“This Assembly is now in session,” the herald called out over the Great Hall, pounding their spear pommel on the floor, “Supplicants may approach the throne.”

Jurao fought the urge to shift his weight – despite the decades, he still found sitting on the throne odd. Though he did think Snip and Snap flanking his seat made him look a bit more impressive than last Assembly.

Minaz, as Right Hand, stood behind his right shoulder – while Exka, as General, stood behind his left. The other Department Heads sat ranged around the circular throne dais, with Hujur and Vajur in the two front seats as the other two most prominent roles when it came to running the entire realm and not just the castle. As, were something to happen to Minaz, Hujur would be next in line to take command as interim King.

The city’s governing leadership was seated in a line on either side of the throne, a few feet in front of the Department Heads. Mayor Mera and her Deputy, Millar, took the innermost seats – they had already screened all potential supplicants, so only those who could not resolve their issues through the courts and local government would be appearing before Jurao. Though this was a matter of opinion – the previous mayor had allowed all those who wished to have an audience through, likely to annoy Ergirri.

“Good morning, your highness,” the first supplicant greeted, bowing at the appropriate distance from the throne – in line with the City Council seats. They went on, “I am Aega, Master of the Fighting Guild, and I have been asked to represent the Merchant, Blacksmith, Pharmacy, and Fishing Guilds.”

“Good morning, Aega,” Jurao returned, “What is your business.”

They sighed as they rose, “I first wish to make it clear that I am not representing the sentiments of my own guild; only those I stated asked me to represent them.”

“Understood,” the King nodded.

“I wish to challenge Lord Braelin to a duel as an expression of those guilds’ displeasure with a human being appointed so highly in the King’s court,” Aega stated.

“I informed the guilds they could not all issue a challenge and needed to elect a single representative, your highness,” Mayor Mera supplied.

Jurao inclined his head to her, “Thank you for your consideration, Mayor. Lord Braelin has appointed his brother, Petty Prince Malson, as his champion – you can meet him in the training fields for your duel, Guildmaster Aega, as his preferred weapons include pistols.”

There was murmuring from their audience – the castle was open to the public on Assembly Day, so all who wished could witness it. While the nobles in the balconies above were not surprised by this, the citizens from the city had likely not all heard of there being a human Petty Prince related to the King’s partner.

Aega bowed, “Thank you, your highness.”

“A duel as the first supplicant?” Minaz sighed under her breath, “Well, at least the Mayor is properly screening supplicants now…”

“Good morning, your highness,” the second supplicant bowed, “I am Hok, Deputy Master of the Fighting Guild.”

“Oh, wow,” Exka snorted.

“Good morning, Hok,” Jurao greeted, “What is your business.”

“I am afraid I have also been retained to challenge Lord Braelin to a duel,” Hok said apologetically, “On behalf of the citizens of the Copper, Silver, and Iron Districts – as Mayor Mera also limited the districts to a single challenger.”

The King nodded, “Very well – as before, you may meet Petty Prince Malson in the training fields.”

Jurao had hoped that public opinion was better, but he counted it as enough of a victory that neither all of the tradesman guilds nor all of the city districts had pooled resources for their challengers – and that said challengers did not relish their position. He wanted to check how Braelin was reacting to the challenges, but his partner was seated behind the throne, and Jurao would need to twist too far to be discrete.

“Good morning, your highness,” the third supplicant bowed, “Forgive my impudence – I am Scusars, Master of the Fighting Guild of Gnomesaroy, and I have been retained on behalf of the Jiedoyva family of Gaevoyga to also challenge Lord Braelin. I am willing to postpone my challenge until after his champion has had time to recover.”

The Jiedoyvas were the ruling family of Gaevoyga – and as Jurao was King of the entire realm, within their rights to send a representative during his Assembly; though the practice was more designed for the local populace.

Minaz growled, and stepped forward, “All supplicants here for the sole purpose of challenging Lord Braelin to a duel may now step out of line – along with Guildmaster Scusars, your challenges will be postponed, and you will be given accommodations in the castle until your challenges can be completed. Said challenges will be announced for the public to witness if they desire.”

“As my Right Hand says,” Jurao nodded, somewhat gratified that only three people after Guildmaster Scusars stepped out of line to follow castle staff elsewhere. With how much the court’s opinion of Braelin had improved, he’d forgotten the general feelings demons had toward humans.

“Fuck’s sake,” Minaz huffed, “He’s not even from the Empire… and what the fuck does Gaevoyga care? He’s castlestaff…”

Exka chuckled, “There would definitely be more challenges if he were an Imperial.”

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The rest of the supplicants were more of the usual fare – property disputes, requests for grants, aid, or reimbursement from the Crown, and the like. When they were through with the supplicants, there was a recess for the Hall to be rearranged. Jurao, his Department Heads, and the City Council went to a side room with waiting refreshments.

“Malson managed to beat Aega, but it was close,” Feyl reported, “His prosthetic got mangled – Hok had to postpone her challenge until Nevve can repair or replace it.”

“Will she be able to?” Braelin asked, currently seated in Jurao’s lap with Petal in the human’s lap. While being seated behind the others had greatly lessened the feeling of watchful eyes, those in the balconies still had a clear enough view to make the Assembly stressful.

“She made sure to study the schematics Ben and Malson brought with them, so I don’t see why not,” Feyl shrugged, “But opinions of you must be fairly good to only have six challenges.”

“More like Mayor Mera’s prudence,” Exka laughed, giving her cousin a good-natured punch to the shoulder, “She only allowed the districts and the tradesman guilds to have a single champion each.”

“Assembly drags on long enough without every fool wanting to make an uninformed opinion known having their undue say,” Mayor Mera herself stated, approaching them, “I hardly see why it matters to anyone in the city who you appoint as a castle gardener, your highness. Until he starts making governing decisions, that is.”

“Thank you again for your forbearance, Mayor Mera,” Jurao replied.

“I admit I was surprised you did not take on the challengers yourself, your highness,” Mera continued, giving their arrangement a cursory study, “Though the absence of any duels to the death does speak well of the court’s efforts in promoting human acceptance.”

“Thank you,” Feyl grinned.

“It was my partner’s preference that his brother champion him,” Jurao supplied.

“So that challengers would still face a human,” Braelin added.

Mera adjusted her glasses, “Then I am not the only prudent person in the room, I see. Though it would also help for you to make more appearances in the city, Lord Braelin. Part of the good opinion, I’m sure, stems from your siblings’ ventures.”

“I… do not fare well in crowds paying me much attention,” Braelin sighed, “Ah… I’m sorry, is there a term of address for mayor?”

“Not one expected to be used by nobility,” Mera snorted, “I am a Petty Noble myself – but I prefer Mayor to Lady.”

“Even from me?” her Deputy asked with a smile.

“Especially from you,” Mera replied coldly.

“Oh, Braelin, this is my brother,” Exka said, clapping the man on the shoulder, “Wouldn’t expect a Sculi as a Deputy Mayor, right?”

While Braelin and Exka had met briefly after the arrival of the twins and Owren, she had departed almost as quickly back to the Champion Gate – not that there was a pressing emergency, she was simply eager to continue training with her husband and Imeveo for her first battle with human Champions that would come within the next decade or so. She would have enjoyed training with Jurao as well, but he had too many other duties to spar as often as his General would desire.

“I think by now I know better than to make assumptions about Sculis,” Braelin chuckled.

“He’s heard Kaenaz debate,” Feyl snorted.

“Oh dear,” Millar grinned, “Now I have higher expectations to meet.”

“You should always be meeting the highest expectations,” Mera replied.

“He only became Deputy Mayor because he thinks Mayor Mera is very attractive,” Exka crouched to whisper conspiratorially.

Feyl rolled his eyes, “Our families are acquainted, that’s why they act like an old married couple even though they’re only engaged.”

“Oh,” Braelin said, “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Millar said, then added wistfully, “I had to beg for six blissful hours before she said yes.”

“He likes being scolded,” Exka said flatly, “But only by women he finds intimidating.”

“And Mera enjoys scolding him, so it works out well for them,” Feyl added in an equally flat tone.

Jurao had heard on many occasions from Feyl and Exka that saying such plainly should embarrass Millar, but it never had—as evidenced by his nodding along happily to the commentary.

“In any case,” Mera said dryly, “Now that we are engaged, Millar will be resigning his post to prevent the appearance of impropriety. I had not planned to announce it during the meeting since our engagement isn’t public knowledge yet, but I thought I would say so now as a point of courtesy.”

“Thank you, Mayor Mera,” Jurao said, “And congratulations.”

“Thank you, your highness,” Mera inclined her head.

Soon after, they all returned to the reassembled Hall to continue the Assembly. They started with the treasury review – going over general expense reports and taxes, primarily led by Hujur and Deputy Mayor Millar. Once that was completed, it was time for new business.

“We, the Council, have reviewed the Crown’s request for building an aquatic garden,” Mayor Mera said, flipping through the packet, “Due to high positive public interest and the benefits laid out in said request, we agree to undertake the project but request a grant of ten beast scales from the Crown for initial costs, subject to renewal as the project continues.”

“That is a rather high sum,” Hujur stated, accepting a packet passed to him by a city aide.

“Yes, but we would also like to propose our own project in conjunction with the aquatic garden,” Mayor Mera continued, as more packets were passed around, “A public terrestrial garden. Apologies for not sending a proposal before this Assembly, but the Crown’s proposal sparked the idea.”

“A public garden, Mayor?” Hujur asked, glancing through the City Council packet.

“Would this be in the beastkin tradition?” Jouvi asked, doing the same.

Mayor Mera nodded, “Yes, indeed – since Lord Braelin has rendered the Castle Gardens safe for casual traversal, and as a public garden would carry many of the same benefits as an aquatic garden, we felt a joint project to construct both would be the most efficient method. Of course, the Council would need to consult with Lord Braelin for the project to be successful.”

“I would be happy to assist,” Braelin said softly, “Should the Crown agree to the project.”

Jurao wished it was appropriate to seat his partner in his lap during the meeting, but after all the challenges, the public – which was still in attendance – would likely react unfavorably. Still, it seemed Petal sitting in Braelin’s lap did much to ease the human’s discomfort.

“So you already have a location in mind?” Kloy asked, smiling gently as he turned to the section with his okels’s architectural designs – prudently just before proposed layouts for a terrestrial garden.

“My family has held three estate properties, two of which conveniently border the Court District,” Mayor Mera smiled, “The land between them was previously held by one of the criminals arrested for embezzlement under my predecessor. As I have no need for three estates, I will happily turn those two estates over to the public – the Crown grant would primarily be used towards demolishing the current buildings, with five beasts as recompense.”

Jurao hummed as he looked over the proposal. It seemed solid, and he enjoyed that it would give his partner a way to earn some goodwill from the general public in a very visible way. Still, he looked to Hujur – his Steward was better at determining such matters.

Hujur drummed his fingers as he considered, then said, “I believe the Crown can accommodate your request – especially with your… generous donation of lands to the project.”

Jurao knew that tone – there were further politics afoot than the obvious ones, but he trusted Hujur’s judgment and knew the man would explain it after the public meeting was over.

“Thank you,” Mayor Mera nodded, “That is all the new business from the City Council. Does the Crown have anything to add?”