Eternal Love (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 37

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The entire country was alive with the festivities. People tried to tone down their boisterous celebration of the new king's marriage and coronation out of respect for Madina's current king, who lay on his deathbed. But as the day approached, the uncontrolled exhilaration of the citizens was visible everywhere in the city.

Flags hung from the fronts of hotels and stores. Some people were selling home-made souvenirs to commemorate the occasion. With three days to go, Gulf saw banners saying the day would be a national holiday. Some people were even working to make the date a permanent annual holiday.

News organization had gathered from local and foreign institutions to capture the moment when Madina's new king would be crowned. The media battle was slowly heating up to white hot intensity, every television station and newspaper offered nothing but stories about the wedding. Naturally, there were tight restrictions in place, and those locations that could be filmed had been designated long beforehand.

The streets of Madina, desert tour groups, and Madina's biggest mosque, where the wedding and coronation would be held, were all open to reporters. As well as the king's palace, which would be hosting a celebration party afterwards. But no cameras would be allowed at the mosque or the palace on the actual day of the events.

In sharp contrast to the joyous mood of the population, Madina's government was tense. Some tourists were upset that border checks had been made much stricter in anticipation of the rare event.

"It's just going to get worse," AA said, a cigar in one hand. He gazed out from his home, shaking his head with fatigue. "By next week, VIPs from every country in the world are going to be in Madina to attend the party. The anti-monarchy groups are marshalling their forces, so we won't be able to just relax and enjoy the celebration."

"This is a golden opportunity for them," Gulf commented. "Even if they only show up in the crime reports, they could make a big impact."

AA smiled wanly at him. "What would you do if you were them, Gulf? Would you strike the mosque where the ceremony was being held, or would you prefer the hotel hosting the party afterwards?"

It would have been natural to be insulted by the way AA had posed the question, but Gulf gave it serious thought. He found his answer before long.

"If it were me, I would strike the hotels where all the important people are staying, the day after the festivities. Before they have time recover."

AA gazed at him in languid surprise. "How evil."

"Well, they are anti-monarchy groups, after all." Gulf replied.

He had been staying  at AA's house for the last 10-days, and Madina's must see event of a lifetime was only 3-days away. After the marriage at the mosque, there would be the coronation, and then Mew would officially be king.

"I see. And what are the groups goals? Money? Political power?" AA questioned.

"Free trade of the oil fields," Gulf guessed. "It's not right that only the royal family can own them. Unregulated competition is the basis of capitalism."

"That won't work," AA said, brushing aside the idea. "Madina's royal family isn't just some symbol. We're pinnacle of our nation. No one could be allowed to have a higher status than the king."

"It must be difficult for the royal family too. I can't even imagine," Gulf mused.

If he owned the oil fields then, that meant that at times, the king himself had to play bidding games with the world's super powers. He would negotiate abroad with one eye on protecting the interests of his own country. The country may have been rich in resources, but the king needed intelligence, endurance, and great energy to protect it. If he lacked any one of these qualities, he wouldn't be able to serve his purpose.

"There are a lot of groups, some pro-Mew, some pro-AA, and some others," AA confessed. "There's a lot of antagonism between them all. But I don't personally hate Mew. Actually, I feel sorry for him. There are more than a few hard-headed relatives of ours prejudiced against him just because his mother was foreigner."

Gulf listened to the story in silence.

"There was a time when the king wasn't sure what to do either. Mew has the right to first inheritance, but if he becomes king like this, by Jongcheveevat's royal fiat, the opposition will just become more radical. I worry that the government will be split in two. In Madina. No one can force the king to abdicate. King Bonsakh watched Mew these last six years and finally decided that he was worthy. That's why Mew became cautious."

Gulf understood now why Mew hadn't contacted him once in all those years. Mew couldn't have done it no matter how much he might have wanted to---he was afraid Gulf might get caught up to the politics too. But once he was secure again, Mew had made his move.

Just to keep his promise that he would come back for Gulf.

"For the last six years, Madina has effectively had no king," AA continued. "In three days, that will be over and Madina will get a fresh start with a new king. It's so great."

Gulf gazed at him, sensing a fair amount of sarcasm in his spirited words.

AA exhaled some smoke carelessly, "I suppose there are several ways you could take that."

He turned his eyes from Gulf back to the window. He didn't seem to want to continue their discussion, so Gulf left AA in silence.

Three days left.

Did he want the day to come quickly, or did he wish instead it would never come? He couldn't tell.

But whatever Gulf wanted, the day would come.

All he could do was hide and await the day of his final parting from Mew.

TBC