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Nepotism can be a bitch, especially if you know nothing about the job you're given.

Prince Privelaj was discovering this hard truth, ever since his lord father, King of Midguard had died of gout. Privelaj had lived a quite privileged life, only to be thrust into power at the tender age of 19.

Privelaj knew just enough to know that he was lost. But, Privelaj also knew that he was now stuck, between a rock and a hard place, for the very public that used to love listening to stories about how he bought out an entire whore house for his friend's bachelor party or how he sent a full troup of knights to hunt a wolf pelt for himself had turned against him.

Now even the slightest mis step would be used to malign him, to question his leadership and to eventually replace him.

And unfortunately, Privelaj lived in a time before democracy, where the only way to change the head of monarchy was to take their head away by cutting it from the neck down.

So, when Privelaj was asked how he wanted to deal with the influx of neighbouring kingdoms nosing into Midguard territory now that the main king was dead, Privelaj looked around for help.

None was forthcoming. All the ministers and nobles stared back at him, daggers sharpening in their eyes. Privelaj could almost smell their hunger for power.

These belligerent invading kingdoms were no different than the vultures he had in his own court, Privelaj understood. But how to fight a faceless enemy, en masse, especially when no noble house is backing you?

Privelaj gave the order for his men to recede even more inwards. Guard the major cities and farmlands, but let the wastelands and unused land be free for upheaval. If they want waste, let them have it. Seige warfare it would be.

His country mocked him. They called him weak. They said his father would have been on a horse, halfway across the Kingdom by now, ready to liberate all the areas that were taken by the invaders. They said all that but...

The neighbouring kingdoms, giddy at the prospect of free land, assumed the retreat meant the new king of Midguard had given up. Thus, they begin fighting amongst themselves, allies suddenly turning into rivals, and their close proximity and urge to claim the land led to a bloodthirsty war. Both armies were almost destroyed, leading to a stalemate.

So, when Privelaj heard this, he sent his troops out, and just the sight of a new foe was scary enough for both enemies to flee.

Two kingdoms defeated, and not a single life lost?

Privelaj was complimented throughout the country. The nobles who had not backed him were now singing his praises. Allies who had not helped him during crisis were now offering tithes and gifts. He even got a marriage proposal. All because he didn't pick a fight he had no way of winning.

Turns out, sometimes the smartest thing one can know is to know that they know, nothing.

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Submitted by kevaljoshi8888 on Tue, May 16, 2023 to /r/WritingPrompts/

The prompt

A lazy prince is suddenly thrust into power, he constantly tries to push his work on to others or find ways to get out of working but his laziness is continually misconstrued into genius and revolutionary ideas.