423 What Happened Next Could Wait For Another Day

The noblewoman swallowed and nodded, shrinking back from the eye that were focused on her now and disappearing into the crowd..

Steve drifted in Ann's direction, speaking in his now familiar empty tone.

"I can fetch any additional documents if required, or perhaps some of the daemons that we don't intend to allow access to your realm..."

"Thank you, Steve," Ann said, "But I think we have everything we need."

"As you wish," he shrugged and turned his deadpan expression to rest on the noble who had challenged Ann directly yesterday.

"Individual meetings can still be arranged however…with or without an individual's explicit permission…" he commented dryly as the noble audibly gulped

Coral distributed the next stack of pages amongst the nobles as Ann hid her smile with her hand. She hadn't expected that even Steve would join in with harassing the nobles a little bit, and if she wasn't mistaken, there seemed to be the faintest trace of a satisfied, yet terrifying, smirk on the edges of his mouth.

"These are the sections that you will review and sign for today. If there are any objections we will take only written arguments currently, no verbal amendments. Everything goes through Eva and myself for records and then we will pass everything through for Ann's decision once all of the objections have been compiled."

The nobles skimmed the documents with growing unease and there was the sound of panicked throat clearing.

"But this…this… places nearly all authority under the Crown." a trembling voice said and Ann nodded.

"That is correct," Ann said. "We are at war and sometimes, split-second decisions need to be made without time for the input of every noble and allocation of debate time for objections."

"Your Queen holds the realm together while you complain about losing the status that keeps you fat and lazy." Lord Brarthroroz scoffed, "You should be grateful that she lets you sit in this room at all with the level of inaction that the majority of you allow yourselves. I can remember a time when it was the nobles themselves that led their men on the field through loyalty and honor. It saddens me to see how low the noble class has fallen amongst the packs."

Every noble there had the decency to look ashamed and they all tried to stand a little straighter under his scathing observation.

"Now that you have sworn your oath to the crown, all that is required now is for you to sign the acknowledgement of the kingdom's wartime status and the conditions that enforces on us all The allied agreement with Lord Brarthroroz does not require your signature, but if you wish to add your support, then your signatures are welcomed on the document." Ann said, shifting slightly in the chair as one of the triplets decided to push down on her bladder.

She lifted the first page with the nearest hint of a grimace.

"Form a line."

And this time none of them hesitated.

One by one, the nobles approached, placed their hands on the page, and signed their names. Some looked ashamed, others looked terrified and a few looked bitter but they remained silent.

Lord Brarthroroz watched each one with a steady, quiet judgment, taking note of which faces that he thought would pose a problem at some point in the future.

By the time the last signature was given, not a single noble dared look him in the eyes.

Coral collected the documents and handed them to Ann for final verification and as she scanned the pages, she glanced up at the nobles again.

"Then the council is now reformed and currently, full oversight sits with the throne. This is no longer a room for power struggles. It is a room for focusing on rebuilding our communities stronger and giving back to the people that have lost so much already in this unwanted war."

Brarthroroz inclined his head.

"For me, this is acceptable."

Eva tapped a final note into her tablet.

"Perfect. I have the minutes of this meeting recorded and the Charter drafting will continue tomorrow."

Ann stood, her hands braced on the table for balance as Adam watched her carefully.

"Thank you for your attendance. You are all dismissed."

The nobles filed out quietly, and when the last one left, Coral let out a long breath.

"Thank the Goddess, that went far better than I expected it to."

"Except for the puddle." Eva muttered and they both sniggered softly.

Brarthroroz turned to Ann and sighed.

"If they insult daemon citizens again, I will do worse than make the person piss themselves,

I hope you realise that."

"I know." Ann nodded.

"Good." He said and then turned to face Steve. "Open the return path."

Steve lifted a bony hand and the portal shimmered open.

Brarthroroz stepped through without another word and Steve followed after him, the portal closing behind them with a quiet snap.

Brad exhaled.

"I like him. He's very efficient."

Ann sank back into her chair.

"So do I. It's an amazing stroke of luck that Lexi was his daughter. I honestly don't know how any of us would have gotten through this alive if I had never met her." she mused quietly and a grateful silence settled over them all as that possibility sank in.

"You did well," Adam said as he reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. "However, I think it's time that you rested for today. You look tired."

As much as Ann wanted to argue, she knew he was right. She had been expecting a bigger pushback from the nobles on most of the matters they had covered, but now that it was done, there really wasn't any more major legislation that needed drafting or enforcing.

For once, she could actually breathe and just focus on taking things day by day. All that remained now was to take the castle from the Lycan King and end that threat once and for all.

All thoughts of what happened next could wait for another day.