The king was an elusive and mysterious man. Seeing him in person was rarer than a blue moon but nobody doubted that he was powerful. He ruled over a large kingdom which had been three separate kingdoms just fifty years prior and he was said to be blessed with 'Celestial Powers' beyond belief. The truth of the matter however would dumbfound everyone because the king they celebrated so proudly was actually nothing like the stories made him out to be and was far less powerful too.
"Your majesty, I've arranged the budget for different sectors. Please take a look." A timid looking old man with wispy hair and long orangish robes stood before the throne with a book in hand.
The king reclined on his throne with the attitude of a reckless teenager with enough money to spare. In one hand, he held a glass filled to the brim with wine. His other hand was sprawled across the arm-rest and he glanced at the man before him unimpressed. King Winter came from a long line of rulers. He was named 'Winter' uncreatively because he happened to be born around then in the midst of a snow storm. His parents had passed away when he was 15 leaving him only with a flashy title and a few trusty servants. His only other relative was his older sister, Summer, who had disappeared a few years ago after marrying a prince and moving to his kingdom.
With all the odds against him, it was a miracle that he had maintained his regime for 14 long years. A regime that had started when he was but a child. Perhaps that was why the people loved him even more than usual. He had reformed the kingdom and was truly a splendid ruler.
"Take that away from me, Misha. I told you to do it yourself."
The old man trembled as if a strong gust of wind had just blown past him. That's right- the real reason the king had succeeded for so long was none other than the frail old man before him. The frail old man who had for years done all the administrative work behind the scenes while being trampled on and mocked by others in public. He had revealed that secret to not a soul, vowing to take it to his grave.
Misha had been a close friend to the king and queen even before the two of them got engaged. They had asked him many times to look after the kingdom if something happened to them since threats of assassinations were common in their time. Misha had always rejected them, telling them that they couldn't just die and leave things to him. He had also been preoccupied with his studies as the apprentice to the court scholar so he had used that as a shield to turn them down. Thankfully, they used a coup to their advantage and captured all the traitors amongst them and also came up with a spy system that would help weed out the bad apples.
It had been a relief in his eyes until they both unexpectedly died at sea. The news was delayed, coming three weeks later and with no other option- Winter who was next in line was forced to take over. It was as if something broke in his mind and he was overwhelmed with guilt and sadness. To add insult to injury, the spy system revealed that his mentor had been soliciting funds illegally leaving him more alone than ever. To avoid dwelling on those feelings, he poured himself into helping Winter. He thought he was doing the right thing. To everyone else, he was just an 'accountant' that Winter appointed but the truth was that he was practically the king.
As time passed, Misha began to regret everything even more. He had turned the king into an incompetent and uninterested ruler and all because he took sympathy on him many years prior.
"Your majesty. Please look at it. If something happens to me then-"
"Then what?" Winter finally looked at him directly- his lips contorted in a scowl and with great annoyance on his face. "Do you really think you can't be replaced, Misha? The kingdom will be fine with or without you so stop the pointless lecture and get back to work."
Knowing there was nothing more he could do, the old man sighed and turned back, dragging his feet as he left the large and empty hall. The king continued to drink from his glass as if nothing ever happened- not in the least concerned with the financial state of the kingdom. His powers too were insufficient for someone of his position since he had never trained or used them.
That was his second secret- one not even Misha knew about. The king was actually afraid of magic, scared to use his own abilities after a particularly traumatic incident in his childhood. Since his abilities were not visible- it had been easy to hide it until then. Although he looked like a fool to Misha, Winter was actually extremely paranoid about danger. His parents had drilled that into him since birth and after the disappearance of his sister, it had only gotten worse. He only ate or drank what someone else did and when he slept, he had guards stationed all around his room. That paranoia was also why nobody saw him and why Misha could continue acting as king in the shadows.
If anyone learnt of his secret and his paranoia- it would most certainly be the end for him. The two things were a deadly combination and signaled that he was defenseless if there were to be any real danger.
Winter frowned as he had finished the last drops of his wine. Reaching for the bottle, he found that it too was empty. Strange, he was sure there had been more left but in his drunken states, he often underestimated amounts. Reluctantly, he got up from his comfortable position and headed for his room.
"Your majesty!" The guard outside looked shocked to see him leave so early, "Are you going back to your room already?"
"Yes, no point staying in an empty hall for long anyway."
"But your advisors are set to meet you-"
"Forget about them." Winter waved off his concerns arrogantly. The guard looked nervous but didn't have the courage to question the king any further. Even the guards didn't know the extent of Winter's fear. Winter was certain they never would- only a mind reader could find his weakness and mind reading was the rarest of abilities.
He would know. He was a mind reader too after all.