The nobles were all gathered in the grand courthouse once more but this time, accompanied with an air of disapproval and impatience. The question on everyone's lips was, 'Where has His Majesty been all this time?' Murmurs and gossip filled the room as everyone had suddenly became a detective to solve the puzzle for the king's prolonged absence, except the reasons were always exaggerated.
One of the courtiers expressed his displeasure, "It's incredibly inconsiderate of him to ignore us for two whole days! I wouldn't be surprised if his supposed illness was just a ruse."
Another chimed in with a resentful tone, "He lacks the wisdom and charm of his father. If he loses the favor of the nobility, he's destined to fail. We are the ones who hold true power!"
Amidst the ongoing gossips, King Nolan was seated on his throne, accompanied by his ghostly mentor, Polybius. His mentor appeared to be hovering around the nobles, listening to the nobles' discussions.
Curious about their chatter, Nolan mumbled to himself, "I wonder what they are talking about."
Polybius replied, trying to bring Nolan to concentrate on the reason of his appearance here, "Don't dwell on their idle chatter. What's important is your presentation in this meeting. Do you have a clear plan in mind to address Julian's rebellion?"
Impatient, Nolan replied hastily, "Yes, yes, I do. Let's get this over with."
Just then, three forceful taps on the desk commanded attention, silencing the gossiping nobles. The source of the sound was an elderly man, the same man who had previously postponed the session, suggesting to Nolan about his elevated status among the nobility.
"I demand silence". He would command, "Let us proceed with the matter at hand immediately."
The room hushed, and the council began its consultations.
However, one matter should be addressed at hand before proceeding. Just how did the political system of Aurelia functioned? And Nolan had studied extensively to understand the political dynamics of the Aurelian Empire and much to his dissatisfaction, it certainly wasn't a simple case of a generic monarchy.
In the Aurelian Empire, the Emperor held absolute authority and was the landowner of the entire realm, consolidating power to solely administer the land - or that's the case on paper. This centralized administration was achieved through the appointment of viceroys and governors, often military generals, entrusted by the Emperor to act as representatives of his authority.
However, this dynamic soon revealed itself to be a significant internal weakness, leading to various coups and rebellions. Ambitious viceroys, backed by provincial armies, would frequently challenge the imperial rule, asserting their own claims to legitimacy and the throne. In this political landscape, Julian, Nolan's cousin in this realm, cunningly exploited the the same system to advance his own dynasty for the imperial throne. His grandfather, Verilian I, the restorer of the Marcellus Dynasty, also rose to power in the same way by deposing his predecessing Emperor, Titus II.
There also exists a senatorial body known as the Senate of Aurelia. While the powers of the Senate were somewhat limited, it had the authority to pass resolutions called "senatus consulta," which the Emperor could choose to adopt and issue in the form of edicts. This gave the Senate the ability to suggest Imperial legislation, and it also served as a consultative body, offering its advice to the Emperor from time to time.
Imperial laws were presented in the form of "Orations to the Senate" and were read aloud before the Senate members. This process allowed for a formal discussion and consideration of the proposed laws.
Additionally, the Senate had the right of cooperation, meaning that any new law had to be thoroughly discussed in a meeting between the Senate and the Council before being confirmed by the Emperor.
The ongoing debate at the grand courthouse was, in fact, the assembly of senators gathering at the senatorial ground.
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"With that, I formally call this session of the Senate to order. May we approach today's matters with wisdom and prudence, guided by the best interests of the Empire," the old noble would declare.
"Hear, hear!" the entire Senate shouted in unison, following the declaration.
One senator asked, "Honored Consul, I humbly request your permission to present my motion before this esteemed assembly."
"You have the floor, Senator. Please present your motion," replied the old man, now confirmed as the Consul of the Senate to Nolan, granting permission for the senator to proceed.
"We cannot tolerate this rebellion any longer! We must crush Julian and his followers with a swift and decisive open war!" implored passionately by the senator, prompting cheering from those who supported this approach.
However, another senator promptly stood up and interrupted, "Open war, you say? Have you not even considered the state of our treasury? It's depleted from years of conflicts and expenses. We must be prudent in our decisions!"
The Consul intervened, demanding order and insisted on being asked for permission to speak. The interrupted senator apologized and then asked for permission to continue, the Consul nodded.
"While the senator is certainly passionate, he has neglected to consider the state of our treasury," the senator once again orated, garnering support from nobles who endorsed a more cautious approach.
The Consul then inquired, "Ah, voice of reason from Senator Alexios, as always. But tell me, how do you propose we deal with Julian's insolence without showing strength?"
Senator Kominos promptly answered, "I propose conditional negotiations. Let us invite Julian to discuss terms, but only if he agrees to lay down his arms and accept the authority of Emperor Basilius."
"Conditional negotiations? You're suggesting we bend our knees to a rebel?! We must not show any weakness; it's an insult to the Empire!" another senator rose assertively in support of a more aggressive stance.
"Enough! This bickering gets us nowhere. We must consider the precarious state of our Empire. Senator Kominos raises a valid point regarding our treasury. Open war may lead us to bankruptcy!" a senator stood to counter against the counter.
"And what good is a full treasury if we let rebellions go unpunished? We risk losing the respect of our vassals and subjects! I fully support Senator Maurus."
"Respect, you say? What respect will we have when our Empire crumbles under the weight of debt and internal strife?"
The debate escalated as senators voiced their differing opinions on how to handle the rebellion.
The Consul, seeing the heated exchange, forcefully banged a gavel to assert control and declared, "Order! Order in the Senate! We are here to deliberate, not to engage in verbal warfare!"
Senator Marius defiantly spoke to the Consul, "But Consul, they are proposing cowardice and surrender to a rebel!"
In response, Senator Kominos defended himself, raising his voice over Marius, "No, I am proposing pragmatism and preserving our Empire's stability!"
The Consul's authoritative voice rang out once more, "Enough! Let us regain our composure. Senators Kominos, Marius, and all colleagues, remember your duties infront of his Majesty. We must show restraint in our words. From now on, any senator wishing to speak must first seek my permission or I will be forced to mute them from the session!"
As the Consul reestablished order, the Senate settled down, and the session continued.
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"As no more voices remain unattended, we shall present both options to Emperor Basilius and weigh their merits and risks. May our deliberations guide us towards a decision that safeguards our Empire's future." The Consul would conclude the discussion and implore to the Emperor to declare his edict.
Nolan felt a surge of nervous energy as he carefully listened to the deliberations. However, the night before, he had already made his choice. His mouth opened, and the senators anticipated his proclamation.
"I declare Julian a criminal of the state! His treason is reason enough to subject him to such a designation," Nolan proclaimed from his elevated platform, mustering all his strength, looking down at the assembled senators. His hands started to tremble but no one was able to notice it from their lowered position.
A silence fell upon the Senate, as they had not anticipated such a harsh punishment. Criminalizing someone in this context meant endorsing state-sanctioned executions and stripping away all their titles and properties, rendering them devoid of legitimacy. A rebellion against the nation was considered defying the imperial law but such individuals weren't considered the enemy of the "state" but rather of the throne, meaning legally, until they were defeated, they kept their titles and their legitamacy remained ineffected.
The Consul felt compelled to respond, "But, Your Majesty, declaring someone a criminal of the state requires the accused to be present in the court to face charges and a fair trial."
Nolan found himself at a loss for words, the weight of being the center of attention in front of hundreds of people had rendered him speechless. He stammered, attempting to collect his thoughts, but before he could respond, the Consul abruptly interrupted, "I apologize, but I can't quite hear you." Murmurs and whispers spread among the senators, adding to his discomfort.
Panicking, Nolan turned to Polybius for assistance, but his mentor remained unfazed, causing Nolan to feel even more hopeless. Suddenly, a white blur crashed into him with unexpected speed, causing him to flinch from the impact. Surprisingly, he was unharmed, and when he looked to Polybius for an explanation, his mentor seemed relieved rather than surprised.
Nolan wondered if the pressure was causing him to hallucinate, but he knew he couldn't afford to lose focus now. Despite his efforts to speak, his body was unable to move or respond.
Could Polybius be responsible for this strange phenomenon? But that didn't make sense; Polybius was right in front of him, not causing any obvious influence. Was his fear so overwhelming that his body had simply paralyzed itself?
Just as he felt utterly defeated, his mouth began to move on its own. Words flowed from him, fluent and powerful, seemingly by themselves.
"Shrouded by lust of wealth and power, he has dared defile the imperial law and openly rebel against my authority, of which I am legally and divinely, appointed to. To his abusive aspersion of my private life, I have, you will observe, an honest and straightforward reply. Even if all my public conduct has been beyond praise, Julian and his supporters rise and condemn me incontinently. But if, in your judgement and to your knowledge, I am a better man and better born than Julian, if you know me and my family to be, not to put it offensively, as good as the average of respectable people, then refuse credence to all his assertions, for clearly they are all fictitious!"
Nolan's heart was pounding, but his mouth continued to speak by itself.
"His crimes are obvious to your eyes. Assuming you deem my decision to be wise, he shall be decreed an enemy of not only mine — but of the whole nation that he dares mocks!"
His words resonated with some of the senators, who erupted into cheers and applause, supporting his stance against Julian.
"It is then, fro the best of the Empire, that he be sentenced to death and his followers subjagated to severe punishments!"
The senate chamber erupted in enthusiastic acclamation, and the Consul had to assert discipline to restore order. Eventually, the motion passed, declaring Julian an enemy of the state, stripping him of his titles, wealth, and lands, and condemning him to legal murder, resulting in the session being dismissed, leaving Nolan on his throne, bewildered and drained.
As he tried to gather his thoughts, a new figure began to materialize before him. The figure had a humanoid shape but indiscernible features, and Nolan mustered his remaining strength to ask, "W-Who are you?"
The luminous figure replied softly, "I am... Cicero."