The governing body of Albion was run not like a constitutional monarchy, despite its similarities to a nation that Marilyn knew in her previous life, the homeland of her first ever friend. In fact, its government held more similarities to the rebel nation that broke out of that country, the supposed land of the free.
Meaning, it ran on something equivalent to the presidential system, with the exception of the fact that instead of presidents, it would be the royal family.
And to expand further upon that, the system that the Kingdom of Albion ran under would be deemed in this world as an ‘Executive Monarchy’, different from an Absolute Monarchy, all because of the existence of the legislative body that was the Royal Council.
The Royal Council as a congressional building was located near the Royal Palace, an elaborate building of marble and stone built thousands of years ago and maintained ever since through magic. It had historical and deep significance to the nation, and could be considered as an integral part of the kingdom's very culture.
When feudalism was still in place, the Royal Council was exclusively a place where all the lords, dukes, and other noblemen would gather to discuss the governance of the kingdom with the ruling monarch. But ever since the fall of that system, it has changed quite a bit.
The council was now split into two parts, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The former would be composed of and represent the common people, voted into the council from each region’s very population. And outside of proposing and passing laws like the other House, they held the exclusive power to maintain the budget of the nation.
The House of Lords meanwhile would be composed of the nobles, or Lords, that governed the regions of the kingdom. They were fewer in number compared to the House of Commons but held stronger votes individually, meaning the balance between the two houses would mostly be kept because of it.
Both possessed the right to pass legislations, but in order for them to be passed they have to be approved by both parties. Meaning none could pass laws without the other agreeing.
This would be where the main drama lies, for the House of Lords held the majority opinion that they must force the Queen to resign, all due to her attempts in checking the monopoly of the Lords over the economy. For they had been supposedly trying to reinstate a neo-feudalistic dynamic between the socioeconomic classes, undermining the vision the monarch had for the nation's prosperity.
For them to have a majority control over the nation's economy and still holding this kind of political power was of a great concern in the Queen's eyes. And despite the majority of the Lords having the opinion of opposing the royal family, the House of Commons went against these Lords and supported her.
Moreover, the situation regarding these assassinations and political conspiracies had further impacted the nation's pace of governance and rule. It made the situation for the common people even worse and tense as time went on.
“Quite the hour this shall be…”
Those were the thoughts of a particular man, sitting on his lonesome by his seat upon this council hall. It was an hour before this next meeting, so dozens of his peers from both Houses had gathered, awaiting for the Queen to arrive upon her throne, as well as the rest of the royal family upon theirs.
He could sense the tension in the air, especially since the entire country was reminded of the tragedy that befell the royal family recently.
The attempted assassination of the second princess—an attack meant to inspire fear and force the current monarch to either step down or abandon her husband's agendas—was that particular event.
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That was quite the conspiracy, the next part in the scheme that started with the death of the late King, around more than a decade ago. And he was…delighted.
“Such a bollocks attempt…but at least one part of it succeeded. One third.”
Alistair Draven said to himself those words, sighing within his own mind. The Duke of Velmetia, which lay far east from Leandon, in the eastern coast of this nation.
Despite the careful planning, despite the distributions, despite the support of many other peers that wanted this, the killing of the second princess failed all the same.
In fact, currently the status of the tool that they used was currently missing. They could not confirm her status as being alive or not. Even their colleagues in the secret service could not do so. Therefore it was a rather odd scenario for them.
He had his theories, but most of them fell flat, meaning there was truly only one answer to this.
“Alden…”
He glanced upwards, turning his blonde-haired head to the balconies overlooking this circular and lavish space. The place where the observers of this meeting could watch the proceedings of the council's decision making. Aside from just the Royal Academy, the High Priests of the Western Pantheon Churches were also here, as well as those people that were part of other specific organisations that were granted this position too.
They held no political power here, but there was no reason for their influence to still not be apparent outside of it. He was well aware of that.
His blue eyes glared at the eye-patched man above, who seemed to be conversing with one of the professors of the academy, black and white in both hair and eye-colour.
Such annoyance his mind had experienced, and he speculated that this headmaster had planned something up for this meeting. Fortunately, he did suspect that prior to this, weeks beforehand, so he would indeed have a plan to counteract it potentially.
He would not let the Queen have her way with how the Lords act for themselves. For that encroaches upon their freedom to act as they please within law, ever since the abolishment of their right to have vassals and subjects. He would not let anyone have their way against whatever the Lords wished.
They could already have their way through votes, so why even bother knocking them down multiple more pegs?
Those merchants and corporations held monopolies themselves. Yet somehow the Lords were at fault for doing the same? Such tyranny and stupidity dumbfounded him, truly.
He sighed heavily at that absurd notion. Whatever law that shall be proposed, he and those who follow him would not let it slide towards the support of the Queen.
He would not let her win. He would not let her have this. He did not care if he were to be accused of being power-hungry, for that was simply how the world works in his eyes, and for many others like him too.
“Ah, there they are.”
He called out quietly, glancing down as he heard the announcement for the arrival of the Queen. He stood up, so too did the others inside, as that woman and her family walked from the opened door, escorted by the knights.
The red carpet that led to the thrones that sat upon the pedestal was nothing short of high-quality, soft yet firm. And the footsteps that those royals took upon said carpet were elaborately practised to maintain that quality for them as well. They were all beautiful in their own ways, yet Alistair still felt resentment for them all the same.
It wouldn't take long until those four people sat on their thrones. The Queen herself solemnly overlooked the vacant throne next to her afterwards, one that would have belonged to the King if he were here.
And after the same song and dance were done to let the council members to sit down again, Alistair did so too, taking his seat once more. He also noticed the podiums that sat upon the sides of the red carpet briefly, the ones used for those hearings and debates over law.
Whatever debate that shall be had there in this meeting, it wouldn't exactly matter much to him.
He knew of his status of being compromised. As all it took was that one singular moment of failure, and the right person to take advantage and exploit it. That was why he speculated Alden had done so too, because he would be the kind of person to do such a thing.
No matter, for whatever he may have planned up, he would counter with quite the final act of his scheme. Entrapment or not, this plan of his shall be executed no matter what.