Spoiler! :
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“Next, we will hear from the representative of Nokhauler,” the old man stated in his drone of a voice. The same drone he had used to introduce every representative. The Grand Arbiter, they called him. I hadn’t seen him arbitrate, or do anything of the sort throughout the long meeting. He just sat there, on his high seat, observing us with a frown.
There was a little group of people from Nokhauler, one of them stood, and began speaking about the good fortune the frosty nation had had in the past year. He went on about something to do with walruses… then sat, with a curt nod to The Arbiter.
I swallowed. Crap. I’m next.
The Arbiter glanced down at his podium, then said clearly, but with an air of utter boredom, “Now, the representative from Rovident, please.”
I looked at Zain, my brother, and fellow representative. He gave me an encouraging shove.
With a deep breath, I stood.
Eyes. From every direction there were eyes directed at me; staring, curious, critical eyes…
“What’s she doing?”
“They sent a… girl?”
“I don’t like this.”
“I don’t believe this!”
Those are just some of the words that reached my ears as I stood there before them.
I cleared my throat loudly, and began, “Rovident has, in the past year, thrived as a port city.” That was my opening line. I had planned it out, and figured the rest would come naturally. As soon as I began talking the mutterings stopped, and they all seemed to stare with even more intensity. I’m not really that interesting, I thought bitterly.
I wanted to sit down right then and hide behind Zain, but, instead pressed on, “We… we have built more ports,” you just talked about ports you dimwit! “and continue to expand our cities. The population has increased significantly, and our natural resources are proving abundant. Although Rovident is still a new province, we’re constantly expanding, and will, certainly, stand as a significant force in the future,” after a small pause I bowed a little and said, “that is all.”
I fell into my seat thankfully. It wasn’t until a few seconds after I sat that the polite clapping began, and the mutterings started back up again. I sighed, and shielded my eyes from further stares.
Zain patted me on the back as The Arbiter read which province’s representative was next.
“Nice job,” he said comfortingly.
“It wasn’t worth it,” I muttered back, my tone slightly angry.
“It was. You’ll see,” he said, as if that were the simple truth.
I shouldn’t have gone along with this, I thought to myself, shaking my head. It was like Zain to come up with… ideas. Stupid ideas. I wasn’t supposed to be the one that represented Rovident in the Convention. He was- wait, no, that’s not right either- our father was. He is, after all, the ambassador of Rovident. But he became sick a few days before he was supposed to leave for Viorest, the city where the annual Convention is held every year. So, he sent me and Zain, with instructions that said Zain will be the one to talk, and I will keep him in check.
I shivered as I imagined my father, his old, grey face saying to me, Just leave the socializing to your brother… if possible, keep your mouth shut at all times. And make sure the two of you get home alive, and with our pride as Rovidentites. The way he talked to me, it made it as clear as ever that he wasn’t much of a father to me.
Zain insisted that, since I was the eldest sibling, I should talk at the Convention. Even if he’s a stupid child, I’ve never known anyone to stick up for me like he does. I’ve never known any real family, but him.
I suppose that’s to be expected though. At least, it’s what I’ve learned to expect. Better then nothing, I told myself. Glancing at Zain, I smiled. A lot better.
Still, it would be nice to have grown up with a couple of loving parents. But as I mentioned earlier, it can’t be expected. Not when you’re adopted at the age of eleven by an alcoholic woman and a distant man who was never really meant to be a father. An odd couple, with an odd little boy just a couple years younger then me. I don’t know exactly what could have driven them to adopt me, but I know there were reasons. My father told me so every time I asked. There were reasons, he said, like, your mother always wanted a daughter, and we couldn’t have anymore children… naturally. Naturally. Something tells me they stopped doing the thing that ‘naturally’ creates children a while before they adopted me.
To say the least, a dysfunctional family. But somehow, through it, me and Zain managed to be kind of like an ordinary brother and sister. Kind of.
Eventually, the last representative finishes his shpeel. Everyone began standing up, and milling around, shaking hands, and what not.
I stood contactual to Zain as we departed the small booth reserved for Rovident. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, but he seemed to be taking his time.
“Could you walk a little faster?” I murmured to him sourly.
“Huh?” he replied, giving me a vague look.
Just as I was preparing to repeat myself in frustration, I was suddenly stopped.
“Miss Blue, I presume,” the person said cheerily. He looked about my age. I hadn’t heard him speak during the Convention.
I nodded, then, realizing I had lost Zain, spun around frantically, but there were people everywhere- nay, men everywhere, too thickly grouped for me to find him. And there I stood in my damned petticoat.
“Renem,” he held out his hand, and I shook it politely, “Liak Renem.”
I rolled my eyes at this, “It’s nice to meet you Liak, but, I have to find my brother…”
“Oh! Is that the lad you were following? I was under the impression he was more of a…” he pursed his lips, looking off into space for the right word, “Assistant.”
“Well, you were mistaken,” as is almost every other random person that sees us together. Most think we’re just friends, or colleagues, but occasionally we get accused of being a ‘couple’, which is just disturbing.
It’s odd, because, even though I know we’re not actually, I’ve always felt me and Zain sort of look related. Sure, we don’t look similar, but we’re really each quite bland. I guess it’s his voice; he has a funny accent (as does the rest of our family, except me).
“Sorry about that,” he said, with the ‘utmost’ sincerity in his tone, “but I just wanted to say, Miss Blue- is it okay if I call you Shalby?”
Briefly I wondered how this boy knew my name. Dismissing the thought, I said, “I don’t care. Thank you for asking. Good day,” and made to turn around, but he quickly stopped me.
“Wait, wait, that’s not what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell you, that I think it’s great that you’re representing your province.”
At this, I was suddenly less eager to leave. I frowned at him for a good ten seconds, then I straightened my back, and asked, “Why? Because I’m a woman?”
His smile did not hide the fear that he had said something offensive, and irreversible, “Yes. Well, you know… perhaps the world isn’t going to be run by a bunch of old men much longer.”
I snorted at this, “Oh, sure. In fact, the world might not be run by men at all much longer.”
He frowned, and shrugged at this, making it clear that he wanted out of the conversation just as badly as I had a minute ago.
I pointedly hitched up my skirt before trotting off to find Zain.
*~**~**~*A week or so later*~**~**~*
Each of the representatives got a small, eloquent room in Viorest’s palace. As only one person was supposed to come from Rovident, Zain and I had to share a room.
I was lying in the bed, trying to get some rest, when something cold was shoved into my hand. I opened my eyes to see a small glass.
“Thought you could use a little pick-me-up,” Zain explained, holding a similar looking cup.
I sat up, and drank the liquid in one chug.
Zain snorted, sipping his own drink, “Tasty?” he asked.
“Disgusting,” I answered matter-of-factly.
“Well, you better get dressed,” he noted, gesturing at the corset and fluffy skirt thrown carelessly on the ground.
I frowned at the clothes, “Do I have to go to this stupid dinner?”
“Yes, you do, actually.”
“I think if I’m in a room with those cockroaches one more time…” I began, shaking my head.
“This will be the last time. Tomorrow we’ll set off for Rovident, and you won’t have to worry about this painful experience ever again.”
I glared at him, “Don’t mock me! It has been painful…” I faced a full week of boring meetings after the introduction conference, during which I was often asked to give my opinion about issues. What do I know about issues and politics?! It’ll all be over soon… I placated myself.
After finishing his drink, Zain placed the glass on a desk, and examined himself in the mirror, screwing with his hair, straightening his suit, “How do I look?” he asked, facing me.
“Sexy,” I said sarcastically.
“Aren’t I?” he asked, repressing laughter.
With a sudden change in subject, I asked, “Zain, why did you drag me in to this?”
He frowned, sitting next to me, “I… figured you would like your voice to be heard.”
“Why? Because I have unique views?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
He shrugged.
“Or, because I’ve expressed a desire to be heard by a bunch of strange men?” I pressed, my eyes going wider.
He gave me a hard look, “What are you going on about, Shalb?”
“Or was it just because I’m a girl?” I asked with finality, my eyebrows reaching their peak.
“Does it matter?!” Zain asked, just a glint of anger in his voice, “Fine, I admit it. Maybe I didn’t do everything just for you. Perhaps it was for everyone. For all the little girls that have no hope of growing up to hold grand positions, and all the women stuck in marriages because they’re afraid!” with that, our conversation became an argument.
My mouth fell open, “I know you’ve always sympathized for Mom but I think we both know she couldn’t leave him if she wanted to.”
“And, what is that supposed to mean, exactly?” Zain asked, his eyes cold.
“It means if she left him she would have no money. No money equals no booze. She would come crawling back within an hour.” And, with that, the argument became a fight.
“She’s stronger then you know!” It hit me, not for the first time, as he glared down at me, adamantly defending our mother, how much he resembled her; her hair, and her nose.
“I know her pretty damn well!” I retaliated.
He groaned, “I don’t know. I don’t know what to say, Shalby, but I felt something needed to be done. Something drastic. If I had breasts and long hair I’d do it myself.”
“So, you decided to trick me into doing your dirty work?” I asked, giving him a scathing look.
“I’m sorry, but oddly enough I thought you might want to do something to help… I don’t know, liberate women. Sorry, I should have figured you would prefer to remain a second-rate citizen.”
Ouch, I swallowed, second-rate citizen… Certainly, I knew this was true. I always had, but those words… second-rate. It made me look at the situation from a different perspective. “Well, maybe you should ask me first, next time.”
He nodded fairly, “I suppose I should.”
“I had no idea you felt so strongly about women’s rights,” I told him, impressed.
He shrugged, “I guess it’s just… I’m a little sick of you and Mom being treated badly…”
“You get used to it,” I explained.
“You shouldn’t have to,” he said, his voice disappointed, with an air of fury.
I looked out the window, “The dinner will start soon…”
Zain nodded, “I’ll meet you down there. Get dressed!”
“Alright, see you,” I bid him farewell with a smile.
After the door shut behind him, I sighed, staring down at the petticoat. Eventually, I stood up, walked over to it, and kicked it.
“Stupid skirt,” I sighed, “I don’t want to get dressed. I don’t want to wear that outfit,” I crossed my arms, and sat back on the bed.
“What to do…” I muttered, putting off the moments before I had to put on the retched thing. As I peered around the room, at the nightstand, the mirror, the desk… something caught my eye. It was an ajar drawer. I stood, and walked to the desk, and peered inside the drawer… When I saw what lay within it, I smiled, “What was it Zain said?” I asked myself, “Something… drastic?”
*~**~**~*Minutes later*~**~**~*
I pulled the wide brimmed hat I wore low over my eyes, and strutted through the crowd. People were looking at me, staring at me… gasping at me. But this time I didn’t care. I was making a statement… and besides, frankly, I didn’t give a damn as to what these stuffy old men thought of me.
When I reached the bar, I took a seat, and peeked up from under my hat. Nobody was standing within eight feet of me.
But I wasn’t yet satisfied. I spat on the ground, then turned towards the bar, and asked, “Could I get a beer, my good man?”
The bar tender snorted, pointedly turning away from me.
I looked back at the staring men. Some of them shook their heads at me, or glared. I spotted Liak Renem goggling me.
Zain burst from the group, penetrating the repulsive force field I had, apparently, been creating.
He stood right in front of me, blocking me from the other’s site. I noticed his shirt was wet, probably from the drink he spilt when he saw me.
“Nice outfit,” he muttered.
I looked down at the shirt, the pants, “I don’t know if I ever told you this, but I’ve always thought you had good taste when it comes to purchasing clothes.”
Rolling his eyes, Zain took off his jacket, and slung it over my shoulders. Then, for good measure, he removed the hat from my head, and covered my cleavage with it.
He didn’t say a word as he led me from the dinner party, up to our room.
The silence was kind of stressing me out, so I asked, “Are you angry with me?”
At first, Zain didn’t respond… “Well, I have to say, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to do what you did.”
I smiled, “Just taking a letter from your book, brother.”
He shook his head, “No. Maybe I was the inspiration, or the driving force, but I’m pretty sure it’s your book, sister dear.”
I waited a minute or so before asking, “What’s Dad going to do when he finds out?”
His eyes went wide, “Disown us, probably.”
I nodded, “Kick us out of the province.”
“Does he have that power?” Zain asked, surprised.
I shrugged, “Most likely.”
“Yeah…” he sighed, “but maybe, just maybe, you’ve started something bigger, Shalb.”
I considered this shortly, and gave him a hopeful look, “Maybe.”
*~**~**~*Epilogue*~**~**~*
During Shalby and Zain’s ride home from Viorest, Ambassador Blue died. So, luckily, they didn’t have to deal with his anger, but, still, it was sad.
Together, Zain and Shalby helped bring rights to women, first in Rovident, then across the rest of the provinces.
After that, Zain became a doctor, and with his help Mrs. Blue got over her alcohol issue.
Shalby took after her father, and became the ambassador of Rovident, and later, the first female president of Rovident, and later, the first female Grand Arbiter of the annual Convention.
The ending was a little abrupt but it doesn’t matter too much, I guess. I’m not sure exactly how I feel about the story, though. It was well written and your dialogue was very good, and I liked your characters, especially Shalby because she can do the cool brave thing like going out in boy’s clothes, but she’s not a huge I R FEMINIST AND FEISTY HEROINE, she seems real and believable. You’ve no idea how much I loathe feisty heroines. ^_^ 
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