[M] If Ever There Was an Offer... [NoviDome x Natora]

[Natora]

Raylene smiled as he spoke out for what he believed in. It was beautiful and honest and she couldn't look away. That is...until the man beside her decided to huff at the prince and turn to walk away. Raylene looked at him and shook her head and ran up the podium to stand beside him. The opinions were starting to ring out and she didn't want him to have to hear all them. This was a good idea and he needed to hear the support.

She stood tall beside him to a few horrified gasps including her stepmother's. When she heard that one, she almost stood back to hide and run but she knew she had to support him right now. "Listen to me! Who here thinks they could do a better job of being a leader than our prince?" she asked as people started shouting out that they could. "Mhmmm. So you want the responsibility of sending out people to fight wars and going yourself? You want to be the one who has to divide the crops to the cities to make sure not one place starves? You want to be the one that is chased out by assassins when your decisions aren't liked by other leaders? Of course you get the pleasure of leading the country to greatness but you also have to take the bad with the good." She let her words sink in before she called out, "Let any man who believes he could hold this responsibility step up."

After some shuffling and rethinking, the only other man to step forward was the captain of the guards. This didn't sit well with many people. He was well known as a cruel and unkind man. Raylene stood back behind the prince, finally, not liking the feel of her stepmother's eyes.

[NoviDome]

Alden had been staring at her, numb with amazement, as she spoke for him. He honestly couldn't remember feeling this supported at any moment in his life so far. When she stepped behind him, he took her hand behind his back and nodded at the captain. 'Come up here with me please,' he asked him and stepped aside so the captain could join him on the podium. Afraid the people might just be scared, he turned back to them once more. 'Don't be afraid to step up as a candidate, ladies and gentlemen. I beg of you, if in your heart you feel that you should be up here with me, please come forward. After all, courage is a big part of leadership. My point is that I wish for this country to be ruled by whom the people want, and whom the people think will do the best job. If that's not me, I will humbly step down.'
Upon those words, two more men made their way through the crowd and climbed onto the podium. Alden didn't know who they were, which meant they weren't part of the royal staff. Somehow, their stepping up pleased him: it meant that citizens were getting his message.
When the men took their places beside Alden and the captain, the prince nodded and looked at the crowd. 'If that is all, I would like to start the voting process now. I will explain how this works: first of all, I would like for each of us to introduce ourselves to the people, upon which pieces of paper will be distributed to everybody. Please write the name of the one you, personally, think should rule this country, on that piece of paper. Several guards will take position around the square with boxes for you to drop your votes into. After everybody has voted, the votes for each candidate will be counted. The one with the most votes will be the next - elected - leader. Does everybody understand the process?'

[Natora]

The crowd nodded their agreement and began to disperse after all the candidates had said their names. There was Alden, Dornim (the captain of the guard), Hector, and Maximilian. Those were the four names that the crowd was allowed to vote for. Once the candidates stepped down from the podium, Raylene pulled Alden aside. "You cannot seriously be considering allowing Dornim to become a leader. He would wreak havoc on the city," she said to him shaking her head.

[NoviDome]

Alden looked away, pressing his lips together. '...I know. But I think the people know too. And if, in that knowledge, they still massively vote for him, I won't interfere,' he said softly. He knew the voting system came with risks, but he was willing to take them for the sake of the country.

[Natora]

Raylene shook her head at his response. This country was still his to rule as he saw fit and as far as she was concerned, he could prevent this tragedy from happening. The other two commoners, she knew, wouldn't last long as leaders. The only good solution she saw was going and voting for the one man that she knew could run the country well. Turning and walking away from him, she went and got the scribe to write the prince's name on a piece of paper for her, as many of the commoners had to do. Most couldn't read or write themselves. Once she had her piece of paper, she folded it and put it in a box.

[NoviDome]

Alden sighed silently upon her walking away from him. He knew it was hard to understand, but he needed to accept all sides of his democratic system, and that meant that if the public elected a ruler he did not personally agree with, he would have to accept that too. Even if he knew better, the system was based on what the people wanted, and if they wanted oppression, he would grant them that. All he could do now was hope the people knew better as well.

[Natora]

When the entire city had been given a chance to vote, the ballots were counted in the public square so that no one could be accused of cheating or the like. When all was finished, the counting and everything, it was still the prince that most of the city put their trust in to be the leader. Raylene sighed relief.

[NoviDome]

When Alden's name was stated as the winner of the election, his eyes widened and he looked at his people, feeling honored to bits. Grateful for their trust in him, he laid a hand on his chest and knelt down to them, bowing his head. 'Thank you all... So much. I promise I will do my very best not to let you down,' he vowed to them and then stood up, smiling at them.

[Natora]

As everyone else was cheering for the prince, some just silently clapping unenthusiastically, Raylene shook her head. He had risked making a huge mistake and allowing Dornim to rule the kingdom. She turned and left the square, intending to head back to the blacksmiths. There was just one small problem. Her stepmother hadn't forgotten her presence. Once they were out of sight of the prince, her stepmother grabbed her by her ear. "I knew you had something to do with it," she hissed before starting to drag her back to the mansion.

[NoviDome]

Alden bowed to his people again, still smiling. 'While I'm up here, I would like to invite someone very special to me up here with me,' he said and looked around, trying to spot Raylene. 'Raylene Darine, has anybody seen her?'