Kanieta could hear the constant droning of voices as she stood in a waiting area off to the side of the central platform. The Kin was far from alone, as a couple of dozen aides of various senators or the staff maintaining the building were constantly bustling about on business.

Yet few, if any, of the people were stepping within an arm's length of her. That might have had something to do with the four black armored guards standing around Kanieta, scrutinizing everyone who approached her, but she doubted it.

She was a Kin, and at the moment, their suspicion still overrode their curiosity… Or it could have something to do with the fact that she was in a clearly cordoned-off area, reserved for those who are officially approaching the Senate. Who knew which was the correct answer?

From where she sat, the woman had a view of the stage and the speaker, but could only make out the vague outlines of those in the space beyond. A sight that she had burned into her mind at this point, having studied it for hours. Surprisingly, Kanieta had learned quite a bit as she waited for Senator Ponpti to be allowed to bring her on to the stage.

Whenever one senator finished speaking, there was always another walking into the spotlight within moments, having been called by the old man at the back of the platform. The senators would bring up a proposal or law they wanted the other leaders of the Republic to consider. Some handed out documents outlining the idea, while others simply spoke about it. Those within the crowd, if they desired, could question the speaker on specific concerns they might have. And then they would vote on whether to enact the policy, postpone further discussion until a greater understanding was reached, or reject it.

There had to be nuances that she was missing, but that seemed to be the basic understanding of how this political body worked. And she didn't need more than the barest level of knowledge, as Kanieta wasn't planning on being here long.

Besides, why would she want to subject herself to learning and existing within another political system after she had just escaped the last one? Especially one where all the voices and competing interests made it seem like a slow and cumbersome headache. Then again, it had worked well enough for them to survive for thousands of years, so who was she to judge?

Blinking in surprise, Kanieta mentally replayed what the Master of the Chamber said, realizing that he had finally called for Senator Ponpti. Eyes flicking to the figure striding out onto the stage from the other side, the foxkin couldn't help but expel a sigh of relief as she got up and moved to the edge of the stage. Stopping in the center of the platform, the gray-haired politician didn't say a word as he silently looked around. Whether he was actually making eye contact with people or trying to make an impact on the crowd, the effect was the same.

The constant murmuring that had been present since Kanieta's arrival died down to nothing, and it was at that moment that Senator Ponpti opened his mouth to speak. "Greetings, fellow citizens of the Republic. I come before you today, not as a senator, entrusted to look after his constituents, but as a man who believes he knows what is best for the Republic. Given all of my abilities and the duties those abilities carry, I am doing what I think is right. As such, I ask— No, I beg you to hear me out. Do not shout me down from a position of anger, fear, or ignorance. Listen to my words, study the picture they create, and with a rational and logical mind, decide if what I present is in any way reasonable. If it is possible."

He stopped at that moment, and his head turned from left to right, his eyes flicking around, searching for someone to nay-say him or to shout him down. When the only response to his words was a few untimely sneezes and coughs that quickly hushed themselves, he continued. "Then, without further preamble, I will present the topic of my proposal. I, as all of you have no doubt heard, have traveled north and met the Kin that appeared at our border a little over four months ago. Through my interactions with them, they have expressed the desire to trade and form an alliance with us. It is such a strongly held belief for them that they beseeched me to sponsor a representative so they could come before the Senate and speak to our Republic. With your permission, I would bring her before you, so she may speak for her people."

After a few long moments, a begrudging voice called out, "So be it," and was quickly followed by dozens of more voices. Kanieta suspected that most of the senators were, at worst, neutral about her and her people. Neutral leaning toward curious. But no one was willing to outright earn the displeasure of those who hold a hostile view toward the Kin out of curiosity. Until the spokesmen of those individuals voiced their agreement, no one else spoke up. Even then, no one wanted to come off too enthusiastic.

Or, that was what Kanieta told herself as she glided out onto the platform, her hands clasped at her waist. The worst moment of her advance was the instant after she passed the wall concealing the side alcove that she was hiding behind.

It wasn't that the eyes of those present fell onto her, and she suddenly felt self-conscious. No, Kanieta had experienced crowds of a similar size when speaking to her own people; this was no different. It was that she had not been expecting to step out from behind the wall, and see an auditorium that could — and did — hold somewhere around fifty thousand people.

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The vast majority of those occupants were not gathered on the bottom floor, as that appeared to be reserved for the senators and their aids, but on terraced stands stretching back and up. Try as she might, Kanieta could not see a single vacant seat, though maybe it was just that her eyes were not good enough to see the very back rows.

The Kin was told by the senator that all citizens were allowed to watch the Senate's proceedings, so long as there was available space, and that he expected a large turnout, but this was not what she thought he meant. From what she had seen and experienced, the Olimpians weren't exactly open and forthcoming about anything of consequence among their people.

Regardless, she had a little theater to put on, and this was not enough to throw her off her stride. Her gate was confined by the long skirt of her dress, so she slowly traveled across the stage, but she never lowered her head or looked embarrassed. When she reached Ponpti, she gave him a slight bow and turned to face the rulers of Olimpia.

"Greetings, Olimpians. I am Elder Kanieta of the Nine-tailed clan within the Redtail Faction of the Kin. I was sent here on behalf of my people to show you that we have nothing to fear from one another, and much to gain from cooperation." Kanieta spoke in a clear and confident voice, carried to the farthest edges of the auditorium thanks to its design. "So I hope that your people can bring themselves to look past our physical appearance, to the intelligence that we both hold within. As such, I will be more than willing to have a conversation with anyone who desires. And if you will indulge me, I would be more than happy to present some of my people's creations for your pleasure."

Kanieta's words hung in the air long enough that she began to worry that they might ignore her presence entirely and move on with the session, as that would be the worst outcome in her mind. Before she could get too worried, the man sitting in the raised stand behind her spoke, "The chamber recognizes Senator Drelgath."

At the pronouncement, a middle-aged man, whose body appeared to consist of a massive gut on stubby legs, got up and wobbled down the aisle until he reached a small podium. "Ahem," The man grunted and coughed, as if he was trying to ensure he had everyone's attention… which he already did.

After a far too long period of him wheezing, he finally sneered, "So you, Kanieta of the Nine-tail Clan within the Redtail Faction of the Kin, would have us believe that your people want peace with ours?"

"Yes. At this time, there isn't anything my people would desire more."

"Oh, well, we will see about that. However, what I would like to bring up now is your people's unprovoked attack on the Triad, a core fort of our Republic. You killed thousands of legionaries and cost the Republic thousands of gold coins in damages. Then, as if that wasn't enough, you claimed the land north of the Twins and Rush for your own, seizing a critical supply of food for the northern provinces. I can not say that I am the most learned of my people, but even I do not think those are the actions of someone desiring to be a friend."

Kanieta had expected having to answer this question numerous times, even before she led the assault on the Triad, though the Crescent Moon's actions made the Olimpians displeasure infinitely worse. However, it didn't change her response. The conclusion that she and Elder Lurta had decided on was that if she tried to apologize for their actions, it would make the Kin look weak and place them at a disadvantage in the negotiations right from the start.

"How else could we be sure that you would notice us?" Kanieta asked back. "Even after shattering two-thirds of a fortress and claiming hundreds of miles as new territory, it still took months to attain a fragment of your attention. Anything less, and would we even be worthy to appear in these halls?"

"Yes, I suppose without proving yourself at least that much, your people would be little more than novelties that are displayed for our entertainment. Given your inability to hold the land you took, some question if that choice is still on the table."

"Make no mistake," Kanieta said, her voice dropping at the not-so veiled threat in his words. "Our peoples have yet to face each other in actual battle. Such an occurrence will only end with both sides regretting the events that brought about the situation."

"And yet, as soon as the Senatorial Guard arrived, the Triad was reclaimed in its entirety."

"A very liberal interpretation of events. Can it really be called reclaimed when my people seeded over the territory without a fight? I think not. If anything, I would say that our actions have more than proven that we are worthy of your consideration, and our intentions are for peace, though we are not afraid of war."

"Not afraid of war? Perhaps. But if half of what you had said is true, there is something that you are afraid of. Something that you have warned my people of time and again, as if they are monsters lurking in the night. The Letairry."

Even though she expected the dark elves to be brought up, the way the man said their name, like he was caressing it, sent a shiver down her spine. But she had no time to deeply consider his words as she responded. "Fear? No, we do not fear them. We are wary, as anyone rational would be wary of a venomous snake. Your people are straightforward defenders. Through your might of arms and willpower, you stand unyielding against everything that dares to confront you. The Letairry are the opposite. They are devious and manipulative, seeking to turn their foes against one another as a first course of action. People who pride themselves on such a basis can only be interacted with caution. The fact that we have sought to send representatives to you while they plot in the shadows should tell you everything you need to know."

Nodding his head like he was in complete understanding, Senator Drelgath smirked at Kanieta, causing a shiver of dread to run down her spine. "Well, we have heard so much about them from you, and as you say, why should we trust anyone hiding and plotting in the shadows. Which is why I have taken it upon myself to bring a member of the Letairry here. After all, we should provide them with an opportunity to defend themselves. If we can look past the Kin's assault on our people, why can't we look past there's?"

As she processed the words, Kanieta glanced to her left at some movement and saw a dark elf stride onto the stage. A wave of shock surged through her as she watched the tall, slender man give her a condescending smile and wink.

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