The Lost Selection

III.

There was a long list of names in front of her, suggestions from Sir Julien for who should be the next Prime Minister, who should take up the positions of governor in the provinces, generals in the army, and with all that who he found was befitting and trusting enough to have a seat at her new Advisory Board. 

The list was long, pages long, one could clearly see Sir Julien had been up past his bed time to finish it and put the best names on it. But Corlina wasn't going to accept the names just because they were the names given by her Prime Minister, she had been thought well by her mother and Grace in that matter, always do your own research. 

For the whole of the next week, apart from when she had an audience with the Prime Minister, who was still running the Government while Corlina tried to get things in order, the Queen was going though every file they had locked away in the Palace's vault, with every bit of important information she needed to know about the men and very few women Sir Julien had put forward for the roles that needed to be filled. 

She started with the easy ones, the governors. Sir Julien was proposing taking men out of Angeles, high stationed men from both the armed forces and the former parliament, allies and friends of Sir Julien she was sure, to move to the provinces and take on the role and position of governor. There weren't many roles to fill, of 35 provinces only 10 needed a new governor, which was an easy thing to do, finding a replacement. However, Corlina was against the idea of putting what was essentially a puppet on a government position. A governor should know the province like the back of their hand, the population's needs by heart and be trustworthy to put their populations needs above their own. 

From the ten names Corlina had already stricken six out and was now thinking of who could be better replacements for them. She had Grace on that duty, while she started with the interviews on the Generals. Sir Julien was adamant that alongside the governors each province should have a general to keep the 'peace and order'. He was appealing to Corlina's grief, she knew that, even if she didn't want to admit, from what had happened with her parents in Sumner during a time when the armed forces had generals but the provinces didn't, when the provinces were unprotected. 

It was appealing, and it was hurtful in some way. All the names on the list had a wonderful list of accomplishments, honours and medals to their names, clearly having earned their status as generals, but Corlina just couldn't bring herself to name the generals to the positions at each province, it just didn't seem... Right. She would have to do it, the time would come she knew that, but right at that moment, just after she came of age, right after she officially came into power she wanted to give the governors and the people a chance, a chance not to be oppressed, not more than they already were. 

"Your Majesty has to name the generals. For your own protection." Sir Julien stated during one of their quick meetings as she delivered the names of some of the Advisory Board members she wanted to have interviews with. 

"I won't make decisions based on a singular rebel attack with no causalities and not a single signal of a repeat since then, Sir Julien." 

"And when it comes time for you to tour the provinces? How will we know you're safe? With no heir you're not even safe inside the Palace let alone outside, in a province with no general to command the local armed forces." 

Corlina was taken aback by Sir Julien's response. She hadn't gotten there yet. With her coronation being in the height of the summer they had postponed her first tour of the provinces to the following year, but even if she was married by then she wouldn't have had a child, an heir to secure the line of succession and if the worst were to happen... If the same thing that happened with her parents happened to her... She didn't know what to think.