Sadarth visits the assembly

By now, the leading citizens would know what the ones down in the forum knew. They didn't have to listen to their countess. The "City Assembly" was one more institution which didn't exist at that time, but Sadarth knew that people who weren't as powerful as her tended to clump up in groups when something needed to be done.

She anticipated- correctly, of course- that they would meet in the cleverly named Assembly Hall. Since it was conquered by Oloan, it served as a ballroom and a reminder that Sunley had been conquered. But now that the city was freed, the assembly could meet there. The "assembly," of course, being the gathering of everyone who could be bothered to show up that day. Sadarth could not reveal her nakedness to them yet, and so had to improvise.

She had teleported to the roof, where she could see them without herself being seen in all her naked glory. Below her, the assembly was going through a tedious argument. Everyone had a demand for the new government, which needed much more practice at tedious argument. Sadarth interrupted them by summoning a flame in the middle of the room.

_"I AM SADARTH!" _she made the flame say. For now, the flame would command more respect and awe than her nude form. It would be very strange, talking to this people while nude, even if they couldn't see her or have any way of knowing she was nude. It would be best to not think about it. But Sadarth could not help but be excited.

A self-appointed elder statesman. "Greetings, Sadarth, wise and powerful mage. The Free City of Sunley is thankful for what you have done, but we know that your kind will want something in return from this. Know that we are not ungrateful, but we will NOT return the freedom you claim to have given us."

The elder statesman won some approving mumbling with that. Sadarth answered him. "I do not need your freedom. It is a petty thing for me, a gift freely given. No. You need me to help you keep it, and for that I will require something in return."

To think that that night, Sadarth had gone to bargain with a demon, and now here she was, acting like she thought Kargath would. The elder statesman interrupted her thoughts with a simple question. "What exactly do you offer, and what is it you want?"

Sadarth made the fire just a touch hotter. "I want you to put this city to order and to chase out the remaining Oloani. You will administer this city in the manner which I promised to the people. That is, you shall treat them as free people and not allow any one person too much authority. You will acknowledge me as the city's protector and name me Empress. I do not want you to call me 'empress' in the noble sense, for you shall outlaw nobility. Instead, you will name me Empress in the sense of military command. I will be supreme commander of your fleets and armies. It will be rare that I have need of them, however, so you may expect that I mainly leave their operation to you. In return, I will liberate other cities, whom shall name me their Empress, and ensure their fleets are armies will be used to help you in your need. When the Oloani come back, I will ensure they are turned aside."

Sadarth felt slightly preposterous. She was naked! She was naked and trying to get these people to run a city. But she couldn't help but love it.

The elder statesman thought for a second. "We have argued in this hall about what to do if the Oloani come back to retake this city. If you say you can stop them, we will vote on it." He look around to his fellow citizens of the assembly. "Who votes 'yea' to Empress Sadarth?"