"That repeal was just part of a broader decree that also decreed that any crime perpetrated against a Wikuni of Royal blood was immediately a capital offense, and was punishable by death. My father repealed that decree two months ago, and if you're not too familiar with the intricacies of Royal law, a law repealed is reinstated if the repeal itself is repealed. That made this law binding again, and since it's a plait of Royal Law, it affects my father. So, to make things simple, you are here to cast your vote as to whether or not Damon Eram is a king fit for his crown."

Vora Planton, a large, lumbering bear Wikuni female, looked around calmly and measuredly. Vora was never one to overreact, working with a slow sureness that made her one of the more level-headed of the noble rulers. "I see that the Vendari have decided to inject themselves into this decision," she reasoned. "So, our choices are to continue to support a mad king and face the wrath of the Vendari, or go along with you and put a conniving manipulator ten times worse than her father on the throne. I don't know what you told the Vendari, but I would like to hear their reasons for supporting you."

The sashka stepped forward from the base of the dais calmly. "My niece is the sworn bodyguard of Keritanima-Chan. From her I have heard of the trials suffered by her Majesty. I agree that she is a well known manipulator, but she has also proven herself honorable in the eyes of the Vendari. She has shown traits of friendship, loyalty, and trust. She has accepted her responsibilities. She is a much more humane person than her father, for she cares about the lives that are placed in her hands."

"And the fact that we stand here is a sure indication of her capability to handle the duties of the throne," Vora Plantan mused. "What say the priests of the Wavemistress?"

"In this, as in all things, we are neutral, Duchess," the High Priest of Kikkali, a tall bull Wikuni, stated. "We are here to serve, not to dictate."

"I see. I also see that I have little choice in the matter."

"We are not here to force your decision," the sashka told the Duchess simply. "We only want it known where we stand and why."

"Then I'll have your word in the matter, sashka. Would she be a better ruler than her father?"

"I would not be standing here if I did not believe it, Duchess," he replied simply.

"Well then, I see little reason to argue. I do think that Damon Eram is no longer fit to rule. I believed that long before her Royal Highness returned and began her games with him. I will support the enforcement of this law."

Keritanima started getting nervous as more and more noble rulers arrived, heard the explanation, and then made their decision. Out of the fourteen that had arrived so far, all of them had sided with her. They all understood the grim portents of refusing. The Vendari wouldn't slaughter them, but if Keritanima made an armed bid for the throne, her ten thousand Vendari would make it a very serious situation, and would give her an excellent chance at victory. The combined might of the army in Wikuna and the private armies of all twenty-eight noble houses would be just enough to make an open battle with the Vendari winnable for either side. What they couldn't forget was that there were fourty thousand more Vendari warriors in Vendaka, and they too would fight against whoever sided with Damon Eram. It would be a civil war between Vendaka and Wikuna, and in that war either side could win, and destroy both kingdoms in the process.

Each house that sided with Keritanima reduced that number of potential soldiers that would resist her bid for the crown, and made the Vendari more likely to win that war. At fourteen houses on her side, it was now a military and mathematical certainty that any fighting would fall in her favor. She now had the military might to battle Damon Eram's loyal forces and crush them, if it came to that. She fervently hoped that it would not, but that was one possibility that she couldn't deny.

In hearing the nobles discuss the matter, she realized how effective her plans had been. Most of them suspected that Keritanima had something to do with Damon Eram's madness, but they all did not doubt that he was indeed starting to lose his grip on reality. The people already hated Damon Eram, and her public flogging had bolstered popular opinion of her greatly. The noble rulers were very impressed with her subtlety as well, that she could trick her father into engineering the means by which she could bring him down. They finally had begun to shed the shadow of the Brat that hung over their eyes when they looked at her, and had to admit that Keritanima was indeed everything they suspected her to be. Not just smart, but patient, methodical, and detail-oriented, good traits in a monarch. She already had a powerful alliance with the Vendari, an alliance that they absolutely could not deny.

In the choice between Keritanima and Damon Eram, they all realized that Keritanima was the better choice. Those with their own eyes on the throne figured that the younger woman would be easier to dislodge from it, at least after the Vendari stopped meddling in Wikuni affairs.

The court was becoming crowded, and not just with courtiers and nobles. Keritanima saw both Jenawalani and Veranika enter, the buzz drawing them to find out what was going on. Many of the servants also came in, as well as Jervis and a few others she knew were spies. The Hall had filled up with people, but most of them remained very quiet as they observed the high drama playing out on the floor before them, as the fate of a kingdom hinged on the words of twenty-nine people.

Keritanima had just finished explaining things to Praki Mation. The fragile little Wikuni was still somewhat traumatized over having a servant's brains splattered all over her, and she was absolutely terrified of Keritanima. All it took was the sashka saying that the Vendari supported her, and she immediately started cowing to Keritanima. Praki Mation would strip naked and walk through fire if Keritanima told her to, because she feared the fox Wikuni that much. Praki Mation made twenty-one noble houses on her side. That was a very large number; in fact, it was only one short of the necessary twenty-two houses she needed to gain her three quarter majority. Keritanima realized that she was only one house away from gaining the crown, one house away from breaking her father and getting her revenge, one house away from starting to set everything right in Wikuna. The first inklings of sheer terror began to creep into her, terror of what could happen, what kind of misery her coup attempt may cause, terror at having to be the queen, to be responsible for the welfare of three million beings. She clenched a hand into a fist and let her short claws dig into her palm, letting the pain keep her mind on the job at hand. Twenty-one was not twenty-two. She still had to convince one more house.

And then her father arrived.

Damon Eram was cleaned up, neatly trimmed, and looking as regal as he could possibly look. He wore the Sun Crown and carried the Royal sceptre, wore the royal robes, and he was surrounded by twenty Royal Guards, his advisors, the Clerk of Law, and the Lord Chamberlain. His eyes bored into Keritanima when he saw her on his dais, on the sacred ground reserved only for him, but said nothing immediately. The entire Hall went dead silent with the king entered, but that silence was broken up by whispers and confusion.

Only about half of the people in court bowed to the King.

"I don't remember allowing you to hold your private little court, daughter," Damon Eram said scathingly.

His tone and attitude irritated Keritanima, and she decided to put him in his place immediately.

"I did not summon you, father," she said coldly. "Go back to your room."

"How DARE you!" Damon Eram exploded. "Shan, bring her down from there! On the point of your sword if necessary!"