Lilith had just settled back from the breakfast table with a sigh of contentment when Guildmaster Vika strode into the dining room.

"Adept Lilith! The enrollment ceremony is this morning, where are your clothes?"

Lilith grunted to herself in annoyance. This rat seems to have a talent for ruining a good mood when he sees one, she reflected sourly. "What clothes?" she asked innocently.

"What clothes?" Vika repeated incredulously. "The ones I had sent to your room! What others? Certainly not that drab thing you've got on now!"

"Oh, those," Lilith observed. "No one told me what that was all about, so I stuck them into the closet."

"Well get them out and get them on now! We haven't got any time to waste! Hurry!"

Lilith quickly slid out of the bench and away from Vika to avoid getting literally pushed out of the dining room. My, aren't we in a hurry this morning, she thought. Don't you think I might get suspicious about this being a simple little job when you buy me fancy new clothes and then nearly lose it when I don't put them on? As she walked swiftly down the corridor to her room, she decided that Vika probably didn't have the concept of a mere vixen getting suspicious of him. Annoying, but maybe it could be turned to her advantage sometime. There's no fool like a willing fool, she thought with a bit of glee.

Lilith looked down at herself and sighed. She had to admit that wearing something besides a plain purple adept's robe was a rather pleasant change, but this was almost as bad. Trust a rat to go overboard on frills and have a total lack of taste when they did it. I guess I'm lucky he didn't include a tail pomade-- or did he? She found to her relief that there weren't any bottles in the box. At least if she didn't look like an ordinary adept, she could smell like one.

With one last look at the blue and white patterned underblouse below the purple vest and lighter purple and pale blue patterned skirt, she left the room. Interesting that the other colors besides adept purple are apprentice blue and novice white. I somehow wonder whether that's an accident or not.

Vika was waiting impatiently by the door, and spared only a brief satisfied glance for her new outfit. "Finally! Come on, everyone is going to be waiting on us."

Lilith's sandaled feet slapped down the street behind Vika as he bustled along. She winced with annoyance at the sound, and resolved to replace these leather sandals with rope ones the first chance she got-- she very much doubted that Vika would ever notice the switch. When they got to the central square, she had to admit that there were a lot of furs around, and they seemed to be waiting for something to happen. They certainly aren't going to be disappointed if our lovable guildmaster has anything to say about it, she thought wryly.

Vika was trying to push his way through the crowd, with varied success. He never noticed when Lilith started giving him some subtle help by staring over his shoulder straight at anyone who turned around. They made way a lot faster after they failed to meet her eyes. She wasn't sure whether she was pleased or annoyed at that, either. She was being given advantages that she hadn't particularly sought- or wanted. Disadvantages, too, she thought moodily as they finally entered the courthouse.

The press of furs eased as they went down the corridor to the Mayor's office. Vika barely even slowed down at the receptionist's desk, simply saying, "We're expected" and walking on into the mayor's office. Lilith followed, feeling a bit sympathetic for the startled receptionist. She resolved to get caught in this situation as seldom as possible- she was tired of feeling like a boor simply because she was with one and had to follow him around.

The mayor turned away from the small crowd of furs inside his office. Lilith's startled glance showed her seven furs, not counting Vika and herself. Great, just brilliant. Now we walk in on a private conference. Thank you, guildmaster, for starting my term of service off with a bang.

"Good morning Mayor, council members. This is Adept Lilith, our new Peace Enforcer. I believe the ceremony starts in what, two hours?"

Lilith frowned to herself as the impact of what Vika had said made itself felt. Ceremony in two hours? Wait just a minute here, what was all the hurry about?

"Yes, that's right, glad you made it guildmaster, adept... oh, I guess I need to introduce the other council members to you." Mayor Nurans seemed surprised and nervous- but then, he had always seemed that way when Lilith saw him. She was concluding that that was his normal condition.

"Not to me, Mayor, I'm well acquainted with all of the honorable ladies and gentlemen." Vika gave his usual jerk of the head towards the council with a smile that hovered between ingratiating and threatening.

"Of course, of course. I was speaking to Adept Lilith. Lilith, may I introduce to you Council members Sortha, Porins, Yewith, Noku, Meto, and Skythirst." They each nodded as the mayor gave their names. Lilith quickly did a mental tally. Two male foxes, one vixen, one male and one female rat, and a weasel. They seemed about evenly split in their reactions to her, as well. None of them were totally thrilled, but she noticed three of them with very negative reactions. One of them was the only vixen on the council, which caught her eye. She wondered if that had any significance or not.

"Pleased to meet you, " she murmered with a polite nod and smile. She did her best to act humble, and even a bit shy if she could.

"I'm glad to say that the council decided to approve your hiring, Adept Lilith, in a special session last night." the mayor continued.

"It should be said that it was not a unanimous vote, " Yewith's cool tones cut through the Mayor's bright prattle. Her green eyes bored into Lilith, undeterred by Lilith's answering gaze of polite inoffensiveness. "Some of us felt that some things are better left undisturbed."

"Ahh, yes, yes, perfectly understandable. Councilmember Yewith, why don't you and a couple of others show Lilith the courthouse and square area until we're ready to start things?"

"Very well. Noku, Sortha?" the two others nodded and they led the way out of the office with Lilith between them. That made it two antis and one more or less neutral, Lilith noted.

She was glad to see that Yewith had a smile and kind word for the poor receptionist on the way out. Lilith added her own smile, even if she didn't dare say anything until she found out what she'd gotten herself into. They entered the hallway, and Yewith began talking in a conversational tone.

"The layout here is easily explained. The Mayor's office is the first one on this side of the hall, then you have the records storage along the rest of this side. On the other side is the auditor's office and the local law enforcement office. Upstairs are the six offices for the rest of the council members. So what do you think of the town so far, Adept?"

Lilith was startled at the abrupt question that had been neatly slipped into a casual conversation. "Town? Oh, well, it seems fairly ordinary for a southern Heartland town. Nice place to live, I suppose, although they haven't seen any red-eyed vixens, I've found out."

Yewith laughed, and Noku and Sortha even smiled a bit. "No, I know they haven't. I've been hearing about little else since yesterday morning. You've made quite an impression on the townsfolk, Lilith."

Lilith wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or wary. She leaned towards the latter, but she covered with a deprecating shake of her head and a small smile of her own to try and defuse the tenseness that she felt. "I must say it's been quite a surprise to me as well, Councilmember."

"Yewith, please. These titles are great for trying to impress someone but it gets silly when you're establishing a working relationship." She smiled as she laid her hand lightly on Lilith's arm.

Oh, but of course, and next I'll need to tell you all of my little secrets to feel chummy, won't I? Nice try... in fact, very nice try. I'll need to remember that. "Of course, Yewith, " she responded pleasantly.

Yewith's satisfied nod was interrupted by Noku's abrupt question, "Adept, what do you know about the rule of law?"

Lilith blinked. Oh, yes, the other one who wishes I wasn't here. This must be the mix-em-up and see what falls out routine. "I suppose about as much as anyone, Noku. The rule of law is the concept that the ultimate authority is contained in the law books, and that everyone has to follow it, no matter what position they're serving in."

"True, but do you realize the full significance of that?"

Lilith looked blank and helpless. "Significant how?"

"What is the alternative to the rule of law?"

"The rule of furs." Lilith replied with the rote tone of someone giving an automatic response. Inwardly, though, she was analyzing where this was heading. Seeing me as a threat to the rule of law now, are we? Not unusual when you're a magician, Noku, not unusual at all.

"But do you realize what that means?" Lilith simply shrugged, and Noku took his cue to continue. "It means, Adept, that the only alternative to a rule by laws is the whim of a dictatorship. I know that word might sound odd. Thankfully, it's not too common. Perhaps monarchy would be better."

His eyes narrowed meaningfully, and Lilith almost choked on a snort of laughter and indignation. Racial slurs now, is it? Nice try, rat, but I'm not taking that bait. "Monarchy? There hasn't been one of those in the Heartland for over eleven hundred years, Noku. What relevance does that have to now?"

"It's very relevant, Adept. The Peace Enforcer was a magician who lived while there was a monarchy, and he ruled as not just king, but absolute dictator. The only reason his tyranny was not harmful was because of his own self-restraint-- or cunning, we don't know which."

Yewith sighed loudly. "Noku, can't we drop the history lesson for now and move to something a bit more current? I'm sure Lilith is almost as bored as I am." She looked at Lilith, saw her almost glassy gaze, and the sympathetic smile she gave couldn't quite cover up the hint of satisfaction.

Right, he made your point, so now you shut him up and show yourself as my friend, while I'm still off-balance trying to figure out where he's coming from. Lilith grinned back and replied, "not bored, perhaps, but it does bring up the important point of just what kind of government you have now. So tell me, what's the situation as it stands right now?"

Over the next hour or so, Lilith played lost little stranger while all three of the councilmembers filled her in on how things operated. The town had the usual charter from the Heartlands council, which meant that ten percent of its income was sent to the council to support the national government. It also meant that the local government was responsible for enforcing the criminal laws passed by the national legislature every two years, and for co-operating with other towns and areas in that enforcement effort. Locally, there were seven council members, with one being elected every year. You could not succeed yourself. The weasel- Skythirst- was leaving this year. Lilith calculated him as most likely one of Nuran's supporters, which meant that Nurans himself was going to lose power if he didn't get someone in who continued to support him. Since the mayor was elected among the council members every year, it would mean that Nurans would lose the title of mayor, simply becoming another council member. Lilith figured that might not be a bad thing. Yewith made a rather biting remark about Nurans "not weathering his position very well", and Lilith had to agree with that. It didn't take a genius to see that Yewith would likely be the next mayor, at least if force of personality meant anything. She might feel better as the power behind the throne, but Lilith was doubtful of that. This one was just too self-confident and possessed to allow her plans to be upset by the caprice of any sort of puppet.

They returned to the mayor's office at 10:30, apparently just in time for... whatever they were going to do.

As they came in, Yewith walked over to the window to casually look out at the crowd. "Quite a few furs out there today, we should have a good ceremony. Speaking of which, Sortha, why don't you and Lilith go on in and see what they're up to in that office."

Lilith went on in to the mayor's office, along with Sortha. As the door closed behind them, Noku came over to the window and said softly, "maybe we won't have too much trouble with her. She doesn't seem that dogmatic, or even knowledgeable, actually."

Yewith looked at him skeptically. "You were taken in by that? Don't be. We pushed her every way but up, and she never totally lost her balance. She may not be a raving reformer or would-be tyrant, but I'd suggest you think twice before you try to crush her." She ignored the slightly taken aback look on Noku's face as she continued to stare out at the crowd, lost in thoughts of her own that seemed less than totally pleasant.

The babble in the mayor's office broke off as Lilith entered, and Lilith realized that most of the babble had actually been the mayor himself. She almost stared in disbelief as he whirled around to face her in one of the most ornate robes she had ever seen. She thought Vika had gone overboard with the frills on hers, but she was nothing but plain compared to this finery. "Ah, adept, just in time. We were going over the ceremonial details. We don't have much time left, either, so come on over here and let's show you what you're going to need to do." As Nurans fluttered around, she noticed Vika simply standing back watching the whole thing. She wasn't sure if he was bored or slightly contemptuous, but he wasn't saying anything, so there was no chance of his being noticed by anyone else.

The ceremony plans turned out to be pretty simple from Lilith's point of view. She would simply stand back in the doorway while the Mayor made his speech, with the council behind him. At the appropriate point, she would come forward, he would present her with the staff, and then present the furs with their new Peace Enforcer. She was amazed that he actually showed some competence and confidence as the ceremony got under way. The speech he gave might have been a little nervous at the start, but soon he was off and rolling, his high-pitched voice almost fluting like a bird's as he extolled the goodness of the area and its citizens.

"And now, to completely fulfill this picture of safety and serenity, we have found a fur who will help safeguard us all from those who would think to be a blight on our little town...." Lilith took her cue and came forward, the council members moving aside to make room as she did. "Adept Lilith here has given her most solemn vows to be that bulwark against those who would seek to rob, maim, or hurt their fellow fur. To help her in that awesome responsibility, I now present to her the ancient rod of office which so long stood for that safety among us." As he handed the staff to Lilith, he said, "May you use it only to protect the weak, to strengthen the hurt, to bring judgment to the guilty, and to help assure us all of the chance to pursue our lives safe in the light of its protection."

Lilith bowed to him as the crowd burst into applause. She turned to face the crowd, and as the Mayor said, "Citizens of Saneejo, I present to you your new Peace Enforcer!" she raised the rod high for everyone to see.

The applause grew, but as she sent life-energy into the rod to highlight things with a nice light show from its tip, everything seemed to spin. A hush settled over the crowd as her little light show erupted in a brilliant halo surrounding both the rod and her. She raised her right hand, and as its fingers came down toward the audience, a command trumpeted in their ears-- "KNEEL!" Her hand continued downward as the whole audience collapsed to its knees in awe, the stronger ones apparently forced down by the brilliance-- or by something else, perhaps. Lilith gave a small hiccup as the tenseness in her broke. The halo faded, but in the hush that followed, her voice spoke loudly and clearly. "I thank you, and you will be safe under my protection." Then with a small sigh, all of the power and presence in her was gone, while she bowed to the crowd. The hush faded into quiet murmering and cries. The furs got back up and left-- but they left quietly, with troubled, awe-stricken expressions. The sounds of their quiet conversations seemed to make things almost normal again, but the square was emptied in a matter of seconds.

Lilith was staring into the distance as the council members and Vika stared at her in silence. Vika finally recovered enough self-confidence to say, "that was quite a show, adept, but I wish you'd warned us first."

"I didn't think that was necessary, guildmaster," Lilith replied in a remote tone. She walked away from the small group without another word, still staring at something only she could see. As they stared at her retreating back, the vague thought occured to her that she was never going to tell them the truth- that their 'show' had not been intentional at all. Whatever other powers this rod might have, the echoes of power it had sent into her system had taken on a life of their own. They might not know it, Lilith reflected, but they had resurrected the Peace Enforcer in a more literal way than they knew-- yet, that is.