But for whatever reason, my offer is not well received. Instead of responding with gratitude, the recipient is upset. I consider again what I've done, but I cannot see any wrong in my actions. I believe that my offer was compassionate and it ought to have been accepted. Instead of allowing that I've made a mistake, I choose to blame the other.

Jumping to blame is a sign that something has gone wrong. A truly compassionate act will always be accepted. It is by definition something that helps to meet the needs of the other person. Of course, it's possible that I've seen a need that the other hasn't yet seen, but compassion must take this into account.

In the meantime the kingdom has been operating as a stewardship. there is an empty throne with the memory of an unimpeachably Good King, and a government of civil employees who sprang out of the palace staff immediately after the good kings demise. this government has been managing the kingdom with the express goal of making sure the king is able to return to a kingdom that has been well cared for in his absence.

and you know, it's been 200 years. this is just the government now. people talk about the good king in an archetypal sense, the way people talk about the constitution. "We can't do this, we can't do that, it wouldnt abide by the spirit of the good king's decrees," that sort of thing.

There's a democratic process, there's an electoral system, there's civil service departments. There's been a lot of development in considering the spirit of what it means to act on behalf of the good king. there's been a series of factions over the years interpreting this differently. people bemoan and bicker about the flaws of the kingdom constantly like "you know it wouldn't be Like This if the good king was here" no matter what *This* is.

And Then The Good King Returns.

What do you do?

There's no way to make this work. There's no way to do this. you've hashed out all these compromises and rules and rights over two hundred years of legal bickering. what happens if the good king disagrees with the consensus interpetation? what if the good king takes the throne and resumes the absolute monarchy and then possibly passes that monarchy on to an heir, who perhaps won't be a good king?

you thought this guy was mythical or at best long dead and heavily mythologized, and now he's standing here causing problems. you're looking around at everybody else you know like look. You seem like a genuinely really good dude. However.

However.

Wouldn't it be easier - wouldn't it be better for everyone - wouldn't it be most in the spirit of the good king if here and now you all make one quiet and terrible choice. and take up your long knives.

"Get up. You're not finished yet." —Liliana Vess