The Brunei Tales: Volume One: The Sultan of Swat (1419 - 1571)

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Chapter 9: Tink, 1499-1508, part 4

The important year of 1500 continued. Some years seem to fly by and some seem to move in slow motion. 1500 moved in VERY slow motion to Tink.

In the wee hours of the morning of July 15, two members of the Imperial Guard shock the Number One advisor to King Bulkiah awake from a very deep sleep. He sat up ready to chew off the heads of the guards until he saw their faces

Without a word, the King's Advisor leapt from bed and pulled on some rumpled clothes. He followed the guard back towards the palace.

The palace, which should have been in the quiet that a royal palace enjoys in the middle of the night was all lit up. Voices could be heard from all around.

The voices were not angry.

The voices were scared.

Tink went silently to the Council Room. Gathered around the table were the chief advisors to King Bulkiah and three of the King's wives. The look on their faces told Tink that the news was worse then he thought.

"My dearest and closest friend. Advisor to the King. Advisor to Brunei. I have bade my guards to call you before me now in our time of need."

"M'Lady, what has happened? What has befallen the King?"

"There are no words to describe it. Come with me and I will show you. It is a case where a sight will show where the language fails me."

His curiosity aroused to the highest levels along with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Tink followed T'Pring, First Wife to King Bulkiah. She led him past the meeting rooms.

Past the dining rooms.

Past the bedrooms used by royal visitors.

Towards the Inner Sanctum to the Kingdom.

Towards Bulkiah.

Tink had no idea what he would find...

 

[haaf]

WHAT????

what did Tink find?

Please, oooohhh...hurry!

 

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Shall we open up a "What did Tink Find" betting pool?

(Since the answer won't be posted until I get home from work)

 

[Stuyvesant]

Err... Has King Bulkiah been found in a compromising position with a banana protruding from somewhere?

Or has the King turned into one of those embarrassing Jerry Springer 700-pound slugs that bemoan their cruel fate while stuffing pie in their face?

Or... I just don't know. Can't accuse me of a working imagination.

 

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Nope, neither of those. As a hint, the event is an EU event and not something completely dreamed up from my over active imagination.

 

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Maybe Tink has eaten his first banana pizza drinking banana juice, and wants to keep it as a secret...

 

[Stuyvesant]

Temporary insanity? King Bulkiah has suddenly gotten in touch with his feminine side, sporting a pink feather boa, matching mascara and fishnet stockings?

 

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Nice guesses. The answer is coming as soon as I type it up...

 

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Chapter 9: Tink, 1499-1508, part 5

Tink had no idea what he would find...

He came before the door to King Bulkiah. Inside he heard a loud argument. One voice he recognized as the King; the other he had never heard before in his life:

Bulkiah: "Come, come. I know you have heard all my arguments before. We have to go to war to save POE."

Second Voice: "But we have no proof. No justification. We cannot just declare war without just cause. The rest of the world will turn on us."

"No they won't. We have been violated for years by Korea. We must avenge ourselves."

"Bulkiah, I beg you to reconsider."

"I cannot reconsider. I must declare war on Manchu."

"Please, Sire. Take some time to think it out."

"No. The time for thinking is over. We will declare war on Pegu today."

This conversation went on for some time. The King continuously wanted to declare war and the Second Voice councelled peace. After a few minutes of this, Tink turned to T'Pring, the unspoken question on his lips.

"Yes. You have heard. There is nobody in that room but my husband. What am I to do? What is Brunei to do?"

Tink had no answer. He returned to the council room. The look on the members gathered around was now explained - fear for the future, fear for Brunei.

OOC: Stuyvesant guessed it!

 

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Haven't posted here in a while but I'm still reading this most entertaining AAR. You're doing a great job with this one Stroph1, so just keep up the good work.

 

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Masse wrote: Haven't posted here in a while but I'm still reading this most entertaining AAR. You're doing a great job with this one Stroph1, so just keep up the good work.

Thanks, Masse! Hope I can keep you reading for a long time!

 

[Amric]

You used a Vulcan name for the wife of the Monarch? Hm...methinks someone was was watching Star Trek recently.

 

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You used a Vulcan name for the wife of the Monarch? Hm...methinks someone was was watching Star Trek recently.

Perhaps...

 

[Director]

Do monarchs really go crazy every few years or does it just look that way?

You can tell the King is crazy (or more so than usual), not because he talks to himself but because he answers back!


As long as the King doesn't decide to declare war on himself (Civil War, anyone?) you'll be OK.

 

[Stuyvesant]

OOC: Stuyvesant guessed it!

Gasp! Shock horror! How did that ever come to pass... Either my intellect is improving with the years, or I should take this as a very clear sign I'm spending too much time on this game. Perhaps I should, you know, get out more. I've read on the Internet it can be quite nice...
<ahem>

I see how 1500 is turning out to be an eventful year. Is it the three- or twelve-month version of insanity that has struck King Bulkiah? Looks like Tink will spend his turn walking on egg shells, hoping there won't be too many insanity-induced messes to clean up...

 

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Do monarchs really go crazy every few years or does it just look that way?

For me, they always seem to come at the worst times.

I see how 1500 is turning out to be an eventful year.

This is a 12 month insanity stretch I am starting...

Thanks for reading, all!

 

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Chapter 9: Tink, 1499-1508, part 6

Tink returned to the council chamber. The ruling council met for the rest of the night. They had no idea how to proceed from this point. Several decisions were made that night.

First, the King would be shielded from the public eye. If news of his disability got out to the Koreans, who knew to what level they would be willing to go.

Second, Tink would assume all the day to day duties of runing the Kingdom. He often performed many of these tasks and he presence would not disturb the stability of Brunei.

Third, foreign dignitaries would only be allow access to Tink. This would be explained by having the King go out on an extended trip where he did not have access to the diplomats.

The military would be sent out on expeditions to the frontiers. Hopefully this would distract the public from the problems with King Bulkiah. Nobody knew if they could keep this secret from escaping. All they could do was try.

The next few weeks, a big do was made of the navy as it prepared to sail to the south. In early September, the RBI smartly marched onto the transports and the fleet sailed out.

On September 7, Tink was preparing final plans for the RBI when a messenger burst in.

"M'Liege, I have news from China."

Without a word, Tink left his meeting and went to the waiting chinese Ambassador.

"My friend, come. Sit and have tea with me. What news from my grand neighbor to the North?"

"War, sir, war. We have declared war on Manchu. We mean to settle things once ad for all. May I have a word with your monarch about support for this war?"

Tink had no idea how to approach that one. One did not cross the mighty Chinese. He spent probably the longest moment of his life in agaony trying to come up with a reply. There was no answer he could see.

Finally, after several minutes he came up with a solution. He offered to go himself off to China to meet with the Emperor. This offer was acceptable to the Chinese. That very day, Tink left the capital with the Chinese.

 

[Amric]

Uh oh...I see dire consequences to Tink going to China and leaving the country in the incapable hands of the King...

 

[Stuyvesant]

Were it not for the fact that you have already hinted you played the game well into the 1700s, I would have thought this decision could be Brunei's undoing... Luckily, I know it will survive. Unluckily, I have no idea how large the damage is going to be....

I'm holding my breath in anticipation! Well, sort of. You know what I mean.

 

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I warned everybody that 1500 was an eventful year. That is five posts on it so far...

And yes, I have played the game up to 1819 so there will be a Brunei of some sorts to come out of this mess. I was not amused in the game. Give me a nice warlike King with good numbers and then hit me with these events. Insanity and whatever is coming next...

Thanks for reading, all!