Of course, Arbol was deadly with a sword. She had dangerous allies, including his own sister. She had those two brothers. She had united the Gorgorians and the Hydrangeans in supporting her; she was, in fact, already beloved by most of the people, even before she was formally crowned, for her restoration of Old Hydrangean rights and the surviving Old Hydrangean nobility, while keeping the Gorgorians placated by retaining them among the nobility as well. Her brother Wulfrith had been given a free hand to do whatever he could to restore scholarship—and wizardry—to their former levels of achievement. She had even found posts for all the Bold Bush-dwellers.
It was really rather amazing; with her mother’s advice and the help of her allies, Arbol seemed to have pleased just about everybody. Removing such a monarch, and replacing her, without winding up beheaded for treason or killed by an angry mob or turned into something furry and quadrupedal, appeared quite impossible. It looked like a happy ending all around.
Mimulus smiled as he lifted the crown and placed it on his niece’s head.
He always had loved a challenge.
Split Heirs Page 30