Mad Kings & Queens, Week XI [Monday, Period 4]

[atreideslioness]

As the students came in today, they would find that Ghanima had gotten rid of the desks in favor of huge pillows tossed about the room, and a large television at the front of the room.


"Right then," Ghanima said cheerfully. "I decided to deviate from the syllabus today a bit, since you've all been so busy lately. We'll be watching Wildcat in Snow, one of my favorite films. None of them are, technically, mad, unless you count the lust for power as a madness. Horribly clever, most of them, which is part of the problem."

"As you've learned, the lines of succession can cause problems," Ghanima continued. "Sometimes rulers behead potential rivals. Sometimes they lock them up. And sometimes, it is not always clear who is next in line."

"Henry the Second of England. Eleanor of Aquitaine. King Philip the Second of France. Three of the most powerful people in the world. Add in three would-be players, and a hapless pawn or two, and you've got a dynastic battle of the highest order."

"So get comfortable, enjoy the movie, and chat amongst yourselves. How would you protect yourself in a situation like this? Is there a way to stay safe? Is this madness? Or just good-old-fashioned family squabbling on a much larger scale? After all, it's not just the family silver at stake - it's two countries, and the entire balance of power in the civilized world."



[Wait for the OCD no more! It is up, and class is in-session.]

Comments

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[solo_sword]

"It does happen sometimes," she protested. She just usually had to be forced or bribed into it.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Tahiri said, still horribly amused. She would so never try and poke at her Jaina like this. You know, if she wanted to live.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[solo_sword]

Jaina paused, and wondered if she could make Tahiri stare at her like she did Ben with this one: "I own some dresses, too."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

"You --"

Oh, yes. Yes, there was definitely staring. Ow.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[solo_sword]

"I thought that'd do it," she said, not sure why she felt all self-satisfied now.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Tahiri was still kind of slack-jawed, and couldn't come up with a thing to say in response to that?

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[solo_sword]

"I didn't say I liked it," she said, just in case that helped.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

Well, yes, it did. "And that makes it so much less scary, somehow."