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The End Of An Era
Royal Palace, Mo'ikor

Regent Te Moruon and Minister of Defense Pala Mani find the King while he and his wife are sitting in one of the palace's many beautiful gardens. The trees are full of leaves and butterflies find sustenance in the flowering bushes. Artificial waterways populated by vibrant fishes flow with clear water. King Wasowak I and Queen Ruana are accompanied by their personal servants. The Regent and the Minister are dressed solemnly. The Regent wears the very same mourning robes he wore when he delivered a eulogy for Kanewarman VII. The Minister, similarly, wears predominantly black, though with a vibrant purple tunic.

"Your Majesty," the Regent begins, "If I may, you and Her Majesty's presence is required at the Great Plaza."

"What for?"

"Opu Karani requests you and your wife's presence at a ritual."

The King and Queen stand up and lead the way to the plaza. Their servants follow closely behind. Eventually, the two are joined by additional eunuchs who carry them on a palanquin. The walk through the vast palace is long. When they eventually reach the plaza, King Wasowak I finds that, in addition to Minister Opu Karani, congregated too are all of his concubines, other ministers, bureaucrats, eunuchs, servants, and most other personnel in an unorganized, chattering bunch.

"Nei mo'i!" Pala Mani yells out. The gates of the palace are soon pried open. The crowd goes silent. A large group of republican soldiers soon pour in and surround the silenced bunch.

"What is this?" The King demands Te Moruon.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, it was either this or your head," he replies.

A general of the Keyrahti Republic emerges from the crowd and approaches King Wasowak I. He shows none of the ritual respect demanded for the monarch. He does not even bow his head slightly. Indeed, for a commoner like him and his soldiers to enter without permission is punishable by instant death.

"The terms of surrender of the Kingdom of Keyraht have been received and accepted. Part of these conditions, citizen Wasowak, is the removal of this royalist enclave," the General declares before handing the King a piece of paper.

"Citizen Marubua Wasowak, his family, and all essential servants," the King reads aloud to his courtiers, "As per the conditions of the surrender, have been given one hour to vacate the Royal Palace. They will be escorted to the Winter Palace where they will be held as prisoners of the Keyrahti Republic until further notice. Clerical personnel are permitted to remain and conduct the daily religious affairs of the Palace's temples and shrines."

The King looks down. His wife, the Queen, starts to shed tears. Wasowak raises his head and begins barking orders at servants to assist him in packing his belongings. The crowd quickly dissipates. Soldiers closely follow the courtiers and royals around as they frantically pack.

About 45 minutes later, the crowd is one again gathered at the gate. Soldiers push it open and the King and Queen lead the march forwards. Republican soldiers line the road outside of the palace. Hundreds of carriages are filled with crates of palace treasures and worried courtiers. Before entering his carriage, the King looks back. He sees soldiers cheer as the flag of the Keyrahti Republic is raised over the Royal Palace.

The King has been deposed. His court negotiated his own surrender without his knowledge. Only later does he learn that inside the Palace, as part of the terms of the agreement between the Republicans and Royalists, Provisional President "Papa" Kana is administering the oath of office to Pala Mani, now President Pala Mani.