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“Let no one ever intimidate you, you are standing on no one's ground. But again, some have claimed the earth as their own and usurped power from the rest of us. But they are usurpers; power belongs to every one of us. Seek it as much as possible. There is no shame in that. In fact it's a necessity. Either you have power or you are trampled to death in the stampede to get to the top”
― Bangambiki Habyarimana, Pearls Of Eternity

“That's the claim. The Arl and the Prince, both killed at West Hill." she glanced at Maric, crooking one corner of her mouth in grim amusement. "Apparently your body was not distinguishable from those of regular Fereldan men and thus couldn't be found, according to the usurper."
"Well that's just rude.”
― David Gaider, The Stolen Throne

“Now does he feel
His secret murders sticking on his hands.
Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach.
Those he commands move only in command,
Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.”
― William Shakespeare, Macbeth

“Avenant gave a slanting smile.  “Admit it, peasantsâ€� Could the usurper wearing my crown have pulled that off?”
― Cassandra Gannon, Wicked Ugly Bad

“Voler une ombre, dépouiller un souvenir, est-ce vraiment voler ?”
― René Barjavel, Le Voyageur imprudent

“Je veux être Calife à la place du Calife! (Vizir Iznogoud)”
― Goscinny

“Bloodline by Stewart Stafford

Stuart Richards, 5,001st in line to the British throne,
A distant cousin of the king but hitherto unknown,
He dreamt of the crown and his fair queen's hand,
But there was no baiting the hook unless he had a plan.

He chose to eliminate the competition, stood before him,
Through a dark celebration, they'd never know what hit them,
He sent out invitations to the 5, 000 heirs,
Promising vast feasting, with music and fanfare

He built a fake house front with a door and a sign,
That said: "Welcome to the party. Now, kindly form a line."
Behind the door, there awaited a cliff face and a fall,
A master of deception, his warm smile greeted them all.

He stood at the front door with a charming bow,
And, welcoming each guest, he said: "In you go now!"
He watched them disappear as they stepped through the door,
Counting steps to ascension, lemmings queued up for more.

Backslapping himself, inner cackling at his scheme,
Imagining himself as king - glory rained down, it seemed,
But his Machiavellian plotting had a monstrous flaw,
One thing he'd forgotten that greedy eyes never saw.

The king was still alive, and he was not amused,
He got wind of this plot and responded unconfused,
He sent his guards to arrest him for sedition in a fury,
They swept him off his feet, planting him before a jury.

Put on trial for treason - the verdict was most guilty,
Execution set, he had the neck to beg for mercy,
But the king was not budging and barked: "Off with his head!"
An Axeman's reverse coronation, he joined the fallen dead.

Halting 2,986th in line to the British throne,
A distant cousin of the king, headless spirit flown,
In jealous craving, dispossessed as ruler of the land,
Crowned pride came before a fallen plan.

© Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford