Long live the king Louis XIII-The Rules of Retribution-Part 4

Even if you are not a history buff, you may know King Louis XIII from the world famous ‘The Three Musketeers’ by Alexandra Dumas.  I became a fan and studied French history during The Baroque Age.  My adoration gradually shifted from the gallant musketeers to the private and reserved Louis XIII.  Though he is generally depicted as a wimp or even an idiot, in hindsight, he may have been a master chess player of human resources.  He was a goal orientated and did not care if people thought less of him.   Louis XIII would prefer people to drop guard against him because he could see them through faster.  Besides, he was already born a king; he did not need to prove himself to anyone, unlike his social climbing minister Richelieu.  Louis XIII had Richelieu do the ruthless job of establishing the central government, which paved the way for his son to become Sun King.

NEMESIS says ‘The title Sun King was his role in a play, but it was his father Louis XIII who laid the foundation for a centralized France. Serpent, ‘Then how come he’s portrayed as a campy puppet of his minister? LOUIS XIII’s statue moved and replied: The glory of France we owe it to Cardinal Richelieu infinitely. I knew the power went to his head ...but France needed his talent that I lacked’. Then Nemesis: ‘But inferior kings would have preferred useless sycophants.
Nemesis continues, ‘But France came before your ego’. LOUIS XIII adds modestly: You must know that Richelieu served as a shield. Do you see that Hotel de Sully? My father was assassinated after he visited Duke Sully. Henri IV was the great ruler, but that did not save him’. Serpent, ‘I get it! You allowed Richelieu to have all the credits making him the target of your opponents who would have generally come after your life!’ Louis XIII replied but stopped half way through: But it suited that social climber too…Nemesis, is that what I think it is? He is looking at the Serpent now.
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CHARACTERS in my Graphic Novel

SERPENT represents the frailty that sees us stray from the path and often into darkness.  Big predators make the headlines, but ordinary people are tempted to commit small-scale cheating when shielded under anonymity. On good days we can fight off the temptation, but on bad days when we have just lost something, our hands reach out for it while a sinking feeling spreads inside our hearts, warning us that this is not the way to get even with life. However, God or the universe may not mind if the gain is minimal. So we tell ourselves.

 

Perhaps, horror stories draw us in because we may slip into darkness at any time at our own will.   We may need religion or fantasy stories, hoping they will bring us back into the light.  I am too chicken to wrong individuals, but my integrity did not always hold firm against faceless organizations.  My story combines horror and fantasy, but you will find it oddly accurate because I will not sugarcoat the truth. To myself, I will be brutal.

 

GODDESS IRIS/NEMESIS: Instead of picking one from the existing religions, all of which I respect, I opted to represent the universe's will via Goddess IRIS. God gave us light, and Goddess followed it up with the sound, but as sound travels slower than light, no one knows her existence despite benefiting from her gift, music. Something turned this once open-book IRIS into NEMESIS, Goddess of Retribution.

THE SPIRIT of LOUIS XIII: The king of France who reigned from 14 May 1610 – to 14 May 1643.  Enigmatic character the world may not have fully appreciated, not unlike the current, which can be substantial even if the river looks calm.

Location: Paris, France

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