Internal Troubles

[Markus Wilding]

[i]Inside the Imperial Palace[/i]
"Valdemar, do you know what happened yesterday?" Valdemar was busy looking over a local newspaper, reading about various sports teams. "Um...that would be a no. What happened?" Elin sighed and waited until Valdemar had finished putting away his paper (he liked it positioned and folded just so) and began with "I'm a tiny bit concerned about Paula and Melody. Namely, one has been watching our soldiers drill and the other has been walking about the streets with no guards flirting with just about every like-aged boy she finds. And to top it off, some of our backwater towns have started rioting against your rule." Valdemar took a sip of water and said "So, wait, which one is watching and which one is flirting?" "Paula is watching and Melody is flirting. What about the riots?" Valdemar took a while to think. He knew that there were some that didn't particularly like his rule, but he didn't think it's come to riots. "I suppose send in the army to deal with them, I guess." Elin, with a dead-serious look on her face, said "Some of the police force in the towns have joined the riots." Valdemar at this jumped up from his seat and began calling General Buhin. "Buhin? It's Valdemar. Take an armored car battalion to...What was the name of one of these towns, Elin?" Elin called back with "Hedemora." Valdemar resumed with the town name and with orders to restore order. "I wish I could do that, my King, but as it appears that regiment has disbanded." "Disbanded? Why?" General Buhin sighed and said "Nearly 20,000 men have left the Army. I don't know why. I would recommend sending an "inquisitor" to find out why." In the Empire, an "Inquisitor" was a spy that normally beat answers out of subjects inside the state. "I'm not going to do that. The Empire will not become a military state." General Buhin, at the other end was shaking his head and saying "Oh, but it'll happen...it'll happen..." He hung up.