The World of Yesterday

There is something charming about the aristocracy.

That was an idea that would have earned you admonition back on Earth, for democracy and equality had been the driving principles of politics for the better part of two centuries by that point. In the hundreds of years since the French Revolution, the idea of an aristocratic society had been waning in strength, and was ultimately replaced by other guiding principles of government.

Yet, it was undoubtedly the truth.

Fantasy settings involving aristocratic societies, historical drama, and even studies of extraterrestrial aristocracies were still popular on Earth. The depictions vary: the archetypes in those works were often composed of good-natured nobles who use their power to protect the weak, or those who abuse their power to exploit the people. Even extraterrestrial aristocratic societies were often examined by comparing those in Earth’s history — a fact that some historians were calling a mistake, because otherworldly creatures’ different biology should mean completely different thought patterns. Yet it was the one mistake that they kept making.

…But does it also apply the other way around?

Do the drones’ AIs see more than a master-slave relationship?

Do a people of mercantile origins, like Kante’s own over there, see noble pledges as more than a commercial contract? Do a people of few hierarchies, like Reina’s, see the nobility as merely a construct to protect their villages?

…I wanted to confirm something. I wanted to confirm how the human noblewoman reflected in the Archons’ eyes, and what he actually felt.

With that in my mind, I looked up to Archon Indigo, as he began to speak.

———————

It was a story about an Earthbound woman and a spacefaring bird.

Centuries ago, just as the era of humming machines and staggering progress was about to begin, a certain noblewoman was born. Grandiose was her house, for a kingdom was in its command. Predetermined was her fate, for she was forced to find her value only in marriage. Such was the circumstances of hers — nay, the circumstances of the time.

Yet fate is a fickle being, full of twists and tricks.

For all her family’s hefty glory, she was allowed a carefree childhood, free from the restraints of court protocols. She would often slip away from classes and roam the countryside. With her family’s name and wealth, she could have lived a comfortable life, even if she eventually gets married off.

…until that man tied her down with position and glory.

The man was the heir to a great empire, its history stretching a thousand years.

An accidental encounter soon turned into infatuation, infatuation into formal action, and formality into a new reality called marriage. While the kind man loved her dearly, and she perhaps did not hate him, the man’s house ripped her wings of freedom, and chained her with chains heavier than iron: court protocols.

And it was then the star-bird and the princess met.

The emissary from a faraway world, the blue bird was sent to observe Earth in secret. Among those who it observed was the princess, a prominent figure not only because of her marriage, but also because of her deeds. She was an accomplished politician by herself, and one day through her relentless negotiations, compromises that preserved the peace would be made: she would make a mark on the history.

Foreseeing that, the star-bird wanted to ascertain her character. He made thorough preparations, as he always did: veils that hide one’s presence, eyes that see through distance, and ears that can listen to her whispers as they get swept away by the wind. There was no way that the princess would have noticed, or so he thought.

She did. On a moonless night, the star-bird was captured – by the princess’ hands.

That is it, I have failed my mission — the spacefaring bird thought.

Instead of harming the bird, or making a ruckus, she simply treated the star-bird as a friend — a special friend to whom she could talk all her problems to. Day after day, she would talk to the bird, without expecting any reply; and most of the time, without receiving any. The star-bird, of course, was a veteran: now that the princess knew the bird was intelligent, he simply cannot allow the princess to wring information out of him. So he stayed silent.

The princess, however, was unwavering.

Days became weeks. Weeks became months. Months became years. And years became decades. She became pregnant; gave birth; survived her child; gave birth again, this time to an heir; and survived her child, this time her lovestruck heir, again. Wars were waged, borders were redrawn, and new nations came into existence; picturesque villages became sprawling cities, as rumbling machines dragged humanity on a path of progress.

Yet, the blue-bird was always by her side.

“Osborne.” The princess, now reaching the end of her life, whispered.

“Hmm?” The blue bird was confused.

“A certain Queen’s private estate. I heard of its neat, yellow walls and calming gardens. Its chambers filled with exotic treasures. I wanted to see. Could you grant me my wishes, magical bird?”

No way, I am just a common bird — that was what the blue bird would normally say. Yet on that day, he gave a different answer.

“What if I say can grant you that wish… not only to visit the Osborne, but also palaces whose grandeur are out of this world, unlike anything you’ve seen or will ever see?”

The bird proceeded to confess that he was a traveller between stars.

“Would you release me from the shackles that bind me to this place?” The princess inquired.

“Yes.”

“And what is the price?”

“Your life.”

“Then, I would gladly take up your offer.”

The next day, the princess was assassinated.

—————————

“But why did you make her an Archivist?” I asked Archon Indigo.

“Don’t you think I killed her? That is the protocol for primitives who find out our secrets, anyways.” He replied.

…It was clear that the spacefaring bird was his drone, mimicking a common bird on Earth. Archon Indigo was probably investigating Earth when the drone got caught by the princess. Normally, the Kexterans will never allow someone to know their secrets, especially from a primitive civilisation. But…

“No. You stayed by her side even after her biggest political asset — the crown prince — killed himself. You offered her an opportunity to see palaces ‘out of this world’. And you even recreated the Osborne and her portrait here.

“But most importantly, if you wanted to kill her, you would have done it when the drone got captured. If you did not kill her and had gone through all the troubles to arrange an ‘assassination’, instead of just killing her and make it look like an accident, then you must have had other motives.

“The ‘assassination’ was just a show to remove her from Earth so you can bring her here, that is.” I presented my argument.

“An interesting proposition. Then I assume you know my answer too.” Archon Indigo’s face did not change.

“By the way, is she still here?” Reina asked. She probably wanted another partner to talk about human culture.

“…No. She is no longer with us. She lived a long, fruitful life.” Archon Burgundy replied.

“Is that so. What a shame.” Kante voiced his condolences.

“…But I am surprised, Lady Constance. I thought I wanted to test your character a bit, so I asked Scribe Reina to introduce me. It turns out I was the one who got tested. Like what happened with her.” Archon Indigo looked at the portrait, his gaze meeting with the princess’s, despite the division between alien and human, alive and dead.

…How would I ever able to verbalise the truth.

That Archon Indigo was simply attracted to her brilliance, and decided to watch her. That he simply grew attached to the princess, and as she grew up he began to become her friend, confidant, family, parent. That he simply couldn’t bear to kill her, and used excuse after excuse to delay her execution. That he finally found a chance to break her shackles and bring her to his side, only to be separated by death because of the inherent difference in lifespan.