Command Me To Be Well [Completed]

24 - Day of the yes

"Madame President," Sir Batton addresses me.

I know I shouldn't be zoning out. The respected Council members are asking me questions, one after another, but I can't concentrate. My mind is elsewhere.

There is a girl. Born with the gift, just two days ago. And I already feel her. Her mind is burning like a flame on my inner map, pure and innocent, but incredibly strong. Now all I need to do is live long enough to see her grow, and teach her a few things, to conserve the tradition. It's a huge relief.

"What was your question again?" I ask Sir Batton. "I'm a bit distracted today, sorry."

I see Duncan sitting on the other side of the chamber, furrowing his brow. He hates when I don't behave like a real president should. And it's only one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much.

"Madame, you're in a secret relationship with another council member!" Sir Batton announces, with so much emphasis, as if he expected to surprise me with the information.

"Another?" I ask. "You mean, besides Master Auberon?"

Sir Batton's gasping for air. We haven't even started, and he's already scandalized. Sometimes I wish he wasn't this easily teased.

"Because," I go on, "that would be really brave of that person. Can you name him? Or her?"

I see Master Auberon palming his face. I wish I was brave enough to stand up, and dramatically scream something like "I'm not cheating on you, Duncan, he's a liar!", but, sadly, I still must look somewhat like a sane person. It's so boring. Even more than Sir Batton's usual moralizing questions. Being a president is the second most boring thing to being dead.

"It's Master Auberon himself, of course!" cries Sir Batton, carefully avoiding to cast a look at the person in question. He might be worried that a hero this big can kill with his eyes too.

"A secret?" I sigh. "If it's a secret, it's the worst kept one of the century. It was discussed in a plenary session of the Council. Is there a way to make it any more public?"

"So you don't deny it, Madame?"

"I don't." I shrug. "Should I?"

I see Duncan shaking his head on the other side of the room. I can't really decide if he wants to be denied or he simply was expecting a more eloquent answer of me. It's the latter, usually, but I can't be sure.

"You live out of wedlock!" states Sir Batton, pointing his finger at me.

Oh, so here we go again. The sinful woman exposed. Business as usual. His questions seem to be on a loop. My ungodly skills. My frivolous attitude. And, last but not least, my unacceptable lewdness.

"I'm not familiar with wrestling terminology, I'm afraid," I sigh.

The laughter of my fellow Council members is my only consolation for being here.

"You're not married!" accuses me Sir Batton of something that I know perfectly well.

"You forgot to add no offense." I smile at him. "You're prying into my personal matters again, good Sir."

He pales a little. But he refuses to retreat.

"Madame, you're here to set an example! Our traditional values—"

"Please, Sir Batton," I sigh, "we had this conversation a hundred times already. Not specifically about holy matrimony, but your values. And you've never come out of it very well. So why don't we just—"

"But Madame!" he begs. "It would be so easy! There's no reason why not... there's no obstacle..."

I feel the rest of my patience leaving me. I close my eyes, and I think of the cows and other livestock I used to map just after the war. They were so cute. And serene. And clever. I wish I could spend a little time with them again.