The knock on the door startled Violet and she stood straight up and rigid. Her hands in fists and a nervous look on her face as she kept telling herself to keep calm and not do anything stupid. As she reached for the door something in the back of her mind made her pull back. The face and the emotions that ran with it. She felt uncertain about this, her emotions completely mixed. "But...he's so real and the only guy that I don't scare off. I need to give him a chance." But in the back of her mind she was being told that she hated this man, that he would ruin her and that they are not to be together. Her lips began to quiver a little before she stood up straight again. "Fuck off." She told herself and then she opened the door.<br/><br/>There he stood, tall and muscular, his black hair accenting his eyes. The whole of him just looked so dark and handsome.<span style="font-style: italic">Where did this guy come from? Strip club from heaven?</span>She asked herself as she stared at him. Finally she decided to stop staring and say something.<br/><br/>"Hey." she said to him, turning a little pink at the cheeks.<br/><br/>---------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>As Vanessa entered the giant room where the court was to take place the voices silenced. She winced a little and walked stiffly to her seat near the head of the table, next to where the empress had sat not long before. It appeared that she was the last to arrive and as soon as she had sat down one of the Lord's spoke up.<br/><br/>"Welcome everyone. Though we are in grievance of the passing of our dear Empress as well as many of our most highly ranked soldiers it has come time to decide what will happen to our great nation now that our leader has gone." Some mumbling in agreement echoed through the hall. "In accordance to our laws, those in position to take over in temporary command until the dear princess is of age are as follows: Any Lord of a province (there are four), any relative to the deceased of age (there are two), the deceased's secretary, and last, the general of the royal army."<br/><br/>"Shit" Vanessa mumbled under her breath, she forgot that she was actually a delegate for temporary command. That hadn't even occurred to her. As the rest of the court started discussing with each other whom they though would be best to take charge Vanessa clenched her fists under the table. Finally the Lord stood and silence fell once again.<br/><br/>"I have given you all time to discuss and think on this. Now if you please, you will see paper and quills in front of you. Please write a name and submit it on your way out the door. Our wonderful clergymen will tally them for us and we will know by sundown."<br/><br/>There was a lot of noise as the court shuffled to write names and make their way out the door. Vanessa had no idea who to vote for. Only two of the listed people knew of the Princess' whereabouts, herself and the secretary. Not even her majesty's own family knew where the princess lay hidden.<br/><br/>"...this is war not politics at times like this you need a general to lead not a frail old woman, someone more like you or me..." The words of that man echoed in her mind. Was he right? Was this the time for war to take it's place among the leaders. She shook her head and took a very deep, shaky breath and wrote her own name down, as much as she hated to admit it, she may be their only hope now.