A King Ruled the State in the Early Days

A king ruled the state in the early days, and he was hated for it, even though his subjects expected him to be the ruler. They also wanted their own laws, and their own customs of non-royal rule. The king did his best to be a figurehead, but his subjects decided to throw him in prison. 

Prison was actually better than living in the dilapidated castle that the commoners expected the ruler to live in. The king was quite happy, but eventually important people in the new government felt guilty on how they were treating the king, so the Chancellor and his cabinet offered to let him go into exile. 

The king was sad, and moved to a small country far away from the land. There he became an excellent hat maker, and interior designer. The king really didn't have any other skills other than this. Later, when the king retired from his second career, and ran a little B&B by the mountainside, he'd wonder how his little country was getting along. 

One day, he was surprised to see the Chancellor and half the cabinet coming down the road. They look very tired from traveling. Once they recognized the king, they were very surprised. 

"Tell me how it goes in that beautiful little land."

"Wrought with famine, and pillage."

"How so?"

"We could not agree, after you left, and so we quarreled and fought with our neighbors, and with our own factions."

"Terrible news."

"You should go back, the people would have you rule again."

"A milliner, decorator, and inn-keeper?"

"We will advocate for your return."

The king thought carefully, and saw how the Chancellor and his cabinet were sincere. The king made the journey back to his land.

Once back in power, the people rejoiced. The king had the Chancellor drawn and quartered, head cut off and put on a pike, with all the rest of the cabinet. The old motto of the king's royal line was PRO PATRIA, but motto of the royal house restored, VAE VICTIS, was cut deeply over the gates of the newly improved castle, with the royal emblem of a smartly hatted knight crushing a serpent. 

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