He remembered the day he saw Aleva Suviart. She was fresh off the boat from Ozia, and had come to work for the House Arkatienoth, one of the aristocratic families that survived within the Golden Republic. Mikhail was from one of the most conservative families within the Golden Republic, his own father Oskar Arkatienoth was on the road to become a Civic Councillor and was one of the leading voices for the conservatives. Mikhail, ever the rebel, was the First of the Social Students Democratic Union, a political body in his university's student political body. He was writing a speech at a local rally for the Social Democrats. His father had almost forbidden him going as how would it look when the great Oskar Arkatienoth's son spoke for the opposition to his own political bloc. This election was going to be an important one as the banking crisis had hit the Keran economy. The wealthy hardly felt it while the poor and middle classes were hit hard. Protests had taken place everyday leading up to the elections. The political blocs were becoming more violent. In the last few days, three Conservatives, five Social Democrats and a few Liberals and Socialists were injured in the protests. It was rumored that the Civic Council was going to call in the Honoured Garde to put down the protests, but those rumors were put down.
He heard the door to the library. "How dare you?" His father's voice carried across the room. Aleva jumped at the voice. Mikhail closed his notebook and got out of his chair. He looked over the railing down at Oskar. "You little shit, I told you no son of mine is going to throw in with those wretches."
Mikhail looked over at Aleva. "I think you should leave Ms. Suviart. My father and I need to have a private discussion." He smiled at her. She nodded and quickly made her way out, closing the door behind her. Turning back to his father, Mikhail said. "I will throw myself in with those 'wretches' as I believe in their views. Too long have the Great Houses thought they could command the nation."
"You forget, we did rule this nation. Now we have been replaced by the filthy mob. How will the hoi polli know what to do without us. I am sick of your disrespect. I am trying to become Civic Councilor and everything you do hurts my election. This will end. You will not speak at the Social Democratic Rally. That's final!"
Mikhail made his way down the stairs and stood in front of Oskar. He could smell the brandy on his breath. "I will speak what I wish, where I wish. This is a democracy after all. You cannot stop me." He walked by him towards the door. He was not going to argue with an drunk.
"Don't walk away boy. I am still the head of this family."
Before Mikhail closed the door, he turned. "You may be the head of the family, but remember this, you are only a puppet to your Myrorian masters. I will go and speak of a free and independent Keras. You can crawl back to your masters like a dog." He closed the door behind him
