Arthur picks up a can of his own. "My young and old friend, this is Pepsi. I would say that it's provided here out of genuine love for a very popular drink but the truth of the matter is they paid us quite a bit to serve their products here, and neither bullets nor medicine are free."
Molly actually does choke on her burger and will be a minute with that.
He cracks the can open and takes a slow sip, looking very thoughtful. "...Before I was ever a warrior, or an Ogre, or a king, I was a civic engineer. Roads, bridges, and the systems that manage them were my job and my passion, and through those eyes I see my new duty...differently. Yes, as monarchs go I'm blessed; I rule less than three hundred subjects, and any of them might be contacted directly at the push of a button. Every decision could be down to me, but the thing about all systems is they're only perfect until people use them. In the moment, every decision has to be down to the people actually there, and so I've chosen to invest in helping mine be their best selves. My job is not to arrange them as pieces on a board, but to be their support, their example, their advisor in times of trouble. Sure, I command the field of battle, but I can't be there to make their choices for them if they see a child playing in the street, a monster slipping into an alley, if they witness injustice and pain. If you see?"
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-05-02 06:48 pm (UTC)Molly actually does choke on her burger and will be a minute with that.
He cracks the can open and takes a slow sip, looking very thoughtful. "...Before I was ever a warrior, or an Ogre, or a king, I was a civic engineer. Roads, bridges, and the systems that manage them were my job and my passion, and through those eyes I see my new duty...differently. Yes, as monarchs go I'm blessed; I rule less than three hundred subjects, and any of them might be contacted directly at the push of a button. Every decision could be down to me, but the thing about all systems is they're only perfect until people use them. In the moment, every decision has to be down to the people actually there, and so I've chosen to invest in helping mine be their best selves. My job is not to arrange them as pieces on a board, but to be their support, their example, their advisor in times of trouble. Sure, I command the field of battle, but I can't be there to make their choices for them if they see a child playing in the street, a monster slipping into an alley, if they witness injustice and pain. If you see?"