Kazia sat as multiple nobles argued over whether or not she should rule. Some argued that she had to have cheated to get the arrow to pierce her. Some brought up her gender, stating that a queen could never rule alone. She saw from the corner of her eye her fiance, Radzimierz Jankauskas, talking with some others around their age. She knew his parents were there, though exactly where in the crowd of nobles wasn’t known to her. She stood up.

“Silence.” Her voice held steady as everyone stopped to look at her, some a little shocked she could command so much power in such a simple word. Kazia continued. “I know many of you are upset with this development. I did not choose to be chosen; that was an act of Pandievas. If you so wish, I will gladly allow the test to be done again, while in a crowd of all the young heirs of the families standing here.” She sat back down as there was a discussion held around her once more. She glanced to Radzimierz who smiled, waving. She waved back, smiling softly. She and Radzim had been engaged since before she could state her first word. He was one of her dearest friends. One of the dukes stood.

“Then do so. I want to see with my own eyes the proof that you’re the new queen.” Kazia smiled.

“I would be king.” That caused a cacophony of voices to rise up to yell that she was a woman, and she wouldn’t be a king. She raised a hand. “Find me a law book that states that I cannot be king and I will show you ten others that state I can.” With that, she left to go arrange for the arrow test to happen yet again but this time in a way that allowed all the possible heirs to the kingdom to participate.