Summary: Sanaki, several years post-game; Sanaki watches her Senate and reflects on the importance of trust.
Crown of Stars
The young woman—girl, really—sat patiently in her throne, listening to her advisors and nodding when it seemed appropriate. It all still felt so surreal, like a bad dream that she would wake up from in the morning. But there would be no awakening from this dream, and she had to deal with how life would be from now on.
Some seats were still empty, she reflected, but that was all right; it was better to be patient than to end up with corruption and advisors fighting her every step of the way. She would be careful with filling those empty seats, as careful as she had been with the appointments that she had already made.
Her expression of polite interest changed to a smile when the new Vice Foreign Minister stood to give his report. He really was brilliant, she reflected, and completely loyal to her rather than to his own interests. Oh, he had plans of his own, true enough, but he put her needs before those plans.
The Vice Minister of Finance seated next to him was a genius with figures and was able to bargain down all of Begnion's expenses. For a surprise he wasn't embezzling any money out of the treasury, and was quick to point her eye towards any in her court who were living above their means--or below them.
Across the table from her was the Vice Minister of Internal Affairs, a cunning older man who had taught her how to play chess. There probably wasn't any fact in the whole of Begnion that he didn't know, and his spy system had been operating under his control since before she was born.
A glimpse of silver and blue at the corner of her eye was Sigrun, standing guard next to her throne, and Tanith stood firm by the door. Those two had given her so much, had in fact raised her, with nothing in return save temper tantrums and her possessive fits, but both confessed that they would continue to do so no matter what.
Directly to her throne's left was an anomaly in the crowded room: a chair with no occupant. She glanced past it as if it didn't exist, focusing on the Vice Foreign Minister's report.
Yes, Sanaki thought as the others began to ask questions, there really is no need to be so quick at filling the other seats; trustworthy people are so very hard to find.