A sharp rapping convulsed me rudely from feverish slumber. With an inaudible groan, I rubbed the haze from my red tired eyes as Aiko's clipped tones pierced through the secure bed-chamber door.

"Twenty minutes to summit departure meeting...Up! NOW!"

I scowled promptly, lingering exhaustion warred with simmering annoyance— was there no dignity afforded even behind closed bunker doors?! Why must I never complete a full night's rest... Twilight grasp had been nothing more but bouts of madness and terror.

Gliding from worn silken sheets, I briefly considered leaving her locked outside before a second round of door assault had me snarling curses. "By Doutros, have you no notion of tolerance, woman! I don't recall promoting you to regal valet..." The barred door muffled my other growled threats.

I crossed the frigid metal floor and slapped the confusing entry finger scanner with ire. The loud metal barrier slid open to reveal Aiko's athletic body filling the bunker doorway, firm physique sheathed in a sleek crimson leather livery. One sleek brow arched in a cold appraisal of my messy condition.

Her gaze crossed my face but her brown eyes gave no sentiments...Brief flashes of her complexion bathed in moonlight tormented me before her voice fetched me back. "Apologies." she bit out, eyes glacial pools of fig pudding. "I stood led to believe Vascan kings were timely creatures...or are you just Huck?"

I crossed my arms annoyingly, refusing to be baited--My shoulder forced me to grimace as my tone matched my attitude. "Obviously no one informed you royalty requires additional delicate handling, even if I am still 'just Huck'." I gifted her a vulpine smile wrapped in sarcastic sadism.

"I guess you've spent far too much time on combat outings these past months?" For an instant, amber fire blazed across her striking brown features. Then full lips curved in a surprisingly dangerous white smile. "My misstep, King Huckleberry Vasca." Her stare raked me slowly once more. "I'll leave His Highness to 'delicately' prepare HIMSELF for our journey... wouldn't want to repeat the sins of the past."

With a mocking bow, she whirled sharply down the glistening but sterile hall, proactive strides clacking from her military-grade boots. I slammed the door, pulse already Racing as I anticipated lengthy days confined at close quarters with that infernal hellcat...and the gaggle of others now accompanying me every hour.

It took me some time of beautiful silence before I stared at the three representations of my rule laid before me, knowing my choice would speak volumes. My father chose to wear the same filthy attire my grandfather most likely sired him in.

My fingers traced the rugged pelt of the hyena hood, feeling the weight of generations who had worn this mantle before me, yet chose to treat the natives as merely creatures of the dunes. If I wore this I ran the risk of upsetting Aygu and his supporters...They surely do not respect me enough to wear the war chief's crown instead of my own.

Next, I appraised the decadent crimson robe lined in exotic skins, a testament to the Vascan spoils of power and conquest. It embodied everything expected of Vasco-Buriti nobility, yet resounding in my very skeleton I knew opulence was the root of even this summit.

They would expect the mighty kind to drip with with riches while the people starve...The more I contemplated my choices before me the more I realized the true nature of these events...clout and power plays.

Finally, my eyes settled on the sleek functionality of the black military garment. Unadorned, solemn, emanating quiet confidence and capability. Its disciplined energy aligned with the focused leadership I hoped to embody.

Slowly, an idea took shape. I was not bound to just one choice when I could integrate all three one would tell me what I could and could not do any longer. With meticulous strokes, I rent and re-fashioned the extravagant Vascan robe into an overlay of position and legacy over the functional martial attire.

I then delicately affixed the hyena hood to my shoulder, allowing its allegorical significance to ground me in the understanding of the past while keeping my regard onward. I stared at my reflection in stark relief on the chrome bunker walls.

A faint toothy smile pulled at my cracked brown lips. Now I was ready to meet this summit as the leader I was called to become. One building bridges from history to future, privilege to purpose. This was my reign and I will do as I see fit.

another knock broke my inner monologue to my annoyance, The sound was much lighter this time. I made my way slowly letting each fool fall echo to face the next day and challenge to my pristine authority.

I fiddled with the infernal fingerprint scanner for a few short moments before pushing the door open gingerly. "Yes Yes, Aiko if you want my attention--" I quickly frowned as my eyes fixated on the shining bald head before me.

"Hello, Huckleberry...I cannot say it was expected to see you alive." Aygu's four teeth must have been trying to copy their brothers, dying horrible rotting death and wafting to anyone's nostrils with acrid reception. His brown eyes fell on my now patched shoulder wound as my hand rested in the belly pocket of my ebony attire.

"Do you wish to sample me once more...you'll run out of fingers to please yourself, old man." I chuckled as he moved out of my way--Though this warlord was my family's biggest enemy before his 'victory', I couldn't help but see a man unwilling to break any cycle.

I clicked my tongue in a customary Buriti fashion showing my intended sarcasm. "Doutros' blessing on you by the way." Aygu seemed to almost flinch from my positivity as I stepped past him briskly, I did not fear him in the slightest...what was this relic warrior to actually do to me besides stab my back like a coward?

"You look like shit, boy." His sentence sounded more like him letting me know rather than a judgment...I turned from my slow walk down the glossy hallway to the war room, the sharp teeth of my hyena head shoulder guard tugged as I pointed a single finger at my new war chief. " You, will fucking respect me when others are present or not...I am not your boy." He flashed me a nasty four-toothed smile before taking the lead in front of me.

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His ragged random assortment of dusty robes had left small particulate clouds behind him as we neared the end of the hall. "I respectfully think you look like manure...Lad." I snarled at him as the door to the war room opened. The room normally empty and quiet was now brimming with random factions of the military.

All were in attendance but my ministers and Kyler Bowed low as I stood there for a few silent moments. "Doutros' bring sol!" My voice rang out loudly as others followed suit, our people's cry sent chills down my spine."Devotions all, forfeit the room to my cabinet and me, we have a long day ahead." The different armed troops and bureaucratic dregs who survived the bombings cleared out in respectful silence.

Aiko was sitting with her arms crossed as she began tapping a pen to my annoyance. As the last of the soldiers made their way out Aygu eyed them with wide eyes of lunacy, face to face. I believed it was some sort of intimidation tactic used in the rebel's rank. My gaze caught Yana sharing my expression of confusion at this random display of one's own ballsack to our armed forces.

"Aygu please take your seat...We do not have the time--" Yana started before my large cousin Kyler pushed his way into the closing blast doors. "Doutros' blessings cousin! I feared you were attempting to leave without me..." He primped his maroon dreadlocks before quickly making his way to a seat to the right of mine.

"Ah yes, how could we forget the 'Grand Popa'? You are late, the next time those doors will be closed." Yana took her seat to the left of the war room table next to Aiko before speaking once more. "As all of you know, save for his majesty...There have been some minor issues that we must attend to before leaving."

Aygu plopped next to Kyler as he let out a disgusting cackle under his breath. Kyler's overly sharpened eyebrows flexed as it claimed his eardrum. "Vadim's daughter has been nagging about our military's new policy..." For a moment I questioned my hasty show of power and appointment of all these differing members of our fatherland.

"And that being?" I finally took my seat as I faced only forward refusing to split my focus between the juxtaposed ideals of the room. "A simple matter of taste, the youngins won't stay for no pay and I no longer have anything to keep them." He pulled out a poorly wrapped cigar before biting the end off crudely. "Bottom line is we need to conscript and draft or we are going to lose our might."

"Yana, Aiko? What do you two have to say in the matter?" I folded my hands over Calmy trying to gauge the room temperature. This whole morning everyone seemed to be trying to appease me or play to my ear in some way. Yana spoke softly as she put her long black hair into a messy bun. "We cannot continue this man's addiction to child endangerment."

The smile on his face quickly faded as did Kyler's annoyance with him, They both eye my female ministers like they were feral Sarchus'. "While I share Yana's sentiments on our new war chief I do not believe dropping half our armed forces won't cause the others to question their jobs" Aiko's words were said through gritted teeth, brown eyes laced with steely apprehension.

"I believe the Doutros' call--" Kyler's annoying baritone voice sent fury into my soul the second my earbones danced at his frequency. "Silence...If I wanted your advice on temporal matters I would ask." He closed his mouth suddenly as if I had cut his larynx. Aygu flashed me a glare of contempt before speaking with measure. "Of course, you don't care about my people's beliefs...the new Popa at least cares for traditions."

I slammed my fist with a loud ringing crash against the table. The fluorescent lights flickered nearly at the same time, yet no one reacted to it. "We will do it MY way then...before any more treason is spoken upon my roots. The minimum age will be set to 20 and ends at 24, no longer will children swell our ranks while my peers sit soft-bellied in their villages."

"An economy cannot thrive on the backs of children," I declared. "We will transition more roles to automation and incentivize our citizens to pursue trades and higher learning."

Aiko nodded. "Balancing rights versus security is key as well. Too much control risks unrest among the people." "Bah, you cannot devour rights!" scoffed Aygu, gnawing his cigar. "Bellies stay full when there is order, not chaos."

"Yet history teaches compliance secured by fear breeds deeper resentment," cautioned Yana. "Citizens prosper when they feel invested in society's success." I stroked my chin in thought. "Hmm...perhaps we apply a two-fold approach. Expand public works programs to boost employment while launching civil programming to foster community engagement."

Kyler shrugged ambivalently while Aygu grumbled under his stalwart breath, but the women murmured approval. "We must be cautious in these volatile times not to overstep with security measures," I continued. "I want patrols visibly increased to provide reassurance, but checks enacted only where credible unrest brews. We stay judicious, not overbearing."

"And if they still resist your benevolence, Divine One?" sneered Aygu. I met his challenge with a frosty stare. "Then we remind them the boon-compliant citizenship merits. But the rationing of sticks comes only after carrots are offered." "A proportional diet indeed," Yana said with a small smile.

With consensus secured and vision affirmed, I sat waiting with small breaths to mask the pain shooting from my shoulder. This ruling business remained exhausting, but I now felt prepared to stomach the next course.

Kyler pounded the table, face reddening. "The people owe tithes by spiritual law to fund the reconstruction of Gran Templo...I am willing to allow you to dip into our coffers--IF you only just allow me a few soldiers, cousin." He seemed to trail off as he rubbed the hand he had used to hit the table coldly.

Aiko scoffed as she spoke with a knife-like tone. "No....we should be commandeering merchant coffers to empower state programs--It makes more sense than relying on empty peasant pockets, lest we start a second rebellion." Aiko's freckled face turned gravely to Aygu as he only sat there mulling over each idea.

Yana was quietly tapping her pen before she articulated in a soft but serious tone. "Spurring private development through tax incentives and easing barriers for International investors was the swiftest path to recovery." Now that idea sent rage through my already tensed muscles.

I couldn't imagine a fatherland even more exploited by foreigners! I'd rather give my crown than begin privatizing and selling off sections of land like the Atlantian fat cats?! Meanwhile, Aygu muttered the only choice that piqued my interest..."We are talking about cannibalism--we should be retaking the backlands from Svetlan--starting with Bastion."

My mind fluttered to the day we got the news of Svet's "annexation" of our most profitable oil fields--since then our economy and relevance have taken a major hit...I will keep this in my back pocket.

I steepled my fingers, drinking in their discord as an orchestra of perspectives vying for dominance. Each instrument certain its melody held the truest notes to set our course. I raised a halting hand and the room fell reluctantly silent. "Each of you speaks wisdom beyond me..." I began slowly. "But the whole of Buriti's restoration lies in unifying all her children to this common cause..."

I paused for a moment as I stared at my own reflection on the glossy table. My red eyes were diluted like a madman. "I agree with Aygu..." I smacked my fist in resolve. "Bastion was where those filthy Sand Hounds had planned on selling me off--The upper Baskland's teeming with oil and no longer act as kin to Buriti! I want a whole battalion--"

Yana glanced at her watch and her eyes widened. "Your Excellency, my apologies, but we are nearly late for the transport to Aequora Solitudo." I blinked in annoyance as she interrupted my next plan of action for this stupid Summit meeting.

"You are correct, Minister Yana," I conceded, rising from my seat slowly. The others began gathering papers and possessions. I noticed that Aiko gave no reaction to the possibility of seeing combat again yet I sensed something had bothered her, a small frown placed on her freckled face as she held her focus on the blast doors silently.

I gathered my thoughts and waited by the large doors without meeting anyone's gaze. As we made for the exit, I added with a wry twist of my lips, "I will have the chance to spit in that filthy Svetlan King's face...do not expect me to be civil in the face of that animal."

My jab elicited low chuckles from Aiko and Yana while Aygu spat curses in surprising fanfare. Kyler merely frowned in that confused way of his, clearly perturbed his holy guidance had not swayed my economic plans--or maybe something else...where had he been this whole time? How did he know to show up a mere five days with a new title...expecting his younger brother Dennis to be in my place?

I sighed, bracing myself for lengthy hours trapped at close quarters with the most powerful men and women in the world. I was nothing but an exile among the villages only a week ago...now, with the hyena hood resting on my shoulder and my torn Vascan robe gracing the sleek ebony militant garb. I stood unique among my predecessors...ready to take true action rewrite my own history cut the strings of fate.