Excellency

Everyone tried to avoid conversation with His Excellency, but when it did happen, the unfortunates had no choice but to avoid eye contact, which, contrary to all expectations and hopes, he strongly encouraged. He was a man of a short temper, his manner of governing lacked restraint, but was not without a touch of despotism. Unfortunately, his position allowed for evil to be committed without consequence. Therefore, the ruler's position was extremely comfortable, even impressive, and unthreatened.

One day, after satisfying various deviancies, mostly sexual, he nodded to his subordinate, James.

"Look at my face. Do you see anything?" His Excellency asked his subject impatiently.

"I dare say, Your Excellency, unfortunately, nothing.

" "Ah! Concentrate! Do you see anything now?" he asked again.

"Your Excellency, when I see nothing," James replied.

"James!" "Shall I commit draconian acts?! Thrown into a dark dungeon, you'll probably be more eloquent! Or...

" "Excellency!" the subject interrupted humbly. "I see no such need. I dare say I see vast, very charming, and picturesque forests...

" "Forests?

" "Yes...spreading and beautiful...I also see a wide path, along which a large crowd of intercessors gallops.

" "Oh! You are wretched...wretched and wicked! Tell me, where did you acquire such filthy manners?

" "At home, Excellency, among your own people.

" "I have repeatedly informed both you and the other tributes that I demand unwavering commitment from you, so if I order you to raise me to the highest pedestal, as ordered, you are compelled to do so! You serve under my command, whether you like it or not!" the Excellency concluded with a shout.

"Your Excellency, may I introduce a small, so to speak, digression?

" "You may, James… you may, but I want to emphasize that my patience may quickly run out.

" "We have no money, we have nothing to put in the pot, we can barely make ends meet. Your Excellency! We are suffering from poverty! And Your Excellency spends most of his funds on military equipment.

" "Let your imagination finally flourish. Let it gather momentum!" he encouraged his subject, ignoring his words.

"Your Excellency, will my fantasy be subject to severe punishment? If I depict something indecent in it? Or, for example, if I offend Your Excellency. What will Your Excellency do then? Will Your Excellency administer a series of lashes?

" "I promise I will be lenient towards you. Consider my charisma and trust me. Now begin. Look at my face."

"Your Excellency, I dare say… Oh! I see something. It's a very hazy image. A very thick fog, actually.

" "For God's sake, James!

" "I see the army dispersing through the forest. They're looking for someone…

" "Who? Try to look deeper. And what? And what do you see, James? Oh, James! Don't keep me waiting!

" "I suspect they're looking for the man who serves as the leader of this flock… A shot rang out! The birds scattered at the sound…"

Your Excellency, taking a deep breath, raised his hands, stood on his tiptoes, and froze for a moment, like a priest holding a filled chalice heavenward. His subordinate perceived the threat in Your Excellency's behavior. Adrenaline surged into his system to enable a defensive reaction, which, unfortunately, he had no right to. The subject realized that it was impossible to even look at His Excellency crossly, so any defense was out of the question. His heart rate quickened, his skin tingled, he had difficulty swallowing, and the blood rushed to his muscles. Let him finally act! The subject thought. "Let him shoot me with both hands, as long as I don't remain in this constant fear."

"In a word, you perceive power, strength, might! Excellent!" the Excellency shouted, exhaling.

And suddenly he lowered his hands, planted his heels on the ground, and commanded:

"Then look at my face and continue, but this time try to look even deeper!"

The subject's heart began to beat slower, his skin stopped sweating, and the dryness in his mouth disappeared. He felt fantastic, for everything in his gut was returning to normal. The fear had subsided. He could then look at that unpleasant face again.

"...explosion!" One, two…" he said, looking at his left eye. "Shards of wood scattered in all directions!" he added, observing the area around his nose. "But what is it? A woman is enjoying the sight of beautiful flowers. Something tells me her name is Poverty. She probably married Poverty. She wasn't frightened by the explosion. She didn't panic. Not a single drop of sweat ran down her beautiful forehead…

The subject felt as confident as if he were surrounded by a thick wall. A fervor gripped him, from which he couldn't shake.

"Something extraordinary! A group of soldiers is following her back!" he shouted heatedly.

"What group? Who are they?

" "Excellency, these are the intercessors I mentioned earlier. Until now they were galloping, prancing on horseback, now they follow the woman on foot.

" "And where are the horses?

" "The horses have received their long-awaited freedom… Oh!" I hear the clatter of hooves... They're galloping! They're running as far away as they can, basking in their joy! Let Your Excellency imagine this majestic sight. From now on, everyone will walk the earth under their own power.

"You say so yourself... James, your manner has become blunt. I wish you would get to the heart of the matter. Just look at my face again and tell me what qualities you see in it."

James glanced first at his disgusting chin, then at his bulging cheek, and felt aversion again.

"Excellency, I think everything will be clear soon. May I continue?

" "My patience is at its limit..." he waved his hand ostentatiously and added, "but I will give you one last chance.

" "Excellency! I see a huge trough... someone is lying in it.

" "Who?" asked Excellency impatiently.

"Someone has fortified himself in the pig's food." The woman pointed at the individual. A throng of intercessors surrounded the trough! Oh! A face emerged from the trough... a familiar face. Everyone was absorbed in that face... but it's not a face! It's a face!

" "What do you mean, a face?" Who is this man?

"It's Your Excellency..."

Your Excellency frowned. His brow furrowed. He shrank slightly.

"James, come closer."

When the Subject carried out the order issued by his principal, he received a blow to the right cheek.

"I dare say that the punishment Your Excellency inflicted on me was too harsh.

" "What can I say, James? Nothing at all. Guard!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "

Before you throw him into the dungeon, sew his mouth shut, drive stakes through his ears, and cover his eyes with stinking, musty pigskin."

"Orders, Your Excellency!"

And the subjects obeyed their commander.

For such is the price of

temporary liberation.