[Ranather]

High Magister Ihembramev looked out over the Principality. From one vantage, he could see the entirety of his domain with his own eyes, not just some composite satellite photo. That certainly had to be a rare privelege.

He sighed as his young daughter Maria came up behind up.

"Watche thinkin' bout?"

"The sky, precious. And the birds, the grass, the people below."

"It's all yours right?"

He smiled as he picked her up. The naivety of youth, how quaint.

"Not exactly no. All those people down there, they trust me. Trust that I will lead them properly. But I have a responsibility to be worthy of that trust."

"Oh? Yeah! The man from China told me about it. Mero...mary..."

"Meritocracy. Yes. You're still to young to understand it fully, but trust Dad on this one, it's the right course."

[Ranather]

A knock was heard on the door. The figure of Prime Minister Josef Ibrahaem poked in.

"Ah, come in Josef."

"I do hate to burden you with affairs of state, Magister, but this is..."

Vasili raised a hand, cutting the Minister off. "Yes, I know. Maria, along with you now." The girl went off to play in another part of the Palace. The two moved over to a nearby ottoman and sat down.

"The elections are complete. The FPN had me worried for a moment, but the Francos pulled through."

"It still troubles me that they could not sneak a majority undisputable. The Union?"

"Niet. They will hear nothing of Coalition."

"Blast. There must be some clause, some Charterial Stipulation we can exploit?"

"Niet. Not that the scribes have found. Pushing anything through will be difficult. But there is yet hope. The Communists refuse to Coalition with the FNP, all four parties will caucus Independant of one another."

"Hmm. Perhaps we will have to see what can be done."