Chapter 1: Hate or Love em

"So, you're telling me...my whole family died when the rebels carpet bombed the capital" I tried to stand but stumbled a bit before fully coming to my feet. The farmer's filthy little hovel was at least blocking the sun...I felt Dennis tense as I creased a damp spot in my grey shirt that came off a rusty crimson color.

"Huck!" I felt the cold slap before the sound waves pierced my hung-over ears. " you–okay listen i am not in the right mindset to explain why your nonplussed attitude is wildly concerning..." Dennis was a strange guy–Tall but portly, yet you could tell he was frail from how upturned his pig nose always was. "Do you even hear yourself?!"

I could barely hear anything but the ringing of his shrill voice...that and the photons psychosomatically deafening everything around me. "You act like I'M the one who ordered the strike." I began dusting off my dark-colored pants.

My eyes followed his as he tried to stare me down. His large mouth opened for a moment wordless before speaking. "...YOU act as if you are not the acting leader of Buriti Vasca ITSELF!"

There's no fucking way my WHOLE family was dead after one incident. The rebels had been running frequent attacks since they took over the airport last month.

"My father?" I bet that mean one-eyed bastard was still kicking.

"Burnt to a crisp saving your mother"

"My mother and sister then?"

"The rebels had fake ambulances stationed for the survivors...."

"Just stop giving me some goddamn call and response and tell me how the fuck im the only surviving royal in this whole shitty state?" I normally tried to have some sort of heir of authority over Dennis but now actually having it didn't seem to matter.

"I am the only one who could find you–not because I take solace in knowing your infamous life style among the dregs of Buriti." He motioned at the blue sky, My eyes felt like they shriveled to tiny nuggets of sin before the light of Jehovah.

"See! You can't even face the people in this state as 4th in line–let alone the new head of state." He attempted to slap me again but I ducked and threw up on his crocodile skin boots my father had gifted him."You sorry little excuse of a–"

He finally must have realized the gravity of everything he said to me as I fell back on my ass in the dirt looking up at my stupid cousin. "Dennis shut the fuck up okay? Can you relax for one second–Your family decided to back mine when we overthrew the colonizers. YOU are next in line right?"

He stuck his chubby gloved hand out to help me up from the ground with an annoying huff. " Your father was meant to coordinate with the council to subvert your direct line to the throne after your sister..."

"Okay so if im correct it is ratified or whatever then–isn't that what the stupid gala was for that no one invited me to?" I felt his grip release me spitefully as I stood face-to-face with Dennis.

"You ignorant little pustule! That's why they bombed the capital all of the council is dead!"

"Oh...Well who's dumbass idea was it to have a coronation during a rebel uprising?!"

He began to make his way to an armored vehicle surrounded by a small troop of royal guards. "It was your mother's idea since the rebels began their assaults when it was announced you'd be next in line" As he attempted to annoy me I noticed Aiko. She was a childhood friend and devoted royal guardsman of my sister and mother–Her normally radiant face was sullen yet she seemed to be too engrossed with her toy soldier routine to acknowledge me.

She stood eye to eye with me nearly a head taller than the average Buritian. Her dark brown eyes were always piercing yet reflective windows into her battle-hardened mind.

"Wait... doesn't that mean there's no more checks and balances until new seats are elected?" I began rushing to the car as a guard opened it almost like it was second nature. "I don't see any reason that we cant meet with the rebels. Give them seats and a voice on the council while we get the old senate power in the lower court systems."

Denis sat quickly into the car as the guards began to pile into the armored creaking vehicle. "ARE YOU CRAZY?! Not only is that wildly dangerous how will the people know who to vote for?!"

"The people don't get a say Dennis...they turned their back on us when they let enemy agents take over our lands...our families, The Soldiers, and even these fucking rebels at least fought for what we thought was right" I felt the mood of the car shifting as the soldiers eyes lit up. "My plan puts an end to the violence and gives us military strength again. We have been fighting a civil war for 14 years–I was 9 years old when they began Dennis. Do you even think about why?"

Dennis swallowed a lump in his throat loudly without a word. "I do–It keeps me up at night. This is'nt a war for our home against invaders...they are our brothers and sisters killing each other over our family's stranglehold over power or lack thereof!"

"What you're proposing would reconfigure the way the nation itself functions and create a massive power imbalance for anyone unwilling to pick up fight or work for your 'cause of peace'" his fingers came up to air quote but I swiftly slapped his hands away. Giving him a taste of what he did to me earlier.

"I'm not proposing im telling you what's going to happen–You will set up a meeting with the rebel leader in the burning rubble of the capital."

"Cousin! You are a mad fucking dog if you think this is a good idea!" He began to sweat as his blue eyes darted around the car. The soldiers seemed to echo my stoicism as they looked on not even reacting to any of the conversation taking place.

"Like I said Dennis I do not care for those who are afraid of getting hurt, I've bided my time drinking and playing mad fool while you and my father galavanted your riches...asked for handouts from foreign countries! You've let the mad Superpower of Svetlan take religious hold in the hearts of our temples!"

"Huck...You never said anything." it must have been a terrible feeling that washed over him as his light brown skin turned pale.

"I turned to the driver of the vehicle slowly while I sat in the backseat; arms folded. "Pull over in this embankment now."

"Sir this is rebel-controlled territory–we are lucky we found you." I did not enjoy the hesitation in this man's voice as he looked at my cousin instead of me.

"I do not think you want to make a habit of telling me no." The car slowed as we pulled into a small side road leading to a tiny impoverished village. The huts along the river were littered with sickly people scraping at anything for food.

I stepped out of the car silently as Aiko walked behind as my shadow; gun at the ready. She spoke in a low tone only two words as we stepped into the clearing. "Say When"

A small boy with an obvious head injury scurried away from me. "Don't run! I'm here to make an announcement i want you to pass on the leader of Cartel Aygu."

My cousin and the driver stepped out attempting to quietly talk amongst themselves. "You all must know my cousin Dennis...He is the man who wanted the money reprinted so my father and he can be like the silly men in the east who do not know the price of gold!" The dirty villagers began the gather angrily at my presence.

"I want to offer them as my peace offering!" My cousin Dennis began to laugh as he put his hand on my shoulder with an unwelcome air of confidence.

"Your new King is simply tired from walking the lands do not–" He put his hands up as the driver began holding his hat to his chest.

"When"

Aiko turned and fired on the driver sending his blood spraying across the red dirt mixing pleasingly as I stood there watching my cousin. She held her rifle unflinching as the only other guard drew his weapon on me. "Oh, you think because this man lines your pockets that I am the one who you should be afraid of?" Aiko's brown finger pulled the trigger once more sending Dennis sprawling out on the floor. Half his frontal lobe now bathed in clay and sunlight in front of me.

Even as the last words left my lips the villagers began using farm tools to cave in the skull of the ill-prepared guard as his screams were hushed by the babbling of the river. I watched as the people used scythes to pluck the man's eyes out, shovels to dig into his abdomen, and small hammers to smash his arms and legs until he was nothing but a motionless pile of blubber and viscera.

"Now tell your Leader i'll be waiting at the capital and if you attempt to attack me...I pray for the next person who stands between me and my countries wellbeing." I walked back to the car as Aiko began to drive away from the scene.