King bows to no one so his people wouldn't have to bow to anyone else part 3

Rufus was inside his house with Ritter Aurelian and his knights. He was feeling awkward with all these unknown strong warriors around them.

These knights prepared tea for the two kings. The house was empty with no one of Rufus's friends present.

Behind Ritter was the tall knight who could transform into a more beastlike form. Rufus stared at him with uneasy eyes, as he had just gone toe to toe with Gadaric.

"Oh don't be worried about this one. His name is Maxim Lud, the bloodhound knight, and these are the greyhound knights. They are my elite fighters," Ritter explained.

"Yeah, but do they have to be here as well?" Rufus asked.

Ritter realized that Rufus was feeling uncomfortable and made the greyhound knights leave the room. Maxim Ludd still stayed there, right behind Ritter, his king.

"Maxim, please leave as well," Ritter ordered again.

"I am sorry my king but, that won't be happening. King Rufus is a powerful divine person and you need me here to make this conversation even," Maxim explained and stared back at his king with fearsome eyes.

Rufus was a bit confused. Ritter then laughed.

"As my knight just blurted...I have no divinity," Ritter explained.

"Then how did you become a king?" Rufus asked.

"Same way as you. Your people wanted and you answered their call."

"What do you mean?"

"In the kingdom of Aurelian, the people vote for their next king with the nobles. The people wanted a wise and strong-willed leader to lead them. Both of us became kings, the only difference was that there was no bloodshed needed for the people to get what they wanted in my case", Ritter explained how his kingdom worked.

Rufus then understood.

"I was born without divinity as many else have. Even if I would manifest some kind of divinity one day, most likely it would be nothing special. I was just a lonely accountant in a factory in our capital city. The people of the factory knew me and spread the word that they would like to make me the next king. The nobles were the ones who initially decide on the next king, but they had to listen to the masses and had to go with their wishes and bimbalabim, six years later, here I am talking to you."

"Ooooookey, but why are you here?"'

Ritter took a sip of the tea and placed it then back down.

"My main goal was to ensure an alliance between our two kingdoms to fight against the emperor and the empire, but it seems my main goal here now is to make sure you understand your role as a king."

Rufus was silent and felt embarrassed. He knew just by simply looking at Ritter, that he was a more fitting king than he ever was.

The way his knights obeyed him and how he carried himself. He was confident unlike him. He knew how to lead, unlike him.

He knew though that king Ritter Aurelian didn't know even half the strength of the empire and the emperor.

"You may think that my bowing down to the emperor would save your friends and people, but what do you think the people will do when they are told that their ruler is now someone else than who they chose. The people will fight back would you wanted or not. A person is not a caged animal or a domesticated pet. They will not do as they are told and since they have gained freedom and have felt happiness in what their own choice has brought, what do you think would happen if that would be taken away from them?"

Rufus was listening to this wise young king with all ears.

"A king bows to no man, so that his people don't have to bow to no one else," Ritter said and poured a cup of tea for Rufus and offered it to him.

Rufus didn't know what to think at first. He then smiled and took the cup from Ritter and took a sip, and then immediately coughed as he didn't like tea.

"We could have tried something else," Ritter said.

"What else do you have with you guys?"

Maxim then put a large bottle on the table.

"This is Aurelian hard booze, made from distilled alcohol that is made from the bark of trees. It tastes bad and only the strong can enjoy it,"

Ritter sighed.

"Maxim, put that horrible shit away. Even Aurelian people hate that stuff,"

Maxim then pointed at Rufus. He was gulping it down straight from the bottle.

He look at the bottle and smiled.

"Wow, this has some punch in it."

Maxim chuckled and took the bottle from him. He then started to chug it himself like he was challenged by Rufus.

~~

Probably not a good idea to challenge Rufus to drink. As it had always been and still is, Rufus could never get drunk.