Alex had been to exactly one inaugural ceremony before. His parents had taken him to see President Marcador take the oath of office back when he was thirteen. That president had turned out to be ineffectual, serving only one term and, even at his young age, Alex had the sense that Marcador was going to be a footnote in Legado history. The man projected so little presence, almost as though he didn\u2019t have enough internal energy to put a persona out there. What Alex subsequently learned was that Marcador was a compromise candidate during a period of transition for his country. The story would be decidedly different sixteen years later, when a wildly charismatic candidate \u2013 one who happened to be Alex\u2019s cousin \u2013 would take the nation by storm and win the election in a landslide.<\/p>\n

Alex could hardly believe the ceremony he was watching today had the same function as the one he\u2019d witnessed as a boy. This one had so much pomp, so much music, so much color. Javier Benigno was easily the most popular political figure to rise from Legado since the late, ever-beloved Viviana Emisario, and perhaps the first to inspire the passion from the people that seemed to have been extinguished when Viviana\u2019s helicopter had crashed during a diplomatic mission. Viviana\u2019s death had snuffed the joy from a nation. It had done more than that to Alex, but that was a story he would forever keep to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cLegado was always our most vibrant colony,\u201d said a voice to his right. \u201cThis ceremony has more hues than a Joya de la Costa garden.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex turned to look at the speaker. The man seemed to be about his age and height, though he was a bit heftier all around. Maybe this is what I\u2019d look like if I didn\u2019t spend as much time in the gym, Alex thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI assume you\u2019re aware that Legado hasn\u2019t been a colony since your great-great grandfather was a twinkle in his mother\u2019s eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man flashed a heavy-wattage smile. \u201cOh, well, of course. But one never stops thinking of their children as children, do they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re all grown up. And we\u2019ve been a democracy continuously for more than a century. I don\u2019t believe our \u2018father\u2019 can say the same thing.\u201d
\n\u201cI don\u2019t know what you mean,\u201d the man said, laughing boisterously. \u201cThe public elected El General to each of his nine terms. By an overwhelming majority, in fact. Usually more than ninety percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

A huge cheer went up at that moment. Looking down from the grandstand, Alex could see that the new president\u2019s motorcade had entered the staging area.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ninety percent,\u201d Alex said to his companion. \u201cMy cousin should find that humbling, as he only received fifty-nine percent of the vote.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCousin? I assume that makes you a Benigno.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSoberano, actually. Javier is a cousin on my mother\u2019s side.\u201d Alex put out his hand. \u201cAlejandro Soberano. My friends call me Alex.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man shook. \u201cFernando Alfonso Trast\u00e1mara. My friends call me Fernando.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex should have recognized the man. He\u2019d certainly seen the heir to the L\u00e9on throne in enough tabloids. \u201cThey don\u2019t call you \u2018Your Majesty.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGod, no. They will hopefully never call me that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI assume that means you\u2019re wishing for a very long life for your father and not that you\u2019re expecting El General to come back from the dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man beamed again. It was easy to see why women found him so irresistible. Between the smile, the future crown, and the massive fortune, what was there to resist? \u201cNo, El General is gone forever. Just to make sure, my father sends an envoy every day to dance on his grave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex nodded approvingly. The people of Legado did indeed consider L\u00e9on to be close family, and the last thing that Alex would have ever wanted was a return to the days when El General dominated L\u00e9on so absolutely. Alex was barely in elementary school when the dictator had suddenly stepped down, allowing Fernando\u2019s father, Juan Alfonso Trast\u00e1mara, to take his rightful place on the throne and to allow for a duly elected prime minister to operate the government, but he could remember his mother spitting invective at the television every time she saw El General speak. And while Alex didn\u2019t truly understand the cause of celebration on the streets of his hometown when El General resigned (and the only slightly-less-raucous celebration that happened when the dictator died eight months later), he would never forget the taste of the pastel con tres leches his mother made that night to mark the occasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery wise of your father,\u201d Alex said. \u201cIs he here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wishes he could be. He thinks highly of your cousin. But there\u2019s a gathering of several European heads of state that L\u00e9on is hosting, so he of course needed to attend that. He sent me to represent the crown in his stead. He\u2019s accurately deduced that my one statecraft talent is waving and smiling broadly, so I\u2019m the perfect man for this assignment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernando did some smiling and waving at that point and excused himself. At the inaugural ball that evening, though, Fernando came up to Alex with two glasses of Champagne and offered him one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed you didn\u2019t have a drink,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Alex took the glass and tipped it in Fernando\u2019s direction before taking a sip. \u201cI was pacing myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have the remotest idea why anyone would do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex grinned at Fernando\u2019s acknowledgment of his excesses. \u201cLots of family around. And I wouldn\u2019t want to do anything that might embarrass my cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm. Interesting perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was nearly time for another drink, though, so I appreciate the Champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy to be of service. So, I hear you\u2019ve been conscripted to accompany me to Anhelo tomorrow for the hospital ribbon-cutting ceremony.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just a few hours earlier, Alex had learned that his cousin, the president, had requested that Alex be part of the prince\u2019s travel party for the opening of a new hospital that L\u00e9on had funded. The request had surprised Alex, because he\u2019d never performed any sort of official government function before, and there were surely dozens of people on the presidential staff who could have filled this role. Had someone seen Alex and the prince speaking at the inauguration and decided that Alex would be a good companion? He did notice his mother looking at them a lot during the inauguration and then he saw her talking to the president later. Maybe she wanted him to become friends with the prince? But he doubted she would have such influence on the new president, even though he was her younger cousin. Did President Benigno think this might help groom Alex for some future place in his administration \u2013 something Alex had never considered and wouldn\u2019t particularly desire, especially now that his career was kicking into its next gear? Regardless, he wasn\u2019t going to turn down the new leader of his native land, and some pomp and circumstance at the side of the prince of L\u00e9on could be entertaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Alex said. \u201cIt appears they needed to tap the absolute best available talent for this engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m flattered. I was afraid I was going to get a member of Benigno\u2019s rotund retinue. Is it just me or is everyone in the president\u2019s inner circle at least forty kilos overweight?\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex chose not to respond beyond a polite smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter,\u201d the prince said. \u201cTell me: is the Colina after-hours club scene as ribald as its reputation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t really know. I\u2019m down from New York, and I grew up in Anhelo. I\u2019ve never taken much advantage of the clubs when I\u2019ve been to Colina in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernando nodded thoughtfully for several long moments. Then his face brightened. \u201cCare to join me on a bit of a research expedition after this event is over? Purely for cultural reasons, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex lifted an eyebrow. \u201cI believe our plane is scheduled to leave at eight tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernando shrugged. \u201cWe\u2019ll make it an early night, then. In bed no later than four.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex had heard that Fernando could be a bit dangerous when out on the prowl, and Alex not only had his own reputation but the reputation of Legado\u2019s new president to uphold. Still, it was difficult to avoid getting caught up in Fernando\u2019s enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard of a few places that might be ideal for your \u2018research.\u2019 And I\u2019m sure they would love a visit from the future king of L\u00e9on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent. One condition, though: you really need to stop calling me the future king of L\u00e9on. I already get all of the reminders I need about that from my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Birth Right<\/em> by Julian Iragorri and Lou Aronica. Copyright \u00a9 2019 by Julian Iragorri and Lou Aronica. Reproduced with permission from Lou Aronica. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n