MAEVE

IT'S NOT enough. That's what Maeve thought after receiving the results of the senatorial elections. She was happy that they won twelve seats, but she would be much happier if they won seventeen, which would give them control of the Senate. But that was such a tall order. She knew the election was a fight that they had a slim chance of winning. Not even the extra funding from the generous Camerian Federation could catapult them over the monarchists.

That's right. The republicans accepted the offer of help from the Federation. They poured mercs into the provinces to ensure that they would retain the six seats left vacant by their late colleagues and pick up some along the way. Their strategy somewhat paid off, and the money they received was not wasted at all. But bags of mercs could only bring them this far. If they wanted to become the majority faction, they had to work harder.

Maeve had been optimistic in front of the reporter who interviewed her, but the truth was she's troubled. Troubled by the thought that they gave it their all and still lost in the end. Yes, there would be more republicans in the hallowed chamber of the Senate, but that would not change anything as long as the monarchists were in the majority.

The day of the resumption of the Senate sessions came, which was also Maeve's dreaded day. With only twenty-one of them, there was no way to block the proposal to grant Alphonse the dictatorial powers he had been craving for. Except, if a miracle were to happen.

"I reached out to my monarchist friends, but they won't budge," Ranald told Maeve as they were marching on their way to the temporary session hall in the Royal Library. He positioned himself on her left side. "It's faction over nation, they said. They also want to win Alphonse's favor."

"Those ass-lickers," Maeve whispered and then sighed. "How about on your end?"

Walking on the right, Sumeria shook her head. "It's the same for my monarchist acquaintances. Victor has threatened anyone who won't toe the party line with expulsion from the faction. Now that they've retained their precious majority, no one will ever consider voting against the motion and earning their leader's ire."

All options had been exhausted. None would give Maeve the result that she wanted. They put up a good fight. They did their best, no doubt. Unfortunately, their best was not good enough.

"Perhaps we must accept that the motion will pass today," Ranald whispered, glancing behind him to check if someone else was present. "We might be stressing ourselves with something that's already beyond our control. Let's accept it. We lost. Every agenda that we want to push for has been blown out of the water."

"That's a defeatist attitude!" Sumeria scolded him. "I'm glad that you're not our faction leader. If our members hear you, they will be demoralized. They will lose heart on what we're fighting for."

"I'm only being realistic here." Ranald's hands made some gestures. "Given the inevitability of this session's outcome, what if we show some good will to Alphonse and the monarchists? Let's vote in favor of the motion to show them that we want the same thing—peace and stability in the Kingdom."

"We campaigned against granting him dictatorial powers. Now you're suggesting to support it? Have you lost your mind? Or have the monarchists bought you already?"

"I'm talking about survivability here, to give us a chance to fight another day. If the motion passes—and we know it will most certainly pass—Alphonse can virtually do whatever he wants. He can go after us because we're challenging him. But if we support his request—just this once—he may become benevolent toward us and spare us from a potential purge."

"You're asking us to give up."

"Do we have an alternative?"

But Maeve refused to wave the white flag and prostrate herself before the monarchists. The current situation was not in their favor, but it did not mean that it was already over. There might still be some glimmer of hope. If she were lucky, she would be able to draw a lucky card.

Then she found it. Her last remaining hope to reverse the circumstances, to make the inevitable evitable: her fellow senator from Darsche, Renoux, standing on the sidelines and talking to four more senators in deep red cloak. It had been a week since they ate dinner together and discussed his possible betrayal. They had not been in contact since then.

"Please go ahead," Maeve told her colleagues as she came to a halt. Ranald, Sumeria, and the other republicans walked past her and entered the session hall. Her blue eyes met Renoux's crimson eyes. The latter whispered to his fellow senators who left him behind.

The two young senators, belonging to opposing parties, stood face to face with each other. Maeve noticed how tall Renoux stood compared to her. She needed to tilt her head just to look at his face.

"Congratulations," Renoux greeted her with a smile. "Your faction has managed to steal some seats from us. Our leader isn't pleased, but I'm amazed. How did you pull it off?"

"Messaging," Maeve replied. "The people believed more in our message than yours."

"Oh, please!" the monarchist scoffed. "We all know that most people don't care about the message. But they do care about another word that starts with m. Mercs. People in less developed provinces tend to vote for candidates who can fill their pockets with coins and put food on their table."

"Are you accusing us of bribing the people to vote for us?" Maeve felt insulted. But there was some truth to it. Politics had always been dirty. She was so disgusted at herself for dipping her hand into the filth. But it had to be done. Her morals alone would not have made winning more seats possible.

"Well, I know that you're desperate to block the King's request," Renoux replied. "And when you're desperate, you're willing to do whatever's necessary to get what you want. It's basic human instinct. Even I had my moments of desperation. There's nothing to be ashamed of it. This is just a game after all."

"Maybe that's what the monarchists have been doing the past decades." Maeve let out a chuckle. "Maybe that's how you retained your majority all this time. By doing whatever's necessary."

"Maybe." Renoux smiled at her. Then that smile twisted into a frown. "I'm sorry, Maeve. My mind's already made up.

The monarchist did not have to spell it out. Maeve knew what he was talking about. Her last flicker of hope got extinguished. Dark times ahead.

"I gave it so much thought the past few days. I was undecided until the election results came," he went on. "The moment I saw the numbers—you twenty-one and us twenty-nine—it became clear to me which side I should be with. I hope you understand."

"Is it faction before nation for you as well? Will you let Alphonse's favor and Victor's threats dictate how you'll vote today?"

"I have a mind of my own, Maeve. I don't let the others dictate what my next move will be. This decision that I'm about to make, I've thought about it so hard. You know that I don't get easily swayed by mere words. I weigh my options and choose the one that's more rational and beneficial to me."

They had been classmates in the academy, so Maeve knew his character better than most of their fellow senators. He was not the one to be bullied or intimidated.

"Yet you're voting in favor of an inexperienced king's request." She would be remiss to not point it out. "I see how it's beneficial to you, but I fail to see how it's rational."

"If you were in my shoes, wouldn't you make the same decision?" Renoux asked. "Wouldn't you choose what's convenient for you and this nation? You would, right? It so happened that the odds are stacked against you that's why you have the gall to lecture me about doing the right thing."

If the republicans were in power, would she have done the same? Maeve did not know the answer. It was likely that she would. But it was unlikely that she would without any question. She was open to making compromises which was necessary in the dirty game of politics.

"Maybe if you exerted more effort in campaigning your candidates, you wouldn't have to ask for my help." Renoux spun on his heel and walked toward the session hall. "You wouldn't even have to go this far to court my vote."

Admittedly, Maeve did not want to stoop this low. Her pride would not let her. She would not consider asking for an enemy's help to block the motion. But Renoux was different. They had history that went years back in the academy. In her mind, she was not asking for a monarchist's help. She was asking for a friend.

But that was out of the window now. Renoux was already decided. There was no way his mind would change. Maeve chose to preserve what remained of her dignity. She would not think of kneeling and begging for her old friend's support.

If the motion's fate was already decided, then Maeve got no choice left but to get over with. She entered the temporary session hall, which was only a large room in the Royal Library that was rearranged to resemble the appearance of the Senate chamber. There was a rostrum at the rear part and rows of chairs and desks in front of it.

As the opposition leader, Maeve took her seat at the very first row of desks. She got herself a front-row seat to witnessing history in the making—the Senate becoming useless and rubber stamp of the King.

Victor Sorensen, the Senate president, climbed the rostrum and sat on the highest chair. He pounded the gavel, signaling the formal start of the session. He said a few words of welcome to the neophyte senators and quickly proceeded to the very first order of the day—the motion to grant dictatorial powers to the King.

"Mr. President, I would like to officially endorse the motion from the Palace to the Senate floor," an old monarchist with twirled moustache spoke. "The motion that I hereby put forth is to grant dictatorial powers to His Majesty King Alphonse de Arcerea to maintain peace and order in the times of uncertainty and instability in the Kingdom. If approved, the King may exercise the legislative powers of the Senate on our behalf to fasttrack any efforts that he deems fit for the accomplishment of his objectives."

"Mr. President?" Maeve raised her right hand. She stood after being recognized. "The republican faction opposes the motion for the sole reason that the King already has enough power to maintain the so-called peace and order in the Kingdom. We must not surrender our lawmaking powers to someone who's been king for only half a month. That will be an error of judgment on the part of this august chamber."

"Your opposition has been noted, Madam Senator," the Senate president said dismissively. "Any response from the majority leader?"

"The King has been anointed by Arcanus. Inexperienced or not, we must respect the divine right of the monarchs to govern their people and trust in the wisdom that Arcanus will bestow His Majesty once he wields these powers. After all, the Senate's powers are originally part of the King's. We're merely giving him back what his lineage has given us."

"Thank you, Majority Leader. As this motion is certified as urgent, we will skip the debate and start the voting now. Once your name is called, say aye if you're in favor and nay if you're against. Let's call the roll."

"Senator Ariad?"

"Aye."

"Senator Besmarck?"

"Aye."

"Senator Cohallen?"

"Nay."

Maeve leaned her back against the seat and shut her eyes for a moment. This is it. The monarchists would have another win today. She tried her best to stop it, but she fell short.

"Senator Flannigan?"

"Nay," Maeve answered, her voice was weak. Maybe Ranald was right. They must accept that they had already lost this battle. All they could do was to look ahead on a battle that they could potentially win in the future.

"Senator Morrison?"

"Nay."

The session hall erupted in gasps. Maeve's eyes opened and went so wide, they almost popped out of their sockets. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at Renoux who was seated at the back. Did she hear his answer correctly? That he voted against the motion? She squinted her eyes at him, mentally asking if he said the right answer. Renoux caught her glance and gave her a slow nod.

"Senator Sorensen?"

"Aye."

"Senator Tallano?"

"Aye."

"Senator Viridia?"

"Nay."

"Twenty-four in favor, twenty-six against. The motion to grant the King dictatorial powers is hereby denied."

Renoux was not the only one who voted against it. Four monarchists joined him. Maeve looked up at the rostrum and observed the shocked expression on the Senate president's face. He did not see this coming. She also did not. Everyone was taken by surprise. The look of betrayal flashed across the monarchists' faces.

"Mr. President!" Renoux raised his hand. "I'd like to make a manifestation. Mr. President?"

It took Victor a few seconds before he replied. He was still in shock. "The president recognizes the loyal senator from Darsche."

Renoux stood. Everyone's attention was on him. Monarchists and republicans, he caught their curiosity. The question "why?" was written all over their faces.

"Mr. President," he began, "I, along with four of my fellow senators in our bloc, have decided to vote against the motion because we believe that the Senate must work together with the King in governing the Kingdom, and not behind him like a dog following its master. The opposition has made a good point. The King has everything that he needs to maintain peace and order. There's no need for dictatorial powers which may seem like excess."

"Your manifestation has been heard and noted—"

"Furthermore!" Renoux raised his voice as well as a forefinger. "I would like to propose a motion in connection with the now denied motion. I assure you, Mr. President, this will set things right."

Victor took a deep breath. He was grinding his teeth and seething. "Proceed."

"The Senate president, who's also the leader of monarchist faction, has voted in favor of that motion," Renoux said. "A motion that compels the Senate to temporarily surrender its powers to the King."

Maeve's eyebrows furrowed. She had no idea where this conversation was heading. Would Renoux propose an alternative to the defeated motion? Or would he do something unexpected and shocking again?

"As a senator and as a citizen of this great nation, I cannot accept that the leader of this institution is willing to give up our powers without any question and without any debate to a single person. He even threatened members of his own faction. Those who do not vote in favor will suffer severe consequences," Renoux revealed. Gasps filled the air. "That's why I move to declare the position of Senate president vacant!"

"What madness is this, Renoux?"

"You're a freaking traitor!"

"Sit down, you turncoat!"

"Are you frigging insane, boy?"

"Withdraw that stupid motion!"

Maeve was confused as hell on what's going on. Just a moment ago, Renoux killed the motion. Now, he wanted Victor removed from his position. She did not expect him to stir up some trouble in his own faction. This should have been good news for the republicans, but they were also bewildered by the sudden and recent developments.

"Once the Senate presidency is vacant," Renoux raised his voice to drown those who were heckling him, "I move to nominate my fellow senator from Darsche and leader of the opposition, Maeve Flannigan, to be the next Senate president!"

Almost everyone was shouting and yelling at each other. Victor even had to strike his gavel multiple times to maintain order. But no one was listening to him. Everything fell into chaos.

Maeve could not believe what she just heard. She remained seated, letting her colleagues threw expletives at their political rivals. She then turned to Renoux who remained standing despite being heckled by the monarchists.

All he gave her was a slow, reassuring nod.

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