05-07-2025, 01:35 AM
Masquerade of a Guilty Bishop.
December 25th, 5654
Johnston, Baltusia
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Roselyn Jennings served in the Royal People's National Convention since the RPP formed. She's been entirely loyal to it. Especially loyal to her friends within the RPP. Madyson Skinner, the current secretary of the RPP was her friend. A dear one, but one could say Jennings was a snake. Some days, that would be more true than other days. Today was one of those days. Skinner had called an emergency session of the RPNC earlier this week to determine a new direction for the party. It took all of her strength to not call the change what it was. Treason. Going against the EPSA. Empowering the King. Everyone was a monarchist, but not an absolutist. It wasn't just a shift in policy. It was a change in allegiance. Away from prosperity, stability and democracy. It was madness. And everyone in the RPNC ate it up.
But what hurt the most was that it came from Skinner. They've been through thick and thin. The godmother of Skinner's son, celebrated birthdays, celebrated bills that passed. She knew Skinner. She knew Skinner was loyal to democracy. Or she was. She was infuriated. Not at Skinner. But at herself. How could she have let this happen? Let Skinner fall to extremism? Jennings slouched on her chair. The softness of the chair doing little to calm her nerves. She didn't like this. Not one bit. Sure, she thought to herself. Merridan has some flaws. He's no saint. But no one is. The man was shot at for crying out loud. Getting rid of the EPSA is too dangerous. Empowering the King was a bridge too far. Jennings could've spoken up. She should've. But the entire RPNC would've outvoted her. And she knew that. Ever since that day, a thought had been gnawing at the back of her head. Her time in Congress gave her friends across the aisle. She knew someone who could get in touch with the Royal Security Bureau. The thought horrified her. This was her friend, Skinner, and her colleagues in the RPNC. But. The idea has merits. She couldn't deny that.
She slowly started to get up from the chair and towards her work desk, and opened up her laptop. She reasoned to herself that it was for the greater good. Besides, she knew that friend. She could convince him to make sure the RSB is merciful to Skinner. The rest of the RPNC? She could really care less. As she typed out the draft of the email, she wanted to make it seem like all that was needed was just a warning. But Baltusia didn't have that time. It needed action. Bold action. She felt guilty as she kept typing. She wasn't saving Baltuisa. She wasn't Merridan. She wasn't sure if this was saving the party from absolutism, or betrayal of Skinner. She didn't like either thought.
Surely. Surely it was for the greater good. The RSB would smooth things over. Jennings would become Secretary of the party and keep it loyal to democracy. No one she cared about would have to get hurt. She rationalized that to herself. So much so that she tried to emphasize the need for making sure Skinner isn't harmed in the email by the RSB. Before she knew it, the email was done and ready to be spent. Her finger hovering over the send key. One button was all she had to press. The fate of the RPP was essentially in her hands. It was extreme, yes. But so was being an absolutist. Her heart kept pounding. What if they did hurt Skinner? What if the RSB failed? What if it went wrong? She closed her eyes and gently pressed down. It was done. It was sent.
She leaned back a bit. She actually did it. She didn't do this to advance her career. She didn't do it out of spite. She didn't do it to hurt anyone. She was doing it to save the Kingdoms democracy. At least, that's what she told herself constantly. Before she could try to take deep breaths, her phone buzzed. She flipped it over and turned it on. A text from Skinner. "Hey, can we talk? I know you had some concerns about the recent meeting and I wanted to clear the air with you. Coffee tomorrow?" All Jennings could do was stare at the screen. Stare at the text. She gulped, and replied. It didn't matter now. She made her move to save democracy. She just had to keep playing along and hope for the best.
December 25th, 5654
Johnston, Baltusia
-----------------------
Roselyn Jennings served in the Royal People's National Convention since the RPP formed. She's been entirely loyal to it. Especially loyal to her friends within the RPP. Madyson Skinner, the current secretary of the RPP was her friend. A dear one, but one could say Jennings was a snake. Some days, that would be more true than other days. Today was one of those days. Skinner had called an emergency session of the RPNC earlier this week to determine a new direction for the party. It took all of her strength to not call the change what it was. Treason. Going against the EPSA. Empowering the King. Everyone was a monarchist, but not an absolutist. It wasn't just a shift in policy. It was a change in allegiance. Away from prosperity, stability and democracy. It was madness. And everyone in the RPNC ate it up.
But what hurt the most was that it came from Skinner. They've been through thick and thin. The godmother of Skinner's son, celebrated birthdays, celebrated bills that passed. She knew Skinner. She knew Skinner was loyal to democracy. Or she was. She was infuriated. Not at Skinner. But at herself. How could she have let this happen? Let Skinner fall to extremism? Jennings slouched on her chair. The softness of the chair doing little to calm her nerves. She didn't like this. Not one bit. Sure, she thought to herself. Merridan has some flaws. He's no saint. But no one is. The man was shot at for crying out loud. Getting rid of the EPSA is too dangerous. Empowering the King was a bridge too far. Jennings could've spoken up. She should've. But the entire RPNC would've outvoted her. And she knew that. Ever since that day, a thought had been gnawing at the back of her head. Her time in Congress gave her friends across the aisle. She knew someone who could get in touch with the Royal Security Bureau. The thought horrified her. This was her friend, Skinner, and her colleagues in the RPNC. But. The idea has merits. She couldn't deny that.
She slowly started to get up from the chair and towards her work desk, and opened up her laptop. She reasoned to herself that it was for the greater good. Besides, she knew that friend. She could convince him to make sure the RSB is merciful to Skinner. The rest of the RPNC? She could really care less. As she typed out the draft of the email, she wanted to make it seem like all that was needed was just a warning. But Baltusia didn't have that time. It needed action. Bold action. She felt guilty as she kept typing. She wasn't saving Baltuisa. She wasn't Merridan. She wasn't sure if this was saving the party from absolutism, or betrayal of Skinner. She didn't like either thought.
Surely. Surely it was for the greater good. The RSB would smooth things over. Jennings would become Secretary of the party and keep it loyal to democracy. No one she cared about would have to get hurt. She rationalized that to herself. So much so that she tried to emphasize the need for making sure Skinner isn't harmed in the email by the RSB. Before she knew it, the email was done and ready to be spent. Her finger hovering over the send key. One button was all she had to press. The fate of the RPP was essentially in her hands. It was extreme, yes. But so was being an absolutist. Her heart kept pounding. What if they did hurt Skinner? What if the RSB failed? What if it went wrong? She closed her eyes and gently pressed down. It was done. It was sent.
She leaned back a bit. She actually did it. She didn't do this to advance her career. She didn't do it out of spite. She didn't do it to hurt anyone. She was doing it to save the Kingdoms democracy. At least, that's what she told herself constantly. Before she could try to take deep breaths, her phone buzzed. She flipped it over and turned it on. A text from Skinner. "Hey, can we talk? I know you had some concerns about the recent meeting and I wanted to clear the air with you. Coffee tomorrow?" All Jennings could do was stare at the screen. Stare at the text. She gulped, and replied. It didn't matter now. She made her move to save democracy. She just had to keep playing along and hope for the best.
"Yet I am here, and here I shall remain to behold the world in all it's beauty"
"The world is but a stage. Why cry, when you can laugh instead? For laughter is humanity's preserve. Laugh it all off, fret not, Let's just enjoy the moment."
"The world is but a stage. Why cry, when you can laugh instead? For laughter is humanity's preserve. Laugh it all off, fret not, Let's just enjoy the moment."