, and were easily annoyed by trivial matters. It was difficult to believe any of them had what it took to be the next king.
“Sirius, I want you to know there are only two people in here right now: an uncle and his nephew. There’s no need to mince words or try and protect anyone’s feelings. I just need to know how I can instill a mindset and attitude befitting of royalty in those three.”
“It ultimately hinges on their self-awareness and drive, but there might be a catalyst that fuels that motivation…”
“And what might that be…?”
The king appeared eager as he awaited my response, so I made a single suggestion.
“Perhaps if they were put into precarious circumstances…”
“What do you mean?!” The king spluttered, his eyes blinking rapidly at the unexpected proposal.
“If the princes found themselves in a life-threatening situation and discovered that all their privileges were useless, they might be motivated to alter their mindset, or at least realize their shortcomings. The drive to survive is a strong motivator. In fact, many of the knights who are nearly slain on the battlefield end up turning over new leaves.”
I had witnessed knights whose lives were saved at the last moment, and the difference in how seriously they approached battle from then on was like night and day.
“Hmm…indeed… It’s quite a drastic measure, but perhaps that’s exactly what those three need,” the king sighed.
Yet, not a moment later, he looked at me with renewed vigor and began to heap on the praise. “By the way, Sirius, you seem even more dashing and gallant lately. I heard the Handsome Chief Duke book that was based on you has become a bestseller. They say the female readers have become obsessed with you after making the connection between you and the duke! It’s easy to see why you’re so popular, given how capable you are!”
The king only praised me like this when he wanted something, and considering how thick he was laying it on today…
I cautiously placed the glass I was holding on the table. Just as I expected, the king flashed me a smile before inquiring, “Sirius, might I trouble you for a favor?”