The Rebirth of a Nation

The Rebirth of a Nation

(Tortall gets a Democratic Government)

A/N: This is a very, very strange idea, but that's what I like to do. I know this is highly unlikely and I had to take some dramatic liberties. I'm also venturing into a few unexplored sides of some characters, so it may or may not fit your idea of them. And I'm also moving the story along pretty quickly, because otherwise it would take me forever to get to the point. I know this probably wouldn't happen as fast as it does here, and I know it's unlikely that things would happen so similarly to what I learned in American History. But bear with me, people.

Disclaimer: The characters and countries belong to the great Tamora Pierce, and the government system belongs to various nations around the world. Oh yes, the title belongs to a silent movie (loosely).

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            When the realm woke up, the royal family was dead.

            King Jonathan of Conté, his wife Thayet, and all of their children were found stabbed to death in their beds. No one else in the palace was harmed.

            In the upheaval that followed, the Provost's men somehow managed to catch the murderer. A madman named Sammur Reltigan was found in the city of Corus brandishing a knife dripping with blood, which top mages confirmed to belong to the royal family. When questioned, he admitted his guilt immediately and added that he would just as soon do it again. When pressed for a reason, the subject laughed maniacally and began to sing.

            Sammur Reltigan was executed quietly. Nobody would have noticed anyway: Tortall was in chaos.

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            "Gary, you have to do something!" the Lioness cried. She was fighting to hold back tears, completely forgetting in her grief that Gary and Jon had been close friends, too.

            "What do you want me to do?" Gary rarely lost his temper, but he was on the verge. Within a few days, news of the royal family's death had spread throughout the realm, and now all of Tortall was looking to him for leadership. But can I provide it? he thought.

            "I don't know," Alanna said. "Appoint a new king or something. Or step up yourself."

            "I wouldn't be king for all the gold in Carthak," Gary retorted. "And there's no one in line for the throne."

            The prime minister sat at his desk and put his head in his hands. "There's no one to rule. No one who was even a close relation to J—to the king." It still hurt to say Jon's name.

            A knock sounded at the door, and a servant admitted Myles of Olau. "How are you two holding up?" he asked quietly. The miserable faces they turned to him more than answered his question.

            "The worst part," said Gary, "is that we have no time to grieve. We need someone in power, and we need them now."

            "But we don't know who!" Alanna interjected angrily. "There's no one in line, and no obvious person to appoint."

            "I've been thinking about that," Myles said. The two others turned to him expectantly. "Place no one on the throne. Dissolve the monarchy, and think up something else."

            Alanna's jaw literally dropped open. Gary's eyes widened, but they held a sparkle of interest. "Do you think…do you honestly think…"

            "They'll need rules," Alanna said, having gathered her wits. "Otherwise they'll just fight the whole time."

            "But they'll never accept rules we place on them," Gary said.

            Myles held up a hand for silence as he thought. Shortly, he dropped it and said, "Why not let the people make their own rules?"

            Alanna frowned; politics weren't her strong point. But Gary was nodding slowly, an expression of wonder on his face. "Myles, you're brilliant!" He grinned for the first time since Jon's death. "We're going to make this work!"

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"It won't work, not in a million years!" protested Raoul. "The only thing that's kept Tortall going through the years is the presence of a strong leader."

            "I think he's right," said Lord Imrah of Legann. "It's not fair to the people of the realm to thrust all the power into their hands now. They won't know how to handle it."

            "Then we shall have to do it very carefully," said Myles. He looked down the table, at the king's former advisors. A few of the older nobles were vehemently against the idea of establishing a people's government. Others seemed to think the idea would work. Myles was trying to let everyone express his or her opinion.

            However, the novelty had not work off Gary. "But think, what if it worked? Can you imagine? Can you just imagine?"

            Alanna shook her head. "There's only one way to find out. We should try it." Ignoring several outcries of dissent, she settled back into her chair.

            Myles and Gary were ready to take over—they had been up until the small hours of the morning devising a plan. The younger man stood, and the table got quiet.

            "Here's a copy of a leaflet we're going to have printed up," he said, passing a piece of paper clockwise around the table. "We'll need a representative from each town…"

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A/N: Yes, that was pretty strange, wasn't it? Not the kind of stuff I usually like. I haven't decided what will happen yet, so review and tell me what you want! You can also review and tell me that I'm a freak for even having this idea, but I'll most likely continue it anyway (unless the negative response is overwhelming).