We were led by J'onn to the royal palace and were welcomed inside. We were then escorted to the dining room where the royals awaited us.
The King S'turn J'axx and the Queen J'arlia J'axx stood up to welcome them. As did their son, J'emm J'axx. There were some other notable Martians there too. Such as R'ess E'dda and S'yraa S'mitt. the Consul general G'arrunn and Priestess-Sorceress Y'ellonn.
However, when they took in our sight. They had a moment of stillness. Our auras are far different from anything they have felt. Our regality oozed off of us.
The moment passed and King S'turn J'axx welcomed us, "Welcome Gods of the Lands Between. It is a pleasure to have you dine with us. Please sit, I had our most iconic dishes prepared for us all."
Ranni and I were given two seat side by side at the other end of the dining table. We sat down, and they were surprisingly comfy. I then say to the king using open telepathy, " S'turn, thank you for the invitation. My Queen and I enjoyed the common street food so I am sure we enjoy what will be served. I am also a small bit impressed you called me a God of the Lands Between rather than a God of Earth. You really pay attention to detail. Also, as a guest I only feel it appropriate to communicate the Martian and I find it novel. I would like for us to continue to speak this way."
King S'turn J'axx chuckles, "Yes, I do keep up do date on the details and...fine print as the earthlings say. I am happy to oblige communicating telepathically as well."
Queen J'arlia J'axx compliments Ranni, "Queen Ranni, I can't help but appreciate your dress. It is otherworldly and looks even better on you. May I ask what sort of blue gems those are?"
As it is a genuine compliment, Ranni smiles as she answers, "These are sapphires from the core of a million year old comet that passed by our moon a million times. They soaked up the moonlight within the coldness of a comet which gives them their unique shine."
Queen J'arlia J'axx didn't really know what to do with that information as such extravagance was far beyond her. Which is something she has never experienced before as the Martian Queen.
She almost stuttered out, "I don't know...what to say. That is just something from a fairy tale with how amazing that is. How did you even manage to get it?"
Ranni remembers how she got them, "They were a belated gift from my brother Radahn to congratulate my wedding. Which he could not attend at the time. He raised his palm to the stars and grabbed the comet from the sky. Then he split it open and gave the sapphire hearts of the comet."
Queen J'arlia J'axx swooned over the story, "Your brother sounds mighty, and caring. I wish I had a brother to give me sapphire hearts, haha." She laughs at the end. We all grin too.
Then the Prince asks a question, " Your majesties, how does it work...being Gods? I just can't truly imagine it."
The king and queen look like they are about to lecture the boy, but I answer before they can. Although my thoughts went faster than light as I thought about it before answering. As I never really gave it any deep thought. However, thinking for decades in a second clarifies some things. I am more blessed than I realized. At first, having Ranni as a wife was just a novelty. I was essentially thinking like a kid when I asked for that wish. Now it isn't a novelty. I have quietly began to really love her without realizing it. I have even begun to love my subjects. As watching them just evoked a feeling in me over this time. So my answer is this.
"It is a great deal crazy to be a God. It is a lot of fun and wonder. It is even more duty and responsibility. Especially if the Gods in question rule their realm, rule the other Gods, rule the immortals and mortals. To be a God, in the way I am, is to be the guiding hand. It is to be the calm voice of assurance, the shepherd, the one that puts their bare body in the way of sure harm and tough it out to protect those you rule. Perhaps that is not the way of a mortal king, but it is the way of the God-King. The God-King has flesh and endless lives to spare. His people do not, for they are not as strong as him. They can not get impaled by horns of death and shake it off. They cannot resist a bombing of stars. They cannot resist rot that has felled divine beings. So the God-King must be strong enough to do it in their place. For a God-King, the mortals he rules are his children. The immortals he rules are his friends. The Gods he rules are his family. So he must stand in front of them. As the most important trait for a God-King is love. So while I may be seen as frivolous or playful by others, these are the things I do not shirk on. "
My long and serious answer was not expected. Even Ranni was caught off guard, but soon smiled proudly. The young Prince was taken back, as was the King and Queen. The counsel-general was wide-eyed and the priestess was stunned.
The Prince finally spoke, "So how would a mortal king rule?"
I smiled at the young Martian boy, "J'emm J'axx, a mortal king only has so much flesh to give and one life to spare. So a mortal king should rule in a way, that he has given all the flesh he could and used his life that best he could. Not out of only duty or responsibility, but for his love of his people. He should rule so that when his final day comes, his people cry for him and wish only the best of rest. That is how a mortal king should rule. Regardless of their species."
J'emm J'axx follows up with unease in his thoughts, "Who are my people then?"
I answer with a sigh, "You are the Martian Prince. All Martians are your people. It is as simple as that. I have many races and species of beings under my care. I care for them all. I know why you ask this question too. You may think that the A'ashenn do not like you. That is not true. They want to like you, love you, because they want you to save them from their pain. You don't, so they are forced to dislike you no matter how much they want otherwise. Spare them some flesh, so that they may cry for you too."
The latter half is for everyone. I then change the topic as the food arrives, "Oh, the food looks great. Do you all say grace or have any cultural things you do before you start eating? Or can I start digging in?"
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Been a while. I did rush the mindset development quite a bit here, but that is because I needed it to develop to this level already. So it is certainly rushed, but the Mc's god status made it as believable as it could be with how fast I did it. Enjoy