And I dub thee....

"I call forth the noble ones known as Probe and Inquirer," the Regent calls out in a clear and soft (but oddly resonant) voice.

I know that Malachi Dronocis is using a simple Acoustics spell so her voice can be heard in every corner of the Royal Chapel, but at the moment I sit in my seat....next to my Father....as if spellbound myself!

But.....this part was only for him! I protest silently as I look over at Probe...who's got a smirk on his face!

Well, it's not impossible to fool an Inuit AI, especially when your father - who has twice the experience in our field than I do - is in on the trick!

I had halfway expected something like this, but had kept my eyes and ears open for any such planing.

It makes a bit of sense what is going to happen here, really. See, I DID save the royal Vizier's life when I rescued her from those vampires (re: 2505). I did it because it was the Right thing to do, not because she was the princess of Aethiopia (her worlds version of Ethiopia). I had never seen pictures of Terra Prime's Alicia as she looked as a human, so didn't even have a clue as to her true identity, so I didn't even know who she was and she was hardly in a position to tell me who she was until much later (re:2755, 2756).

I had fainted when I found out the entirety of what had happened to me. Hell, how often do YOU find out that you've been changed from an AI to a golem?! Try it sometimes and see how YOU react!

I don't feel faint, but I feel a bit dazed as I follow my father up to the front of the Chapel....

A bit later

"Arise, Marquise Inquirer," the Regent of Ethiopia says solemnly. "Arise, and be welcome!"

From the look on Inquirer's face, I'd say we were able to keep this part of the ceremony a secret until the Leader of the Circle's sister called upon her to be granted an aristocratic title, Sigin Vulpine's mate thinks to herself.The fact that we had been able to do that was no small feat!

There had been over one dozen times where the little surprise almost slipped, once or twice by Rosepaw herself.

Several of the castle servants blink in surprise as a dozen demifox kits (presently in their human form) rise up in mid air. Sigin Vulpine smiles down at Rosepaw as the kits laugh.

"See the nice golems?" Rosepaw yips up to her children that she's telekinetically holding up for a better view. "Smile for the nice golems! That's my good angels!"

About half of the brood giggle and at least TRY to smile at Probe and Inquirer (more like grin...for the kit's human form still are toothless). The others just cry out in delight and wave chubby arms, legs, and little fox tails in delight at floating about....

Inquirer, upon seeing the latest antics of the small vixen, starts to shudder....and then breaks out in helpless laughter.

Proper decorum or not, it struck the young female golem/AI as deliciously funny!

Several of the people present via magical mirror also laugh, for they were able to see the floating fox children, themselves.

Later, after a small meeting...

"....and of course being a Consort frees you from any conflict with Probe and your wife," Alicia says knowingly while stroking her tail. She then sits, with some relief. Being a manimal might mean she could be active throughout her entire pregnancy with the two kits inside her, but still..... Her figure was showing that she was with children, and she did tire from time to time....

"Of course," Dragon Sigin smiles through the magical mirror. "I can't very well become a Prince of Ethiopia and all that.....and still have Probe as my liege lord! It's not....proper."

Alicia smiles, remembering she and her sister suggesting such an arrangement to the dragons when it became evident that such an event would happen if the Regent decided to insist that Dragon Sigin become King of Ethiopia. This way, Malachi Dronocis still got to marry her true love, not alienate what was left of the aristocracy back there, AND be able to have Sigin be able to carry out what draconian honor dictated.

The role of Consort carried no real political power....any more than an average citizen would have. Thus, Count Probe could both dragon mages (albeit one would spend most of his days by the side of the Regent). Dragon Synizn would do most of the travel with their liege, though since Sigin Dronocis, Protector of the Realm, couldn't pass over the borders now.

However, while the Golems WERE within the borders, the Consort would bend over backwards to aid them!

"I feel like I'm being nibbled to death by ducks," Alicia hears Probe whisper softly to his daughter, who nods in agreement. The Palace servants were doing their best to look after all their needs......

Hmmmm, Alicia thinks to herself. That was actually one of the things that I didn't like about the Palace life, because the servants sometimes had a tendency to....swarm over you. Now there's yet another advantage to having renounced my title of Princess! (re: 1723)

"And what of the other things there?" the shefox asks the Consort of Ethiopia.

"Well enough I guess," Sigin sighs. "That tidal wave and such (re:5401) only knocked out a few boats...shipping won't be up to levels they were....for a LONG time."

1. Ironically, according to Belboz, the coastal towns destroyed by the wave were just necropolises. The dead were GLAD that their last ties to this world were smashed to bits by the water. Yes, some living had been killed, but you do what you can...

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