So it is done: Tiresome kingship (Patreon)

Jonathan made his way from his office straight to exit, passing by the reception area. Passing by the receptionist, who had met his gaze, she smiled, instantly catching the invisible meaning of his actions. “Should I reschedule the remaining appointments for today to a later date?”

“Who exactly is left for today?” Jonathan's mind was preoccupied with a multitude of thoughts, even if he were at his best, there was no way for Jonathan to remember all the multitude of meetings and events that he had to attend, hold or react to. Even if a King’s time is expensive, there are many people that can afford it, and things that he has to buy with it.

“A three o'clock meeting is scheduled regarding the approval of the budget for the new experimental settlement within Glenn borders.” The receptionist, one that had been working with Jonathan for her second year now, answered Jonathan’s question quickly as she ran her eyes over Jonathan's day planner. As well as doing that, she was also searching for a time block where she could move the schedule to, after all she was quite used to it.

It’s hardly the first time when she has to move a meeting or two, as a king, Jonathan was always busy dealing with problems as they arise, or to prevent them altogether. A flexible day plan, after all, kept Jonathan from completely being overworked.

More than he already is, at least.

“At five o'clock, Raven Branwen is giving a routine report regarding the progress of the peacekeeping mission around Mantle. There’s also another, a general report about Glenn’s by the Prime Minister, and at seven o'clock, an interview with Mr. Remedy.”

Right, Raven is giving a report, the Prime Minister as well and Mr. Remedy is… who’s that?

Seeing the confused look on Jonathan’s face, the secretary quickly added an explanation. “A news and talk show host on Channel Three, a journalist who won the previous Royal Award in the Journalism and Media Broadcasting category. You gave him permission to pre-shoot a documentary about your biography.” Befitting his high station, Jonathan had become acquainted with a lot of people, names that he has a hard time remembering.

“Ah, that one.” Jonathan frowned, tracing his finger across the bridge of his nose as he recalled the events of the past few weeks.

Indeed, after hours of deliberation and juxtaposition of facts, Jonathan eventually decided to acquiesce to his PR office demand of making a biography. The representative argued that they should use the documentary to maintain his reputation, not that he needed it within Glenn's sphere of influence. But there’s a grain of truth there, there’s a demand for his story, just as there was a need to make sure that the true story gets scrubbed from the history of the world thoroughly.

He might as well be proactive and write that ‘truth’ himself.

Besides, it’s not like the actual truth would be believable at all. After all, how could he write something like appearing in Atlas from another world entirely, slipping from the space between worlds into this one?

Indeed, after much negotiation, he had agreed to today's date for the interview where he would tell his ‘life’ story. In the event that he refused today, though, Remedy's team would need to wade through the red tape once again to secure an interview. Probably finding a spot a month or so from now.

That is if he didn’t cancel it again, his schedule is packed to the brim after all, and crises don’t really have the courtesy of making appointments… So, what to do?

“Let Raven and the Prime Minister submit their reports in writing, I'll read with them a little later, and be back at the workplace at about five p.m. The interview will proceed as planned," Jonathan said after a few seconds of reflection, then he hummed mirthlessly.

Rest is now the only luxury we cannot afford…

After another moment, observing a quick nod of his head, the secretary turned to her monitor, quickly typing out the information she needed to inform the rest of Jonathan’s staff. Seeing his secretary absorbed by her work, Jonathan turned around, and leaning on his cane, now out of habit rather than necessity, walked towards the exit of his office.

Naturally, the first thing that greeted him was the gaze of one of the RATS agents assigned to him. To be precise, one of the people in the unit dealing with his security, while the guard’s partner continued to look ahead. At any given time, his guards had to control as much of his surroundings as possible, so Jonathan paid no attention to the fact that one of the guards didn't even seem to notice his appearance. Jonathan has become used to it.

“To the Academy.” Jonathan uttered, causing one of the guards to talk to his communicator, passing the information on further down the chain, while the other moved to the front, Jonathan simply moving on before smiling slightly. Naturally, in order to ensure his personal safety, he had to report his every move to his personal guards, and naturally in advance. It was a simple procedure to make sure that his guards wouldn't go crazy trying to determine his location as they prepared a suitable path and escort for him.

In a sense, Jonathan felt as if he had returned to a time back in his childhood, having to report to his guardian on his own plans. That is, unless his 'guardians' at the moment were arranging to overthrow the government of some outside state themselves, then, his movements would be even more restricted…

Couldn't the Old Man do that?

Jonathan slowed his step for a moment, as an intrusive thought appeared, shuffling the sole of his shoe slightly on the ground before continuing on his way, tapping his cane gently to the rhythm of his steps. There was nothing compulsory or important at the Academy at the moment, exams and graduation – Glenn Academy's first graduation, that is, were due in a month and a half. There were still about two weeks to go before the main workload of the academy teachers would reach ‘insane’ levels, something that he was familiar with as the headmaster of the Academy.

Jonathan even thought of lending a hand as he watched the teachers seemingly losing their heads during the last semester’s exams.

Though, even as the Headmaster of the Academy, Jonathan didn’t really have to do all that work, he simply didn’t have the time. Perhaps it was simply out of nostalgia, or a more mundane reason as to find someone that might have talent in the more occult arts, so Jonathan periodically taught some classes at the Academy.

Even with his busy schedule, Jonathan wanted to spend more time at the academy – there, Jonathan found…  A kind of solace. Somehow, sitting in the headmaster's chair, Jonathan felt a little freer, breathed a little easier and looked at the world with a slightly more optimistic outlook than when he was in his own office.

Because the title of headmaster of an academy, even a Hunters’ Academy, is disproportionately less than that of king and ruler.

Even just sitting in his office, Jonathan could take a bit of a break from his study, his personal workshop is a thought away, studying the nature of magic and creating formulas, pentagrams, and blueprints was calming. Furthermore, the proximity of Cinder and Neo in the halls of the Academy, right now passing through the remainder of their schedule before the end of their training, helped Jonathan even when there was no logical reason to do so.

So none of his guards or driver cast a second glance at Jonathan as he approached the waiting vehicle, as it headed to the Academy. Perhaps, however, it was not that everyone around Jonathan was used to his routine, but that he was still King of Glenn, and that it’s not their place to gainsay him. Or maybe the truth, as it so often happens, was somewhere in the middle.

So, as Jonathan settled a little more comfortably in his seat, resting his head on the padded seat, the car gently moved off, as if trying with all its might to carry Jonathan away from the monarch's so tiresome seat.

If only it were that easy…

***

Classes passed Cinder by in a blur, the lecture, and teachers’ lessons blending into a single gray mass, in which it was extremely difficult to distinguish individual moments. However, for all Cinder's uniqueness, at least in this case she wasn't unique at all.

For all future Hunters approaching their Final exam, the days whizzing by before it had long ago ceased not only to be something unusual. Their days, having turned into a routine, ceased to be something that occupied their mind when graduation nears.

Perhaps it was simply because the students had found some self-confidence, after all they had passed all the other exams where the teachers, under the watchful eyes of the King, would not hesitate to fail students. Being the ‘final’ exams, anyone that even has a chance of failing had already failed years before. This was primarily because it seemed simply bizarre and silly to expel a student at the end of their education after wasting four years, not to mention the fact that even the most lazy and dim student had been taught at least the minimum level of a Hunter's craft. Or at least had been expelled much earlier.

In other words, the final exam is more of a formality, any of the students that has reached this point, has already passed it.

So unlike all previous exams, there was a relaxed atmosphere among the students before the final exams, transforming the classes from, properly speaking, classes into a shapeless mass of events to pass the time. This was just as true for Cinder as it was for everyone else.

After all, she had gained all the knowledge the academy could provide, and some more, and she was ready to get on with her duties. For her, the classes had simply turned into a time waster… She, for instance, could be using this time to help Jonathan.

And that's why her gaze, seeking any distraction from the ongoing monotony, so easily caught the sight of the car flashing outside the window, and instantly identified it as Jonathan's. Although the car itself was not a unique model, and was devoid of the outward signs of a diplomatic motorcade, like the flags or the official Glenn insignia used at official events, there were no cars like it.

There are not many cars in Glenn with triple reinforced tires, windows as armored as a battleship, with equally reinforced bodywork. Cinder was certain, both, that the cars belonging to her and Neo were still parked at home, and that no representative of the other state's ruling circles had snuck into Glenn without previous notice of a visit. If not an official visit, at least one that Cinder would have known about.

Besides, in the current situation, Jonathan was the only one motivated to show up at the Academy. Cinder was familiar with the fact that, in those moments when the weight of his crown tired him out especially, he usually preferred to retreat to the Academy to recover some of his strength. Especially if Cinder or Neo could not be there for him at that moment.

The realization that Jonathan was suddenly a little closer to Cinder at this moment in time, however insignificant it might have been, could not help but cause a little joyful warmth to bloom inside Cinder's chest. The realization of what the fact that Jonathan had decided to leave his workplace to visit the Academy meant, however, reverberated in Cinder's heart with heartache.

There was nothing scary or so dangerous about getting a little respite, as much as Cinder wanted to protect Jonathan from the whole world that was alternately threatening Jonathan and promising him unimaginable rewards, it was impossible. Such was the nature of this world. Even a great wizard and a powerful ruler needed to sleep, eat, take time off at the call of nature and occasionally let his mind rest.

Even the most urgent of all services, and Jonathan's place at the head of Glenn was the most urgent of all, could not let one ignore one’s needs for long. Firefighters, police and doctors, did not work every second of the day. A day, sometimes even two or, for the most desperate and insane, three consecutive days of service, one’s bodies would simply break down, needing to get their eventual rest after hours of work. That was why such jobs made their workers work in shifts, allowing rest days in between gruelling work.

But such a thing was impossible for Jonathan, no one else could take his place.

He was therefore forced to spend his time at work, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. He must be ready at every second to act on any surprise event, even at four in the morning.

And no magic in the world could force a crisis to be so gracious as to allow Jonathan the opportunity to have even a cup of coffee. The minute he spent sipping on the warm beverage could mean the difference in a failed rebellion, or a town being destroyed by Grimm. Or even something more exotic and incredible like a meteorite falling and Brothers descending back to Remnant.

Of course, Jonathan needed his rest. Either hours of quiet soothing experimentation or simply unbothered sleep when the world was gracious enough to allow such luxury. Even just seconds to rest his eyes or breathe deeply was an indulgence on particularly busy days.

So Jonathan's appearance on the Academy's doorstep only meant two things. The good, that at least for the moment his current workday allowed him to carve out a couple of hours to rest. And the bad, that he required this distraction in the first place, which in turn meant that Jonathan, the workaholic that he is, was tired enough to need a rest.

Identifying the cause of his fatigue in the current situation was, however, not difficult.

Ghira Belladonna… More specifically, his fate.

Cinder pressed the corners of her lips together before glancing at the instructor, who was still mechanically muttering, no more interested in the class at the moment than the future Hunters. After pondering on what she could do for a few moments, Cinder quietly dumped her textbooks into her briefcase, locked and secured with the best protection money can buy and some that can’t. She then silently rose from her desk and walked quietly away from the classroom, to which the teacher, who had naturally noticed her actions, took no action, neither did the students.

After all, Cinder the King of Glenn's daughter, and excluding even that fact, a person who attended class simply out of courtesy. Cinder had long ago decided on her future after her graduation, her grades and academic reputation were so unshakable that it was far easier for the Academy to simply ignore her little breaches of academic ethics.

It was Cinder Fall, what did it matter what she did, is it worth potentially earning her ire, or worse the King’s? Or was it the other way around?

Cinder's gaze slid over the disinterested students and professors as she started leaving the class, before stopping for a moment as she ran into Neo’s raised eyebrow. Neo didn’t need to voice out her question, the siblings had long worked out what the other was thinking without it. At the unasked question, whether Cinder needed support now and if Neo needed to go along with her, Cinder answered with a negative.

Of course, unlike Cinder, whose actions were mostly ignored due to the fact that her academic excellence serves as a bludgeon, Neo's more lackluster achievement in that regard, would have attracted the attention of the teachers. But when had Neo ever cared about discipline and rules? Moreover, albeit one with less academic achievements than Cinder, Neo could still pull out of class if necessary.

Perhaps to make up for her lacking scores in the more academic subjects, Neo made up for it in the practicals, only Cinder had any chance of winning against Neo in the sparring field. Of course, even without that, Neo is also another of Jonathan’s daughters, so she has some special privileges as well. That and earning Neo’s ire would have painful consequences, a quick one as well.

No one wanted to risk that, especially at the moment, when it seemed most of the students could leave the classroom without the care of the instructor.

However, as Cinder responded with a negative, Neo sank back into her semi-comatose state of listening to her lecturer's lecture. Without anyone barring her way, Cinder made her way out of the classroom, and with quick but calm and confident steps headed further down the corridor. After all, she knew very well the location of Jonathan's private study in the Academy, and she knew very well that Jonathan would be there.

The rare faculty and students she encountered on her way, however, did not even raise an eyebrow at her, long accustomed to Cinder's actions. And so, after only a few minutes of fast but measured steps, Cinder arrived at the perfectly normal looking door barring the way to Jonathan’s office. Observing its reinforced lacquered wood, as well as two RATS agents trying to look inconspicuous in their current circumstances, guarding Jonathan's peace, but certainly doing so quite unsuccessfully.

The looking inconspicuous part, Cinder would flay alive any RATS agents that failed in the smallest way in guarding Jonathan. Still, it was difficult for Cinder to imagine who in the place of these agents would not look suspicious, guarding a door with their bodies.

The RATS agents did not raise an eyebrow when Cinder appeared, long accustomed to seeing her around Jonathan all the time. How could they not after all these years, but the protocols in their job were called ‘mandatory’ because they were mandatory at all times, even with someone familiar. With Semblances being what they are, a familiar face is perhaps the worst thing to be relaxed against.

Of course, the relaxation of Jonathan's personal security was unacceptable at any time, they had already allowed the Amber problem once, and that was unacceptable. They had been diligent in carrying out their duties ever since. They had been especially zealous after the occasion when, as a result of a six-month repeat of a routine, Cinder had managed to convince Jonathan's guards to let her pass without the bevy of checks and safety procedures.

After which she had personally demanded that the guards who had let her in be fired and put a permanent mark on their files for ‘unreliability’, ‘neglect of duty’ and ‘gross violation of safety with potentially fatal consequences’. Frankly, Cinder initially wanted to instantly send those guards to court for ‘high treason’ and be executed.

But Jonathan, after a long conversation with her, and a lot of coaxing, did manage to win a compromise with her. And so, rather than having their names written in the history books as the worst scum of Glenn, they simply had unflattering notes added to their personnel file, and a transfer to administrative positions with a year-long probationary period. Cinder still didn't think this was an appropriate punishment, but she decided not to challenge Jonathan's decision after all.

After all, she was simply physically incapable of disagreeing with Jonathan, even on such things. Had anything happened to Jonathan though… She made sure that those RATS agents didn’t forget what she would do to them.

The other RATS agents, having learned from the example of their comrades that there’s no such thing as excessive fanaticism in the performance of their duties, had since remembered Cinder's instruction. And so her appearance in front of Jonathan’s office did not cause the guards to raise an eyebrow, as they acted according to protocol.

Cinder herself, being aware of the protocol, after declaring her identity and purpose in visiting Jonathan, simply answered the security questions with ease. Without showing any reaction whether Cinder’s answers were correct, one of the guards knocked on the door, and entered the office after a muffled noise of assent from behind it. Closing the door behind him, the RATS agent entered, while his partner kept watch over Cinder with his weapon readied.

Cinder nodded to herself, it was passable. The RATS agent shouldn't’ve shown any inkling that he was pointing his weapon at Cinder, but other than that, it was passable.

A short moment later, and after some muffled, and seemingly distracted words from Jonathan, the RATS agent that had left earlier soon reappeared. Nodding towards her, the RATS agent gave Cinder permission to move, allowing Cinder to go inside to see Jonathan, finding him in exactly the state she expected.

His attention did not even turn towards her, he was busy looking at some notebooks, writing utensils in hand, passionately drawing some symbols on one of the sheets.

Seeing Jonathan so excited, without even a hint of the usual stresses on him, Cinder couldn’t help but ask, breaking the silence previously only occupied by the sound of a pen scratching paper.

“The prototype of the artificial dust?”

Jonathan, distracted from his calculations for a moment, frowned for a second, as if trying to figure out what exactly Cinder meant by coming back from his thoughts to reality, before nodding. "Yeah. The first experimental setup was a success, but there's still a lot of work to be done to bring it to any kind of industrial scale.”

“I imagine,” Cinder made her way over to Jonathan's desk, glancing over the spreadsheets, half crossed out, half unfinished, and all scribbled with a lot of stamps and markings. However, despite Cinder's desire to hear from Jonathan all about his work and hobbies, she hadn't come here for that after all. And so, after walking in a small arc around the desk, where Jonathan, slightly at a loss as he continued tapping his finger on a nearby sheet, pensive about the mysteries of techno magic engineering. After one last glance at Jonathan’s furrowed brows, Cinder made her way to the standing kettle and began to prepare tea. “Green without sugar?”

“Yeah,” Jonathan nodded before returning to reality again, frowning his eyebrows. “Are you skipping classes again?”

“Only when it doesn't lead to a deterioration in my grades or my knowledge,” Cinder replied honestly, glancing over at the papers again. Unfortunately, Jonathan’s 'rest' was simply a change in his type of work. And as laudable as this approach was from an employee's perspective, from a human perspective, Jonathan's rest was unacceptably stressful to count as one.

And so, Cinder had made it her holy mission to help Jonathan in these moments, to make sure he was actually resting. “Have you seen Lisa Lavender's interview with Mr. Rosemary yet? What was your reaction?”

Jonathan slightly grinned as an image appeared in his head, causing Cinder to crack a smile at the fact that she was able to dispel the clouds over Jonathan's soul a little. “It was indeed… A fascinating interview.”

Lisa Lavender, a survivor of the night in Mantle that brought with it the rapid change in Remnant's geopolitical situation, announced months ago that she was finishing work on her ‘magnum opus’. It was a sensational investigative journalism piece, an analysis of the ‘Fall of Atlas’, using interviews with Glenn officers, prominent members of the Mantle Liberation Front, and even escaping Atlas offices in her work.

Lisa Lavender had promised a scoop, a piece that would turn heads and sell papers, and she certainly delivered. Even just with her subject of work, and given that the situation surrounding the fall of Atlas was itself quite controversial, such a statement certainly frayed Jonathan's nerves.

What did Lisa Lavender have to say? Had she received information about the poisoning of Robyn Hill? About the death of Ironwood? What if even information that Glenn had long been preparing their forces for a rush to capture Mantle were to be distributed? Sure that last one might not be much of a scandal, the oncoming Civil War in Atlas was not exactly a secret, a simple excuse like ‘Glenn were simply prepared to act to defend Mantle’ would work.

So when Lisa Lavender's sensational news piece came out, Cinder and Jonathan were watching it with bated breath.

It turns out that Glenn’s soldiers… were killing Atlas' soldiers! What's more, Adam Taurus died under mysterious circumstances! And, horribly, Glenn’s army that had entered Mantle originally knew the location of the Mantle Liberation Front's forces! What's more, it turns out that Glenn had long possessed teleportation technology, kept secret only to be used by the most classified units!

Moreover, think about it, perhaps King Jonathan was not a Hunter at all and did not possess a semblance, with all his previous achievements only possible thanks to this technology, not to his powerful semblance at all!

After weeks of intense anticipation and contemplation, such a truly ‘unbelievable’ news caused Cinder nothing but joyful relief and, judging by Jonathan's own reaction, from him too.

“It was indeed an… Amazing news piece.” Jonathan grinned widened a bit, before it quickly was hidden as he received the mug from Cinder's hands, which she could only congratulate herself on her successful effort to dispel Jonathan's dark thoughts, at least for a while. However, there was no point stopping at just one success, so Cinder went on talking, "Neo has officially received permission from the RATS, by the way. About the internship as a bodyguard.”

“Yes, I've already seen the report," Jonathan took a sip, after which Cinder took one herself from her mug, "I took a look at her possible mentors, apparently the RATS really went to great lengths. A colonel…  Although that was to be expected.”

“The King's daughter and the future head of his personal guard, naturally they had to work hard.” Cinder gazed into Jonathan's eyes, trying to see if her conversation was helping him, and it was indeed helping. Gradually, Jonathan's mind drifted away from his unhappy thoughts, whereupon Cinder took a sip from her mug and set it aside before making her way over to Jonathan and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pressing her body against his.

As Cinder picked up Jonathan’s quickened heartbeat, Cinder was very happy at her victory, the time spent exercising and maintaining her figure had borne its fruits. Her figure had long matured, no longer one that belongs to a teenager, instead one of a young woman’s. So, if she had pressed her breast on Jonathan’s back more, it was simply out of a desire to distract Jonathan from his stressful thoughts, and perhaps to one that is more heart-thumping in another way.

“I'm so jealous that she'll be around you all the time…”  Cinder said in a hot whisper in Jonathan's ear, feeling his muscle move as he shrugged his shoulder, causing a shiver of pleasure to run through her body, making her wanting more. Sadly, Cinder hadn't gotten to her most cherished prize yet, in fact she had no problem with Neo being around Jonathan, not at all concerned about her position in Jonathan's life, not feeling threatened by Neo for that matter. But if her goal was simply to distract Jonathan, then this kind of talk worked just as well.

Especially since no one, neither Cinder nor Jonathan himself, even tried to pretend as if their relationship was not moving in the same direction. Maybe it would happen in the next day or next year, it was hard to say, but it was easy to say that it would happen eventually.

Jonathan, however, without responding verbally to Cinder’s actions, placed his hands on hers, then pulled them slightly, shifting Cinder's face next to his, and kissing the girl on the lips.

There was silence in the office for a dozen seconds, interrupted only by the measured breathing of the two, before Jonathan broke the kiss first, pulling away slightly, and Cinder’s expression bloomed into a smile of a woman in love.

“Envy definitely decreased, but not for long… Perhaps one more would do the trick?”

And Jonathan, smirking at those words, answered Cinder in the best of possible ways, at least for a moment, distracted from his sad musings.