Ascend

Part One •Amnesty•

I had my back to the room as I stared out the window. It was a trick I'd learn from my mother to make me seem more in control. Elora jad given me lots of tips the past few months, but the ones about commanding a meeting were the most use-ful.

"Princess, I think you're being naive," the Chancellor said.
"Your can't trun the entire society on its head."
"I'm not." I turned back, giving him a cool gaze, and he lowered his eyes and balled up his handkerchief in his hand.
"But we can't ignore the problems any longer."
I surveyed the meeting room, doing my best to seem as cold and imposing as Elora always had. I didn't plat to be a cruel ruler, but they wouldn't listen to weakness. If I wanted to make a change here, I had to be firm.

Since Elora had become incapacitated, I'd been running the day-to-day activities of the palace, which included a lot of meetings. The board of advisers seemed to take up a lot of my time.

The Chancellor had been voted into his position by the Trylle people, but as soon as his terms was up, I planned to campaign against him as hard as I could. He was a conniving coward, and we needed somebody much stronger in his position.

Garrett Strom- my mother's "confidant" -was here today, but he didn't always attend these meetngs. Depending on how Elora was doing that day, he often choose to stay and care for her instead.

My assistant Joss sat at the back of the room, furiously scribbling down notes as we talked. She was a small human girl who grew upin Förening as a mänsklig and worked as Elora's secretary. Since I'd been running the palace, I'd inherited Joss as my own assistant.

Duncan, mu bodyguard, was stationed by the door, where he stood during all the meetings. He followed me everywhere, like a shadow, and thoughhe was clumsy and small he was smarter then people have him credit for. I'd grown to respect and appreciate his presence the last dew months, even if he couldn't completely take the place of my last gaurd, Finn Holmes.

Aurora Kroner sat the head of the table, and next to her was Tove, my fiancé. He was usually the only one on my side, and I was grateful to have him here. I didn't know how I would manage ruling if I felt completely alone.

Also in attendance were Marksinna Laris, a woman I didn't particularly trust, but she was one of the most influential people in Förening; Markis Bain, who was in charge of changing placement; Markis Court, the treasurer r fhe palace; and Thomas Holmes, the head gaurd in charge of security and all the trackers.

A few other high-ranking officials sat around the table, all of their expressions solemn. The situation for the Trylle was growing increasingly dire, and I was proposing change. They didn't want me to change anything- they wanted me to support the system they'd had for centuries, but they refused to see the roles they palyed in its breakdown.

"With all due respect, Princess," Aurora began, her voice so sweet I could barely hear the venom underneath, "we have bigger issues at hand. The Vittra are only getting stronger, and with the truce about to end-"
"We can worry about that when they return," the Chancellor said. "Let's deal with saving our asses right now."
"I'm not asking to redistribute the wealth or calling to abolish the monarchy," I said. "I am simply saying that the trackers are out there risking their lives to save us, to protect our changelings, and they deserve a real house to come back to. Weshould be setting aside money now so that when this is over, we can begin building them real homes."

"As noble as that is, Princess, we should be saving our money for the Vittra," Markis Bain said. He was quite and polite, even when he disagreed with me, and he was one of the few royals whome I felt actually wanted to do what was best for all the people.